Share Your Story: Blogging with MSN® Spaces Review

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(More customer reviews)I've been blogging since long before the practice became known as "blog," and I've tried many different blog servers. By far I like the new MSN Spaces the most because it really is colorful and easy to use, and gives you lots of storage. This book is a good book to introduce people unfamiliar with blogs to creating their own blogs. It has lots of cool examples. Next to my first edition of "eBay for dummies," this is another really useful book even for an Internet veteran like myself.

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What's your story? Get creative and tell the world with MSN Spaces! This fun and colorful book guides you through the basics of creating your own personal blog in no time. Whether tales from a recent adventure, your life history, views on hot topics, or anything else you want to share-learn how to make the Web your space.

Learn how to:

Set up your own space in 10 minutes or less
Write and publish your blog-no HTML required!
Share favorite photos in albums and slide shows
Create any list you can dream up-books, movies, rants, raves
Add instant messaging, music, and video to your space
Syndicate your space and build and build an enthusiastic following
Get tips for creating great content and design

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Blogging in a Snap (Sams Teach Yourself) Review

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(More customer reviews)Blogging in a Snap
By Julie C. Meloni
SAMS Publishing
ISBN 0-672-32843-7
270 pages
Price: US $24.99, CAN $34.99 £17.99
If you've been thinking about starting your own blog but haven't figured out how and where to begin, Blogger.com is a very popular place to check out. Its simple user interface can get you up and blogging in no time.
Though the set up instructions for Blogger.com is are relatively easy, Julie Meloni's Blogging in a Snap explains the obvious and not so obvious ins and outs of blogging on Blogger.com. She takes you through the process of setting up your account, selecting a template, configuring your comments settings, creating your blogging profile, naming your blog, writing and publishing your first posts, and bringing potential readers to your site.
If you've already begun a blogging on Blogger.com and you want to expand your use, Meloni explains how to modify your template using HTML and CSS codes, how use third-party tools, and how to create a moblog, a type of blogging done with your cell phone. I was surprised that she doesn't explain how to edit the link list, which is an essential part of every Blogger template. Unlike other blogger platforms, Blogger requires that you manually add links in the template itself using HTML code.
I've visited many Blogger.com websites and noticed a number of new bloggers who seemingly don't know how to modify their site, such as the elements in the sidebar. They haven't learned how to add links or change the names of the subheadings. Perhaps the reason for this is because they have to open up and modify the blogsite's template. Users with little or no knowledge of HTML code might even wonder why they have access to this coded template. What on earth do you do with language that looks like this:
Meloni tries to demystify the template code and show you ways to customize your Blogger site. Like other SAMS Teach Yourself books, Melon's step-by-step instructions include numerous screen shots that reflect and expand on what she explains in her textual instructions.
She includes the template code for one of Blogger.com's basic templates and identifies and explains its major elements, like the header, sidebar items, the comments-related area, and the metadata. Her best instructions are when she takes you step by step through a particular template modification, like including images in your blog posts, adding tables, displaying recent comments and adding a blogroll on your main page. However, some of her other perhaps more advance HTML and CSS modification strategies are too brief and could use more explaining or a second book for intermediate and advance users.
Learning and using HTML and CSS code can be daunting for many users. Working through this book gave me the idea to print out a copy of my Blogger template and peruse it using Meloni's guidelines. There's little risks making modifications to your template if you back-up a copy of it and use the preview button before saving your changes. I also magnify my template on my computer screen (using Command-+) so I can better read and modify selected code. The template window also includes a button to clear the edits you make in it.
Meloni goes to explain how to use many other and newer tools found on the Internet. For example, how to use your Flickr account to insert images and messages in your Blogger site. And setting up a Google ads and affiliation links if you're interested in making a few bucks with your blog.
A useful Appendix further explaining HTML and CSS fundamentals is included, but a list of additional resources might have been valuable for intermediate bloggers.
Overall, Blogging in a Snap is a good introduction if you want to set up an account with Blogger.com (other platforms are not covered.) The instructions are clear and concise, and Meloni has set up a Blogger site to promote and make updates to her book.
MyMac.com Rating: 4 out 5

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The World Wide Web is a big place, and it is hard to find your way through it, much less make an impact on it. Blogs have revolutionized the idea of each person having a voice on the web and Sams Teach Yourself Blogging In a Snap is your guide to making your mark on the Internet world. This comprehensive guide to blogging focuses on using Blogger, the blogging tool hosted by Google. Blogger is a user-friendly blogging tool, but documentation on how to maximize your blogging experience using it is limited. This book bridges that gap, and provides you with everything you need to know to create and maintain your blog, from setting up a Blogger account to creative blogging tricks and techniques to blogging etiquette. You'll learn how to customize your blog, comment on other people's blogs, and share photos through your blog. Even if you already know what blogging is and are just looking for a few tips on how to make your blog bigger and better, the book's modular, task-based format will allow you to jump in anywhere and be on your way. Join the blogging craze with the help of Sams Teach Yourself Blogging In a Snap.

