Do you have a passion or idea that you keep thinking about? Blogging can help you learn and grow your thought leadership and build a brand around your idea. You're learning and sharing a story about it when you're writing. You might have the following questions:
Can anyone start a blog?
When should you start a blog?
Why should you start a blog?
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A blog doesn't have to be one thing – the topics and discussions should be 100% you. You could have a great sense of style and passion for shoes. Or maybe you're obsessed with finding the perfect rosé? You have creative freedom and limitless possibilities on your website.
You might wonder what the difference between a blog and a website is. Great question! A website is a more static environment that doesn't update frequently. A blog is updated with articles regularly. You can call your new spot a blog or a website; they are semi-interchangeable at this point.
My favorite place to start a blog is BlueHost. As a brand new blogger, they can help you get things set up and answer questions. I can't say enough good things about their support, which is crucial as a new blogger.
First I'd like to bust a few myths about blogging:
- You don't have to know how to code to be a blogger. When you use a WordPress blog, the code is there, but it's built into your chosen theme.
- It doesn't cost a lot to get started. I have a special plan to share from BlueHost just for my blog-reading friends, including a free domain name. I like having the domain name and hosting all in one place.
- You can make boatloads of money on your blog right away. Sorry, that's a myth. It takes time to build your audience. You may make money eventually, but it takes time.
Can anyone start a blog?
Absolutely! Getting set up is much easier than you think.
You might like to read: How to Start a Blog
First, you need to decide what type of blog you'll have. Do you want to talk about your travels, planning budget meals, and ideas for kids' crafts? Think about a name that will encompass your idea. I chose PegFitzpatrick.com for my social media blog because I'm an author and speaker and wanted to use the search benefits of my name. My theory is that if people could only remember one thing about me, it would be my name. I wanted them to find my website and social media platforms, so I also use @PegFitzpatrick for all my social media.
You'll see the following when you search for Peg Fitzpatrick on Google. I did this search on an incognito search, and I'm not logged into Google.
It's up to you whether you use your name or if you have a concept for your blog; go with that. Just don't pick anything hard to spell or remember. If you have a story behind your blog title, it will flow well when you explain what your blog is about.
When should you start a blog?
Why wait? If you have an idea, grab the domain name and get started. If you wait, you might lose your idea, the URL, or momentum. Strike while the concept is fresh and you're excited about it.
You might need to get creative as we did with The Art of Social Media's website Artof.Social. A .com might not be available, but you might get a .social, .media, .blog, or another cool domain extension that could help expand your brand's personality if you choose wisely. I currently have a .media, .social, and .blog for different projects.
Why should you start a blog?
Vs. a YouTube channel or Instagram account? You will own and control your self-hosted blog. If you build your idea on YouTube, Instagram, or a Word Press free blog, you don't own everything you make.
It's scary to think about, but you could spend years building a massive following on Instagram, and it could shut down at any time. You'd lose all your followers and content. Oh, man!
That very thing happened to people who used Vine. Yikes!
When you start your blog with BlueHost, you pick your domain name and own all the content. Forever and ever. [well, as long as you pay your annual fees] No one else can use your website name.
Once you choose your blog name, you might want to grab the Instagram name to match in case you want to use it in the future.
After you've decided to start a blog {HOORAY}, you'll need to consider what content you want to post. Will you create articles? Share personal stories? Create recipes and take photos to show the step-by-step process.
Create an editorial calendar.
Having a plan will ensure that you'll create content for your blog. Try to publish something new while you're learning every other week, and then publish once a week on a schedule after that. It would be helpful to have two or three posts on your blog before launching it so you can work ahead and not have the pressure of coming up with ideas last minute.
Take a half hour and brainstorm ideas for blog topics and articles. Write everything down, and don't edit. You might want to have a theme for each month or pick four topics and write about them each month.
For example, you could have a June theme of weddings and post four articles:
- what to wear at weddings
- wedding makeup
- ten shoes to dance the night away
- how to Instagram your BFF's wedding
Or you could have four topics to rotate:
- products I love
- review of a favorite book
- a how-to article
- round-up article featuring ten items
Planning will help keep you on schedule, be organized, and stay on topic.
People will love you!
Once they get to know you.
You might wonder how you can let your personality shine on your blog. Another great question!
People will enjoy reading your blog and look forward to hearing from you based on what you're sharing. Finding your voice can be challenging and take time, but it's important to be who you are and use language that you would use all the time while still using proper grammar and spelling. Write like you're talking to a close friend.
When I meet people at conferences or on a call, they're always surprised and delighted that they already know who I am, and what I sound like, and they feel like they're already my friend. You don't want a disconnect from your blog to who you are in real life.
Telling stories about your life, how you've used products, and why you love to read, and not just stating facts will help make your blog unique and exciting.
Tools and resources for starting a blog:
Get your domain name and website hosting on BlueHost.
I use the Grammarly app to help proofread my articles after the first draft. They have an excellent free version.
Canva is great for creating blog and social media graphics. And it's free!
You can find free images on Unsplash and LibreStock. Or, of course, take your own.
I hope I've given you some confidence to jump into the blogging world and share your unique gifts with the world! I can't wait to see what you create.
