I regularly get asked questions about how to start and maintain a successful blog. Here is my beginner’s blogging tutorial - How to Blog 101.
#1 :: CHOOSE A BLOGGING PLATFORM
I recommend self-hosting your blog and using WordPress. It the most popular platform among Technorati’s top 100 blogs and among Church Relevance’s top church blogs.
Self-Hosted Blogging Software:
Blogging Services (hosting provided):
#2 :: CHOOSE A DOMAIN (if allowed)
As long as it is relevant, the shorter the domain is the better. A short domain is quick and easy to type, which will save you time in the long run and reduce the probability of you and your visitors mistyping it.
- Domize - immediately checks a domain’s availability as you type it into the query box
- DomainsBot - suggests domains based on your search keywords
- Domain Pigeon - lists available domain names which you can use for your websites
- MakeWords - generates domain ideas based on your suggestions, linguistics, and semantic databases
#3 :: DESIGN YOUR BLOG
Being a web designer or hiring one is not necessary for having a good looking blog, but it definitely helps. WordPress has thousands of template designs for sale and for free that are not too complicated to implement.
For Inspiration:
- A Small Design Study Of Big Blogs
- 45 Excellent Blog Designs
- 50 More Excellent Blog Designs
- 60+ Unusual WP Blog Designs
For Templates:
- 20 Free Corporate WordPress Themes
- 20 Great Free WordPress 2.7 Themes
- 21 Mindblowing Premium-Like Free WordPress Themes
- 30 Free High Quality WordPress Themes
- 50 Beautiful Free WordPress Themes
- 83 Beautiful WordPress Themes You (Probably) Haven’t Seen
- 100 Excellent Free WordPress Themes
#4 :: USE TOOLS
WordPress is a great platform, but there are tools and plugins that can make it even better. I recommend at least using the following tools:
- Akismet Plugin - tracks spammers and helps keep them off your blog
- All in One SEO Plugin - optimizes your Wordpress blog for search engines
- FeedBurner - tools to help you promote, deliver, and profit from your Web content
- Google Analytics - free stats about where your visitors come from and how they interact with your site
- StatCounter - a free yet reliable tool for real-time detailed web stats
- WordPress Database Backup Plugin - easily backup your core WordPress database
Other Tools:
- Bad Neighborhood Text Link Checker - detect links that hurt your SEO
- ClickTale - provides movies and heatmaps of your visitors’ actual browsing sessions
- Crazy Egg - supplement your analytics with stunning visuals and actionable data
- Creative Commons - easily mark your work with copyright freedoms
- Facebook Connect - integrate Facebook into your blog
- PollDaddy - create free online surveys and polls for your blog
- Redirectr Theme - redirects the traffic from an existing (old) blog to a new blog or site
Tool Lists:
- 9 SEO Plugins Every Wordpress Blog Should Have
- 12 RSS Plugins for WordPress
- 20+ Must-Have WordPress 2.5 Compatible Plugins
- 21 of the Best WordPress Plugins for New Blogs
- 30+ WordPress Plugins for Statistics
- 50 Best WordPress Plugins for Power Blogging
- 50+ More Ways to Track Website Traffic
- 50+ Tools For The WordPress Admin
- Powerful List of WordPress Lifesavers Plugins
- The Business Blogging Toolset: 100 Resources for Entrepreneur-Writers
- Useful WordPress Plugins
#5 :: HAVE QUALITY CONTENT
An aesthetically well-designed blog may entice visitors to linger for the first visit, but quality content is what will get those visitors to keep coming back. If you need topics, visit these resources:
- Alltop - an “online magazine rack” of popular topics
- Delicious - the tastiest bookmarks on the web
- Digg - discover and share content from anywhere on the web
- Reddit - users decide the top stories
- StumbleUpon - discovers web sites based on your interests
#6 :: STUDY BLOGGING
If you want people to read your quality content, study the science of successful blogging and copywriting. Writing for a blog is different than writing for a book or magazine. My advice:
Unless you are blogging for personal reasons, focus on optimizing the reader experience. Offer only quality content. And make it scannable by using short paragraphs, bold text, and bullet points. Use as few words as possible without compromising quality (needless words wasted readers’ time). And if possible, post consistently often.
