While blogging has been around since I was in high school, it's definitely changed. No longer the world of whiny kids with laptops, its now a major tool in any internet business, promotion, or network. Blogging allows for a constant and casual stream of information while still allowing for controlled privacy and maintaining a useful distance--it establishes a sense of familiarity without actually having to meet and make meaningful conversation with thousands of people.

Now to a lot of us, the nuts and bolts aren't too mystifying, but what a lot of people don't really know is how to increase traffic to your blog and make it a successful extension of your business, promotion, or network. In short, how to make your blog a "must read".

Setting up a blog couldn't be easier. First, you choose a platform. The most popular ones are Live Journal, Wordpress, and Blogger.

Live Journal is a very social network. It allows for the building of friends lists and friends pages, creating a point and click network that allows you instant visibility. It's limiting, however, in the sense that it doesn't syndicate easily--meaning if you have a facebook page, or a website, and you want your blog to appear on those without copy and pasting, you're going to have to syndicate (or automatically export your posts into different areas of the web. Syndication can also be sent directly to fan's email or google desktop, allowing for fan subscription.)

Blogger is popular. It's an easy to use format with customizable features and a really clean layout. You can syndicate on here, or you can choose not to syndicate--both are relatively easy to choose. For a first time blogger, or a blogger who doesn't need to get fancy, Blogger is a great option.

The best, as hailed by people who know more about technology than I do, is Wordpress. Google "best blog" and you'll come up with a hundred responses mentioning Wordpress, because it's the most customizable and it's the most versatile. Wordpress runs in two formats, one that you can use through your own website and one that you can use for free on their website, much in the same way that you would on Blogger or Live Journal.

Not as in hot iron. I'm talking about creating a niche for your blog. This step is essential in creating a must read blog, because it makes you an authority--or at least a strong, consistent voice, in your particular niche.

Let's look at a few blogs. Now I'm really into writing, so forgive me if there is a certain theme emerging.

Meg Cabot's Diary is a perfect example. As an author that appeals to a young adult audience as well as a very fun, fluffy adult audience (she's the author of several amazing chick lit books and also such young adult best sellers as the Princess Diaries) and every post showcases a sense of humor with an upbeat, sassy attitude--the tone in her blog mirrors her books and intrinsically promotes them.

Editorial Anonymous, the blog of a (you guessed it) unnamed children's book editor, talks in every single post about something concerning the editor's job. Query letters, submissions, trends in publishing, editing are all covered on a frequent basis.

Buzz Girl is a very functional blog that mentions no personal life of the writer, but rather industry news and upcoming books.

All of these blogs have a very specific niche. Now, how to create your niche? Sit down and write a list of five different labels to describe your blog.

Looking at my blog, my five are my writing process, writing business, writing promotion, the creative journey at large and my projects. My blog focuses on how to be a writer who is trying to write for a living. Those five labels are enough to give me a lot to write about on any given day, but also specific enough to draw a targeted audience to my blog--writers!

When you create a niche, you create an audience. Once you get the audience, you'll know where to look for readers!

Traffic is totally key--who cares what you're blogging if no one's reading? Here are some simple ways to tap your targeted audience.

Get involved! Find other blogs like yours. Google any of your five labels and the word "blog"--click on whatever pops up. If they aren't to your taste, then check out their links, or blogroll, a table of links to other blogs. Blogroll is the single best way to increase traffic. First of all, it allows to you connect to other blogs--if you comment on other people's blogs (respectful, thoughtful comments--defend your internet reputation with your life!) and link back to yours, chances are if someone finds what you're saying interesting, they'll read your blog. Boom! Readers.

Adding a blogroll to your own site increases traffic too--not only are you considered a team player because you promote other sites, but the more outgoing links you have on a site the higher your rank is on google, so if someone googles YOUR keywords, you want them to find you first.

Tagging also increases that random search engine traffic, and if you're confused by tags, don't be! They are a condensed way of showing what your blog post is about. And if you don't know what to tag, every post should have at least one of your five "niching" keywords.

Remember that the internet is a "you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours" type world. Reaching out to or helping another blogger will probably get you readers in return.

Post links to your blog everywhere that's relevant. Anywhere your writing appears on the web should have a link to your blog after it. If you're part of the social networking sites like facebook and MySpace, make sure your profile links back to your blog and any group posts or relevant exposure points directly back to your blog.

BLOG! Don't forget to post! The more often a website is updated the higher on google it will appear, so post post post!!