Blogging is cool, kids.  Everyone should do it.  OK, so I'm biased.  

There's one prerequisite for blogging.  Is there an issue, a race or a candidate you really care about?  If so, you're in!  Blog about what you're passionate about.  

Ultimately what we're talking about is FOCUS!  The best blogs are regularly updated and have a consistent theme or area of examination.  Find that one thing or those two things that you really want to make a difference on and become the point person in your city, your township, heck, the entire state on whatever it is you care about.

There are 110 State House races.  Yours is important.  There's a continuing debate over tax-and-spend policies in Lansing.  It's important.  There are too many issues to count that affect Michigan, Michigan jobs and Michigan families in the upcoming election.  Whatever gets you going... it's important!  We need you!

If you already have a blog, consider a specific area of expertise.  Find that one race or that one issue and make it your own.  

If you don't have a blog yet but are interested in blogging there are two easy, immediate, free options.  The first is using a blogging site like google's blog program (blogspot).  Check it out here:

https:/www.blogger.com/start

Your second option (shameless plug warning) is to make Right Michigan your blog home.  It's a community based blog site that allows every user to submit his or her own blogs when and how he or she pleases.  Just make sure you're signed in and then visit:

http://www.rightmichigan.com/submit/

And here's a pretty good primer on some of the legal ins and outs in blogging:

http://w2.eff.org/bloggers/lg/

MAKE SURE YOUR BLOG IS REACHING EVERYONE POSSIBLE!

Once you've got a blog the immediate challenge (or adventure, rather) is in making sure everyone and their mom knows about it.  

Step 1: Make sure the search engines know you're out there.  You can do that here:

http://www.google.com/addurl/?continue=/addurl/

http://blogsearch.google.com/ping/

http://search.yahoo.com/info/submit.html/

http://www.technorati.com/signup/

http://www.technorati.com/ping/

http://www.feedburner.com/fb/a/home/

Step 2: Make sure your blog is set up in a way that really makes the search engines pop!  They offer lots of tips and tricks of the trade here:

http://www.google.com/support/webmasters/bin/answer.py?answer=40349&ctx=related/

http://technorati.com/developers/help/tags/link_alternates.html/

Step 3: Add a blogroll to your website and make sure everyone in the Right Roots community knows about your blog!  A blogroll is simply a list of the other blogs you like to peruse any given day, week, month, etc.  

Make sure you email me at RightMichigan@gmail.com if you don't see your blog listed on Right Michigan's blogroll.  We'll get you added right away.  

Next, make sure you've checked out these sites and let them know you're out there.  Some require reciprocal link posting (you add them to your blogroll they'll add you to theirs).

http://www.redstate.com/

http://www.gopbloggers.com/

http://absolutemichigan.com/addlink/

Step 4: Make sure you're tracking your traffic so you can see what works, what doesn't work, what has people excited and where you're getting all your clicks.  There's nothing like checking out your traffic report and finding you had your biggest day ever!

There are lots of free tools out there to track the traffic on your site and the most popular can be found here:

http://www.sitemeter.com/?a=newaccount

http://www.google.com/analytics

MAKE SURE YOUR EXERCISING SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION!

There's actually nothing to be ashamed of.  How will anyone know your blog is out there if you don't tell them?  It's just common sense.  Sure, plenty of folks will find you via the methods we discussed above, but a better way yet is to create your own word of mouth.

Tip 1: Cross-post your articles.  Take advantage of sites like RedState.com, RightMichigan.com and OutsideLansing.com that allow users to post their own blogs.  Whenever you post something to YOUR blog, click over to these sites and post your story there too.

Make sure when you do, though, that you add a line at the top of the story that looks something like this:

"Cross posted on MY BLOG at www.myblog.com."  

Tip 2: Whenever you leave a comment on an online forum, after a post on someone elses blog or pretty much anywhere on the old world-wide-web make sure you include your blogs web address!  For example, if you're commenting on a Right Michigan story about the massive Democrat tax hikes you'd type something like this:

I don't like tax hikes.

--Blogger X


www.myblog.com

Easy, right?  That way anyone who reads the original post also sees your comment and sees your website.  You're building traffic already.  Don't be embarrassed about leaving comments on every blog you read.  The blog authors don't mind... they love to know you're reading their work!

Tip 3: Join the Facebook generation!  It's not just for kids anymore.  You can create your own blog group, invite your friends, cross-post your articles to your profile so everyone on your "friend" list sees them and send notes to everyone in your group!

It's free and easy but be warned... it can be addicting.

DON'T BE AFRAID TO LINK BACK TO OTHER PEOPLE'S BLOGS!

As we move towards November 2008 we're in this together to a large extent and it's never a bad thing to share the love.  If you see someone else's blog and you think it's simply amazing, don't hesitate to post a link to it somewhere on your blog.  

Not only does this "ping" your blog and the original blog on all the search engines but it just plain makes your fellow blogger-in-arms feel good that his or her work is appreciated and that's never a bad thing.  

Over on Right Michigan we've started a daily column titled "Today in the Sphere" where we highlight five or six great Michigan blog articles a day just to share the love.  Feel free to swipe it and post it on your blog too!

Also, there are two sites to visit every day to help give your blog and your fellow conservative bloggers a little "boost."  Check out:

http://www.rightyblogs.com/michigan/

http://www.blognetnews.com/michigan/

These are blog monitoring sites that let readers "vote" on other blogs.  You assign a number value, 1 through 10, and can vote on each blog once per day.  The votes are then tabulated and render a composite ranking!  The left uses these sites extensively driving up their own rankings and driving down the sites from the right.  

By voting on each site once a day you can do a lot to boost YOUR blog and the other blogs you like to read (make sure you give Right Michigan a 10, wink wink... remember, shameless self promotion)!

KNOW WHERE TO LOOK FOR INFORMATION!

Not every blog is going to be heavy on research and deep digging but if that's your thing... if you want to take your blog to the next investigative level here are some websites that will really come in handy--

Guide to watchdogging:

http://www.sunlightfoundation.com/watchdogging101

Searchable Michigan legislative database:

http://www.legislature.mi.gov

Searchable Michigan campaign finance database:

http://www.michigan.gov/sos/0,1607,7-127-1633_8723_8751---,00.html

WHEN IT'S ALL SAID AND DONE?

If you've got a half hour a day or even an hour a week and a specific issue or a specific race that you're passionate about you really can make a difference.  Blogging isn't just fun (although it is) and it isn't just an outlet (although it is).  You have the power and the opportunity through a little focus and a little hard work to make a real difference in the state of Michigan in 2008.  

And in the end, isn't that what it's all about?  

Thanks for all you're doing and thanks for fighting the fight!