Blogging Tips:
- Copyblogger - copywriting tips for online marketing success
- ProBlogger - a blog about how to be a successful blogger
- 7 Types of Blog Posts Which Always Seem to Get Links and Traffic
- 15 Powerful Ways to Differentiate Your Blog from the Crowd
- 101 Essential Blogging Skills
- Blogging on Alltop - all the top blogging news
- WordPress on Alltop - all the top WordPress news
#7 :: MARKET YOURSELF
With blogging, two of your most powerful marketing opportunities are Search Engine Optimization and leveraging social media. Last year, 48% of ChurchRelevance.com’s traffic came from search engines. You should be using these resources:
- Facebook - a popular social network likely used by many readers (follow me)
- LinkedIn - a popular social network for professionals (follow me)
- Twitter - stay hyperconnected to readers with this microblogging tool (follow me)
- Google Keyword Tool - discover which keywords and phrases are searched for the most
I use this often. In fact, three highly-searched keyphrases are in this post’s title. - SEOmoz - free SEO education and tools
- 16 Effective Strategies to Expand Your Blog’s Reach
WHAT ELSE?
Remember this is just the beginner’s blogging tutorial. But if you read all of these links, you will be on your way to becoming a blogging expert.
If you are already blogging, what would you add to this list?
What are your favorite tools?
What is your best advice?

























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That is a powerful list of resources! This list of setup information will help so many get their sites launched more effectively. And, I picked up a few new things for SEO work. Thanks!
Another easy-top-setup platform is Tumblr (http://tumblr.com).
Otherwise, a fantastic list!
[...] to Blog 101 - The Ultimate Beginner’s Blogging Tutorial’ February 26, 2009 Kent Shaffer Related posts:How to deal with trolls, spammers, lawbreakers and meanies [...]
I’d add posterous to the list of simple platforms to start on. http://posterous.com/
Nice work.
I think this is an excellent post, as you have chosen the right resources. The fact that you intend to do this for beginners, I am glad you did not yet include the topic concerning making money from a blog.
Making money from blogging is one thing I don’t discuss to beginners simply because they suddenly stick to their minds that there is really fast money from blogging.
Actually, there is which is why most of us here. But I think one thing that beginners should realize that they need a lot to learn, analyze, and experiment before they can really make money from their blogs.
Most beginners don’t realize that making money from blogging is entering a business that needs investment, time, focus, and dedication. The investment may require money in most cases, but one should know when to spend and when he should not.
So my best advice for beginners so far - relax, learn, and enjoy. Don’t think about making money from your blog this early. The more you think about it, the more you will not get it. But if you are able to understand all the things that you should learn, then perform experiments. But note that what works for A may not work for B. Most of the times, failure will occur. But in those failures that we will learn more and before you know it, you are already making money from your blog.
But the main thing is - Always be useful to others. After all, this is what GOD wants us to be.
[...] How to Blog 101 - The Ultimate Beginner’s Blogging Tutorial | churchrelevance.com (tags: tips blogging blogs howto) steve on February 26th, 2009 | Filed under 15 | [...]
[...] The beginner’s guide to blogging. [...]
Blogging 101…
What is Blogging?
……
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for me, wordpress is best of the best blog engine and all in one seo plugin is best of the best seo tool for wordpress…it is smart tool to optimize wordpress blog
You can find really easy to install and widget ready themes at DailyWPTheme. They have been providing the most quality and simple to use Premium Wordpress themes.
