In the age we are living, writers can start a website and release unique content almost in no time. With a stunning WordPress blog theme, hosting and a bit of imagination, you can have it all set and ready to rock sooner than you think.
However, after the technical part is over, it comes to the most essential thing, content. For those who are new to the blogging game, below you will find a list of 11 top tips to get you going. Of course, there is even more to it, but it is advisable not to overcomplicate when starting out. Rather keep things simple and gain skills and knowledge on the go. Your audience will grow with you and, by staying consistent, you will be impressed how far you can get.
There is no better timing to start your blog than it is today. Take action, go to work and start releasing nifty work that it will be inevitable for others not to be attracted to.
1. You know your industry best
One thing is for sure, if you do not feel comfortable writing about a certain topic, it is better to avoid it and move to the next one. Pick something that you know about. An industry that enlightens you. A niche which you are the expert of. Through writing, you will further broaden your knowledge and become an inspiration to others. Even if you are just starting out, choose something that feels right. Moreover, you should also know who you are talking to. Use the style of writing that relates to the audience you are targeting. A lifestyle blogger will most certainly have a completely different approach that a science blogger. Hint: try and be yourself at all times. Continues…
2. Be yourself and write conversationally
It is important to not try and be someone else. Why would you? Still, it is not wise to really talk about your personality. Truth be told, readers did not come to your website to learn about you. Have them hooked with your enticing texts and make them hungry for more. How you write, that is entirely up to you. Make people laugh, get them intrigued with mysteriousness or other whatnots. But whatever method you decide to stick with, make it feel conversational. Write like you would talk about the same stuff to your friend, Joe. Sure, your writing style will develop and evolve over time so do not be too harsh on yourself when publishing the first few posts. Go with the flow.
CREDITS: Corinne Kutz
3. Be as specific as you can
Doing some generic and broad writing won’t bring you far. If you already hammered out a few of those, stop. You should take a breath and think it all over again. There is too much of this kind of articles already written on the web. Instead of writing about something general, pick up smaller topics. There is a way more significant chance of you succeeding with even the tiniest subjects compared to something as broad as, “Why do we spend time on the internet?” Instead, pick something like, “7 things you should do during coffee breaks.” Choose wisely. Research in advance is also a very common practice which brings us to the next chapter.
4. Keywords
Instead of writing something random, look what keywords are popular and have a large search volume in your niche. Open up a spreadsheet and make a list of top 10, top 100 or even more. Needless to say, stay up to date and do an analysis regularly. This also comes helpful if you do not know what to write about right off the bat. Help yourself with keyword research tools, like Google Keyword Planner, Moz’s Keyword Explorer and KWFinder to name a few. Try and solve a problem and answer questions those within the industry may have. Once you get the gist of it, you will come up with new topics and titles quickly.
5. Solid online presence with a WordPress website
Although your content is one of the most important things, you should not be lacking fantastic web appearance. For writers, keeping it simple with WP themes, like Didi and Veggie, is crucial. There is no need for the extra clutter on your website. It will do you more harm than good. Make it clean and elegant, putting focus on your outstanding content first. By having a minimal web design, you will keep the visitors instead of making them leave early with all the unnecessary fancy stuff. For newbies, reading a short introduction on how to start a blog is advisable. However, you will soon find out how simple it is. Get creative today and craft a superb site in no time.
CREDITS: Mikayla Mallek
6. Use pictures and videos
It is a must to introduce pictures and videos to your articles. No one is interested in reading blocks of text. It is just boring. That is saved for books. When it comes to internet and blogging, you should be using visuals all the time. They are easy to consume and, let’s face it, we all like checking out beautiful photos and watch enthralling videos. Whatever material you use for grabbing attention, make it relevant to your article. For pictures, you can use caption and get the viewer familiar with what it is all about. As for the videos, write additional short descriptions in case of need.
7. Consistency is key
Once you begin your blogging journey, you do need to know that you should keep the rhythm going on a constant basis. It does not really matter how often you write (well, do not make it once a year), but it is important to have a plan of execution ready. Let it be on a weekly basis or on a monthly basis, whatever works for you, just make sure you stick with it. Over time, your readers will get used to it and know when to expect a new release. Advice: prepare 2 or three articles in advance, so you never miss the publish date.
8. Go against the grain
There is a way bigger chance that there are already hundreds of bloggers in your industry than you being the first one. Find out what others are doing and try to be different. Even if there are topics you would like to cover that others already did, have a different approach to them and be unique. Add your personal touch to them, share your experience and do not be afraid to try something new. Readers will notice that and they will come for more of your wonderful texts.
9. Learn from mistakes
Whoever is starting out, he or she might not be the best blogger from the get go. There will be mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. But make sure that these errors do not break you or make you stop writing. Stick with it. Keep on publishing articles regularly. After a while, look back and see how much you progressed. You will be amazed. Sure, you might laugh at some of your releases, but a good giggle is always welcome. Later on, you can come back to the older posts and improve them with your mature blogging style. Learn from these mistakes and turn your blogging adventure into a marathon, not a sprint. Keep polishing your writing and grow.
CREDITS: Alejandro Escamilla
10. Call for a backup
At a certain state, you might find yourself in a position where you simply will not be able to produce as much content as you used to. Your website is growing and there is other work to do to keep the pace going. That said, call for a backup. That could mean all sorts of thing, from welcoming someone to join you to offering guest blogging. You will be surprised how many folks will say yes when asking for help. When deciding on which contributor to choose, be as selective as you want. Look into their previous work and set them writing tasks to see if they are a fit. Sooner rather than later, you will have a few loyal writers who will only scale things up.
11. Promotion
In the early stages of your blog, you might not see it generating much traffic. As far as Google goes, it might take quite some time before you see any organic traffic coming in. But why wait? You can use social media to spread the word about not only your WordPress site but each of your posts, too. Share them on Facebook, tweet about them and slowly and steadily drive more and more of that social media audience towards your page. At the time you start seeing the social traffic grow, Google might already pick your page up and, boom, a stable growth is what follows.
Post Featured Image Credits: Thought Catalog