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Blogging For Dummies (For Dummies (Computers)) Review

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(More customer reviews)I know I've been blogging for awhile now, but I couldn't resist the opportunity to review this book... Blogging For Dummies by Brad Hill. Of course, some may say it's just the book I needed... :)
Contents:
Part 1 - The What, Where, Why, and How of Weblogs: Understanding Blogging at Last; Blogging Options; Living the Blogging Lifestyle
Part 2 - Starting a Blog Today: MSN Spaces; Yahoo! 360; Finding a Home in Blogger; Creating a TypePad Blog
Part 3 - Installing Your Own Blog Program: The Ins and Outs of DIY Blogging; Running a Movable Type Blog; Blogging with WordPress; Power Plus Ease in Radio Userland; Hybrid Blog Hosts - Power Without the Pain
Part 4 - Total Blog Immersion: Hooking into RSS Feeds; Rules of Blogosphere Citizenship; Blogging for Bucks (or Pennies); Using Your Real Voice - Podcasting; Photoblogging and Audioblogging
Part 5 - The Part of Tens: Ten Blog Engines and Directories; Ten Resources for the Power Blogger
Glossary; Index
It seems that when most people start to blog, they learn a bit about blogging in general and then jump right to a familiar tool like Blogger or MSN Spaces. That's all well and good, but your style might not be best served by the blog choice you made. Hill does a pretty good job in categorizing the most prevalent blog tools available today, and then giving a basic install/usage overview for each. I was familiar with some of these, but the basics of Movable Type and WordPress were something I hadn't explored. After reading Part 2 and 3, you should have a pretty good idea of which tool fits your style and your anticipated direction. At that point, you can go online and start diving into your new tool of choice.
Even if you're a blogger with some history, there's still a few items here that might have slipped off your radar. I wasn't aware of the audioblogging technology that allows you to embed a spoken clip into a blog posting. Not necessarily something I want to do, but good to know of. Part 5 - The Part of Tens - is always a good area to find sites you didn't know about (like a few of the blog search engines and directories). There are a couple of sites that I could benefit from, and I'll be checking those out...
This is probably a bit more than Uncle Joe would want if he's asking "what's a blog", and the alpha male techno-nerd will likely find it a bit simplistic or light on coverage. But for the average power user or technology person looking to explore blogging, this might just be the broad coverage they need to start to put things into context...

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If you want to give yourself a Web presence without spending a lot of time or money, a blog is your answer and this is your guide. Blogs (Web logs) are short, diary-like entries on a Web site that has a chronological, journal format. Fun or informative, but not formal, blogs are easy to set up, maintain, and update. You can share your personal, stream-of-consciousness musings or your expertise on any subject ranging from your family vacation to world peace. This guide helps beginners (even technophobes) get started fast, with the essential info on:
The elements of blogs, such as entries, sidebars, categories, comments, and index pages
The different types of hosting services, from free to fee and from "turn key" services that are easy-to-use to DIY programs
Details on two popular, free "social community" hosted Web services that are ideal for casual bloggers—MSN Spaces and Yahoo! 360
The scoop on Blogger, a popular free hosted service that has some community tools like the social networks, but is basically blog-intensive
DIY blogging, covering three of the most powerful and flexible blog programs—Movable Type, WordPress, and Radio Userland
Hooking into RSS feeds to distribute your blog entries beyond your site
Choosing a newsreader
Ways to raise the visibility of your blog and make money from blogging

Complete with step-by-step instructions and lots of screen shots, this guide walks you through everything from setting up your blog and posting your first entry to adding photos, audio, and more. It includes the URLs of lots of sample sites to see to give you an idea of blog possibilities. In addition to the essential how-to, it fills you in on:
The blogosphere, blog culture and etiquette, snarks, macrologues, and more
Moblogs that let you post entries remotely using your portable computer, PDA, or cell phone
Buying a domain through a registrar such as Network Solutions, Register.com, or Go Daddy
MP3 blogs, vlogs (videoblogs), photoblogging, audioblogging, podcasting, and more

You know you have something to say, whether it's heavy stuff or just your thought for the day. Make your opinions known. Get your photos shown. With Blogging For Dummies, you'll soon be blogging with the best of ‘em.

