Blogging allows you to express your ideas and connect with an audience in an easy and effective way, plus it can be a source of income online. Blogging allows you to write about nearly any topic: from business and travel to education, tech and personal development. Blogging is an excellent option for people who want to reach the world.
In this beginner’s guide, you will learn how to start your blog with confidence.
1. Select Your Blog Niche
Before starting your blog, determine what you want to write about. This is often referred to as your blog’s niche. A blog with a defined niche typically will grow quicker and have a larger following than a blog that covers a variety of topics.
Consider the following questions:
- What subjects do I enjoy?
- What type of problems can I solve for my audience?
- What skills and experiences do I have that I can share with others?
There are millions of potential niches; some popular blogging niches include:
- Business/Finance
- Technology
- Health/Fitness
- Education
- Lifestyle
- Personal Development
- Choose a niche that interests you, has enough demand that people search the Internet for it, and that you are knowledgeable about.
2: Choose a Blog Platform
Now you have to pick a place to host your blog. There are many different blogging platforms, but WordPress is the most popular with both new bloggers and experienced bloggers.
Common Blog Platforms
- WordPress.org (Best for Growing a Blog)
- Blogger
- Wix
- Medium
- If you want to build the long-term success of your blog, I strongly recommend using WordPress.org as your blog platform, because you will have complete control over your blog’s content and how you monetize it.
Step 3: Purchase a Domain Name and Hosting
A domain name is the URL address of your blog (e.g. myblog.com), and the hosting is what allows your blog to be accessible on the internet.
When selecting a domain name, consider the following:
- Keep it short and simple
- Make it easy for people to recall
- Make it relevant to your niche
- Most hosting companies provide one-click WordPress installation, so you can have your blog up and running very quickly.
Stage 4: Build the Blog Layout
Make the blog visually appealing, clean and efficient. You don’t need advanced knowledge on how to create a blog layout; WordPress themes are available for free and can be set up in a matter of minutes.
Consider the following features:
- Layout—should be simple
- Responsive—mobile friendly
- Speed—fast loading
- Usability—easy to navigate
- When the design of your blog is good, you will build credibility with your visitors.
Stage 5: Create Quality Content
Content is what makes up a blog; it will be the reason your readers come back for more. Quality content will educate, help or inspire your readers.
When creating content:
- Solve real-world problems
- Use simple language
- Include headings and bullet points
- Be original and truthful
- Always write for the reader first, search engines second.
6: Understand the Basics of SEO
The purpose of SEO is to help search engines find and index your website.
Some Basic SEO Tips for Newbies:
- Use keywords throughout your content naturally
- Have great titles
- Create Meta Descriptions
- Use Headings Correctly
- Provide Valuable Content
- SEO creates a free stream of ongoing traffic to your site.
7: Publish Regularly
Publishing regularly is much more important than publishing perfectly.
Decide:
- How many times per week you will publish
- Stick to your schedule
- Get better with each article
- Publishing one good article every week will create more traffic than publishing several articles in a row then quitting.
8: Promote Your Blog
Once you’ve written a blog post, don’t just let it sit on your computer—share it!
Your blog promotions can be done by:
- Social Media
- Email Lists
- Online Communities
- Search Engines
- The more people who see your Blog post = The quicker you’ll grow your audience.
9: Monetize Your Blog
Once you have built up traffic, you can earn money from:
- Display Ads
- Affiliate Marketing
- Sponsored Posts
- Digital Products
- Online Courses
- First earn the trust of your visitors, the money will then follow.
10: Be Patient and Continue to Learn
Blogger success takes time. Most bloggers start slowly building traffic at first. Learning, trying, and not giving up too soon is the key to success.
Each time you write a new blog post, you’re improving yourself.
Final Words
If you’re a newbie blogger, start out simply and build consistency into your blogging process. You do not have to be perfect; you have to start somewhere.
Select a niche, write useful posts, promote your posts, and improve over time; at some point, your Blog will turn into an influential medium where you can express your thoughts and generate income online.
Get started now and let us begin your new blogging adventure!
