I’ve already written How to Start a Blog Part 1, but thought I’d expand a little. The first time you make a blog you might find yourself really overwhelmed, asking yourself questions:
“Where do I start?”
“How many posts do I need before I launch it?”
“How often should I post?”
There’s no black and white answer to any of these questions, but I do have some suggestions. The best place to start is deciding whether you’re going to get your own website with your own hosting, or whether you’re going to use one of the many free services available. Once you’ve got that sorted, everything will become a little clearer.
I personally use WordPress as the platforms for all of my blogs as I find it very to use, there’s a lot of variety out there and the themes themselves, even if you buy premium, are relatively inexpensive. So if I were to create a new blog I’d hunt for a WordPress theme I love and I’d load it up to my hosting account or blogging account.
There are a few pages that you need to get sorted straight from the beginning including the Home Page, About page, and Contact Page.
Your Home Page is going to be your blog’s landing page, so it’s important that it’s interesting, showcases your latest posts (and perhaps your most popular posts) has clear access to your social media accounts and is easy to navigate. Changes are you’ll want a nice header that includes your blog’s name and maybe a tagline summarising what your blog is about.
You should spend a lot of time on your About Page, it is where your readers will come to learn a little more about you, so show off your personality and what your blog is all about. It’ll allow your readers to relate to you, connect to you and will ensure your blog is more personal.
Your Contact Page is the place where people will go to if they want to ask you a question, work with you or hire you. As such, you should have an easy to use contact form so that it’s really no trouble for them to write you a message. Make sure that messages sent from your Contact Page don’t go to spam as I’ve been a few weeks late to respond to messages in the past because they’ve got lost in my junk folder.
How Many Posts do You Really Need Before Launch?
How long is a length of string? This is whatever works best for you. I know some people have been so excited by their first post that they send it out as soon as it’s live, despite their site being relatively barren. I’d suggest waiting until you have around 10 posts, because that way if someone makes their way to your site, enjoys your post, they can at least browse a few more before reaching the end of your posts.
How Often Should You Post?
In the beginning it’s very tempting to post every single day, but I think quality is much more important than quantity. As time goes on, we as a global society are becoming more engaged with the Internet; people are spending more time online and accessing it more easily from their smartphones. You could post every day if you wanted and I’m sure you’d find an audience that engages with your regular updates, but I think a few times a week is realistic and sustainable. I’ve followed some blogs that only update once or twice a month and I still routinely check them. If you make great content, people will read it.
Do you have any questions about starting a blog? Let me know in the comments below and I’ll be sure to answer them for you.