If you love to write, have strong attitudes and want to share them with a large number of people, the Internet is the right place for you and your new blog. All that's left is to learn how to become a blogger and you're all set!
People have always wanted to share their views with others, but never has it been so easy to reach the public as it is today. Now, with the help of the Internet, you can share your thoughts with millions of people and earn money at the same time. While many are turning to video and YouTube, not everyone wants to communicate that way.
Writing is still a highly valued skill that offers anonymity at the same time. If you recognized yourself here, then blogging is the best option for you. There are many reasons to start a blog. Some want to share their opinions, while others prefer the gains from the intellect. Whatever the reason, the first questions are always the same - what exactly is a blog and how complicated is it to create one?
What is a blog?
Before you start the adventure of writing and sharing your knowledge with the world, you need to know what blogging is all about. Unlike a more complex site that covers several topics, the blog is a much more personalized format. On it, the person (or several) writes about certain topics expressing their own opinion. The themes are usually very specific: food, games, technology, pets, movies...
Unlike news portals, where it is important to write objectively, blogs are essentially online news columns. This means you can write about whatever you want, in the way you like best, often speaking in the first person, directly to the reader. So, you have the absolute freedom to create the content as you wish. Here we come to the first "challenge" - what to write about?
How to start a blog
Opening a blog requires, first of all, the choice of a theme, because all other stages depend on it. Many make the mistake of opting for the field "everyone loves", even if they don't know much about it or don't care much about it. Blogging requires dedication, so it's very important that you really understand the topic you're going to write about (or you're so interested that you're willing to learn on the fly).
Choose a theme for your blog
If you do something just because of the potential gain, you will be in trouble from the start. Namely, the blog is an expression of a position on a topic and if you do not have a strong opinion and professionalism, readers will notice it.
One option for inspiration and finding a future blogger's niche is to search for the main term with the help of the Google Trends tool. Before you start a blog, it's good to check the number of searches for a certain term (ie a domain) at the level of the year, and you can even compare two competing terms.
However, don't worry if the interest is high or not, the audience will come if your content is quality and original. With this approach, the community with which you share interests will recognize you as an authority in that field. With faithful visitors, more visits will come, but also many opportunities to win.
Choose a name
Although it acts as a side issue, the choice of name is extremely important for several reasons. First, with the name you take the first step towards creating a recognizable brand. That is why it is important that the name clearly presents to the readers what the blog is about.
The name must contain a word or term that explains what it is about (eg "Tips for Freelance Developers"). When choosing a name, keep in mind that it should be easy to remember and pronounce.
There is another approach, which is that your blog name does not explain what it is about. In this case, you have more freedom to give names. It can even be a fictitious word or an abbreviation, which over time you will build a brand about. In this way you will follow the examples of many successful global brands, whose names do not explain "at first glance" what they are about.
Since this is the internet, think about how the URL will look, but also what the mix would be on social media. Although these items may not seem so important, once you choose a name and reserve your domain name, it is harder to change everything.
Create a website
Now that you have a name, you need to reserve the domain and choose the hosting for your site. Often it is possible to do both things in one place. Although paying for the domain and host/hosting is an initial investment, these costs can be ignored. It's possible to write on already existing platforms like Tumblr or Medium, but in that case you don't have many options to monetize your creativity.
However, we recommend getting the site right from the start, for to avoid any kind of inconvenience in the future activity. As a rule, the Wordpress platform is used for editing blogs. It is free, easy to use and modifiable with numerous extensions.
Within Wordpress, it is possible to choose themes that provide a visual identity for your website. If you are not satisfied with this offer, a great choice is Theme Forest , which offers a great selection of themes. There are a lot of free themes on the internet, but keep in mind that sometimes quality has to be paid for. It is important if the programmer who made the theme is verified, if you can rely on his help in case of possible errors/bugs, and if regular updates are made. Of course, this is not all, if you want to know more, read the text that explains in more detail how to make the site.
How to edit a blog
When you have all the technical things settled, it's time to edit the blog. Consider making your site easy to follow and easy to access. This means that the website menu should be clear, focusing on basic information. Don't forget to insert the "About Us" page, where you will describe yourself, your mission with the blog and enter the contact form.
And while the blog should look good, that shouldn't affect functionality. The main page should be transparent, without overdoing it with options. Keep in mind that website visitors will spend a few seconds in which you need to make them stay. You will do this primarily with your content, attractive photos and headlines.
Learn how to use WordPress
Before writing, you need to master the basic principles of using a CMS (Content Management System), in this case, it is the WordPress platform. This platform is extremely popular, primarily because it is easy to use, at least when it comes to the basics.
