How to Start a Blog
Looking for some quick and easy tips to follow on how to start a blog? I’ve been blogging for more than a decade and my tips on this page and several other posts will show you how to create a blog that is solid, profitable, and will have readers coming back for more in a few easy steps. These are my absolute best tips to start a blog and I hope they’ll really help you.
My name is Adrian, and I am going to show you how to start a blog. I have created more than a thousand blog posts for my two sites. Also as part of my business as a Virtual Assistant, I help other bloggers set up their websites and become successful with their blogs. Check out my HIRE ME page.
Blogging can sometimes seem overwhelming and intimidating. This post is all about how to start a blog for beginners, and it’ll teach you how to be a blogger with some basic computer skills, regardless of your age (I am nearly 60 and do quite nicely with it). You can be starting your own blog in just a couple of hours.
I made a ton of mistakes early on with my own blog and am still learning. You can benefit from over a decade’s worth of my experience though, in learning some things I wish I had done differently. I’d like to help you create a blog quickly, easily, and without a lot of frustration. If you get stuck, be sure to send me a message and I’ll do my best to help you out.
What is a blog anyway?
In short, a blog is a type of website that focuses mainly on written content and content that interests the blogger, also known as blog posts. There are millions of blogs; some are news blogs and others are by celebrities, but there are some amazing bloggers you’ll meet that are extremely knowledgeable in various niche topic areas that you’ll come to follow. You can start your own blog on practically any topic niche imaginable. Some of the most successful blogs I’ve seen are on very specialized topics – such as specialized gardening topics, unusual fashions,
Often writing from a personal perspective, blogging allows bloggers to connect directly with their readers. Blogs also have the option to allow for comments, where readers can correspond with the blogger, creating a deeper, more meaningful connection. It’s a great idea, starting out, to start Interacting with your readers in the comments section because it helps to further the connection between the blogger and the reader, and it also helps drive sales from your blog.
Establishing a connection or a relatable sense is one of the main benefits of starting a blog. The direct connection you’ll have with your readers allows you to share ideas and interact with people who have the same mindset as you. It also allows you to build trust with your readers, and start an open, honest connection. Establishing trust and loyalty with your readers opens the door to making money from your blog, as well.
Should you start a blog? Maybe and maybe not
Do you need to be a great writer to start a blog? Not necessarily. But it does help. This is a skill you’ll develop over time. People read blogs to get a personal perspective or world view, and often times bloggers will write in a very informal and conversational style, which is appealing to a lot of readers.
The same goes for expert status. You don’t necessarily need to be an expert on your niche topic. It helps, but it’s not necessary to start a blog. Readers want to hear from people doing the work, creating the things they’re interested in, and showing them how to do things on their own as well. They don’t need to hear or learn from a person with an MBA in English or literature in order to accomplish that. Some of the best blogs have flawed writing. It’s ok.
To be successful at blogging, you need a niche topic and passion. And time. Blogging is surprisingly hard work. But it’s worth it once you start to get a good following and start making money at it. Then you don’t mind all the time and effort so much.
Blogging is all about sharing your knowledge and your own worldview with the world. Choose a topic that you are both passionate and talented at, and you’ll be able to start a successful blog so much easier.
Some people are very single focused – only recipes or only organizing. But many folks write about more than one topic, too. Don’t just limit yourself to just one or you might over-niche your focus area. As long as you’re writing about things you’re genuinely interested in, and not just things you can make money on, your passion will shine through and your readers will be interested in what you have to share.
Why would you go through the challenges of blogging? There are a few reasons:
- You can make money from home. Starting a blog can actually quite lucrative if done with a strategy and a well-executed plan. Top bloggers earn a LOT of money, but even a part-time blogger can do well too. Blogging is a great form of passive income, and you can work on it in your spare time. I worked a full-time job, ran a business and ran two blogs all at the same time.
- Over time, your blog will grow, and that passive income could turn into a full-time career, allowing you to leave your corporate job and go full-time blogger or business owner. Each blog post will build on the next, and over time, you’ll have quite the collection of blog posts, earning money from each article.
- You can share your story. Your blog becomes your voice. You’re able to share your own story of how you got started blogging or why you chose blogging as a career. A diary format is a common layout where the blogger writes about their daily experiences so that friends, family, and others can all be a part of their lives. But if you want to have a more educational or experience/lifestyle blog, you can share your story in that way, too.
- You’ll have recognition for yourself or your business. While you might not become a celebrity blogger, you might gain some popularity based on what you create or write about. Take a stand! Be controversial if you’d like. Many bloggers are known as experts just because of their blogs, and have received publishing deals or even movie deals based on their content.
- You’ll find a community and learn more than you’d ever imagine. Blogging is an interactive, community-based career. Write, comment, and gain friends. Get to know other bloggers. Learn from others, and share what you know. This is a blogging community of knowledge and experience, and you’ll be able to tap into topics and knowledge that might impact your own blog. You’ll also be able to get feedback and learn from your readers, too.
Fabulous news – the internet is pumping with growth and the blogger community is taking over! This explosion means that there are more readers. Pick your niche carefully, and you’ll have a great following of interested readers already reading and tapping into blogs. There’s no better time to start than right now.
So, how do you start a blog?
How to Start a Blog in 6 Easy Steps
Learn how to create a blog in a couple of hours following these steps:
- Pick a blog name. Choose something descriptive that matches your SEO keyword topics, or your own name for brand recognition. It might not be easy to find the right name – you are competing with the entire world for site names. But stick to it.
- Get your blog online. Register your blog with a domain name and get a hosting plan. Siteground is my favorite.
- Customize your blog. Choose a template (invest in a good one) and add your brand’s colors. My favorites are from Bluchic. I’ve used them to create several different sites very successfully.
- Write & publish your first post. Start writing, but only after you’ve created some interesting headlines that are click-worthy.
- Promote your blog. Use social media, Pinterest, and share your blog on your stationery or email footer. I’ve got tons and tons of posts on how to do this successfully.
- Make money blogging. There are a ton of options to make money from your blog. Learn about more on Blogging 101 about all your options.
Here are some other blog posts of mine you may enjoy:
The 8 Best Girl Boss Books You’ll Read This Year
Join the Pinterest #5Ways2Thrive Challenge
Blogging Platforms – WordPress vs Wix vs Squarespace
