Do you like writing? I do! I've always had a thing for writing.
I know I am not the best writer, but it is something that I genuinely enjoy (which I think is the most important thing). After all, it is always good to do something you enjoy. Otherwise, you're in for some rough mornings. You don't want to wake up every morning thinking, “Man, I have to write again today!?”, do you?
I started this blog because I enjoy writing. I was a member of eHow until Demand Studios bought them. I really loved writing eHows but I just couldn't get into Demand Studios platform. When I decided to give it a shot, there were never any article titles available; so I decided to start a blog instead.
I figured by having my own blog I could write about whatever I wanted and not be stuck into particular topics or layouts. I can be my own boss in a sense.
You may be wondering what steps are needed to start a blog. Everyone creates their blog in basically the same way. I am not sure how everyone else did it, but I can tell you the steps I took to start this blog.
To Start a Blog You Have to Know Your Niche
One of the first things I had to do was decide what I was going to write about. You can not start a blog without knowing this.
I choose to write about being a mom and what that entails. Moms wear many hats as we all know so my niche morphed into the lifestyle sector.
Domain Name
Once I thought of a topic for my blog, I had to buy a domain. A domain is your website's address. For example, my domain is www.homejobsbymom.com.
I chose to buy my domain through Go Daddy because they are the most well-known domain registrar (and they were having a sale at the time!). It costs me less than $10 per year, and I don't have to worry about my content being deleted because I don't own the site.
Create a Blog with a Reputable Website Hosting Company
The next thing I had to do was find a host for my domain. Let me be honest. I really had no idea what website hosting company I should choose since I had never created a website before.
I decided to go with HostGator because most of my fellow moms on my Work Place Like Home forums had the consensus that HostGator was the best company to go with.
None of them seemed to like Go Daddy's hosting services, so I just went with the popular vote.
However, these days I use SiteGround because it's one of the best for WordPress websites and has a nifty staging area when creating new websites.
Ultimately, the choice is yours. I would recommend thoroughly reading reviews of any hosting company you are considering.
Blogging Platform
Then I had to choose a content management system for my website. A blogging platform is used to create and maintain your blog. The two prominent companies I had heard of before I started blogging were WordPress and Blogger.
Everyone I talked to seemed to think that going with the paid version of WordPress was the best choice, so that's what I did.
Appearance Does Matter
Themes. Now that I had my blog site up and running, I needed to make it presentable.
I spent quite a few hours just switching themes in and out just to see how they worked. I decided I wanted a theme that I could add a header or logo to had a slideshow, change the color of, had tabs that could have multiple subtitles and a layout that allowed sidebar and footer widgets.
Getting your site to look the way you want can take quite a bit of time. Just play around with it, and you will find something that fits you.
Right now we use Mai Lifestyle Pro with BizBudding and the StudioPress Genesis Framework.
Plugins. Next, I played around with some plugins. Plugins allow your website to perform various tasks.
The plugins I am enjoying so far are:
- Akismet – It protects your site from spam. It has already caught 12 or so comment spam on my blog
- Broken Link Checker – It has helped me find two broken links right so far
- CoSchedule – We use this for content and social media scheduling
- Yoast SEO – Helps us optimize our content for the web
- Tailwind – Love this for Pinterest marketing
Want to Start a Blog and Get Paid?
Another thing you have to decide when you start a blog is whether or not you want to make money on it.
Blogging is not a get-rich scheme. I would suggest that you actually like writing if you are going to start a blog because it can take quite some time to make money from blogging if that is your goal. I have heard you can make money from a blog in several ways.
- Ads
- Affiliate marketing
- Selling a product
Write Amazing Content
Another thing I had to concentrate on was actually putting content on my blog. It's great to have your website up and running, but it isn't really a blog unless you have some posts and pages with content on them.
My goal was to at least have something on each of my pages before I launched my blog.
Final Thoughts
I have been working on my blog for 26 days now, so I am far from a blogging expert. I have spent hours and hours working on my blog-seeing how everything works.
