6 Things You Should Know Before Starting A Blog

AD. Blogging is such a fun, but different journey and many people blog for very different reasons. For some, it’s a hobby and others it’s to create a successful business Whatever the reason, there are certain things that you should know before starting a blog.

The first thing I would say if you want to set up a blog but haven’t… just do it! Do not worry about the perfect design or logo etc. because you can change those aspects later especially as you grow’ you may wish to rebrand.

I first started blogging in 2017 and I had no idea what I was doing; I just learned as I went along. I am still learning and that is the beauty of the blogging industry. As much as ‘on the job’ learning is beneficial, there are some top tips that I definitely wish I had known before I started blogging.

Many people (before they start blogging) think that blogging is easy, but it’s really hard and success doesn’t come overnight. Blogging is not an easy hobby or career option. It takes time, patience and persistence. This is why you need to allocate time to work hard and commit to creating blog content and promotion.

^{[Photo by Jess Bailey on Unsplash]}

How To Start A Blog

If you've been thinking about starting a blog, you don't need to have everything figured out before you begin. At its most basic, starting a blog involves:

• Choosing what you want to blog about
• Deciding on a name for your blog
• Choosing a blogging platform
• Buying your domain name
• Setting up your website
• Choosing a simple, easy-to-use design
• Writing your first blog posts
• Learning the basics of SEO
• Sharing your content and finding readers
• Continuing to improve your blog as you go

You don't have to become an expert in all of these things before publishing your first post. In fact, I think waiting until everything is perfect is one of the easiest ways to never actually start. Your blog will change as you change, so don't be afraid to start small and improve it over time.

Things You Should Know Before Starting A Blog

1. Social Media Will Be Your Friend

Blogging is a lot about self-promotion and getting your content to a larger audience. When you share your content to a larger audience, you will improve your chances of boosting your blog engagement and increase traffic to your blog. Twitter has a very supportive blogging community where bloggers will support your content, offer tips and will even host comment threads to help get you feedback on your content. If you want to grow your blog as a business, Twitter does offer opportunities to work with PR companies and brands with collaborations.

When you set up your social media, make sure that you utilise the website information and have your blog URL available for your followers or brands who wish to contact you. Pinterest can also be a useful way to reach a huge audience around the world. I have a big love and relationship with this platform because the updates change so much. However, when you do crack it, it really does drive a huge amount of traffic to your site. Make sure that you are sharing your content on as many social media platforms as you can in order to build a loyal audience.

2. Create A Blogging Schedule

A key element to running a successful blog is consistency. In order to build a loyal audience and to rank n Google, you need to share content consistently. The best way to be consistent is to create an effective blogging schedule that is achievable for you. It might be posting one a week on a Monday, or you may want to share new posts twice a week a week, once you know how much you want to post, you need to stick to it.

When you have a blogging schedule in place, it then allows you to forward plan content ideas. I like to plan my content a month or so in advance, which helps me to best manage my time for other areas such as promoting or pitching to brands. Giving yourself a schedule also shows your commitment to your blog’s success; if you stick with your schedule, your blog will grow.

Tips on creating an effective blogging schedule are:

• Decide how many posts you would like to share
• Decide which day/s and time/s you would like your posts to go live
• Decide when you will promote posts on social media
• Write down your finalised blogging schedule for your reference.
• Evaluate and measure every so often to make sure that the schedule is right for you

3. Focus On SEO From The Moment You Start Blogging

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation and is the process of improving the quality of traffic to a website from search engines. It is also about improving your site to increase its visibility on social media. Unfortunately, I had no idea about SEO when I first started blogging, so I am now in a position years later, where I have to go back and update older posts.

However, if you want to blog as a hobby and for fun, you don’t necessarily need to worry about SEO. However, if you are staring a blog with the intention of it becoming a business, you will definitely want to ensure SEO is one of your priorities. Here are some tips to improve your SEO on your website:

• Optimise your images – add alt text ad add keywords in your image descriptions
• Break your content up with headers
• Use outbound links – where you link to another site
• Use interlinking – where you link to your other content
• Fix any broken links
• Ensure that your site is readable for all devices

A mobile-friendly site is only one part of creating a good experience for your readers. The overall layout and structure of your website also matter, as visitors should be able to find what they need without confusion. Investing in thoughtful web design can help create a site that is visually appealing, easy to navigate, and better suited to supporting your content as your blog grows.

4. Learn About Disclosure Rules

When you start working with brands or receive gifted products, it is very important that you disclose your content at the beginning of any content to ensure that your audience is aware. Not only are then being authentic, but you can avoid legal troubles if you continue not to disclose on your content or Instagram pictures.

5. Take Or Use Good Quality Stock Images

When you create blog posts, it is vital you have images for SEO and for the readers. It can be so off putting with reams of text to read through and not really have a break. Utilising good images can also help with SEO and improve traffic to your site. You do not have to take SEO seriously of you are a hobby blogger.

