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Congratulations! You probably have decided or are considering launching your blog. It’s scary and exciting at the same time, but anything worth doing in life should be, right?
Blogging is a great way to share your knowledge with other people, to inspire them and to have a creative outlet. As a mom, it has been so rewarding to be able to use my blog to connect with like-minded women, share my talents and make friends. Starting a blog has been one of my favorite things ever!
Blogging is also a great way to earn and to be an entrepreneur with little investment upfront. You can work from your own home and be able to work at your own pace. Perfect for mamas like us!
For your blog to become successful, it will take a lot of time and dedication. It is not an overnight success sort of thing, but don’t worry!
Table of Contents
The Benefits Of Launching Your Blog
Getting traffic
When you launch your blog, you’ll be able to get traffic to your ideas and products. Even if it’s only a little to start it can build as you grow your audience. By effectively launching your blog you can get traffic right out of the gate.
Building a network
Even from the start, during the early stages of blogging, you can already build your network of friends and create your blogger community. This is one of my favorite things about starting a blog!
Start earning money from home
Because you launched your blog, you’ll be able to build a business that you can monetize! There are lots of ways that you can make money blogging. I’ve been running this site for three years and I now make a full-time income from it!
Here are ten things you need to do before you launch your blog.
How To Launch Your Blog
Decide what you want to blog about
Ask yourself these questions:
What am I passionate about?
What am I interested in?
What can I talk about hours on end?
These are questions you should ask yourself before deciding on a niche for your blog.
Deciding what you want to blog about can be tricky – you might be torn between wanting to blog about something that means something to you or something that is popular at the moment.
If what you’re passionate about happens to be what’s “in” right now then it’s easier, but in the long run, it is better to just write about what truly interests you and what you makes you feel excited.
In the end, it is always better to be genuine and it will show in your blog and brand.
Study your audience
In any business, you should know who your market is and understand what they want. Yes, some may argue that a blog is something that you start first and foremost for yourself and that statement may be true in some situations.
If you want to make money blogging consider this:
Think of your readers as customers. How can you help them? How can you add value? If your posts are all about you people are less likely to stick around. We are all busy and your readers want to know what’s in it for them? How will your post solve their problem?
If you want you can earn a steady income from blogging and profit from your passion. There’s nothing better than doing something you love while earning from it at the same time.
Learn what your target market wants and what they need.
Ask yourself if there is something you can offer them that others haven’t?
How can you reach out to these people and how can you get their attention?
See What Is Already Popular
Taking the time to do your research before you launch your blog is better than just blindly putting out content and hoping it will do well.
You can use different tools online to help you determine which kind of content and posts are successful in your niche right now. You can also read other blogs and different posts to get a good feel of what are the great ones out there and how you can improve your content game.
Buzzsumo is an example of a tool that allows you to enter a topic or url and it gives you which blog posts have gotten the most shares. You can also go on Pinterest to look at the top shares to help you find out which topics in your niche are flourishing.
If you are running out of ideas, it’s also a good refresher and can help you gain some inspiration.
However, keep in mind you need to put your own spin on the ideas. It is never okay to copy another bloggers work.
Connect & Collaborate
Even before launching your blog, start making connections with other bloggers in your niche. Follow them on social media, reply to one of their emails or leave a thoughtful comment on their blog. This is a great way to build friendships and connect.
Warming up your contacts first will increase their receptiveness of requests for participation in roundups, sharing your content and collaborating in the future.
Not all bloggers will want to connect and that is 100% okay! We all have a ton going on. Just remember to be genuine. Overall, the blogging community is very friendly and is built on the mentality of collaboration over competition.
Branding Your New Blog
Name Your Blog
Now it’s time to name your blog!
Here’s what I recommend:
Keep your domain name 2-3 words tops. The longer the domain the more likely there are typos and people won’t make it to your website.
Your domain doesn’t have to be complicated. It could be straight to the point or you can even use your own name. Then check to see if the domain name is available.
Design Your Brand
Decide what colors, styles, themes and the overall feeling of your blog. You have to be consistent with this so that your blog will look whole and professional. Stick to it.
Typically, you will choose 2-3 main colors and 2-3 fonts. I like to have two standard fonts and then one fun font, like a script font or one that has more character. Just make sure if you use a script font that it is legible.
Coolors is a really cool site that comes up with random color schemes that can help you get some ideas going!
To design your graphics for your blog you can use free stock photos as well as design sites like Canva or PicMonkey.
