Today, there are numerous career opportunities on the internet and an increasing number of people are turning to it to make a living. No matter your education, background, expertise, or even age, there are many ways one can become successful online. For aspiring writers, blogging is one of the most popular forms of expression, although success in the field requires a lot of hard work, effort, and time. It is not something that comes by chance and is reserved for people who truly give their all into creating something fun, useful, and informative.
However, being a good writer is only one part of running such a website, so if you have been thinking about venturing into the world of blogging or if you have written a few posts already and would like to know how to gain more exposure; here are some ways you can prepare and some tips that will help you get started and prosper in no time.
Contents
1. Decide What to Write About
Source: Tweak Library
Your main topic or subject is one of the most important things to choose and there are two factors you can base your decision on. The first being picking something you are extremely interested in, even better, have a passion for or you can do some research and discover what kind of topics interest and attract users the most. Understandably, it would be ideal if you could find something to write about that fits both criteria.
Keep in mind that it is not necessary to be an expert on your chosen subject, no matter what others might say. Being honestly interested can get you a long way and you will gain more knowledge as you go. To give you a few ideas, some of the most popular weblogs at the moment are about pets, travel, marketing, food, beauty, health, technology, fitness, fashion, and weddings.
2. Pick a Suitable Platform
Source: Pinterest
Choosing the optimal platform can seem daunting, but there are a few factors to take into account which include ease of use, scalability, price, and monetization options. Have in mind that many of them are available for free, but they often come with numerous restrictions that greatly limit customization opportunities, design options, and special features and you will risk having your post deleted if it violates any rules or terms. Ads might also be displayed on your website which can disrupt your readers and make you seem unprofessional.
A free service might be great if you want to give it a test run, but if you are planning to seriously improve your skills and scale your website, premium services are the way to go. They cost around $10 per month, so if it is something you can afford they are a much better option and will allow you to grow in the future.
3. Setup Your Page
Source: Pinterest
After completing the first 2 steps, now it is time to focus on web hosting and choosing your domain name since you cannot start blogging without them. These services are available online, but ones like the Domain & Web Hosting company EICRA SOFT LIMITED offers both services. This is great because it will provide everything you need and will also save you time. Now, if you are unfamiliar with what they are, here is what you need to know.
To put it simply, hosting is a storage unit where your files and information are stored and without which your site would not be able to function. Your website’s address is known as the domain name and this is what users who want to get to your page will type into their browsers.
4. Page Customization
Source: Georgia Lou Studios – Zendesk
Your website needs to be visually appealing, so you need to customize it and design it in a way that will relate to your topic, personality, and aesthetic. Deciding on the theme is something you should do right away and since there are so many to choose from, consider going for a simplistic approach because it will give your site a clean look, encouraging users to focus more on the content.
Install certain plugins that will help you run your page, for example, one for search engine optimization, another for analyzing traffic, a plugin that enables readers to send feedback and messages, and the likes. Don’t forget to check your settings to ensure that you have made your weblog public.
Create a separate About Page where you will introduce yourself and your content, so be thoughtful, creative, and put in some effort when writing it.
5. Start Posting
Source: marketinginasia
With everything set, you are finally prepared for blogging. Before anything else, you will need to decide how often you will write and post your content, but remember that consistency is key. Choose the specific day or days you will publish on, create a calendar, and try to be as disciplined as possible.
Whatever you have chosen to write about, always try to add your thoughts, ideas, and originality into your content. Be relatable but provide useful information at the same time. If you ever run out of inspiration, there are many online communities that can help you find something to write about. You can also check out your competition in the search of inspiration, but always remember to stay original and never copy someone else’s work.
6. Engagement with Users is Crucial
Source: Medium
Growing an audience is not easy, especially when you are just getting started, but there are many tools and strategies used in online marketing can help you gain more exposure and build more traffic. However, for success in blogging, you will not only need to attract people to your site but also gain their trust, so that they become your loyal supporters.
As useful as marketing is, engaging with your users is equally important. Try to reply to their questions, messages, and comments, and create calls to action in your posts. This way people will feel more special and included and they might eventually recommend your page to others around them.
Conclusion
Every beginning might be tough, but if you are a creative person with a strong passion for writing, blogging might be the right job for you. Do not be afraid to be different, invest time, effort, even yourself in your posts, and above all else be patient. Not giving up might be the most important thing when it comes to being a successful blogger.
