1. Choose a blog name that can also be used as the domain name. Is this necessary. No, but it will greatly improve the marketing success of your blog. Michael at Remarkablogger is one of the few popular bloggers that has ignored this tip, but most top blogs follow this convention.

2. Choose a name that is memorable. Don’t try to get too fancy, but choose a name that will be remembered by your readers. Consider your audience when selecting a memorable name.

3. Find a name that clearly describes your blogging topic. This tip is very important and adds several benefits such as improving search engine results. The name should help readers quickly understand what your blog is about. My favorite example…Blogging Startup, of course.

4. Made-up names are okay, but keep them very short and easy to spell. Two of the top blogs, Engadget and Gizmodo are excellent examples of this tip.

5. Keep the name to as few words as possible, and almost never more than three. This tip is really part of keeping the name memorable. The more words in the name, the more likely the reader is to forget part of the name or confuse a word or two.

6. If the name is also your domain, be sure it is easy to spell. You may be tempted to use unique spelling variations, but your creativity may cause users to forget how to find your blog. Short and simple is best.

7. Choose a name that is easy to pronounce. Tongue twisters are fun, but not when you’re trying to tell a friend about that great blog you read each week. So find a name that rolls off the tongue, not one that ties it in a knot.

8. Consider using a name that is easily converted into a logo. Of course, the more creative the logo designer, the less important this is. But a strong visual name is easily remembered and lends itself to becoming a great logo.

9. Look at the blog names in Technorati’s top 100 to see some naming conventions. You will see that most follow all or most of these quick tips.

10. If you have a short name you want to use, but the domain is taken, consider adding a simple prefix or suffix. For example, if you like Bass Fisher, but the domain is taken…try Big Bass Fisher or Bass Fisher King (both available in .com at this moment).

BONUS TIP: Test the name on friends. Ask at least five different people what they think of the two or three names choices you are considering. But remember, you have the final vote because, hey, you have to live with the name.

So, there you have 10 quick tips for naming your blog. Take the time to find the right name and you will jump start your success. Don’t get stuck with a weak name because you rushed the decision.

[PhotoCredit:BrentandMariLynn]

What topic will you be blogging about? The general consensus is that niche blogging has a better chance of long term success then just random posts about unconnected topics. Read “An Introduction to Niche Blogging” at DoshDosh.com.

Why are you blogging? Knowing the reason(s) you are blogging puts everything else in perspective. Probably the most important question, “For love or money?” Read “14 Awesome Reasons to Start Blogging Today” here at Blogging Startup.

How will you measure success? Once you know why you are blogging, you can set a standard for success. Having a goal will keep you focused and on track. Read “How Do You Measure Blogging Success?” here at Blogging Startup.

What blogging platform will you use? Will you be using an online blogging host or your own domain? You can start a free blog quickly with Blogger, Wordpress.com, or LiveJournal, or you can purchase your own domain and hosting to have a truly independent blog. Read “Choosing a Blog Platform” at Problogger.net.

What will you call the blog? Every blog (like every child) needs a name. (Hey, we can’t have nameless children running around!) Choose a name that describes your blog (like BloggingStartup) and, if possible, matches your domain name. Read “Choosing the Domain Name for Your Blog” at Problogger.net.

How will you promote your blog? You might ask, “Do I need to promote my blog?” And I might answer, “No.” But if you want visitors, readers, traffic, guests, friends, money, fame, wealth, and a reason to live…you will promote your blog. Read “10 Surefire Ways to Promote Your Blog for Free” at OneMansGoal.com.

That’s it. Answer those six questions and you are ready to start your blog.

So, when you can’t find what you need in the book store, what do you do? GOOGLE IT! So I did and look what I found. I have downloaded and read more than 40 eBooks on blogging, Internet marketing and running a website. And there are more. I actually got a 4″ binder to place the better eBooks in for reading and taking notes. Here is a list of the books in my Blogging eBooks binder.

Blog Traffic Made Easy – A 22 page guide to bringing hundreds of targeted visitors to your blog each day. And for you tightwads, don’t worry about money. None of the steps will cost you a dime. BTW, don’t call it an eBook…author John Robinson is not a fan of the word.

