Do I Really Need To Blog? Part 2 by Tyora Moody

As writers, can't we just write? In short, the answer is, "no." There are all kinds of demands on a writer's time, including maintaining a continuous social presence. One way to do that is by creating a blog. Today, Tyora shares how to do that. Enjoy! ~ Angie

To start blogging, you want to choose where you want your blog hosted. Some popular places are:

• blogger.com (free)
• wordpress.com (free)
• wordpress.org (self-hosted, pay for domain name and  hosting)
• typepad.com (pay)

After you set-up your blog, the next challenge comes in terms on how to bring traffic to your blog. Don’t expect people to flock to your blog overnight. You will need to dedicate time if you are serious about using this as a platform. Here are a few tips:

1. Be consistent. Do keep in mind that if you decide to blog, plan to post content regularly at least 2-4 times a week. People will visit your blog if they find you are posting quality information on a consistent basis.
2. Post to Twitter, Facebook and other social networks.  If you use the self-hosted WordPress, you can install plugins that push out links to your blog posts as soon as they are published. You may want to consider signing up for a tool like Hootsuite.com to schedule posts. Include social media icons on your blog that allow readers/visitors to easily share your blog posts on Facebook, Twitter, Google Plus, etc.
3. Guest blog on high-traffic blogs in your area of interest.  Be on the lookout for opportunities or query blog owners to ask if they would be interested in posting guest bloggers.  Be sure to include your website in a brief bio so people can find out more information about you and your book.
4. Try article marketing. Re-purpose some of your blog posts into articles and submit them to popular directories like EzineArticles.com.
5. Remember email is still a major form of online communication for most adults. You can use email marketing services like Mailchimp.com or Feedblitz.com to offer subscriptions to your blog’s RSS Feed.

This blog post was excerpted from 5 Social Media Platforms Authors Should Explore. You are welcome to download a FREE copy from DIYwithTy.com

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tyora Moody is an author and entrepreneur. Her debut novel, When Rain Falls, was released March 2012. The second book in the Victory Gospel Series, When Memories Fade, will be released in March 2013. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Visit the author online at TyoraMoody.com.