Creating landing pages for your visitors

// November 1st, 2009 // No Comments » // Blog

Everybody clicks on links and can end up at a site and they can’t tell what the site is about. This is even more true for a lot of blog, which tend to have the latest post on the front page, without much context. This can be confusing for newcomers. Put it this way, imagine opening the book and the first page you find is actually page 129. (more…)

Posting Schedules

// October 16th, 2009 // No Comments » // Blog

Some bloggers are able to meet every update they promise. For some of us however, the time constraints of running a blog can prove difficult at times.

What can help is a rough plan of where you are going, or what you are going to do next. It could range to some sketches to just a few words, but having a direction will really help you in posting updates regularly. I personally have an ideas book, jotting down several ideas per page, sometimes diagram sketches, sometimes bullets, and occasionally just a word or two to trigger a memory. (more…)

How often do you read other blogs?

// October 6th, 2009 // 11 Comments » // Blog

A lot of people put up a links page, a page where they link to other people’s blogs that they read; more common is the blogroll, literally just a list of blogs they recommend.  Some of these pages and blog rolls list hundreds of other blogs, and chances are they only do it so that maybe some of those sites link back. I find it difficult enough to keep up with the dozen or so I read so when I see pages with over a hundred links I find it a bit dubious.

But whether or not all of them get read, I still think it is important to read other peoples’ blogs. Obviously you can continue to write a blog without ever seeing somebody else’s posts, though I think you’d obviously be missing out. For one thing, you miss out on one of the best parts of blogs, the amazing community. By not reading any other blogs you are cutting yourself off from this community. (more…)

What’s in a domain name?

// October 2nd, 2009 // 2 Comments » // Blog

These days there are lots of places to get your blog online for free which has probably helped to fuel the massive growth in the number of blogs over the last decade. People who have no understanding of php or have never seen a html page are able to get their blog hosted for free in minutes. Most of these services also allow a certain degree of customisation to your little part of the internet. And it’s all totally free! (more…)