Create Your Website
Hosting
To host your content you will need to get what is called web hosting. This essentially stores all the files for your site. You will use this in coordination with a free platform called WordPress.org.
Over the years I’ve had or managed over a dozen sites on pretty much every platform and my favorite by far is a site hosted by SiteGround on WordPress.
With my coupon hosting costs about $4/month for your first year and then about $10/month in the following years. As your traffic increases, you can upgrade to more expensive plans.
I’ve created an entire in-depth tutorial for you to follow here to start your blog.
Website Design & Themes
You don’t have to hire someone to build your website.
There are tons of themes that you can use to make your site look the way you want it to. Some themes are free but may have limited features. There are also paid themes that you can purchase that have more features or design elements.
Here are some of my favorite places to get themes:
This site is currently run on the Astra Pro theme, but I’ve also had sites on Divi (created by Elegant Themes), and my parenting blog is run on the Captivating theme by Restored 316.
Create Your Content
Think of your blog as a new boutique launching in your city. If you showed up and they only had one outfit you’d be a little disappointed right? Same with your blog.
When a reader comes to your blog they need more than one post to look at.
I recommend having at least five posts up on your blog before you launch. This will encourage the reader to stick around longer.
However, if this is really stressing you out or if you have already launched your blog it is totally okay to launch with just one post. Just keep creating content and get on a consistent posting schedule.
Don’t forget:
Remember to also write your “About Me” page. This is important so your new audience or reader will get a better idea of you and your brand, and what you are offering.
You also need to let your readers know where and how they can contact you.
You can also put an opt-in freebie that you can put in your post or in the sidebar.
Here is an example of one of my opt-in freebies created with ConvertKit:
Create Your Blog Launch Plan
You need a plan to get your blog off the ground. You can’t just launch your blog and hope that it will gain some momentum. You need a strategy!
Make a list of what you need to do before launching and in the first few months before launching. Then after launching your blog, continue making these plans as you execute your first set of plans. In blogging, you always need to look forward and to always learn new ways to grow your business.
Create hype and do promotions
You know your target market, so start creating hype and get their attention. Build your presence on social media so you will have a group of loyal followers before you even launch your blog!
One to two weeks before your launch make your blog reveal feel like a big event. Share sneak peeks of your content, what you are working on behind the scenes.
Create a “Coming Soon” page on your site where you can direct people that has an opt-in form where they can sign up for your email list and be notified when you launch.
For even more success you can create a freebie to giveaway as an incentive to join your list that way you can start building up your email subscribers even before you launch!
Social Media Strategy
As a blogger, social media is a must! Have a plan and idea of what you want to post on these platforms. If your blog relies a lot on images then it would be good to focus on Instagram and Pinterest for example.
In the beginning, I recommend doing two things.
- Saving the names on each social channel that corresponds with your blog. So for example, my blog is Moms Make Cents so I saved the twitter handle @momsmakecents.
- Choose which TWO platforms you want to focus on. If you try to be present on all of the platforms when you are starting out, you will get overwhelmed fast! For all bloggers, I recommend using Pinterest and then depending on your niche choose between Facebook or Instagram.
Pinterest is a vital social media tool for every blogger and especially when you launch a blog. The first thing you would need to do is to make sure you create a business account. You also need to set up rich pins in order to make your pins more valuable to your audience.
If you are new to Pinterest you will want to check out this guide to Pinterest for beginners where I answer all sorts of questions about how to get started as a new pinner.
Pinterest is also more of a search engine than social media. Using relevant keywords for your niche is important. You can also use these keywords on your boards and in your pin descriptions.
Reminder:
It is important to start pinning even before you launch your blog. This is so that the Pinterest algorithm can start to track your performance and it will also help you get a head start in your Pinterest strategy.
You can also use Tailwind Tribes in your niche, which can help you connect with other bloggers and also increase your reach and traffic. Take note that Pinterest prefers that you post regularly, instead of posting a lot at one time. This is why it’s beneficial to have a tool to help you post regularly and keep active.
Related: How To Use Tailwind To Skyrocket Your Blog Traffic
You can use Canva (which is totally free) to create your Pinterest graphics. There are templates you can use and it’s quite easy to use. This goes to show you don’t need to have any fancy programs and you can just use simple yet effective images to create your Pinterest graphics.
For every blog post you have on your site during your launch, create 1 to 5 pin graphics to increase your chances of your post going viral.
Facebook Groups are useful for promoting your blogs. You can connect with other bloggers, share content, follow bloggers and vice versa. Join a couple of groups that are relevant to your niche. Try to stay active, interact, and connect with those other bloggers. You can also announce your launch in those groups.
