How to Start a Blog: 8 Things to Consider Before Going Live

While most marketing-savvy companies maintain their own blogs, these days it seems like almost everyone has their own blog or website to document their foodie adventures, film recommendations, or dog photos.

That’s not too surprising, considering the fact that blogging can be a very effective way to promote a business, draw attention to your writing, or even make money.

But before you decide to start your own blog, there are a few important things to consider if you want to be successful.

How to Start a Personal Blog

The following is a list of things you should consider before starting a personal blog.

Addressing these questions now will save you a lot of time and potential stress in the long run.

1. Choose a Topic

No matter your reason for starting a blog, you should be passionate about the content you’re producing.

Your love for the subject is important because if you choose to write about something you’re only mildly interested in, the quality of your content and the frequency of your posts will likely decline over time.

Having a thorough knowledge of the subject is also preferable, because readers will want a source that they can depend on. You’ll also need that knowledge to come up with unique ideas for posts each week.

If you want to attract readers and keep them coming back for more, choose a topic that you know you can produce frequent, high-quality content for.

2. Post Frequently and Consistently

You’ll want to post at least several times a week, especially when you’re just starting out.

Hence the need for a topic that excites you—you’ll need to love your topic enough to create new, relevant content quite frequently.

If you’re serious about growing your blog, you’ll also want to make sure that you can make a time commitment.

It’s one thing if you just want to share some pictures of your cats or document your travel adventures for friends and family—but if you really want to grow your following, you’ll have to put in some hard work.

3. Decide If You Need a Pen Name

If you want to make a career out of writing, you’ll likely want credit for the work you’ve done, so writing with a consistent name is important.

But if you’re worried about privacy, you might consider using a pen name. This will allow you to maintain some anonymity while still making it easy for your followers to find your work across multiple platforms.

This is definitely something to consider if your blog deals with sensitive or controversial topics, but this decision is ultimately up to you.

4. Choose a Platform and Web Host

The first technical step in creating your blog is choosing a platform. WordPress is probably the most common, and it offers hundreds of plugins, add-ons, and design options for your blog.

However, there are other good alternatives, such as Blogger and Tumblr.

Your next important decision will be whether or not to pay for hosting. While all three options mentioned above offer free plans, if you’re really serious about growing your blog, you’ll probably want the benefits of a paid account.

One of the most appealing perks is getting your own domain name. Whereas with a free account your web address will look something like “https://ift.tt/2xDIA3m;, when you buy a domain name you’ll actually own your blog and can use the more simplified (and attractive) “www.blogname.com” URL format.

In addition, with most free plans you can’t fully monetize your blog, so decide if that’s something you want to pursue when considering your host options.

5. Choose a Blog Name

Choosing the right name for your blog is an art form. You’ll want something that captures the essence of your topic while still being short and simple enough for people to remember.

You’ll want to avoid confusing people or making them wonder what the heck your blog is about. They should get a pretty clear idea from your domain name.

Something catchy or creative always works, but you’ll mostly want to consider the tone and voice you want your blog to carry.

If you’re really having trouble, consider using your own name. Many bloggers have actually become quite successful with self-named blogs.

6. Study SEO

There’s a lot of stuff on the internet—some of it’s good, and some of it’s junk. Regardless, you’re probably going to face some stiff competition, which means you’ll have to work to get your site noticed.

This is where SEO comes in. If you’re completely unfamiliar with the concept, SEO stands for “search engine optimization” and it’s a process for increasing your site’s visibility and traffic.

One way of achieving this is through keyword research. By researching the frequency or popularity of certain search terms, you can help your posts to show up in top search results, thereby boosting your web traffic.

Before starting your blog, ask yourself if you have the time and energy to commit to this kind of work.

You’ll definitely learn a lot in the process, but if you aren’t passionate about your blog, this will be reflected in the results.

7. Consider Monetizing

Once you have enough readers, it might be possible to start turning a profit with your blog.

There are a number of ways to do this, from affiliate marketing and advertisements to even selling your own products and services.

If you want to monetize your blog, start thinking of a strategy early on. It’s probably going to take some time, but as your following grows, so will your profits.

8. Find A Community

Networking definitely matters in the world of blogging. Connecting with other writers and influencers is a great way to exchange ideas and learn new information.

Building connections will also open up more opportunities for promoting and monetizing your blog.

You might consider inviting guest bloggers, or occasionally writing for other blogs. It’s a great way to gain exposure.

Get Started With Your Blog

Successful blogging isn’t easy, but it is possible and it can certainly pay off in the long run.

Make sure you’re armed with the resources and tools you need to make the most of your efforts. But most importantly, have fun creating content that you’re proud of.

 

Do you have any tips for starting a blog? Feel free to share them in the comments below!

 

If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Think Pieces: What They Are and How to Write One

Image
A think piece, also known as a thought piece, is an article or piece of writing intended to stir up the reader’s thoughts. It is usually speculative, with a lot of expository material, context, and the author’s analysis and opinion of existing ideas. Sometimes, think pieces can lean toward the controversial, especially when they seek to challenge majority opinions. Particularly provocative pieces are often the ones that get shared all over social media or the internet. Editors of magazines, blogs, and websites often pay for think pieces, but they are not that easy to write. This is perhaps why many writers aspire to be published in mainstream publications like The New Yorker, The Washington Post, The Economist, The Atlantic, and The Saturday Evening Post , but their submissions barely get a sideways glance.  The good news is that getting a think piece published does not depend on your name or reputation; instead, quality is king. The key is being able to think deeply about a t...
Read more

The Best Mobile Apps for Writers

Image
If you’re a writer looking for a better way to write on your smartphone or mobile device, this post will help. Using a text app or word processor just won’t cut it if you’re doing heavy duty writing on a mobile device. These tools can help whether you have an Android or Apple device. 1. IWriter iWriter is a writing tool that functions excellently on Android and iOS. It is the best app for writing articles, books, or taking detailed notes. iWriter is a simple and elegant text editor. You can download it via iTunes or Google Play . You can check out iWriter subscription pricing here. 2. JotterPad Jotterpad makes it possible to convert files from PDF to WORD and some other popular formats. The app supports Markdown. It includes text styling, a thesaurus, a built-in dictionary that’ll even help you rhyme. It has essential features such as snapshots, typewriter scrolling, undo/redo, night vision, universal dark theme, and phrase finder. JotterPad supports full Cloud integr...
Read more

Author Business Cards: Why You Need Them and How to Make Them

Image
The first rule for being a successful author is to write. The second rule for being a successful author is to write more. The third rule for being a successful author is to always be networking. You never know where your next fan will come from. It might be someone who finds your book on Goodreads, but it might also be the person in front of you at the grocery store or the guy you bump into when you’re out for pizza. You might get chatting with someone at the bowling alley. You might end up discussing your book at the DMV. Your next reader could be anyone, anywhere. So you need to be prepared! That’s why business cards still matter in the digital era. Although we all tote tiny computers in our pockets all day, it’s still a pain in the butt to exchange contact information on a phone—not everyone uses the same system, vCards work with contact and email programs but aren’t universal, and NFC transfers are kind of clunky. Besides, after you dump your information into someone else’...
Read more