Have you read How to blog in business?
Well, now it’s time to get started on your new blog!
1. Choose your blog name
If you already have a business name, then great, use that; otherwise, I’d say using your own name for a personal blog is great for getting you to the top of Google searches.
However, if you want to be creative, anonymous, or a bit quirky then the world is your oyster, just bear in mind it may be harder for people to find you organically through online searches until your name is well known.
Do your market research before you secure your domain name, tell people the name and ask them what they think the blog would be about — and give yourself a week or so to settle on a name because changing it later could give you a headache.
2. Pick your host and register your domain
Personally, I like GoDaddy, Bluehost and 123reg — in that order. For users based in the UK, I find GoDaddy absolutely brilliant for giving technical support.
If you want an expert to build your beautiful blog, then discuss this with them before buying your domain, as they can help you choose the right hosting package.
3. Pick your blog platform
Pick a user-friendly and customisable online platform for your website/blog.
I use WordPress.org as the possibilities are endless, the templates you can purchase are beautiful and inspirational, and the backend is simple to use for even the most non-techie person.
4. Now you are ready to blog
Once your blog is all set up with a logo, photos, contact details, an about page, email address etc, you can start to ‘blog’… but what on earth should you write about?
Well, if you’re blogging for your business, then you should know your topic, but if you’re not used to writing for your audience, you could still be stumped on what style or approach to take.
5. Finding your blog style
The best way to find out the kind of blog style you like, whether for business or pleasure, is to read as many other blogs as you can.
As you do, note down the things you liked about that blog:
Was the writing humorous or deep and meaningful?
Short and sweet or long and detailed?
Full of pictures or written in an attractive font?
Did it take an authoritative business tone or a friendly, approachable tone?
Did the topic pull you in, or was it the catchy headline?
There is no right answer, just be open to new blogs and ideas, even if they are not on your topic, you will learn so much from other bloggers, and you’ll start to see patterns in what you like.
Of course, your audience may not feel the same, but the more you get to know what you enjoy reading, the more you will find yourself connecting with a tone and voice that you’ll probably also find enjoyable for writing.
And the more comfortable you are when you write, the easier your blog will be to read…leading to more engagement with your audience.