If you would like I would be happy to invite you to my private Facebook group for bloggers. There are over 20k members and we have promo days two days a week. Just enter your info below and I’ll send you the link + some freebies!
Followers are key when it comes to Twitter. When you follow other bloggers, you might also get a follow back. You can also follow other bloggers’ followers. Try to follow new people in your niche in order to stay connected and keep relevant. You can also retweet, like, and tweet about posts that are applicable to your niche.
Tweet or retweet at least once a day. When it comes to your blog launch, Twitter is also very useful for announcing your launch. You can use hashtags, do some teasers, and generally do some promotion on Twitter. You can also schedule your tweets in order to announce your launch at different times of the day.
Review Your Blog
Between all the hard work and busy schedules before your launch, it’s a good idea to take a break and talk to a friend or relative about your progress. Have them take a look at your blog with a pair of fresh eyes. They may spot a typo or a broken link that you might not have caught!
Find A Mentor
When starting your blog it is helpful to find a blogging mentor. Someone that has experience in blogging whose advice you can follow and trust. There are many great blogging mentors out there that offer resources, books, and courses to help you succeed on your blogging journey.
If you’ve resonated with the content in this blog post I’d love to help you. I have a super affordable course (under $50) that will walk you through step-by-step on launching your blog, growing an audience, and turning it into a profitable business.
90 thoughts on “13 Things to Do Before You Launch Your Blog”
I liked the last point most because without asking for peer review we will not be able to understand where are we heading. Thank you for sharing this awesome guide.
I’ve been thinking about starting a blog recently and your post had so many great points that I never really thought of! No wonder you’re so successful! Thank you for sharing.
So glad that this post helped you so much Naomi, and thank you for commenting! Good luck with launching your blog!
this was really helpful! Thank you!!
Great tips but concerning the 8th point, can’t we start a blog without being already well known on social médias? Because i wanted to start a fashion and art deco blog but i’m not popular on social media.
Hey! Great question. You definitely can launch your blog without already having a social media presence. When I launched Moms Make Cents I didn’t have a following other than my personal accounts. You can start building up your social pages like Facebook and Pinterest beforehand though. Like for example, start creating Pinterest boards with relevant content and following related users. Or on Facebook invite friends and family to like your page or join blogging Facebook groups and share your link in their social media share threads 🙂 You’ve got this!
Thanks for the advice. I am new to this, but this will be very helpful. Now to pick a niche. But can’t I have multiple ones? I am becoming a diy around the house and love cooking.
Hey!
Great question. While I do think that it helps to have a focus I understand that in the beginning, it can be hard to know what you really want to talk about and what will resonate with your audience. As a blogger you really can do what you want and talk about what you want because it is YOUR business, however some platforms like Google and Pinterest like to see that you have a focused topic. So for SEO and things like that you will be able to rank more quickly if you have a narrow niche. But in the beginning, go ahead and write what you love and see what does well (ex. drives traffic, generates revenue, gets email subscribers, etc.).
Mckinzie, every time I’ve searched for starting a blog or any other topic regarding blogging I always seem to make it back to you. Which tells me you must be my blogging fairy. I finally went and purchased the website and have TONS of half written topics on my phone and book. However when I think of putting it all together I end up with a nervous break down. These steps give me a better direction on where to go next. However, the only thing I’m always stressing is content. How you amazing ladies do it I don’t know but I know for a FACT I’m supposed to be doing this. It’s just been the hardest thing to complete, and then again it is never fully completed. Many positive wishes and thank you for giving the best advice on moving forward. Lord knows how badly I need guidance.
Oh my goodness you just made my day! I will happily be your blogging fairy!
I would recommend checking out my ebook or course on starting a blog. I shared so many tips and strategies in there that will help you. You can check out my courses here –> https://momsmakecents.com/courses/
One of the things you have to learn as a blogger is done is better than perfect. You will learn so much by doing, so jump in and start learning 🙂
Hello McKenzie,
My fiance and I don’t participate in social media. I do have pinterest and I love my followers there. Is there a way to start a blog without social media?? I have definitely been contemplating starting a blog. I have some idea of where I would start but I’m totally lost lol. I dont even know how to set up a website lol. I don’t really have something I’m “great” at I have more of a trial and error type situation. Maybe explaining our life choice flaws and what we are doing to fix those in the new year. Please give me all the advice you can. Thank you!!
Hey Kerri!