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Start Your Own Blogging Business Review

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(More customer reviews)I found this book after starting 3 blogs. Before, I had low traffic, I didn't quite understand Adsense, and had gotten sucked into phony affiliate marketing programs. After reading the book, my traffic has increased threefold, I've signed up for Google Analytics, and I now have 6 blogs. I have yet to make much money yet, but this book is taking me in the right direction.

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Turn Your Blog Into Big Bucks

Blogs are one of the internet's fastest-growing phenomena-and one of the best and easiest ways to make money online.Learn how to choose a topic, start a blog and attract thousands of avid readers. Then use your blog to generate income from advertisers, promotions, affiliate links and other techniques-all from your own home.
We'll reveal how to:
Attract visitors and hold their interest
Entice advertisers to promote their products on your blog
Earn an affiliate fee when your visitors shop at some of the most popular websites
Promote your blog and get listed on top blog search engines

Successful bloggers reveal their expert strategies for maximizing profits.Pick up this book and get started on the road to riches-without leaving your desk!

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ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income Review

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(More customer reviews)
I loved this book. It is the first one I have read that actually explains how blogging can be used to make money directly. Most books I have read, and what I have experienced, indicate that blogging is not something to be done to make money directly.
In this book the author explains that there are direct ways to make money from one's blog, and there are indirect ways.
Direct Monetization:
>>Advertising
>>Sponsorships
>>Affiliate commissions
>>Paid reviews
Indirect Monetization:
>>Freelance writing contracts
>>Book deals
>>Speaking engagements
>>Consulting opportunities
>>Service contracts
>>Sell your own products
After reading this book I am still a believer that blogs are not something to consider if you want to make money from them directly. However, it can be done! But probably not the way you would think. It's not done by creating a blog, i.e., one blog and making it popular online. It's done by creating many blogs. Creating an empire of blogs and getting well connected in the blogoshere does it. Writing on any topic that can generate advertisers, sponsorships, affiliate commissions, and paid reviews does it. One blog won't do it. Two blogs won't do it. But a lot of blogs creating little streams of income will do it.
The authors provide us with some lessons they have learned about blogging:
1. Blogging for income takes time
2. Take it one step at a time
3. It takes hard work and discipline
4. Follow your dreams
Does this sound familiar? It should if you regularly read books for entrepreneurs. Blogging for bucks is just another small business. Instead of writing content for an arsenal of magazines, you are writing an arsenal of content for various blogs. Instead of selling paper copies of writings, you are selling through Web 2.0. And you are using Web 2.0 strategies and tactics to make your blogs profitable.
If you have an interest in blogs, and you want two books on the subject that discuss blogs from completely different perspectives, then read this book and read "Blog Schmog" (ISBN: 078521576X). Both books are well written, organized, and sound. If you read both of these books, then you should have a pretty good idea of what blogs are all about, what you can do with them, and what you cannot do with them. 5 stars!

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Problogger.net is where bloggers worldwide go for advice and information on enhancing their blog's presence. Whether you're just starting out or have been blogging for years, these two professional bloggers show you how to turn your passion for blogging into extra revenue. This practical guide to creating and marketing a blog with the potential for generating a six-figure income shows you how to choose subject matter that works for you, handle technical issues, and evaluate your blog?s success so that you can use your blog to generate income indirectly.

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Create Your Own Blog: 6 Easy Projects to Start Blogging Like a Pro Review

