Bloggers blog for different reasons. I started blogging in 2003 because I want to have a creative outlet. I was an accountant back then and I felt like I've been dealing with too much numbers. There are so many thoughts bottled up inside my mind. I created an account with Tabulas, a free journal hosting website. Most of my articles were personal stuff.
You probably want to blog because you see your blogger friends sharing photos from events they attended and the products they receive from brands. I hate to burst your bubble but blogging is not all about parties and freebies. When I decided to take blogging seriously in 2013, I was never invited nor received any products from brands. I am a nobody. I would only get 5-10 visitors in my blog a day.
So you really want to be a blogger? Here are some things you need to know.
Plan ahead
Determine your niche.- What do you want to write about?
- Who are your target readers?
My blog articles were all about food and travel during the first few months. These are expensive niches especially for a newbie because no one will sponsor you yet. There are also thousands of established travel and food bloggers already. How will you make your blog standout? Do you have something new to offer the readers? My Snapped and Scribbled has eventually evolved into a lifestyle blog.
I created a new blog last April, Forty and Beyond. I turned 40 and thought of writing articles for people like me who are in their 40s and are much more conscious about their beauty, health, fitness and wellness. I'm no health buff but I try my best to have a healthy lifestyle.
Determine your branding.
- What is the name of your blog?
- What is the design of your logo?
- What is the color scheme of your website?
- What font will you use?
- Tagline? Hashtag?
Choose a web host
You don't need to spend yet on web hosting. WordPress, Blogger, and WIX are some of the sites offering free hosting. I've been using Blogger. I tried WordPress but I just can't figure it out. I am more comfortable with Blogger.
These web hosts also offer free templates. You can also customize the templates or use a different templates.
I get free templates from https://gooyaabitemplates.com/ , http://www.soratemplates.com/ , and https://btemplates.com/
Buy a domain
The free web host will provide you with a free domain (.blogspot.com; .wordpress.com) but if you want a more professional blog, I suggest you buy a domain. You don't want to waste money so make sure you have already decided on your blog's name. I buy my domains at GoDaddy. Your only problem is if the domain name you want is already taken.
Create social media accounts
The best way to share your article is through your social media accounts. Make sure that they are easily identifiable with your blog.
My facebook page is www.facebook.com/snappedandscribbled, my instagram account is www.instagram.com/snappedandscribbled and my twitter account is www.twitter.com/snapscribbled
Start writing!
Whether you are a newbie or have been blogging for years, it is very important to have a list of the topics you want to write and have a regular schedule for your blog posts. Your readers should have something new to read every time they visit your blog.
My blog is now on it's 4th year and has reached 600k visitors. I don't rely too much on social media as source of traffic since I don't have thousands of followers yet. But I'm happy that I average 35k visitors every month.