Considering Blogging? Weigh These Points First.

If you’ve been thinking about starting a blog, perhaps you’ve needed some encouragement to help you take your very first few steps. For some people, putting a blog together can be overwhelming especially if they aren’t sure how to get started. While this article isn’t a comprehensive Blogging 101 course, my tips are designed to help the person who has never blogged previously but is interested in jumping in.

Please read on as I share five foundational principles to help you decide whether blogging is right for you:

If you're seriously considering launching your own blog, you'll want to consider several important points first.

Your Topic – Some blogs are narrowly focused, discussing one topic or perhaps a segment pertaining to that topic. For instance, if you enjoy cars but are particularly passionate about car parts, then your blog will likely cover everything and anything related to replacement parts, accessories or other aftermarket products. But, you don’t have to limit yourself to one topic, especially if your blog is along the lines of a “my thoughts” site which, by the way, is what this blog is all about! Generally if something comes to mind, I’ll talk about it and I assume that there are enough people who are interested in listening to what I have to say to check in on me every once in awhile.

Your Voice – Many bloggers aren’t particularly gifted writers but don’t let that stop you from sharing what is on your mind. Having passion for a particular topic is important as readers can quickly determine if you’re interested in the topic at hand or not. Over time, your writing will improve, if you stick with it and are open to constructive criticism. The operative word here is “constructive” because you’ll always encounter anonymous trolls who are destructive and care nothing about you.

Your Site – Though many bloggers will disagree with me on this point, it is perfectly fine for you to start a blog through Blogspot, Live Journal or WordPress, but keep this in mind: you may not have full control over your site which in some cases may forbid you from running ads on your site. I use WordPress to power this blog, but WordPress doesn’t manage it. I do. I own the domain and I pay for monthly hosting; I downloaded the free WordPress files and have added everything related to the blog myself. Clearly, if you’re not knowledgeable enough on how to launch an independent blog, then by all means use a blog platform’s service to get the job done. You can always move everything to your own web address at some point.

Your Schedule – Once you make the decision about starting a blog, you’ll need to think of a writing schedule that fits your lifestyle. There are people who write multiple articles every single day while others are content to post one or two times per week. Of course, if you’re attempting to build a following, then higher frequency is the key. But don’t let other people determine how often you should blog, because when you come down to it, you’re responsible for the site.

Your Satisfaction (and Theirs) – I purposely started each point with “your” to emphasize what establishing a personal blog is all about – you. Well, not quite. Yes, you can treat your blog as an “online journal” where you share your thoughts with no expectation of return, meaning no readers. But, most people blog to communicate with their readers who are either like-minded folks or someone who may be interested in what you have to sell. Your personal satisfaction could be based primarily on a desire to share your thoughts which involves interacting with your readership through comments. Therefore, make certain that when you launch your blog that you allow readers to comment, preferably without registering. Then, answer their comments to foster dialogue.

Blogging: Staying The Course

Most bloggers quit blogging within the first year with very few blogs owned and maintained by the same person after three years. After five years only a tiny cadre of bloggers are still at it, committed folks whose passion for sharing what is on their mind remains strong.

Blogging is a journey that begins with one step, but once you step out you’ll be in the good company of millions of other online journalists.

See Also — Where Has All Of My Traffic Gone?