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(More customer reviews)
The philosophical question of the day is: if you don't blog, micro-blog, or social network, do you exist? Certainly not to the multimillions, or billions, who at least read postings from blogging and social network sites like Twitter, Facebook, and FriendFeed.
Tris Hussey is one such blogger and is probably more intense about it than most. He is a longtime blogger, educator and speaker, and writer of blog related topics. His background and enthusiasm for the topic and casual, easy-going writing style serve him well in authoring "Creating Your Own Blog: Six Easy Projects to Start Blogging like a Pro."
Even though online software tools make it easy for nearly anyone to start blogging those who want to do it well for personal or professional reasons will benefit from the guidance found in this book. Hussey is comprehensive in his approach: he describes blogging as essentially storytelling and is enthusiastic and inspiring about it; he gives a short history of storytelling online via simple to very sophisticated tools; he details how to set up, install, and configure both hosted and self-hosted sites; and he even shows how to make money while blogging.
The meat of the book is in chapters 5 through 9 where he details how to set up and maintain personal, business, podcasting, video, and portfolio blogs. In chapter 10 he explains "online life streaming" where blogs, micro-blogs, social networking sites, and mobile communications converge into a mash of running digital history in real-time--for those not concerned about their life activities being stored permanently in searchable online databases.
Managing all of this does get complicated and Hussey is adept at explaining the how and why of spending the time to do it well and right. The book contains information on intellectual property issues and Digital Rights Management, privacy, search engine optimization, controlling spam and abusive commenters, as well as examples of blogs he admires or believes are models of good blogging.
Instead of covering all topics in depth, he shortcuts by detailing better choices and practices from his own experiences. He provides express recommendations on blogging hosts (he likes WordPress best,) hardware (microphones) and software choices. His emphasis in such choices is on low-cost and ease-of-use options. There is enough material to satisfy those with advanced needs and capabilities. The mashing of blog; photo, audio and video posting sites;and social networking sites is especially worthwhile for serious online communicators.
Hussey writes from experience as one of the earliest bloggers and one of the more prolific ones. He writes with some humor and in an easy-going style that is easy to follow and absorb. The book is heavily illustrated with screenshots of blog pages, websites, and applications along with some graphic illustrations and photos of hardware. There are stylized "Tips, Notes, New Terms, Cautions, an Idea Galleries" throughout. I found many of the screenshot illustrations to be too dark or too finely printed to be useful. Younger eyes may not have a problem.
This is a very good book for those thinking about starting blogging for business or personal reasons.
FTC disclosure (16 CFR Part 255): The reviewer has accepted without solicitation a reviewer's copy of this book which is his to keep. He intends to provide an honest, independent, and fair evaluation of the book in all circumstances.

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Want a personal or business blog of your own? It's easy! In this simple guide, one of the world's most experienced bloggers walks you through every step, from getting started to building a worldwide audience. Tris Hussey covers it all, from low-cost blogging tools to high-powered writing tips! Get this book, and get started fast–with a professional-quality blog that meets your goals, whatever they are!Build great blogs like these, the easy way!Personal BlogsBusiness BlogsBlogs for Podcasting Video BlogsPortfolio Blogs for Artists Lifestreaming BlogsLearn from a pro! Discover tips, tricks, and great solutions for: Setting up your blog the right way–in just minutes!Writing blog entries people want to readHandling comments–even nasty ones!Creating a conversation and building a community Publicizing your blog Choosing the right free or low-cost blogging tools Avoiding beginner mistakesEarning cash from your blog!You won't believe how easy it is to create your own blog… or how much fun!

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Blogger: Beyond the Basics: Customize and promote your blog with original templates, analytics, advertising, and SEO (From Technologies to Solutions) Review

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(More customer reviews)This book by Lee Jordan is perfect for the novice blogger and packed with must have info for even the seasoned blogger. While it particularly deals with the Blogger (Google) platform, a good bit of the information extends beyond Blogger to services and tips that could be used for a variety of platforms.
I love the approach Jordan uses - taking a sample blog that is plain in nature and allowing the reader to follow that blogs evolution to a more professional looking blog using the guidelines and tips offered in the book.
Jordan shows you why popular blogs are so popular and what you can do to enhance your ratings and most importantly, your readership. He leaves no stone unturned as he divulges all the tricks of the trade, er uh, hobby.
Whatever the purpose of your blog is you should invest in this tool. It easy to understand, simple to follow, and indexed for ease of locating information. I have used it many times in the last few weeks to look up a particular subject and implement the information given.
Here is a list of the chapters:
1. All Blogs Are Not Created Equal
2. Customize and CreateTemplates
3. Social Bookmarking
4. Joining the Blogosphere
5. Using Widgets
6. RSS and Atom Syndication
7. Making Money With Ads
8. Measuring Site Performance with Google Analytics
9. Search Engine Optimization
10. Website Integration
Oh and it comes in paperback or e-book form!