When I start something new, it is all I can think about. I have found it helpful to have a piece of paper lying out next to my bed at night.
My brain has been running a mile a minute, causing me not to sleep. I keep thinking of things I should do or things I should look up to, which gives me busy brain. When I write out all these things on paper, my mind stops running, and I can sleep.
Being sleep-deprived has also caused me to lose some weight. I have lost about 6 pounds since starting this blog. Please don't get too consumed with your new project.
Now that my blog is more or less ready to go, I will focus on spreading out my time commitments. There needs to be a balance between all of your many jobs.
Okay, okay. I will fess up. Yes, you can start a blog in less than 26 days. You could do all of the above steps in a day if you wanted to, but I like to overthink things.
I also wanted to officially launch my blog on the 1st of a month to keep better track of my stats. The time you put into your blog is entirely up to you. It is your choice on how quickly you want or need your blog to go public. Just remember to have fun!
You have done a great job with this blog. I have just started blogging. I’m still learning and enjoyed this post. Keep up the good work.
Thanks! Blogging is great but it does take a certain kind of person to keep it up.
I really never though about what was involved in setting up a blog. That is a lot of information
There are quite a few things that go into setting up a blog with your own domain.
I knew Bloggers worked hard! It sounds like some investigating is involved. The way you come up with different true facts for your articles and make them interesting. I feel privileged to read about some of your personal things! I identify with a lot of their issues. You deserve your pay and free items to write about! I love the giveaways too. This sounds like a full time job to me, but you do get to do it at home with your family and at your own pace! I don’t think I can do it! Thank you for sharing!!
I bet you could run a blog if you wanted to. There is a lot that goes into it But it’s a great way to work at home
I have wanted to start my own blog for a long time. I honestly had no idea where to start. I so appreciate this awesome advice!
I’m sure with 4 kiddos you’d have plenty to write about if you decide to start a blog
I have read the blog and i really like it.
The way you portrait the blog is outstanding like your work. Appreciate it.
I have read the blog and i really like it.
The way you portrait the blog is outstanding like your work
I have read the blog and i really like your efforts. Thank you.
Great article – I bookmarked it. Simply I m Loving it
We started blogging for Additional Income. Best Of luck to us. we know if you ever want to collaborate or anything. we always up for meeting more people
Blogging is a great tool for earning extra income!
I know what you mean about waking up in the middle of the night with ideas! I am there with you as a fellow blogger, haha. You are right, it can be so consuming but it is important to not lose track of time when you’re working on it (I am still guilty of doing that).
I agree!! I am much better now. I can’t consume myself at the moment because there are just so many things to do and so little time.
Hi Krystle,
Don’t fool yourself, you are using your psychology degree, this is an awesome post and I would deem it the psychology of a successful blog launch. You took the time to research, analyze and theorize.
I loved it!
I’ve been blogging since 2005. In fact I turned one of my blogs into a book so it’s called a blook during the Lulu Blooker Contest in 2006. It didn’t win the prize, but I won the accomplishment of realizing my dream of publishing a book and getting it done in two weeks time because my thoughts were already laid out via blogging.
I’m to the point where my blogs (I have 8 of them left, I had to downsize) are collectively earning their yearly hosting fee each month. As I’ve seen others do, I’m about to start a series of blog posts sharing what I’ve done that worked for me.
Many pipe the words consistent scheduling and although I agree, I’ve never been able to comply. So what I pipe/offer advise wise is be genuine, and offer quality content that even when you are not able to keep to a schedule and are absent for say one to two years from your blog…your posts will still generate hits and your rankings won’t take too bad of a hit.
Quality is key! If you can deliver consistency and quality, then you will totally rock and be able to make money, if that is your goal.
Thank you! Oh…my psychology degree…it’s there on my wall at least lol. Maybe one done I will apply it more.
That’s amazing about your book!! I don’t think I would be able to write a book although I have thought about maybe writing children’s books. In reality though I probably wouldn’t get the chance to do something like that though.
