A blog is an informational website similar to a journal containing discrete posts on various topics. The subjects could range from philosophy, religion, and arts to sports and politics. They could also comprise digital images and links apart from the text. There are different types of blogs differing in content that is delivered.
- Personal: It is an online diary written by an individual. There are usually fewer readers for this category.
- Collaborative: A weblog where the posts are written and published by multiple authors.
- Microblogging: It is the idea of posting small pieces of digital content. Common examples are Twitter, Instagram, etc.
- Corporate or Organizational: A blog used for non-profit organizations or government purposes or business purposes.
Starting a blog is simple and affordable. The right tools and tips are necessary to start a successful blog. There are simple ways to set up an effective blog.
1. Unleash the Ideas Within
The blog one wishes to create, necessarily may not have out-of-the-box ideas. Instead, the experiences and opinions should be unique. It should focus on something specific. While picking a topic, it should be kept in mind that you enjoy learning about the topic and whether the readers would be interested in the topic. For example, if you are interested in gardening, it is wise to start a blog to share your knowledge about gardening or tips and tricks about gardening. It might be helpful to a mass of people.
2. Make Money Blogging
Some users pursue blogging purely for their interest, while others might be interested in monetizing it. It is about creating useful content and attracting readers. A possible consideration would be adding content to generate a future income. Possible ways of money blogging could be selling products and services, advertising, and sponsored reviews.
These were simple steps to set up it. These are an excellent tool for community building and a medium to express opinions and views on various topics. The key to successful blogging lies in creating original content and conveying it aptly to the audience.
3. Select a Theme and Design
The next step after starting it up is to decide its appearance and layout. Themes allow the users to pick designs that don’t need coding or design knowledge. Numerous websites offer free as well as premium themes for the users. The appearance should be minimalistic, and one that suits the desired niche. Bylt is one such website that offers the finest themes suited to the bloggers’ requirements.
4. Write and Publish Content
The framework is complete with a domain name, blog hosting site, and its appearance. The crucial aspect is the content. Compelling content is an essential part of a blog. It should also include information like the author, contact info, services, and resources. The publishing content should be original. It should convey the author’s perspective on the topic.
5. Determine a Niche
It is necessary to be specific while selecting the topic. A blog niche refers to a specific topic area. The niche could focus on a target audience which could help in narrowing down the topic. While selecting a topic, it should be considered that it should add value to the readers’ lives.
6. Choose a Blogging Platform
There are currently various blogging platforms available to set it up. Selecting a suitable website is an important step. Some of the websites which are popular for blogging are WordPress, etc.
7. Choose a Domain Name and get Blog Hosting
A domain name is a title that will be displayed online, irrespective of the chosen niche. It is a distinct address on the web. It should be simple and catchy at the same time. Hosting is a service used to ensure that it is permanently available to potential readers. Thus, selecting a reliable hosting service is necessary as it provides the blog a room to grow. The most popular hosting option is WordPress hosting. There are various websites available for reliable hosting and starting it. For instance, Bluehost is a premium website that guarantees secure hosting and creating a blog.
8. Optimize blog for Search Engines
After publishing, it is necessary to attract traffic on the webpage for search engines (like Google). This process is known as Search Engine Optimization. It involves various techniques to increase the readership. The main tactics used are Keyword optimization and SEO Meta tags.
Keyword optimization refers to the selection of particular keywords which people will search for to find information relating to the published blog. A hybrid traffic SEO strategy is a must for any blog to be successful.
SEO Meta tags are used by the search engine to understand what the website is about, which is not visible on the actual page. It has a title tag and the description tag.
9. Promote and Grow your Blog
Once the blog is built and available on the internet, promotion and marketing activities help in growing the audience. This could be achieved by letting our close circles know about the new endeavor. This helps in building a basic audience. Also, there are blogger communities that help in connecting with other bloggers and spreading the content. Establishing a social media presence is an important facet and would certainly help in growing the blog.
References:
- firstsiteguide.com. (n.d.): Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide. [online] Available at: https://firstsiteguide.com/start-blog/.
- Joshua Fields Millburn (2019). [online] The Minimalists. Available at: https://www.theminimalists.com/blog/.
- https://www.facebook.com/thebalancecom (2019). [online] The Balance Small Business. Available at: https://www.thebalancesmb.com/blogging-what-is-it-1794405.
