Should I Start a Blog in 2021?
Are blogs still a thing?
It’s 2021 and blogs have been around for a long time. But with so many social media channels, is blogging still a thing?
Yes! Blogs are still alive and well!
I own several blogs and I’m happy to share blogging is not dead. In fact, the majority of my blog traffic comes from organic Google Search.
Blogs started out as a personal diary or way to express yourself.
However, now we have social media outlets such as Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok which allow people to share life events, photos of their pets, or their favorite hobbies.
When I started blogging about eighteen years ago, my blog was the main place to keep my store customers updated on current events in the store such as upcoming classes, sales, and new product arrivals.
Today, I use my blog/website as the main hub for my business. Rather than sharing current events, the blog is used to educate and inspire.
While they have evolved over the years, blogs are still a great way to have a creative online business, share your talents, and earn an income.
Why Should I Start a Blog
Starting a blog is one of the most rewarding and fulfilling things you can do. You don't need any special skills or training, just the willingness to share your thoughts with people who might find them interesting.
One big reason: blogging is fun, rewarding, and beneficial!
Spending your time doing what brings you joy is always a good idea. By sharing your thoughts with other people who might find them interesting, blog readers are introduced to new ideas and ways of doing things.
What is a Blog
Simply put, a blog is a website that consists of blog posts or articles.
In this blog post, we will discuss what a blog is and why you should start blogging in 2021.
Blogging allows you to do what you love and reach people who don't know you in order to share your passions and opinions with them.
But where to start?
This article will guide you from setting up a blog to marketing it for success so that no one ever has to miss out on your brilliance!
Why Should You Start a Blog
There are many reasons to blog. One reason that makes blogging worth it is that it’s a great way to connect with other people who have the same interests.
Blogging is also an excellent platform for sharing your expertise and perspectives on various topics, which can lead to blog monetization and blog sponsorship opportunities.
How to Blog
Here's how to start blogging in 2021:
#1. Find a blog topic you're passionate about.
#2. Pick a blog domain name that reflects your blog topic.
#3. Sign up for hosting and install WordPress on it; this will be where your blog lives online and makes it easy for readers to find it (and subscribe).
#4. Decide what type of content you want—for example, do you want posts with pictures? Videos? Both?
#5. Write an opening post so people will know what they'll get when they visit your blog.
#6. Tweak the blog design and settings to get it just right, then add a blog menu so people can easily navigate your blog and subscribe using WordPress's email subscriptions feature.
Once you start blogging in 2021:
#7. Develop the blog niche and voice that makes people want to read everything you post and share it with their friends.
#8. Get more eyeballs on blog posts by:
Write blog posts that your readers love and share with their friends.
Add blog page descriptions and blog titles so Google can find and index them for people who search blog keywords.
Share your blog posts to your social media audience on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Tiktok, and Twitter.
#9. Make money blogging by adding advertisements to your site, sharing affiliate links, creating your own products, selling your services, and selling online courses.
Blogging Tips and Tricks
Post regularly. Whether you post several times a week or once a month, set a schedule and stick with it. You’ll be more likely to keep blogging and your audience will know when to expect new content from you.
Create an engaging post that's easy to read. You want posts that appeal to your audience and entice them to keep reading.
Break out your blog posts using small easy-to-digest paragraphs, bullet points, and numbered lists. Also, be sure to use headers to organize the content.
You’ll want to add images, graphics, and videos to engage your reader visually as well.
A compelling idea or opinion is key! Write something that your readers want to read because it's useful, thought-provoking, humorous, beautiful, or has an impact on their daily life.
Finally, create a captivating headline for your post.
Writing a Blog Post
Think about the following questions when you create an engaging title for your blog post:
What is the subject of your post?
What is a blog topic?
How can I hook my readers from the first sentence?
Your first 3 words matter most! Get people interested right away by writing a compelling intro, a blog hook, a blog introduction, or a blog prelude.
Use these blog writing techniques to write a blog intro that people have to read:
1) Get personal. This doesn’t mean you should spill all the details of your personal life. Rather, share an experience or lesson you learned that makes the topic relatable to you.
2) Be specific and detailed. Providing general overviews doesn’t really help anyone. Get into the nitty-gritty of your niche and explain why or why not a technique or tool works.
3) Tell a story of someone you know who had an experience with the blog topic.
4) Use metaphors, similes, and analogies.
Blog Monetization Strategies
There are a number of ways you can monetize your blog.
Guess what, you don’t need to choose just one option, either.
In fact, what works successfully for most bloggers is to use a variety of income-generating methods all on the same blog.
One thing that you can do to help your blog generate profit is through the use of advertising and affiliate marketing.
This includes making revenue from companies, products, and services you choose to sponsor on your blog.
Affiliate marketing is when you receive a commission from a company whose products or services you endorse.
In a nutshell, affiliate marketing works like this. Every time someone clicks on a link from your site and makes a purchase on the affiliate site, you receive a commission.
Additionally, you can sell advertising space on your blog which generates a passive income.
The other way to monetize your blog is by selling your own products or services. You can create printables, offer your professional services, sell merchandise, or create online courses.
Conclusion
If you want to share your knowledge, passion, and skills with the world, blogging is an exciting way to build an online business and brand that you can leverage into other opportunities even in 2021.
From making bank on advertising & affiliate marketing, through selling products/services - there are many ways to turn your passion into profit!