That’s great you have so many blogs. Are they all different in topic? Your series sounds like it will be helpful to us newbies. I’ve made my hosting fee each month so far although it’s not like I really get it since it’s stuck till I reach the payout amount. That’s awesome if your still making your hosting fees even when your not blogging for a long time. Thank you so much for your tips! I appreciate it!!
Thanks for visiting my blog. This is such a well developed post I’m surprised your so new at it. My blog is just about to turn a year old and I wish I had read this back when I started.
I started my blog as a way to chronicle my challenge to find products made in USA and explore issues related to consumerism like safety, ethics, environment, economy, etc.
I started connecting with small business owners, brands, etc., and thing took off. I am still struggling to find the balance as I am also a Mom and have a “real job”. I am also still trying to make it financially sustainable. But when it comes down to it, I blog because it is my passion!
You are welcome and thank you! I think your blog is great!! Seems very professional and you know what you are talking about which is a big plus. I really should pay more attention to where things are made but for some reason I don’t pay attention to labels too much. I probably should!
I just started my own blog and I am so lost. I am afraid to write, that I will sound stupid. My son said to try writing about what I know first. You have some really good tips here, I bookmarked this to read later tonight.
PS – I entered the Ambiance giveaway
Thank you for entering the giveaway! Your son has a good idea. It is easiest to write about what you know first. You have the freedom to write about whatever you like so I would go with that. Just write about what comes natural to you. Setting up a blog can be overwhelming as you know. I am new to this myself but if you need any help figuring something out please let me know. I will try to help the best I can. Us newbies need to stick together 😉
Hi Krystle,
My own, very own blog is very young too — started in 2012 and growing slowly.
I like connecting with interesting people on the web, and some blogging tasks are quite fun, but, being a full-time professional and a mom, doesn’t leave much time for all the things I’d like to do.
Your post reminded me that I need to look more into plugins. Oh, I sometimes wish a day had 72 hours! 🙂
Thanks
Oh, I wish I had that many hours in a day too! But there is no harm in going slow and steady. What places do you like so far for connecting with other bloggers?
I started blogging to have a worthwhile hobby, sharpen my writing skills, and have something, anything to talk about if I ever need to interview for a job outside the home. Another goal is to make enough money to pay for the blog itself!
Yes, that it one of my goals too! Hopefully it will pay for itself one day lol. My husband says as long as I don’t quit and stick with it he’s okay with it taking some money to run.
I like your blog theme. It looks very clean and nice. I am still using Atahualpa and enjoy it since it is free. One day I might get Genesis. But for now I don’t want to pay.
I started blogging to keep family and friends updated on our life. Now, it has evolved a bit more, but I like to try to stay close to my initial joy of writing about our life.
Thank you! I’d like to make my blog look pretty but I don’t really want to spend money on that right now. Do you know of any good, cheap blog designers? Thank you for sharing your experience. I hope I too can stay close to my joy of writing and not get to overwhelmed with all the tinkering you can do on a blog.
I started blogging in order to increase my exposure of my handmade crafts and discovered I liked blogging more than crafting! Now I do blogging full time and crafting on the side. lol.
The other thing I recommend for bloggers is to join a blogging community with supportive community where you can learn from other bloggers and get support and advice.
I’m glad you found your real passion! Blogging is pretty fun so far for me too! Can you recommend a community like that?
I have been blogging since 2007. Started blogging about celebs as a hobby which then turned into a job. I have yet to use my college degree. I also do social media. I am now transitioning from celebs to parenting. It is tough but if you are writing about something you love and network with others it will work out. It takes time.
Nice meeting you!!!
Nice meeting you too! May I ask what is your college degree? Mines psychology so I’m not using it much either. Thank you for the encouragement!
Great article! Thanks for the list of plugins, there are a couple that I haven’t heard of, and think would be really great to have.
Thank you.
Great new blog. Mine isnt very old either. Started in Novemember. I sure have learned alot in a very short time. Best wishes and have fun!!
