Seven Things to Consider When Blogging | Website Designs Content

Thanks to the wonders of WordPress and other blogging software, just about anyone can start their own blog. The question is, should you? Here are some of the main things to consider in reference to whether or not to start a blog, and what it takes to keep it going.

There are photoblogs (plogs) and video blogs (vlogs), but worded content drives free traffic from the search engines, so you really need to be a good writer to keep your blog filled with interesting content. To some extent this is true, however simply by starting a blog and regularly blogging your writing skills improve as does your confidence and audience.

Writing is a job, not just an art. And some people write a lot more quickly and easily than others. All of this takes time and will therefore require some sacrifice, such as less time in front of the TV, or with family and friends.

You could start your blog at a free site like WordPress.com or Blogger, but the trouble is that you then have to abide by their terms of service. This means they could shut you down at any time, and you would therefore lose all your valuable work.

However, getting your own domain name (URL) will cost money, and you will also need to pay for a hosting service each month. Expect to pay $15 for the URL registration and about $10 per month for hosting.

If you aren’t able to keep up with writing all the content yourself, you might have to pay others through a freelancing website or you could invite guest bloggers to write for you.

A lot of aspiring bloggers choose a topic they love, which is great. The trouble is, the niche might not be a money-making one. For example, lots of people are interested in tattoos, but it is not a niche with regular customers willing to buy products online.

Start by researching the niche you are thinking of on Amazon. If there are a lot of books, magazines, and products related to that topic, chances are it is a paying market.

You need to be entrepreneurial from the outset if you are going to create a money-making blog. When you are first beginning, chances are you won’t have any products of your own to sell, such as eBooks. In this case, become an affiliate marketer; that is, sell products for other companies and earn a commission. You could start with all the top products you found at Amazon when you were doing your niche research. Write reviews, add links, and promote every post you publish, for traffic and sales.

What are the things they struggle with? Offer them real solutions. Think about frequently asked questions, skills they need in their niche, and more. Remember what it was like when you were first starting out, and give them the kind of content that you wish you’d had to help you.

If you wish to build a loyal audience, be consistent in terms of how often you publish, and the quality content you are creating. It should show you are an expert worth paying attention to.

If you think you’d be able to achieve these seven criteria, then starting your own blog is a great idea.