The team at angels&urchins is often asked about blogging. ‘What’s it all about’, ‘Why do it’, and ‘How do you get started?’ all come up as frequently as questions about what to do during the holidays. So we decided to ask the mother of them all, A Modern Mother to let us in on the tricks of the trade. This very readable blog is incredibly popular, and currently at number one in the Tots 100 UK’s Top Parenting Blogs. An American by birth, A Modern Mother has lived in the UK since getting married and having three children within three years. As she puts it, ‘starting a blog was cheaper than therapy’. Just over a year ago she started the British Mummy Blogger’s Carnival, a selection of the best posts from the previous fortnight. angels&urchins blog is proud to be in the latest one at YummyMummyTips. Start your  own blog and you could be hosting your own carnival – read all about it, and everything else to do with the mummy blogging, below.

Mummy, or “mommy” blogging, a huge phenomenon in the US, is just starting to take hold in the UK. A staggering 36 million women worldwide participate in “blogosphere” every week and fifteen million women have their own blogs. A growing number of these women are British.

I’ve put together this guide to help mums who are interested in creating a blog, but have no idea where to start. I assume a bit of technical savvy (such as you know how to surf the internet) but in no way do you have to be an IT expert. I’m not, and trust me, if I can do it, so can you.

So what are you waiting for? Sit back, have a read and get blogging!

What is a blog and why would I want to start one? A blog is a shortened version of a “web log”. A “mummy blog” is where mums write about their experiences of motherhood. Being a mum can be isolating. Some mums really enjoy the opportunity to connect with other mums who are going through similiar life events. 

Blogging can be a sense of light relief and accomplishment. It’s not for everyone, but many women enjoy it. Watch out, it can be addictive! And it’s not just mums who blog, there are some excellent blogs out there written by authors with dangly bits, like Single Parent Dad. 

How do I get started? Get a free Google Blogger account and start writing! You’ll need to pick a name for your blog. This is probably one of the more important decisions you’ll make. There are lots of blogs out there, so pick a name that makes you stand out a bit.

Should I be anonymous? Many British Mummy Bloggers are anonymous, though more are “coming out”. Being anonymous “takes the gloves off” and gives you the freedom to write whatever you want, without offending anyone. It also limits the amount of information about you and your family in a public forum like the Internet. You can make up names for your children, such as I do on my site. There are many clever anonymous bloggers out there, such as The Potty Diaries, Nappy Valley and Bush Babies.

Buy your URL. If you don’t want anyone else to use the clever name you’ve picked for yourself, go to a registration service such as 123Reg or DynoNames and buy the rights to the domain name. You can buy the .co.uk domain and get free privacy (hide your contact details on the register) for about £6. If you’re really serious about it, buy the .com domain as well, with privacy (which I highly suggest) it’s about £30.

Create a short biog. In addition to your blog name, you will need to write a short biography about yourself. It can be as short as a couple of sentences, or more indepth. This is your chance to make your blog stand out (in marketing it is called positioning). The Times Alpha Mummy, for example, is for mums or dads “who work, used to work, or want to go back to work someday”.

What do I write about and how often? Write about whatever strikes your fancy – a reaction to something you read in the paper, something you did today or something that you feel strongly about. A blog is a bit like a diary. I often just sit down in a quiet place and start writing, without taking the pen off the paper and keeping the pen moving. Eventually something coherent, and occasionally meaningful, comes out. Also, you don’t need to have a degree in Creative Writing or have been a journalist to start a blog (though it helps). Most bloggers update their sites at least once a week.

Which publishing tool should I use? Google’s Blogger is free and is very popular. If you want more flexibility, try Typepad Typepad or Wordpress, though there is a minimal cost associated with these tools.

How do I get readers? The main way to get readers, is to be a reader. Go to this list of the Best British Mummy Bloggers and start making your way through the list. If you like what you read, make a comment. One of the unwritten rules of mummy blogging is to return comments. If you really like a blog, add it to your blogroll. Also, join an online community, such as British Mummy Bloggers and Blogher. Also, register your blog on Technorati.

What is a blogroll? Your blogroll is your list of favourite blogs. Call it what you like — chum’s blogs, blogs I read, or just plain blogroll. Create a list on the side of your blog and get reading!

What is RSS and why should I care? RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication”. You need to add an RSS feed to your site so people can subscribe, it is an easy way for blogs to send updates to their readers. An RSS feed provides a list of recent content posted on a blog, with links to each new page. When you subscribe to an RSS feed, you’re automatically notified whenever new content that’s of interest to you is posted. Still confused? Watch this video “Google Reader in Plain English“.

Should I use photos and how? Photos add a lot to a post. You can take your own, or use some of the free stock photography that is available. Flickr is also a good source of photos. Make sure you search under the “Creative Commons” license and always give your photographer credit. You should compress all photos for web use, so that you don’t turn people off with long loading times. To do this, get a free photo editing tool off the web (such as Picasaweb). My laptop came with Microsoft Office Picture Editor, which is easy enough to use and does most things I need.

Security Remember that everything you write is “out there.” There are all kinds of weirdos and pervs out there, so be careful about what you write, never give your address, etc. Beware even if you go anonymous, a hacker could find out pretty much whatever he wants. You may not want to publish any photos of your kids, for example. Also, beware of trolls, people who harass you online.

Should I carry ads? Many of the mums in the US make money from their blogs. Checkout Google Ad Sense and Blogher. I run ads on my site, but honestly, I don’t make much money – barely made enough to fuel my coffee habit.

How else can I expand my readership? Thames Valley Mums Blog and London Mums Blog are community blogs that take contributions from the blogging community. If you are interested being exposed to a new readership, you may want to enquire about being a contributor.

If you have any questions about mummy blogging and how to get started, leave a comment below. Experienced bloggers — please leave a comment too with some of your tips. I’ll update this page as I get more info and feedback, so make sure you check back.