How to Start a Blog
Should you start a blog?
It is commonly believed that exceptional writing skills are required for a successful blog, but this is not true. The majority of bloggers write in an informal and conversational manner, as readers seek a personal perspective on various topics.
And because of the format, many successful bloggers will write about a variety of topics on the same blog.
In addition, you don’t need to be an expert on any of the topics you write about to have a successful blog. For example, visitors to a cooking blog don’t want to read a textbook from a food scientist, they want to hear the experiences of someone who has actually cooked some real meals, mistakes and all.
The only requirement for achieving success as a blogger is having a genuine interest in your chosen subject.
The essence of blogging lies in disseminating knowledge to a wider audience. If you make it a point to write about topics that truly excite you, setting up a triumphant blog will be a breeze. As long as you stay true to your genuine interests, your zeal will radiate through your writing and captivate your readers.
What are the reasons that would make you take the effort to write a blog? There are some explanations:
- Share your story. A blog allows you to have a voice and be heard. You can share your story with the entire world if you so choose. One of the most common ways blogs are used are as a diary where the blogger writes about their daily experiences so that friends, family, and others can all be a part of their lives.
- Make money from home. Blogging can be quite lucrative if done correctly. The top bloggers in the world obviously earn quite a bit, but even a part-time blogger can expect to make a nice profit if things are done correctly. The best part about it is that blogging is a form of passive income, since you can spend just a few hours a week writing a piece of content and then continue to profit from it long after the the writing is finished. I go into much more detail on how to blog for money later in this guide.
- Recognition for yourself or your business. No, you probably won’t have paparazzi following you around because of your latest post. But a successful blog makes your idea into a reality, and can gain you a ton of recognition in your respective field. Many bloggers are known as experts just because of their blogs, and some have even gotten book and movie deals based on their blogs.
- Find a community. Blogging at its heart is interactive. You write a post and people comment on it. This is a good way to connect with people who are interested in the same things as you are. Blogging allows you to teach these people based on your experience, and it gives you the opportunity to learn from your readers as well.
What is a blog anyway?
Briefly put, a blog is a website that primarily features written content, referred to as blog posts. Although we commonly encounter news blogs or blogs dedicated to celebrities in mainstream media, this guide will demonstrate that creating a prosperous blog on virtually any subject is feasible.
Bloggers typically express their ideas and views through a personal lens, enabling them to establish a direct relationship with their audience. Additionally, a vast majority of blogs provide a “comments” segment where visitors can communicate with the blogger. Engaging with your visitors in the comments section plays a crucial role in fostering a stronger bond between the blogger and the reader.
Starting a blog has a major advantage of establishing a close relationship with the readers. It enables exchanging ideas with people sharing similar interests and building trust with them. Acquiring the trust and loyalty of readers provides an opportunity to generate revenue from the blog, which I elaborate further in this guide.
It’s great to hear that the internet is rapidly expanding and more individuals are joining the online community. This surge in growth can greatly benefit your blog by increasing the number of potential readers. In essence, now is the perfect opportunity to launch your own blog.
Figure out your niche in the blogging community
At several content marketing conferences I’ve been to, the speakers consistently emphasize the importance of understanding your specific area of focus.
Identifying the specific topic you want to write about is important for a few reasons.
To begin with, it assists in identifying your target audience. When you are aware of your readers’ demographics (or the ones you intend to attract), you can generate material that will capture their attention.
Furthermore, it is crucial to select a topic that strikes a chord with you. In case the topic fails to arouse your interest, maintaining a regular posting schedule would become a challenge. Writing about something that doesn’t hold any significance to you might lead to a complete stoppage of your blogging progress.
It’s crucial to set yourself apart among the numerous blogs available. Focus on a specific niche to avoid having too many competitors covering the same topic.
Ultimately, possessing a specialized area will contribute to the development of your blog’s audience and accomplishments. Attempting to target an expansive audience will result in difficulties in maintaining readers. Experts believe that “In niches there are riches,” consequently, if you plan to generate income from your blog, strive to establish a unique presence on the online platform.
Despite everything mentioned above, do not allow the burden of identifying your specific area of expertise to hinder your progress. If excessive contemplation is preventing you from commencing, disregard this notion and determine your niche as you progress. It’s possible that not everyone is a strategic thinker, therefore trial and error may work better for you until it feels right.
How to Choose a Blog Topic & Name
Choosing your blog topic is the initial step if you haven’t thought of a name yet.
There are a few ways to discover a good subject to blog about if you are uncertain about your blog’s theme.
- Life experiences. Everyone has lessons they have learned through life experience. Sharing this knowledge can be incredibly helpful to others in similar situations.
For example, I recently helped a woman start her blog about being a fireman’s wife. She has a lot of experience and knowledge to share with others about this topic, and it has helped her connect with others in similar situations.
