Blogging is big business these days, so if you aren’t already doing it, now is the time to start. Creating an accessible blog is a great way of engaging with people, whether you run a business or just want to make some new friends. Even if you just want to blog as a hobby, over time you could expect to reap some financial rewards.
According to Business 2 Community, blogging has the power to increase your sales leads by 126 per cent, so if you run an online business a blog is an absolute must. With that in mind, here’s how to get started.
Choose your subject
It’s important to choose to blog about something that you have real passion and enthusiasm for, as this will sing out through your words. Your aim is to become an expert in your chosen field, which will attract people who are interested in finding out more.
Choose your platform
There are lots of different blogging platforms to choose from, including Wix, Weebly, Tumblr and Blogger, but most experts recommend WordPress due to its ease of use and great support features. WordPress is the platform already chosen by over 80 million bloggers, so it’s tried and tested. It has a huge online community of users who are always ready to lend a helping hand if you’re in need of advice.
Free hosting or self-hosting?
You can set up and run a blog without any financial outlay, but bear in mind that there are a few downsides to the free option. You won’t own your own site, and it will be a subdomain of WordPress, which will limit the amount of money that you can make from it.
Choosing to host the site yourself allows you to choose your own domain name, and it will be exclusively your property. There are loads of options for WordPress hosting in the UK, with companies such as https://www.igohost.co.uk/wordpress-hosting.php offering affordable solutions from as little as £5 per month.
Start blogging
To give your blog the best chance of success you need to update it regularly, so add new articles as often as you can. Search engines love blogs that regularly add new content, and it will keep readers enthused. Over time you’ll find it becomes easier as you develop your own unique writing style.