Today we are mixing things up and talking to the newbies out there about one of our most FAQ: how to start a blog! I’m excited to share this information because I get this question all the time and everyone makes it seem so difficult but it couldn’t be easier!
Of course this isn’t for everyone. Recently, we’ve been talking a lot about pitching, which is for our slightly more experienced bloggers, so we are taking a step back, and putting this information together for everyone who is ready to start their own blog and dream business!
There are a lot of resources out there and I want this to be a simple guide on how to begin the process of starting a blog.
I started my blog, The Skinny Arm, wayyy back in 2013 and I had to do a lot by trial and error and piecing information together. I wanted to start a blog for a long time, and everyone told me to go for it and do it! They thought I was doing cool things and should share them on the internet!
I came up with excuse after excuse of why I couldn’t do it. Finally, the guy I was dating in 2013 (spoiler alert: we didn’t end up together! Ha!) sent me a link and HE had started a blog…just to show me that it could be done! Well, that was the nudge I needed, and I stayed up all night getting The Skinny Arm off the ground!
I was pulling all-nighters for WEEKS trying to learn html, coding, photoshop, all of the different tools that I *thought* I needed to be successful. My first edition blog was terrible, but I stuck with it! Slowly I started investing in myself and in my business, and it paid off!
Nowadays, though, I would do things a little differently! Luckily, there are so many tools to make blogging easier than ever before.
There are only a few things to think about before hitting publish and launching your dream business:
1. What’s your blog idea?
There are so many to choose from, but I recommend that you select one niche and stick to it. If you have trouble narrowing things down, consider 1-3 topics and cover them all consistently.
2. What channels do you want to focus on?
Do you like writing, photography, videography? What type of content will you be able to produce consistently?
Start with one or two channels then you can add more later if you want; don’t spread yourself too thin when you start!
3. How are you going to show up and how will you serve people?
What does your audience want from you and how are you going to serve it to them? Use a content calendar to organize all of your content and your posting scheduling. You can see at a glance what topics you’re covering and when you need to produce your content so you have time for editing before publishing.
So. You have your topic idea, know what platforms you want to post on, and have some content mapped out…now what?
FINAL BIG STEP: BUY YOUR URL!
It sounds tough, but it’s so much easier than it used to be. I highly recommend using Bluehost in partnership with Wordpress. They integrate together beautifully and make it so simple to get started. I’ve purchased a few URLs over the years and Bluehost is by far the best I’ve used.
You can do this! Slide into my DMs @thebloggerbrunch and let me know if this was helpful!
Direct link for Bluehost/Wordpress Integration: https://www.bluehost.com/track/thebloggerbrunch/
If you’re starting a newsletter or email list, FloDesk is the best and I have a 50% discount for you! https://flodesk.com/c/THEBLOGGERBRUNCH
Ready for the next step: take our five day free e-course: Blog to Biz! https://bit.ly/3pm6A5d
