Are you thinking of starting a blog?
If you, you’ll need the proper blogger set up to get started.
Whether you’re a new blogger or an experienced writer looking to start afresh, there are some essential tools and equipment you’ll need to get your blog off the ground.
Below, we’ll take a look at what you need to get started as a blogger in 2022.
From writing tools to tech essentials, we’ll cover everything you need to know.
Contents
What You Need for a Blogger Set Up
Before you start, you have to have the fundamentals in place.
The following items are essential if you want to make a successful blog and create your custom domain.
These foundational and straightforward things are what underpin any great blog.
1. An Idea
Firstly, you can’t get anywhere without a quality theme. Many of us think of “starting a popular blog” without knowing what that blog should be about.
You’ll make a better blog if you’re passionate about the subject matter. It also helps if you have a unique angle, perspective, or hot take on the issues you’re writing about.
2. A Computer
The best thing to do is invest in a computer, however fancy.
It’s helpful to have a computer that can download different widgets, or you might need to install WordPress, for example.
3. A Video Setup
Blogs are more engaging when you can put a face to your name.
Video capabilities help when you’re a networking blogger, too. A blogger with connections is a successful blogger.
4. A Hosting Provider
The hosting plan gives you the ability to create a site, design it to your theme, and a lot more.
You can also use some web host software to optimize your blog. Explore WordPress hosting first. A self-hosted WordPress blog will give you a lot of freedom.
5. A Blog Name
A catchy blog name is a huge advantage in the blog world!
Try to find something personable and theme-specific that sticks out in the mind of a reader.
Just because it’s the internet doesn’t mean you have to strip all personality from your craft. Try to find a name with a similar, available domain name.
- Read More: How to come up with a blog name
6. Compelling Blog Content
This aspect of your efforts is the most important.
You need to have compelling blog content, or you won’t succeed. Period.
Compelling blog content is typically content that offers something of value to the user. Whether that’s insights into a niche theme, entertainment, or tips, it has to have a particular value for your niche.
We suggest writing this yourself at first, and as you grow, begin to outsource blog writing to free up time.
Best Sites to Start Your Blog On
So, where should your efforts take place?
There are many blogging sites to start with, but which one will put your content in the best position for success?
Let’s take a look.
1. WordPress
WordPress is one of the largest content management system (CMS) sites available, powering many of the largest blogs in the world.
It’s user-friendly, there are a lot of compatible optimization and writing tools like WordPress plugin Yoast SEO, and it’s proven to be effective for blog content.
While this is a leading provider of websites, there are a variety of WordPress alternatives that offer similar funcationality.
2. Wix
Wix is an excellent, all-in-one content platform.
Its user-friendliness stands out above many other sites.
Further, you can use Wix to hand-craft your content with various styles and tones without knowing a lick of coding.
The blogging platform is no different.
Blogging on Wix allows you to work just as easily as you would with Google Docs or another word processing option.
Even better, you optimize your content and customize numerous web elements with ease.
3. LinkedIn
Blogging with LinkedIn is good if you’re in the networking niche.
LinkedIn is a social media site for professionals to network.
It might not be a good idea to create a blog on this site unless that’s where your users are.
Do some market research and see how it looks.
4. Medium
Medium is a CMS platform that gives you easy access to writing opportunities.
It’s an excellent option for established writers or those who want to network within the writing community.
Also, note that you can choose a premium or a free theme.
5. Ghost
Ghost is another platform that lends itself to writers.
You can create a blog, but your ability to reach an audience and success depends on a few things.
First, you need to pay a few dollars per month for a subscription.
As your audience scales, so do your costs.
It’s a great way to develop an existing audience.
6. Blogger
Blogger is a CMS that’s been around since the dawn of Google.
It’s Google’s blogging platform.
Like WordPress, Blogger gives you the ability to use the platform on different web hosting sites.
So when choosing between WordPress and Blogger, just see which one feels more intuitive to you.
Blogger offers some different customizations for elegant themes, but you need some coding knowledge.
This option is compatible for a self hosted blog.
7. Tumblr
Tumblr is an interesting medium to blog on.
You can certainly develop an audience here, but it’s likely to be a dedicated, niche-specific audience.
The platform was once one of the most popular sites online, but the focus has shifted to content-specific communities with lots of reader interactions.
If that sounds like your jam, give Tumblr a shot.
First Steps
Where do you start?
You’ve got your equipment, host, and content management system picked out.
Now, it’s time to get those fingers typing!
Create Your Account
Start by learning the ropes of your host site and your CMS.
Then, take time creating your account rather than rushing through it.
You’re probably excited to start, but make sure your account is squeaky clean.
Run over everything twice to make sure you’re all set.
Write Your First Posts
Write a new post or two before you publish.
Have a few articles in the bank so you can focus on administrative things.
Make sure you save them to your computer unless you can archive them in your account.
Publish Your Post
Now, click that “publish” button and give yourself a chef’s kiss.
You’ve done it!
Now comes the hard part; getting people to read it.
Get Followers
Generate followers by starting small.
First, ask your friends and family to read and share.
Then, reach out to existing followers on social media and make yourself known.
Figure Out a Plan
Plot the course forward.
Pick a goal and work backward from it, asking yourself exactly what you need to get there.
Write this plan down and ask experienced bloggers for their opinion.
Launch a Website
“Launching a website” is often an unremarkable thing.
You can make it remarkable, though.
Make some buzz about the launch, create some suspense, and get people excited about your project.
How to Get Readers
Finding a free blogging platform and posting content is the easy part.
Getting readers to engage with your blog content is hard.
Find a Niche
Focus on a particular niche.
Generalist bloggers have a hard time making a living.
Bloggers with a narrow focus become micro-influencers, and micro-influencers get paid.
Use SEO
Search engine optimization is the holy grail of digital marketing.
SEO tailors websites to meet the preferences of the search engine algorithm.
Learn it.
It might be useful to consult a professional agency for your SEO.
Google Adsense and Google Search Console are great for search engine optimization.
Promote Your Blog
You can promote through PPC ads, social media posts, guest posts, and other forms of advertising.
The internet allows you to reach lots of people with a small budget.
Get crafty and see what you can do to let people know you’re here so you can start making money blogging.
Incorporate Links
Sites exist in a network of links, and that’s how Google (or a person) finds them.
Of course, links aren’t created equal.
Those from high-authority sites in your niche are far more powerful, and you should do your best to get links to your site from influential ones.
Add Social Media Sharing Buttons
Make yourself sharable.
Add sharing buttons whenever possible.
Further, add buttons from your social media profiles to your new blog.
How to Make Money from Your Blog
How can you turn followers into money?
You’ll need some followers, but it’s possible.
Advertising
The digital world runs on ads.
You can display ads on your site.
The more followers you have, the more you get paid for those ads.
Social media ads are a great place to start.
Get More Readers
More readers equates to more money, in most cases.
High reader counts draw companies that want to market through your site.
If you have influence, you’ll attract companies that want to market with you.
Again, social media ads are effective here.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing involves posting links that you get paid for.
If someone clicks an affiliate link on your site and makes a purchase on an online store, you get a cut of that.
Many followers who look to you for product tips will generally help you make a lot of money through an affiliate program.
You can do this through your blog as well as social media.
Wrapping Up
There’s a lot more to learn about refining the craft of blogging.
We hope our blogger set up was useful to you.
We’re here to help you with more ideas.
Explore our site for insights into making money blogging, social media tips, writing a blog post, how to install WordPress, how to choose a domain name, and more.
