A Complete Guide On Starting Your Own Blog.

Have you also wondered how exactly a blog is created and managed? How many of you want to be a blogger but just don’t know how to create and operate a blog? Well, you are in the right place since here are all the steps crucial in building a successful blog. This blog contains everything you need to know about blogging if you are a beginner!

1. DECIDE

   • Decide if you really want to pursue blogging professionally

     The first thing you need to do is to decide if you really want to be a blogger or not. You need to determine whether blogging is right for you or not. For this, you need to make sure you have sore interest in writing, now that’s a basic! There are many other qualities that contribute to the making of a successful blogger-

     a. A Social Side- If you’re a budding blogger hiding in your introvert shell, then you ought to break it and start socializing in this social age. Socializing is one of the most important stepping stones in the case of blogging.

     b. Acceptance towards Criticism- It is not always necessary that everyone will instantly like your work and appreciate it. With the decision of stepping into blogging comes severe criticism too. Now, it is not mandatory that every critical comment means hate. Criticism can be very resourceful as it is a means of getting the reader’s point of view. Just learn to accept the criticism and make it a goal to turn every critic’s comment into a fan’s comment!

     c. Knowing your Interest- The question that arises now is, what exactly are you going to write on your blog. You need to know your best interests to deliver the best content to the audience. There is a possibility that you are interested in writing on multiple topics which is totally acceptable for a multi-genre blog but I would suggest you to make a single subject driven blog to target a fixed and large audience. Some popular blogging genres include- Fashion, Lifestyle, Food, Travel, Science, etc.

   • Do you need a passion for Blogging?  

     In my opinion, you do need a passion for doing an intense job like blogging. Passion is what makes you work harder and determined towards achieving your goals. Being passionate just means putting your heart out in whatever you are writing. Talent and Passion are both very crucial in the world of blogging but the latter always wins. 

     2. RESEARCH

     Start your research about blogging. Decide on the niche to start the blog in. While deciding the genre of the blog, interest is not the only thing to be kept in mind. As important interest maybe but the monetary value surely marks its presence in the market.

     a. Ask yourself if the niche will give you profit- You may initially start your blog as a side fling but once the blog starts to grow you would need to devote the majority of your time to the blog. In that case, the option to leave your boring job might strike your mind! You need to make sure that the niche you have chosen has that much potential to gain you profit. Research on the genre you have decided upon, find out existing bloggers in the category and look at their financial conditions and other possibilities.

     b. Are you ready for the commitment?- Blogging sure as hell needs a lot of "commitment". Becoming a successful blogger means you become entitled to your audience and devoted to your blog. Quality of the content and consistency are the sterling wheels of maintaining a successful blog.

     c. Choosing the platform for Blogging- After deciding on the category, start researching about the blogging platforms and options available within your resources. There are two ways of making a blog-

     • Buying a hosting plan

     • Going for the free option on various blogging sites

       Depending on your budget, either one of the above options is accessible. However, I would suggest you go for a paid plan because of its vast features and many other benefits. Some of the most popular blogging platforms are- WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, Wrytin, SquareSpace, etc. 

       d. Cost of a Blog- You must be wondering how much exactly does it cost to start a blog! So here is a rough breakdown of the estimated price of a blog-

       You need 2 things to start a blog-

       • Domain Name- The cost of Domain Name depends on popularity, field, etc. but the cost of Domain Name starts from approx. INR199.

       • Hosting Plan- A basic startup blogging plan would cost around INR1999-INR9000.

         e. Choosing that perfect Domain Name- Domain Name has a significant role in attracting the targeted audience. If your Domain Name is a cool and unique one then people will be automatically attracted to it. Think of a Domain Name that does not start with an overused word. Think of something "out of the box", it can really be anything, even your name or middle name for that matter. In conclusion, pay detailed attention towards your Domain Name but remember to not make it too long.

         1. Make sure that your domain name is somewhat related to your niche- Don’t keep completely out of place domain name because the sole purpose of a domain name is to give an idea to the reader about the content present on that particular blog.

         2. Try to look for a .com TLD- Most readers would only remember your brand or your blog name, so while searching for your blog, they are most likely to type .com or .in[if in India] after the blog name. So, try and  find a domain name with a common TLD[Top Level Domain]

         3. Where to buy the Domain Name?- I have always used GoDaddy for buying domain names and it works fairly well for me as it is quite cheap too! Also, there are many other websites like Hostgator, Bluehost, Namecheap, etc.

         3. SETTING UP AND CONTENT

         Leave all the thoughts of the future aside and start setting up your blog. This is the most crucial step in building up a blog as it decides the basis of the blog. Don’t worry and take all the time you need and make sure your blog screams of originality and your personality. Next, comes the actual content to be posted on the blog. As they say, ‘Content is King’, in the end, no matter what you do, it is the content that is going to determine your success! Make it your goal that every blog is going to be a notch higher than the previous one and that’s the ultimate key to blogging. Write in a language that is understandable and try to connect with your readers and make them feel like they are reading something written by them. Maintaining consistency is important but consistency shouldn’t come at the cost of deteriorating content. 

         4. PROMOTING YOUR BLOG

         Now, comes one of the most difficult tasks aka promoting your blog. It is like, you know that you have this post up on your blog which is informative and resourceful and everyone would want to read it but taking people to that blog is one hell of a task! 

         They say, "Be where your customers are" but I say "Be where your customers think you are"! This is the social media age; so make sure that you are promoting your blog on every social media site ever created. It is the location where you will find readers of every age. Make social media accounts, upload posts, share ads and collab with fellow bloggers and celebrities if possible.

         5. MONETIZING AND MAKING MONEY

         Making money from blogging is not very different from making money in any other online business. You might not make any profits in the beginning but after building a secure and successful blog, blogging gives you numerous ways to make money-

         • Monetizing your blog to earn money in terms of views

         • Through ad-spacing in your blog

         • Contracts with companies willing to work with you

         • Through social media posts

           I hope you all liked this post and all you aspiring bloggers out there got an idea about the world of blogging. I wish this blog helps you to fulfill your aspiration and host a successful blog. 

           Thank You for giving your precious time and reading this article! Stay tuned for more posts.

           Kriti A