Brilliant Blogging

Did you know that this month is National Blog Posting Month? No, neither did we, but as you know, here at the Oakeley Arms we are big fans of blogging so we thought we’d celebrate in style – with another blog post, of course!!

National Blog Posting Month is to celebrate all of the weird, wonderful and bonkers blogs out there, as well as the informative, entertaining and unique ones. And, it’s to encourage all of you budding bloggers who haven’t taken the plunge yet to get out there and get blogging!

But, just what is a blog? Well, it is literally a shortening of the words “web-log” and means an informal online diary entry, website or discussion. Each entry is called a post, and these posts can be on any topic under the sun, quite literally. A quick google search will reveal that there are blogs out there written about almost any subject you can imagine. Like to read about the latest fashion and trends? No problem, there’s a blog for that (http://www.manrepeller.com/). How about local nature? No worries – there’s a blog for that too (http://naturcymru.blogspot.co.uk/). There are even blogs dedicated to all things weird and wonderful (http://www.oddee.com/).

So if you’ve ever thought of yourself as a wannabee blogger, then now’s the time to start. And you’d be in good company because celebrities like Beyonce, Alec Baldwin and Gwyneth Paltrow are all regular bloggers. So, wondering where to start – look no further than our handy guide!

• Write about something you know, and love! It’ll flow better and be more engaging for your readers if you’re passionate about your subject – whatever that may be!
• Choose your blog site – there are loads of free sites that will host your blog for free. Try Blogger, Microblogger, Blog or WordPress . They all have different features, styles and pros and cons, so check each one out before you commit.
• Keep it simple – don’t overcomplicate it with flowery language or sentences that are difficult to understand; you want to entertain your readers and keep them interested so they come back to read next week’s. And don’t make each post too long otherwise readers will lose interest. Approximately 400-800 words is ideal.
• Use pictures – if you break up the text with appropriate and interesting images, not only will the post look pretty but it will be easier to read too.
• Be creative – a blog doesn’t have to be just about words; you can use drawings, pictures and icons to get your message across.
• Update – there’s no point having a blog to update it once or twice a year. Add lots of fresh and new content to it every week to keep it interesting and fresh.
• Share! Let your friends and family know that you are a “blogger” and share your stories with them. You never know, your blog might go viral!
• Have fun – if you enjoy putting together your blog then it’ll show in your posts.
• Read more about how to blog here

Happy Blogging! And if we’ve inspired you to start your own blog, share the link with us – we’d love to hear from you!

image by svilen001 at sxc.hu