I am excited to share a new blogging series and resources for friends who want to start their own blog! Blogging has been the biggest blessing in my life and opened countless doors and opportunities for me, so I'm happy to share with others! I'm also sharing this story on Reels and you can watch the corresponding Reels video!
Whether you want a creative hobby, love fashion or cooking and want an outlet, or are looking for a side hustle that could bring in income, starting a blog is a great route to take! I'm breaking down the steps to get you there below!
You're not going to like my advice. It's not easy! The biggest thing you have to do to start a blog is JUST DO IT.
Seriously. Just post a photo, just start website, just create a new Instagram account. There isn't an easy "start!" button that you can push to get it going, so if you're not willing to put in a little (a lot!) of work, then blogging might not be for you.
If you're still reading, then congrats! You're ready to start! Here are the FOUR action steps I would recommend to anyone wanting to start their own blog.
Decide what you want to blog about.
Do you like cooking, creating recipes, or maybe just eating out? Fashion?? Where to go and what to do in your city? How about home decor? Parenting? Great! Think about topics that you ENJOY and topics that you can write/share about. If you want to be a travel blogger, but you don't travel, you might have a problem. What are you always talking about with your friends? What do you love reading the most from other people?
Decide your vibe!
Are you minimal? All neutrals? Bright and bold? I often tell people to look at tons of different Instagram accounts and see what resonates with them. This can help you determine your brand colors, your fonts, and how you edit your photos down the line...BUT no need to think about those things yet. Just pay attention to what draws you in and think about the kind of content that you want to share with others *and why.*
Action item: Grab a URL
Not sure how to start a website? A free Wordpress template is a great place to start and if you decided to change things down the road (you will!), then you won't be out a ton of money or time! Can't think of a name right away? Start with your own name, your topic, and keep it simple. You can always come up with something more cutesy a little later.
"Do I need a website? Really?" YES! Huge yes yes yes yes! Edit: I wrote a post about Why You Need a Website and it's a must!) You need a place to share "long-form content" and a place you can send people where your content will live forever instead of just for a few days on Instagram. You also (unfortunately) don't own content that you share on Instagram; if Instagram disappeared one day, what would you be left with? It's SO important to have your own site!
Action item: Grab an Instagram Handle
Start your new Instagram account, OR if there is overlap in content or you already have followers on your personal account, just use that!
Here's where the first tip comes in: JUST DO IT. You'll probably feel a little nervous, want your page to look perfect right out of the gate, or feel embarrassed that you're posting photos of yourself on the internet, but do it! Tell your friends, tell your family, share share share!
When I started blogging 8 years ago, my family thought I was nuts and my friends didn't really know what to think because blogging wasn't popular like it is today! But now I've been self-employed for 4.5 years and LOVE what I do! If you want to grow, you have to start somewhere! There is a lot more to blogging than these four steps, but start here and stay tuned for more tips each week! You can also email me if you want to book a one-on-one consulting session to get things moving. I love helping people start following their dreams! See you in the blogosphere!