When you first start to think about launching a blog, it can seem one of two things. To some, it will be easy. Because all you have to do is write and post, write and post – right?
But then to others, it’s just so much more than that. It’s a bit too technical, a bit too modern, and a bit too much pressure – all around a bit too much!
Yet, it really needn’t be any of these things. Because launching a blog can be a lot of fun, it can boost your business or give you one – if you wanted to start a blog to make money or launch a career. Or, even if you want to blog as a hobby, you can do that too.
The trick is to approach this in the right way. And yes, that will be entirely personal and unique to you.
Because the way in which you decide to start a blog will be drastically different to the way in which anyone else decides to do it. Here, you’re going to want to make sure that everything you do suits you, and most importantly, suits your audience too. And to do that, you’re going to want to keep these thirteen things in mind.
1. Your Chosen Niche
To start with, you need to choose your niche. It’s essential for you to be thinking about what kind of things you want to write about or the topics you want to cover. Sometimes, this will be something very specific, but it’s also okay if you want to cover a broad topic or even a range of somewhat related subjects. Either way, you need to decide on this before you start.
2. The Name
When you’ve done that, you can then decide on the name you want to go with. Here, you’ll want it to be relevant and memorable. Think about a blog name that fits with your business or what you’re writing. And then take a look at the domain name’s available as this can help you to decide.
3. Choosing A Platform
Then, it’s time to work out exactly how you’re going to get set up. And the first decision is to pick the platform that you want to work on. Maybe it will be WordPress or Google, or will you use something completely different? Either way, this is your next move.
4. Finding A Design
The next step here is to think about the design you want to go with. To start with, it really doesn’t have to be anything complex or expensive. But, you will want to choose the right design for your blog or the image that you’re going for. Think about how you can really bring your blog and how you want it to look, with colors, fonts, and a logo too. And thankfully, there are lots of templates you can harness here.
5. Looking Professional
Now, you definitely want to make sure that you’re getting set up professionally. Your domain name will help you with this. But if you really do want to go one step further, you’ll want to get an email address that is connected to the domain too. This can be particularly important if you are looking to turn this into a business and you plan to email different businesses and professionals.
6. Doing Your Research
At this stage, you may find that you then want to start to do a lot more research into the basics of blogging or what you can do to find success. This can be anything from using blogging platforms, to SEO with the Google Bear case study, to using social media. It’s important to find your feet and become a bit more knowledgeable on the basics, in order to find your success.
7. Using The Right Resources
Next up, it’s time to make sure that you have all of the right resources to help you get up and running. Luckily, there are lots of different pieces of software that you can use on your blog. From SEO help and design tweaks to advertising options and even shop functions, these widgets or plugins can help you to take your blog to the next level.
8. Starting To Write
From here, you’re then just going to want to get to writing. Because it’s the next thing on the list. And yes, writing that first post or just getting started can seem really intimidating or formal. But it’s just so important for you to write something – your very first post – and then publish it. Because then, your blog is live!
9. Finding A Promotional Method
The next thing that you need to do here, is to think about how you’re going to promote your blog. Because pressing that publish button isn’t always enough – you then need people to find your blog and start to read it. This is where social media comes in. So whether you want to promote on Instagram or Facebook or Pinterest – or wherever, it’s time to get promoting!
10. Setting Goals
As with any kind of business, it’s important for you to have goals in place. Blogging is no different. So here, you should be thinking of the blogging goals that will allow you to find success, to support your business endeavours, or start a new business. Do you want to make sales or grow an audience? Make sure you note it all down.
11. Listening & Tracking
Now, you need to make sure that you’re able to meet those goals. And not only that, but that you’re on track or that you’re starting to get some kind of traction with the blog. The best way to do that is to start listening. Make sure that you’re turning to your blog data and seeing what kinds of posts are popular. Make a note of how your audience interacts on the site. Listen to what kind of feedback or comments you’re getting online, as this can then point you in the right direction of success.
12. Creating A Plan
It’s also important for you to think about the kind of content you’re going to produce over time too. And for this, it’s handy to pull together a blog editorial calendar that you can plan out, schedule, and then write. This not only helps you to stay organized, but it then allows you to plan in important pieces of timely and socially relevant content, and get ahead with production too.
13. Learning As You Go Along
Finally, you absolutely will learn as time goes by. Because as you start to get things underway and you’re going to find that you just start to pick up new ways of doing things, tips, and you’ll actively look to research too. So don’t sweat it if you don’t really know something today, because you will be surprised how far you can come in just a few weeks, months, or years!
In conclusion, at first it may seem as if it takes a lot of work for you to create a blog – but it’s not. Even if you’re not all that technical, or you worry that you’re not the most talented writer, or that people won’t be interested in what you have to say, they will. You just need to find your feet with getting set up, start the ball rolling, publish your first post, and see where things take you.
© New To HR