So I showed you how to add a video to your WordPress blog and I have had some requests on how to get that YouTube video to autoplay right when someone lands on your site. Below I will spell it out for you as well as show you a video.

1. Grab your embed code from YouTube and look for the   src=

<object width=”580″ height=”360″><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/yFgZmYZDcmY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0×234900&color2=0×4e9e00&border=1″></param><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”></param><param name=”allowscriptaccess” value=”always”></param><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/yFgZmYZDcmY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0×234900&color2=0×4e9e00&border=1″ type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” width=”580″ height=”360″></embed></object>

2. Go to the end of this link and before the first & sign and add  &autoplay=1

3.  Code will then look like this:

<object width=”580″ height=”360″><param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/yFgZmYZDcmY&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0×234900&color2=0×4e9e00&border=1″></param><param name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”></param><param name=”allowscriptaccess” value=”always”></param><embed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/yFgZmYZDcmY&autoplay=1&hl=en_US&fs=1&rel=0&color1=0×234900&color2=0×4e9e00&border=1″ type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” allowscriptaccess=”always” allowfullscreen=”true” width=”580″ height=”360″></embed></object>

4. Copy code into widget in your side bar and save.  That’s it. (don’t forget to re-size your video to fit your side bar)

Here are some simple instructions on how to add a video to your WordPress blog.  Video’s are great for some things but don’t go crazy putting videos everywhere on your blog.  Some people like text, some people like pictures and some people will like video.  Use a little bit of everything throughout your blog to get the best results and to try and keep all of your readers happy.  I heard and old saying that “A picture is worth a thousand words” but “A video is worth a thousand pictures”. Just don’t over due and your blog will look great.

What makes a blog tick – what turns on and off a reader? How can one continue to keep building a sense of anticipation and suspense? What does it take for your readers to love you and worship the website you write on?

Well, that is why Blog Reality is here to put some sense into your head. The first time you declared yourself a blogger must have been one of the most magical moments of your life, right? So now, you want to maintain that magical feeling – not just with you, but all the more, with your readers.

So without any more anticipation, here’s every bloggers guide on how to keep your readers hooked in your magical little blog world:

1.A good headline for your blog will create and build anticipation, so why not choose a good set of words to further intensify your readers’ curiosity? How you choose your words to start your blog with is as essential as how you will end it. You have to create that perfect, dramatic climax so that your readers will keep wanting for more.

2.Versatility is one of the best weapons to use when blogging – You better think of something different to write about everyday. Remember that you are blogging to create and spark interest and not bore your readers to death. Make every blog of yours unforgettable and seductive.

3.Be giving and generous with your thoughts and emotions. You are blogging to share who you are – you are giving a piece of you as you type away your thoughts in your computer keyboard. The more generous you are, the more justice you give to your blog.

4.Honesty is never a lonely word in the blog world – your readers will get turned off if you get a little hypocrite-y or dishonest with what you believe in. Your readers are intelligent people who take the time to read your blog – give them the honesty they deserve.

5.Be funny and natural – The readers get totally turned on with humor and playfulness is applied in blog writing. It is like drawing them closer to you – so make sure you use humor, it will work like a charm.

6.Be humble and yet knowledgeable – You don’t have to keep reminding your readers how lucky they are to have you though you provide them new materials to back up what they already know. Play it safe – never swag or even try calling yourself a god.

How to choose a topic for your blog?  If you are asking this question then you are off to a good start because this is one of the most important things one should consider when starting a blog.  Finding a great topic is not as easy as one might think but if you take the time to look deep inside yourself I am sure you will come up with a great topic. So grab yourself a pen and paper and start brainstorming.

Start asking yourself some questions:

What are you passionate about?

Do you have a hobby you love? (i.e. traveling,fitness,coin collecting , wood working, film, sports, music- you get the idea)

Do you have an expertise? (i.e. plumber, carpenter, mechanic, make up artist)

Your blog has to be about something you enjoy and can have fun with but at the same time your readers need to have fun and learn something at the same time as well.  You need to enjoy your blog so you come back and keep adding new content.  Your readers need to enjoy your blog so they come back and keep reading it.  Blogging is not a sprint it is a marathon so don’t think you will have thousands of visitors in just a few short weeks.  It could take up to a year or more of writing valuable content before you start receiving a good number of visitors.  So make sure your topic is going to keep you excited.  If you feel you won’t be able to write about it for 12 straight months then you probably have the wrong topic.

After you have chosen your niche topic for your blog here are a few more questions you need to ask to make sure your blog is successful:

Will you be able to produce plenty of content?

Make sure you have plenty of things to write about.  You don’t want to get writers block after only 3 weeks and find yourself not having anything interesting to write about.

If your topic being searched for or in demand?

You could have the best blog in the world with the best content but if it is on a topic that no one is searching for then you are going to crash and burn.  One could place to check to see if you have an interesting topic is to go to Amazon.com and see what kinds of books are written on your subject.  If there is a “dummies” on your subject then you are most likely heading in the right direction.

