Do you love to write?
Is there something you want to share with the world?
Do you dream of having the opportunity to make an income from home?
If you answered yes to any of these you might consider starting a blog!
When I first started this blog back in 2019 I knew that I wanted to blog with the intent to turn it into a business but I wasn’t sure how. As I’ve been learning over the course of the last 10 months there are a few things I wish I would have done at the beginning.
With the mindset of “you don’t know what you don’t know” I try not to beat myself up about it. I love the process of blogging and think that part of the fun is figuring it out along the way!
So in the blog post, I want to talk about the steps I would take today if I were to get started on my blog knowing what I know now. If you are wondering where to start hopefully this helps!
Let this be your beginner’s guide for how to start a blog. Here are the first 5 steps to do when you are deciding to start a blog.
1. Figure out what you want to talk about
Sometimes we think we know what we want to write about but we never really give the writing part a try. Maybe you see yourself as a mommy blogger. Or maybe fitness is your interest. Before you do ANYTHING with a blog, I suggest you spend the time really figuring out what your content will be focused on.
- What comes naturally to you to talk about?
- What are you passionate about?
- What makes you excited?
- What about your life is “easy” to share and fuels your fire?
If it’s a broad topic like parenting, think about what you do that makes you different.
Do you want to write about parenting but you also have a kiddo with a special need? Specifying that niche will help you stand out!
Do you enjoy DIY’s but are obsessed with your dog? Consider doing dog-related DIY products!
I fully believe that you can have more than one topic on your blog (I have a few!) but keeping the MAIN topic focused within majority of your posts will be important. And when possible, even in “off-topic” posts, bring your content back to the main niche.
2. Write 3-5 BLOG posts
Once you have decided on your focus try coming up with 3-5 posts and WRITE THEM.
Yup, write 3-5 FULL blog posts.
Find your keywords (long or short) that go with the blog topic and start writing.
This is something I wish I did because as I started publicly sharing my posts, my voice started to change. It took me easily 10 posts before I felt comfortable in the tone of my posts and the direction of how I want to write my content.
Had I spent more time writing posts before launching I would have figured this out sooner.
If you are wanting to start a blog TODAY, don’t get discouraged by this step. If you are wanting to start today use this step as a springboard for your blog.
Think of it this way…
Once your blog is set up, you will have 3 to 5 written and edited blog posts to add and schedule. Give yourself this springboard. Schedule them to post a few days apart and when they are scheduled … KEEP WRITING.
HELPFUL TIP: Write your blog posts in something like Google Docs. This will do a few things for you. First, it will save your work automatically. Second, it allows for easy access from any device. Third, it gives you a solid backup of any post your write JUST INCASE something goes wrong on your site.
3. Pick your platform, URL, & domain
Now that you have picked your focus (niche) and have awesome content written, it’s time to pick the platform you want to use, buy your domain, and get building your site!
This was the fun part for me. I love doing the creative things and part of why my journey started backwards was because I spent all this time on the website design itself and not writing content.
Just an FYI – your site WILL NOT GROW if you just change the layout, font, and colors over and over to make it “perfect”. You MUST ADD CONTENT. (sarcasm but also reality here)
I totally thought that the traffic wasn’t coming because my colors or design was wrong.
Nope.
It was because my content was lacking. I wasn’t sharing enough.
If you have a blog, you must continually create content. Period.
For those ready to pick their URL, to start you must pick a platform. There are so many to choose from.
- WordPress
- Squarespace
- Blogger
- Wix
These are just a few of the options out there.
My blog, the one you are reading right now, is on Squarespace and I LOVE it. It was super easy to put together, they have great customer service, and honestly it’s been a breeze to use.
Many bloggers use WordPress, which I have tried in the past and have considered switching to, but Squarespace works for now.
I am not a professional in this area of website or blogging platforms so I ca’t speak to the costs associated. I know for me I pay a monthly fee and a yearly domain fee. But this is likely different with the other platforms.
Be sure to do your research and find what works for you!
TIP: If you plan to grow your business online to make income, you will definitely want Squarespace or WordPress as they partner with ad networks better (some other platforms don’t at all) and have more features.
4. Connect with Google Analytics
This is something I did late in the game. Google Analytics is a beautiful tool for your website that allows you to see how your blog is doing.
Once you have Google Analytics set up you can track your traffic sources, most popular pages, number of pageviews and TONS more.
Even more importantly, if you want to grow your blog income and partner with an ad network MOST will require you to be set up with google analytics to confirm your qualifying status.
5. Share your blog
Believe it or not, people will not come to your blog on their own. Sure someone might accidentally land on it but you MUST be comfortable sharing your blog posts on some social media platforms.
Pinterest is a comforting place to start and can bring in a lot of traffic.
If you have a Facebook page (personal or business), this is also a great place to share (although it will not bring in ongoing pageviews for one post…most likely).
Remember that having a blog is also about having a community.
Find the platform that you feel comfortable to build a community on and share your posts there.
If you don’t tell people about your blog then no one will read it.
Once you are live and have posts on your site, it’s time to get it out there!
And to help get you started, drop your blog link in the comments! I’d love to check it out.
Are you interested in starting a blog? What step are you on? Share a little about yourself below and let’s build this community!
More from Realistic Plant-Based Mama:
Why To Chose Blogging Over Coaching