I’ve met many people who have wonderfully creative thoughts that they want to share with the world. They are passionate about something and they want to share that passion. Blogging seems like the natural answer.
There’s just one problem, though.
They don’t know how to set up a blog.
Are you one of these folks?
Or do you have a blog that you are less than satisfied with?
Here are 5 questions you need to ask yourself when starting a blog or trying to improve or upgrade an existing blog:
1. What?
What are you going to write about? What is going to be your content? What is your passion? Stamp collecting? Dog sitting? Literature? Music? Social media? Business? Whatever it is, you want the design and layout of your blog to support and inspire your content.
2. When?
This should be an easy one. There’s no better time than the present! You’ve got thoughts, ideas, things to say. Did you know that in 2009 there were an estimated 129 million blogs in the world? That number continues to grow, at a rate of about 175,000 per day. Instead of being a deterrent, this should motivate you to join the conversation. What you have to say is unique. No one else can say it. If you don’t join the conversation now, then when?
3. Where?
Here’s where things get a bit more complicated. There are so many options out there. Basically, you are looking for a place to host your site. You are looking for a blogging platform. WordPress, Blogspot, Typepad, Joomla, Drupal. And there are others. If you don’t know much about these platforms, or if you don’t want to know much about them, then you need to get someone who does know to help you. This someone else may be a friend or co-worker. Or it may be me.
It goes without saying that you want a blog that will be easy to use and navigate. Easy for you and for your readers. This is why lots of bloggers choose to go with an existing hosted platform like WordPress or Blogspot. But there are many other bloggers who want the freedom to customize and personalize their blogs, something that hosted platforms don’t always offer. If you are one of these folks, then consider a self-hosted blog (which means that you will pay for hosting on a yearly basis. This often costs less than $60 a year).
4. Why?
Another easy one. Because you have something to say! Some bloggers write just for themselves. It’s a way to express what’s inside. Others write to communicate and converse with the world. Still others blog to inform the world of their product or service. The “Why?” is up to you.
5. How?
For many writers, the writing is the easy part, at least most of the time. It’s the techie stuff that consumes their time and prevents them from writing as much as they would like. If you are not familiar with the technical aspects of the internet, then you may want to get someone who can take care of the technical stuff for you.
That’s where I come in.
- Do you know what platform that you want to use, but don’t know how to choose and install a rockin’ awesome theme… or those cool widgets in the sidebar?
- Do you know that you want to customize your blog, but don’t know where to start?
- Are you ready to upgrade your current blog from WordPress or Blogspot to a self-hosted blog?
- Do you need ideas on how to make your blog more accessible and more attractive to your readers?
Contact me at jeff@jeffyoung.me or call me at 504-722-8422 and tell me what you what you want to do with your blog, and I’ll send you a quote. I can handle your requests for a reasonable price and in a timely manner.
Did you notice that I left out one very important question?
There are 6 questions that journalists normally ask themselves when writing an article: who, what, when, where, how, and why. Know which one I left out?
That’s right! Who?
Why did I leave out the “Who?” Because the Who is You!
So what are you waiting for? It’s time to share your thoughts with the world!
Photo credit: alcomm
