Buzz #7: Strategist.org.uk – or how NOT to run a blog

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In 2007, I started doing a few BlogBuzzes for people, and in 2008 I am still doing my BlogBuzzes for websites! This is a great way to get your blog seen around the Net, and I get my blog seen on your blog… We all win!

We’ve already had a bunch of Buzzes handed out to great bloggers… If you’re still interested, drop me a line in the contact form. Do complete the opp first. The buzzes can be short or long, but at least a minimum of 50 words, please!

Unfortunately, for number 6, Strategist takes a bow on this blog! Strategist has been churning out a lot of posts over the four months since it started! I tried to find the first post to get an idea about the writer but no luck. The topics this blog covers are somewhat similar to this one but the blogger covers in much more depth and very high frequency.

strategist

There’s no about page at all. Nor is there a contact page! So I was unable to find out much about the author. In fact, I only found the review to my blog when I was checking SocialSpark’s update page.
strategist.org.uk. Then I went onto search for the first post, which I didn’t find. What I did note was more alarming, there was no way a blogger could turn out this number of articles on a daily basis. So then I chose several articles, and searched on Google for duplicate articles. A look at the results will show you what I mean:

This article is supposedly published on this blog but …

dogpile

a quick search from Google highlighted the article in its search engine as being from another blog:

sew-dogpile

A second search produced results from Google here. A third and fourth search produced similar results. So I stopped at that point. This may fit the definition of a “splog”, or more accurately, a scraper blog, which Wikipedia cites:

“Blog scraping, is the process where automated software scans hundreds of thousands of blogs per day, searching for and copying content. The process is sometimes referenced by the name given the software or individuals responsible for the action, “blog scrapers.””

It is likely that this blog is breaking the law (though I’m no lawyer), and I would encourage the owner of the blog to stop this practice immediately, delete the entries (or at the very least limit entries to a few basic words, ie. a teaser and a link to the original blog), and create something worth reading with his or her own unique input. At the very least, the blogger runs the risk of having the Adsense account pulled, his SocialSpark status revoked, and losing all the money earned so far. At the very least.

To anyone who submits a request for a Blogbuzz, the quality of your blog determines whether you will be blogged about on this blog. I reserve the right at all times to monitor the quality of submissions. Editorial decisions are final. Sometimes other people leave me with no choice.

On a final note, I’d just like to say 90% of the submissions for Blogbuzzes have been outstanding, but this is the first and last time I will ever blog about a Scraper Blog.

Lesson #2: Finding a Blogging Platform

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Perhaps the biggest question that affects the blogger is which platform do you choose. This article continues my series of short articles aimed at getting you started blogging (as an avid blogger, I like nothing better than to pass on the craze to the next person!)

In the first article

In the first article, we looked at how to find a suitable place for blogging. There are free hosted solutions but these entail a number of limitations, and most people share the same opinion as Michael commented in my review of his Blogger Blog, The View from Taiwan, does:

“…I face similar dilemmas with my own Blogger template, and wish now that I had used Wordpress from the beginning. Blogger is just too antiquated, buggy, and sluggish to do anything …”

What’s the difference?

It’s important to choose between having your blog hosted for you (as at Blogger or Wordpress.com or similar hosting companies – and there are many) and hosting it yourself on your own domain. For new bloggers, though, without much technical background, the issue boils down to:

Your own hosted domain gives you:

BUT

  • you don’t get much help to RUN your domain;
  • there’s quite a learning curve to running your own site; and
  • it costs some money.

Using a Blogger or similar hosted service gives you:

  • a well tested service;
  • fairly decent startup templates; and
  • it’s usually free

BUT

  • if you decide you like to blog, moving can be a pain;
  • some people regret the complexity of moving; and
  • you DON’T get a decent domain name, usually http://yoursubdomain.blogger.com

For this article, we are going to assume that you have chosen to host the blog on your own domain, in the main folder for your website, http://yourdomain.com or whatever.

What is a Blogging Platform?

A Blogging Platform is the actual software (or computer program) that you place (or upload) to your server via FTP. For this you will need an actual database set up as well, whichever platform you use. For many of the hosting companies, though, when you login into your panel (that website thath controls the functions of your hosting account), you’ll be able to set up your blog, e.g. WordPress, in one or two steps. I’d suggest that you choose the easiest setup yourself at the beginning.

One-Click Install on Self-Hosted Domain

Dreamhost offers one blogging option on its Easy Install and one in its Advanced Install mode: WordPress 2.5. I’m including this as an example of a one-click install.

easy install

You simply fill in the name of the Blog, the email address you will use, and the (sub)domain you want to host it on. As you will see, there are some limitations on this install, but it will give you a perfectly functional install of WordPress that you can easily update to a full-blown install. Many hosting companies, including BlueHost, Dreamhost, MediaTemple, etc. offer one-click type installs that make it easy to install a blog. You may not always get the platform of your choice, so check first before you hand over the dosh. A typical choice would be WordPress, B2, or any of a dozen other second-tier blogging platforms.

Wordpress vs. Moveable Type – Tier 1

Is WordPress #1?

Perhaps this is the best known blogging platform. In fact, if you are seriously considering using this, sign up for a free blog at WordPress.com account and test out the latest blogging tools in Wordpress BEFORE you even install it. Once you’re ready, just use the one-click install feature on hosting account.

It’s a pretty good platform overall, and you can be posting within minutes, if you wish, too.

wordpress

Moveable Type: Confused?

MoveableType is the next major choice for an independent platform. In fact, some of my favorite blogs are hosted using MT software, such as Scott Sommers’ blog on Taiwan. I haven’t used MT yet myself, though I am interested in trying it out for its native support of multiple blogs (it’s uploading now).

mt-image

The tools operate in a similar fashion to Wordpress and it is a very worthy choice. BUT users need to note that there are free options and commercial options.

