There are many people out there who make a decent living through blogging. You have probably come across a few and thought you could do it as well. This thought is not farfetched.
For a long time, blogs like Writer for My Paper have been doing it, while giving information to interested individuals on how to create their own blogs.
Whether it is for work, education, or you simply have a passion you want to share, it does not matter what reason you have to start a blog. While creating one is a wonderful idea that you should pursue, knowing where to start can be a bit tricky.
Pick a Niche you are Passionate About
Many newbie bloggers experience difficulties and frustrations right from the beginning, and even later because they did not make the right choice of niche. After you identify a promising niche, ensure you are passionate about the topics therein.
Choosing the wrong niche can lead to monotony and boredom in the content you post for your readers and for you as well.
Also, consider whether you want to turn a profit in the future or you are in it for a specific cause. In either case, consider the following:
- Pros and cons of using affiliate programs
- Availability of good keywords and phrases. Use a keyword finder tool to find out the popularity of a keyword
- The audience or traffic your chosen niche can attract
Be Smart About an Effective Domain
Picking a domain name is not a tough task. Others prefer the name to be in line with the chosen niche, while others prefer a personal touch, such as their names or a location. Whichever the choice, make sure it sells the brand. Here are a few pointers:
- Using your main keyword in your doing not only helps the reader with the relevancy, but it also helps in SEO.
- Simplicity at this stage is important. Making it too long makes it hard to not only remember, but to pronounce as well.
- It is advisable to use a TLD extension such as “.com”. This is because it is common globally and easy to memorize.
- Avoid using numbers since they add unnecessary complexities.
Pick a Platform and Theme for Your Blog
If you have some background in creating blog themes or have experience with self-hosted blog management tools, you have an advantage. This is because you can customize your blog in any way you want and not have copyright names of the theme’s creators on your blog.
However, do not despair if you are a layman in this area. There are thousands of pre-designed themes for different niches available on platforms such as WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, and Ghost, among others. Some are freely available for download, but most of the pre-designed themes will cost you a small fee.
Purchase a Reliable Web Hosting Service
Finally, do some research and find a suitable web hosting service for your blog. Your domain name will remain permanent, but it will not see the light of day without hosting. This is the service that powers your blog. When someone visits your blog’s address after hosting, it comes to his/her browser. Without it, your blog is just some information on your computer for only you to see.
Fortunately, for a newbie blogger, companies offering hosting services have reasonable pricing. They also have a wide range of packages for you to choose from, depending on your budget, storage space, or speed. Some examples include Bluehost, Siteground, and DreamHost.
Start Writing Your First Blog
The most important thing about a blog is strong content. You do not read a blog because it opens fast and the theme is pretty. This may help but ultimately, what keeps readers captivated is the content. After choosing a niche that answers questions like what value you can add to the topic and why others should listen to you, you are ready to start writing.
Here are a few tips on making a compelling and captivating blog post:
- Write an enticing headline that will make readers want to see more – see what other successful blog posts in your niche use. Do the headlines start with numbers like “15 worst movies” or do they include parentheses?
- Include a keyword – to make your blog more SEO friendly, incorporate your keyword in the headline. This helps with the organic Google search result.
After this, ensure that you provide your audience with undeniable and relevant content presented in a palatable way.
This is because you want to add value to it without being dull in your presentation. Make it easy to the eye with matching content quality. Do not welcome any stinginess at this point because this is your first impression to your audience.
Make it your mission to relentlessly post informative and attractive posts for your new audience. Keep them enticed and, most importantly, keep them wanting more. Respond to queries, comments, and even criticism without fail to create your own community as you make your way to being a successful blogger.
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