There are more than 31 million people in the United States who have blogs, and that number is expected to continue growing in the future.
Have you always wanted to start a blog? Do you have dreams of making blogging your full-time job?
There are definitely a lot of blogs on the internet these days. That doesn’t mean you can’t start one and make it a success, though.
Read on to learn about some essential tips you ought to take if you want to create a start a successful blogging business.
1. Choose the Right Host
If you want your blog to be a success, you need to start with the right host. Web hosting gives you a place to “house” your blog online so that other people can find and read it.
It’s true that there are lots of free web hosts out there. As a general rule, though, it’s better to invest a bit of money in paid hosting.
Shared hosting, which is fine for most new bloggers, costs less than five dollars per month in most cases.
When you invest in hosting, you get access to more features, better security, and more options to customize your blog. You’re also less likely to deal with outages and slow load times, both of which are very bad for the blogging business.
2. Choose the Right Topics
Once you’ve found a host for your blog, do some brainstorming and think about the type of information you want to share with the world. If you’re struggling to pick a topic for your blog, start by asking yourself the following questions:
- What subjects am I passionate about?
- What subjects do I know a lot about?
- What subjects are other people interested in?
- Are there gaps in an industry that I can fil?
Answering these questions can help you figure out what subject is best for you to tackle. Use that as a guide to help you determine the scope of your blog and what kind of information you’ll cover in your posts.
3. Choose a Great Domain Name
Now, it’s time to think of a name and domain name for your blog. The domain name is the address that people will type in when they want to go to your blog.
Some web hosts will offer you a free domain name, while others will charge you a small fee for it.
When you’re choosing a domain name, it’s important to pick a name that’s unique. It also ought to be reflective of you and the purpose of your blog.
Try not to make your domain name too long or complicated. This will make it harder for people to remember it and find you online.
4. Be Consistent
When you start sharing posts on your blog, remember that consistency is key. You need to publish posts on a regular basis if you want to build an audience and keep people coming back for more.
You don’t necessarily have to publish a post every day. The more often you can post (while still making sure your content is unique and provides value to your readers), though, the better off you’ll be and the faster your blog will grow.
Don’t be discouraged if it takes a while for you to start building an audience, either. You won’t have a large following overnight. The more consistent you are with your posts, though, the sooner people will start to develop an interest and stick around.
5. Create a Community
Speaking of building an audience, it’s important to think beyond just readership. How can you build a community around your blog?
If you develop a community, you’ll be more likely to have loyal readers who stick around long-term. You’ll also be more likely to make sales if you later decide you want to sell products or services on your site.
Make sure you’re sharing your blog posts on social media and are active on the platforms where your readers spend the most time. Engage with them there, as well as in the comments section of your blog post, and let them know that you’re interested in their feedback.
You may want to set up a Facebook group for your blog readers, too. That way, everyone can get to know each other and you can learn more about what they want to see from you in the future.
6. Write a Variety of Posts
It helps to vary the types of posts you share on your blog.
While they should all be under the same general umbrella (health and fitness, budget-friendly living, etc.), there’s a lot of room for you to write different types of posts for your audience.
Maybe some of your posts will be long-form, informative posts, while others will be product reviews or snapshots into your daily life.
The more variety you give your audience, the more likely you are to attract a wider range of people to your blog.
7. Do the Work IRL
As a blogger, you’re going to spend a lot of time on the internet, especially if you hope to make blogging your full-time job. That doesn’t mean there isn’t value in stepping away from your computer, though.
There are lots of opportunities to network and share your blog with people in real life. From conferences to local blogger and social media influencer meetups, you’ll have plenty of chances to get to know other people in your space.
Print out some modern business cards and keep them in your purse when you head out to local events and conferences. When you meet people, be sure to let them know you have a blog and give them your card so they can check it out.
Start a Successful Blogging Business Today
The idea of starting a blogging business can certainly be daunting. It’s especially true today when it seems that everyone and their mom has a blog.
The good news, though, is that it is possible to separate yourself from the pack and grow your blog from a hobby to a lucrative full-time job. If you keep these tips for successful blogging in mind, you’ll be able to grow your blog much faster and continue bringing in new readers.
Do you want to learn more about blogging as a business? Are you looking for more general business advice?
Either way, we’ve got resources for you available on our site. Check out the Blogger Lifestyle section of our site today to learn more.
