Q: Why does it take so long for my blog to load?
A: If your blog is full of gadgets in your sidebar it will slow your sites load time down. Try and keep the sidebars as simple as possible, and stay away from too many different javascript gadgets.
Another reason your blog will be slow is if you have a lot of pictures/images in your posts. If that’s the case, you can go to your Dashboard and change the amount of posts on the front page. A good number is 3-4 posts per page.
Q: When is the best time to publish a new post?
A: According to Jake Luciani, who did a lot of research on this specific topic, the best time to post an entry is
Tuesday to Friday between 10am and 2pm Pacific Standard Time (PST)
And the worst time:
Saturday or Sunday between 3 and 5pm PST
To get more specific details, you can read his post here: http://www.readwriteweb.com/archives/new_study_shows_best_and_worst.php
Q: How do I add an extra page to my Blogger blog?
A: I have written a comprehensive tutorial on how to add an extra page to your Blogspot blog, you can read the full article here
Q: How do I get backlinks?
A: Submit your new blog to all the free directories you can find (Googlesearch : blog directories). Another good idea is to join blogging communities like Technorati, MyBlogLog, Entrecard and Blogcatalog. Also forums where you can add your link to your signature. You get backlinks from commenting on other blogs as well (don’t spam, that’ll get your comments deleted, and you have wasted all your time!). Contact bloggers in your niche and ask for a link exchange. All this will give you a lot of backlinks, as long as you put some effort into it!
Q: What is SEO and why is it important?
A: SEO is short for Search Engine Optimization. SEO is important because a lot of your traffic comes from SEO (ex. People googling for keywords that you blog about). The better SEO you have on your page, the higher you will rank in Google’s search engine (who wouldn’t love to be in the top spot?!)
Q: Then how do I make my SEO better?
A: Make sure you have your keywords in your title (not too many though!). When you write a post, you can highlight the IMPORTANT words (again, don’t overdo it, or your readers will find it confusing)or change the color of the words. I advise you to use some of the many SEO tools that are out there, like http://www.selfseo.com/, http://www.google.com/webmasters/ and http://www.webmaster-toolkit.com/search-engine-optimisation-tools.shtml
Q: How do I get people to read my blog?
A: The main reason people will read your blog is quality content (well written posts). Copy-Pasting other people's material is not popular, and it will be noticed sooner or later. Try to focus on one subject in your blog and blog about this in details. A good start is to add your posts to social bookmarking sites like Digg, Reddit, Delicious and Propeller. These places are VERY good for bringing attention to your posts and blog. Another way to promote your blog is joining a forum in your niche. A lot of forums have special sub-forums for promoting your websites, so it might be worth a shot!
Just remember it usually takes a lot of time to get returning readers, it might even take months, but don't give up! Anyone can write a great blog, as long as you write about the things and subjects that interest you. Have faith in your project, and work hard to achieve your goals. Work even harder if you want to make money from it!
If there is a question you would like to have answered regarding basic blogging, please let me know, and I'll add it to this list!
Happy blogging!