Blog Profits Blueprint – The first blogging eBook I read was Yaro Starak’s Blog Profits Blueprint. The book is about making money through blogging, but there are sections about increasing traffic and writing pillar articles that benefit all bloggers. You will have to give Yaro your secret, private, level-5 email address to get the eBook, but don’t worry…I get an email from Yaro only every week or two and the information is usually worth reading. Besides, he always includes an opt-out link at the bottom of the email.

Who’s There? Seth Godin’s Incomplete Guide to Blogs and the New Web – Okay, if you’re asking, who the hell is Seth Godin? Then you really need to read this eBook. Don’t look for step-by-step directions for making a beautiful blog. Seth is a thinker. He understands the web and blogs better than most of us (I’m tryin’ to catch up). In this eBook Seth explains how the web is changing and the role of blogs in the new web. Even though the eBook is already two years old, it will really help you to start looking at your blog differently.

Killer Flagship Content – We have a saying here at Blogging Startup. Well, I have a saying…but if there were others, it would be we. Oh yeah, the saying is…CONTENT IS KING! And if content is king, then Chrig Garrett is the guy that wrote a great eBook about the king. So, if you want to write really great content for your blog, check out Chris’ eBook. You will need to subscribe to his blog or newsletter to get the link, but it’s worth it. If your subscription feed only gives you links to blog posts (like Google’s Homepage) then you won’t get the links, so click here.

How to Develop Money-Making Niche Sites with WordPress – If you are just starting your first blog with the intent to make money, check out this eBook. Caroline give step-by-step instructions with screen shots, so you know exactly what to do. If you’ve been blogging for a while, this guide may be a bit basic. But if you are just getting started, this is a must-read.

Authority Black Book, Version 2.0 for 2008 – There seems to be some correlation between giving up your email address and getting a great eBook in return. Drop by Jack Humphrey’s website to sign up for your free copy of the lengthy, detailed, and extremely informative PDF about generating traffic and winning customers. Don’t worry too much about winning customers, if that’s not your thing. You will find plenty of great tips and resources for getting traffic to your blog.

50 Easy Ways to PROMOTE Your Website – This is a list of 50 promotional strategies for websites and blogs, some easy, some more involved. I strongly recommend downloading a copy of this eBook and finding a few of the promotional ideas that you can apply today. By the way, the website for this Book uses just about every marketing strategy you can think of…including the irritating pop-up window. But the page I’ve linked to has no popup…yet. Email address required.

The Art and Science of Blogger Relations – This may be the oddest addition to my list, because the book is not really about how to blog, but about public relations and blogging. Brian Solis’s detailed and knowledgeable explanation of blogging, public relations, readers and social media is very insightful. I’ve read this one twice and will read it again before the year is over. It give you a look at blogging from another perspective, that of a PR pitchman. To grab a copy of this free 53 page document, visit thinkfreedocs.com by clicking the title link.

Bigshot Blogging – You can always count on Bryan Clark to put out some of the best blogging information on the Internet, and his eBook is no exception. Packed with tons of great blogging advice from getting your blog up and running to promoting it through social media. As an extra bonus, this is probably one of the most attractive eBooks you will find. Bryan did a top notch job and it shows. Email required.

UPDATE (8-5-2009) The original link is now invalid, as Bryan is no longer operating his original website.  Therefore, I’ve changed to link to the ebook file I found online after a bit of searching.  The author is not the same on the cover of the book (no idea why), but it is the same book that Bryan had on his original website.

How to Start a Business Blog – When it comes to teaching others how to find blogging success, Michael Martine is head of the class. This eBook is a unique guide to blogging (really, not just business blogs will benefit) that is organized as a workbook. That’s right. You don’t just read this book, you actually use it to plan, set-up and create a successful blog. All of this for just the cost of subscribing to Remarkablogger, one of my 7 Must Read Blogs for New Bloggers.

