The Blogging Advantage: Day 1: Starting your First Blog

"Every major change started with one single step towards a goal"

What is a blog?

It is basically an online diary or journal that is frequently updated. It simply means that you can blog about anything. The nice thing about blogging is that it is FREE. You can start a blog without spending money. The most popular free blogging platforms are blogger.com and wordpress.com. Sign up is very easy on these sites. To help you in your journey towards becoming a blogger, a listed down the 4 things to consider before starting a blog.

Things to consider when writing your first blog

1. Topic

A blog is a journal so as expected, a lot of people would write about "everything" in their life. My first blog was a personal blog and I wrote about everything under the sun: the food I eat, the place I went to, the news, and I even wrote about sports. It was a hodge-podge of information that are mostly unrelated to each other. After months of blogging, I realized that it is better to have a blog on a certain topic because a single topic blog will become a resource about that topic as the blog ages and grow.

Since I love eating, I started a separate food blog called Kalami Cebu. The blog is all about my food trips. After a few months of writing solely about food, my traffic grew way better than my personal blog. It is actually becoming a good resource for people looking for a place to eat in Cebu. The lesson I learned is that you should have a topic where your blog will revolve around.

Here are some guide and suggestions about your first blog:

a. Passion - Talk about something that you are passionate about. It can be a hobby like computer games, music, movies, anime, or cosplay. It can also be about the sport you play, your team, your school, and even your family. If you are a rabid fan of someone or something, you may also write about a blog on showbiz, food, tech, sports teams, or travel. Blogging consistently on topics that are close to your heart will eventually make you an authority on that topic. If you can talk about a certain topic for hours then why not blog about it. I am very sure that there are other people in the world who shares similar thoughts.

b. Dreams - Do you have a dream job? Would you like to become like Yaya Dub? Do you want to be the chief programmer of DOTA 4? Start writing about it. A blog is your platform to be known in the world. It might sound embarrassing to reveal to the world what you are fantasizing about but having the courage to dream and pursue it is the first step to reaching your goal. Let say you want to be the best web developer in the world. You may start a blog about web development and programming. Your first posts might just be about "Hello World!", but after 100 posts, most likely you will be posting some advanced stuff.

c. Creations - If you are a creative person, you can use your blog to showcase your talent. You may write short stories or fiction. You may do a cover or even write an original music composition. You can even post your latest painting or tattoo creation. You can post your delicious food creations. The world can see your talent and creativity through your blog. Eventually, you might be able to get job offers halfway around the world.

It would be great that all 3 can be captured in one topic, but one would be a good start.

2. Goals

Just like in every endeavor that you go into, you need to have a goal. A lot of people paused from blogging because they feel that the blog is going nowhere. To avoid this problem, you have to establish a long term goal or vision about your blog. Goals can change, but initially you must have a certain goal.

Here are some possible goals:

a. To make money - A lot of people blog to make money. Just like in real life making money from blogging will entail hard work and focus. There are many ways to make money through blogging, but it will not be instant. Many people go to blogging to try make money and end up getting disillusioned after earning just a few cents in a month. Making money is a commitment and you need to make a lot of posts, generate traffic, study new techniques, increase your network, and do marketing. It is like a business and if you are dedicated enough, you will start reaping the benefits in months.

b. To improve your skills - Writing is a skill and the only way to improve it is to keep on writing. A blog is an effective way to improve some skills. Your writing skills will definitely improve after a month of serious blogging. Your expertise on a certain topic will get a boost as well. You will slowly surely become an expert in something. The more you write about a topic, the more credible and reliable you would become.

c. To teach something - Do you like to help people? You can use the blog to teach skills.

d. To showcase your talent and land a job - A lot of singers, dancers, programmers, and artists use their blog to show to the world what they are capable of. More and more skilled people are discovered on the internet before they became big-time. A lot of companies now consider online influence in hiring new employees.

These goals are just examples and there more possibilities out there when it comes to goal. As long as you have a goal, your chances of getting bored will be slimmer than someone who does not have one.

3. Pick a Name

After having a topic and a goal, it is time for you to name your blog. Some people use their name to create a blog. Some use words relating to the topic that they want to blog about. You have to choose wisely as the blog name is going to be the brand that you will promote and protect. It is an extension of yourself.

4. Pick a blogging platform

For a first blog, you might want to use free platforms. Two of the best are Blogger.Com and Wordpress.Com. You basically just need a valid email address to start a free blog. Both platforms have an interface like MS Word which basically makes writing easier.

As you become better in blogging you will realize that having your own domain has its benefits. Wordpress.com users are not allowed to earn from their blog. If you really have plans to be big and earn money from your blog, getting your own domain is the first step. The only drawback is that you need to pay for it. If you are committed to blogging, you should get a domain.

In the end, you just have to answer four questions:

1. What will your blog be about?

2. What is the goal of your blog?

3. What is the name of your blog?

4. Where will be the blog be hosted?

Once you have decided on these 4 basic elements, you are ready to start blogging. If you have any questions/suggestions about the topic, please feel free to comment or email me at calolano911@gmail.com.