3 Savvy Steps to Starting Your Own Blog

With summer around the corner, you may have your summer plans to a T or are scrambling last minute to ensure you have a productive four months. Whether you are working, interning or traveling, it is valuable to have a personal project on the side to keep your creative juices flowing. One project, great for young professionals, is keeping a blog.

You may have thought about starting your own blog several times, or even made a WordPress account and have never posted (guilty!). The fear that you don’t have time to write entries or enough ideas for content is normal, so here are some guidelines to show that starting (and continuing) your own blog is as easy as 1, 2, 3.

1. You don’t have to be an expert on the topic you choose.

What are you passionate about? What are you working on this summer? Whether you have a knack for thrift store shopping, traveling on a budget or your summer internship is filled with learning experiences, if you love your topic you will love writing about it week after week. Most importantly, your blog should showcase learning about your subject and sharing it with the world.

2. Platform is key

Now that you have your theme, choosing a platform that compliments it will attract viewers. WordPress may be an easy go-to, but if you plan to incorporate photography, Tumblr is a better option. Google Plus is also a fast growing platform geared towards professional postings. Another tip is to create your own domain. This may cost a small amount, up to about $30/year (startbloggingonline.com), but this separates the jargon of using a sub-domain and guarantees full control over your blog. 

3. Promote It!

There are many advantages to having a blog including showing future employers and building personal SEO. By promoting your blog and gaining weekly followers, employers will be more impressed and your SEO will increase. To do this, connect all social media platforms to your blog such as on your Twitter and Instagram about pages. After posting a blog, make sure you tweet or add it to your LinkedIn. Friends and family will enjoy reading your thoughts and word of mouth is a great promotion tool. Also, make sure to keep posts on a schedule (weekly, biweekly, monthly) so viewers know when to check in for new posts.

You did it! I can see the excitement on your face…

Source: startupstockphotos.com

This guest blog post was written by PRowl staff member Melissa Tait. 

Make it a PRoductive Summer

Happy summer! It’s incredible to see the dramatic difference in our availability as students when you eliminate a full class schedule. Perhaps you’ve made plans to intern, travel, or work this summer, or perhaps you’ve made plans to simply relax! Either way, it’s easy to incorporate PR building into your summer season. Here’s a few different ways:

• Volunteer – Research local non-profit organizations and companies you are interested in working with! Most organizations are looking for volunteers for upcoming events, some even known nationwide. Opportunities like these seem more like fun and less like work, especially to us addicted-to-PR folks, all while giving back. Volunteer work allows you to see a preview of the operations at companies/industries you are interested in, as well as a great contribution to your community! 
• Begin personal projects – Even with the littlest bit of extra time on your hands, dedicate it to personal projects! In terms of career building, think about what additional skills you would be proud to say you have. For PR, learning Photoshop and InDesign, starting a book or blog, and even another language are beneficial. Otherwise, take on any projects you want to do for yourself. Update your playlists, finish a certain number of books, or even learn to sew!
•  Informational interviews – If you’re not (or even if you are) interning, consider scheduling a few informational interviews. This is a great way to learn more about the various industries and departments you may end up working in. Not to mention, there’s no pressure. The professionals leading the informational interview are most likely taking the time to show you around the office and answer your questions because they genuinely want to help you with PR! Ultimately, you’ll end up being the interviewer! 
• Start a blog – Starting a blog is a project itself, but definitely one I would suggest for every Communication student out there. The internet is a helpful tool in developing our skills and furthering our future success. Blogging is a great opportunity to practice your writing skills, as well as organization with the layout, style, brand, and content of your site. Make it fun, and blog about something you truly love! Fashion, makeup, entertainment, sports, and environmentalism – you can blog about anything your heart desires.

No matter how you choose to practice this summer, enjoy yourself! We worry enough all semester long, use the summer to have fun!

Tips To Be A More Productive Blogger

Recently, PR Daily posted an article listing 23 ways to become a more productive blogger. From that list, I chose to highlight five tips that I feel could be most beneficial.