WordPress SEO for Beginners – If you like Jai Nischal Verma’s WordPress themes, you’re gonna love his eBook too. This short, but guide to search engine optimization for WordPress bloggers is a great guide to finding more search engine traffic. Learn to tweak your blog for maximum recognition by the search engine crawlers. One afternoon with this eBook, your computer and a cup ‘o joe will provide some great results.

There you have it, hundreds of pages of great information about blogging, web traffic and the new social media. And an advantage about eBook is that the authors can easily update and republish them at little cost. So, make your own blogging notebook by printing out the PDFs, three hole punch them, and place them in a binder. Use tabs to separate the books and carry it with you everywhere you go. I suggest pulling it out during boring meeting, on train rides and when waiting for your circus audition. These are all great reads and well worth your time.

So, as you can see in the above tabs, I’ve now added a page of policies related to this website. I started this project about a month ago, but finally took the time to complete the task. After exhaustive hours in the law library reading Latin legal texts and speaking with a friend who has been to court multiple times (as the defendant), I figured there had to be an easier way. Check out the results. I tried to keep the language as clear and understandable as possible.

What’s my secret? I let others do the work for me. I searched the Internet and found that writing my own blog policies didn’t have to be an arduous task (you like that word arduous?). The easy way to create a privacy policy for your new blog is to use a free, online privacy policy generator. I’ve done the research for you and can recommend four great resources:

Kinky Solutions – A very quick generator that provides a more legal looking privacy policy/terms of service document. Just enter your website name and state of operation.

Direct Marketing Association – This is the generator I used to create my first rough draft of the Blogging Startup policy. It is very simple with check box selections. Takes about 10 minutes to complete. This is the only policy generator on this list that allows customization to the policies before they are created.

Serp Rank – A policy generator specifically designed for Adsense publishers. This quick generator creates a simple and friendly policy statement. However, the policy should still be compared to the new Adsense requirements since the generator was created in 2007.

7th Space - This generator creates html code for placement on your blog or website. I used a portion of the text from this generator for the Blogging Startup policy. The generator is simple and quick to use.

Here are some things to keep in mind:

1) The policies may or may not meet your specific needs or the legal requirements for your blog. Be sure to educate yourself on what is required. A significant part of this education is reading (yes, actually reading) the agreements you have with any advertiser on your site. For programs like Pepperjam or Commission Junction, this can mean reading specific agreements from each advertiser that you use.

2) The policies are typically written with plural pronouns such as we and us. If your blogging voice is more personal, change these words to I and me. For an example, see the Blogging Startup policies.

3) Consider including policies about commenting on your blog and other blog features. These policies may not keep problems from occurring, but they may help reduce confusion and difficulties. Again, my policies have a section on comments.

4) Most importantly, take the time to customize the policies and make them your own. Don’t simply cut and paste, no matter how good you think the policies are. Read through them carefully and change what you feel is appropriate. Visit other website policy pages for examples.

So, when starting a blog, take some time and create your own blog policies. Even if you don’t use advertising on your blog, the policies will keep your readers informed and reduce potential problems in the future.

[Editor's Note: Aaron Cook has just posted a sample privacy policy that readers can borrow from, edit, or use just like it is.]

[PhotoCredit:losiek]

So here’s my story. Some of you may already be aware that our friend Tish often posts excellent recommended reading links over at BloggingGal.com. Well, earlier today I followed one of those links to a post on AaronCook.com titled, “Make Money: Online Money Makers That Work.” Well, imagine my ghastly surprise when I am greeted with this…

[Edited for the gentle eyes of the Blogging Startup readers.]

After reading what turned out to be an excellent post on affiliate programs and pay-per-click advertising that actually works, I settled in to post my comment…

Hi, I’m with the Asian-Pacific Anti-Defamation League of American Asian-Pacific People (APADLAAPP), and we find your photo representing two clearly emotionally disturbed individuals from the AP community as offensive, insulting and defamatatingingish. We, (okay, it’s just me…but I have an office) demand that you immediately remove said photo or be subject to scorn and ridicule from..from…well, from people like me.”

