Blogging is very simple. It can seem complicated, and there is truly enough information to write an entire book (or two) on the subject, but if you’re looking to start blogging – you can actually get started in just a few minutes.

If you’re looking to to start a career blogging…well…that’s going to take a little longer.

For now, let’s talk about just getting started blogging, and how you do it.

• Pick a Niche to Blog About – A niche is very, very, VERY (did I say VERY?) important when choosing what to blog about…especially if you have ambitions of ever earning any income from your blog.

  For example, when I first started, I chose to write about tech gadgets. I was interested in them, and there was a wealth of things to talk about. You might be interested in sports, money management, computers, knitting, ski boot repair, or the mating habits of deep sea fish…whatever you’re into…it’s fine…blog about it.

  You’ll be surprised how many other people are into it too…

• Get a Blog – There are literally hundreds of places online that will offer you a free blog. There is only one of them that I would recommend to you. That is Wordpress.com .

  Wordpress is quickly becoming the industry standard for blogging, and is a blogging tool for beginners as well as advanced users.

  Once you get to the site, all you have to do is sign up, and BOOM! You have a blog. It will be located at http://YOURNAMEHERE.wordpress.com. Once this is up and running you can customize the blog to fit your personality and the niche you have chosen to blog about.

• Make the Blog Your Own – Select one of the Wordpress templates to pick the style of your blog. Fill out the About page, and get ready to get started.
• Start “On Subject” and stay “On Subject” – If you’re just blogging as an online journal this isn’t so important, but if you’re choosing a niche and you want to be a “voice” on the web in that niche, then it is very important that you only blog about THAT SUBJECT on your blog.

  For example, if you blog about Cartoons from the 1980s, then don’t post a video that’s a trailer for a new horror movie….unless it’s a cartoon horror movie from the 80s. Don’t post about the movies you saw this past weekend, or the hot date you’re going on tonight…blog about the subject you’ve chosen ONLY.

  If you want to blog about another subject too…then do it. Just start another blog. You can have as many as you want…

• Update When you Say You Will Update – If you want people to read your blog, then it is important that you update when you tell your readers you will. If you tell them you will update once a week, they expect it to be there once a week. If you tell them every day…then you better do it every day if you want them to stick around.

  Readers have a lot of choices out there…you have to be there for them, if you expect them to be there for you.

• Promote the Heck Out Of It – Once you have 10 or so posts up (you want to make sure people actually have something to read when they get there) you can start telling people about it.

  Email your Friends.

  Comment on other blogs – but be careful – DO NOT just go and post a link to your blog that says “check out my site” – that’s the equivalent of going into another persons house and pooping on their couch. Comment on the posts – contribute to the conversations – almost every blog out there will have a place for you to put in your site address. Do it in that box – and that box ONLY.

  Join Groups – sites like Yahoo have groups you can join with others that share your interests. Become a part of those communities, and people will find your blog as they get to know you there.

• Keep At It! - Traffic doesn’t come to your site over night. It takes time to grow a flower, a baby, and a mustache – a blog is no different. Give it time, keep at it, and readers will come!