Want to start a blog? What you need to know…..

It didn’t take me long to decide to start a blog. Well, this blog in particular anyway. Island Gurl Chronicles is my outlet where I let loose a little. This blog gives me the opportunity to use my yellow brain (creativity) more vs my green brain (organization). Before you jump headfirst into starting a blog, you should know why you want to as well. So, here are this island gurl’s tips on………

How to Start A Blog

Thinking about blogging? Here’s what to know before you get started.

Know Your Why

Are you starting a blog to make money, or are you starting a blog just for fun? It’s important to know the reason why you want to start a blog because your approach will be different depending on your blog’s purpose.

For example, if you want to monetize a blog, you have to own your blog and not begin your blog on a ‘free’ blogging site, like WordPress.com or Blogger.  These companies will own your blog ‘website’ and can make changes as they see fit, including shutting down your website,

However, if you do plan on monetizing your blog, you should start on a platform that you own and that also integrates with WordPress.org (yes, there is a difference between wordpress.org and wordpress.com).

Sites, like Siteground and BlueHost, offer web hosting packages and both integrate with wordpress.org, to help you to create a blog that you’ll own out right.

Find Your Niche

What is it that you are passionate about? What can you write about for hours on end and never get bored?

A lot of people jump into blogging and find that they are in either an over-saturated niche or get bored with their main topic after a few months. If you’re going to get discouraged easily because of lack of followers (it takes time to build an audience) or just plain old topic boredom, don’t bother starting a blog.

Give Yourself A Target/Deadline

Maybe it’s six months or a maybe it’s a year. If you are planning to monetize your blog, know that it just doesn’t happen overnight. It takes time to get readers to find your site. Then, in order to keep them on your site long enough and engaged, you have to have entertaining or valuable content.

It’s so overused, but I’ll say it again anyway. Most over night successes, don’t happen overnight. Give yourself a goal and a deadline, but keep it realistic and practical.

Promote Your Blog

To attract readers, you need to promote your blog actively:

  • Social Media: Share your posts on platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.
  • Email Marketing: Build an email list and send newsletters to your subscribers.
  • Guest Posting: Write for other blogs to reach a wider audience.
  • SEO: Optimize your content to rank higher in search engine results.

Analyze and Improve

Regularly review your blog’s performance using tools like Google Analytics. Monitor key metrics such as traffic, bounce rate, and user engagement. Use this data to identify what works and what needs improvement.

Starting a blog requires planning, dedication, and continuous effort. By following these steps, you can create a successful blog that resonates with your audience and achieves your goals. Happy blogging!