Lately I've had a few people ask me how to start their own blog. I've always been quite flattered but I'm never really sure what to tell them. I'm not an expert, I just love what I do; but I thought I would put together a handy little guide for anyone wanting to take the plunge into the blogging world.
I imagine starting a blog in 2018 is quite daunting. I created my little blog wayyyy back in 2013 when professional blogging was just coming to light. I didn't know you could make money really, and huge influencers with millions of followers just wasn't a thing. I started my blog as a hobby but it's a whole new ball game now.
So where to start now? Well I guess there's a hundred ways to go about starting a blog but here is my take on things. This is how I would recommend getting things going if you are just starting out in the wonderful blogging world.
Just Do It - Thats right, just go and create an account on a site that allows you to blog. I've always used Blogger but I've heard great things about Wordpress. Not sure which one to go for? Do a tiny bit of research to see what each site offers. Still not sure, just pick one, you can swap later if you really really want. Not sure how easy it is though.
Pick a Name - A lot of people say this is one of the hardest things about starting a blog. What the hell do I call my little space on the internet?! Believe me I spent a very long time trying to name my blog. Well here's the thing, you can change it whenever you want. I changed my blog name about a year after I started it and I'm really glad I did. 'Grace, that doesn't help me right now' I here you say, well okay why not just go for your actual name or a variation of that? It's the one thing in your life that probably won't change.
Pick a Niche - Fuck this. I see this on every 'Start a blog' guide and I think it's bullshit. Maybe you want to start a beauty blog, or a blog about shoes, great - go for it. This advice is perfect for you if you know exactly what you want to blog about but if you just want to express yourself and share your life ignore this. To me blogging is my online diary, my scrapbook, and it will never fit into one category.
Equipment - Do you have a camera phone and access to the internet? Fantastic! You have enough equipment to start a blog! When I first started out, my DSLR was broken and my laptop was slow as hell but it didn't matter. I wanted to blog so I did. My photos weren't the best and the format of my blog was shite but I was blogging and loving it! You can pick equipment up as you feel you need it, but don't be put off by not having any at the start. The creative quality of your blog posts will matter a lot more than having a £500 camera to take photos with.
If you want to see what I use now, 5 years on from starting my blog, I popped together a little list of blogging equipment I currently use. Bare in mind that I also took a photography course and built my equipment up over quite a few years. You might not ever need a 18 - 200mm lens, but I do. Always do your research before investing in expensive tech and if you are after a bit of advice on what equipment to buy don't be afraid to pop me an email or ask over on Twitter!
Social Media - For me an extension of my blog is my social media accounts. I use them to share to blog posts, connect with other bloggers and much more. I created my Twitter account a year after creating my blog and I started Instagram about a year after that. I also have a snapchat account I never use and a Youtube channel I try to make time for when I can. You don't have to use every platform but I would recommend using at least Twitter and Instagram. I would also suggest keeping your handles (social media usernames) the same as your blog.
Your First Post - So you are all set up, what now? Its time to start blogging! What should your very first blog post be about? Well anything really. For me I started with a very very short post about me and why I wanted to start blogging. If that isn't your cup of tea why not do a 50 facts about your style post? Unfortunatly I can't help you out too much here, this is your new baby and only you know what you want to do with it.
Optional Extras - Have you got the blogging thing down and want to take it further? Okay lets look at some extras. You could learn how to edit. Even if you are still using your phone to take photos thats fine. There are loads of free apps out there to edit you phone photos, my favourites are Facetune and VSCO. You could also work on your Instagram theme. Its not that important but you'll probably attract a few new followers if your photographs look great together or consist of similar colours/ shades. If you've settled on a blog name you love, why not buy a personal URL? There is nothing wrong with having .blogspot at the end of your URL but its just a nice touch to have something short and sweet and your own!
So that is it, my ultimate guide to starting your very own blog! I would love to know if you take any of this advice before creating your own blog. Also if you are a current blogger please let me know if you think there is something I've left out, I want this to be a complete guide!
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