I'm a big fan of blogging for some of the following reasons, …...
It gives you daily writing practice.
It's the ultimate sample of your writing.
You can use it to make money without clients.
You can also make money writing for clients.
Plus, a blog opens you up to so many other writing opportunities …
You can get paid to optimize the content for the search engines … get paid to drive traffic to it from social media … spin it into newsletter content … spin it into video content … spin a collection of blogs into a special report …
Bottom line: there's a lot of money to be made from learning this skill.
>> More on the money aspect of blogging here.
So today, I thought we'd walk through the basics of how to start your own blog, which many people already know …
With the end of the year right around the corner, it might be the perfect time to start anything!
What could be better than finishing the year with a big accomplishment AND setting yourself up for more wins in the New Year, Right?!
Let's dig in …
Step 1: Come up with an idea
What do you want to write about?
I recommend you pick something you are genuinely interested in …
Something you'd love to immerse yourself in learning, researching, and writing about every single day.
Continuing to learn and share about something you're excited about is the best way to keep your blog going week after week.
If you need an idea, read this brief on blogging ideas.
It will help you make a decision, so you can move forward to step 2!
(It's normally only available with our blogging program, but I've posted it at the link above for today, so you can have it either way.)
Step 2: Choose a name
You'll want a unique and interesting name, so it's memorable.
But you might also want a name that helps people understand what the blog is about at first glance.
Either way, don't overthink it … this is one of those steps that can stop you before you even get started. And you can always change it!
Just make sure the ".com" is available, so you're not sending someone else your potential readers.
Step 3: Choose a blogging platform
There are lots of paid and free options available to new bloggers …
And we cover the most popular, and how to navigate all the "techie stuff" about setting up a blog, in our blogging program.
But for the sake of ease — especially if you don't consider yourself tech-savvy — WordPress is hard to beat.
We use it in our Build Your Freelance Website in Four Days series because it's very newbie friendly. And the built-in tools ensure your blog is set up properly to be found by search engines.
Step 4: Create an editorial calendar
Taking the time to plan your first few weeks or months of content will set you up for success. You'll never be stuck thinking about what to write … when you should already be writing.
Stuck for ideas? Go where your audience is …
Read reviews on products they buy to see what problems they're having, participate in social media groups where they hang out to see what questions they're asking, and scope out other blogs in your niche to identify popular themes …
It's okay to write about similar topics. What makes your blog unique is YOUR voice and perspective.
Step 5: Start writing!
There's no one-size-fits-all to blogging … but here are some tips that will get you going …
- Start with an engaging headline for each post that grabs your readers' attention. The best blog post in the world won't do you any good if people ignore it.
- Be relevant, useful, or entertaining to keep your readers engaged and give them a reason to keep reading.
- Use proven formulas (sometimes). People love listicles, how-to's, reviews, and personal stories. So mix it up. And also be creative when it comes to your own ideas, formulas, and formats.
Remember, this is YOUR blog. Have fun with it!
Step 6: Build your audience
"If you build it, they will come" might have worked in Field of Dreams …
But when it comes to blogs, you need to help people find them.
The first place is people using search engines like Google …
Spend some time researching the keywords people use when searching for answers your blog provides. And then write posts inspired by these keywords, as well as integrate them into your post.
Think about the intention of the searcher (what information are they hoping to find when they search for that keyword) and then write the highest quality piece of content you can on the topic.
Tip: longer posts tend to rank better on Google than shorter ones, so aim for 1,000 to 2,000 words.
The second way to build your blog audience is through social media …
You can experiment with different platforms to see what works best for you and which ones you enjoy using. But sharing your posts will get them in front of more eyeballs.
Step 7: Create your monetization strategy
Finally, as you start building your audience, it's time to monetize your blog (i.e. make money from it!).
And there are all kinds of ways to do so (again, covered extensively in our blogging program). But here are a few to consider:
- Ad networks
- Sponsored content arrangements
- Affiliate deals
- Coaching or consulting services
- Selling your own products
Now, even if you don't try to monetize your blog immediately …
I do still recommend you start building an email list right away.
In the beginning, it can be as simple as emailing your subscribers notifications that you've posted something new.
The important thing is that when you have an email list, you have permission to keep in contact with people who have shown interest in what you're writing about and have taken an action by subscribing.
This will give you the opportunity in the future to form affiliate relationships with companies who have products you believe in … or create your own products that you can promote to your list.
We're actually going to dig into creating products next month …
So now is the perfect time to get your blog up and going. 😉 If you'd like help, or you'd like to also write blogs for clients, grab our blogging program here.
It covers everything you need to know to start making money writing for blogs AND is on sale until midnight tonight! And if you have any questions about blogging, or want to share your blog with me, respond to this post so I can have a look and respond.
We want to support you every step of the way.
To your success,