Is the topic you chose in a very competitive market?

You really don’t want to be competing against a ton of competition if you don’t have to so do a Google search on your topic and see what’s out there.  Even if there are a lot of blogs on the subject that does not necessarily mean that it is too competitive.  They might not be doing it as well as your are going to be so you might be able to pass them up in the search rankings.

For fun, passion or profit?

I really feel any blog can be monetized but some will have better potential based on the subject matter.  If you are blogging for profit then this is something to take into consideration. Even if you want to make money, you still have to make sure you really enjoy your topic.  If you don’t it will show through in your writing.

Can you break your subject down into an even smaller niche?

Highly targeted blogs tend to be very successful if you are provider the reader with good content.  For example, don’t just blog about cars, blog about Mustangs or Corvettes.  You could even go a step further and blog about convertible Corvettes or 1960’s convertible Corvettes.  You get the picture here.

Don’t forget to give your blog a title before you get started blogging.  You would probably be surprised how many people forget to do this very important simple thing.  I have seen people leave the title of their blog as Home, My Blog, My WordPress Blog, www.domainname.com, and sometimes it is even left blank.  If you do any of these then you are going to be off to a very bad start.  You also need to put in a tag line which is just a brief description of what your blogging about.

The title is important to your readers as well as the search engines which will help increase your blog traffic.  Think about who you are trying to attract and what keywords you will be using to do that.  Now include them in your title, tag line and description.

There are two places you will need to add your title and description. One is from your user dashboard and the other is inside of the All in One SEO Pack plug in, which you have if we set up your blog for you.  If you do not have this plug in then go and install in now since it is one of the most important plug ins you will need.

Now to change your title in your WordPress dashboard just look over on the left where it says settings and click the arrow next to it to open your options.  Then click on general. Once that page opens you will see “Blog Title” and “Tag Line” at the top.  This is the first place you need to add your title and this will most likely appear in your header unless you have customized it.  Click save changes, and you are all set there but you are not finished yet.

Now you have to add your blog title in the All in One SEO Plug In.  To do this just go to setting again on the left in your dashboard and hit the arrow next to it. Look down a little and you will see “All In One SEO”.  Click on it.  On the next page you will see your option for this plug in. First make sure the plug in status is enable by checking the little circle next to enable.  Then you will put in your blog title and your blog description. Remember, who are you trying to attract? If you are blogging about Corvettes don’t just put “All about Cars”.  Put “All about Corvettes”. You get the idea.  Then include those keywords again in your description while telling your readers what your blog is about.  Add your keywords just below that in the next box and your are all set.  Don’t worry about all of the other options there.  They are preset to optimize your blog.  Don’t forget to click “update options on the bottom” and you are done. There is also a spot to make a donation at the top of the page which you can do if you like this plug in.  I would suggest it since this is what enables the developer to keep it updated.

In another post I will be showing you how to add a title to a post with All In One SEO plug in.

So you are thinking about starting a blog but you are worried about the technical stuff.  Well guess what? Everyone who starts a blog is worried about the technical stuff in the beginning.  Java script, html, php, follow or nofollow,tags,pings and on and on and on.  Sounds scary but don’t let it stop you from starting your master piece.  With Wordpress almost all of the technical stuff is done for you with the help of a plug in.  A plug in is just a simple script that lets you do something by keeping it in English.  I mean, you do not have to go behind the scenes and become some coding expert. Believe me when I say this, I no nothing about php.  Why? Because with Wordpress you really don’t need to.  This is the great part about Wordpress.  If you can send an email and attach a link and a picture to that email then you have what it takes to learn how to blog in Wordpress. Of course there is a bit of a learning curve but I would say it is kind of like getting a new cell phone.  You still have to learn the new menu and where everything is and the same is true with Wordpress.  Heck, you don’t even have to set it up anymore since we here at www.startablog101.com will do it for you.  All you have to do is get your hosting, fill out the form and in 24 – 48 hours your site will be ready for you to log in and and make your first post. Don’t know how to log in? Then just watch “How to log in to your wordpress blog“. Don’t know how to add a  post? Then just watch “How to add a post in your Wordpress blog“.

So in a nutshell I would have to say don’t worry about the technical stuff it’s nothing to lose sleep over.  Take everything one step at a time and you will be a pro in no time but the first thing you have to do is start. So spend a few bucks and get your hosting package and we’ll get you going fast.

Whether you are blogging for fun or blogging for money one thing that all blogs can always use is more visitors.  Your ultimate goal is to gain readers, that is why you are writing.  In this post I want to list some ways that will increase your blog traffic and hopefully bring you more loyal readers.

1. Write Valuable Interesting Content

The only way you are going to keep your reader engaged is to bring them content they can use.  Whether you are making them laugh, teaching them how to do something or giving them advice, one thing is certain, the reader need to find value in your content.

