If you have ever thought about starting a blog, it is very important to make sure you do as much preparation as possible. Starting a blog has been one of the best things I have ever done.  I have learned that I love to write, connect, teach, help and learn.  If you are thinking about starting a blog, here are five things to think about with help from Alison Silbert’s great new book called Boost Your Revenues By Turning People Away: How to sell more to your ideal client online.

Social Networking for Gen Y: A Guide to Starting a Blog

1. Make a long list of great ideas that you will blog about.  You should have a common theme so that every blog post should be connected in some way.  When I first started I had close to 50 post ideas so I knew that I had a topic that I was passionate about.  Make sure it is something you enjoy and you can see yourself writing about it for a LONG time!
2. Think about your ideal visitor.  This will help you know who to write to.  Each time you write a post, you should think about writing it directly to that person.
3. Create a website name with short simple phrases to help your ideal visitor remember the name.  A website name can cost between $9.95-$45 US and can be purchased.
4. Know the pros and cons of working with a website designer.  Some of the pros are that you can choose a unique design for your site and it is easier to fit your needs.  But, the downside is that it can be very expensive and you can lose control of various areas of development.
5. Plan out your writing schedule.  Will you post once a week or everyday?  Make sure that you have the time in your schedule and take it one day at a time. You never want to feel like you HAVE to blog but it should be something that you enjoy doing.