6. Create or Find a Place to Base Yourself

You’ll need somewhere to sit down and actually work on your blog. A quiet home office is one of the more common options for this, and it can be more than worth it when you can. All you’ll really need is a desk, comfortable and ergonomic chair, your computer, and a few other essentials. Add in some nice décor, and you’ll have somewhere nice to blog from.

But, this mightn’t be an option for quite a few people. You mightn’t have the space for it, or you could rather work from somewhere other than your house, even for a few days. Thankfully, this doesn’t have to be too hard to do. Platforms like Working From Coffee Shops let you set yourself up somewhere else relatively easily and work on your blog for as long as you want.

These are 6 things that you need to be aware of when starting a blog especially if you would like it to develop into a successful business. It is important that when you start blogging not to get too caught up in the statistics and trying to make things perfect from day one. Success will not come overnight; you have to work hard, but when you start to see success, it can be very rewarding.

Can You Make Money From a Blog?

Yes, it is possible to make money from blogging, but I'd be very wary of anyone promising that you'll make thousands of pounds within your first few months. For most bloggers, building an audience and establishing a reliable income takes time. I've been in the game now for over 12 years, and it's certainly not an overnight success.

There are lots of different ways a blog can eventually make money, including:

• Sponsored blog posts
• Brand collaborations
• Affiliate marketing
• Display advertising
• Freelance writing
• Creating content for businesses
• Digital products or services

You don't necessarily need millions of page views either. A smaller, engaged audience can be valuable, particularly if you're writing about a specific topic or have an audience that trusts your recommendations.

If your goal is to eventually turn your blog into a business, I'd recommend treating it as a long-term project rather than expecting an instant income.

If You Want to Start a Blog as a Business

If you're starting a blog with the intention of turning it into a business, there are a few additional things worth thinking about from the beginning. You don't have to treat your blog like a huge company from day one, but it helps to think about where you might eventually want it to go.

Consider:

• Who is your target audience?
• What topics do you want to be known for?
• How will people find your content?
• What could you eventually offer brands or businesses?
• Could your content lead to affiliate or advertising income?
• What makes your blog different from other websites in your niche?

You also need to be prepared to learn things that have absolutely nothing to do with writing.

SEO, photography, social media, pitching, analytics, email marketing and basic website management can all become part of running a blog as a business. And honestly, that's one of the things that makes blogging so interesting. You end up learning a little bit about everything.

Blogging Doesn't Become Easier — You Just Get Better at It

After more than 12 years of blogging, I still wouldn't describe blogging as easy. I've learned an enormous amount since I published my first posts, but there is always something new to learn. SEO changes. Social media changes. Trends change. The way people search changes. And that's okay.

If you're thinking about starting a blog, you don't need to know everything today. You just need to be willing to learn.

Start with the basics, publish your first post, make mistakes, improve things and keep going. Don't wait until your website is perfect, don't wait until you have the perfect camera and don't wait until you understand SEO.

Start the blog and learn as you go. That is exactly what I did, and more than 12 years later, I'm still here.

Frequently Asked Questions About Starting a Blog

1. Is it worth starting a blog?

Yes, if you enjoy creating content and you're prepared to treat it as a long-term project. Blogging can be a hobby, a creative outlet, a way to build an online presence or eventually a business. It's important to have realistic expectations, though. Building traffic and income takes time and there is no guaranteed route to blogging success.

2. How much does it cost to start a blog?

The cost depends on how you set up your blog and the platform and services you choose. At the very least, you'll generally need a domain name and somewhere to host your website if you choose a self-hosted setup. You can start relatively simply and invest more as your blog grows.

3. How often should I blog?

There isn't one correct answer. Choose a publishing schedule that you can realistically maintain. One useful, well-written post a week is better than publishing constantly for a few weeks and then burning out.

4. Can you start a blog with no experience?

Absolutely. You don't need previous blogging experience to start a blog. Most of the things you need to learn can be picked up as you go. I certainly didn't know everything when I started, and I'm still learning now.

5. Can a blog become a business?

Yes. Bloggers can earn money through sponsored content, affiliate marketing, advertising, freelance work, content creation, products and services. However, it usually takes time to build enough traffic, trust and experience to create a reliable income.

6. Should I learn SEO before starting a blog?

You don't need to understand SEO before publishing your first post, but I'd definitely recommend learning the basics early if you want people to discover your content through Google. It can save you a lot of work further down the line.

Final Thoughts

If you're thinking about starting a blog, my biggest piece of advice is to stop waiting for the perfect time. You will learn so much more by actually doing it.

Your first blog design might change. Your writing style might change. Your niche might change. You might discover that the thing you thought you'd love writing about isn't actually what you enjoy at all.

That's all part of the process.

Start your blog, publish something you're proud of and then keep learning.

You don't have to have it all figured out on day one.

What is one piece of advice you would give to someone starting a blog? I'd love to hear it in the comments.