Follow our ultimate guide
Blogs are a great way to establish your online
identity and offer a natural platform for your content. However, there are a
few key things you need to consider before making a start. Here we break down
the steps you can’t miss and what you need to cover before clicking publish.
What is a blog and how can you benefit from
it?
Simply put, a blog is
a series of articles and content called posts. The default display for most
blogs is usually a scroll down list, with the most recent posts prioritised. To
make content a bit more user-friendly, it is also common for posts to be tagged
as particular categories or by
specific search terms.
Most importantly, a
blog can be based around any topic, whether you want to create content on your
favourite cafés, your holidays or posts on what shopping you’ve done this
month. The key thing to remember is that you should regularly post on your
blog. Whilst websites are usually more fixed in terms of
content, the main attraction of blogs is that they are up to date and
consistently updated.
Why should you give yourself
a content platform and start blogging? Here are the three main benefits:
- Make connections and network: You will make significant connections and gain recognition
in your field. By refining your blogging and researching your topics well,
you can become known as an expert in your field. This will increase your
value as an affiliate to seller or merchants if you wish to pursue
affiliate marketing later on.
- Creating a knowledge hub: Blogging is creating information for a public space,
and a great way to share expertise. Not only can you connect with people
who are interested in the same things as you are, but you can trade
knowledge on these topics. Comment sections can be a valuable source of
discussions and allow for real conversation around your posts.
- Earn a passive income: Making money from home is a significant reason to
pursue blogging. Popular bloggers can make a surprising amount of money, and if you are
writing about a topic you love, it can seem like an easy income. However,
there is a lot of work that goes into producing top-notch content. Still,
the idea of earning an income for just a few hours a week creating content
is a top reason people blog.
If you would like to
start a blog, with the potential to earn money from it, all you need is an
interest or specialist subject to attract an audience to your site. A topic
you’re naturally interested in will help you find the motivation to post
regular, engaging content.
Why is blogging still popular in 2020?
Blogging is
essentially a way to share your interest or passion with a wider audience. In
2020, blogging still provides an opportunity to connect with like-minded people
on shared passions for topics. As blogging has grown, so has the range of
subjects that are covered. You can always write about classic topics like
travel or fashion, but you can also write about comic books or Korean beauty
products if those are more your interests. As long as you are writing about
what you care about, your audience will identify with your passion and stay
engaged with you.
Blogging is also
popular in 2019 due to its use as an affiliate marketing platform. With a ready-made audience who trust their
opinions, bloggers are now able to make an income from their product
recommendations. By simply joining an affiliate network, bloggers have the
chance to link particular items and receive a commission from the product
seller/merchant – all by just having their audience click through on blog-based
links.
The downside to starting your own blog
There are a few things would-be bloggers should pay attention
to so they avoid common blogging pitfalls. Blogging can be a bigger commitment
than it may seem even though you’re writing about something you love. Here are
a few things you need to consider before embarking on your blogging journey:
- Technical issues: You don’t have to be a programming whiz kid to get
your own blog off the ground, but it is important that you understand a
few basics. Plugins, SEO considerations and even paid links can be tricky
to set up if you are completely new to setting up your own site. While
working with a content management system like WordPress will alleviate
some of that stress, making small mistakes can be very frustrating and
sometimes even costly.
- Feedback: Producing content for a public audience can be
incredibly rewarding. Having people relate to your ideas or opinions can
be validating and often provides a great confidence-boost to budding
bloggers. However, there is always the chance that someone will disagree
with your work and feel the need to let you know – and not always in the
friendliest of terms. Although this can be a big downside to blogging,
negative opinions or feedback don’t make up the norm. Remember to keep
things in perspective.
- Loss of time: Blogging often takes a lot of time. Research, writing
and editing – it all adds up. If you’re taking SEO into consideration,
then even more time is necessary, as you will need to produce longer, more
comprehensive texts in order to perform well in organic search results. Additionally, it also takes time in the long run to
build an audience and generate income.
Although these are
things you need to keep in mind when starting a blog, don’t quit. The potential
rewards of running a successful blog far outweigh these concerns. Now you can
jump into preparing to start your blog with a fully prepared and more informed
mindset.
Blogging for beginners
If you have considered
both the pros and cons of starting a blog and are still ready to make a start,
then you need to read through our step by step guide to setting your blog up.
How do you set-up a blog?
Setting up your blog
can be broken down into five key steps:
1. Name your blog
Before you go
anywhere, you’ll need to settle on a name for your blog. If you are worried
that your top idea is already taken, most domain hosts will let you know what
sites are already registered. Additionally, they will often give you similar
alternatives that are still free to choose.
Your blog’s name will
be the first thing your audience comes to know you by, so finding
something relevant and recognisable is vital. Perhaps write up a list with some keywords
related to your blog topic, and create a few different variations on catchy
phrases.
2. Get online
A big factor in how
your blog will be perceived is the hosting service you choose. Yes, you can always
choose a free platform, but if you’re looking to make an income from your blog,
it may be worth investing in something a little more reliable.
