Things you should know before blogging

 

During my college days, I wanted to have a website where I could write and post my personal experiences. But I don’t know where or how to start. I was thinking maybe the website costs so much money that I cannot afford it. When I graduated and started working in the corporate world, I was browsing the net and landed on a website where I could create a free website for my blog.

 

Blogging is free

 

Yes, you read it right. Blogging is free. It is one of the things that you should know when planning to start a blog. I thought that making a website could cost so much money, but it does not. There are lots of blogging websites that you can choose from. Most of these websites have free themes and templates depending on your style. If you want to upgrade your website, then that is the time you pay for it.

 

 

How to start a blog

 

I started blogging about my personal experiences. I remembered my first post was about Halloween trick or treat. It was the third time my family attended a mall Halloween event. On the blog, I shared who I am, what we did, and what outfits we wore. My blog is an online diary.

 

What language to use when blogging

 

Blogging using a universal language (English) is a plus because it will help you reach a wider audience. It is also okay to use your native language when writing a blog. There are no certain rules about it as long as you are confident in what you are writing.

 

Should a blogger be good at English?

 

If you want to have a wider reach of audiences, I suggest you use the universal language, English, and you must be good at it. To tell you frankly, I’m not good at that language. I only use Basic English words when writing an article. If you have the same concern as mine, don’t worry, you can always ask a family member or a close friend to proofread your articles before posting them.

 

When I was starting a blog, I asked for help from my mom to proofread my article. If she saw incorrect spellings, wrong choice of words, or grammatical errors, she would instantly correct me. If you are shy to ask your family or friends, you can also try using free software or apps that you can find on the net. It will help you reconstruct paragraphs and give a word suggestion that fits the tone of your article. As I have mentioned above, if you are not yet confident using a universal language, use your native language instead. Remember that it is your blog, and you can do whatever you like.

 

Write anything, everything you want

 

This statement is true. You can write anything and do everything you want on your blog. You can share your personal experiences, like hobbies you like, places you have visited, the food you tried, things you learned, and many more. If you wish to plan on sharing some entertainment or political news, make sure that you do some research and gather the correct information. By doing these, you will avoid negative comments from your readers.

 

Look for your tribe

 

Don’t feel alone with your blogging journey. There are many communities on the net that have the same interests as yours. When I started blogging, I came across a community on the net where they also like to blog. I registered for their workshop event and met a lot of bloggers around Mindanao. During the workshop, I discovered that there are lots of blog niches. You need to choose the right one for you.

After that workshop, I joined the community and became a member and later an officer. I attended some brand events, learned new tips and strategies during the community seminars, and gained new friends.

 

Make evergreen content

 

As a blogger, I wanted our audience to read our article. From the time we posted it, we had this kind of attitude that we kept on checking the blog statistics and became conscious of the number of views. I’m guilty about this. These are true, and most of us bloggers are doing this. But did you know that to increase the audience to your blog, you must have a good quality article or what they called it as the evergreen content.

 

Evergreen content is search-optimized content that is continually relevant for a long period, and an example of this content is the “How to” guides. Writing this kind of topic will improve your search engine rankings. It will also continually drive more traffic to your site.

 

Look for the right blog niche

 

Every time I attended blogging seminars, the speaker would always ask, “Have you found the right blog niche for you?” This question haunts me because I am personally undecided about what my true niche is. I like fashion, beauty products, arts & crafts, doing DIY tutorials, and food. I fall into a Lifestyle niche where I can share things I like. However, having one niche will help you focus on what article you would like to share with your readers, just like Mae Alexis of Nanala Cove website, who is into fitness. She trains people on when to take care of their bodies and have a healthy lifestyle. 

Having a fixed niche will also help you collaborate with the right brands aligned with your blog goal. You would probably be thinking, “I only have a small following. How will I get collaboration with brands?” Most brands do not look at the number of followers. Instead, they are looking at the quality content you have. Read Paul Burke, a Director of Business Operations, Groupshop, shared how brands can win in the decade of micro-influencers.

 

So there you have it. These are the things you should consider first before pursuing your blogging career. I hope this experience of mine will help you guide your blogging journeys.

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