How to start a blog in 2023: Grow your organic traffic
Starting a blog can be a fun and rewarding experience, but it can also feel overwhelming if you're not sure where to begin. Whether you want to share your passions with the world, build a business, or simply have a creative outlet, a blog is a great platform to achieve your goals.
Here are some easy steps to help you get started on your blogging journey:
Choose a topic
The first step to starting a successful blog is to choose a topic that you are passionate about. This will make it easier to come up with content ideas and keep you motivated to continue blogging.
It's also a good idea to consider your target audience when choosing a topic. Who do you want to reach with your blog? What kind of content will they be interested in?
Once you have a general idea of your topic and audience, you can do some keyword research to find specific ideas for posts and see what people are searching for in your niche.
Pick your blogging platform
There are many different blogging platforms to choose from, each with its own set of features and capabilities. Here are some popular options and their pros and cons:
Pros: WordPress is the most popular blogging platform and offers a wide range of features and customization options. It's also easy to use and has a large user community, so you can find support and resources online.
Cons: It can be more expensive to host a WordPress blog, as you'll need to pay for hosting and a domain name. There's also a bit of a learning curve, so you may need to invest some time in learning how to use all of the features.
Pros: Blogger is owned by Google and is a simple and easy-to-use platform. It's also free to use and includes hosting, so you don't have to worry about paying for a domain name or hosting.
Cons: Blogger doesn't offer as many customization options as WordPress, and it may not be as suitable for more advanced users or larger blogs.
Pros: Squarespace is known for its beautiful, professional-looking templates and easy-to-use drag-and-drop editor. It's also a good choice for e-commerce, as it includes features for selling products online.
Cons: Squarespace is more expensive than some other options, and it may not be as customizable as WordPress.
Wix:
Pros: Wix is a website builder that offers a wide range of templates and customization options. It's also easy to use and includes hosting.
Cons: Wix can be more expensive than some other options, and it may not be as suitable for larger or more advanced blogs.
When choosing a platform, consider factors such as cost, ease of use, and the types of features that are important to you. For example, if you plan on monetizing your blog, you'll want to choose a platform that makes it easy to add advertising or sell products.
Customize your blog's design
Once you've chosen a platform, it's time to start customizing your blog's design. This includes choosing a theme, which will determine the overall look and feel of your blog. Most platforms offer a variety of free and paid themes to choose from, so you can find one that fits your style and brand.
You can also customize the colors, fonts, and layout of your blog to make it your own. Be sure to add relevant pages, such as an "About" page or a "Contact" page, and consider adding widgets (small applications that perform a specific function) to enhance the functionality of your blog.
Brian Dean and his website Backlinko.com is a great example of going above and beyond for your blog post layout and designs. He uses different colors, bullet points, and organizes the information into chapters that users can jump to anytime. Take a look:
Create valuable content
The key to a successful blog is consistently creating valuable and engaging content. This means doing your research and planning your posts carefully, and taking the time to write well-written, informative pieces.
Use images and multimedia to enhance your content and make it more visually appealing. And don't be afraid to show your personality and voice in your writing – it's what will make your blog unique.
Some pro tips:
Do your research: Make sure you have a good understanding of your topic and your audience. This will help you create content that is relevant, informative, and useful to your readers. You can use tools like SEMrush and AnswerThePublic to make sure you’re targeting the right keywords.
Plan your content: Before you start writing, take some time to plan out your posts. This can help you stay organized and ensure that your content flows smoothly. A content optimizer tool like Surfer SEO can help ensure you’re creating a comprehensive outline and targeting all the queries you need.
Write for your audience: Keep your readers in mind as you write, and focus on creating content that will be valuable to them. This means writing in a clear and concise manner, using language that is easy to understand, and including examples and anecdotes to make your points more relatable.
Use images and multimedia: In addition to text, consider adding images, videos, and other multimedia to your posts to make them more visually appealing and engaging.
Be authentic: Let your personality shine through in your writing. This will make your content more relatable and help you build a connection with your readers.
Edit and proofread: Make sure to proofread your content for spelling and grammar errors, and consider having someone else review your posts as well. This will help you create professional-quality content that is free of mistakes.
Use headlines and subheadings: Headlines and subheadings help break up your content and make it easier to read. Use them to highlight the main points of your post and give readers a clear idea of what to expect.