You have fun too 🙂
I had been thinking it might be something I would like to try. Writing has always appealed to me, though I haven’t done it in a while. I also like to try something new every year. Then Blogelina had an event going on that paid for a year of Go Daddy hosting. I signed up and it has all been history from there. I too am not happy with my current theme, but want to wait till the 100 Comment event is over before trying, and potentially messing something up.
I wish I could do something to make site look better too. I’m thinking I will do something for my birthday in this summer.
You have some really great tips I wish I had taken more time in the planning stages or maybe I should just start over since I’ve changed from what I originally started doing.
Thank you! What is your blog about? I’m sure it’s great!
Ah the early days…when I thought blogging was easy. Then I realized the more I learned, the more I realized that I have NO clue what I’m doing. Just dont give up, and if you are patient and work hard, then it will pay off!
Thank you for the encouragement! I will try to be persistent.
Wow – impressive! Great job on the new blog!
GREAT tips on getting started.
I love blogging! It didn’t take me 20+ days to get it started, but I tweak things almost daily… so maybe I should say it took me 200+ days to get it started?! haha! My advice to new bloggers is don’t quit. It can take months or years to develop a following that lasts. Write about what interests you, make sure you post high-quality articles, and a following will come!
Thanks for sharing!
Thank you for the tips!!
I need to revamp the design of my craft blog. But it’s expensive. I have to save money first.
I never tried affiliate. They said you can really earn good money from it. i should try it.
Great tips on starting a blog. We haven’t made any money blogging either!
It took me a little while to figure out the blogging basics. But now I really enjoy blogging.
It’s going to take me a while too I’m sure.
Thanks for all the info. Especially about plugins. I’m new to the blogging world, so I really appreciate it. I started blogging after I became unemployed. My main goal is to be an encouragement to others, but I do hope it brings in an income in the near future as well. 🙂
You’re welcome! I’m sorry you became unemployed. I wish you much success in the blogging world. Sounds like we have similar goals!
Congrats on your new blog! I’ve been working on mine for a couple months and know exactly how you feel. I spend all my little bit of free time on it and it seems like I still have a long way to go to get it looking the way I want to. Still need to figure out Adsense!
You and me both. I think I’m going to play with adsense some this weekend. Maybe we can help each other with stuff 🙂
Starting a blog can be so overwhelming. Great post!
Wendy
Around My Family Table
Thank you!
I find it so amusing how we start blogs to share and express ourselves and don’t realize all the work that goes into creating and maintaining it. There are days my brain is mush. But I love it so much I do it again the next day.
~Allie
It does involve a lot but it is SO much fun!
My biggest piece of advice for new bloggers is to establish a blogging schedule. Otherwise, if you are like me, you are constantly on the internet. I have a tendency to get carried away tweaking and playing with my site and lose track of time that could be better spent doing other things. I now set an egg timer and get done what I can on-line, and take a mandatory break when the timer rings. Silly, I know, but it works for me!
suzy
You sound just like me! I could tweak all day but I know I can’t. I guess need to invest in an egg timer. Great idea!
Great tips!
I started my blog in July 2011 because I wanted to share information on homesteading and living a more self-sufficient life. I didn’t realize at the time how much time it can consume.
I have since found a balance between blogging and everything else in my life and enjoy writing and connecting with my readers.
One tip for new bloggers – create a schedule. I like to have an idea of what I am going to post ahead of time and creating a schedule helps.
Thanks for the tip! I am trying to figure out a schedule that works but I haven’t figured out the right balance yet.
Great blog! I picked up some pointers, thank you. I actually have been blogging for some time. I have one blog that I have had for almost two years but then I decided to move down south. There I couldn’t find a job and lost it all cause I couldn’t continue to pay for it. I decided to come back home because I missed my granddaughter. So I decided to give it one more try. I’ve done a lot better this time around so now I’m focusing on getting my readership up and keeping it up. And also making goals which I never did before. This was a great post, and you can help a lot of people who want to do the same thing. I will be back to read more of your articles. Thanks for posting. You should do well. It’s people like you who share that go a long way. You will be blessed!