You totally can start a blog without social media! I did a case study for my readers a few months ago and started a blog from scratch with no email list and brand new Pinterest/social media accounts. I pretty much only used Pinterest to promote the site and was able to get it to 20k pageviews in the first month, you can read the case study here –> https://www.momsmakecents.com/blogging-for-beginners
Setting up a website can seem super intimidating, but with webhosting and a good theme, it isn’t too bad. This post will help you and there are most post linked at the bottom of the post that are good for beginners too –> https://www.momsmakecents.com/start-a-mom-blog-for-beginners
Here is a list of my favorite tools and resources to help you get started: https://www.momsmakecents.com/best-resources-bloggers
And if you want a guide to follow I have an ebook on how to launch your blog and an e-course on how to launch. Both are great guides to help you get started: https://www.momsmakecents.com/courses
My best advice is to just start. A lot of life is learning by doing, like you said, trial and error! I’d say jump in with both feet and promise to go hardcore with your blog for at least six months and then see how it is doing and tweak your time commitment and strategy if necessary 🙂
Hey there! I’m thinking of possibly starting my own blog. Can I make one just about me? Or would you recommend doing something a little more specific. I wanted to have like planner ideas, diet and fitness journey, book reviews, baking, mental health, nursing school journey, etc.
I look forward to your response!
Hey Lety!
Great question. With it being your blog you technically can do whatever you want 🙂 however, Google and Pinterest both like it when you are niched down a bit. I recommend just starting and writing what you love. Then you can see what brings you the most traffic, what you enjoy writing, what is bringing in revenue (if you hope to make money blogging) and then write more of that!
Hei ,
I just launched my blog, with three posts. I know it’s not much.I will write more.I wish I knew these tips before launching.I am just blank about promoting my blog.Could you give me tips may be!
Thank You
Hey Stephy!
Congratulations on starting your blog. That is SO exciting!
Here are some tips on promoting your new blog posts that might help you! https://momsmakecents.com/promote-new-blog-post
Hi!
Thank you for this very useful list of things to do.
I’m a little overwhelmed by the amount of work I have to do in order to start my blog, so I love to have a list to follow. It makes starting a blog a bit less stressful and overwhelming!
Hi Anni!
So glad this was helpful to you. It absolutely can be overwhelming at first, but once you have the site set up and you can start writing and promoting it gets a lot easier. Let me know if you have any questions about getting started. I’m happy to help!
— McKinzie
HI
I am thinking of starting a blog. I have a question- I am not the most tech person but I am learning each day more and more. I am a teacher so I know how to use a computer/FB all the regular social media stuff…. BUT the whole blog issue (using it/posting etc) scares me to death! It just seems so complicated, although I know it probably is not as bad as I am thinking it is. I learned how to do FB/Instagram etc. When I am ready I will sign up for your lessons. My question is if I start with a free blog site, or wordpress.org how easy is it to later move the whole blog to paying blog or bigger blog site if I need to? Do I have to restart or can it all be transferred? Thank you
Hey Jennifer!
Great question 🙂 You can start on a free platform and then eventually you can move it over to a self-hosted site on WordPress. Depending on what platform you choose it isn’t too tricky. If you pick a good quality webhost then they should be able to help you make the move, however some things, like your theme and any customizing that you’ve done to your design will not move over. It is a little bit of an investment up front, but it will save you a headache down the road if you start your blog on WordPress.org with self-hosting. It runs about $4 a month or about $40-50 a year.
You can read my guide for setting up your blog here: https://momsmakecents.com/start-a-mom-blog-for-beginners/
And yes, I would love to have you in the course whenever you are ready. There is a ton of info in there that I know will help you.
Thanks so much for your comment!
Hi,
I just found your blog via pinterest and I must say its amazing. Great tips!
Hi McKenzie,
I enjoyed reading this helpful post. I’m in the VERY beginning stages of considering blogging. I think I’ve always WANTED to blog, but have shied away because it seems like there are a million bloggers out there. I’ve always thought of that as “too much competition”. But is that the case? Is there enough audience to go around? I’m a little confused how that many bloggers can make money while blogging on the same topic. Can you help me understand the big picture? Also, is it possible to build a successful blog while holding a full time job?
I appreciate your time and assistance.
Chris
Hi Chris!
I have had a lot of readers have similar thoughts, so know you aren’t alone. I actually did a case study to debunk this “myth” that blogging is too saturated to succeed. Last year I started a brand new blog in the pregnancy/parenting niche with brand new accounts and I was able to grow it to 20k pageviews in its first month. You can read all about it here: https://momsmakecents.com/blogging-for-beginners/
There definitely is a learning curve with getting started and most people try for a month or two and then give up. The people that stick it out and treat it like a business are the ones that succeed and can make an income.
