Build a Better Blog - The Night Before !

I know many folks here on Active Rain have signed up for Probloggers "Build a Better blog" .  If not, you still can as it does not start until tomorrow !  Visit Problogger site to sign up here .

For info regarding signing up and the program, visit the following posts:

Want to be a better blogger ?  Maybe Problogger can help !  by Midori Miller

31 days to Build a Better Blog Challenge - Who's In ?  by Matt Stigliano

31 Days to Build a Better Blog - I am in !  Are you ?  by Chris and Stephanie Somers

We also set up an Active Rain Group "Build a Better Blog" where we all can help each other be better bloggers and have better blogs !  Even if you are not doing the challenge by Problogger, please visit and join as we think it is going to be a great group for the future where we can all benefit from by learning and helping each other !

In any event, Probloggers's first email on what to do to get started included 3 items:

1.  Install a Metrics System

2.  Invite a Friend

3.  Do a SWOT analysis of your blog

1. Install a Metrics System - What great timing by the Active Rain Gods to have Google Analytics be compatible with our outside blogs !  A great post to get it set up is Brad Andersohn's "Active Rain Launches Google Analytics for Outside Blogs" .  The benefit of the metrics system will obviously be able to measure traffic today versus traffic a month from now.  This is a great tool for anyone to track the amount of visitors, where they are coming from in terms of direct traffic, referring sites or google searches.  I was able to install mine without too much drama.  Below is a snippet of the traffic our outside blog Philadelphia Real Estate Voice  has received just in the last week or so showing 179 visits and the breakdown of where the visits are coming from.  I think we may be off to a good start but have a long way to go !

2.  Invite a Friend - There are two main benefits for this as it provides more accounatility for each of us as well as having fun and experiencing the power of working together.  This is the main reason some of us decided to join the Active Rain Group "Build a Better Blog" .  So please join us !  And as a result, I think it leaves myself that much more accountable due to the number of people I have invited to date.  It should be worth it though !

3.  SWOT analysis of your blog - The SWOT analysis should give you more direction and insight in terms of the goals of your blog.  To quote Problogger, "A SWOT analysis is a strategic tool that has been used for many years in business (and many other fields) to look at the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats that that business might have or be facing."  For more info on the analysis, check out "Run a SWOT Analysis on Your Blog" by Problogger.  This is a must read !  This will get you thinking about your goals for your blog, it's strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and so forth. 

Other Related Posts:

Learning from Other Successful Bloggers - Watch Listen and Observe

Have you read some of these top Bloggers ?

Promoting Your Blog - Day 3 of the Build a Better Blog Challenge

5 Ways to Recommend Price Reductions to Sellers

Day 1 of Build a Better Blog - Elevator Pitch

So what are you waiting for ?  Let's work together to Build a Better Blog - Join the AR Group Build a Better Blog ! If you like what you are reading, why not subscribe to our blog as well ?  Is one click away !

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