Here are some things to
consider when choosing a web host for your blog:
- Speed
- Security
- Support
3. Design your blog
Once you have got the
basics of choosing a name and web host out of the way, it’s time to get to the
real nitty gritty of designing your blog. Most blogging platforms actually have a
simplified backend, so don’t worry about things getting too technical.
It’s likely that
you’ll be working with a CMS (Content Management System) to set up
your posts, create formatting, and to edit your content.
Most CMS platforms (like WordPress) are extremely user-friendly, so you won’t
need specialist knowledge just to ensure your blog looks the way you want it to
look.
WordPress is a popular
choice due to its simplicity and the range of plugins or customisations available.
Over 60% of all blogs are run on WordPress, including huge sites like Forbes and
TechCrunch.
Whichever CMS you
choose, make sure you consider design and layout carefully. You may think your
content is more important but the visual impact of your site also affects site
traffic. A study from Google and the
University of Basel found
that users judge a website on aesthetic beauty and assumed functionality within
1/50th of a second. First impressions count!
4. Start creating your content
Once you have your
name and site designed, you will probably have a good idea of where you want to
begin with your content. However, as with everything, a solid strategy will
help save you time and also make sure your posts follow a cohesive path.
An editorial calendar
is essentially an outline of which posts you’ll cover and on what date. This
will allow you to plan key topics and tangential discussions,
as well as let you productively organise your research. So how do you come up
with the topics for your calendar?
Brainstorming is basic
but effective. Jot down as many ideas or terms related to your blog topic as
you can. Think of some questions you’ve had about the topic, because if you
have wondered about something, it is likely your potential audience has, too. There
are even keyword research tools available like Twinword Ideas to help you add to
your word cloud. After you have come up with some strong ideas, organise them
by setting up a spreadsheet. Here you can list your ideas and rank them by:
- How well they fit your blog
topic
- How much demand there is from
your readers
- How much potential blog traffic
would be created
It’s also worth
checking out other bloggers in your space and discovering which of their posts
have the most engagement or have been shared. Remember, blogging is about
working within a network so the work of others is often a great, accessible
resource for inspiration.
5. Start promoting and earning money
Your blog has pretty
much taken shape by this point – you have both the design and content prepared.
The last thing to think about is your audience and how they will find you.
Promoting your content
can be time consuming but it is definitely worth it once you start seeing
increased site numbers. Additionally, if you are also aiming to start affiliate marketing, your web traffic needs to be healthy,
otherwise you will not see much in the way of returns on affiliate links.
The general rule is to
spend at least twice as long promoting your content as you did creating it.
Here are a few avenues through which you can promote your blog:
- Social media: Aside from sharing with your existing network of
friends and family, don’t hesitate to promote your blog on relevant pages.
For example, if you are writing about fashion or design, comment on a
magazine’s Facebook posts with a link to your own page.
- Interview people in your
network: A great way to gain an
audience is by aligning yourself with more established names. If you have
a connection with someone in the blogging world that has an existing
audience, you will generate both content and promotion for your own page.
- Network with fellow bloggers: Engaging with other bloggers via comments and social
media is a great way to make a name for yourself in a particular field of
interest. If you have a positive dynamic, more popular bloggers may give
you a shout out or mention in their own content.
- Set up a mailing list: If you have worked so hard to find an audience, it makes sense to work to retain them. Ensure your
audience feels connected to you and continues to visit your blog by
reaching out regularly with engaging content, .
The last point is
probably the most important. Regularly contacting your audience is a great way
to keep them engaged and interested in your ongoing content. Set up a signup
form in your posts, and you will accumulate email addresses quickly and easily.
Once you have these subscribers, you can manage your newsletters with free
services like MailChimp.
Updating your audience
when have new content drives traffic up and ensures your readers won’t miss any
of your work.
Blogging tips to get you started quickly
Your blog is set up,
and you’re ready to click publish on your first post. But wait! Before you go
live, here are three quick tips to help you get started on the right note:
1. Keep your content strong
It’s one thing to
write about what you love but another to write about it effectively. To make
sure your content is as good as it should be, take advantage of resources
online like SEO-writing guides and tools like Yoast. This is a free plugin that
helps you ensure your content is Google-friendly and ready to rank organically
in searches.
2. Keep your content honest
Building a loyal
audience is a key factor to ongoing success with blogs and returning readers
are consistently high drivers of site traffic. Additionally, audience loyalty
is a strength if you decide to branch out into affiliate marketing as they will
trust your recommendations and drive your sales with any affiliate partners you
work with. For that reason, it is important to maintain a level of honesty in
your work.
3. Keep your content focused
Along with an
editorial calendar, dedicate a fixed amount of time per week to your blog. As a
starter blog, it is important to establish yourself with consistent and
high-quality content. Building an audience will be vital to your blog’s ongoing
success, so make sure you’re working with this in mind. By setting some time
aside, you are less likely to rush your posts. You will also be better able to
keep your target audience in mind when producing content.
Conclusion
Although there are a
number of things to consider before diving in head first, starting a blog is a
great way to establish yourself online. By creating your own unique space, you
will connect with an audience and network of people who share your interests or
hobbies.
Additionally, if you
are successful enough in building your audience, you can strive to make an
income from your blog. Concepts such as affiliate marketing are a great way to
monetise your hard work and content creation.