And yes! You can grow a blog while working a full-time job. When I was just starting this blog I was a SAHM to a one-year-old and I also was a freelancer with three clients and ran a direct sales business. If you want it and you dedicated the time to it, it definitely is possible!
Hi mckinzie, i think i should start now looking for network of blogger to help me boost my traffic to my blog, is there a place to can recommend?
Hi Paul!
I have a Facebook group for new bloggers that you can join there are over 20k members. Check it out here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/bloggingnewbs/
Done! Accept me 🙂
As they say, “Your success is dependent on your discipline, not your degree.” I just love that quote! Yes, I enjoyed this post. This is a comprehensive and easy way to begin blogging. I’m an avid fan of Pinterest and Instagram. I get most of my blog traffic from Pinterest. It’s the Holy Grail of bloggers. Facebook Groups are great too. I’ve met some awesome bloggers in Facebook Groups.
Great tips !! I enjoyed reading this post!! Excellent Post, Thanks for sharing!!
Hey Varun!
Thanks so much for commenting. I hope it will help you when you launch you blog 🙂
— McKinzie
MCKINZIE BEAN, Blogging is fun and challenging and soon, i will focus next on pinterest for it is the only traffic which i never tried before. Very detailed post, for me i think its like a blueprint to make our blogging journey possible. Good Job!
This is a great tutorial. With new platforms like wix and slashsquare coming out – do you think WordPress will loose it’s hold? Personally I use wordpress right now – but am thinking of switching. Do you have any thoughts on this?
I 100% think that WordPress is here for the long haul. I’ve had or managed blogs on pretty much every platform (WordPress.com, WordPress.org, Blogger, Wix, Squarespace, etc.) and for a scaleable blog a self-hosted WordPress site by far is the best. It can be a little bit confusing when you are just getting started, but with a good page builder like Elementor (they have a free plan) you can pretty easily make a beautiful blog 🙂
Hey, I really enjoyed this post and it is super helpful! I am currently in the midst of planning my blog launch and I really want to make use of Pinterest and Instagram to create some buzz prior to the launch.
Now, you write that for the launch you should already pin before the launch and I was just wondering what I should pin, as before the launch the blog posts are of course not public yet… I’m not super educated in Pinterest especially when it comes to self-promotion, so I am super confused what people are actually pinning especially when they say they pin up to 200 pins daily.. what are they pinning? Also, does saving pins from others count into that? 🙂
Hey Nuria!
That is so exciting that you are getting ready to launch your blog! Congratulations 🙂
Pinterest can be a beast, but once you get the hang of it, it can drive a ton of traffic to your site. You totally don’t have to pin 200 pins per day. I would say anywhere from 30-100 is good! This is a mix of your pins from your site as well as other peoples pins (you may also hear this referred to as “third party pins”). In the beginning, you will probably pin about 80% other peoples content and then 20% from your site.
Since you haven’t launched your blog yet, you would just be pinning other peoples site. If you have a “coming soon” page up on your website you can offer a freebie and start collecting emails now. You can make a few pins that lead right to that landing page and send traffic there until the rest of your content is ready to launch!
Best of luck with starting your blog and thanks so much for taking the time to comment!
XO,
McKinzie
Also, I was going to mention I have a ton of content on this site about how to effectively use Pinterest. I would start here with my guide on how to use Pinterest for beginners and my free Pinterest course 🙂
I loved reading this post! I have a ton of how-to pins and links saved but somehow your post resonated with me. FYI, this is my first time commenting on a blogpost!
I have been playing around with the idea of blogging since a while now and the one thing I know is I am inclined towards lifestyle blogging. You mentioned above that if there isn’t a niche I am sure of, I should start with whatever feels right and study the results (traffic and such) My question here is would it help if I start listing potential post ideas and see what category I am partial towards or is it a waste of time? Right now my ideas are all over the place like – reading, travelling, relationships, cooking, my life, pic of the day and such. Like someone mentioned above..more than the technical work, its the content that’s making me nervous.
I loved reading this post! I have a ton of how-to pins and links saved but somehow your post resonated with me. I think I will sign up for your course when I am a little more ready.
