Wright-Porto’s book gives readers step-by-step instructions on how to create an effective blog. The book does not assume that readers have any previous knowledge of blogs, other than having heard the term.

The instructions in the book lead readers through the process: find a proper blog host site; create an account; post basic blog text; and decorate the blog with various graphics, audio, and video. The book also discusses advanced topics such as setting up a custom domain, using Google AdWords, connecting with social networks, and setting up an online store. Examples of actual use of three blog sites--Blogger, TypePad, and WordPress--accompany all instructions and discussions. This book is an excellent one-stop shop for those who would like to blog but are not sure where to start.

The book consists of roughly three parts. The first three chapters cover the basics: an overview of what a blog is, steps needed to create an account, and how to post blog text on three sample hosting sites. The second part contains five chapters that discuss some advanced topics beyond basic blog text. These topics include: how to upload images and videos to a blog site; how to improve the blog design by creating a customer banner; how to request a custom domain and map the custom domain to the existing blog site (such as Blogger, TypePad, or WordPress); how to attract visitors and track these visitors; and how to make connections between your blogs and common social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

I found this book to be accurate, easy to understand, well organized, and informative. For example, in chapter 3, “Let’s Blog,” in answer to the question “Which blog platform should you use?” Wright-Porto lists the factors to consider, which include cost, ease of use, scalability, help, and features, in this particular order. This list of factors and its order accurately reflect what a beginner would think about. In chapter 7, “Increasing Traffic & Visitor Tracking,” Wright-Porto first discusses the concept of search engine optimization (SEO) (in about two pages), and then lists a number of things blog owners could do to attract readers to their blogs, such as picking proper keywords, using meta-tags, and directly submitting the site for Google indexing.

This book is a fine summary of Wright-Porto’s extensive experience working with various blog platforms. It is for anyone who would like to start blogging, but who has no previous experience. The book can also help experienced bloggers improve their blog design, attract more readers using existing tools, and fully utilize the power of a blog. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is thinking about starting a blog.