Do you want to start a blog but have no idea where to begin? Well, the web is full of information and so is this article. How do you start your blog? What should you do first? This and more will be answered right here.

Blogging is a popular platform to communicate all that’s on one’s mind. You can express yourself, share your expertise and if interested, also earn!

While it may seem difficult, starting a blog from scratch isn’t all that hard. The only equipment you need is your phone or laptop and of course, a stable internet connection. For this, we’d recommend you head over to CenturyLink skim through their plans. They offer different CenturyLink speeds for you to choose from. You’ll find a high speed package at a budget-friendly cost.

With that out of the way, let’s start with the blogging guide!

• Choose a blogging platform

The first thing you have to do is choose the platform you want to build your blog on. One of the most popular names in the industry is WordPress. You’ve most certainly heard of it at least once in your life. It’s a massive platform boasting more than 80 million active users. The reason it’s the biggest platform is that it offers countless plugins, layouts, and add-ons.

While WordPress is the most popular choice, there’s also Blogger, Tumblr, Scoop, Wix, Drupal, and many other platforms you can try.

• Free or self-hosting?

This is where you decide if you want to start a blog for free or pay for it. WordPress, Blogger, and Tumblr offer free blogs, but you won’t be able to have your domain name. There will be limitations with the pictures or videos you upload and your blog will not be your property on these platforms since they’re hosted by a third party. This means they can be deleted anytime.

If you choose to self-host and pick a custom domain, then you need to come up with a domain name first. This domain will be the URL of your site. Since you’ll be hosting the website, you should search for a web hosting services to back your website.

• Designing your blog

You want to make sure your blog represents you and what your aesthetic is. For a WordPress blog, choose a theme that looks easy to customize since you’re a beginner. Then you can go ahead and change according to your mood board. You can always switch to another template without losing your precious content. You can choose themes from WordPress’s huge theme library or buy one from premium theme websites and upload them.

The blog should reflect what it’s really about. Make sure navigation is easy and fun. You don’t want to lose followers just because your website is hard to navigate and understand.

• Select a niche

Whether you’re a beginner or not, there’s always room for mistakes and learning. People from all walks of life join the blogging industry. Everyone has different content to offer and different experiences to share. Being confident in your niche is important. You can make your blog about everything and anything you want. But the point is, you have to stick with it.

Identifying your niche can be scary at first, but there’s something to share about everything. Figure out your passion, your hobbies, your knowledge, and work on that.

Rookie Mistakes to Avoid When Blogging

Now that you know the basics, let’s polish your blogging skills a bit to avoid some rookie mistakes.

• Never use a theme or layout with a dark background and add light text to it. It’s hard for your readers to grasp what’s written
• Don’t add loading music. The music annoys the reader while waiting for your website as it’s sudden
• Don’t plagiarize content. Always be original, even with images. If you haven’t asked the owner permission to use it, don’t upload it.
• Unnecessary sidebar clutter. Don’t add a countless number of links on the side and leave white space for your content to stand out more.

Final Words

Starting a blog isn’t difficult. Only the first step is. It’s remaining consistent and active that becomes a challenge. Create meaningful content that you’re passionate about and engage with your followers. You’ll’ be surprised to learn how fun blogging can be!

Author Bio:

About Caroline Eastman:

 

Caroline is doing her graduation in IT from the University of South California but keens to work as a freelance blogger. She loves to write on the latest information about IoT, technology, and business. She has innovative ideas and shares her experience with her readers.