Should I Start Blogging?
What is a Blog?
It seems like nowadays, anyone with a laptop and a camera calls themselves a blogger. With so many voices on the internet, you ask yourself, “should I start blogging?”
A blog is an online journal of information where a writer shares their views on an individual subject. Whether it be fashion, politics, food, lifestyle, pregnancy, etc., there are a variety of blogs that cater to different audiences. On these blogs, users can read and comment on your story and little by little, you will grow your community online. Eventually, your audience will look forward to your content!
The word ‘blog’ first emerged in 1997 after John Barger launched his website, “The Robot Wisdom Weblog.” What started as a commentary on the internet eventually evolved to the personal blogging we have today.
Think about it, blogging is only about 20 years old!
Today, there are about over 1 billion blogs on the internet. And so, you ask yourself again, “should I start blogging?”
Should I Start Blogging?
The fact that you are asking yourself this probably means that you should. Here are some questions to ask yourself if you are still wondering, “should I start blogging?”
Do you feel like you have a voice of your own that others would enjoy?
- A blog is your own personal online journal where you can share your opinions on various topics. If you think others would enjoy your take on the latest fashion trend, how to cook on a college budget, or ways to get politically involved, then you should join one of the blogging platforms and start your blog.
Have you always had an inclination to be creative?
- If you have always wanted to write, take pictures and/or videos, and express your creativity, then blogging is the platform for you. The beauty of blogging is that you do not have to be an expert, just dedicated to honing this craft and enjoying it. You may have a 9-5 job in something completely different, but blogging gives you the chance to express yourself online.
Is being a part of a community important to you?
- Being vocal on the internet will eventually gather you followers and people dedicated to reading and seeing your content. The more you post, the more users will like and comment. Get ready to engage with your audience and build your online community. Pretty soon people will be searching for your blog to find out what you have been up to!
If you answered yes to any of these questions, then the three letter word is the answer to your original question: should I start blogging?
Why Choose a Blog?
With other channels to express yourself with, why choose a blog? For starters, it sets you up as an authority or an expert in your field. By writing down your ideas, supplementing it with pictures, videos, even audio, you have put together your voice in one website. There is no need to search anywhere else, you are the expert on a certain topic and your blog is proof of it. Consider it like your online portfolio. If you are an expert at knowing the latest trends in the fashion world, chances are you know what you’re talking about.
Additionally, a blog is an easy way for users to find you. With the use of SEO, search engines such as Google or Yahoo know to pick up your content first to show to its users. The more you blog about a topic like football, the more Google will know to bring your article first when someone is searching for ‘football’. Organically, you will start creating an online community and an audience hungry for what you have to say.
The more fresh content the happier search engines and your audience will be. The key is to post at least every 21 days. Nothing is worse than going to a website and seeing their last post was in 2015.
Finally, a blog is not hard to maintain. If you feel passionate about what you are promoting and writing about will not feel like a job, but something to look forward to. You do not have to give up your day job, you can think of your blog as a side hustle! However, if your blog does take off and become a hit, who knows! Maybe you can kiss that day job goodbye.
Blogging for Beginners
Now that you have decided that blogging is the route you want to take to form your online community and share your thoughts, what happens now? While it easy to just start spewing out content, first you have to create a plan. Blogging for beginners can be easy once you know what you want to do.
First, consider who your audience is. If your topic of choice is food, narrow down that audience. Are you catering towards meals that are healthy? Baking and desserts? Gluten-free meals? Things made only from Pinterest recipes? There is a wide range of ways you can blog about but if you know what you want to blog about, the better it is for you to reach your audience. You cannot be catering towards moms cooking at home and include recipes that are too difficult to do. Be like Rachel Ray: she knew that her goal was to complete 30-Minute Meals and she never strayed, not even for a minute.
Another tip useful to blogging for beginners is to learn search engine optimization (SEO). While it sounds complicated, SEO are keywords that search engines use to pick up your content above anyone else’s. For example, if your keywords are directed towards “things to do in Philadelphia,” “traveling in Philly,” and “sightseeing through Philly,” search engines will use your article first when someone is looking up what to do in Philadelphia.
As you start blogging for beginners, remember how important it is to self-market as well. While it may feel awkward, your blog can be supplemented by social media channels; which one you decide is up to you. Whether it’s sharing your photography on Instagram or articles on Facebook, promoting your content on social media will drive traffic to your blog and allow others to know who you are. Who knows, maybe you will start receiving messages for advice or help on your topic!
Blogging Platforms
The blogging world would not be where it is without WordPress. The blogging platform allows users to completely customize what they want their website to look like – and you don’t even need to be a coding expert to do it! It is also easy to share your website on other social media platforms with its accessibility to share your content on other sites.
WordPress’s flexibility and practicality can really help your website become something that you are proud of.
Let Us Help You Blog
Does all of this seem overwhelming? Are you excited to start your blog but don’t know how? Perfectly Optimized specializes in making sure your website has the latest editing tools and technology. We will bring your ideas to life in a website that is easy to use and enjoyable to look through. With over 20 years of experience, your blog is in good hands!