I’ve agreed to do a blog for local race series, but don’t know anything about doing blogs.

First question – how to actually do it on t’interweb. Are there blog websites that I can register on, set up a profile and just waffle away?? If so, recommendations appreciated.

Any other tips also welcome as I’m utterly clueless, particularly on this subject.

Cheers

PL

WordPress.

If i can do it anyone can.[list]

WordPress is one Blogger.com is another you can use.

They are free to use and provide standard templates for you to get started with.

I use blogger myself but need to revamp it a bit to get a few more hits.

If you are setting up a blog for a local race series you may be able to host advertising on the blog and raise a bit of money.

You should totally talk to yodagoat. He toatsamazeballs at blogging.

Don’t worry about how to do a blog, worry about whether you have any content for one.

Content, content, content.

Good call. The technology won’t be a problem; if you can use a web browser and type you will have it covered. The difficult bit is coming up with good, topical content that people want to read, and updating it regularly so people come back.

Content is king.
Simple WordPress blog as you can add nifty bits to link it to a FB page and Twitter etc (better to do separately but if time is tight you can publish on multiple SM platforms) it’s nice and simple, just takes an couple of hours to get your head into it.

Cheers Alex. Respec’.

yodagoat is a potty mouth 😯

Another vote for wordpress – I find it easy to use, and it can do loads of cool stuff. (I think this website is built on wordpress…but you can do very complicated, and very simple stuff through the same system)

When I was looking around, I found blogger to be by far the simplest to use. Being part of the google product line it also integrates well with other google products.

Did the Brownbacks lot not give you any idea of what they wanted from the blog?
I would hazard a guess at:
1. Ooh, the race series is about to begin. We’ve got support from … (Hope etc etc), the race categories are…, here’s some pics from last year…, Why not give it a go?
2. Our team has been up to the quarry to plan out this years races. Here’s some pics to give you an idea of what to expect.
3. The first race took place today. Here’s a bit about what went on and a link to the results.
4. The second race took place today. Results and pics if poss. Description of the course and how you went on as a competitor.

And so on for all 4 races. Try to have a chat with other racers on the day and glean some content from them: Who crashed, who got yet another puncture, did any crazy horsewomen appear on the course, who forgot the prizes for the singlespeeders – that sort of thing.

If you get stuck for ideas/content just give me a shout and I’ll try to help out.

I’ve got a few blogs on the go. All Blogger and all running the same template which was originally downloaded and has been tweaked by myself over time. They’re mainly image based with additional type.
Recently Blogger has changed it’s interface and hasn’t been very successful. Google have been inundated with complaints.
I now find it almost impossible to create a post on any of my blogs by using blogger itself. Luckily, Windows Live writer, a free pc program is utterly fantastic. It allows you to create posts offline and then simply upload them once you’ve got them as you want them. It’s far easier than Blogger ever was, even before the terrible changes.
I’d go so far as to say that if you’re running a Mac and can’t get Writer, I’d stay clear of blogger if layout and aesthetic is of any importance to your blog.

toyrobot – what issues are you having? I’ve noticed some weird line returns being created but other than that it seems to be fine. The Android client is ok though.

It’s just all over bloody awkward. I want my images to be a certain width – can’t do it without accessing and amending the HTML – they’re either too large or too small. Arranging posts so the layout is as I want it – forget it. Type doesn’t format as wanted – remove all type formatting then look at the HTML to find lines of format code that you don’t want. With writer I just add images, set the size, click where I want type and then type it in then press send.
My template is clean and simple and it seems almost impossible to create posts that are those things. We use blogger for a work blog but our offices all have Mac. We’ve pretty much stopped posting from work now and have to do it from home of an evening.