Here is some of the best blogging wisdom from Darren Rowse, who is perhaps the ost successful single blogger till date. He founded the Problogger and Digital Photography School blogs.

[From the 100 Ways To Be Being Remarkable Series, a special project that brings you business and self-development advice from The Success Manual. ]

1. Blog Design Mistake #11: No Contact Details  

A few weeks ago I was surfing through some blogs in an effort to build some relationships with some new bloggers and I was amazed – not actually I was stunned – but the number of bloggers that have no personal way of contacting them. Most of them had comments – but so many had no way to get an email to them.

2. On turning your blog into a six-figure a year business:  Start With Content - Don’t start with making money in mind, Focus on value, Don’t forget beginners (write great tutorials for beginners in your niche).

3. On Blogging Competition: There is a lot more competition in the blogosphere (and from outside the blogosphere). This can be incredibly daunting for bloggers – yet at the same time it’s also a real opportunity as there are so many other sites in any niche that could potentially drive traffic to your new blog.

4. On Starting a New Blog: I’d probably spend some considerable time in research mode before starting a blog – looking at what others were doing, finding gaps in their approaches and understanding what types of content seems to drive traffic. Also in this ‘research’ I’d participate in as many other blogs and online communities as possible in the niche that I wanted to target.
+ 5. To be honest I don’t put heaps of strategy into my blogging and it’s a fairly intuitive process for me.
+ 6. Write at least 2-3 guest posts on other people’s blogs in my niche every week.
+ 7. Network as much as you can in your niche and in related fields.

8. Five Things I’m trying to do with ProBlogger: (Build) a Community, (Provide )Inspiration,, Keep bloggers realistic (he calls this realism), (Share Blogging) Expertise, (Encourage) Participation

9. Blogging in Future: We’re seeing more and more blogs add other elements to them (forums, chat, new ways of commenting, social networking etc.). This will happen more and more and we’ll see bloggers continue to realize that they’re not just bloggers but web publishers.

10. On Monetizing Blogs: Build a Useful Product of Your Own (e.g. an ebook)
I’ve long advised that bloggers seeking to make money from blogging spread their interests across multiple revenue streams so as not to put all their eggs in one basket.

11. On Quality Content Development: Unless you’re something of a freak (or have a great gift) creating compelling content takes a lot of time and effort. Really it is the same as any creative process, it takes time.

12. On Choosing a Profitable Blog Topic: (I believe in) Stephan Spencer who says that “… Nowadays even a blog specifically about Google is too broad. There is a blog about Google AdSense - now that’s nice and narrow. You are more likely to be seen as an expert in a narrow topic area.”

13. On Promoting Your Blog: Go to Where Your Potential Readers Are - many bloggers write great content and expect that readers will come to them. This doesn’t work.

The 24 Confessions of a Blogger
- Voice
- Community
- Build a ‘Home Base’ (e.g. a blog)
- Outpost (e.g. social media profiles, cross-posting, social bookmarking)
- Listen
- Be Useful
- Build Community
- Be Personal
- Tell Stories
- Be Unique
- Be Relational
- Leverage What You Have
- Craft Content
- Ask Questions
- Be Playful
- Be Transparent
- Be Accessible
- Be Passionate
- Promote.... but not too much
- Viral Promotion
- Social Proof
- Use Familiar Mediums
- Be Prolific
- Persist
[From Darren Rowse's Presentatio 'Confessions of a Problogger']

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