How do you launch a blog from a blank sheet of paper to building and maintain your own space on the Internet? You’re in the right place to find out.
Earlier this year I contributed to an ebook called The Business of Blogging to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the blog and today I’m sharing its sequel for you to read.
It’s a beginners guide to blogging and takes you through all the things you need to think about, from getting started, technology choices and overcoming fear.
More than 10,000 people have viewed the original crowdsourced book and it was the brainchild of current CIPR President Stephen Waddington @wadds.
It featured stories from bloggers about their personal blogging experiences including my own, alongside Richard Bailey, Heather Baker, Stuart Bruce, Judy Gombita, Andrew Grill, Neville Hobson, Chris Lake, Mat Morrison, Lee Odden, Dan Slee, Heather Yaxley, and Philip Young (pictured)
Now a brand new ebook has been published by Stephen with Caroline O’Doherty, a campaign manager and freelance marketing professional based in the north east of England.
It’s an invaluable guide for anyone wondering how to get started.
Blogging mentor
Caroline contacted Stephen to ask for advice on sources of information to help her kickstart her efforts.
Stephen says: “There are many excellent resources in print and on the Internet but I thought it might make a good series of blog posts for us to work together and report on progress. Caroline agreed and over the course of six months we discussed and debated the challenges and benefits of a blog. We specified, designed, built and launched a blog called Northern Ideas.
“My thanks to Margaret Clow who helped edit the blog posts into a book format and Claire Hall who added a case study about her own personal experience of creating and running a blog. I hope that you find our content useful and that it inspires you to think about launching your own blog.”
Macmillan Cancer Support
The ebook is being distributed freely under a Creative Commons 3.0 licence, but if you find it useful they would be grateful for a donation to Macmillan Cancer via the Waddington family JustGiving page.
Stephen says: “It’s personal. My wife is recovering from breast cancer and we’re hugely appreciative, as a family, for the support we’ve had from Macmillan throughout the process of diagnosis, treatment and now recuperation.”
I think this is an excellent idea and one I wholly support. So do check out their book below or online, and I encourage you to donate to Macmillan at the same time.
Further reading
I’ve written about blogging numerous times including:
Is the business of blogging worth it?
See my blogroll of recommended comms blogs to follow
What five years of blogging has taught me
The Oscars of the blogging world
The blogging Oscars light up London
Blogging awards
I’ve written my own blog since 2009 and this week will be attending the UK Social Media Awards #somecomms awards in London as it’s been shortlisted in the Best Business Blog category.
Earlier this year I was Highly Commended in the PR/Marketing, Media and Comms Individual Blog category of the National UK Blog Awards 2014 (pictured).
The 2015 awards are open for entries – see @UKBlogAwards on Twitter or their website for full info including how to enter. Entries close 31 October 2014. So if you are on your blogging journey, why not enter for your chance to have your work critiqued and possibly win an award.
Fingers crossed!
Post author: Rachel Miller
First published 20 October 2014.