I have been playing around with the idea of blogging since a while now and the one thing I know is I am inclined towards lifestyle blogging. You mentioned above that if there isn’t a niche I am sure of, I should start with whatever feels right and study the results (traffic and such) My question here is would it help if I start listing potential post ideas and see what category I am partial towards or is it a waste of time? Right now my ideas are all over the place like – reading, travelling, relationships, cooking, my life, pic of the day and such. Like someone mentioned above..more than the technical work, its the content that’s making me nervous.
Hey Ruchi!
Thanks so much for commenting and I would love to have you in the course when you are ready 🙂
I think that is a great idea to list down your potential blog post ideas and see which way you are pulled. Also, think about which posts excite you the most. Once you narrow down on a niche you will write a lot on that topic so you want it to be something that you love!
My biggest tip is to just start 🙂 If you publish posts and down the road they don’t fit with the direction you want to go you can always unpublish them and redirect the link to another page on your site.
Best of luck with launching your blog! It can be so fun and I’m excited for you!
— McKinzie
I love the ideas that you gave in this blog it’s giving me some things to think about I failed at my last blog miserably and I’m wanting to start this one out on the right foot I’m not only wanting to do this to make money I’m also wanting to do it because I love writing and it gives me something to do now that I’m out of work for a while due to health issues thank you so much for this blog and I may even check out your class I need to find some blogging friends now LOL
I would love for you to check out the course! You also can join my Facebook group Blogging Newbs there are over 20k other bloggers in the group and we are friendly I promise 😉 https://facebook.com/groups/bloggingnewbs/
McKinzie, thank you so much for this post. As a mom of three and former journalist looking to get into blogging, this really helped me break up the blog-launching process into sensible steps. Much appreciated!
Hi Sarah!
I’m so glad this helped you 🙂 Please reach out if you have any other questions! And good luck if you decide to launch your blog.
— McKinzie
Hi McKinzie!
First of all i’d like to appreciate you for the blog’s clean design.
Finding Mentor and Passion are the two real deals in getting starting with a new blog. Overall, i loved your article.
You just nailed it. Please keep writing such informative articles.
Cheers!
Mudassir
Hello,
This is a great article and i can’t stop myself from appreciating you on this.
I’ve a blog related to Fashion. The tips you’ve talked about really helps me to implement on my blog.
Many thanks to you!
This is fantastic, thank you! I am really excited about starting my own blog!
Hey Amy!
It really is so exciting, huh? I had no idea what I was in for when I started my first blog years ago. I hope you have loads of success.
XO,
McKinzie
Great advice!!! This journey is a little overwhelming but I have a voice and a message to share, a passion for writing and a need for a creative outlet. Not sure what I was waiting for for so long. Motherhood seemed like a barrier I suppose. Anyway – These tips are amazing. I can’t thank you enough and love that idea of a “mentor.” Genius!!!
Hi Frannie!
It definitely can feel overwhelming when you are just getting started, but you are right! You do have a voice and a story to tell. Motherhood definitely can present some challenges with launching a blog, but it also can be incredibly inspiring! Congratulations on getting started. Your site looks beautiful!
XO,
McKinzie
Thank you for all this information! I have been wanting to blog for a while now, but I get very intimidated with all the process. I’m also having trouble choosing a niche. I know I want to do it about Sociology because I have a Bachelors in Sociology, but this is a very broad topic. I was hoping you had some ideas or suggestions to narrow it down. I’m also married and have two kids. (Just to give you some info about me) Thank you again, and hope to hear from you soon!!
Hi Nancy!
What are you thinking about writing in regards to sociology? Maybe come up with some blog post ideas and narrow it down to 3-5 main categories you will have on your site. I believe in the beginning you don’t have to niche down too much. I recommend that you start writing and then usually within the first few months you will find what you are most passionate about and what resonates the most with your audience. Then you can move forward with writing more of that.
Best of luck to you in starting your blog!
McKinzie
Thank you so much for replying!!
Your advice sounds great and I will definitely start working on it.
Keep up the awesome work!!!
Hi McKinzie!
I have taking your advice to come up with blog post ideas. However, now I’m having trouble trying to categorize my topics. I want to write about “what everyday is like with hypothyroidism”. “ Parenting”. “Organizing small spaces”. “Controversial topics” and “Personal finance (maybe)” I would greatly appreciate any help from you! Thank you again!!
Where possible I would try to narrow it down to three main categories. If you don’t feel like you can narrow it down yet, it is okay to write about multiple topics and then niche down as you see what your audience responds to and what kind of content takes off on your site.
