So you want to start a Blog? Awesome! Welcome to the other 152,000,000 bloggers in the world! Yes, I said over 100 Million Bloggers currently according to a study done in 2013 by Brandon Guile. Not only are there over 100 Million Blogs in the world, but one new blog is created every half second. Yes! Every half second! So technically, that number has changed I am sure significantly since then. So I'm sure this can be pretty intimidating. I know what you are thinking. Why is your blog important and why should you even bother starting one with such a plethora of bloggers available? I'll tell you why, because noone's blog will be like YOURS. You have a significant message that someone needs to hear. There is something that you and ONLY you can offer to readers....and that's the truth Ruth! =) Don't let the numbers intimidate you. Don't let yourself compare your experience to other bloggers who have been doing it for years. Why? Because at some point they were exactly where you are, starting a blog! So there are some incremental steps to start a successful blog and some imperative steps to take to increase your audience. I am going touch lightly on ways to get your blog out there, but we are going to focus more on the beginning steps for now. So here we go..........
1. Decide On Your Blog Platform/Hosting Site
- So deciding what Platform to use for your blog can be somewhat difficult. There are several options out there. Here are the top 5 : Wordpress (.org and .com), Blogger, Tumblr , Medium and Svbtle. These are just a small fraction of possible platforms you can use. Many are FREE. Here is a link that displays a clear layout of the best place for you to start your blog, The Best Place to Start A Blog : http://www.dearblogger.org/blogger-or-wordpress-better ---> I definitely recommend doing your research. Some sites are free, such as Blogger, while others you have to pay for the hosting, such as Wordpress. There are many things to consider but here is a list to start you off :
- Do you want to pay for your blogsite or would you like it to be free?
- Do you want to be able to use your own unique website name or have their url name link behind it. I.E ( www.chloemgooden.com vs. www.chloemgooden.blogspot.com).
- Who is your audience? Where does your target audience go to to read blogs?
- Do you want a simple layout or a more dynamic, distinctive layout?
2. Decide What You Will Name Your Blog
- First , SEARCH YOUR POSSIBLE BLOG NAME. This is SUPER important. You want to make sure no one else has your name or something similar to it. You don't want your work to be confused with others. You want to ensure to have a name that represents your topic and/or community that you are trying to reach. You also want to ensure it's creative, but don't make your name so creative that it's hard for your readers to know what your blog stands for or the topics it's centered around. Sometimes it's good to keep it simple. For instance, I knew when I started blogging for my ministry that I was going to discuss issues on faith as well as relationships. I also knew that I wanted my blog to be easily attached to my other platforms such as my books on Amazon , my Website and YouTube channel. So I decided to simply place the blog under my name. That worked beautifully for me. Now when someone Googles my name not only do my books come up but also my blogs and other work. I decided to name everything under this so everything is connected and it has worked out great! Think of this when it comes to your blog as well. Here are some questions to consider:
- Will you be focusing on one topic throughout the entire blog?
- Do you want your blog to represent a future organization or future group?
- Are you planning to become and author, speaker or prominent figure in the future and want your blog to include multiple topics and/or future works?
3. Decide How Frequent You Will Write
- When you start your blog, and start attracting readers, you need to decide how frequent you will write. Whatever amount of times you decide to write is your decision, but ensure to be consistent. Your readers will want to know when to look for a new post from you and they expect it at the time given. Whether it's once a month, or twice a week, just decide what's best for your readers as well as best for you. Don't promise to post at a frequent pace if you know you do not have the time. Also, remember to consider what your goal is for later with your writings. You don't want to write too much that you run out of content for future works.
4. Decide Where You Want To Market Your Blog
- Okay, so you have started your blog and have figured out the name, where you want to host it, as well as how frequent you will write. Awesome! Now how exactly are you going to get your Blog out there to readers? As I said in the beginning, I will go more in detail in future blogs on how to promote your blog and build your audience, but here are some questions to consider:
- Who is your audience?
- Where is your audience?
- Do you want to use Social Media to build your audience?
(THIS SHOULD BE A RESOUNDING YES!)
- Are you willing to sacrifice financial resources to promote your blog?
- Have you thought about possible partners you could work with who are speaking on the same topic to attain followers?
5. Decide What Social Media Platform Is Best For You
- After you consider the questions from #4 , then decide where is the best place for you. Click on this link and it will inform you on the demographics of Social Media Sites. It is important to take a look at this so you know the best place to market your blog! Site: Demographics of Key Social Media Network Platforms http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/demographics-of-key-social-networking-platforms-2/ . If you want to ensure you don't waste time promoting your blog, it is important to do your research and know where they are! Also, in research it shows that people generally read blogs in the morning! If you want to learn more about the times people read blogs as well how frequently they comment and read, click here : How Many Blogs Are On The Internet http://www.wpvirtuoso.com/how-many-blogs-are-on-the-internet/
Okay, so I know that was a lot information to take in! But that's what it takes anytime you are embarking on a new endeavor! It takes work! But most of all, you will enjoy it! It's fun to get your message to the world, especially when you see you are making a difference!
If you want anymore help in blogging, writing and/or promoting, don't hesitate to join Chloe's Class! This is a private group of fellow bloggers, speakers, writers and future non-profit owners! But we are open to so much more! It has been a successful group of people helping and encouraging others to reach their goals! If you would like to join, simply click the link here and I will approve it! You can also, follow the Youtube Channel and Blog! Click Here : http://www.chloemgooden.com/chloesclass
Happy Blogging!
Chloe M. Gooden
Websites Use:
Best Blogging Platforms: http://www.creativebloq.com/web-design/best-blogging-platforms-121413634
How Many Blogs Are On The Internet: http://www.wpvirtuoso.com/how-many-blogs-are-on-the-internet/
Best Places to Start A Blog: http://www.dearblogger.org/blogger-or-wordpress-better
Demographics of Key Social Networking Platforms: http://www.pewinternet.org/2015/01/09/demographics-of-key-social-networking-platforms-2/
Photo via Flickr Creative Commons
by Christian Schnettelker taken on April 28th, 2014
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/
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