Well, even though the post was already a week old, Aaron (take note new bloggers) was still reading and responding to comments. Apparently he liked my comment. (But, I should add, did NOT take down the offensive photo!) Later I got an email from Aaron again saying he enjoyed my comment, had visited Blogging Startup, and because he liked the content on the site had decided to add BS to his blogroll.

So, 1 comment = 1 blog link.

(Using my Paul Harvey voice.) And now, for the rest of the story…

In addition to the comment, I stumbled (StumbleUpon.com) the article before I left. It never hurts to share a little social media lovin’ when you like something on another blog. (Hint)

In summary, here’s what we have learned:

1. Tish writes great “Recommended Reading” posts.
2. Leaving a comment on a blog can lead to great networking and other benefits in the future.
3. Leave comments even if the post is older (’cause all good bloggers go back and read those comments anyway).
4. Leave relevant comments that add to the conversation. Avoid leaving comments that just say “nice post”. Take a minute to add an opinion or even disagree.
5. Bloggers love it when you stumble their posts. (DO I HAVE TO BE ANY MORE OBVIOUS HERE!?!)
6. And finally, Aaron collects photos of strange men doing strange things. (BTW, to see the original, unedited photo, you need to visit Aaron’s blog.

Alrighty, time to take a look at the Push Standards blog started by web designer, Tom Ross. So Tom, here’s my completely biased, opinionated, and seldom coherent review of your blog…

First, I have to say, I love the simplicity and attractiveness of the design. Well, except I see you had some trouble with the top right corner staying up on the screen, but the tape is holding fine. Also, since I know that you did the design yourself, you should add this to your portfolio.

Okay, here’s my breakdown of the pros and cons of the blog so far. Since there is very little content, I will comment mainly on the design.

PROS:

1. You actually put thought and energy into your blog launch! That’s great. (My first two blogs were launched with zero fanfare and zero visitors for several days. I finally got smart with this blog; see the news report.)
2. Great subtitle! I love it. Readers immediately know what the site is about. Very well worded.
3. Clean, attractive design. Artistic, with good use of color.
4. The writing looks good, so far. And you already have three posts up in the first day! Excellent. Be sure to proofread, as I found a couple small spelling errors. (And no, don’t tell me about my own spelling problem unless you write a review with a link back to BS!)
5. Blog has tab links at the bottom of the page. Most blogs miss this, but readers love it. Even my own blogs are missing this.
6. The tab titles help clarify what this blog is about; for example, “Portfolio” and “Hire Me“.
7. Having your portfolio with links is a great sales point.
8. It’s a new blog and you already have all your tabbed pages filled with content. That is excellent. I also like that you included a contact form and have a photo and description of yourself.
9. You’ve added three major social bookmarking links at the bottom of each post. Now to write some posts that will attract those clicks.
10. You’ve started doing some SEO work such as having clear post titles in the URL.
11. You’ve already got the blog listed on Technorati.

CONS:

1. The RSS feed button is small. This is a problem on one of my blogs and the subscriptions reflect that.
2. As you add more content, you will want to have more links in your sidebar for readers to access the older content. A list of categories is a key way to help readers find what they are interested in.
3. Blogroll only has one blog on it. Add some more, even if you need to drop them in the next few weeks. It just looks better and lets readers know you are connected.
4. The title graphic could be a bit larger.
5. Need to add a favicon to your site. (I know…who the hell am I to suggest this? Hey, mine are on the way; be patient.)
6. Still some SEO work to be done, such as improving the home page title. Right now it is just “pushstandards.com” with no keywords.
7. Personally, I wouldn’t list blank advertising spaces on a new blog (especially with no ads sold). Until you have traffic and stats to help sell your ads, these will be hard to fill. Add an advertising tab and list your ad space prices there. Blank ads announce that no one is advertising here.

Your domain name is a challenge, but not bad. Push Standards is probably not going to be a great keyword domain, but it does allow you some flexibility in creating your own image. My other two blogs use domain names in the same fashion. The key is to get your name out there and start developing lots o’ links. And I know you have already been working on this.

Overall, I think you could have a winner with this blog. The real question is, what will the future content look like? Readers need to have a reason to come back to a blog, and content is what gets them back. If your content is strong, this blog will do quite well.