How To Become A Blogger in Five Simple Steps
Ever since I started blogging, one of the questions that I've been asked most often by my readers - apart from gadget related stuff - is how they can start their own blogs.
The process is actually very simple, TP Friends, but I'd totally understand those are feeling quite intimidated by it. To tell you frankly, when I started planning to be blogger, I had no one to talk to or guide me so I had to do a lot of trial and error before I came up with TechPinas. And when my site was finally up and live, I wasn't sure if it would have an audience or if my work would be useful to people. I had doubts about myself and my blogging skills and it took me several months of just constantly writing and updating the site before I actually felt comfortable with what I do.
For those of you who are thinking about launching your own blog but are not sure about how to go about it, let me share five simple steps that you can take now to start sharing your thoughts online via your own site.
1. Choose a niche! Sure, it's nice to be able to take about anything and everything under the sun in your blog. But what I learned from being a blogger and meeting my peers is that it would really help if your blog is focused or if it is about a specific topic. This doesn't only make it easier for you to create and manage entries but it can also make your works more useful to people who are also interested in your niche. So I would suggest that you think about one topic - be it technology, sports, art, fashion, lifestyle, cats, dogs, parenting, what-have-you - that you are truly passionate about and dedicate your blog to it.
Also, a lot of companies are now starting to tap bloggers for their advertising campaigns and marketing efforts. If your blog becomes an authority in a specific industry or product category, who knows, these companies might even invite you to their events where you can try out their products and even place ads on our site.
Remember, it's nice to earn money from blogging but what's even nicer is being able to share your thoughts about a topic that inspires you and that you are absolutely passionate about. Don't just blog because you know you can earn from it. Blog because you know that what you're writing online can inspire others as well. Eventually, writing for money can become tiring, cumbersome, and repetitive. If you want to always have the energy and desire to keep blogging, choose a niche that makes you feel good talking about and one that doesn't fail to inspire you to be better.
2. Name it! After you're chosen your niche, think about a cool name for your blog. It doesn't have to be obviously related to your topic but I believe it would help if it is. For example, TechPinas is a mash-up of Technology and Philippines (Pilipinas) and it pretty much explains itself to my first time readers. Choose a name that's memorable and one that speaks about you as the person behind it.
Oh, and it would also be nice if you could purchase the [dot]com domain name for your blog. As such, you might want to pick a title for which the corresponding [dot]com name is still available. You can go to sites like 1and1 personal website or Web[dot]com[dot]ph to check if no one has bought the [dot]com for the name you want to give your blog and make the purchase using Paypal or credit card.
3. Get a domain where you can build your blog. This is where it can get a bit intimidating for some people but I promise you, it's very easy so don't be scared. A domain is simply your personal space online where you can build your blog. Popular sites like Blogger, Wordpress, and Tumblr provide free blogging domain for users who don't want to pay an annual fee for their blog space. And what's cool is that they're very easy to use and they have pre-made blog design templates that you instantly apply to your site. Just choose one of these services, sign up, and you're good to go.
Or if you wish so, you can purchase your own domain and build your site from scratch so you can have full control on how it works and looks. Currently, 1and1 personal website is my favorite paid domain provider as they offer a full range of services, from domain name purchasing all the way to mail solutions (should you want to get a personalized email address for your blog). And it's also good that 1&1 customers have unlimited access to 24 hour phone and e-mail technical support so they're always there to help you create your blog.
4. Focus on your content! After your blog goes live, immediately start working on your content. You don't want people visiting your blog and not seeing at least one post. You don't have to publish too many entries in one day. One will do if it's well-written.
One of the mistakes that I committed when I was starting out was that - in my desire to quickly introduce TechPinas to a lot of people - I tried to come up with as many posts as I could every day and as a result, the quality of my content then was compromised. Remember: When it comes to blog content, focus on quality rather than quantity. Try to create content that's informative, unique, and useful for your readers. It doesn't have to be grand or all too technical but make sure that it's a piece that people can learn something - big or small - from.
If your website has quality content, it has a higher chance of ranking on Google and other search engines and of being shared by people in social media sites, which can in turn organically drive traffic.
TIP: You can do this before or after you create content; Work with a graphic designer for your blog's logo and overall design. Or if you're artistic and you have web design skills, by all means, do it yourself.
5. Share your blog with your friends and family in social networking sites. One of the coolest things about starting a blog these days is that you can easily fan it out to a lot of people using Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram. Don't be too shy or too proud to post a link to your blog and even to your individual posts on your social media accounts. Who knows? Your friends might like your content or find it useful and they might even share it on their walls.