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In Detail
Blogger is a blog publishing system from Google with a friendly interface specifically designed for creating and maintaining weblogs.
It allows users to easily create dynamic blogs with great content and many outstanding features including RSS feeds, link-backs, photo slideshows, and integration with popular Google applications like Picasa. Its versatility and ease of use has attracted a large, enthusiastic, and helpful community of users.
If you want to create powerful, fully-featured blogs in no time, this book is for you. This book will focus on transforming a typical blog into something fresh and professional that stands out from the crowd. It starts with anintroduction to an example blog, discussing what it is lacking, and then adding all the features of Blogger to make it successful. This book will tell you how to transform a slow-paced typical business blog into an attractive and interactive profit-making blog with measurable results. It has a very user-friendly approach and shares tips, tricks, and resources to continue to grow your blog.
What you will learn from this book?
The book aims to be a "complete" guide to working with Blogger. The focus is on more advanced, professional uses. You will learn everything you need to know to extend your blog and grow beyond the basics of using Blogger. This book will cover the following:
Customizing and creating templates to make your blog attractive
Adding social bookmarks to your blog to promote your site
Joining the blogosphere to drive traffic to your site
Customizing your blog by using widgets effectively
Customizing your blog's RSS and Atom feed, so that the Blogger feeds are available to the users
Managing ads and adding e-commerce features
Monitoring viewers and ads using Google Analytics
Managing and optimizing your blog for search engines
Integrating your website with your blog
Approach
Written in a clear, easy-to-read style, the book takes you through the essential tasks required to create a feature-rich blog as quickly as possible. From initial setup to customizing modules, each task is explained in a clear, practical way using an example blog developed through the book. You'll also learn how to market and measure the success of your blog using Google web applications and other popular tools.
This book deals with using the current Blogger and third-party tools to optimize and create widgets for your blog. You'll transform your blog using existing tools then take it further with more challenging approaches to customizing your blog. All the steps involved in each example are listed under the section called "Time for action". Similarly, the results of that action are listed under the section called "What just happened". This structure adds to the clear, simple, and focused approach of the book.
Who this book is written for?
The book is aimed at current users of the Blogger platform who want to get the most out of Blogger and people who use a different blogging platform and are planning on switching to Blogger. Blog owners who promote their own services, expertise, and products, and want to increase their blog's success by pushing the limits of what Blogger can do will get the most out of this book.
The book doesn't require any specific knowledge of Blogger or the related technologies: RSS, CSS, HTML, and XML. Everything you need to know to grow beyond the basics is covered in this book. The companion website to this book (bloggerbeefedup.blogspot.com) includes free resource images and content.

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Blogging All-in-One For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)This book has it all! I was looking for an up-to-date, easy to understand and comprehensive guide to learn how to start a blog, the right tools to use, and how to get traffic and even make some money. This book teaches all of that and more, and it's written in a way that you can pick and choose the chapters you want to read and those you don't without being confused. I'm so happy that I picked this book. Now, I don't need to buy any others unless I want to get into much more advanced topics. I highly recommend Blogging All-in-One for Dummies.

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A complete guide to creating and establishing your place in the blogosphere!
New blogs are being launched at the rate of 175,000 a day. To stand out from the masses, bloggers need the detailed information and advice packed into this all-in-one guide.
Here's what new bloggers need to get started and what experienced bloggers need to upgrade and even earn money from their blogs. Eight self-contained minibooks cover joining the blogosphere, blogging software, tools that extend your blog, marketing your blog, microblogging, making money from your blog, corporate blogging, and niche blogging.
Blogging is replacing traditional media and gaining credibility; to succeed, bloggers need a greater understanding of blogging basics, tools, and techniques
Eight minibooks cover getting started, software, other tools, blog marketing, microblogging (including Twitter), monetizing your blog, and corporate and niche blogging
Helps new bloggers become active and productive members of the blogging community
Provides vital information for both hobby bloggers and those who want to build a career around blogging

Presented in the fun and friendly For Dummies style, Blogging All-in-One For Dummies is a complete reference guide to starting and maintaining a successful blog.

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The Rational Guide to Google Blogger (Rational Guides) Review

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(More customer reviews)The Radional Guide To Google Blogger is a very good book focusing on the basics of working with Google Blogger. I only wish I had this book when I set up my first blog... it could have saved me dozens of hours. There are a lot of good tips that you wouldn't think of on your own. All in all, for a beginning blogger this is a good investment.

