Blogging 101 by HAL

Introduction

I have been blogging for six years now, it is truly a passion for me, one I have been blessed to turn into a business. When I started my blog I had dreamed that one day it would produce an income. I believe many of us have the opportunity to be successful bloggers as we all have areas of expertise and life stories and lessons that others want to relate to. Blogging can be an amazing way to connect with others and create meaningful relationships that enrich many areas of our lives. Many people have messaged me asking if

I think it would be a good idea for them to start a blog and where is the best place to start. My answer is yes, you should start a blog and here are my tips for getting started.

Brand

What do you want to talk about? Some people may tell you to have a focussed topic that you share on your blog, this may be true for some blogs but I don’t think it has to be true for all. I am a Christian, wife, mother, Makeup Artist, Blogger and YouTuber, and I share content related to all aspects of my life. Some people may argue that Christianity and makeup artistry don’t belong on the same blog but they are relevant to me and therefore I believe there is an audience that they are also relevant to. I believe that sharing the various things that make up who I am, allows me to connect with a broader audience. Some people may come across my blog looking for beauty tips and stay to read content about other areas of my life so they can get to know me more. You need to decide what kind of stories you would like to tell. I think because I share so many aspects of my life, it will be difficult for me to ever run out of content ideas.

Platform

There are a few different blogging platforms to choose from. First consider what types of content you will share; text, images, video, choose a format that will accommodate your content best. Then consider what kind of function you want now and possibly down the road as you grow your blog, such as ads, e-commerce and pages. Then do a little styling review by checking out your favourite blogs and what you love about the way they look. Considering all of these components will help you choose a blog platform that can grow with you as your grow your blog.

Write

Once you set up your template, start writing! Don’t worry about every detail of the blog being perfect before you publish your first post, just get writing. Your content will always be the most important part of your blog! Blogs are our online habitats, the styles will change with the times and you will never stop tweaking it but your content must always remain a constant. I recommend writing a minimum of five posts before announcing your blog to the

public on a social platform. The reason for this is, when you grab your audience's attention they have the opportunity to hang with you for a few posts, really get a feel for what your blog is all about and also take you seriously because of the content you have already created.

Honesty

When writing your content be fearlessly honest. I have experienced the best online conversations and relationship building from my most unglamorous and honest posts. Sharing honestly allows us to truly connect with people, creating meaningful relationships that are mutually beneficial.

Consistency

Do your very best to be consistent. Whether you are going to post once a week or once a day, your community will begin to count on your regular content and it will keep them coming back. If they return a few times to find no new content, you may loose them, so whatever your commitment level is, stick to it.

Love

Share the love and then share it even more! Creating relationships with your audience and brands takes time just like any relationship. Share what you love and the people you love and the relationships will begin to build. Having a blog is such a wonderful thing, you have a space where you get to share everything you love without interruption, so why not!