name: Blog Master
Your Blog's Syndication
29 March, 2007
You have probably noticed the final element in your Al Bawaba blog’s sidebar: Syndicate. If you have ever wondered what RSS and Atom mean, then read this article to learn what they stand for.
RSS is basically a web feed that strips a blog of its formatting and keeps the content. It is used to publish frequently updated content (like blogs), and it is then read by certain programs called “feed readers” or “feed burners.” Atom is a different web feed but it has the same function.
In general, syndication means distributing articles or posts through a “syndicate.” A syndicate is an RSS or Atom feed. Your Al Bawaba blog already offers you these two types of web feeds.
The benefit of having web feeds for your blog is that you can gain access to an audience that uses feed readers (like Bloglines). These people simply read your blog through these programs, which saves them time and effort. The feed reader checks the user's subscribed feeds to see if any of those feeds have new content and then retrieves that content and presents it to the user.
Tip of the Week: Link Your Comments
08 March, 2007
As a new trend, we will start giving out tips on blogging and everything related to blogging in the form of short tips. Tips are easier to read through, and are usually short. A new tip will come your way every week.
The first tip in this series is to link your comments to your blog. When you make comments on other people’s blogs, Al Bawaba users or not, you should always leave a link (URL) to your blog.
You can find a space that lets you enter the link in the commenting section of almost every blog out there. This is a great tool for you to promote your blog and have people visit it, especially if you write quality comments.
The Value of Comments to a Blog
22 February, 2007
Blogs are tools of social interaction. They allow anyone and everyone to voice their opinions and to share their interested with others. They also allow people who read them to say what they think as well.
Posting comments on people’s blogs is a vital step in the cycle of blogging and building online communities. Imagine talking to a room full of people and not receiving their ideas and opinions on what you say – doesn’t that make the conversation less valuable?
In the same sense, commenting on people’s blogs helps create discussions and share ideas. Nobody says everyone has to agree, but it is important to give people space to say what they think.
Blog readers do not always have something to add to a discussion, or they might not be interested in a certain topic so they do not comment on it. It is a known fact that the number of people who read a blog is far greater than the number of people who comment. If your blog does not receive many comments, remember that it’s all alright as long as interaction is still alive.
How to Get Your Blog Found on Search Engines
15 February, 2007
Search engines are the way websites and blogs get found on the web, and if they are not found then no communication takes place since no one will visit these sites and blogs. Put simply, that is why you need your blog to get found on search engines like Google, Yahoo, Lycos, etc.
One of the great things about blogs is how much the search engines love them. Search engines normally look for sites that are frequently updated, and that have good information inside. They also want sites (blogs) that have solid directories and meaningful URLs.
To get found on search engines, you should first think of the titles of your blog posts. Each title should be descriptive and should contain words that indicate the content of your blog post – of course, the more specific the title is, the better. A good title goes a long way because it is what your readers get when they bookmark your post.
Another clever step to take if you want your blog to get found on search engines is to link. Link to other people’s blogs and link to sites, and if you have a good blog you will receive links from other bloggers who share your interests. For more information on linking and why it matters to your blog, click here.
But just for being an Al Bawaba blogger, you get amazing search engine rankings. Al Bawaba Blogs takes the importance of search engine rankings very seriously and to show you that, let us do a little experiment:
If you are an Arabic language internet user and you type in “الروابط الالكترونية” in Google search engine, the first result you get is the Al Bawaba Blog Master post on the topic. If you try to look for “نصائح عن التدوين” you will also get Al Bawaba Blog Master post on the topic. Magical, isn’t it?
Top Reasons to Start a Blog
06 February, 2007
So you heard about blogging but you are not a 100% sure you want to start a blog. This article gives you some reasons why people start blogging and might help you identify just why you might want to join the self-publishing revolution.
People who start blogging usually have something to say or a message they want to publish. Often, these people’s blogs generate discussions that feature various points of view and that can be very exciting.
Other people start blogging because they are experts in something in particular. They offer tips and advice, and collect information on one certain issue and share it with others.
