OK. You've set up your blog, in a subdirectory of your primary domain, you've implemented a well considered "taxonomy" for categories and tags, and you've begun to blog. You're very pleased with the posts you've created (you should have at least 4 or 5 posts published) and want to begin promoting your blog.

In promoting your blog, the most important thing you must remember is don't overdo it!. In the community of bloggers and social media, patience is the key. Make sure your primary objective is adding value to the Web. Be sincere, relevant and informative.

Three Things You Should Know About Blogging

• Check your facts, your grammar and your spelling!
  Remember, you are your brand. Your posts represent who you and your brand are to the world. Your reputation — your expertise and your attention to detail — is on the line with every post. Poor writing, erroneous facts, and spelling errors scream "Amateur!" First and foremost, take that extra bit of time to get it right before publishing.
• Make Sure Your Blog is Properly SEO'd!
  These SEO steps are essential in maximizing your search engine rankings for each post:
  • Your posts should be search-engine-friendly, and this is more than just incorporating keywords into your content. Your posts' URLs should be natural-language, keyword-rich: "/your-blog-directory/the-title-of-this-post-keywords/", not "/your-blog-directory/?p=123" (in WordPress, use "Permalinks" to accomplish this).
  • Your category "taxonomy" should be well organized with keyword-aware category names.
  • Each post should have a unique, descriptive and keyword-rich title tag and "description" meta tag (Read my post on SEO Best Practices for your WordPress blog).
• Again ... Don't Overdo It!
  Remember, you're entering an established community. Take time to introduce yourself, get to know the conventions and etiquette of the blog space, and be patient. If you make contributions of value to the conversations, you will get value in return. Here is an excellent list of suggestions of what NOT TO DO to promote your blog!

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