1. Consider your workplace. Make sure you're in an environment that you can be the most productive in. Whether that's in a cafe full of people or a quiet corner in the library, put yourself in a space that will foster your best work.
2. Know why you blog. Keeping your mission statement, or the reason why you blog, in the front of your mind is essential. Not only does it help to focus your content, but constantly reminding yourself why you blog can be a great motivator to keep pressing forward.
3. Keep an idea list. From personal experience, this is beyond helpful. If you're in a bind and can't seem to put pen to paper, an idea list can prevent writer's block. It always seems that the best ideas come at the most obscure times, so make sure you have a place to jot them down to reference later.
4. Embrace flow. It's not all the time that the words just seem to flow so when they do, don't stop! Take advantage of this sudden burst of creativity and schedule several blog posts ahead of time. That way if/when writer's block should strike again you're prepared with a few posts that are ready to go.
5. Just do it. You may not feel up to the task of writing every time you need to, but push through and just do it. Ramble if you have to, but get some thoughts on paper. You can edit later, but at least now there is content there to edit.

For all 23 tips you can view the original article here. Do you have any advice that can help fellow bloggers? Share them in the comments below!

Blog Branding

At this point I think it is safe to say that we are all aware of the importance of maintaining a personal blog. In some arenas it has even become a necessity. Since blogs, more specifically being a blogger, has grown in popularity, it has also become a necessity to distinguish your blog from the millions of others in the world. Now, we not only have to focus on branding ourselves professionally, but how to brand our blogs as well. Luckily, I stumbled upon an article that inspired me and gave three short tips to keep in mind, and keep you focused, when developing your blog and its brand.

1. Identify what you want to be known for. As opposed to choosing an arbitrary topic to center your blog around, think about what you want people to say about your blog. Do you want your blog to be known for being informative? Comical? It’s important to pinpoint your blog’s purpose so that every post is a step towards accomplishing that goal. 
2. Be what you want to be known for...consistently. This may sound like a simple concept, but it does take some practice. Keep the brand that you want to portray in mind when doing anything related to your blog. From writing a post to sending a tweet, it’s important to “stay in character,” so to speak. You don’t want to contradict the brand you are trying to create.
3. Monitor and participate in conversations about you. The author of this article simplifies branding as what people say about you when you’re not in the room. So, find out what people are saying about your blog when you’re not in the room. While some reviews may not be so easy to hear, the purpose of researching people’s opinions is not to defend your blog to the death. Instead, enter into it with a “genuine desire to listen and connect.” You may discover something that can be improved.

What is most important to remember is that your brand should be an extension of yourself, and your blog an extension of your brand. If you stay true to who you are then you, your brand, and your blog may be imitated, but can never be duplicated. 

Turning Your Blog into a Business

For some people, blogging is just a way to openly express themselves and what their favorite hobbies and interests may be. There are thousands of different kinds of blogs ranging on all forms of subjects. However, as blogging has become more popular, more people have found that they can take something they considered to be a “hobby” and turn it into a lucrative business. 

Everyone has heard of the Huffington Post, but what about the background story on how it was created? Arriana Huffington started the website in May of 2005 first as a liberal news and blog site that featured a variety of columnists. Shortly after its launch it became one of the most widely-read, linked to, and frequently cited media brands on the Internet. How did she do it you ask? She followed these 5 important tips that I’m going to explain:

1. Originality: Originality is vital when starting a blog and making it successful because you are setting it apart from everything else. Every post does not have to be completely out of the box but creating unique content is important.
2. Discipline: In order to keep people coming back to your blog you must keep the content fresh. Try your best to blog everyday and designate a specific time for writing and posting.
3. Use Analytics Software: If you want your blog to make money you have to view it like a business, and one thing businesses do is keep track of their figures. Google Analytics is easy to use and can be linked to your blog to monitor traffic and let you know where people are visiting from. You should check your traffic several times a week to see if your figures are growing. Use your analytics as a guide for your content. 
4. Monetize: Your blog instantly becomes more monetizable if you send out a newsletter to everyone that subscribes to your blog. It’s your job to make people want to subscribe to your newsletter, but going the extra mile is what’s going to set you apart from the “hobby” blogger. 
5. Link websites to your blog: Many times in business you earn a great deal of money from referrals, and blogging works the same way. Always be sure to contact websites you link to and ask for a return or referral link. Link referrals also help you get higher up on the Google page rankings. 

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Public Relations Staff Member Jenna Stern.