Some others have businesses or business ideas that they want to promote – they write about their products and concepts and attract potential clients. These business bloggers receive feedback on their products through the comments’ section in their blogs, which is a great way to interact with clients and onlookers.
Starting a blog can be triggered by much simpler reasons. Some people just want to stay in touch with family through their blogs, or want to record their memories and diaries, or just want to express their creativity and publish their artwork.
In all cases, starting a blog is a personal decision. You might have a reason not listed above for starting a blog, and that is fine. When you do decide to start your blog, we hope you choose Al Bawaba Blogs to service you.
Linking: Does It Matter?
29 January, 2007
Linking is very important to make your blog posts more visible and to give people access to the sources of your information. Let’s break it down.
When you are inspired to write about something after reading someone’s blog, that person deserves to be thanked and his/her inspiration to be acknowledged. It’s a matter of being nice really – be nice and link to the person who inspired you.
Linking happens in other situations, too. When you want to point people to read something relevant to what you’re writing about, you use a link to guide them there. It is important that you provide people with these links because then they can verify your sources and use them on their own if they want.
You can use links in your posts very easily with Al Bawaba Blogs. Type your post and select the text that you want to represent the link (Tip: make this the title of the link) then simply click on Insert/Edit Link and write the URL that the link leads to. That’s how easy it is!
Linking to people’s blogs or to websites of different types shows people you’re a professional blogger. It also helps promote your blog because when you link to other blogs, the people who own them can usually tell and they might visit your blog too. On top of all that, linking makes people happy. Make someone happy today.
Tips for Effective Blogging
22 January, 2007
If you are having trouble finding enough time to blog, read this article to learn some tips on how to make time to blog. It will also give you some good ideas on how to organize yourself and your blogging.
First of all, you should blog manageable ideas. If you get huge ideas and concepts to blog about, this might actually make it more challenging for you to write these ideas down. Start small and make series of posts about big topics.
Additionally, you should try to blog the way you talk. This tip is very important to keep in mind so your readers can learn more about you and feel close to you. If you adopt a fake tone that is not yours, you will need more time to assume this role.
Also, try to take notes of your blogging ideas. Always keep a pencil and paper handy and write down any ideas you may have. Sometimes fascinating ideas come in odd times and when you sit to blog, you forget all about them. Write down your ideas to use them later on.
And finally, schedule your blogging. You need to follow a certain pattern in posting new blog entries so your readers know when to expect them and so you know when you must write. This will help you organize your time better and will keep your readers informed and interested.
Ways to Get Inspired to Blog
15 January, 2007
It is a common problem for bloggers to run out on fresh ideas to write about. You might write about so many different things that after some time you feel they have nothing else to say.
The truth is, you always have something to say, but you might just need some help getting inspired. Here are some ways to get inspiration:
1. Think about things you like or care about; such as hobbies, activities, interests or causes. When you write about these things, your blogging will become a fun activity for you and your readers.
2. Think about current events in the world or in your country. Blogging about news is very popular and it generates some interesting discussions. Give your readers the news and give them your opinion, then see how the world reacts to what you had to say.
3. Use discussions on your blog to get ideas to write about. Determi ne your stand on an issue and defend it. Explore other points of view that your readers offer in separate posts.
4. Read other blogs to get new ideas. Take some time to see what other people are talking about; this will give you great new ideas for posts.
5. Quote other bloggers and write about the same subject they chose – but remember to always have something new to say about the subject!
6. Ask your readers to suggest topics for you. Asking readers for this will let you know what interests them and what doesn’t.
7. Read books, magazines, newspapers, etc. Reading is the best way to get inspired – it offers original ideas and new perspectives on old issues.
8. Think of recent events in your personal life and comment on them. People like to read personal blogs because they can understand life situations.
9. Look around you at things other people do not notice. You will be surprised how much is around us that we don’t look at – use that to get inspired.
10. Explore controversial subjects and do a little research on them. These subjects can be political, religious, or social. Voice out your point of view and let people speak up their minds.
Do you have any other suggestions? Share them with us!
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