One thing to keep in mind though is to try to write with an avatar in mind. So like your blog posts are all going out to one particular person. Is it a he or she? How old? Do they have children, if so how old are they? etc. If you write with that in mind you will attract a similar audience and your content should be relevant to them even if your posts aren’t super niched down.
Hi McKinzie!
This was a great blog! My friend and I have been thinking about starting to blog. This helped break everything down so it’s not overwhelming. I have some questions for you. How many times a week or month do you suggest to blog to keep followers intrigued? This might be a silly question but, is there a length for each blog that’s best to keep people reading that’s not too long or too short? Thank you for writing and sharing this blog! It’s been very helpful!
Hey Cindy!
So glad the post helped you 🙂 Not a silly question. In the beginning, I recommend posting at least once a week. If you have enough time you can publish a new blog post 2-3 times a week. But keep in mind it is better to have fewer high-quality posts than a bunch of mediocre ones.
In the beginning, I aimed for my blog posts to be at least 1,000 words now many of them are 2,000 or more! You really just want to make sure that you are thoroughly answering your reader’s questions. For longer posts, you need to make sure that you have good formatting in your posts. For example, using headers, images, shorter paragraphs, etc. that make it easier for the viewer to read. Best of luck with starting your blog!
This was SO informative. I’m in the process of building my site, and feel like I come up with ten new questions every day. This really helped me to refocus and prioritize. Thank you!
Hi Courtney!
I’m so glad this helped you. Starting a blog can definitely feel overwhelming. Let me know if you have any questions and I probably have a post on my site that can help you.
XO,
McKinzie
Keep up the good work! Thanks.
Hello, I have been seeing a lot of these post on how to earn an income from becoming a blogger for Pinterest. I am curious of who pays your income? Is it Pinterest? I am very confused about how this works? I don’t want to sign up not knowing the details. I love the idea blogging and have lots of things I could blog about. Any information to help me understand who pays your income would be greatly appreciated!
Thank you
Hey Danielle!
That is a great question 🙂 For many bloggers they make income via ads on their site or through affiliate links within their posts. Brands can also ask to do sponsored posts once you have a loyal following. You can learn all about the different ways to make money blogging here.
Let me know if you have any other questions!
Best of luck with launching your blog!
Thank you! Wonderful and informative post. Very helpful in setting my mind and my plans on the right path.
You are so welcome Shantal! Thanks for taking the time to read and good luck with launching your blog 🙂
Hi Mckinzie,
I have been contemplating starting a blog to generate some income. I understand having a blog dedicated to one passion versus two very different passions makes more sense. Do bloggers have multiple blogs for their multiple passions or just find a way to incorporate the two passions, though very different, into their one blog? Thank you!
Hey Haylie!
I actually run two blogs and am taking steps to start my third and fourth blogs this year. However, I would recommend that you start with just one. Creating content and managing multiple blogs is no small feat! If the two topics are similar enough you can incorporate them on one site as long as the primary audience is the same, but if they aren’t too closely related I’d start with the one you are most passionate about and then move on to the second blog later.
Best of luck with starting your blog(s) 🙂
Your post helps me a lot. These tips are valuable and you explained it very well. Much thanks to you for sharing.
Blogging is the most ideal way to express thoughts and a great way to earn money. These tips are helpful and superb. Thank you, McKinzie.
Hey Ruchi!
I absolutely agree. Starting a blog is one of the best decision I’ve ever made. Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
McKinzie
Hey there,
I’ve been following various blogs to gain knowledge about how one can improve his skills just by following blogs. I’m a passionate learn and love to learn and explore new things on the web-world.
I have just designed my own Technology website which is still under construction. I was looking for some tips to kickstart it. After following this blog post, I have learnt a lot about new websites and tools which can help me boost my blogging passion.
Really liked your post.
And one more thing, don’t forget to congratulate me! 🙂
Regards,
Pranay Patel
Hey Pranay!
Thanks so much for your comment and congratulations on your new blog!
You explained all the tricks well. I have found some useful info on this post and some I knew about but wasn’t doing, and others I’d never heard about before so thanks for sharing.
Thanks for sharing such a great post
Hey!
Thanks so much for commenting. I’m glad that the tips were helpful to you 🙂
Hi McKinzie! You are amazing So helpful and it’s lovely to read your content.
I would love to start a blog but don’t have any articles written yet. I have a few of questions, would it be detrimental to open my Pinterest business account and create my boards and pin other people’s pins before having any of my own? Would there be a time limit as to how long it would remain relevant before adding my own articles?
Also, similarly, would it be okay to start my webpage and set it up prior to adding any blogs? How long is it acceptable to set it up before posting anything on it?