Thank you! I wish you luck in all you do!!
Thank you for the plug in ideas! I will definitely have to try these out. And I had been wondering what the Comment Luv thing was as I have seen it several times on other blogs. Now I know and will have to give it a try.
You’re welcome!!
I’m still feeling my way through the blog world, but like you, I’m sure it will only get better and easier with time. Keep posting what you find…we all need resources!
Thank you! I hope you are right.
I think planning posts are a good place to start. If not planning them have a large list of ideas for posts and add to it along the way.
Starting a blog is a lot of work. After getting mine live I made a blog goal list and I assign one goal for each week to work on. Examples are Facebook page, email subscription etc.
Good ideas! Thanks! I’ve been keeping an on going to do list. I just keep adding to it as I go along.
Great summary of how-tos! And way to go on getting it done so quickly!
I just launched TheMommyJob.com recently and I’m trying to build and market it – thanks for the encouragment!
Thank you. I will check out your site. I’m sure it’s great!
Great job! My blog is a year old, so I am far from an expert. However, I love the tips and tutorials found at bloggingwithamy.com. Thanks to Amy’s step-by-step instructions, I have learned so much. Happy blogging.
I will def check her out. Thanks for the tip!
Wow, you’ve already made 37 cents! Mine has been up since September and I’ve made nothing yet! I really don’t care though, because I love to write, and it’s still fun for me. Here’s to a succesful blog for both of us!
I love to write too! I hope both our blogs do great!
I just started in January, and haven’t spend a ton of time. I have a nice list of things I’d like to do, but balancing the time with real life takes effort!
I agree! My list is a year long. So much to do and not enough time.
I started blogging a few months ago. I was finding that people would ask me question about recipes or how to save money or how did I save so much with coupons. For a long time almost a year I thought about starting a blog and then this year I took the leap. There is so much to learn at first, there is nights I think why do I want to do this. But I really liked helping and talking to others to help them save money and budget. So now if I get asked a question at the store, I can give them my blog address and help them. I know many blogs have helped me learn new things and it is great to be willing to share what you know with others. Nice post about how to get started.
Very inspiring! I hope to help people too!!
I have been blogging on one platform or another since 2005. From 2005 until a few months ago, it was more of a personal hobby, as I was also a freelance writer. I did the eHow and Demand Studios thing and also had private clients and other content mills to work for. However, I decided to work harder on my blog (my own business) and less for clients toward the end of 2011. I want blogging and working with brands to become my main focus as far as my online business is concerned.
Sounds like you have a lot of experience and are very prepared! I am sure you will do great!!
Thanks for the tip about CommentLuv – I will have to try that out!
Your welcome! It’s pretty nifty 🙂
Setting up a blog in 26 days is very commendable. I’ve recently moved to WP after 4 years on blogger and am still finding my way. Thanks for the links to the plugins – very useful.
Thank you! And I was thinking I was doing it slow
These are great tips! I wish I’d taken more time when I first started, but I love blogging. I started blogging for me.
It sounds like you are like me – I love the excitement of a new project! I’ve been blogging casually since 1999! My first “serious” blog was a food blog – and it was really so much fun!!! I just got to the point that I enjoyed blogging so much I wanted to be able to write about other things. This time around I followed steps similar to the ones you described instead of just starting out slow, and I love having a more “official” blog – even if it ends up being mostly a contact point. My husband agrees that there’s a lot of value in our blog and it would be worth the hosting & domain fees even if I didn’t make money off of it. It’s the main way we communicate with the people we love who are away.
Blogging sure is fun! I’m okay with spending a little money on it right now as long as I stick with it and enjoy it 🙂
I just started my blog this past week, so I went through many of the same steps you mentioned. I can totally relate with the brain going a million miles an hour! It does make going to sleep at night hard sometimes. Good luck to you and your new adventure!
Good luck to you too sweetie!!
