Please be sure to refer back to Week 1: Up and running if you didn’t get a chance to read the first installment of 21 days to a better blog last Friday. This week I am focusing on some of the devilish little details that separate a fun blog from one that has the potential to be a business generator.
Remember, I am laying out a daily publication schedule because that is the frequency that works for me. Adjust that part of the plan to fit your publication schedule. I would encourage you to post consistently at the same time and on the same day(s) each week.
Week 2: The devil is in the details
Day 8 Obtain a WordPress API key and activate the Akismet plugin. This is the plugin that protects your blog from comment spam. The instructions for obtaining the API key (requires you to set-up a WordPress.com account) can be found in the link listed earlier.
– proofread/edit your seventh post
– schedule your sixth and seventh posts for publication
– and write your eighth post
Day 9 Set-up a Google Analytics account and install support for Analytics on your blog by using a plugin like Google Analytics for WordPress. (Don’t let this step discourage you. Google Analytics may not be right for you and I present alternative statistics on Day 11.)
– proofread/edit your eighth post
– and write your ninth post
Day 10 Install the Editorial Calendar plugin. Chris Brogan did a great job explaining why to Use an Editorial Calendar.
– proofread/edit your ninth post
– schedule your eighth and ninth posts for publication using Editorial Calendar.
– and write your tenth post
Day 11 Install WordPress.com Stats plugin. I like this plugin because it organizes the traffic and search terms used to reach my site in a way that is meaningful and useful to me as an author. There’s more about the plugin on the WordPress blog filed under Sexy Stats.
– proofread/edit your tenth post
– and write your eleventh post
Day 12 Take some time to learn about and understand WordPress widgets. While plugins typically extend the functionality of WordPress widgets improve the appearance of your site.
– proofread/edit your eleventh post
– schedule your tenth and eleventh posts for publication using Editorial Calendar.
– and write your twelfth post
Day 13 Set-up a Feedburner account so your content can be distributed via RSS. Feedburner also allows readers to select delivery of content via email each time you publish a new post. About half the readership on this blog occurs via RSS feeds. You’ll then want to install a plugin like the Freedburner Subscription Widget to make signing up for posts via email easy. (It’s a plugin that makes a widget available to install on your sidebar.)
– proofread/edit your twelfth post
– and write your thirteenth post
Day 14 Add the ability to easily follow you on Twitter. Making yourself easy to find in the social space is important. Many times conversations about your blog will occur on other social media channels. Make sure your readers know where and how to find you.
– proofread/edit your thirteenth post
– schedule your twelfth and thirteenth posts for publication using Editorial Calendar.
– and write your fourteenth post
Make sure to check back next Friday when I tackle: Fine Tuning.
If you have been playing along at home please be sure to share a comment with you sites URL so we can all go check it out.
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