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HOW TO START A BLOG
One of the most frequently asked questions that I receive is ‘how do I start a blog?”. It’s taken me so long to write this post because I wanted to make sure that I was giving you all sound information that would actually be useful in your journey to becoming a blogger.
Before launching my own site, I shared the same sentiments of being inspired and not knowing what to do next. So from a standpoint of imagining what I wish someone would have told me, I’ll try to help you figure it all out.
I still consider myself a newbie to this whole blogging thing, so don’t let what I have to say be the end-all-be-all. You will learn that this whole thing is a growing process, and there’s something new to learn every day. So continue to do your research beyond me, and build on what you want to know.
1. LET THE IDEAS FLOW.
This part is two-fold. First, decide what you want your content to be about. Do you have a hobby that you’d like to share with the world? Are you a foodie and want to review your favorite local restaurants? Do you have killer style and want to share your sense of fashion with the world? Wanna cover all three? Go for it!
Secondly, after you’ve formulated your content, decide who your potential audience will be. This will help you find your niche, or where you fit into the blogging world. Is your audience your campus community? New Moms? DIY enthusiasts? Figure out who you will be speaking to or engaging with on a regular basis and infer the things that they want to hear from you.
2. PICK A NAME AND ESTABLISH YOUR BLOGGER IDENTITY.
When I first started my blog, I knew that I would one day want it to be more than just that. I wanted to choose a name that represented me and what I was trying to do at the time - of course - but I also wanted something that could grow with me. So when you’re choosing a name for your blog, don’t just think of the ‘right now’. Consider all of the possibilities and make sure it’s something that you’d be proud to have follow you for years to come.
Now, envision everything that goes along with it. What do you want your logo to look like? What will be the set up of your website? Do your posts convey the same message across all social media platforms? The most important message here is to establish your aesthetic or your identity. You want to keep everything cohesive across all sites/apps so that your followers know exactly who you are and what you’re about.
3. CHOOSE YOUR PLATFORM.
Now it’s time to build. There are thousands of host platforms for bloggers to use that vary based on the specific needs of your website and your skillset. Some of the most popular ones are Wix, Blogger, Squarespace, and Wordpress just to name a few. You can create everything on your own, or pay someone to do it for you.
I did a lot of research and went back and forth between a few, but ultimately I chose to use Wix. I wanted to do everything for my website on my own - just to say I did - but I didn’t have any type of coding or programming background. Wix was the most beginner-friendly in my opinion, and after playing around with it a few times, I got the hang of it.
4. WRITE YOUR FOUNDATIONAL CONTENT.
Now that you’ve covered the basics for your blog, it’s time to actually write your foundational content. Your first few posts are the most important, because they’re meant to grab the attention of your potential audience.
This is where you establish your ‘Who’ and ‘Why’. Tell us who you are. Give a little bit of background info about yourself. Walk your readers through your journey to blogging and explain why you want to do this. It makes you more personable, which is important for active engagement on your site. You want your audience to feel like they know you.
I still get feedback off the first 2 or 3 blog posts that I wrote from people telling me how relatable my thoughts were or how I inspired them in some way. I still believe that those posts are what gained my first loyal subscribers and keep people interested even when I’m not posting consistently.
Long story short, spark someone’s interest and make them curious enough to keep coming back for more.
5. GET SOCIAL!
Tell everyone! You don’t wanna create a blog just to keep it to yourself right? Promote yourself like your life depends on it. Build anticipation on social media with sneak peeks or ‘coming soon’ posts. OR use the element of surprise and drop it out of nowhere, lol. Whatever floats your boat.
Beyond just announcing your newest project, begin to engage with your followers. They’ll turn into your most loyal supporters and subscribers. Having a community of people to stand behind you when things are a bit stagnant will encourage you to keep going.
THAT’S IT!
I know it seems like an overwhelming task, but it’s really as simple as just starting. You’ll figure out the bells and whistles eventually. Even today, I still wanna chalk everything and start from scratch, but that’s just what comes with it. Don’t be so focused on the perfect product that you stay stuck in your head and don’t do anything (I clearly need to take my own advice here, but whatever.) So put your ideas into play and get things in motion!
If you have any further or more detailed questions, leave them in the comments and I’ll be sure to get back to you! Don’t forget to like and subscribe as well! I’ll be putting my email list into play really soon.
See you on the next one!
xo,
Syn