Name Your Blog


If you are creating a blog for the first time, or are tired of your existing blog, give it an interesting name. Blogs are free in both senses of the word: free, as in free of charge, and free, as in freedom of speech. You are free to name a blog whatever you want. Generally it's a good idea to name your blog something purposeful for the uninitiated reader. Basically, give your readers an introduction to your blog through its name.

The reason is your blog host will attach the name to the front of your blog's URL. Every blog needs a name. Most blogs include the name in the URL too (see Figure 12.1). This gives readers a much easier time visiting your site every day.

Figure 12.1. The name you give your blog also appears in your blog's URL.


For example, if your blog is called "Maine Coon Cat Lover," your blog's URL should be mainecooncatlover. <bloghost>.com or mainecooncatlover. <bloghost>.org.

The Name Game

Ever encounter a blog with a name that was witty but unintelligible? One problem with many blogs is names that have no correlation with content. This often happens with college-educated wordsmiths who never tire of word games and double-entendres. The result: an inaccessible blog with no clear purpose or direction that's more easily bypassed than understood.

If your goal is readership, do not fall into the trap of witty blog names. What may be witty to you is work to your readers. Steer more in the "nakedtexan" direction than "naturalismetejan." Save witty banter for your posts.

Though we must admit that the following names are memorable and amusing:

Crouching Mommy, Hidden Laundry

http://www.musingsofstressedoutmom.blogspot.com

Deliver Us from Weasels

http://www.deliverusfromweasels.blogspot.com/

Easy Bake Coven

http://www.easybakecoven.net/

Poverty Barn

http://www.povertybarn.typepad.com/povertybarn/

Owe Boat

http://www.oweboat.com/


With most blog hosts, your blog's name is included in the URL, but it is only part of the URL. The trade-off for free blogs is tolerating the URL of your blog host tacked onto your blog's name. This compromise is trivial to most bloggers, but what if your goal is a blog that appeals to a large number of readers, or will be profitable at some point (offering a unique service). In this case you may want to move your blog to an independent web host, or simply point your blog to the new address (see Figure 12.2).

Figure 12.2. Your blog can have its own URL, but this requires knowledge of HTML and FTP.


Moving your blog to an existing web host is not impossible but does involve knowledge of server addresses and names. You can read more about hosting your own blog online at the Blogosphere: Best of Blogs website, www.blogsbestof.com.



Blogosphere(c) Best of Blogs
Blogosphere: Best of Blogs
ISBN: 0789735261
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2006
Pages: 138

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