Almost anyone can start a blog. But that’s really the easy part, isn’t it? I mean, even if you are completely clueless when it comes to websites and web admin, there are ways to get started that require very little technical knowhow. I won’t get into it here, but if you search around, you can find something that will serve your needs and abilities.
Again, that is the easy part.
The not-so-easy part is getting content out there on a regular basis. Oh, and it helps if that content is engaging and useful.
Unlike regular informational websites, blogs have one distinct advantage: They often develop a following if the content is worth it. If your writing speaks to (and resonates with) your audience, they are going to come back for more. No need for email lists or any sort of notification sign ups, just pure organic repeat traffic. If people are coming back because they want to read your latest post, well, that’s really as good as it gets.
The bad news is that there are 600 million blogs world wide; that’s a lot of competition.
But before you quit before you’ve even begun, you might find it interesting that most of those are just sitting there, long abandoned by their owners, or at the most, updated just a few times a year. No one is going to come back to a blog that is inactive, no matter how good the content is.
In that context, it really isn’t that absurd to start a blog in this day and age. I know, video is the current trend, but not everyone is cut out to be in front of a camera. It takes a certain charisma to put out videos that people want to watch. And don’t even get me going on editing skills. There is nothing more painful than watching a poorly edited video or minimally edited video. Raw footage is not a meant to be a final product. Anyway, I digress.
When you are just starting out, it may feel as though you’re throwing your content into a void/bottomless pit where it will never be seen again. I get that, but you have to start somewhere. In my experience, much of this content will re-surface and continue to be read once the blog gets a little traction.
For now, just treat it as a personal blog. Write for yourself. Don’t think about page views, visitors stats, etc – just write. If your content is worth reading, it will gain traction.
The most important thing right now is consistency. Every post is going to get you closer to where you want to be. Can’t think of anything to write today? Don’t stress, just write what you can, even if it’s 300 words.
Oh, and don’t get too caught up on perfection. Sometimes the best writing is relaxed, casual and imperfect. There are too many stuffy blogs out there with a stilted writing style. You want your personality to shine through and make you stand out from the other 600 million. That said, don’t be lazy and forego proofreading. There is no excuse for basic grammatical and spelling errors. Yes, it’s fine line between over analyzing and killing the vibe of your article and coming off as an amateur because you missed very obvious mistakes in the final proof.
Anyway, that’s just my 2 cents.
