7 Tips for Running a Successful Blog
You probably read a variety of different blogs from bloggers who are obviously successful. They have you as a reader, after all, so they must be doing something right. But the key to a successful blog is not always clear. Fortunately, there are some tried and true tips that most successful bloggers agree on.
Blogging Success – 7 Tips You Can Use Now
1. Just Start
Starting a blog does not have to be difficult. But if you are feeling overwhelmed with all of your options, know that you are not alone. Many people want to start a blog but don’t know where to start. Sure, you may have some ideas of what you would like to write about, but you know there is a lot more to it than that – right? Well, there are some things you will need to learn and some steps you will need to take, but it is not going to be as hard as you think. The biggest step is getting started in the first place. Set reasonable goals, like picking a topic, setting up a blogging platform and writing your first post. Soon, the rest will follow.
2. Pick A Topic to Blog About
Most successful bloggers and writers, in general, will tell you that you should write what you know – but that advice is not absolute. If you have something you are really excited to learn about, you can blog about it once you gain some knowledge on the subject. However, know that the fastest way to proficiency and then onward to mastery is to build on what you already have experience in. If you can find a balance between your passion and the demands of online audiences, you are already doing great.
3. Choose A Name, A Domain and Get Hosting
There are two ways to look at the name of a blog. You can think about finding the perfect name that embodies your passion and the topic you are focusing on – or you can think about finding the balance between the perfect name and the domain that is available to you. See, the domain is the web address and really becomes the name of your blog to most people because that is what they type in to visit you. A lot of domains are already taken, so if you only focus on coming up with the perfect name without considering availability, you are probably going to find that your blog name is already taken and be forced to start over – or name your blog one thing and have a different domain name, which is not ideal.
Once you have your domain picked out you can get hosting – the service that gives your blog a place on the internet. There are multiple hosting services out there so do some research and pick the one that you like the most. They will usually include the domain as part of your hosting package.
You can set up a free blog on WordPress but if you want your blog to be easy to find and seen as a legitimate site online, it is better to pay the small price to get web hosting.
4. Add WordPress To Your Blog
The hosting service you use will likely help you install WordPress onto your blog, but if they don’t then you will need to look up instructions on how to install it for your particular web hosting service. It shouldn’t be too difficult.
WordPress is the most popular blogging platform for a reason. It is easy to use and understand, gives you plenty of customization options and is designed for blogging. You can write in WordPress or in your favorite word processor and then paste your blogs over. You can add images, video and just about anything else you want to include in your blog.
WordPress is a huge topic all on its own, but you don’t have to become a WordPress expert to use the platform to blog. Soon, you will be a WordPress pro and find blogging on the platform a breeze.
5. Choose A Theme That Appeals to Your Audience and Your Sense Of Style
Customizing the look of a blog used to require a lot of HTML and CSS knowledge – and making truly custom websites still requires knowing these skills. But today, you can easily add a theme to your blog on WordPress and drastically – or not so drastically – change the look and feel of the blog for your visitors. You want your blog to be a representation of you and your style, so take some time to try out different themes and find one that makes sense for your needs. And don’t worry, you can always change it if you decide you prefer something else later on.
6. Keep Plugins To A Minimum
Plugins add extra features to your blog, like helping you track visitor activities, but every plugin you add will slow down your blog – so you want to only use the ones you need the most. Yoast SEO is a very popular plugin worth considering because it helps you optimize your blog for search engines so people can find you more easily.
7. Write Quality Content
Every tip before this one focuses on building a good foundation for your blog. Once you have a solid foundation, you have to start building the actual blog – and that is done through quality content.
What does it mean to write quality content? It depends on your focus and your audience, but generally speaking, quality content is unique and useful. It is your unique take on a subject and answers the questions your audience has about that subject. The higher the quality of your content, the more likely readers are to come back for more. It can take time to develop your voice and feel confident in the content you write, but it will happen if you keep trying.
Keep writing, keep learning and stay persistent. Eventually, you can reach the success you are looking for.