Promote your blog
Once you have a few posts under your belt, it's time to start promoting your blog. Utilize social media to share your posts and engage with your audience. You can also collaborate with other bloggers or guest post on other websites to reach a wider audience.
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is also important for getting your blog seen by more people. Use keywords in your titles, headings, and throughout your content to improve your visibility on search engines like Google.
Many successful businesses or blog sites opt to hire professional SEO content writers to get the job done reliably.
Monetize your blog
If you want to make money from your blog, there are several options to consider. Think about what will work best for your blog and audience, and consider testing out different monetization methods to see what works best for you.
Here’s a look at your options:
Advertising
To get the most out of advertising, focus on building a large and engaged audience. This will make it easier to attract advertisers and negotiate higher rates.
Consider using ad networks that specialize in your niche, as they may have better paying campaigns and more relevant ads for your audience.
Be selective about the types of ads you allow on your site. Choose ads that are relevant to your audience and not overly intrusive.
Pros: Advertising is a simple and easy way to monetize your blog, as you can earn money by displaying ads on your site. There are many different ad networks and platforms to choose from, so you can find a solution that works for you.
Cons: Advertising can be intrusive and may not be well-received by all readers. You'll also need a fairly large amount of traffic to make a significant amount of money from ads.
Affiliate marketing
Research and promote products that are relevant to your audience and align with your brand. Don't just promote any product for the sake of making a commission.
Use tracking links to track your sales and referrals, and make sure you're credited for your efforts.
Disclose to your readers that you are using affiliate links, as this is required by many affiliate programs and is also good practice.
Pros: Affiliate marketing involves promoting products or services from other companies and earning a commission for each sale or referral. This can be a passive income stream, as you can earn money even when you're not actively working on your blog.
Cons: Affiliate marketing requires some upfront work, as you'll need to research and promote products that are relevant to your audience. It can also be challenging to find high-quality products to promote.
Selling products or services
Consider selling physical or digital products that are related to your blog's topic. This can be a good way to monetize your blog and add value for your readers.
Offer services such as consulting, coaching, or design work to your readers. This can be a good way to monetize your blog if you have specialized knowledge or skills.
Make sure to provide excellent customer service and support to your customers to ensure they have a positive experience and are likely to purchase from you again.
Pros: Selling your own products or services can be a lucrative way to monetize your blog. You'll have complete control over what you sell and how you sell it, and you'll be able to keep a larger percentage of the profits.
Cons: Selling products or services requires more work and effort, as you'll need to create or source the products and handle all of the sales and fulfillment.
Sponsored content:
Be selective about the brands you work with and make sure their products or services align with your brand and values.
Disclose to your readers that the content is sponsored and be transparent about your relationship with the brand.
Set clear guidelines and boundaries with the brand to ensure that you have creative control over the content and that it aligns with your blog's style and tone.
Pros: Sponsored content involves creating content on behalf of a brand or company in exchange for payment. This can be a good way to monetize your blog if you have a large audience and can create high-quality content.
Cons: Sponsored content can be time-consuming, as you'll need to create custom content for each brand. It can also be challenging to find sponsors and negotiate fair rates.
Subscription-based model
Offer exclusive content or perks to your subscribers to make the subscription worth their while.
Consider offering a free trial or a discounted rate to new subscribers to encourage them to sign up.
Keep your subscribers engaged by providing regular updates and new content. This will help to retain subscribers and make the subscription more valuable.
Pros: A subscription-based model involves charging readers a fee to access your content. This can be a good way to monetize your blog if you have a loyal and engaged audience.
Cons: A subscription model requires a significant amount of content to keep readers interested and coming back, and it may be difficult to convince readers to pay for content.
We know a thing or two about blogging
Starting a blog can seem intimidating at first, but with a little planning and some hard work, you can have a successful and rewarding blog. Whether you want to share your passions with the world, build a business, or simply have a creative outlet, a blog is a great platform to achieve your goals.
By following the steps outlined in this post, you can choose a topic, select a blogging platform, customize your blog's design, create valuable content, promote your blog, and monetize your blog to achieve your goals.
And if you're looking for help with SEO and creating high-quality content for your blog, be sure to check out TalktheTalk Creative – we offer a range of services to help businesses and bloggers improve their online presence and reach their target audience. Get in touch today.
Good luck on your blogging journey!
