I may have already shown you how to boost your blog traffic, but let's go back a step. How do I even start a blog? What is involved with maintaining a blog? What do I need to know? These are all questions that run through the mind of someone looking to create a blog for their first time. I hope to tackle these issues in this latest how to. If you are reading this and want to start a blog, you're in for a treat. If you already have a blog, stick around and you might learn something new.
How do you start a blog Why Blog?
There are many reasons why you might want to start a blog. Blogs have come a long way from their typical definition as online diaries. Blogs are now viable sources for tech news, informative articles and other captivating content. My blog started out as curiousity about blog software, such as WordPress, and has evolved into a way for me to share my knowledge while learning from the comments of my readers. It also has the nice benefit of getting my name out there (self-marketing), which will hopefully come in handy when searching for a job in the near future. Heck, I have even been offered jobs before after people have seen what I have done with this site. havelockknight.com has a brief explanation of the main reasons for blogging; personal, topical and marketing.
How do you start a blog Before You Get Started
Now that you want to start a blog, you should start thinking about what you will be blogging about. You might already have a general notion of what you want to talk about, but try to get a better idea of what a typical post would be. As I mentioned in my traffic boosting post, it is a good idea to find your niche. I can't really expand upon that too much; it's all you now. If you blog about anything that strikes your fancy, whether it's tech news or gardening tips, you are not as likely to gather as many dedicated readers as if you had just stuck to one topic.
How do you start a blog Hosted or DIY?
At this point you will need to know whether or not you would like to start off with a hosted blog solution such as TypePad, Blogger or WordPress.com or go for a do-it-yourself approach. There is a trade-off when it comes to each choice. If you opt for a hosted solution, you are not as open to modify your theme or use that new plugin you found. You are in a fairly locked-down environment, however the upshot of using a hosted solution is that you don't have to worry about setting up anything or configuring databases - it's all done for you.
A free, hosted solution is great for the absolute beginner to get their thoughts together and determine whether blogging is for them. I recommend spending at least a month on a hosted blog until you finalize your niche and get the hang of it. If then you are serious about it, upgrade to your own webhost using some of the software listed below and get a domain name.