When starting a blog, it's important to note that you're most likely not breaking new ground, no matter what you're blogging about. The internet has been around for many years, and when something new comes along, it takes about five minutes of internet time for it to suddenly become old. So if you want visitors to seek out your blog, and to look at you as someone who both knows what they're doing, and provides information in such a way as to gain repeat customers, its important to look like an expert.
Whether you're talking about politics, news, or sports information, the best way to set yourself apart from other blogs is to find your niche. Sometimes that can simply mean that you write only about baseball if you want to go into the sports field, but more often than not, you should pick a side. If you want to start an NFL blog, decided what team you think you could cover better than the other blogs out there. Once you've picked a team, say the New Orleans Saints as an example, do your research. I don't mean just read the local papers, or watch highlights of the team. I mean research what kind of information your competitors are bringing to the table. If they aren't covering the upcoming draft as hard as you'd like, make that your area of expertise. While the marketplace may be flooded, any time you can carve yourself out a slice, readers will come.
After you've gotten your corner of the web, make sure people know you're out there, just waiting for them to come join you. One of the more interesting ways to draw attention to your blog would be to use the ultra popular video service YouTube. Anyone anywhere can post almost any video they can find or make on the service, opening the door for your own free advertising. Make funny or topical videos, and continue doing it, and pretty soon you'll have a cult following that is willing to talk about you to anyone, and everyone they know.
Another great way to get your name out there is to look at the other blogs that cover your ideas not as direct competitors but as part of an ever-growing family. Link to them, list them in your favorite set of blogs on a topic, and even contact them to see if they want to do some sort of collaboration. Assuming they aren't too big to notice you, this is a fantastic way to grow your site while making contacts that can be useful down the road.
However you choose among the myriad of ways to get your site into the general public's purview, know that the top factor that must be remembered is to be prolific. Continue posting when you're feeling blue, or sick, or just bored with the whole endeavor. Taking even one day off can mean the different between having a thriving site, and a ghost town.
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