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Learn how to build your own blog using Google's free Blogger service. This book covers the basic and the not-so-basic concepts and technologies that you need to know in order to thrive in the blogging world. With this book, you will learn how to use Blogger's Post Editor and Dashboard to create sophisticated postings that include images and hyperlinks, and how to change the look and feel of your blog using templates. Other topics include making money using Google's AdSense and Amazon.com's Associates program, using photo blogging services, adding a site counter so that you can track your readership, using Blogger Mobile for mobile blogging, and how to archive your blog. For those of you who have your own Web hosting, you will learn how to publish your blog to your own server. This book takes a rational, no-nonsense approach in a compact guide. The book is written to give you the basics...fast! Technical accuracy is assured by Biz Stone, Former Senior Specialist on the Google Blogger Team.Includes free bonus material:
Bonus Chapter: "Blogger Development with the API"

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Publishing a Blog with Blogger: Visual QuickProject Guide (2nd Edition) Review

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(More customer reviews)A blog or weblog is a great way to get started on the web and Blogger.com from Google is one of the most popular software for creating weblogs. In her book, Elizabeth Castro assumes that this may be your first web project as she walks you through the basics for creating a blog at Blogger.com.
First, she gives you an overview of Blogger.com, what the software does, and why she chose it as the subject for her book. After she introduces you to the Blogger Dashboard (the control panel where all the work is done), Castro shows you how to open a Blogger account, give your weblog a name and choose a template. The template does all the work for you when creating your weblog pages. All you need is the content that you want to publish and the template places everything in the correct spot on the webpage. Castro does a great job explaining all of this with step-by-step instructions and lots of illustrations.
Once you have posted your first weblog entry, Castro moves on to more advanced Blogger features such as working with the template tags to customize the look of your blog, how to control the members and comments features, how to post an entry by email and how to use Audioblogger to post an entry via the telephone.
Now that you have your weblog ready for the public, Castro discusses hosting your blog through Blogger's BlogSpot hosting or on your own server. Finally, she shows the many ways to publicize your blog including email and site feeds.
Elizabeth Castro has written many other Visual QuickStart Guide books for Peachpit Press.

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If you want to start blogging fast but don't want to get sidetracked by the details, then you need a Visual QuickProject Guide!
You don't need to know every feature—-you just want to know how to get your project done.
Full-color illustrations show you how to perform each step of your project from start to finish.
Low-priced—why pay more than you need?
In Publishing a Blog with Blogger: Visual QuickProject Guide, best-selling author, Elizabeth Castro, shows users how to get started in the wonderful world of blogging. This book features large color illustrations and a minimum of verbiage to show brand-new Blogger users each step of the blogging process. Castro first acquaints readers with the interface and standard options, then walks them through blog setup, creating their profile, posting email, adding pictures and audio. She also covers adding widgets to a blog; tools for tracking Web traffic and following subscriber traffic; using color and customizing layouts; understanding template tags and using tags to categorize content; combating spam; understanding balance and deciding how many blog posts to have on the homepage; privacy issues; posting photos; blogging mobile; and more.This is ideal entry point to the blogosphere for anyone who wants to get started fast, but doesn't need to know every feature—just how to get the project done!

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ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)I picked upProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income after blogging for a litle over two years. I've been doing it as a hobby because I love writing and photography, but admittedly haven't thought much about monetizing it.
For me, this book served as a good introduction to how to make money from blogging, both directly and indirectly. However, its focus is a little more broad. It coves everything from choosing a topic to write about, to setting up your blog, to making money. It mixes information and examples with exercises that challenge the reader to apply what they are talking about and use it to inform their own blog.
Because of its broad focus, I think it would be the most useful to someone who is brand new to blogging. I still found it very informative as someone who has been blogging for awhile. However, I did find myself skimming through the pages on setting up your blog because mine has long been set up. However, I thought their instructions were very straight foward and clear and definitely would have been helpful to me if I had stumbled upon them when first starting my blog. They also provide some great tips on deciding what to write about and choosing a domain name.
The content specific to monitization is good but should really be used as a primer. As others have mentioned, much of this content can be found on the ProBlogger blog or elsewhere on the internet. However, the beauty of this book is that it is condensed and all available in one place. No reason to go digging. That said, it is really just the tip of the iceberg so if you are looking for one book to cover everything you will wind up disapointed. I still don't believe I know everything about monitization, nor did I expect to when reading this, and expect to still read more on SEO as a follow up. There are also no secret, magic strategies here. If you are looking for a get rich quick solution this is not it.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and it met my expectations. It was a great first read on how to monetize my blog, but I'm still planning on reading other resources to continue to get smart.

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A complete how-to from two of the world's top bloggers
Thousands of aspiring bloggers launch new blogs every day, hoping to boost their income. Without solid advice from experts, most will fail. This bestselling guide, now fully revised with new and updated tips and tricks from two of the world's most successful bloggers, provides the step-by-step information bloggers need to turn their hobby into an income source or a fulltime career.
Earning a solid income from blogging is possible, but tricky; this book details proven techniques and gives aspiring bloggers the tools to succeed
Even novices will learn to choose a blog topic, analyze the market, set up a blog, promote it, and earn revenue
Offers solid, step-by-step instruction on how bloggers make money, why niches matter, how to use essential blogging tools and take advantage of social media and content aggregators, what a successful blog post should include, how to optimize advertising, and much more

Written by two fulltime professional bloggers, the updated edition of ProBlogger tells you exactly how to launch and maintain a blog that makes money.

