10 Things You Should Know Before Starting a Blog

Blogging is something that anyone can start on their own as a side hobby or even eventually turn into a business down the road. Nowadays, blogging is a great marketing tool and you can make a decent living from it. However, while it may seem like an easy and effortless job; it actually takes a lot of work, time and patience in order to be successful. 

How to Start a Blog?

If you want to create your own blog but have no idea where to start; here are 10 things you should know to get you started on the right path:

Things You Should Know Before Starting a Blog

1) Blogging Takes Effort

We can’t stress this enough – if you’re thinking blogging is easy, reality check, it’s not. Nothing can be successful if you don’t put time and effort towards it. Sit down and figure out the basics. Ask yourself; why are you blogging in the first place? What is your niche? What are your goals? These are the questions you want to figure out first before starting your blog.

If you’re just starting out, don’t expect hundreds of readers on your page; this obviously takes time to build an audience. Remember patience is a virtue.

2) SEO is Magic

SEO is a very effective way to drive traffic to your site and it’s free. SEO can get complicated, but you can easily learn the basics which can help you out a lot in the long run. If you really don’t understand it, you can hire an SEO professional or a digital marketing agency, and trust me, it’s an excellent investment.

3) Content is Everything

So did you figure out what your main focus is? If so, make sure you post valuable and relatable content. You always want to be consistent and focus on the quality of your content. When you do these things, this allows your audience to easily engage with your posts and possibly gain more followers.

4) Social Media is Your Friend

You have a blog, great, but do you also have social media? Social media is an amazing tool to market you and your blog. Find at least two or three social media platforms that suit your brand and use them as an advantage to advertise your blog posts. This will not only bring in more traffic to your posts but it will also allow you to gain more of an audience outside of your blog.

5) Always be Authentic

Always be YOU; believe it or not, people can easily see right through you. If you’re someone who’s authentic, it’s easier for others to relate to you and want to trust you. And if you have that, you’ll be very successful in the end.

6) Be Confident and Don’t Be Afraid to Open Up

Blogging is a vulnerable thing; anything you decide to publish, someone is going to be reading it. Any ideas or personal opinions could receive a negative or positive response; but that’s something you have to accept. If you want to start a blog you have to be ready to open up to the world; the more honest and real you are, the more people will appreciate you and want to follow your journey.

7) Don’t Get Frustrated Easily

Like previously stated, patience is virtue. You’re not going to build a following overnight, obviously that takes time and patience. If you keep up with great content and consistency, sure enough you will be as successful as those you look up to. 

8) Invest in a Great Camera

Writing great content is one thing; but having quality photos is another. Most of us are very visual people, and we would rather look at pictures versus reading a 2 page novel. When you write a post, make sure you are breaking it up with at least 2-4 high quality photos. If necessary, use stock images that are relatable to your content.

9) Good Design is a Must

Find the best blog design template that fits you and your brand. Make sure that it’s easy to navigate and is clean and presentable. You only get one chance when someone clicks on your page; first impressions are everything. 

Make sure your site is also mobile-friendly.

10) Be Unique and Have Fun

Most importantly, be the unique person that you are! While there are millions of blogs out there, there is only one you; figure out your niche and find out what you’re most passionate about. If you’re passionate about what you write, you can easily find out how to stand out from the rest of the crowd!