2. Keep Your Blog in a Specific Niche

When bloggers first get started they are in such a hurry to start writing that they tend to write about everything.  Big mistake.  If your visitor lands on your site to learn how to lose weight and in the next post you start talking about the NCAA Final Four brackets then there is a good chance you are going to lose them.  If you are talking basketball then keep it basketball, if your are an interesting person and you are just blogging about your life then just keep it about your life experiences, blogging about weight loss, well I think you get the picture.  Also the search engines will give you more love when your blog is niche specific.

3. Add a Link to Your Blog in Your Email Signature

This might sound simple enough but think about how many emails you send out every day.  If you were to just add a link back to your blog in your signature at the bottom of your email people will click. I guarantee it.  Sometimes they are just being nosey and other times you will have a good caption to generate some interest.  Either way a link in your signature will result in more traffic to your blog.

4. Submit to Blog Directories

Submitting to blog directories can do 2 things for you.  It will give you a back link which will allow the search engines to find you more easily and if the directory is something like Blog Catalog you will also get some traffic from the community as well

5. Post Often

The search engines like it and your readers will like it more.  Keep giving your readers new content.

6. Write Some Articles

Write some articles in your blog niche and submit them to an article directory. In the resource box you will provide a link back to your site which will search 2 purposes.  It will provide a back link back to your blog and if the reader enjoyed your article they will click on to your blog.

7. Use WordPress Plug Ins

If you are using WordPress you will want to take advantage of the plug ins that will make your life easier.  2 must haves are All in One SEO and Google Sitemap Generator. (yes, if we set up your blog, you have both of these plug ins)

8. Post in Forums

If you have found a forum related to your niche it will help you to contribute there.  You will be able to add a link in your forum signature and it will be seen after every post you make.  If you make some posts that people like they will click on your link to venture back to your blog.

9. Comment on Other Blogs

Don’t go crazy here but commenting on other similar blogs and leaving your URL will bring you some traffic as well.  You should try and make your comment unique so it will stand out and hopefully bring a visitor to your site.

10. Create a Great Title for Your Blog Post

Having a great title in itself will make visitors want to click on it.  Make it interesting and on topic.

11. Use Social Media

facebook, youtube, myspace etc.  I’m sure you get the picture here.  Once again, don’t go crazy posting link at every chance you get but you can really use these outlets to your advantage to get more traffic.

Sometimes new bloggers like to make a mountain out of a mole hill.  Remember, with WordPress, things are pretty simple.  That’s why it is so popular.

Below is a tutorial on “How to add a picture to your WordPress blog post”.

Do you have what it takes to start a blog?  If you are reading this then you have probably been asking yourself that question. I want to tell you emphatically, YES!  If you have something to say then you have what it takes to start a blog.  Do not let the technical details scare you away from getting started in blogging.  The technical stuff has pretty much been eliminated now days and blogging is easier than ever to get started.  Of course if you want us to set it up for you then just get your hosting from one of out partners and we will get you going and all you have to do is start writing.  How much easier can it get?

Don’t be afraid that you don’t know enough.  You will never know enough.  Blogging is just like life.  You will learn something new all the time.  As long as you have good content you will be off to a great start.  Yes, there is a learning curve in the beginning but it’s just like anything else.  Remember when you purchased your last cell phone? Did you know how to work everything as soon as you got it? Of course you didn’t and a new blogging platform is the same way.  Once you get used to it it will be as simple as sending an email.  Heck, if you have the right phone you can even make a blog post from it.

Don’t let someone else steal your dream.  If you want to get started in blogging then do it.  You are not risking very much as hosting is pretty cheap now days.  It’s not like you are starting a franchise with $250k up front.

Perfect timing.  Yeah right!  There is no such thing as perfect timing and your blog is never going to be perfect.  That is what makes this so much fun.  You will look back a year from now and be amazed.

Make it fun.  There is a good chance that if it is fun for you that it is going to be fun for others as well.  So make it fun for yourself and great things will happen.

Just do it!  Stop putting it off and do it today.  Just look up top and click on our free install and you will be up and running very soon.

What makes a great blog?  Is it Alexa rank?  Is it page rank? Is it how many rss subscribers you have? All of these things can be worked on.  Unfortunately, if you choose the wrong topic to blog about you really can’t change it mid-stream because then you will be off topic and readers really do not like that.

In order to have a truly great blog you only have to do a couple of things. Help your reader and keep them coming back for more.  If you can teach them something, make them laugh or tap into one of their emotions some how then you are off to a great start.  When I started this blog my goal was to share with others what I have learned about blogging. I remember when my my first blog was set up I didn’t even know where to go to access my WordPress dashboard.  So I figured there were people out there in the same boat so I started Start a Blog 101. I made a post on how to log in to your WordPress blog.  Then came another post, then another and now we are off to the races.

Remember, if you find something interesting there is a pretty good chance others will to.  So engage the reader and make them happy that they landed on your blog. Teach them what you know and share your knowledge with them and you will be on your way to a great blog.