As a blogger, I can
personally tell you how blogging is a very rewarding experience. I have the
chances to educate, entertain, and inspire other people with the potential
words I write here. I have also received a ton of support from people reading
my blog posts, which constantly reminds me that I am not the only person who is
experiencing the highs and lows of life. About six months after launching my blog
in 2018, I was offered to start receiving money for my posts. It wasn't a lot of money, but it comforted me
to know that in a few years, if I stayed consistent, I could potentially
generate another stream of income for myself. Blogging is a way to potentially
become your own boss. While starting a blog can be very daunting at times, I
want to share with you all simple, easy guide in how to start a blog, so you
don’t have to go through the same process I had to endure. You can start
running yours smoothly, from the beginning with the steps below.
- Choose a
blogging platform
Preferably a platform
that has easy-to-use templates. I would recommend WIX, Blogger, or WordPress to
start. Below, I’ve listed the pros and cons from each platform that I have personally
experienced to guide you into picking a site that fits all your needs.
I. WordPress:
a.
Pros:
§ It's the biggest blogging platform.
§ You can grow your blog more with its features such as online stores,
forums, paid memberships, etc.
§ There are thousands of free templates to choose from.
b.
Cons:
§ You must secure and back up your content on your own.
§ The software is free, but to have a domain name costs about $15 a year
and hosting your site will cost around $8 a month.
II. Blogger:
a.
Pros:
§ It's super easy to create a post - all you need is a Google account!
§ It's completely free with no hidden fees.
§ It is secure through Google.
b.
Cons:
§ The platform does not get regularly updated, making it difficult for
advanced blog users.
§ You can get your blog suspended for violating community guidelines.
§ You need to know a little bit about coding.
Don’t be too
alarmed! Coding isn’t as scary as people make it seem. It's just like filling
in the blank. 8/10 you already have the answer to the blank by right-clicking
and copying and pasting into the template. If you choose Blogger there are a
ton of easy-to-read guides and videos online that you can use. Coding is
essential if you want your blog to be unique.
§ The templates can be basic, which forces the blogger to kind of use learn
some coding or third-party apps that you can use such as Canva to make your
blog unique for free.
III.
WIX:
a.
Pros:
§ You can use third-party apps to create your templates (Canva, Etsy, Adobe).
§ You don't need to know code to customize your blog as they have easy
drag and drop features.
§ The set up is super simple and easy.
b.
Cons:
§ The free features are very limited and, without a membership, it’ll
cost you to do pretty much anything on the site (pricing can range from $5 -
$25 a month). You can make it work though, but your blog might come out a
little average as a result.
§ You cannot change your template once you've picked or uploaded it onto
the site.
I chose Blogger
because, above all else, Google hosts Blogger as a platform. I can easily
connect YouTube videos and my Google Drive content over to Blogger in a matter
of seconds. Lastly, I can change my theme whenever and however I want without
having to restart everything from scratch.
- Choosing a
blog name and niche
Take time to write
and think about what the foundation of your blog will be. What do you want to
blog about? Theoretically speaking, there isn’t a limit as to what your niche
should be. On my blog, I talk about things related to myself and share my
experiences with my target audience. Technically speaking, my blog would be
categorized as a lifestyle blog. Some examples of blog niches are sports, food,
fashion, movie reviews, school life, etc. If you are having a difficult time
picking a niche, then potentially make your blog a lifestyle blog for the first
full year. Lifestyle blogs are so broad you can just about blog anything
without losing viewers. After a year (or six months, if you're feeling a little
antsy) review your blog posts to look at what had the most engagement, so you
can generate a niche from there. High engagement equates to profits,
collaborations, and exposure.
If you don't want a
lifestyle blog and want to blog about a specific theme, take some time to write
down ten interests that you have. Next, after that, narrow down your interest
and pick which of those few spark your gears. Think long-term and choose a
niche that is going to be relevant ten years from now.
When I originally
first started my blog, it was one dedicated to fashion. Back then I was into
fast fashion before I really knew what fast fashion entirely was. As a result,
my posts were very much stuck in 2018. Even though my earlier posts did get a
lot of engagement, I came to learn that the engagement numbers have stayed at
the same number since 2018. It took some time to narrowed down my target
audience, but once I started started posting relatable content, my engagement
numbers started to rise again on my newer posts. Now, the posts continue to
constantly climb – making what I write timeless.
- Target
audience
Having a target
audience goes hand and hand with having a niche, once you discover it. Who do
you want to read your content? A great tool to utilize is Google Trends. Google Trends is the same as
Twitter Trends, essentially, but it shows you how many people have Googled
certain topics and what's trending in the week, month, or year. By utilizing
Google Trends, your posts will be relevant and can get a ton of views. An example
of this is that February is Black History Month. On my blog, I'm talking about
all things related to supporting black brands and amplifying black voices.
February is also a great month to make sports related posts about the NFL and
NCAA basketball with the Super Bowl currently going on and NCAA tournaments
looming.
