Intro to Blogging

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What is Blogging?

Blogging is the act of creating (primarily) written content for the web. Blogs can cover any and every topic, and you’re sure to find one that covers the subjects you care about most. Although the majority of blogs are one-person shows, many get input from a variety of contributors – usually focused around a particular core subject area.

Running a blog of your own requires you to amass a number of different skills. Primarily you will need to know how to write and how to use WordPress.

It also helps if you know some:

• HTML
• Social media marketing
• SEO

Making a website isn’t complicated. Getting a blog online isn’t expensive. However, if your intention is to make a blog that really earns you money, you’re absolutely going to need to follow the advice of those that have the knowledge and experience of running their blogs like businesses.  

Some blogs are like diaries. Others have a very clear focus. What they all share is this freedom for anyone to create one and use their own vision to take it in whichever direction they see fit. So why haven’t you got yours yet?

Can You Still Make Money as a Blogger Today?

It seems as though this question always comes up, but the answer never changes. In fact, as each year goes by, the potential monetisation channels keep multiplying. 

Blogging is big business today. Everyone I know that still blogs is only doing it because there’s a financial incentive to it. While lots of people maintain blogs as hobbies (especially teens), few are writing out detailed posts about their purchases, interests and lives without getting something out of it.

Your blog can be your publishing business. It’s your job to grow an engaged audience that returns back to it regularly for more information.

Just like with large publications, bloggers can earn money in a number of different ways:

• Partnerships and collaborations
• Affiliate marketing
• Sponsored posts (advertorials and link inserts)
• Display advertising

All of these revenue sources can and should be a part of the pie. While it will take some time to get the traction necessary to earn decent revenue from advertising at first, it’s all a process. As you learn different aspects of the game – such as fundamental keyword research, SEO, social media marketing – you’re rewarded with more traffic, which can then bring you more income.

Over time, you learn the most effective ways to introduce affiliates into your blog and any related assets (like a mailing list or a significant social media following) that you have on the side. This will ensure that your operation keeps getting more efficient and effective at generating income. 

How Do You Get Started Blogging?

1. Decide the topic

This is potentially all you’re going to be writing about for the foreseeable future, so choose something that you’re not going to get bored of after your first couple of posts. It’s advised that you make the focus quite broad, so you have room for growth, but don’t worry if your focus ends up being quite niche.

For example, on here I speak about the various ways to make money online, because it interests me and because it’s what I do every day. There’s always going to be something new to talk about because I’m living it. On my lifestyle blog, I talk about day-to-day life. Again, I’m living it. Something’s always happening.

Now you decide what it is that you really care about and what you think will interest you in the long-term. Don’t worry if you end up changing course in the future, but do at least put proper thought into the long-term.

2. Choose a name

The URL of your blog is called the domain. These are purchased at registrars, and many blog hosting companies are registrars too. Step one is to decide whether you’re going worldwide or local (.com or .co.uk) and whether you’re going to match the domain to the topic, or if you’re going to keep it vague.

Then next step is to actually find something that is available. It’s preferred that the ‘something’ also ends up being available on Instagram and Twitter too.

3. Map out your categories

I find that the best way to get started with a brand new blog is to first come up with 10-20 blog post titles and then stick them into categories. Based on that, I’ll know whether I have enough to say about each category and if I’ll have the stamina to keep the project going.

Take your time to think about what you actually want to talk about, and see what categories those things could fall under. Try to. Keep each post focused into just one category, if you can.

4. Select your platform

While there are many different platforms to blog, I would be doing a disservice if I recommended anything other than WordPress. It’s the most popular blogging platform thanks to its easy set up,

On top of that, there are loads of themes, customisation options and videos showing you how to use it.

5. Just do it

Get your hosting (I do mine with Lyrical), install WordPress, customise your blog and get writing. This process can be done in a weekend, and from there you can work at it in your own pace.

What’s My Experience with Blogging?

I’ve been a blogger for over 10 years. I got my start as a guest contributor on a music blog, where I learned how WordPress worked. I then went around the circuit attempting to make a name for myself by writing album reviews, interviews artists and doing round-ups of news on various other blogs.

Throughout that time I learned the most effective ways to write for an online audience, and what’s required of an online publication, regardless of its size, readership or status. Once my time was occupied by copywriting gigs, I slowed down on writing for others (especially as few paid the money I deserved at the time) I eventually made my own blog. An early version of ProbablyBusy.com was one of my first.

I used to work at an SEO agency and my job was primarily to secure links by reaching out to bloggers with incentives. Toys, luxury hampers and straight cash were being exchanged for backlinks back then, and my mind was doing backflips with the potential. That’s what got me to convince my now-wife into it. Eventually she went full-time on it and, despite making good money from Instagram, still uses blogs as a way to make income.

Today, between myself and my wife, we’ve got over a dozen blogs and content sites between us. It’s a business. It’s not our only business, but our portfolio earns us thousands per month. It took a long time to understand the game and how best to play it, but it’s now a big part of what we do.

What Domain Should You Use for Your Blog?

I could go on for days about this, because it’s actually one of my favourite subjects. Your domain is your identity and it’s vital that you have something that makes you seem professional, approachable and as though you’re in it for the long-term.  

That said, I’ve amassed a collection of blog-ready domains, and I’m actually about to launch a marketplace for people to buy them. If you want early access to the list, just hit me up and I’ll have a discount for you.