Creating a Blog the Right Way
We previously wrote an article on how to start a blog that will make you money. It is an amazing post detailing the specifics, but this is the time we tell you the secrets of creating a blog in the right way. Why Blogs? You may ask, the answer is simple, Blogs are the next generation websites they are the strongest point of a website when it comes to SEO. I don’t need to add anything else to that answer but will go directly and introduce the article on creating a blog the right way.
Steps to creating a blog the right way.
1. Choose a specific subject, reflecting on a specific target (not a generic subject)
From the start, you have to define a topic that you want for your blog, and the people you intend to be the readers of your blog.
2. Make sure your subject (your Niche) is not too sharp or you will be bored too quickly with one that does not interest you about.
Otherwise, you can write for business, but in this case, you have to set up a business that will bring you money or customers to motivate you to continue.
3. Do not get distracted from the main objective, or expand your blog to other Niches or Ideas.
If you scatter about the themes, topics … your blog will be confused.
4. Have a personal voice (positioning to differentiate you from your competitors)
You must put your ideas and put your skills and knowledge when writing your posts.
5. Treat your blog as a business, even if you do not actually sell something
Set a “Unique Selling Proposition” to show how you are different from others.
6. Clearly define your goals
For example, you should give one year to $ 500 in sales and remember that half of the entire blogging time must be devoted to Blog promotion, product creation … not writing of articles!
7. Follow up 2 or 3 indicators.
These indicators might be, for example, sales per month, the number of subscribers to your newsletter, Social Shares etc.
8. Come up with a slogan that summarizes in as much as possible in a few words what people find your blog.
Example “A Creative Web Development Agency!”
9. Have categories on your blog.
These categories are important because they will define the aspects of your SEO and keywords for your readers. See this post on How to set up blog categories and tags.
10. Identify the keywords and keyword phrases that are typed by your target audience in search engines, and set items that will be made on those keywords.
This is basic SEO, every blogger needs to be aware of, Compile a list of these keywords in an Excel file, and you will have a keyword reservoir
11. Add “Administrative” pages of your blog
I have seen many blogs without these pages, I am talking about the “About” / “contacts us”, and the page with legal information “Privacy Policy/terms”.
12. Set up a schedule of publication (Calendar).
Your blog needs to be flowing in a certain pattern, this keeps your readers looking at your blog at certain times knowing there is new content. It can be such a way like this; seminal article 1 month, 1-week good article, video or PowerPoint 1 week…
13. Identify the influencers in your industry and get in touch.
This means commenting on blogs, share on Twitter and Facebook, commenting on top or leading blogs
14. Learn the basics of image editing.
For example, learning to use https://pixlr.com.
15. Learn how to make mini movies
Interviews, short reports are great ways to create original content. Or if that is difficult, first lead with a smartphone, and send your videos to YouTube and Daily motion. You can actually make money on Youtube.
16. Create a real brand.
There was once a chance to make a good first impression. So people will judge you as soon as they look at your website. So be careful to make your brand look: the theme of the site (There are several good themes on the Internet to start you off) also get a good site logo. And thanks to the consistency of the logo, the theme color you create a brand.
Note: You may need a graphic designer to create your logo, contact a freelancer on freelancing sites (Freelancer.com).
17. Put emotion into your blog
For example, if you are a consultant put your photo, mini bio, if you are a business then tell the story of your business and your philosophy.
18. Set up a “Bonus” to encourage visitors to leave you their emails.
This can be a video, PowerPoint, a white paper, free ebook. The whole thing is to have a first bonus offer, even then change and propose another.
19. Choose a picture of you that you can use on your blog and other social networks.
Always use the same photo, whatever the social network or the website, in order to have more consistency. Choose a photo that is appropriate to the image you want to give, for example, a friendly image of confidence, professional.
20. Make an inventory of content you already have and you could reuse.
If you are a student, then you have records, papers, presentations, lecture notes, course reports, if you are a company there are the interviews, videos, presentations, newsletters texts….
21. Enter your editorial line.
It is important to be consistent in everything you do and say online. The inconsistency can lead to confusion and befuddle visitors.
Related: Top 8 blogging Platforms to Create a Free Blog.
To avoid this, note what you mean, what you do not want the tone.
22. Do a competitive analysis
Check out websites, blogs, news sites your competitors and make a list of what you like and what you do not like compared to its sites. Determine how you can differentiate yourself, and bring a new value proposition.
23. Learn to delegate everything that is not essential to your business
If you create an online business, do not try to do everything yourself. The important thing is to focus on your value and to appeal to others to learn or outsource. This will save you time and make faster progress. To help you do what you cannot.
24. Do not try to be perfect
Try out a site that is correct, but do not waste time trying to achieve perfection, 80% of your results represent 20% of the efforts, the additional 20% will take you 80% of the time too!
25. Define what you want the user face to be like when it comes to your website
Write a brief summary in before your target audience you want to reach. The goal is to do everything in your site:
- Either recover emails
- Either have a quote request
Thus, all your actions will be made to meet these objectives.