- Name your
blog
Now that you have a
target audience and a niche, it is the perfect time to name your blog. When
picking a blog name, I would suggest picking a name that is professional, but
that also reflects your personality. Once you have a blog name, you then will
have a domain name (aka a URL). Don't overthink this part. Most of the time, your
domain name is automatically included when you create your blog. Three best,
main ways to name your blog is by naming it after your business, using your
name, or being creative and creating a name that fits along with your niche and
theme.
- Writing and Editing
At this point, you
essentially have everything that you need to start a basic blog. Take some time
to review the previous steps and go over things with a supportive group of
people. Once that is done, you're ready to start writing! My best advice when
it comes to writing posts or creating content is to just type away and worry
about the editing last. My best content comes from when I just type for myself
(or film everything) until my heart's content. When writing, I usually write as
if I am talking to a person by using my inner voice. I try to stay true to my authentic
self because my blog is very casual. If your blog isn't, type in a tone that
resonates with your audience.
Writing can also
takes hours and should never be rushed. Typically, I set aside about eight hours
to make my rough draft blog posts. It seems like a lot of time, but when you
take your time writing and reviewing then editing your posts will become a
breeze. When writing posts, be sure to have at least an intro, body, and
conclusion. Make sure you are writing your rough draft in Google Docs or a Word
document. Once everything is typed out, edit your post inside the blog
platform. This is very essential when it comes to adding links and photos. Some
blog platforms have a thing called “metadata” which is a thing Google Docs
specifically made for your blog platform. When editing on your blog platform,
use keywords from utilizing Google Trends, add links, and add alt texts to your
photos. Tips on how to do that are listed below.
I.
Photos:
When adding photos, make sure the photos are clear as
possible especially if they are stock photos (photos from the internet). When
uploading personal photos, your photos should also be in the highest resolution
possible. You cannot add Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter photos via screenshot
to blog posts, in my opinion. The resolution is always too low and it makes
your posts just look tacky. If you want to include photos from Instagram (or
any other social media platform), a great way is to use a code (dun dun DUNN).
A very basic way to add Instagram photos to your blog by
using code is to copy the EMBED link from the Instagram photo. To do this, do
the following below.
open Instagram ----> find the post you want to add to your blog
----> click on the three dots on the photo then copy the embed code ---->
go back to your post on the blog platform ----> view in the HTML or click ‘insert
code’ (depending on your platform) ----> you're going to see this <>
----> paste in between the <> with the embed code ----> press ‘enter’.
The code should be
long, but, once you preview your post, the photo should pop up without a
problem. When viewing in HTML mode, you will see your post in code. Don't freak
out! Before adding your post include a safe word or phrase to look for and
paste your code there. I use ‘LOUISVILLEISGREAT’ as my lookout word.
Here is an example of an embedded Facebook post using the steps above.
II.
Links:
Highlight the text that you want to be clicked on as a link or insert ‘add
new link’ ----> copy and paste your link into the text box that the site
provides.
III.
Alt-Text:
Alt-Text is originally used to describe your images to
people who are visually impaired. Alt-Text is also used in place of an image if
it cannot be loaded on a user's device. Lastly, Alt-Text creates a better
experience for your target audience because search engines have just recently
incorporated these. Meaning that you can get a head start on your blog being
ranked higher and found quicker than others by just simply using Alt-Text.
To add alt text to photos click on your photo ---->
format/edit image ----> add alt text.
When adding the text,
use trendy words and hashtags that can be easily Googled.
When it comes to
finalizing your post, my best advice is to have someone peer review them. If
you don't know anyone that can do this, you can always use Reddit or Grammarly
to look at what you’ve written. Make sure you read your posts a couple of times
before publishing.
- Layout and
Design
This is the very
last step in regards to your actual blog software. I made this step last
because without content - you have no blog. The simplest and easiest way to
design your blog is to use a premade template and fill in the blanks. Tips on
designing your own layout for your blog are listed below.
I.
Design your homepage on a piece of
paper. Include the font, colors, aesthetic, etc. This is optional, of course,
but extremely helpful when you choose a template or create your homepage on a third-party
app. Be sure to think about ways for your audience to navigate your blog. How
do you want your blog to look? I suggest getting inspiration from popular
blogs. A typical blog should include...
- Homepage
I don't recommend
anything too flashy (like MySpace) unless that's the aesthetic you're wanting
to go for. If you add something flashy, add in other elements to balance out
everything like a neutral background and space.
- ‘About
Me’ page
This is the core of
your blog. It's personal content where you share who you are, your purpose,
vision, and overall motivations. You are bragging about yourself in this
section. ‘About Me’ should be kept short and to the point along with a cute
photo.
- Header
and Footer
This is where you
share your social media icons. You want your readers to stay connected with you
and your journey. On my blog, my Header includes basic social media icons. When
you click on each icon on my Header, it navigates you away from the blog to its
retrospective site. The Header should also have a search bar for readers to
search for topics and posts if they are looking for something specific that
you’ve written about in the past. Lastly, your Header should include a dropdown
menu of your blog pages. This helps keep a lot of clutter off your Homepage.