There you have it, TP Friends! Five simple steps to becoming a blogger. If you have questions or clarifications, feel free to post them in this entry's comments section.
The process is actually very simple, TP Friends, but I'd totally understand those are feeling quite intimidated by it. To tell you frankly, when I started planning to be blogger, I had no one to talk to or guide me so I had to do a lot of trial and error before I came up with TechPinas. And when my site was finally up and live, I wasn't sure if it would have an audience or if my work would be useful to people. I had doubts about myself and my blogging skills and it took me several months of just constantly writing and updating the site before I actually felt comfortable with what I do.
For those of you who are thinking about launching your own blog but are not sure about how to go about it, let me share five simple steps that you can take now to start sharing your thoughts online via your own site.
1. Choose a niche! Sure, it's nice to be able to take about anything and everything under the sun in your blog. But what I learned from being a blogger and meeting my peers is that it would really help if your blog is focused or if it is about a specific topic. This doesn't only make it easier for you to create and manage entries but it can also make your works more useful to people who are also interested in your niche. So I would suggest that you think about one topic - be it technology, sports, art, fashion, lifestyle, cats, dogs, parenting, what-have-you - that you are truly passionate about and dedicate your blog to it.
Also, a lot of companies are now starting to tap bloggers for their advertising campaigns and marketing efforts. If your blog becomes an authority in a specific industry or product category, who knows, these companies might even invite you to their events where you can try out their products and even place ads on our site.
Remember, it's nice to earn money from blogging but what's even nicer is being able to share your thoughts about a topic that inspires you and that you are absolutely passionate about. Don't just blog because you know you can earn from it. Blog because you know that what you're writing online can inspire others as well. Eventually, writing for money can become tiring, cumbersome, and repetitive. If you want to always have the energy and desire to keep blogging, choose a niche that makes you feel good talking about and one that doesn't fail to inspire you to be better.
2. Name it! After you're chosen your niche, think about a cool name for your blog. It doesn't have to be obviously related to your topic but I believe it would help if it is. For example, TechPinas is a mash-up of Technology and Philippines (Pilipinas) and it pretty much explains itself to my first time readers. Choose a name that's memorable and one that speaks about you as the person behind it.
Oh, and it would also be nice if you could purchase the [dot]com domain name for your blog. As such, you might want to pick a title for which the corresponding [dot]com name is still available. You can go to sites like 1and1 personal website or Web[dot]com[dot]ph to check if no one has bought the [dot]com for the name you want to give your blog and make the purchase using Paypal or credit card.
3. Get a domain where you can build your blog. This is where it can get a bit intimidating for some people but I promise you, it's very easy so don't be scared. A domain is simply your personal space online where you can build your blog. Popular sites like Blogger, Wordpress, and Tumblr provide free blogging domain for users who don't want to pay an annual fee for their blog space. And what's cool is that they're very easy to use and they have pre-made blog design templates that you instantly apply to your site. Just choose one of these services, sign up, and you're good to go.
Or if you wish so, you can purchase your own domain and build your site from scratch so you can have full control on how it works and looks. Currently, 1and1 personal website is my favorite paid domain provider as they offer a full range of services, from domain name purchasing all the way to mail solutions (should you want to get a personalized email address for your blog). And it's also good that 1&1 customers have unlimited access to 24 hour phone and e-mail technical support so they're always there to help you create your blog.
4. Focus on your content! After your blog goes live, immediately start working on your content. You don't want people visiting your blog and not seeing at least one post. You don't have to publish too many entries in one day. One will do if it's well-written.
One of the mistakes that I committed when I was starting out was that - in my desire to quickly introduce TechPinas to a lot of people - I tried to come up with as many posts as I could every day and as a result, the quality of my content then was compromised. Remember: When it comes to blog content, focus on quality rather than quantity. Try to create content that's informative, unique, and useful for your readers. It doesn't have to be grand or all too technical but make sure that it's a piece that people can learn something - big or small - from.
If your website has quality content, it has a higher chance of ranking on Google and other search engines and of being shared by people in social media sites, which can in turn organically drive traffic.
TIP: You can do this before or after you create content; Work with a graphic designer for your blog's logo and overall design. Or if you're artistic and you have web design skills, by all means, do it yourself.
5. Share your blog with your friends and family in social networking sites. One of the coolest things about starting a blog these days is that you can easily fan it out to a lot of people using Facebook, Twitter, and even Instagram. Don't be too shy or too proud to post a link to your blog and even to your individual posts on your social media accounts. Who knows? Your friends might like your content or find it useful and they might even share it on their walls.
There you have it, TP Friends! Five simple steps to becoming a blogger. If you have questions or clarifications, feel free to post them in this entry's comments section.
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