In the age of information, it has never been easier to reach out to people. Whether you are thinking about creating a business website, already have one you want to grow, or are a budding writer hoping to connect with others, blogging may very well be the solution for you. But, if you have never blogged before, why is a blog better than a website, how should you start, and what’s involved?
Let’s start with why. With a blog, your readers get a continual supply of useful and interesting content. It is about creating added value. People are more receptive to businesses they consider to be helpful and informative.
When you write often, you grow. Writing has a way of changing your way of thinking. It can help to generate new ideas and to make space for innovation — and that’s good both for your business and your personal development.
Besides creating a content-rich website, blogging about topics that are relevant to your business, and aimed at your target market, can make you an authority in your field. This in turn directs more opportunities your way, and with such a wealth of informative writing on your chosen topic, you appear more relevant in search results.
Sold! How do I get started?
Firstly, decide on the types of topics to write about. This decision will shape your blog. Anything vaguely related to your business will work, so long as your blog posts tie in with one another logically and coherently. However, if you write about topics that are already widely covered by other bloggers, it will be difficult to cut through the noise and get a good search engine ranking. To combat this, get creative with the topics you choose and think outside the box.
Ideas ready, next you should think about the look and feel of your blog. Your blog name, choice of topics, domain name, and color scheme should all feel like part of the whole. Think about the type of readers you want to attract, and what would appeal to them.
Let’s get technical
Now that you have an idea and have thought about how you want it to look, it’s time to discuss putting yourself out there on the Internet. If you are not technically minded, don’t worry, we´ll keep it simple. Essentially you need three things: a domain name, a WebHost, and a content management system.
To refresh your memory: the domain name is your address on the internet. This is what your users type into their browser if they know your address already, and don’t need to find you by doing a search.
Web hosting is like your website’s home. It’s the place where your images and webpage files are kept. There are a lot of companies to choose from for this, so your first task would be to find the best web hosting companies. You should make sure the one you choose is fast and secure.
And finally, your content management system is something that makes it easy to edit, upload, and manage your content. You’ve probably heard of WordPress. That’s one of the most popular because it is easy to customize and install.
That’s not all, folks
Once you are up and running and have built up a decent following, there is yet another benefit to blogging: additional income. Generating an income through your blog might involve writing sponsored articles, linking to your products on your e-commerce platform, or including content-relevant ads on your website. Depending on the type of business you run, you can also add a link to PayPal to receive reader contributions for the content you provide.
All in all, running a blog instead of a website is a win-win, and for just a fraction more effort than maintaining a website. Besides that, it can be a great way to attract new customers, collaborators, or fellow experts.