How to start a blog in 2021
It’s 2021; you want to start a blog but there’s a little voice niggling inside your head telling you that you’ve missed the boat. With over 600 million blogs on the internet today – how can you possibly stand out amongst this cascade of competition?
Well, what if we were to tell you that there’s never been a better time to become a blogger? Whether you’re looking to start an online personal diary or use written content to enhance SEO (search engine optimisation) and drive visitors to your website – blogs are more important than ever.
To celebrate Blogger Day on August 5th, we’re offering our top tips on how to create a perfect blog for the new decade.
Why should I start a blog?
Originally conceived as an internet journal that people shared online, blogs have come a long way since their 1994 inception. Many writers pocket a modest income from their personal blogs, whilst businesses utilise written content to rank their website higher in Google’s Search Engine Results Page (SERP) and increase visibility.
The more frequent and better your blog posts are, the higher the chances for your website to get discovered and visited by your target audience. This means that a blog is an effective lead generation tool. Add a great call to action (CTA) to your content and it will convert your website traffic into high-quality leads. A blog also allows you to showcase your niche authority and build a brand.
Make it unique
When learning how to be a blogger, it’s important to ask yourself what you’re passionate about. Running? Cooking? Being a parent? Have you found your passion? If so, whatever it is, write about that.
If you’re writing for your business, it’s crucial to identify and speak to the primary audience that will be reading your content. Understanding who your audience is and what you want them to do when they click on your article will help guide your blog strategy.
Search engines like Google value visuals for certain keywords. Images and videos are among the most common visual elements that appear on the search engine results page. In order to achieve a coveted spot in an image pack or a video snippet, you’ll want to design creative graphics, use original photos and videos, and add descriptive text to every visual element within your blog post.
Get your blog online
Once you have an idea of the direction you’re going in, it’s time to choose where to build your blog! The most obvious choice is WordPress; by far the biggest blogging platform in the world – with countless plugins, add-ons and almost infinite ways to design and layout your blog.
For those who aren’t particularly fond of WordPress, there are a plethora of great alternatives. Blogger is often credited as being one of the first websites to popularise the format with its dedicated blog-publishing tools. 21 years since it’s launch, the host is still considered the next best thing to WordPress!
A second option is Tumblr. Although it has perhaps passed its peak, this social network/blog hosting website continues to attract 600 million users every month. The platform is unique, interesting and very simple to use, making it an excellent choice for aspiring writers.
Promote your blog
Creating a well-designed blog and writing great content is just the start. In order to get visitors to your blog you will need to spend some time promoting it.
To begin, you’ll need to create accounts on the popular social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Alongside links to your latest blog post, it’s important to populate your pages with other relevant content that your audience may find interesting. Don’t forget to use hashtags and engage with your followers!
Reply to their comments and questions, give them “likes” and affirmations. When it is obvious that the author cares about his/her community and readership, visitors are naturally encouraged to return.
If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed by the idea of blog writing, website design or social media management, get in touch with Cordis to discuss the topic in greater depth. As a full service marketing agency, we can help you create content that’ll leave your audience hanging on every word!
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