Think about the things you have experienced in life. This could be related to your family (example: a blog about being a stay at home mom), work (a blog about experiences dealing with clients), or other life experiences (a blog about dealing with a troubling time such as a disease or divorce, or about a happy time such as preparing for a wedding or a birth of a child). - A personal blog. A personal blog is a blog all about you. This will include a variety of topics, from things you do on a daily basis, to random thoughts and musings. This is a great way to share your thoughts with the world without having to stick to just one topic.
- Hobbies & passions. Hobbies or other interests you are passionate about are a great place to start. Cooking, travel, fashion, sports, and cars are all classic examples. But even blogs about more obscure hobbies can be successful, since the your audience is literally anyone in the world with the internet.
After selecting a topic, the next step is to pick a title for your blog, also referred to as your domain name.
Your blog’s name should be clear and informative, enabling potential visitors to quickly understand the content of your blog from its title.
When selecting a domain name for your blog, ensure to incorporate the specific topic you are writing about in some form. Avoid fixating on a single word. A cooking blog, for instance, does not need to contain the term “cooking”. Alternatively, words like “food”, “recipes”, and “meals” can indicate that your blog primarily covers cooking.
My suggestion for those who intend to establish a personal blog which delves into a range of subjects is to utilize their name or a modified version of it since the blog centers around their identity. As an illustration, I possess a blog called scottchow.com. Another option is to incorporate the middle name or initial if the name is already occupied. Alternatively, one could modify it by naming it “Scott Chow Blog” or “Blogging with Scott”.
If you are struggling to come up with a suitable name for your blog, feel free to reach out to me. I will provide my personal assistance to you free of charge.
After coming up with potential names, you must select a domain extension. Although a .com extension is the most popular, a .net or .org are also acceptable. Additionally, it’s crucial to keep in mind that for blog domains, there can be no spaces between words. Therefore, “Blogging with Scott” would turn into bloggingwithscott.com.
Install WordPress on your website
After website hosting is established, the subsequent step is to install a platform to accommodate your valuable content.
WordPress is the most recommended blogging platform by many bloggers, myself included. The majority of blogs that I have worked on, even those with a large readership of millions, utilize WordPress as their chosen blogging platform.
It’s a fact that WordPress is responsible for powering 39% of blogs and websites on the internet.
WordPress is readily available at no charge and is easy to operate. Additionally, once you acquire some coding knowledge, it is possible to personalize it to meet your requirements. Moreover, you have the option of installing a variety of plugins that can keep track of website traffic or assess the efficacy of blog entries in terms of search engine optimization (SEO) (further elaboration will follow).
What’s more, Bluehost makes it incredibly easy to install WordPress on your website.
Prior to discussing the process, let me take a moment to clarify any ambiguity you may have regarding WordPress: It has the ability to serve as both a blogging platform and a hosting company.
Despite being free, I advise against utilizing WordPress for hosting your blog.
I highly recommend using the free WordPress platform as it seamlessly integrates with Bluehost or other hosting services.
These are the steps to follow to install WordPress on Bluehost:
- Log in to your Bluehost account with your user name and password
- Scroll to the “Website” section of the control panel
- Click on “Install WordPress.” The next page might have the same option, so click “Install” again.
- Choose your website’s domain name
- When you have the option, click on “Advanced settings” and add your website name, admin user name, and admin password. If you don’t do this, WordPress will create a default name and password for you, which might not be as secure as one you choose yourself.
- Agree to the terms and conditions and click “Install Now”
- If a window appears asking you to choose a theme, feel free to skip for now. You can choose a theme later.
Your website should now have WordPress installed completely! If you encounter any difficulties, do not hesitate to get in touch with customer service.
If not, then congratulate yourself for completing the initial set-up and shift your focus to creating your website!
Pick a theme and design your website
After accomplishing tasks such as establishing hosting and registering a domain name, as well as installing WordPress, it’s time to enjoy the exciting aspect of creating and designing your blog.
WordPress offers a variety of themes, both free and paid, that have distinct visual characteristics. Experiment with them to discover which one fits your preferences.
If you plan on incorporating numerous images into your blog, opt for a theme that prominently displays photographs. For somber subject matter, contemplate using a theme that exudes a professional tone.
In addition to selecting a theme, you have the option of crafting different pages, like an About Me page, a Contact Me page, and naturally, your blog page where your blog entries will be housed.
Although each theme will come with some pre-made pages, you have the liberty to edit the page names and include or remove pages according to your preference.
To seek assistance, you can either reach out to the customer service of Bluehost or utilize the forum that is linked to your WordPress theme. Additionally, YouTube videos are frequently available to guide you in maximizing the potential of your theme.
