Blog better every day: My daily blog tips from September 2011

Throughout 2011, I share a daily blog tip via my Twitter account, @WadeOnTweets, at 7 a.m. CDT.

You can …

• Ask follow-up questions in the comments.
• Tweet out your favorites.
• Follow #DailyBlogTip on Twitter.
• And follow me on Twitter at @WadeOnTweets.

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The tips for September …

1. Blogging for fun? Do it. A great hobby, a great way to connect to others. Plus, no monetary pressure.
2. Designing for mobile means simple navigation, easily digestible content, reformatted graphics, clean look.
3. Many bloggers post narrated photo essays, adding visual interest while enhancing storytelling.
4. Watermarks won’t keep images from being stolen, but can at least identify their original website.
5. Make sure your blog platform is integrated into your main website for SEO, metrics and seamless look.
6. Spend the $10 to have a custom domain name, even if you’re on a free site like WordPress.com.
7. Headlines are the shortest, most important writing you do. Don’t make them an afterthought.
8. You can have great blog and no community, or lousy blog and great community. Shoot for the best of both.
9. Use a blog carnival to write one post about one topic but cross-link to other blogs on the same topic.
10. Your biggest untapped audience? Mobile users. Solve their problems on the go to win them over.
11. Content that stands the test of time can not only help SEO, but also provide lasting value for your site.
12. Make sure your developer communicates regularly about plugin integration. Don’t let one wreck your site.
13. Site security isn’t a one-time fix. As threats evolve, so must your methods to protect your blog.
14. Anonymous comments. Pros: Allows people to share freely, candidly. Cons: Can lead to attacks, disruption.
15. Paying attention to online and real world communities can help niche blogs sharpen focus, gain readers.
16. Starting with a strategy is the difference between business and hobby, success and failure.
17. Don’t just think “mobile,” think “iOS.” Incorporate pinch, drag and other gestures into mobile interface.
18. Topics that draw readers can’t always be predicted. Variety in content allows for the next winning post.
19. Platforms sometimes need fixes to run properly. Have an expert standing by for answers and repairs.
20. With site policies, good examples can mean better results than a list of forbidden actions.
21. Good SEO comes as site develops. Great SEO begins before site architecture has begun.
22. A strong community not only has dissenters, but embraces them and learns from them.
23. A series gives your site multiple opportunities to be found in search, more ways to show expertise.
24. Many blogging platforms have smartphone apps, making it easier to blog and manage sites on the go.
25. Video bloggers can now record directly to YouTube, saving time without having to upload.
26. Make connecting easy: Prominently display big social media buttons near the top.
27. Privacy options: password-protected posts or site; not listed on search engines; registered users only.
28. Comments enrich a blog with dialogue and increased SEO value, plus serve as another metric for growth.
29. Good karma builds blog communities. Support other bloggers through comments, ideas, purchases.
30. Social bookmarking sites can be a terrific place to share posts, find ideas, connect with new community.

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