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[...] How to Blog 101 - The Ultimate Beginner’s Blogging Tutorial | churchrelevance.com (February 26th, 2009 at 1:11 am ) [...]
especially if we want to make a business blog wordpress is the best cms to use thanks for sharing
thanks . the post are very useful .
I would just like to know how to PARTICIPATE in a discussion on a blog. How do you post, how do you re-access your post later. How do you get a comment about a specific post that someone else has made associated with that post. how to you find comments about a specific topic. Blogging is very intimidating to me and i have no idea how to actually use them.
I might add–what is a retweat? and how does it differ from a share?
@April You’ll be pleased to know that you’ve just participated in a blog discussion. If you Google search for “blog tutorials” you’ll find great answers to your questions and more!
Is there anyplace to get tutorial/instruction that assumes NO KNOWLEDGE WHATEVER???
I use computer for word processing books, heavily into internet research, but so help me I CAN’T seem to get anywhere with blogging. I should have a blog. I should have that or go on Facebook. But it is all TOO MUCH!! I think I’m smart, no dementia I know of, 90 but very active and live alone and read, read, etc. Should I give up on self-teaching and sign up for a community college hands-on course? I have taught myself over my retirement years everything from how to typeset books for others, to how to self-publish and write books of my own — one of which was picked up by major publisher and i edited two editions for them. Blogging has me totally frustrated.
I’m an old lady with a new book I want to promote — not SELL the book directly, but publicize so that people go to my website where there is a link to POD author page. I WANT to blog, think I have the ease of writing/typing skills to respond and initiate. But the problem is the overwhelming amount of material and jargon. I printed out a New Blogger Tutorial at Master Point Press last night. Haven’t digested it yet but SEEMS TO BE very step-by-step for Word Press, and in jargon-free English.
Yours seems like a great RESOURCE — i.e., for first time I understand what the devil Declicious is!!!!
Does ANYBODY ever tell y ou how to keep track of what you’re doing???? Example. I responded to a Huffington Post article on pros and cons of social drinking (I’d like to have my signature of Aurora1920 become my trademark on HP plus Daily Beast, plus topical blogging in areas of playing bridge, lifestyles of seniors and boomers, food history (my book is a combination of pop culture of sociable bridge, retro lifestyles, food history 20s-60s).
Today I tried to FIND what I successfully posted — where is it?????? I need HELP or directions to other people like me who really need step-by-step.
maggy (aurora1920)
I
@Maggy
Probably the easiest place to get the one-on-one guidance you are looking for is the community college course you mention. Having someone who can personally walk you through it would probably get you to where you want to be.
This is an excellent resource for anyone just starting out like myself.
I know a good deal about traditional marketing and promotions and so I am eager to share it with everyone out there.
I can post blogs, set up pages etc. but I am stuck on things like tags, categories, archiving and so on.
How do you set up your home page so that just the first 10 lines or so of a new blog appear on that page and then set up a Read More link to take them directly to the rest of that blog entry AND ONLY that entry?
Right now my Read More links merely take readers to another blog page on there which is filled with blog entries in no particular order. I have no doubt readers find that annoying, which does me more harm than good.
Excellent work by the way.
Wayne
@Wayne
Good questions! The answers may vary depending on what blogging platform you use. I recommend Googling “Wordpress tutorials” or “Blogspot tutorials” or whatever platform you might be using. There are thousands of informative blogging how-to articles that should answer those questions plus teach you many more valuable tricks.
As far as I’m concerned, the thing to remember about blogging is why. The answer to that question will differ between people. The “personal blogger” isn’t going to be interested nor willing to shell out the money for self-hosting (and, trust me, hosting it from your PC is the ultimate BIG MISTAKE unless you have the time, knowledge, and money to set up your own server … in which case you’re not in this category).
Blogs used to be simple platforms for individuals to share their lives. Yeah, we’ve got Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace for that now. Blogs, though, can still be personal. Don’t worry about a lack of followers. Forget about “monetizing” your blog, at least for now. Just do it.