| Páginas sobre el tema: [1 2] > | Off topic: Advice on blogging Autor de la hebra: Mervyn Henderson (X)
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Mervyn Henderson (X) 
España
Local time: 20:02
español al inglés
+ ...
I'm thinking of starting a blog. Not too sure what it'll be about yet, but I'd like to make a start. To my shame, though, I know zilch about setting up a blog, so I'd appreciate any do's and don'ts etc. on getting started.
TIA!
| | | | P.L.F. Persio
Países Bajos
Local time: 20:02
inglés al italiano
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| Go ahead, make my day. | Jun 4, 2020 |
Hi Mervyn, can't help you with the tech part, but I'd read anything written by you, even though the topic were "watching paint dry."
| | | | Mervyn Henderson (X)
España
Local time: 20:02
español al inglés
+ ...
PERSONA QUE INICIÓ LA HEBRA
Thanks P.L.F.Persio! You aren't going to believe this, but only yesterday I completed a short article called "8 hours from wet to dry and dry to wet - one man's story" after starting to paint the living room floorboards at the door, and bursting for the toilet when I'd painted myself into the far corner.
[Edited at 2020-06-04 15:55 GMT]
| | | | | The first rule of blogging | Jun 4, 2020 |
Do not start until you know exactly what you’re going to write about.
But as I feel the same way as PLF, I suggest you just plough ahead!
PS The only lesson I learned when I did a blog is that it is surprisingly time-consuming and if you’re not careful it can become a chore...
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| What to blog about | Jun 5, 2020 |
Why don't you write a book, and then blog about that? Or just publish your corona diary and blog about something else. Sorry, I'm no help at all.
| | | | Mervyn Henderson (X)
España
Local time: 20:02
español al inglés
+ ...
PERSONA QUE INICIÓ LA HEBRA
.... Chris and Oliver. I'm not so worried about the content, although obviously you do have to have a good think about that - general? specific? anything goes? - but generally I think content would take care of itself once I started.
No, it's more the setting-up and hosting and whatnot I was wondering about. Anything you look up, bloggers you don't know from Adam say Don't use that, use this, don't do that, do this, and it's a bit like deciding which yoghurt to buy if you've never ... See more .... Chris and Oliver. I'm not so worried about the content, although obviously you do have to have a good think about that - general? specific? anything goes? - but generally I think content would take care of itself once I started.
No, it's more the setting-up and hosting and whatnot I was wondering about. Anything you look up, bloggers you don't know from Adam say Don't use that, use this, don't do that, do this, and it's a bit like deciding which yoghurt to buy if you've never bought one before. Which I have, of course, but yesterday I was thinking about this at the supermarket - row upon row of low-fat, 0%, creamy, four-pack, six-pack, tub, tub with nut pack, tub without nuts, strawberry, raspberry, strawberry + raspberry, peach, papaya, peach + papaya, all the different brands ...
No rush, so I'll get there.
[Edited at 2020-06-05 06:51 GMT] ▲ Collapse
| | | | | What is your blog niche? | Jun 5, 2020 |
Can you please let us know what is your blog niche? If you need any kind off-page service I can help you. I have more than 5 years of experience in off page (SEO).
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Mervyn Henderson wrote:
I'm thinking of starting a blog. Not too sure what it'll be about yet, but I'd like to make a start. To my shame, though, I know zilch about setting up a blog, so I'd appreciate any do's and don'ts etc. on getting started.
TIA!
Hi Mervyn,
try Blogger from Google. It is free.
https://www.blogger.com/about/?tab=rj
Here is one example with integrated services and features:
http://kv-emptypages.blogspot.com/
My recommendation: If your article has picture, video, etc. upload them to Blogger, too. Do not create links to external places, they can change.
Milan
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Dan Lucas
Reino Unido
Local time: 19:02
Miembro 2014
japonés al inglés
| I found that too | Jun 5, 2020 |
Chris S wrote:
PS The only lesson I learned when I did a blog is that it is surprisingly time-consuming and if you’re not careful it can become a chore...
About eight years ago, in my previous career, I ran quite a professional blog for about a year. It taught me a lot, but it was a huge drain on my personal resources and it did indeed become a burden. For various reasons I had both time and energy at that particular point in life, but I couldn't make the same commitment now.
It seems to me that if you have time to write a regularly updated blog you either
1) Make most of your money from consulting, seminars and other work rather than translation or interpretation itself, so the blog is useful marketing or
2) Enjoy writing so much that you need to blog to satisfy those creative urges rather than spending the time doing other things or
3) Simply don't have enough work to keep you busy
In the case of Merv the Swerve I suspect 2) above.
Regards,
Dan
| | | | Mervyn Henderson (X)
España
Local time: 20:02
español al inglés
+ ...
PERSONA QUE INICIÓ LA HEBRA
Many thanks to all again - I'll check out/think about what you say. I know from experience it would be a drain on time. The real problem is setup.
Merv the Swerve - now there's a name I haven't heard since rugby matches in the rain, hail and snow on the Wet Rock, and no surprise the comment comes from Wales. Incidentally, I was occasionally No 8, like him, but less swerving and no 'tache.
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As my blog was for fun rather than promoting a business, I wasn’t bothered about SEO and audience size and stuff (I was always flattered that anyone at all bothered to read it) so I used the free service Blogger and it was simple and reliable and, well, free.
What Milan says about links is a good point. I’ve been reading my old blog this morning with some fondness, but most of the pictures have disappeared, spoiling some of the jokes.
It definitely got better over... See more As my blog was for fun rather than promoting a business, I wasn’t bothered about SEO and audience size and stuff (I was always flattered that anyone at all bothered to read it) so I used the free service Blogger and it was simple and reliable and, well, free.
What Milan says about links is a good point. I’ve been reading my old blog this morning with some fondness, but most of the pictures have disappeared, spoiling some of the jokes.
It definitely got better over time once I’d settled in a bit, so that’s maybe another thing to bear in mind. But churning them out to a deadline like a journo didn’t suit me at all, so after a couple of years I gave up, and the best one that would have been my masterpiece never got finished. ▲ Collapse
| | | | | Good suggestion! | Jun 7, 2020 |
Not a bad idea to try free blogging platform like blogger, wordpress or something like that. This is really free and you can easily set you and add content according to your choice.
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| Way to spend some time? | Jun 7, 2020 |
I started one this past month as well. Partially because I had extra time on my hands with Covid reducing my work. But also to flesh out my translation service webpage with material related to my specialty.
I guess the time you spend on it depends on how serious you want to be, and what your topic is.
I've been spending a full work day on a post, and I think one per month is probably the most I want to commit to in the long term.
I'm using Squarespace for my sit... See more I started one this past month as well. Partially because I had extra time on my hands with Covid reducing my work. But also to flesh out my translation service webpage with material related to my specialty.
I guess the time you spend on it depends on how serious you want to be, and what your topic is.
I've been spending a full work day on a post, and I think one per month is probably the most I want to commit to in the long term.
I'm using Squarespace for my site, which I find easy to use. They do charge a little bit but so far I've found the customer support / quality to be pretty good. ▲ Collapse
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That's great idea. Take you time and start working again when everything is okey there.
| | | | Mervyn Henderson (X)
España
Local time: 20:02
español al inglés
+ ...
PERSONA QUE INICIÓ LA HEBRA
Lots of ideas and advice there to browse through.
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