Starting a new blog is an exciting process. But, it can be overwhelming and confusing at times. We have made this process simple by listing the 5 things you should know before starting a blog!
With the help of this article, we will make the process of starting a new blog easy, and simple to understand, with step-by-step instructions. After reading this blog post you will start a new blog without worrying about the technical aspects involved in it.
I assume that so far you have decided to post your innovative ideas on the internet by starting a new blog. It's never too late to start a new blog. But we might not have the complete information to get started.
You may come across many situations where blogging activities are interlinked and co-dependent on one another. In such a scenario, one may get confused and wonder where to look for help.
You may come across many situations where blogging activities are interlinked and co-dependent on one another. In such a scenario, one may get confused and wonder where to look for help.
The correct approach to come over such a situation is that list down all the problems or things-to-do on a notepad. Have a look at all these problems and resolve them by addressing one problem at a time.
In the process below, we will try to understand the primary work that needs to be done before we dive into the actual process of blogging. So, let's begin with the same.
Don't get confused with too many ideas and stay stuck with your prominent choice. Make sure your blog-topic is interesting and knowledgeable. Select a suitable title (in my case I chose Blogging Hacks) and domain (https://www.blogging-hacks.com) for the blog.
A domain name can be chosen from a variety of options like .com, .edu, .org, .net, .in, .us, .uk, etc. So do a little research on which domain suits best for your blog.
1. Selecting a niche (subject) before starting a blog
The idea of starting a blog begins with selecting a niche. Niche blogging deals with restricting blogging activities to a specific domain or purpose and not hopping over different topics.
It is possible that one may have specific skillset and expertise in one domain and may not cover topics of different domain profoundly. On a positive side when we adapt to a niche blogging, we are more focused, we know our plus points since we know the domain well, and thus, it helps to build the trust of the audience.
While choosing a niche for the blog, think about where your personality or experience relates to and choose the topic accordingly.
Don't get confused with too many ideas and stay stuck with your prominent choice. Make sure your blog-topic is interesting and knowledgeable. Select a suitable title (in my case I chose Blogging Hacks) and domain (https://www.blogging-hacks.com) for the blog.
A domain name can be chosen from a variety of options like .com, .edu, .org, .net, .in, .us, .uk, etc. So do a little research on which domain suits best for your blog.
2. Choosing a blogging platform
Once you have decided on a niche, the next devious job is to select the platform to start a new blog.
Also, if you wish to host (the process of making a website accessible via the World Wide Web) and manage your blog by own then there is another WordPress service, i.e. Wordpress.org for which you will have to buy a domain name for a website and hosting space. A domain is nothing but a unique URL of your website. Hosting space is a storage space required to run your blog and services on it. I'll advise trying the free services first listed above and then go for the advanced version.
Choose Google's Blogger service if you are absolutely new to blogging. Blogger is free, and it is very easy to use in case you are starting a new blog. You may perform a little research on the services offered by various blogging platforms and see which one best meets your requirements. If you decide to start a new blog on Google Blogger, feel free to visit the article on Registering your blog on Google Blogger.
3. Understanding the dashboard interface of a new blog
Once we have selected a niche to start a new blog, obtained a domain and a URL, and have registered a blogging platform where you will write blog posts, the next step would be understanding a dashboard interface of the blogging platform.
A dashboard is a centralized place, where you can manage and control the blog. You can set a theme for the blog, set sidebar elements, fonts, colors, etc., manage comments and so many other things from the same interface. We will have a closer look at the dashboard interface post setting the domain name of the blog.
Try to understand different functionalities offered by the blogging service provider by going into each menu link and see what all changes happen upon changing the default settings. It is good to experiment with functionalities before you start publishing a large number of posts. I would suggest watching 20-30 mins beginners guide video on YouTube to understand the complete interface of the Dashboard.
If you plan to host a blog on Google Blogger, I have explained the Blogger dashboard in great detail in the article How to Write the First Blog Post. All blogging platforms listed in point #1 offers almost the same dashboard interface. Hence reading this article would be worthy of your time.
4. Choosing the right template for a new blog
Half of the difficult job is done once you are acquainted with the dashboard interface. Now you need to choose a right, decent-looking template for your blog.
The template you choose should complement the subject you have chosen for the blog. It should also support the latest technologies/trends concerning website development and design.
You may choose to have features like the responsiveness of the web page on different screen sizes, easy customization, color options, attractive footer, sidebar options, etc.
5. Must-have elements on your web page when you start a new blog
When you set-up your template you should consider keeping these widgets/ gadgets. Widget is nothing but the different web parts included on your blog.
A plugin or gadget or widget to show the list of all posts from where your readers can access them, an archive of all posts if there are too many posts, subscribe link, followers link, advertisements, social media plugins, RSS subscription link, etc. are few web parts that you definitely want to include.
The list of these elements may vary depending on your needs. Hence make a note of all widgets you wish to add on your blog.
To conclude, the 5 things we should know before starting a blog are:
- We must select a specific niche before starting a blog. Niche blogging helps us to do purposeful blogging and helps us focus better.
- Once we have selected a niche to start a new blog, the next step is to choose a blogging platform of our choice. Do check various services offered by different blogging platforms and select the one that meets your requirement. Google Blogger offers good services and new bloggers may start a blog on the same platform.
- Once we have chosen a blogging platform of our choice, one of the time-consuming tasks is to understand the blogging interface. Go into each menu option displayed in dashboard interface to understand its functionality.
- Post registering a blog, choosing the right template for a blog is essential as it helps to build up an image for your blog. The right template with the right colors, font settings, layout, and ambiance helps to make that impression on the audience and convey your message.
- Once the template is set, the next step is to observe the layout of the blog and add necessary web parts to your blog. These web parts help your audience to have better interaction on the blog and consume information in a better way.
Do let me know through your comments if at all, you have any questions.
Wish you all the best and welcome to the blogging community!
Read our next article on Why blog? Benefits of blogging.
2 comments
It's nice guide just keep it up. My previous website is also running on Blogger.
ReplyDeleteThank you! Good to know that. :)
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