This is very informative. I will definitely revisit and explore some of the links and such. Right now, I’m trying to get through the 100 comments list!
Thank you! I think I am about half way through my list right now
I’ve been blogging off an on for seven years, seriously for almost a year. I didn’t put any thought into it when I first started. I just started writing. Honestly, I didn’t even know about all the options back then (I don’t even know how much was available seven years ago.) I know that since I’ve started getting serious, I’ve overwhelmed myself with all the options available and all the changes I want to make to my blog. I just keep a list and make the changes as I have time. And there will always be *something* I want to change or update. LOL
Yes, I’m sure my to do list will last forever lol
I’m only on day 8 of blogging! So many good tips here, you were way more prepared than I. THANKS for your post, I loved reading it and hearing all about your experiences. Good luck to the both of us I say!
Yes, good luck to us both! Let me know if you ever want to collaborate or anything 🙂 I’m always up for meeting new people
great article – i bookmarked it – found a couple of things i could use (ps – found you through the Blogelina 100 comments….. :D)
Thanks for the bookmark!
Brenda and I (sisters) started Busy Mom on the Go in the beginning of 2011. We started it as a way to organize our thoughts on parenting and family. Before too long we were hooked and we both really enjoy the time we spend blogging. I certainly agree that blogging can be a little too time consuming here and there, but I have set a good rhythm for working after my daughter goes to sleep and sometimes before she wakes up in the morning. I did not realize there was a Broken Link Plugin, but I am definitely going to check it out – thanks!!
I do not consider myself an experience blogger yet, but if I could give one tip of advice it would be to network! I have meet some very nice people in the blogging community that have extended Busy Mom on the Go with opportunities I could not have created on my own. Thanks and keep up the good work!!
I too try to work (this and other jobs) before my son gets up and when they are sleeping at night. It’s just hand sometimes juggling this with my other jobs because I’d rather be doing this but the others actually pay me money lol. Thanks for the tip! I will try to network. I am not completely sure how to go about that quite yet but I’m always open for ideas.
I became a blogger to share about the alternative medicines and therapies I was using to heal my kid’s special needs.
I am launching a second blog ~ all about organizing next month>
🙂
Lisa
Can’t wait to check out your new blog! 🙂
You mentioned buying a premium theme. I have had the chance to use Thesis and I really didn’t care for it. I do love the theme I use, it is called Atahualpa. The designer does frequent updates and there is a forum with many moderators to answer any questions. You can change 200 options and I have just found it to be a great theme. Good luck in your endeavors here!
Sounds interesting! To be honest I don’t really know much about themes. I just want something I like the way it looks and works the way I want it to. And I keep seeing the genesis framework? What’s that?
I followed pretty much exactly the same process as you when setting up my blog, so I must have been doing something right. 🙂 I recommend listing out all the topics and sub-topics you want to write about- that way, when you get stuck and don’t know what to write, you can refer to that list and it might inspire you to write something.
-Viva recently posted Homemade Pizza Dough
Thanks for the tip! I’ve been trying to keep a list of things I want to write about. Hopefully I can to them all 🙂
great post!! good luck on your blogging venture.
search around- lots of people do giveaways for “perty” blog designs. then it costs less!
Thanks for the idea! I will see if I can find any.
I did mine the easy way when I started as I had someone build it and set it up for me as I had no clue on what to do so I am so proud of you for taking the steps and doing it yourself. 26 days sounds reasonable to me because if I had to do my one it would have never gotten done. I did use Darren Rowes book though 30 Days To A Better Blog and the Dummies Book for Mom Bloggers to help as they are my bibles in the blogging world.
I’d like to have someone design a site for me. How expensive is that? Maybe I will think about that in the future. Thank you for the book tips! I need to check them out!!
I too am only a month into blogging. Thanks for all the tips. I made myself a word doc and put all the links into it so I can come back and spend more time going through it. I made sure I put your link at the top to remember who I got it from. This is only for my personal use. Definately gonna follow you (read surround myself with people smarter than me). These comments have really helped me also.