On your own host: If you wish to host MT on your own host, then you can download one of the different versions: Personal (ie. non-commercial) Edition, Commercial or Enterprise editions. The key to the different versions seems to be how many users will be editing the blogs and/or whether the primary motive is running a commercial or non-commercial site. Then, of course, there’s the OpenSource version, too.

On their hosting: Moveable Type also provides their own hosting on TypePad that you can pay for an annual basis from $4.95 per month right on upto Premium and Business Class plans.

So will it be OpenSource, MT or TypePad?

Confused? I know I am. Also the other concern is – what is non-commercial?… A popular choice – undoubtedly! A solid choice – certainly! A confusing choice?… For sure. Also, if I were setting up a blog, I’d be much more inclined to pay for their own hosting on TypePad or choose the OpenSource version for my own hosting plan.

While nothing beats free, TypePad offers an easy solution to bloggers not wanting to deal with the hassles of setting up, configuring and updating the software or the database. Of course, you’re subject to some similar restrictions as on Blogger or Wordpress.com but for beginners that may be okay.

And my conclusion?…

There are a lot of second-tier blogging platforms out in the wild, but for beginners it would be wise to choose one that is first-tier to make the transition to blogging easier. There are enough problems to deal with, without worrying about technical details, too. To make it easier to choose, try this:

  1. If you have money but lack time or technological background, paying for TypePad would be a good place to start.
  2. If you have some money and some time/skill in technology, self-hosting either Wordpress or MT (OpenSource) would be a good choice.
  3. If you have a little money but no skill in tech, self-hosting but going the one-click route would be appropriate for you.
  4. If you have no money and no skills, then WordPress.com would be the best as it leaves you with an upgrade path (though money making options may be restricted somewhat by the TOS – and blogs are removed for breaking TOS). Blogger would also be a choice for you without the TOS restrictions on advertising.

What did you choose…?

Let me know what you chose for your first platform, why and what problems you faced in your choice.

Tools for Making Money With Your Blog

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I’ve been working the past few days on a page that provides access to some tools, books and more for readers who would like to get started blogging or who would like to take their blogging to the next level. Feel free to click on the links in this post and explore some of the products that you find here. I’ll be happy to take suggestions to additional products and downloads (free or otherwise) that you have tried.

Step 1: Getting Started – Basic Reading

Blogging To The Bank – This is a popular book that provides a system for encouraging bloggers and webmasters to earn. Spending the money on this book could save months of frustration and failure as Rob Benwell takes you through his insiders method for bloggers that helped him to earn up to $34K per month! Why wait? Order “Blogging to the Bank” now.

Blogging for Dummies – What is blogging? The perfect companion to WordPress for Dummies or those thinking of using another platform. Though more generic it covers much of the same ground but with a platform neutral view. Order “Blogging for Dummies” now.

Step 2: Finding good webhosting

There are thousands of hosts on the web nowadays. Some good, some not. If you don’t have a host already checked out, you can look at these two companies.

Dreamhost Hosting – This is the first company I used and the deal is a great deal. To run your blog, this company offers two types of setup: easy and advanced. Truthfully, advanced isn’t much more complicated than easy mode. But there are a lot of advantages: FTP access, generous bandwidth, lots of great features, … Order Your Dreamhost Plan now.

BlueHost – is a suitable alternative and offers a lot of power, space and flexibility for the blogger. You get 1,500GB of space, 15,000 GB/mo of bandwidth, simple install of Wordpress, FTP access, and a bunch of other great features that you can use as well. Order Your BlueHost Plan now.

Step 3: Installing WordPress

WordPress for Dummies – This book introduces the WordPress platform as a basis for blogging. It will take you through choosing a webhost, setting up a domain and install, personalizing your format, theme, writing and plugins, and much more. It’s the perfect companion to WordPress that I wish I’d had when I started InvestorBlogger three years ago. Order “WordPress for Dummies” now.

WordPress.org provides a free download that you need to decompress, and upload to your FTP server in the main folder of your URL, like “mydomain.com” or wherever you decide to place the blog. Download Your WordPress now.

Step 4: Start blogging

Learning the craft of blogging is the next step as you familiarize yourself with the technology of blogging, the craft of blogging and the art of building an audience.

Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income offers a great book as well as an active website that teaches the basics of blogging. Problogger will teach you how to select the subjects that works for you, how to evaluate and direct your blog’s success, how to keep content fresh and exciting, and how to develop income sources from your blog. Order “Problogger’s Secrets” now.

Step 5: Tricking Out Your Blog

OIOPublisher plugin – This plugin offers you a realistic and very manageable way to earn your own money from your blog. It allows you to sell all manner of advertising on your blog, and keep 100% of the income for yourself. It’s got a Paypal Module, a Tracker Module, an in-built Ad Manager Module, and much more. Order “OIO Publisher Plugin” now.

Step 6: Monetizing Your Blog

Text Link Ads is one of my favorite ad networks. They help me make money online by selling those text links you see under “Featured Sites.” The links offer advertisers traffic and search engine benefits and readers don’t seem to mind them at all because they are not intrusive. Your ad price is set by Text Link Ads and is based on Alexa, Google PageRank, number of RSS subscribers, and other factors. Join “Text Link Ads” now.

Linkworth offers a wide variety of advertising options for earning revenue on your blog or website. It’s well worth looking at their offerings, though it may take a while for your first advertiser to bite. Text ads, link-type ads, etc.. It’s not an easy option to begin but will provide a great number of alternatives in your advertising choices. Join “LinkWorth” now.

I’ll be adding more on the Make Money page as it evolves. I hope you find the tools interesting and valuable.