Read also: Blog Monetization in Kenya: Make Money with a new Blog
26. Consider the main page of the site and the options available to get leads.
Make sure that the most important things in your blog are immediately visible to users (not that we should open a page or scroll).
For example, a blog is often the primary objective of bringing new targeted readers, they will immediately see what the blog is about, Have something that will get them to leave their emails.
Remember that the first thing visitors see on your blog will be the logo and slogan at the top left. And the second thing they look at is at the top right and it this is where there will be a banner encouraging them to enroll immediately in exchange for a bonus.
27. Think of SEO from the start.
SEO is essential because it brings between 60 and 80% of visits to your site, so think from the outset in keywords in the domain name, the titles of the articles, and the choice of categories. Your goal is not to become an SEO expert, but to have a minimum knowledge to fend for yourself. If you are a business, hire experts to help.
The best recommendation to choose someone to help you is through the use of a word of mouth. Always contact your previous clients to talk to them and thus see a reference.
28. Personal relationships and networks are very important.
The partnerships will allow you to give a boost to your readership (exchange of visibility), but also to your business (affiliation). Activate your personal network out to national events, you can also set up a partnership with one person to develop your blog.
In this case, choose someone that you enjoy and that you trust and indeed Web reversals are common!
29. Trust your instinct.
If you are not 100% convinced, do not go because when there is a doubt, is that there is no doubt! Instead of spending money or time on something uncertain, focus on what you are sure that will work.
30. Be prepared to spend time in details.
The devil is in the details … sometimes you’ll see a small essential detail can take your head for days, first make a mini schedule, so you do avoid mistakes that would cost you money and time in the end. Similarly using the forums, blogs, social networks, YouTube to find help.
31. The equation of success is {success = Money + Opportunity + [(Time + Talent) / Passion]}
The success of a blog, a business, a project is equivalent to the following simple equation:
Success = Cash + Opportunity + [(Time + Talent) / Passion]
This means that if you do not have money, you can make up your talent or your passion. Now why did you think that you cannot use mathematics in blogging?
32. Rework your design throughout the life of the blog.
Make continually tests and adjustments, throughout the life of your blog. There will always be new elements (social media), which can be taken into account via plugins, themes…
33. Prepare your content ahead of publishing
Before you launch your blog, you need to have a reserve of articles for the “blog substantive” available at launch (a minimum of 10 articles) and to automatically program the publication of content in the coming months (or two months).
34. Make sure that what you write gives a good picture of you.
Does the language you use reflect the values of your business or what you want to convey a message? Does it speak to your target audience (e.g. no jargon)
35. Make a smooth launch.
Launch your blog when it is ready, even if it is not quite finished, In fact, as soon as your site will be published as soon google will reference it is then that you’ll come out of the “sandbox”. Also, there might be problems at the launch. Ask friends to test it on different computers and browsers, so having the first returns.
36. Give your site a minimum of visibility
Make sure your blog is not marked private, submit it to directories with similar content and also submit it to Google and Bing.
37. Boost Your Blog with Plugins and Widgets
Plugins allow you to add features without having to know computer science. They can transform your site from a mere blog to a website and maybe or perhaps E-commerce platform.
38. Publish the launch of your best blog articles.
You have to give the best possible image of your business. So publish articles from the “beginning” timeless and if possible so that they are still relevant two years later.
39. Submit one article a week during the first months
Work on a publication plan with at least an article once a week, it will give you a solid foundation, and you can concentrate on the acquisition of external traffic.
40. Submit original articles and high value-added to distinguish you from competitors.
During the first month, you will maintain the quality and originality of your articles. For example to complete files, make videos or images. With your first quality items, you’ll be able to do a compilation and offer them as a free eBook.
41. Try to get links from external sites
Start to network and find blogs through the following:
– Either accept guest posting (you write an original article on their blogs)
– Either by the relationship to have a relay your news and events
– Either by written interviews and videos leaders.
42. Attach your milestones and dates to make decisions and review your initial plan
Set your goals. For example to have 1,000 subscribers after a year of blogging, and if you do not succeed, then review your action plan.
43. Interact with your readers and tie a personal relationship.
This means responding to their comments, share on Twitter, initiate studies on the needs.
44. Grow your community on Twitter and Facebook.
Once you have ensured the success of your blog, use the power of Twitter & Facebook to go beyond your network and contact influencers.
45. Put in place partnerships and meet people “for real”
Put yourself in conjunction with other bloggers who start, participate in forums … Re-tweet their links, comment on their publications. Let their knowledge that you are now and what they are interested in.
46. Be genuine.
Talk about yourself, news, what you think. If you are too “neutral” you do not want to give out more about you. What people love the most are your stories, anecdotes, your views on the news…
47. Create events
For example a dinner in town, a free Web seminar, a competition, a study of your readers.
48. Always continue your learning experience
Do you worry if you do not know everything about blogging, you either learn from your mistakes or through training. The important thing is to have established a good solid foundation, which will be the foundation of your success.
49. Automate and dealing in what is more essential
For example, you can invite other bloggers to write on your blog, you can outsource the writing of content while keeping the original spirit of your blog.
50. Keep on coming back and reading what we post on Nabaleka and begin creating your blog in the right way.
