I would have been keen on keywords from the get-go. I sorta kinda knew they were important and sorta kinda thought I should use them but not using them effectively from the start earns me a big D’oh! award. For example, I wrote a post on my personal blog a long time ago about hunky CNN weatherman Rob Marciano and it has turned into a mini-fan club. Everytime there is a hurricane or a tropical storm, the comments roll in on where Rob is today, what he’s wearing, if he looks like he’s been working out… I’m still not where I want to be keywords-wise for either of my blogs, but I think it is a mindset that the earlier you adopt, the better. Stop talking about yourself and start talking about your topic in relevant, topical, real-world keywords and language – be finable, be searchable.
Also crucial is an email newsletter. Newbie/luddites still think inside the inbox. RSS adoption is growing but ‘real people’ are still wanting information in their email.
I also would have been less nuts about wanting to be the first to blog on a topic. As my near-sightedness increases, I’m trying to spend less time at the computer. I’m reading more (gasp!) and focusing on summarizing the trends that I see online and offline for the benefits of my clients and colleagues.
