Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) about the basics of blogging and their answers.
1. What is a blog?
A: A blog, akin to a website, is a platform that allows you to share everything that you want to share with the rest of the world. Every time you share (post) something on your blog, it forms a part of your blog and appears in a reverse chronological order, i.e your latest posts will appear first, followed by the rest.
2. How do I create a blog?
A: Creating a blog is easy. You hardly need any technical skills. Two of the world's most favoured platforms are Wordpress and Blogspot. All you need to do is to head over either of these platforms, sign up for an account and you are good to go. You can also try other platforms like Typepad and Tumblr.
3. Can I create a blog for free?
A: Yes you can. Blogspot will host your content for free. Wordpress offers both free and paid options. You can either create a free blog at wordpress.com or if you want to use paid hosting, head over to wordpress.org. Other platforms also allow you to create a blog for free.
4. Can I create a blog without any knowledge of HTML or Javascript?
A: As stated earlier, creating a blog is easy and you hardly need any technical knowledge. All blog platforms offer you WYSIWYG editors and hence knowledge of HTML is not necessary. However any specialized knowledge is always helpful as it allows you to customize stuff according your liking.
If you are planning to self host your blog (paid hosting), technical knowledge may be required. However there are some great DIY tutorials on the web on certain technical aspects of blogging and you can always refer to do
5. What do I blog about?
A: Anything and everything that interests you can be blogged about. Some of the common blogging niches include Technology, Social Media, How To / Tutorials, Sports, Current Affairs, Business, SEO, Finance, Marketing and the like.
Any topic you are knowledgeable about, can be your blog's niche.
5. How much time do I have to devote to blogging?
A: The answer to this question is simple : The more, the merrier. The more time you devote to blogging, the better your results will be.
6. Why should I blog?
A: Most bloggers blog because they feel a passion for blogging. They are thrilled at the idea of having their content, ideas, thoughts, suggestions being read and admired by millions around the globe. Plus their is always the added incentive of earning money.
If you blog grows to a decent size, the amount of revenue you can generate out of it can surprise you. Bloggers like Amit Agarwal and Darren Rowse have give up well paying jobs to pursue blogging as a full time career option.
Moreover if you run a business, you can always use a blog to promote your business / products.
7. So you say, blogging can make me rich?
A: This needs clarifications. Blogging is not a "get rich overnight" scheme. You have to work really hard to make your blog rank high. Quality articles will have to be published regularly and even after all the hard work, you might find that your revenues are close to nil in the initial part of your blogging journey. But if you persist and do it right, revenues will indeed flow. To put it right, blogging can make you rich over time.
8. How do blogs earn money?
A: To earn money, you will have to monetize your blog i.e include ads in your blog. You can use agencies like Adsense to monetize your blog. Every time someone visits your blog, you earn money when they click / view your ads. There are other options of earning money from your blog (or from blogging) as well.
But, you should have a decent number of posts on your blog, before you start monetizing it.
But, you should have a decent number of posts on your blog, before you start monetizing it.
9. How many articles should I post every week?
A: As many as you can. But, its important to make sure that the articles you post are of a decent quality because only quality articles will draw people to your blog. Regular posts will help your blog grow and earn you loyal readers.
10. How will people find my blog?
A: Just like you find other websites i.e through Search Engines like Google and Bing, Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter, Bookmarking sites like Stumble Upon and Digg and similar avenues. To improve your visibility you should promote your blog extensively on Social Media outlets.
10. How will people find my blog?
A: Just like you find other websites i.e through Search Engines like Google and Bing, Social Media sites like Facebook and Twitter, Bookmarking sites like Stumble Upon and Digg and similar avenues. To improve your visibility you should promote your blog extensively on Social Media outlets.