How to Make a Blog

Recently, I’ve been receiving many comments on my blog, and I’m so happy that they are coming through. Whereas before I would check these comments once a week or once every other week, I now have to check them every day. That’s a sign that this blog is growing rapidly. I find the criticism and compliments given to me every day in the comments section to be heartening, and I thank everyone here for it.

One of the most common comments I get on my blog is advice from aspiring bloggers asking how to get started. Because the first anniversary of my very first blog post is rapidly approaching, I figured that a blog post on how to make a blog would be an excellent way to celebrate it.

That’s why I today am going to offer five steps to creating a better blog. I learned these things through trial and error throughout a year’s worth of blogging. I hope aspiring bloggers find this advice helpful for their efforts.

• First, you have to find a good place to host your website.

For my money, I use WordPress and HostGator. The former will give you a basic format that is simple yet effective to use while the latter lets you change your web address to whatever you want. Both will cost some money (around $10 per year), but it’s well worth it. Having “WordPress” in your web address can be cumbersome. You want your web address to stand out, to be “cool.”

• Second, don’t use add-ons. Keep it simple, stupid. (KISS)

A lot of people think you need to be some kind of fancy computer genius to write a blog. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Keeping things as simple as possible is something you must get into. Too many websites have clutter and fancy bells and whistles when they don’t need to. If you’re just writing recipes, you don’t need a dozen advertisements and Javascript. Advertisements on blogs will not land you much money, and they will cause needless heartache for the readers of your blogs.

Don’t obsess over finding images. WordPress has a lot of stock banners perfect for your website that come free with your blog. For anything else, you can either find images in the Creative Commons or else take your pictures. These days, anyone with a phone can be a great photographer. Use that to your advantage when you write your blog.

• Three, write whatever comes to mind.

Your blog can be about anything that crosses your mind. You don’t have to be an expert writer. Rather, you will get better at writing as time goes on. As long as you are passionate about what you are writing about, you can write about anything. Are you passionate about cooking? Write a blog about that. Passionate about history? Write a blog about that. You don’t need to be an expert in these fields at all. All you have to do is do some basic research (a quick search engine scroll is usually all you need) and put a hyperlink somewhere in your blog to cite the source of your information. The only thing you need to become a writer is a passion for the topic you’re writing about and lots and lots of practice.

That said, even if you do research, you should avoid writing a blog that looks like an essay you’d write for school or your job. Blogs like that are boring and clunky. The best blogs tend to be written in an informal and conversational style that is full of information. It’s best to write a blog the same way you would talk to a friend about a subject you love. This doesn’t mean writing illegible nonsense, but it does mean avoiding the standardized essay format you’d find taught in schools today.

• Four, edit what you write carefully.

If you want to have a blog that’s fun to read, you need to make it professional-looking. This starts by writing well. Always check for errors in spelling, grammar, and style. In this regard, Grammarly is your friend. Using it will decrease the number of typos, grammar errors, and stylistic mistakes in your writing by a large amount. When I started using it, I saw my writing improve by leaps and bounds.

That said, nothing can replace simply reading over the essay out loud and going through each sentence individually. When you read something out loud, you not only find errors that Grammarly might miss, you can also fix awkward-sounding sentences that would impede your reader’s enjoyment.

• Five, get out there and do it!

If you have the free time, try spending thirty minutes a day typing. A good work ethic is essential for a healthy blog. Remember, you are writing a blog because you want to. If your blog becomes a chore for you, then you aren’t doing it right. If you get stuck, try using these tips. And remember: no matter how boring you think you are, someone somewhere on the Internet would love to hear your story. Don’t be discouraged by the task ahead of you, and don’t sweat it if you make a mistake or two. Take things one step at a time.

I hope to get more comments from people asking for blog tips. Remember, though, that I’m still learning how to blog myself, but I am happy to help anyone who asks for it. Also, feel free to link your blogs in the comment sections of my blog.