Bloggers Vs. Bounce Rates

As a blogger, you work on producing quality content to attract readers to spend time on your site. You plan the perfect design, find the highest quality images, all in hopes that your attention to quality and content will keep your readers coming back for more. Though your content and unique page hits may display one thing about your blog, your bounce rate may say another.

A "bounce rate" is the percentage of visitors that come to your website and do not visit any other pages on your site. So if you have taken the time to draft an "about me" page or something of that sort, having a high bounce rate indicates that it may all be in vein. The more time visitors spend reading and exploring your site, the more they build a relationship with you as a blogger, making them more likely to come to you as a source. A high bounce rate may suggest that there is something about your blog that doesn't attract visitors to stay long, or even return again. Here are a few ways you can lower your bounce rates:

1. Be Social: Do you only Tweet out or post to Facebook when you post a new blog? Try also including when you update a page or add new content. Keep your readers engaged with your site at all times, taking advantage of social networking.

2. Strategic Monetization: If you have decided to include advertisements on your blog to make money, be sure they are placed in a way that does not distract the reader. Trying to read a post that is covered by an ad for nail polish doesn't make the reader want to explore your site. Also, be sure your ads are relevant! If you are a beauty blogger, there shouldn't be advertisements for gadgets and tech.

3. Keep It Clean: Don't bombard your visitors with crazy, complex designs. Make sure that your navigation area is clearly defined and not obstructed from vision. Users will not search for content, you have to present it to them.

4. State Your Purpose: The purpose of your blog should be clear as soon as bloggers hit the first page. Include a little blurb that explains who you are (example on the right from http://www.camillaleila.com/), and what you blog about. If your blog is about something that interests the reader, they are more likely to stay and click around.

Do you monitor your blog or websites bounce rate? If so, what do you do to keep your bounce rate down? Share with us!

The Aesthetics Of Blogging

First and foremost, Happy New Year! Welcome to 2013 on the PRowl blog, we are all excited for a new year!

Blogging has become one of the most popular forms of online expression next to social media sites. With so many blogging platforms, the more popular being Wordpress, Blogger, Tumblr and Typepad, starting a blog is as easy as making a few clicks and typing out some paragraphs. Yes, anyone can start a blog, but it takes a more savvy and dedicated person to maintain a blog and keep a decent following.

While content is definitely the number one concern of bloggers, the design and lay out of a blog can often be a deciding factor on whether or not readers will visit again. Browsing blogs online should be a fun, relaxing, enjoyable thing. The design of a blog speaks volumes about the blogger as well, and plays a huge part in how you brand yourself to the blogosphere. Here are some things to keep in mind when designing a blog, whether you are doing it yourself of hiring someone else!

• Keep it readable - No matter how fun your design is, if it makes it impossible for readers to actually read your content, it's a no go. Black or grey text on a white background is usually a winner. Avoid putting text in bright colors with contrasting, as that is often difficult to read. See, this is a rough read, right?
• Easy navigation - Be sure your readers are able to find what they are looking for! You can do this by using headers in larger fonts (like the title of our blog posts) and labeling important sections. It is often helpful to make links a separate (yet readable) color from the standard text. A search bar is also a nice feature so that readers can find what they need quickly.
• Show some personality - If you have a tagline or slogan that you are using to describe or brand yourself, include it! You want to show off who you are so that the readers can build a relationship with you. Including a photo of yourself helps with that as well.
• Less is more - Don't try to fit every one of your posts on the first page of your blog. That's a huge no no. Limit yourself to 5-8 posts, depending on personal preference and the layout of your blog. Include links below the last post that will allow users to navigate to older posts if they wish to.

What are some of the design elements of your favorite blogs? Share them with us, and we'll post what you say to our social media to share with other bloggers and future bloggers!

Nice Blog You’ve Got There! Now What?

Whether for personal interest or because of the many posts urging PR pros to create a company blog, you finally made one and it looks great! Brace yourself if you thought finding motivation to create the blog was difficult because the worst has yet to come: generating content. Yikes! The actual blogging part, believe it or not, requires hard work and a little compassion. To grab readers, your content must be consistent, creative and compelling.

You’ve found the motivation, so here are some tips to help find some inspiration:


Use your network: Imagine those outrageous questions from family members about your job. What is SEO? PR pros use spin and practice propaganda, right? Be patient for a moment and realize these are legitimate questions. People outside the communications field have similar questions and you have a golden opportunity to answer them on your blog.