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Google Blogger For Dummies Review

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(More customer reviews)First Line: So you made the decision to start a blog.
This is a decision that thousands, if not millions, of people have made. If Google Blogger is the blogging platform chosen, how much help isGunelius' book? A lot!
From Part I where the author describes Blogger's features and compares it to other blogging software, Gunelius takes the reader step-by-step through opening a Google account, starting a blog, choosing a template, writing and publishing blog posts-- everything a beginning blogger should know.
From the basics, she moves on to covering how to monetize a blog, blogging from different media such as podcasting and mobile phones, how to use social media such as Twitter to network and build a community, and how to obtain your own domain. There's even a section for troubleshooting problems. Everything is written in clear, concise language and easy to follow instructions.
People who have been blogging for a while may wonder if Google Blogger for Dummies contains anything worthwhile for them. My answer would be yes. For example, I had questions about obtaining my own domain, just what does "bounce rate" mean, and how to increase my search engine ranking. This book answered all those questions and many others. This book is for everyone using Blogger, both novice and pro.

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Are you bemused by blogs? Eager to become a blogger? Google Blogger For Dummies can help you start blogging sooner than you think.
More than 14 million people are promoting a business, connecting with family and friends, and sharing opinions with Google Blogger. This book helps you start a Blogger account, create content, build an audience, make money from your blog, and more, all without learning to program. You'll be able to:
Learn the parts of a blog, what Blogger does, and how to choose goals and blog topics
Choose a domain name, learn to use the dashboard, pick a template, and configure settings
Dress up your blog with themes and find out where to get plenty of free ones
Learn blogging etiquette and some secrets for long-term success
Make money from your blog with Google Adsense, contextual and text link ads, and merchandising with CafePress
Set up multi-user blogs or branch into mobile blogging, podcasting, or video blogging
Take advantage of social networking sites and learn simple search engine optimization techniques
Maintain your blog with tools like Blog This! and Quick Edit
Moderate comments effectively, track your stats, and more

Google Blogger is a great choice for beginning bloggers, and Google Blogger For Dummies gives you the know-how to venture confidently into the blogosphere.

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Moneymaker Blogs: Learn Helpful Info On Blog Writing, Blog Marketing & Other Blogging Tips On How To Build A Blog That Will Bring In Lots Of Blog ... And Have Steady Income For Years And Years Review

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(More customer reviews)It teaches you the techniques and tools to market your blog so it will get noticed and you can make money out of it if earning an income is your purpose for the blog.I think that for the new blogger or those struggling to get an audience, the steps here will really be effective because it gives you the basic groundwork which you'll need to put in place for every element to work successfully.

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A blog can be a dependable source of steady income. The trick is to build the blog in such a way that it becomes a money-making system. But, before you can even put up several income streams that can bring in the money, you will have to, first of all, build up your blog traffic. Daily blog traffic is the real goldmine to successful blogging. With a steady flow of blog traffic every day, you can make large amounts of money easily through your blog income streams.Blogs with high traffic are very attractive to online advertisers and marketers. They look at blogs with high traffic as highly in demand. Since real people are visiting the blog, it makes the blog prime property in which to sell in. There is a technique to making your blog marketable. The end goal is to acquire more traffic, and then to convert the traffic to a loyal readership base to which you can sell to. Blog marketing is a never ending task. There will always be something more that needs to be done, and you will never actually be done.There are many blog marketing techniques. You will need to put together and utilize several techniques in conjunction with each other to get the results you want.Using the information in this book, you can learn how to build each element of the blog the right way in order to boost blog traffic and convert it into real money for you over time.

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Promote your Business or Cause using Social Media: A Beginner's Guide Review

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(More customer reviews)Dennis J. Smith's book de-mystifies the process of using social media as a tool to promote one's business. Smith's book is written for the novice, but also has information an experienced user will find helpful.

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Promote your Business or Cause using Social Media is a handbook for beginner's interested in using social media to grow a small business or take any cause to the internet.Learn how to create a blog, start a blog radio show, upload videos to YouTube, Tweet on Twitter and build a fan page on Facebook with social apps and even eCommerce.- Learn how to add a shopping cart to your Facebook fan page and sell product right from your fan page.- Learn how to get your own personal Facebook URL.- How to get started with WordPress and your own blog.- Twitter Tips!