The Hooter should be like the Header and conclude your blog.
- Title
If you use a
premade template, you can just type in the title of your blog when it prompts
you to. However, I find that to be boring at times and would advise you to try coding
for your title. If you have a boring title, it will not catch your reader's
attention. Creating your title is easy to do and it allows you to show off your
personality. I created my title through Canva. I wanted a vogue and cursive script
font, so I downloaded the fonts from a free font generator into Canva and created my
title in a matter of five minutes. If you do decide to create your title, you
have to code it into your blog. To do that is simple.
into your template
where it says Title or Title Page (it may be located in the header) ---->
blog title ---> insert an image.
Depending on the
platform that you use, you can either drag and drop your image or upload the
image as a .PNG file. MAKE SURE THE BACKGROUND OF YOUR TITLE IS TRANSPARENT.
- Logos
This is essential
when it comes to marketing and branding your blog. You can create easy logos in
Canva or by watching a couple of YouTube videos and knock out a logo in Photoshop.
My blog has two logos. One of the logos is exclusive to my blog and the other
is a universal logo that I add to any promotional item concerning my actual
brand (like what I add to flyers and social media posts). The blog logo should
be kept simple while the promotional logo should be professional and embody you
and your overall brand.
- Pages
Your Pages are
where your actual post should reside. My Pages are in the form of a dropdown
menu, in the Header, and an Archive section in the Footer. You can choose wherever
you want your Pages at. On most blog platforms, Pages are automatically
included in the template.
- Contacting
This page should be
kept simple. It is where you add your email for people to reach out to you. I’d
suggest making an email exclusive to your blog, so your information remains
safe and protected, but also to keep your blogging life (and the opportunities
brought to you from it) separate from whatever is going on in your personal
life. This is an area where people can fill out a Contact form to send messages
directly to you.
- Popular
Posts
This helps by
keeping your visitors engaged with your blog and it is also a strategic way
into getting more views on your most popular posts. There is usually (in my
experience) a widget that automatically generates what your most popular post
is.
- Social media
section (‘Follow Me’)
This part is
optional especially if you already have your social media information linked in
your Header or Footer. I think that adding an Instagram section to your blog is
super trendy and catches the viewer's attention immediately. To add a social
media section where viewers can get to your social media on your own accounts, you
need to code it by adding a widget in the template that you chose.
layout ----> add
widget (or gadget) ----> HTML (or Javascript) ----> Google: “Instagram
(or any social media) blog widget”. ( This link works just fine)
Create a free
account and fill in the blanks ----> Choose the free widget that you like
and follow the prompts ----> Once you select the widget click on “get
widget” or “copy to clipboard”. This is
where you are going to get the code for the widget.
Go back into your
template and paste the link into the HTML/Javascript text box.
- Editorial
Agenda
We are landing the
plane here, in this section. If you made it this far into my post - kudos to
you! A great way to stay consistent with posting content, in general, is to
make a posting schedule and realistic goals regarding to publishing your posts.
Creating a schedule is very effective in holding yourself accountable as an
author. Your audience is going to want new content and you must deliver. A
great way to make a schedule for your post is to either use an online calendar
through Google Sheets or Google Calendar. You can also buy a planner
and dedicate days in which you want your post to be finished. Starting off, I'd
recommend posting once or twice a month. Adjust your posting schedule
accordingly once you get into your groove of editing and brainstorming topics.
How often you post depends on you and your personal schedule. There are going
to be days, weeks, or even years in (my case) where you won’t feel like posting
and that's completely okay. Your blog shouldn’t stress you out! It should be a
creative therapeutic outlet for YOU. If you intend to solely make money and
gain a ton of followers quickly, I fear that blogging would feel more like a
second job to you rather than a hobby. Make the decision for yourself in
exactly what you want.
- Promo
This is the fun part.
Promoting your blog is basically where you get to share your hard work with
your audience. How I promote my blog is by using social media. Social media is
the mecca for posting your content because it draws attention to your blog. You
can create promotional posts through Photoshop, Adobe, Canva, or by just
creating posts on your own social media platform. Some ways to promote your
content is through collaboration. Collaborating isn't as difficult as people
make it seem. It can be just as easy as asking a friend to post your link in
their bio in exchange for a task. Another way to some promoting of your blog is
by using paid ads. Paid ads are a tool that social media platforms often use.
You pay a few bucks to boost your post with a promotion to reach out to more
people that might be interested in your content.
I hope that this post was able to equip you
guys with the proper tools and resources to start your own blog! Feel free to
save this post as a guide if you ever decide to create one or if you might be
interested in creating a blog in the future… The best thing about blogging is
that it can be done at any time. If you don’t feel comfortable or able to do it
now, you might be able to take the leap someday in the future! At the end of
the day, the blogging site of your dreams is waiting for you when you are fully
ready it for it. No pressure! Of course, please don't hesitate to leave
comments down below for suggestions of posts that you guys would like to see in
the future.
