So at the beginning of the year, I received quite a few emails from readers who were empowered this new year to start blogs. First of all, I’m so incredibly excited to hear that many of you are embarking on the blog journey in 2012. It’s an awesome one. Not easy and not for everyone, but if you do it right, you’ll love it. So here are my top 5 tips for starting a blog…
1. Start with a passion.
Me & blogger friends at FNO 2011 (read post here) |
The amazing thing about blogging is that you don’t have to go it alone. In fact, making friends and connecting with people who have similar interests can help put your blog over the edge. Poll any successful blogger, and you’ll undoubtedly find that a large source of their incoming traffic comes from…gasp…other websites! Digital friends are some of the greatest assets you can have. They’ll promote your site for you, attend events with you, and even snap pics for you. So don’t be shy, get social. Literally. Use social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Tumblr and more to meet new people who share interests similar to yours. You might have a broad interest like fashion, for example. But is there something specific you can drill down to? If you’re true love is indie fashion under $50, that’s much more specific and there are groups and communities dedicated to finding others just like you.
So this is the big question plaguing the blogosphere. Which blog host is best? Honestly, there are blogs hosted on Blogger that do equally as well as ones hosted on WordPress, that do equally as well as ones hosted on Tumblr…and I can go on and on. Use whichever host suits your needs! If your primary concern is monetization of your site, you might consider WordPress and Blogger hosting better for you. If you just want to express yourself creatively, Tumblr might work best for you. If you’re better in front of the camera, consider a YouTube channel. Evaluate the pros & cons of each, then go with the flow!
Source: MyDamnBlog |
If you’re a foodie and you’re creating a blog about your adventures sipping cappuccinos and trying the latest prime rib in your city, you might want to invest in an amazing camera to document your food journey. If your blog focuses on interviewing really cool people, you might need to have a tape recorder in your arsenal. Think long and hard about the type of content you plan to post, and what tools you’ll need to make that content as engaging as possible.
Source: I Have A Degree In This |
Don’t delay or wait for “just the right timing”. Unless your blog is based around a product launch or a huge event, do it now! There are people out there waiting to hear what you have to say. Live, blog and be merry.
i started my blog recently and this is very helpful! thanks so much!! 🙂
thanks so much for this! just the right amount of info and inspiration to get me motivated to start blogging again.
Great post.
-Shakiyla
Great suggestions!!! I’d say to never forget your individual voice, let the real you shine! Oh and have fun 🙂
Thanks for the wonderful advice!I just started my blog and this post was very helpful.
Great tips!
Nice post! Inspiring me!
I follow u!
xx Ilka
http://www.ilkavontorok.blogspot.com/
Its so ironic that I literally just put a post on my blog about this same topic! I got a lot of my friends interested. I love these tips, especially the last one: JUST DO IT!!
I also feel that cultivating a nifty theme or slogan is useful when constructing your blog.
Great tips! I need the fab camera to make my pictures more appealing!
Thanks girl, really great tips.