How To Start A Blog – The Do’s & Dont’s of Blogging

So you’ve been wondering How to Start a Blog but have yet to pull the trigger.

*This post contains affiliate links.

I’m here to help you out with some tips on what to do and what not to do.  I’ve been blogging now for six years and I’ve been able to get some decent income out of my blog although I’m an on and off blogger.

If extra income isn’t what you are looking for, this isn’t the post for you. If income is what you are looking to ultimately reach with your blog, lets talk strategy.

Let’s start with the DO’s of blogging to get you going fast.

The first step to starting your own blog is acquiring your Domain name – which just means your blog name, for example, mine is www.younglovemommy.com and my blog is hosted by Bluehost.

If you are looking to start a profitable blog then there’s only one way to go, and that means you should be on a self-hosted blog.

What does a self-hosted blog mean?

It means you own your content. You are paying to have your site up on the web. My blog is hosted on Bluehost and so far I have nothing but good things to say about them.

You can start your own blog by signing up here or click on the banner below, with paid hosting you’ll get a free domain name.

DO choose a niche for your blog.

A niche is a subject you’ll be writing about, it can be about knitting, cats, airplanes… You name it. Choosing a blog niche can be a great way to bring in very specific readers who are committed to your topic of choice. Some niches are more popular than others but popular niches are also oversaturated because it’s a common theme. You can read more about blog niches here.

DO write your blog in your own voice.

Everyone that wants to write can write, but only you can write like you. There are countless blog posts about how to start a blog on the Internet from all different points of view. This is not a novel idea, write in your own voice.

Everyone has their own spin on subjects, don’t be intimidated by the fact that someone has already written on the subject. It hasn’t been written from your point of view and voice.

DO create a catchy blog name.

Blog name (i.e. Domain Name) You don’t want something too long or too short but something unique to your niche. You want something that your readers can easily remember.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know how to start a blog, I mean… I did it… I’m no rocket scientist. But it does get rather confusing down the line if you don’t start the “right” way.

I started on a free platform (which caused me headaches down the line), then purchased my own domain name. Only after a year or so, I switched over to self-hosted. It took me a long time to do that because it does get a little technical and who has time for that? But I bit the bullet and signed up for a self-hosted blog.

If you just want to write as a hobby, then feel free to start on a free hosting site like blogger.com (which is how I started) or WordPress.com

But if a professional, monetized blog is your end game, do yourself a favor don’t make the same mistakes I did and have to convert everything from scratch on another platform.

If creating an income for yourself is what you are looking for then definitely start a self-hosted blog.

Now on to the DON’Ts

Do NOT sign up for a free blog if you plan on earning income from your blog.

Why? Because you won’t own your blog and it can be taken down any minute for whatever reason.

I never had that problem but I heard of big bloggers that had that happen to them. So start right! Of course, you could start a blog any way you like and switch later on like I did, but it was a bigger headache and I wished I had taken this into consideration but I didn’t start blogging for profit.

DO NOT take it lightly.

When I started I had no clue what I was doing, I just wanted to write.  I would read other bloggers’ posts and that’s about it. Blogging is hard work, it takes commitment and a lot of self-discipline. No one is forcing you to write, you don’t have a boss breathing down your neck. You are in charge of it all, you are your own boss… You little business owner you.

DO NOT write half-assed blog posts.

Pardon my French but if you intend for people to follow you and read your content be ready to provide them with good quality information. People like well-written posts and good-quality photos. Everyone has something they are good at. Maybe you are fabulous at multi-tasking, maybe you rocked breastfeeding (not me). Listen, I know it can be a daunting task, you might say I can’t do it and I’m here to tell you can.

There is certainly a learning curve, but you CAN do it. You can bring in some income to help support your family or support your Starbucks habit.

Whatever your reason might be there’s always space for your voice. Don’t be discouraged!

Share your expertise!

These are not all the DO’s and DON’Ts of blogging but will certainly get you thinking. Is blogging right for you? Are you passionate about a certain topic? Then start writing. 

You’ve already decided you want to start a blog? Have a blog name in mind? See below if your blog name is available.

If you want more help & support. You can join my Facebook group, where we share tips on blogging and income strategies.

There is so much more to blogging if you really want to get technical, but this will give blog will you give you a basic understanding of how to start a blog.

Thank you so much for reading and if you have any questions, be sure to write them in the comments below.

Looking for a blog theme, click on the image below. Restored 316 makes beautiful feminine blog themes to get you started with a professional-looking and functional blog.

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