Nice to meet a fellow newbie blogger. I look forward to talking to you and hopefully we can help each other out!!
I have been blogging for 3 months and love it. I started because I wanted to earn a little money with it but mostly to share info on the topics I’m passionate about.
I forgot to add: Join blogging groups. Get mentors. Most experienced bloggers will help you out.
Thanks for the tips! What is a good blogging group to join?
Are you having any luck earning money yet?
Thanks for linking some of the Plugins for wordpress you like. I am slightly overwhelmed at how many of them are out there so I am always glad to hear from others what ones they use and like!
I agree, there are a ton out there! I just keep playing with them to see what I like
I started my first blog to figure out what blogging was all about and to understand what I needed to teach my journalism students about this new way to reach audiences. I started https://cheshireloveskarma.wordpress.com/ because my cat is unable to type on his own. Useful, Pleasant Lives is an effort to share my ideas about living life well and defining success for ourselves rather than using definitions created by consumption-driven, greedy influences that dominate U.S. culture currently.
I write for women (men are also invited!) who like to think. Good luck on your blog project!
Sounds very interesting! And a good way to teach your students.
I actually started my blog when I began a weight loss program (SlimGenics) because I wanted to track my progress and let others know my journey. The blog eventually evolved past just the specifics of that program. I enjoy blogging most days, some days I just can’t come up with any good ideas, but sometimes they just flood in!
I think we all have those days were we have mind blocks
I am also a new blogger. I didn’t nearly do as much research and just started on a whim. I think the most important thing is that you enjoy it. I would have a really hard time blogging often if I wasn’t loving what I was doing.
Welcome to blogging too! I will check out your blog. I think I research a lot because of my psychology degree. It’s just something that I like to do.
Blogging is so much fun! I do it because I love to write, and love to make connections with people… good thing I don’t do it for the money, as I have yet to make a penny from it! Thanks for sharing these great tips.
I agree! It is fun!!
Congratulations on your blog! I love this post. I’m going to have to check out the “CommentLuv” plug-in for my own site! What a great way to help one-another out. I’m going to check out your “20 plug-ins” list too. You put a lot of work into your blog and it shows! I wish you great success!
I’m with you. Writing is almost a compulsion! If I’m not writing stories, or web content for others, I’m writing blog posts or how-to articles! It seems I can’t NOT put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard).
I think I’m going to have to bookmark your blog so I can keep up with you! Have a great weekend and keep writing!
Karen
Thank you! You are very sweet!!
The most important thing to remember about blogging is to be persistent. They seem to grow more slowly than the average snail’s pace sometimes. But if you keep presenting quality content and discover what people want to read, your blog will have some measure of success, even if it’s small-scale success.
Thank you for the tips. I plan to be as persistent as I can. I guess we will see where that leads in the future.
Glad you didn’t load up on the proverbial..use adsense for montezing.
I will play around with adsense. I still don’t really know what I am doing with monetizing since you don’t really see the effect of them for quite a while.
You won’t see an affect for a long time especially if it’s not done right.
You made a great start! Now what’s also very important (and you’re working on it by joining the Blogelina-100) is to get followers – people that you write for and that will click on the adverts so you make money.
I don’t make money off my blog but I have a lot of followers, just by commenting on other people’s blogs and following them and slowly I built a great community around my blog.
Good luck!
Thank you! I hope I can build a great community too 🙂
You have done a great job with your blog. I am not a writer but I blog anyway and enjoy it very much. Easy2Save
Thank you! Oh, lol, I am not a writer either but I do like it!
My blog is officially 1 month old as of today! You make some good points. I know there are a lot of things I could/should be doing, and eventually I will implement some of them, but for now I am happy where I am, and doing what I do. And if I’m not happy blogging, then what is the point? You have some great ideas and great links, so I will be coming back. Best of luck to you from another newbie blogger 🙂
I will def check out your blog! I need all the help I get. Let me know if you ever want to collaborate or anything 🙂
I’ve been blogging for a couple of years, but I’m still learning a lot. I think it is very important to provide content that helps your readers and to establish a sense of community (you are definitely doing that by responding to comments).