Comments: Check if anyone has commented on your blog entries. If a reader took the time to give feedback, he or she probably enjoyed the entry. Check for patterns. Are readers commenting on blog entries pertaining to certain themes or subjects? If so, consider it relevant! Perhaps others have an interest in similar posts.

Consider your own queries: Perhaps you have a theory or a hunch and you’d like some evidence to make a case. Engage with your publics on social media by presenting a few questions. Later, you can blog about the results.


Google & Google Analytics: It seems a little basic, but you’d be surprised. Search some themes you’d like to cover or even try typing, “What should I blog about?” You can’t expect your blog topic to be staring you in the face, either. Read between the lines, thinking critically, and let the creative juices flow. Use Google Analytics to see which search questions direct people to your blog. If a blog entry previously demonstrated success, see how you might make a follow-up entry or a type of sequel.

Lastly, PRowl Public Relations staff members work collectively to produce daily blog entries and if you see a chance for collaboration, we say go with it! Think about who might be available for an interview or to feature as a guest blogger. Use the suggestions above for inspiration and sprinkle in some entries from your colleagues and watch those blog hits sky rocket!

 Do you have any other recommendations for generating compelling blog content? Let us know!

  This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Frank Kunkle.

The New Era

With the ability to share information to their readers at the speed of light, fashion bloggers are now viewed as a commodity in the fashion world. In this day and age major fashion brands and magazines view fashion blogging as a necessity because it is now the bloggers that are cognizant of the latest trends. But it takes a lot of work to become a great fashion blogger.

Choose your style of blog! There are two types of fashion blogs: personalized and informational.

• Informational discusses upcoming trends from designers and on the runway.


• Personalized fashion blogs display the personal style of the blogger. Personal blogs tend to be a crowd favorite; because it shows people that you’re a regular human being, not just an internet cyborg.

Building your brand:

• Collect as many contacts as possible! At first this will not be easy but as your blog progresses and your number of viewers increase you will find that people will go out of their way to contact you.


• Make it your priority to bring as much attention to your blog as possible! Update your blog with the newest trends or reoccurring ones; your readers want to know what’s hot and what’s not.


• Get help! As your brand grows you will find yourself needing help to maintain it so find an assistant and a professional photographer to help you capture quality pictures.


• Consistently update the look of your blog so your readers will not get bored! Your content must be engaging and innovative; no one wants to hear about last years trends when new ones are popping up left and right.


• Establish your credibility: Always make sure to cite your sources! If you use images from fashion sites be sure to give credit. Responding to comments will keep conversations going, increase viewership, as well as exhibit yourself as passionate about what you do.

As is with most things, creating the perfect balance can be challenging, but it will pay off in the long run.

Check out these great fashion blogs! Style Scrapbook, Fashion Squad, The Blonde Salad

This guest blog was written by PRowl Public Relations staff member Jummy Temidayo.

Blogging Basics

Being the Director of PR for PRowl Public Relations, one of my responsibilities is to maintain this very blog! With that being said, staff members often come to me, unsure of what exactly a blog post entails. In reality, there is not a very strict right or wrong when blogging. That's the great thing about it, blogs are not like the papers you write in class, you can feel free to write an opinion piece, or choose your own topic, or even to base your blog off of things you've read, seen, or experienced. Below are a couple blogging tips I've come across:

• Sometimes a punchy headline is all you need: When I sit down on Sunday nights to write my blog post for Monday, I start with the title. Nothing starts off a blog post on a better foot than a catchy title. Pondering over something so simple has a title can even help you smooth out the bumps in your blog post and get the creative juices flowing.


• Blog about something you're actually interested in: Time goes so slowly when I try to blog about something boring. Some of my best blog posts are the ones that I either based off of my own experience, or that I have felt connected or invested into.


• Stumped? This happens to me all the time. Take a step back, reread, and consider; what else is there to be said? I don't always freestyle my blog posts, sometimes I will read an article about a topic that I feel would fit in great with the blog, so I will take some of the points and rework them to my perspective. Most of the time I have something to add, elaborate on, or even disagree with.

Remember: blogging is your chance to put a spin on what's out there, so have fun with it! Do you have any tips to add for the inexperienced or hesitant blogger? Let us know!