With the population of the Internet increasing by the day, it shouldn’t come off as a surprise that more and more people have gone to the World Wide Web for their hobbies, and even to earn an income. The market is broad and thriving on the Internet, and one of the avenues for you to achieve this is through blogging.
Blogging is the digital form of what used to be the process of writing with a pen and paper, or a diary and a journal. Now, you can do this with your computer, on a website that you designate as your blog, for the citizens of the World Wide Web to read and to see. While this is just a hobby for some, it has become a steady form of earning passive income for many others.
But remember that for you to be successful, you have to first go through the nitty gritty of blogging, which has to do with the creation of a website. That said, here are tips to guide you on the process of making your website:
1. Set Up Your Domain Name And Web Hosting
When you are starting a business, one of the very first steps you undertake is in the registration of your business name. What this name is to a physical store, or what your name is to you, is what a domain name is in blogging. Hence, this ranks as one of the most important steps as you start your blog creation process. Choosing a domain name fast and well is crucial, or else someone might be ahead of you and choose the same name. Hence, you are left with no other choice but to let go of this name and pick another instead.
Your domain name is vital because this is also most likely what your blog name is going to be. If they are different, they should still be strictly relevant to each other, such that there is a better recall from the readers of your blog’s name and how to search for it on the Internet. Your domain name doesn’t refer precisely to your blog name, as distinguished by the following:
- Your domain name refers to the name that shows up after the “www.” in a URL. For example, www.marcthaddeus.com.
- Your blog name refers to the blog title that is usually placed on the top header section of the website itself, such as Thoughts From A Car Expert.
Hence, in the above example, the domain name is the name of the owner of the blog himself, Mr. Marc Thaddeus, but the blog name speaks of what the website is all about: cars. However, depending on your personal preference, you can also choose to keep the same domain name and blog name.
As a bonus, here is a comparison of Joomla vs WordPress to give you an excellent head start on the right web host to select for your blog.
2. Choose The Theme And Layout That You Prefer
When talking about the design aspect of a website, particularly one that is for blogging, there are no hard and fast rules as to what you should apply and how you should go about it. Hence, when choosing the theme and layout of your website, the best way is to choose which you prefer the most. Also, remember what your blog is all about and who your target audience is, as it is better for you to center your blog on these factors.
For example:
- If you are writing about life and relationships, you might want to go for shades of pink, red, or neutrals.
- If you are writing about gadgets and technology, and your target audience are men and boys, you can go for darker, more masculine colors such as blues, greens, and blacks.
- If you are writing about life and parenthood in general, you might want to go for calm and relaxing themes and designs.
The theme and layout plays a vital role in making your blog visually appealing. Remember that first impressions always count. As you choose both your theme and layout, keep this important tip in mind: always make your layout mobile-friendly.
3. Enable A “Contact Us” Option
One of the steps that is very easily neglected by bloggers who are starting a website is making themselves accessible to their readers who would like to contact them. Hence, as you design your website, do not forget to enable a “contact us” option, wherein there is a tab that contains all your contact details. Other than merely having your email address or work postal address on that tab, some websites may opt for a form that pops up for readers to leave them a message.
In addition to this point, remember, too, to incorporate your various social media pages into the design of your blog. It is significant for you as a blogger to practice coherence in your website and social media sites, so that you become easily identifiable to your audience.
4. Do Not Neglect Your Content
When you are creating your website, never forget your primary purpose, which is to blog. When it comes to blogs, your content always holds the most substantial weight. If the content is bad, you will still lose your readers no matter how well made your blog may be. What reason is there for them to stay on your blog if you aren’t doing well as a blogger?
It is therefore imperative for you to consider both the meat and the format of your content. Tips to guide you include the following:
- For the meat of your website’s content, always remember to post about relevant topics that provide answers to the most common questions of your viewers. Make sure that you also follow Search Engine Optimization guidelines, such as inserting relevant keywords.
- For the format of your website’s content, use font styles that are easy to read and understand. Remember to also break your content into various sections.
Conclusion
Starting a blog may seem intimidating and daunting at first. But once you get the hang of it, you begin to realize that it actually is one of the best things that you can ever do as an income and profit-earning opportunity. If you love writing, expressing your thoughts, opinions, and ideas, then starting your own blog is the perfect avenue to share these with the world. With these tips to guide you, getting that head start should no longer feel as scary as you initially thought.
