7 things to do after making/creating/starting a blog.

When I just started blogging, I was bewildered by the sheer amount of information to digest and apply it. At that time I would have been very happy if someone gave me a list of to-do things that would get me started to make my blogging effective as well as would be beneficial in the long run.Thus, this post is born.
This post is not meant for people who are seasoned bloggers but for those who have just started blogging and trying to figure things out.Hope it will be useful to you. Some of the things here are specially written keeping blogger blogs in mind but most of the tips apply to any type.

1.Use Google Analytics and start using Reader.

  The benefit of registering your blog with Google Analtics is that you can track the progress of your blog from the very day it is created and it feels great to see those spikes.If you have never heard about Analytics then it is a free tool provided by google where Webmasters can track a lot of site statistics like no. of visitors,visitor sources,keywords etc etc. This is a must use for all people who own a site or blog . To know more about Analytics you can visit here.

 When I started blogging I had not been using Reader, when I actually came to use it I found it to be a great tool to use.So a Reader of your choice(I prefer Google Reader) is a great way to keep track of the new articles published in your favorite blogs.More about reader here.

2.Get a nice template.
 

Customizing the template can give a great look to your blog.I have already written about this which you can find here.(blogger).
 
3.Install a nice favicon for your blog.

I have already written about this here. So follow the link and get a nice favicon for yourself.

4.Submit your blog to blog directories.

This is one of the most important things to do if you want to take your blog to professional levels.Whats the benifit of doing this.
Well, first of all people will come to know that your blog exists and you will get some visitors who are interested in what you write.
The other thing is you will get a valuable link which helps to grow your page rank,technorati rank and also helps in search engines rankings.
So which all directories you should submit.
You can find a list of directories here.

5.Use Entrecard.

At first when your blog is very new, very few people will know that it exists. Entrecard is a free service where you can advertise your blog on other people's blog by earning Entrecard credits. I have been using this consistently and it is needless to say that it is a great source of traffic. But along with that I have made many precious blogger friends through this platform.
Learn more about Entrecard here.

6.Claim your blog on Technorati.

Technorati is a directory of blogs where you can find some really cool blogs on any topic you want. It has a system which gives Technorati ranks and authority to blogs.Claiming your blog in Technorati will make your blogs presence felt in the blogosphere and you can also compare how well is your blog doing by checking your authority and rank.
Learn more about Technorati here.

7.Social Networking.

Every successful blog uses social networking to some extent to promote the blog.It not only brings quality traffic but also makes a sort of following for your blog. So start promoting your blog through the many social networking sites like Facebook,Orkut,Hi5 and many more...
Perhaps the most happening thing in networking now is Twitter. So if you haven't started twittering you can sign up here.Don't forget to follow me.
Know more about Twitter here.

I hope you gained some tips reading the above topics.Leave your feedback in the comments.I must have left out some important points, don't forget to point them out too.