With so many inspirational stories from people who started a blog and became rich and famous in no-time, it’s only natural to want to do the same thing. Sadly, where there are dozens of stories about success, there are thousands of stories about failure. How do you make sure that your blogging experience is a pleasant one, with a minimum amount of stress and fear? Follow these tips, and you’ll see that starting a blog can be a fun and exciting process.
1. Have an idea
It’s not enough to simply want to start a blog. This is a great first step but you also should have a topic to write about. First, it should be something you’re interested in. You wouldn’t want to force yourself to produce at least a few lines every time you decide to write a post, would you? Secondly, it should be something other people can be interested in, too. Ask yourself, are there people who’re just as passionate about this as you are? Of course, your style of writing can be so fascinating that it will make your readers interested in anything. Still, it helps to know from the start that you’ll write about something people are concerned about.
2. Choose a blogging platform
Now that you know what you’ll share with your audience, you need to figure out where you’re going to do that. There are many platforms out there; most bloggers, however, recommend going for WordPress. It’s very easy to use, it has a lot of layouts that you can use, your readers will be able to interact with you without having any difficulties, and these are just three of its many advantages. At this stage, you’ll also need to choose between a free platform and hosting. A free blog sounds tempting but it won’t allow you to create your personal domain name, you’ll have many limitations when it comes to uploading your content and, most importantly, you won’t even own your blog. It sounds weird but everything you write will belong to the owner of the platform you’re using, and they might decide to delete your blog if they don’t like it. That’s not something you want to happen, so it’s best to go for self-hosting.
3. Think of a catchy domain name
Remember that a domain name will be your blog’s address on the internet, so think carefully when you’re choosing it. Let the name be something personal, relevant to your topic, but also memorable. Obviously, it has to be completely original and not owned by anyone else. It can be very tricky to come up with a great name but don’t go with the first idea that jumps into your head. Keep brainstorming, and you’ll find what you’re looking for.
4. Design your blog
It’s crucial to have interesting content on your blog, but a good design plays a big role as well. Having a great design is the first step towards attracting a new audience when you’re just starting. It should reflect your personality and go well with the blog’s main topic. It also should be easy to navigate because if it isn’t, people aren’t very likely to stay on your blog.
5. Don’t go into blogging for the money
This is arguably the most important tip. If you start a blog focusing exclusively on the money that you’ll earn, you probably won’t be able to enjoy this process that much. You’ll constantly be under a lot of stress because you aren’t making any money or aren’t making enough. Go into blogging because you have something you want to share with the world; because there’s a topic that you’re really interested in, and you think that others might be interested to hear you talk about it. It’s ironic but, having this philosophy, you’ll start earning more money more quickly. And you’ll have so much fun while you’re writing posts and interacting with your audience that money won’t be your primary goal.
Following these tips will help you build a successful blog but if you still have any questions about starting a blog, leave us a comment below and we are happy to help you.
