Blogging has become a trend. Individual blogging is on the rise as people want to share their views, knowledge, and creativity to an unknown global internet community. Some earn their living from blogging making it a career one can actually think of exploiting. Corporate, government and even start-ups have a blogging portfolio on their online sites. This has made blogging very popular.
With all that pertains to starting a blog, there is no definite ‘right way’ to approach it when you want to become a successful blogger. Plenty of Kenyan bloggers have been able to develop successful careers through blogging. If you are a beginner or have been blogging for a while, these tips will possibly prove to be useful.
-
Write for yourself first
Many times when starting a blog one is not sure whether anyone will read it. In fact, after writing on it for a while, some tend to give up since there is no response on the blog. Doubt creeps in and becomes a driving force for deleting the blog. However, as a beginner, one should focus on writing for himself or herself. Learn to ignore the fact that anyone else is reading what you write or how it will be received. Keep focusing on your thoughts, ideas, and opinions and figure how to put all that into words. Write first and then everyone else will come.
-
Get Ideas from your Audience
When you have no idea what to write for your next blog post, you can begin with answering questions your audience has asked. These are interesting questions on social media or even from people you interact with on a daily basis. This is a great idea to gather topics on what people are most likely to read. This will definitely help your blog grow because your audience can find what they are looking for in your blog.
-
Build your Email List
An email list is important and should be built from the first day you start your blog. This allows you to promote new content to your audience directly without worrying about how to promote your content on Social Media platforms. It is also a great way to market yourself to your immediate audience who receive your blog posts and might share your content with other readers. In the end, the email list becomes your community.
-
Be Consistent
Being consistent is key to having a successful blog. It is easier to loose your traffic than it is to build it up. When you start your blog, people get interested. Their interest grows when you have content every so often. Your audience will also grow in the process. However, the moment you stop publishing content, your audience will significantly drop and you might even loose the first readers. Getting these readers back may be a struggle in itself. Therefore, learn to be consistent. It pays in the end.
-
Give it Time
As a beginner, one would expect to be on everyone’s lips even before the blog is up and running. This is a wrong way to approach it. Professionals were once amateurs; so, do not expect to make it just by the first two or three blog posts. Blogging in itself is a process that requires patience, consistency and persistent. Take time to invest in your blogging before you get to see the returns. If you are seeking short-term success or a quick path to fame, blogging is definitely the wrong path. If you put in the time to learn, develop and improve yourself one can achieve something notable.
There are defiantly more tips to building a blog. What is your favorite?