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Blogging for Fame and Fortune Review

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(More customer reviews)
I liked this book on blogging. When I first spotted this title I wasn't sure I wanted to pick it up. The author is a professional writer. He has written a lot of books. And I've read a few of them. I've even posted a book review for one or two of them on Amazon. The author's books for the most part come across as term papers to me. They can be kind of mechanical and don't always dig too deeply into the subject material. But this book is better than most of his previous works. Maybe it is because he is an active blogger himself and much of what he covers here came from first-hand knowledge?
I am by no means an expert when it comes to blogging. But I have read quite a few books on the subject and I have two blogs of my own which I haven't been contributing to lately. In my humble opinion this book is one of the better ones I have read on blogging. I was very happy to see some coverage of Blogger-dot-com and Wordpress-dot-com, two free services that anyone can (and should) take advantage of when building an online presence for themselves or their business(es). I was not familiar with Vox-dot-com or Blogster-dot-com before I read this book, but now think they are nice services to get involved with, too.
The book is well organized and well written. It is fairly comprehensive. It has 15 chapters and a glossary. The target audience is probably small business owners who are seeking to take their company online so they have an online presence where they can promote themselves, their expertise, their credibility, and how much of an authority they are. Blogging is an important ingredient in the mix, and by reading this book you will probably be well on the road to using your blogs both efficiently and productively. 5 stars!
PS. To learn more about this book I encourage you to visit the Search Inside feature Amazon offers which includes the book's Table of Contents. Enjoy!

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Blog Your Way to the Big Time
Attract millions and make big money using success secrets from cyber superstars and blogging pros, including entertainment blogger Perez Hilton and Blogger.com's Taj Campbell. Learn how to build a noteworthy online identity, captivate the masses, and break into mainstream media-leveraging your creativity, not your bank account. Plus, discover how to immediately cash in on your online platform and new-found popularity!
Create a custom, sticky blog site using free blogging services
Transform your opinions, expertise, commentary, audio/video creations, and the like into your next paycheck
Dare your audience to take notice with 101 proven blogging topics and subject matters
Gain the competitive advantage using expert advice from the world's best known bloggers and blog experts
Use original, innovative techniques and powerful tools to make your blog stand out
Learn how to avoid the 10 most common blogger mistakes
And more

On the net, no topic is off limits. Share your opinions, thoughts, commentary, audio/video creations, and expertise to build your online presence and launch yourself into stardom!

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Fashion 2.0: Blogging Your Way to The Front Row- The Insider's Guide to Turning Your Fashion Blog into a Profitable Business and Launching a New Career, Vol. 1 (Volume 1) Review

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I just finished reading this book, which only took me a few shorts hours and I loved it. As a fashion blogger myself, I found it so helpful.
Get your highlighters and pens ready! Yuli gives great tactical advice for bloggers. I found myself marking up the pages with lots of notes. She provides her insider knowledge that she has gain after years of experience. I especially found the Fashion Week section helpful because she explained how to approach them if your registration gets declined at first. It is possible to get in!
She interviews success stories such as Gala Darling and What I Wore. I love how she pointed out that we (bloggers) are all in this together. When you work with brands or go to Fashion Week, remember you are still representing all bloggers. So if they have a bad experience with you, they'll assume all bloggers are unprofessional. And yes most still think we work in our pajamas.
If you are serious about blogging then this book should be your bible. Are you going to pick up this book? You better!

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In this first of its kind insider's guide, Yuli Ziv, Style Coalition's founder, reveals the secrets behind her own online success and that of her network, which represents more than 50 top fashion and beauty bloggers, in partnership with ELLE. You will find practical business advice on how to: - Brand yourself as a top blogger and sought-after influencer - Build valuable relationships with PR companies and brands - Secure invitations to important industry events - Work with advertising networks - Develop new revenue streams - Land spokesperson deals and large scale sponsorships - Position yourself at the forefront of the fashion blogosphereFull of action driven exercises, helpful resources and inspirational chapters by top fashion bloggers What I Wore, College Fashion, Gala Darling, Second City Style and Corporette, the book is packed with all the advice and motivation you need to take your blogging career to the next level!

Click here for more information about Fashion 2.0: Blogging Your Way to The Front Row- The Insider's Guide to Turning Your Fashion Blog into a Profitable Business and Launching a New Career, Vol. 1 (Volume 1)

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