i’ve gotten asked this question (how do i start a blog?) numerous times and in many different ways (emails, tumblr asks, etc), so i thought it’d be best if create a blog post to direct people to. (i’ve been meaning to write this post for ages.) i’m actually not the most qualified person to ask, but OH WELL. but anyway, here’s my guide to starting a blog. (WELCOME TO THE DARK SIDE.)
step one: decide what you want to blog about.
before you begin, you should know what it is you want to blog about. it’s fine to have random posts about life and fashion and books and fitness and BASICALLY EVERYTHING, but it’d also very messy. you probably wouldn’t have many readers because not everyone is interested in everything you’re interested in. you would also feel confused about your content because you have no clear focus. for me, i’m blogging about literature and life.
step two: choose a blogging platform
when making this choice, you must figure out where you want to go with your blog. do you intend to SERIOUSLY blog for at least a few years? is it just something where you want to drop by every so often with a few posts? are you not sure where this is going? here are some popular blogging platforms people usually use. you should look into the pros and cons of each when deciding which one to use. you should make this decision based on what you need, so think carefully!
- wordpress self-hosted (more for serious bloggers, more freedom, but paying monthly)
- wordpress.com (limited flexibility, but easier to switch to wp self-hosted in the future)
- blogger (customizable theme, but i’ve never tried it personally)
- tumblr (tumblr blogging is different from blogging blogging)
- squarespace (no idea)
- weebly (no idea, either)
step three: name your blog
i’ve gotten asked a few times on how to choose a blog name. it’s actually a fairly time-consuming and difficult process to find the ~perfect name~. (in fact, i think i could dedicate an entire blog post on this topic, but i’m just going to condense it.) choosing a blog name is kind of like choosing your own name, so choose wisely. most of the time, people in the blogging community will probably know your blog name before your blog. in a way, you’re signing a contract with this name and there’s no going back. of course, you can change your name, but it wouldn’t recommend changing your name every other week – especially when you’re just starting out.
things to consider when thinking of a blog name:
- don’t make it too long; one to three words is good.
- try to make it memorable; generic names are not the best (ex: booklover101)
- make sure no one else has the name!
- try to incorporate what it is you’re blogging about (ex: twirling PAGES because i book blog)
- you can also incorporate something personal (ex: TWIRLING pages since i also dance ballet)
- create a list of related words and mix & match for ideas
- or think of popular says and recreate them your own way
- any type of word play usually makes the name stand out more.
- avoid too many symbols or numbers (ex: bookworm1234567890 is not ideal)
- write all possible blog name ideas down! you could change/combine some ideas together in the future.
step four: make it happen!
this is when you go out and MAKE YOUR BLOG. you’ve decided on all the things you need to decide on; you know what you’re doing, so just do it! in this process, you’ll also choose (or make) a blog theme, but that really depends on what platform you choose, how flexible it is, etc., so i’m not going to go into detail about that. make your blog, write your first post, add pictures, click publish, and TA-DA! you have a blog.
step five: connect with others
i’d start off by creating a new email account with your blog name. it’s easier to categorize things (like all your blogging stuff is in one place) and it’s more professional and convenient when you contact companies in the future. (even if you don’t plan on contacting them, it’s safe to have because… you never know.) after that, you can go out and make new social media accounts under your name and blog name. even if you’re comfortable with sharing your blog with your IRL friends, i still find it better to having separate accounts. your blog is also a brand, so it’s better not to mix up the promo posts (CHECK OUT MY LATEST BLOG POST!) with the personal ones (my dog is so adorable!). however, you can still feel free to share personal stuff on your blog’s social media. the difference with this is that your followers are also expecting “promo posts” as to your IRL friends on the personal account that might find you “spammy.” the audience is different. my favorite blogging social medias are twitter, instagram, and tumblr! but i know others use facebook and pinterest as well. aside from social media, visit other blogs who are talking about the same/similar topics as you. comment on those posts (people LOVE comments) and get your blog out there.
Obviously I already have a blog xD but I wish this post was around when I first decided to start blogging!! Its wonderful hehe! I started my blog this November, so I haven’t been around TOO long! But it feels like I have been blogging for ages, I would never give up on it!
That post is really helpful even though I already have a blog for almost half an year now. I really like your blog.. From the posts to the design so simple and cute. 🙂
This is such good advice! It probably would have saved me from having to ask so many people about starting off if I’d have found this in January 😂
This post is amazing! I just recently started blogging but I still feel kinda lost? I don’t know, it’s like I’m not so sure where I’m going and I can’t find enough time to do what I would like to do with it, but your post really helped and encouraged me. So thank you! You’re such a huge inspiration btw XD
this is very helpful! I’ve been blogging around 3 months but ALWAYS forget to blog hop and comment! i, too, made a creative name and found it much easier for others to find me! Except I can’t figure out how to get my twitter from lif3sophi4 to vivalabooklife :/
love this post! im definitely going to direct my friends who are new bloggers to this post! 🙂
This is a great post! I’ve been meaning to rename my blog for a while now but wasn’t sure how to do it. I started blogging January 1st this year 🙂
This is a great post. I personally use blogger as my platform and it’s perfect if you want something simple to begin blogging. However, I learned that the design templates aren’t very customizable. I actually had to learn to play around with html coding and all that fun stuff. (I’ve accidentally deleted my entire blog template a total of 3 times)….Tragic. Thanks for the tips though 🙂
This is such a great post! It’s very nice of you to compile this kind of list. I remember how confused I was when I first started blogging! I created my blog in 2013, but I started blogging for real in 2015. It took me a while to fell in love with it and actually commited to put a lot of work into my blog! I have so much fun now, it’s just really fun! I still not able to design my own template though, no matter how many times I learn about coding, I just can’t understand it! *sobs*
YES. This post is such an awesome one, Xan! I’d definitely recommend these tips 100% to anyone looking to start a blog! 😀
Especially the connect with others one – I NEVER did that when I first started out, and I regret that so much!
When I first started out I didn’t really have much of an idea on where to start. Thankfully I started as a co-blogger so when we decided to go our separate ways she helped me to set my own up which was the best help that I could’ve asked for. The name was the hardest part though! I’d encourage people to not rush into it as you’ll be stuck with it for at least a few months whilst people start getting to know you/your blog.
I didn’t really connect with people when I started, I found it really hard to find my place in the community and honestly I’m still trying to find it so I’d say that’s also a pretty HUGE step for people starting out.
Which blogging platform do you use? Self-hosted WordPress? Did you design the layout or hire someone to help?
It seems like it’s self-hosted WP 🙂