Of course, for more serious actions, you need a higher level of knowledge, which you can get through a WordPress course . But you can quickly master the basics, i.e. placing texts, photos and videos. You will quickly master the basic options (Posts - add new or Pages - add new), but much more important is - the way you write.
Start writing!
You have reached the stage where you have a working website. Now, it is "just" necessary to enter the content following the basic rules. You have to keep in mind that readers will skim your texts by looking at titles, photos, beginning of paragraphs, links... After that, they may take the time to read the entire text.
Obviously, Google also agrees with this, because SEO writing rules largely match the habits of online readers. First, here we refer to the basic parts of each text. As a beginner, it is a good idea to start with the basic rules of content optimization. That way, initially, you'll create content that will rank well in searches.
In short, when you write about something, try to extract the keyword, that is, the term that you would highlight as the most important. Not only is it good to have that key word in important places in the text, but it will make it easier for you to focus on the topic because you will be 'circling' around the key word. If we look at the construction of the text, there are a few important things that you need to accomplish in WordPress:
● The title (Title) - attracts the reader and basically urges him to click on the link of the text
● Introduction to the text - sets the basic premise of the text, that is, what is expected from us next.
● Inter-headings - break the text into fragments for easier reading. Intertitles also serve to intrigue the reader to continue reading.
● Photo - the text must always be illustrated with a photo that you have taken yourself or obtained legally. Don't try to 'steal' the images as it can cost you a lot!
● Links- link the text you write with other blog articles if they are similar. In this way you give the reader the option to familiarize himself with the additional content and thus stay on the blog.
If you have an SEO plugin installed, such as Yoast , in this case you will also have a full text analysis with information on what to add, remove or change.
In addition to the text itself, you can also upload images, videos, infographics, and audio clips to your gallery posts. It all depends on what blog you have designed. In some cases, video is inevitable, while in other cases, photography will be more important.
How to manage a blog
Now that you've published your first post, things get more complex. If you want to get serious about blogging, you need to plan your posts in advance. That means you need to have a serious production plan. Plan long term, research which important dates of the year will be the most requested. For example, if you create a blog about travel, then for sure it will be New Year, significant national holidays (especially if they are connected with the weekend)...
Research your niche well and create a content calendar. To manage the blog correctly, it is a good idea to have the texts prepared in advance. You need to schedule them to publish for important dates. Depending on your free time, plan the texts you will publish weekly. It is better that the texts go less often, but be of quality, rather than focusing on quantity.
Published texts are not a guarantee of success, because someone has to see them. In order for your attitudes to reach potential readers, you need to take care of promoting your blog.
Promote your blog
There are two ways to new readers, one is the natural way and the other is through advertising. And while internet advertising is a good choice to read, it is recommended that you focus on content quality and SEO optimization first. Thus, paid ads will also give better results, because the visitors who arrived on the blog through the ads will respond better to your presentation.
However, before you start spending money on Pay-Per-Click (PPC) ads, try to maximize your site in "free" ways. One of the basic ways is to create accounts on the most popular social networks. Facebook is definitely the base, and if your topic is visually appealing, Instagram is the ideal solution. Try to upload posts daily, which will encourage people to visit your site. For significant results, here too you will have to pay for advertising, but for the beginning it will be enough to attract visitors naturally.
Strive to get your word out by linking other sites to your blog. Initially, you will need to contact them and maybe offer them some kind of cooperation. Later, it will certainly be easier, especially if you have topics that are extremely interesting to your target group.
Take the opportunity and go to the places where your potential readers meet (fairs, creative workshops, seminars...). This is an ideal opportunity to draw attention to yourself and your blog and, as a result, increase your visits, but also the ability to successfully develop a business.
Don't forget the newsletter as a way to connect with readers (and potential customers). It's certainly important to gain a new audience, but it's just as important to keep the old one. You'll do this by presenting them with fantastic new content in the form of newsletters they've signed up for. At some point, you will realize that email marketing is extremely profitable, so it is desirable to acquire advanced knowledge in this field.
How do bloggers earn?
If you want to make money as a blogger, you need to thoroughly research the market you are interested in. That means you care about who your competition is, how many of the topics you write are in demand on Google, and generally how big the market you plan to target is.
If you are creating a blog only to earn, this research will work in the beginning and according to the earning will direct your blog. Depending on the topic of the blog, you can earn money in several ways: through banners, sponsored content (native advertising), affiliate marketing... How much money you will earn depends, first of all, on you and how much time you are willing to invest in the blog.
Of course, in order to engage in blogging professionally, and in this way earn very well, you need to gain experience, to begin with, with writing and managing the site. If you are serious about making money on the Internet, consider one of the educational programs that provide knowledge in this area.
https://www.link-academy.com/cum-sa-deveniti-blogger-sfaturi-pentru-incepatori
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