How many times have you seen that statement? If you are a fan of WordPress or have ever set up a WordPress blog then it is very likely you have seen it several times.

On Monday I hosted my third hands-on blogging workshop.  This small-group workshop (6 people max) is invited to spend 5 hours with me and learn how to “Get their blog on.” Prior to the event they are given instructions to get a domain name, hosting and blog installed on their host server so they are READY to LEARN about their new blog.  And if they already have a blog and don’t know what to do with it, that works too! Because I go through every step of getting their website ready for public viewing and consumption.

In addition to how to create a functional and interesting blog attendees get a 38 page workbook filled with ideas, resources and tips to make their blog fulfill their intentions, to build credibility, a following and add to their bottom line!

Here is just a sampling of what we cover in the “Get Your Blog On Workshop”:

Setting Up A Blog, Choosing a design for your blog, Writing your first post(s), Managing comments, Adding pictures, video and more, learning about and adding widgets, what they are and how to add, Learning how to make links in posts, Learning the difference between posts and pages and when to use either, Finding your blog audience,  Learning how to find/create content for your blog, Advanced plugins … and much more

And that’s not all! We make connections. The photo above is a picture of my most recent “graduates.”  They are:

Susan Friefeld, with Keyes Realty
NEW BLOG: www.RealtorSusanFlorida.com

Raymond Herring, with John Adams and Associates
NEW BLOG: www.MensRightsForFamilyLaw.com

Silvia Carbonell, with National Life Group
NEW BLOG: www.SilviaCarbonellb.com

Jessica Kohler, Owner of Home Again Move Management
BLOG: SideofHamm

Robert Nolan, Owner of Gold Coast Promotions, LLC
NEW BLOG: www.rethink-promos.com

Lauren Olson, Distributor for Syntek Global
NEW BLOG: http://www.LaurenBOlson.com

In case you would like to create Not Just Another WordPress Blog here are 5 tips to help you start planning:

#1 Create Compelling Content – Your content should serve a purpose whether it is to Educate, Entertain or Inspire (and all three are nice to do) you should know what the purpose of your blog is. Once you know the true purpose you can then create content to serve that purpose. And, if your purpose is serving the needs of others, then your audience will find you.

#2 Customize Your Blog – Make your blog stand out.  One of the reasons I teach wordpress is I love the thousands and thousands of templates available (many of which are for free) and most of which can be customized to look and feel like your brand. You can change headers, backgrounds, text color and more. You can make your WordPress Blog look like a website which is what I have done with Redhead Marketing Inc. This site is driven by WordPress and yet it does not have the look and feel of a blog.  If you don’t find what you want in the free blog templates you can buy a designer look such as this one. I use Elegant Themes for Redhead Marketing.  There is also Studio Press and many, many more!

#3 Make it Easy to Navigate – while it is okay to do unusual things on a blog, one of the things that frustrates people is not knowing where to find things. Like Contact info. I can tell you that if I cannot find a way to contact a blog owner other than leaving a comment, I seldom reach out. Why? Because I am often writing about other bloggers and may have questions that I cannot easily find in their posts.

#4 Connect with Social Media – One of my favorite plugins is the Ultimate Follow Me. It leaves icons on your blog that you can customize with your links to Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and More.

#5 Practice Good SEO – know what keywords you want to use to attract your ideal client. And keep them more focused. I have a blog called Marketing Small Business Offline. Those are my main keywords and everything we write about focuses on those main keywords. The more focused you are the greater “authority” the search engines will give your blog. Learn how to use your blog to enhance Search Engine Optimization. Learn how to properly “tag” photos, hyperlink to other resources both on and off your site, describe your categories, and much more.

If you are in South Florida and interested in attending a “Get Your Blog on” Workshop, drop me a line. We host Two a month and I am happy to let you know when the next one is planned. I also provide in-person blog training for individuals, small companies and corporations.   Email me or give me a call at 954-625-6606.

Heidi Richards Mooney is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of WE Magazine for Women, a WordPress Web Designer, the author of a dozen books and a social media consultant and trainer. Heidi has interviewed hundreds of experts on Social Media Around the World. In 2003 Heidi was named one of 50 women shaping the Internet by the International Virtual Women’s Chamber of Commerce. In 2009 she was named a Twitter Woman to Follow by Only2Clicks.com. She works with solopreneurs, professionals and small businesses in ecommerce, direct sales and retail. Follow Heidi on Google Plus