Thanks for the tips sweetie! I try to respond to things if I can 🙂
all this makes me happy that i started mine on whim so it wasn’t soo overwhelming lol!!
Very informative. I’m really lucky and I have a “geek” for a husband. So he helps me out a lot, but I think he’s impressed sometimes with all that I have learned. It can be very time consuming, so make sure to set parameters and limits, and stick to them. When I first started, I spent too much time on my blog and not enough with my kids. Now I’ve almost totally switched it around, however, my blog will be there as long as I want it to be. My babies will only be babies for a short while.
I agree that blogging can be addicting. I am def going to try to limit it. My husband is a geek too but a programmer geek 🙂
My best tip is for new bloggers to spend time commenting on other blogs in your niche. Not just at the big blogger sites, but at other blogs that are in your league, bloggers that are just starting out like you. Swap posts with each other and get to know your community. The sooner you start the sooner you will become well known in your “neighborhood”. Great tips on starting a blog!
Thanks for the tips! How do you go about finding out what the other blogs in your niche are?
Hi Krystal, this site is one place you can go to find other blogs in your niche: http://www.blogmetrics.org/ Also, look for forums and spend time there posting with your blog address in your signature line. Hope that helps.
Thanks for the site! I will check it out!!
I started in 2008, because I love to write. It’s my hobby. If you want to continue blogging, you will need to like it! Easy and obvious tip. I have no tips for making money, though, except to check out Blogelina’s class. I’ve implemented some of her ideas and hope for a little something-something. Good luck!
Writing is fun I think! Making money would be nice too but it’s not a priority of my blog at the moment.
Wow, 26 days is quick! Great job. I really appreciated all of the helpful and free places to find stuff. thanks
Thanks! Are you a KY mom too?
It takes awhile to get up and running, but for me it has been worth every minute! I too started out with sites like Yahoo! Contributors, Examiner.com and Bright Hub and never liked the platform or topics, so decided to do my own thing on my blog. I’ve been blogging now for just under a year, and the best tip I can give you is to not compare yourself to other blogs. Do your own thing and make it yours. It’s not a competition, but it’s very easy to fall into that trap. Happy blogging!
Thank you for the tip! You started blogging similar to why I did. It is hard not to compare but we all are unique and have our own perspectives on things.
Great advice, I’m not so new to blogging but I am new to WP, thanks for the plugin info
Thank you. I am liking wordpress right now although it is all I really know. I had a blogger blog at one point but I never took it seriously.
Wow you did a lot in 26 days! I started out much slower and learnt as I went along. The biggest tip I would give to others starting out with blogs is to learn from others. You don’t have to reinvent the wheel – and bloggers are a very helpful bunch. I had so many people help me out with things when I started, and now it’s nice to repay that kindness by helping other new bloggers myself!
Great tip! I am learning as I go too. I hope I can find some other bloggers to help me when I need it. I am full of questions as usual lol
way to go! You will see you will always be tinkering around on your blog and learning to much! You will also stay sleep deprived LOL! Looking forward to following your blog
Thanks! Yes, I will be messing around with this for a good while. It is fun learning new things though!
You did more than I did when I started….or so it seems. I’m just blogging for my own enjoyment and figuring it out as I go along. But it isn’t my job, nor do I make any money with it. So I guess we come at it differently. You are a good writer though. I enjoyed your humor and your style!
Thank you for the compliments! I am mostly doing it for enjoyment right now too. I love new adventures. I just get a little too wrapped up in them.
I often tell myself I only have two things to overcome; getting started and wanting to give up. 😉 Always give it one more day.
Thanks hun! I will remember that.
It sounds overwhelming to get a blog up and running in 26 days! Good for you for doing so! My sister and I have been blogging a couple of years (I think) and we’re still working on growing and building our blog.
Thanks! Yes, I can already tell blogging is a work in progress. It’s fun though!