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Getting Started

So you know what you want to write about and you know that a blog is the way to go about it, but what next? Hopefully, this page can help shed some light on where to make your first steps. There are a few ways to go about it, but I think this is the best. some people may fight me on this, but it’s the way I’ve always done it and the way that has given me success with all of my blogs. Maybe you’ve got a different way? Let me know and maybe I’ll add it, but for now, this is the way that I’d recommend starting a blog.

Buy A Domain

Sure, you can start with a brand spanking new domain and build up the authority and reputation yourself, but domains expire all the time, many of them with great metrics that can give you a flying head start when it comes to ranking higher and having a platform all ready to get your name out there and start making money from blogging.

When domains expire, when someone decides to not pay for another year of registration, the domain typically goes back onto the public auction on the registrar for people to bid on and buy. People can make a lot of money buying prize domains and then selling them on, but a lot of the time, domain auctions are a great place to find domain names that already have authority and are a good name.

For example, if you’re looking at building a travel blog, getting a good domain name like travelblogging.com or ilovetotravel.co.uk can make your blog easier to find and more likely to be read as the theme of the site is immediately obvious and tells people everything they need to know about your blog, without even clicking to open it.

I think that GoDaddy is the best place to search for domains, it’s easy to use and is a safe and trustworthy service to use. You’ll have to do some background checks on the domain like the authority and whether it has ever been blacklisted by search engines or social media sites for anything, also check to see if any nefarious sites currently link to that domain as these could harm the trustworthy-ness of your blog.

Choose A Platform

Having an effective content management system or program is key when it comes to easily and simply managing your blog. WordPress is one of the best blogging platforms out there and I can’t sing its praises enough. It’s easy to use and there are plenty of great, trusted plugins which can really improve the look, design and functions of your site.

WordPress is also free to use and easy to set up and there are themes which are free and look great and are easily customisable. It’s also one of the most social-friendly sites thanks to the ease fo comments, replies and social sharing.

Of course, there are other platforms which work really well, Blogger and Tumblr each have their own pros and cons. Tumblr has a younger audience and user base but it’s also more social and has a long-form social media feel to it. I don’t have much experience with Blogger, but it’s heralded as the next best thing to WordPress, if you’ve used it before, let me know what you thought and any tips and tricks you have for using it.

Make A Content Plan

Content is king on blogs. If your content is rubbish, then what’s the point? No one is going to read it if there isn’t clear structure and regular updates. If you’ve read my ‘Getting Found’ page, you’ll know all about finding your niche and your keywords, so build your content around these. Ideally, you should plan at least twelve months of content planned, all relevant to the theme of your blog and all based around the keywords that you’ve identified.

Try and be original as there is so much writing on the internet that it’s hard to stand out and be different, but put your own spin on it. Your tone of voice will help to make it stand out and be different and your personality should be the star of the show. Of course, great writing and good information helps, but to truly stand out, you need your own flair to shine through.

Learn To Learn

The most important thing to know when you’re getting started is to understand that there are always new things to learn and ways that you can improve your blog and what you’re doing. Never think that you know everything there is to know as developments in technology and the best way to blog are always being uncovered.

Always be reading online about what is changing in the online world and what new technology has been made to make blogging and content management easier and more effective.

It’s also worth keeping an eye on SEO news so look out for Google algorithm changes and updates so you can ensure your blog isn’t violating any terms of use or anything like that.