Should I create a new email account purely for my blog?
As you can probably tell I need to do things systematically! Please help
Hey Gemma!
Great questions 🙂
I definitely think starting your Pinterest account now is a good idea. Pinning relevant content that is on topic with the board name helps Pinterest attribute accurate keywords to your board. I typically recommend pinning other peoples pins for the first 30 or so pins of a new board.
Yes, buy your domain name and get a landing page up as soon as you are ready. As long as you are not promoting the page you can have it up for as long as you want.
Yes, I would create a new email. You can do an email that is @gmail.com and then later one upgrade to a professional email that is like Gemma@yourdomain.com.
This is the most thorough free guide on how to start a blog. Take a look through there and let me know what other questions you have 🙂
It has been simply incredibly generous with you to provide openly what exactly many individuals would’ve marketed for an ebook to end up making some cash for their end, primarily given that you could have tried it in the event you wanted.
Hey Katherin!
Thanks for your kind words, if you think this post is helpful, check out this massive guide on how to start a blog. It did originally sell the content as an ebook, but God put it in my heart that I should give it away for free. I’m hoping it will help lots of people!
Yes !! Exactly Same as I was expecting from this blog. All things that are explained above are the things that we really need to keep in mind. Thanks alot for such a amazing article. It really helped me a lot in improving my blogging skills
Hey.
I am in the process of planning my first blog. I’m not very technical (yet)!
I need to set up a dedicated email address. I was given a trial with outlook when I signed up to blue host. However, it becomes chargeable after the first month. Do I need to pay for an email address or can I just sign up for a free one elsewhere?
Thanks so much,
Your post has given me loads of good ideas!
Amanda
In the beginning you can use a gmail email if you want. I personally use GSuite which is the business version of Gmail that comes with my custom email (mckinzie@momsmakecents.com) and it is $6 a month.
Hi, great post I’ve recently started my blog and this has been super helpful.
I’ve read a lot of posts about starting a blog and never seen BuzzSumo mentioned so thanks for that it looks really useful.
Would you suggest a paid-for theme over the free ones available, I’m getting on fine with a free one at the moment but want to do more to my home page than just the blog feed, would a paid-for theme help me with this?
Hey Luke!
So glad this post was helpful to you 🙂
There are some great free themes out there, but you want to make sure that they are well coded, have good site speed, and are mobile optimized. One free theme that I love is Astra. It is really fast and integrates well with Elementor. They also have a pro version that you can upgrade to.
Hey thanks for sharing a post
i just started a blogging again after failing one time
i just moved to wordpress from blogger
hoping for best this time
but it’s going very hard to generate traffic..
is there any tips for newbie for generating traffic
Hey Roshan!
Congrats on relaunching your blog.
Have you checked out my new blog case study yet? It outlines the same steps that I followed to launch a brand new blog and get 20k pageviews in the first month. You can read about it here: https://momsmakecents.com/blogging-for-beginners
Hi McKinzie!
I just wanted to say thank you for this post. This is actually my first time commenting on a blog (other than to ask a question about an ingredient swap in a recipe, lol), but I felt compelled to thank you for the extremely helpful info in this post. And not just in the post itself, but in the comments as well. I am working on starting a blog (very very early stages right now) & am trying to learn all that I can. I will definitely be exploring your site more & am looking forward to learning even more from you. Thank you again!:-)
Thank you for your own great and effective blogging advice here now. I do use some of these items that you have shared here (not all of them) with my own businesses growth blogging work. Thanks
This blog really resonated with me. I’m just starting a blog, but I haven’t launched yet, and your suggestions have really helped me figure out what else I need to do before I go online. Thank you so much! 🙂
Thank you so much for this post! Starting up my blog has been really rocky and now that I have added Pinterest into the mix, I’ve been slightly overwhelmed. You’ve definitely helped me figure out what I need to do and where I need to be.. thank you!
This was such a helpful article! Thank you so much for sharing your expertise & tips! After months of research & manifesting launching my own lifestyle blog, I took the 1st step yesterday & secured my domaine name & host, BeachGirlMaui.com! But now the real work & strategizing begins!
Thanks again!
Fantastic content for newbies. I’ll definitely be referring back often during this process
Thank you for these great tips and advice. Took a lot of items away that I hadn’t thought of and added to my strategy I’m putting together before I launch my own site. Thanks!!
Thank you for the insightful article! I’ve started researching how to start a blog and found the information you provided eye opening. This has given me a direction to start, once I narrow down my blog’s theme.