5 STEPS TO START A BLOG

So, you've decided to start your own blog and you are wondering where you should really start from? Do you spend countless hours screening & scrolling through various blogs over the web, seeking for travel, food, beauty and fashion inspiration but deep within what you really want is to create something of your own? Something bearing your personal signature?
 

If your answer to all of the above is YES, then you're at the perfect landing page. Because below, I will be sharing with you five basic steps to start your own blog.

An impressive blog name will grant you those two seconds of attention you need in order to succeed. Naming your blog is a real challenge; A challenge you should accept, as it will prove one of the most important steps you'll have to take for your blog to grow. Make sure you choose a unique, brilliant name that will capture exactly YOU as a personality.

 

Whether your name will be included on the domain or not, it is of the essence that your personality shines through the specific blog name you come up with. Find a short, authentic, easy-to-memorize name, excluding anything too restraining for future use. Key words also do help, however, you should not count exclusively on them when looking for a name. 

The name of your blog will be representing your brand for the years you will be online,
so make sure it is as unique as possible.

"Maryhop" includes two words that describe me, my life and my lifestyle and regardless of the fact that the word HOP was an unusual, rather unknown word when I started blogging, it didn't keep me from choosing it and make it shine. In my case, Maryhop became something like my middle name and as you will find out yourself, the shorter your domain is, the easier it will be for someone to remember it/you.

Also, keep in mind that you should choose a rather simple name, easy for someone to write down or spell. That will boost your popularity, as it won't be easy or efficient to run around town carrying your professional cards everywhere. 

 

The answers you give to the questions above, will determine your blog's theme.

Find what makes you unique and bring it out.
 

Invest time in creating good quality content and photos and focus on that instead of the quantity; quality always prevails over quantity. Be them thousands of blogs out there, you should find your personal "reason" to justify your online presence.
 

Finding the reason why someone should follow your blog, you will have made another critical step towards success. And as Coco Chanel once said: "If you want to be original, be ready to be copied", authenticity should become your best friend from your very first "Enter".

The word niche, should be the first word you learn when entering the world of blogging. Ignored, unfortunately, by many bloggers, this word is the bread and butter of your success. You can't address to everyone, not everyone will follow you or love your blog (actually, you should be prepared for many haters too but now worries, that is a sign of success too).

 

You should find your own niche, your personal audience and target group. 
 

Every brand on the market, will be much more interested in your niche rather than the total of your visits. Having an audience of 20.000 people per month is not going to be enough, if your answer to the question "What is your target audience?" is "Everyone". Not having a niche will cost you, as all the major brands currently collaborating with bloggers are specifically interested in your niche, the demographics of your target audience and similar details that play a drastic part in sponsoring a product/service.
 

Find your niche, study it, devote to it and make sure to engage it with it tactically.

 

We live in a digital world where everything is shared via the web, so prepared to be super social, to mix and mingle.
 

A blog post is among the many things you should be doing when having a blog. You should be active on almost every social media platform available while being consistent, which means you will be spending A LOT of online time.
 

So, prepare for an endless love affair with your laptop and smartphone, the mastering of every social media platform, commenting tools and affiliate links and most importantly, prepare to be exposed to the world. Your blog is your work and through it, you are putting yourself out there.
 

Socializing is the basic key to blogging.

 

And since it is going to be an one-man-show, at least at the beginning, you will be responsible for providing the online support and doing all the social media handling for your blog. ALL of it. Constantly. Be social all the way!
 

Truth is, anyone can set up a blog in less than an hour nowadays. Thanks to platforms providing free templates and hosting, everything is possible: from choosing certain layouts and themes, your preferred hosting provider, creating categories...everything concerning your blog's appearance.
 

Platforms like these provide inexpensive (or even free) services and a quick setup. On the downside, your blog won't be independent and Google loves independent blogs a little bit more.
 

I am of the opinion that a great team makes a great blog. You should start off with a developer that will assist your blog's setup and that will provide you constant online support along the way, a graphic designer, should you need a rather complicated logo and most importantly, a lawyer specialized in online affairs to provide you with legal consultation on the terms of use / disclaimer, the affiliate links and any contracts that will come your way sooner or later. Unless you have the time and will to do some research of your own (one way or another, you should not neglect doing it).
 

A blog is a work in progress. As you will be watching your blog evolve day by day, you will understand the importance of having everything sorted out from its very beginning. The overall image of your blog is the result of hard work and devotion to perfecting everything to the smallest detail.
 

A perfect blog is based upon choosing the perfect team – it is a sign of professionalism and foresight.
Ask for advice, take offers, look for alternatives and above all, take action.
 

And a last piece of advice: start a blog only if you do have something to tell to the world, something you believe will inspire others. Your blog will be your "baby", it will need time and care – it is not just an Instagram account.