Photo Courtesy of WordPress
I recently received an email from a college student who is working on a class project where she is analyzing blogs. Her group is focusing on blogs that assist college graduates in finding employment and surviving in the real world. I was flattered that she focused on my blog and she had a few great questions about how and why I got started. I copied my responses below. Feel free to leave any comments or contact me with any questions you may have about blogging, business, or life after college.
Why I started my blog:
Two years ago I read the book, The 4-hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss, and it completely converted me into an Internet entrepreneur. However, I didn’t know what kind of Internet business I wanted to start or how to get started. A few months later I found a podcast by the guys at Internet Business Mastery. They were very informative and persuasive, which gave me the motivation needed to start my own blog. I began blogging because I thought it would be an easy way to build my expertise in a niche market and help people that I care about. In this case, I chose clueless college graduates. You can learn more about my story if you read the About Us page on my site and the Premiere blog post. In a nut shell, I needed an easy to way to connect with people and share my ideas. I wanted to teach other college grads how to transition into the real world more successfully and then ultimately avoid living mediocre lives because they gave up on their dreams.
How I started my blog:
The technical answer: I got the idea to use WordPress from the Internet Business Mastery podcast. I actually use WordPress.org, not WordPress.com, which allows me to have my own URL that doesn’t include wordpress.com in the title. Plus, WordPress.org gives me full flexibility to design the blog however I want. I bought a WordPress theme from Pagelines and spent a couple months creating the site. I then officially launched the blog on June 1, 2009 with the Premiere post.
How I decided what was important to post about:
This was tricky, but it got easier as I wrote more. In the beginning, I wrote articles about topics that I thought other people wanted to hear about. This worked, sort of. I have since transitioned into writing posts about topics that I am passionate about. Recently, I have written a lot about personal development because I believe it’s incredibly important and useful. I have also written a lot about marathons because I am currently training for one. It helps to write about current topics in your own life because you will have a vested interest in the content.
How I manage my blog:
Because I use WordPress, I can update my blog from anywhere that has an Internet connection. I used to have a website that only allowed me to update it from my home computer, which I now realize seems very archaic. I tend to write 2-3 posts per week and I don’t usually post any on the weekends because I’m usually too busy. I do not give my audience any expectation about when I’ll post anything new, because I don’t want to work under any deadlines. I write best when I feel free to write about what I want, when I want, and how I want. It keeps the content more authentic and incredibly more helpful. If you try to force something, the reader can always tell.
The Clueless Graduate,
Jeff Sanders
If you like what you’re reading, sign up for the Email Newsletter and get a FREE copy of the Graduated And Clueless Starter Kit!
Become a Fan on Facebook
Follow me on Twitter
Connect on LinkedIn
Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Related posts:
Loading ...