5 Steps On How To Start Your Own Blog

Hey guys, it's Booksy-eli again. For those of you who are new here, I'm your favourite book blogger. You just don't know it yet. 

    It's been a while since I started blogging and I'm still learning actually. It was pretty hard for me to get this started looking for the right site to give me some guidance on what to do and what not to do. That is why I'm creating this post so you guys can have it a little better then I did. Here are five simple steps to follow to create your own blog.

1. You Should Know Why You Want To Start A Blog

        You should be clear on the reason you've decided you want to start a blog and just like you question your motives whenever you're about to do something, you should be sure why you want a blog. 

        It could be because you want to share your ideas with the world or whatever but you shouldn't start a blog because your friend manages one or because of the free stuff you think you might get or anything like that. 

        

       Making money shouldn't be the reason you start a blog because it the one sure way you'll fail at this endeavor that is if you can't provide suitable content for your readers.  

      Do it because you love it and you are willing to put your time into it even though you won't make any money. Be prepared to do it for free without expecting anything in return otherwise, don't.

2. Select A Name

       When choosing a name for your blog, you should have a concept in mind about what your blog is going to be about and tie it to it. 

       You shouldn't just pick a name because it sounds good, it might sound good but it also might not have anything to do with the kind of blog you're starting. 

      

      The name should tell your readers about your blog content so they have a fair idea when they click on your post. 

   

      I wouldn't advise choosing a name that's based on whatever is happening in your life right now because situations tend to change so when selecting a name, close one that sticks. 

3. Choosing a platform

      When it comes to selecting a platform to start your blog it entirely depends on your own personal preference. There are tons of platforms for you to use to start your blog so you don't have to stick with that one your friend suggested. 

      Do your own research and and get familiar with whatever platform you want to use. Remember the blog is yours and you're going to be the one managing it so I'd advice you choose one you think is easy and stick with it. 

     But if you're still in doubt, I'd recommend using blogger especially for beginners because it relatively easy to you and straightforward and I haven't encountered any problems using it yet. WordPress is also another site you can use but it quite complicated in my opinion but if  you're a tech wizard and you know how to do all those web stuff and won't get any headache just to write a blog post then go for it.  These are all free websites for you to use but when it comes down to the domain name, no you don't necessarily need to buy one.

      Well at least not when you're just starting but when you're getting more serious about your blog then it is definitely recommended. Not only will it make you have full control of your site but it makes it look more professional. 

      But for beginners who want to own their own domain name from the very start you can feel free to do. There's no rule that says you can't. 

4. Blog design

       Wow, right? 

All that butterflies fluttering in your stomach is all nice and all but blog designing can be a little bit tricky so you need to be careful and think about how you want your blog to look. 

     Take it that you're decorating your new room and you've already thought carefully about what colours will look nice in there and what curtains to choose and what furniture will go splendidly with everything. What I'm trying to say is that when it comes to what you want your blog to look like, you should put just as much of an effort into designing it. 

   There's also the option where you can pay a professional website designer to take care of that for you  but for those of you who can't don't worry, there are tons of wonderful templates you can use for free. You don't need to spend any money doing this but if you have the cash and you don't mind using it then go ahead and do what makes you happy.

5. Create Content And Publish Your Blog

     Woohoo! You made it. Oh no, you told your friends and family you're starting a blog? 

     Hey, it might seem a little difficult for those of you who told others that you're doing this but don't worry all those doubts are just in your head. 

       If your friends and family are anything like mine then they'll be cheering you on all the way so you don't need to worry about writing your first blog post. 

      I'd recommend you start with introducing yourself though and structure your post in a way so your readers will have no difficulty understanding it. Your post can have more graphic content than writing or vice versa but that is all up to you as long as you love it.

     Once your first post is published, remember for you to keep your readers coming back for more you need to post frequently but I'm sure you already know this. You can have a timetable for when you write posts so reader can know to expect it. Don't forget to add an about page and a contact form so your readers can get in touch with you.

    So your blog is up and running but you don't really think I'd just leave you to figure it out on your own, did you? I had no idea what I was doing the first time I started this but you don't have to be in that position. I'll leave some tips below for you to effectively manage your blog until you get the hang of it.

• Excitement

You must be wondering what the hell I'm talking about and I understand you're excited about this but if that excitement isn't strong enough and you don't feel the drive to create blog content for your readers there's a chance this won't go the way you want it to.

     You can spend as much money you want on creating your blog but if you don't feel the passion and the excitement to deliver on what you promised your readers then none of that matters. 

     So please remember why you're doing this. You love sharing your ideas with the world so don't leave your readers hanging. They might lose interest.

• Socialize

      You've probably heard this already but you need to have a social media presence for your blog. Don't worry if you have doubts about using your personal account with your blog, you can just create new ones to keep your blog separate from your personal accounts. 

       Twitter and Instagram, I'd recommend so you can easily share your blog posts and keep up with your favourite bloggers but whatever you decide to use is entirely up to you. 

      But remember you put a lot of time and efforts into your posts so don't be shy to let people know about it. 

• Build Your Audience And Join The Community

     There are several ways for you to get involved in the community and fraternize with fellow bloggers. There are twitter chats you can join for many different interesting discussion and then you can leave your link at the end. 

     It's a good way for you to reach more potential readers and please reply to comments on your blog posts. Be nice to your readers because they take time to read your posts when there's tons of blogs out there. It's the least you can do.

• Have fun!

       Take your time and relax. Don't go crazy and start comparing yourself to other big blogs out there. They might have been doing this for years before you started so take it one step at a time and let yourself breathe. 

      

       Go on and create content for your readers and remember to have fun with this. Share your ideas and the wonderful person you are will shine through. 

      So these are my tips for you on how to start your own blog and I hope this was a little helpful for you.

        Just let me know in the comment section below what you think I should have done better. 

      Happy Blogging!!!