I have been running a number of successful blogs for years. I have been pulled aside at many social gatherings and asked questions by people who are interested in what I do. These people are completely new to blogging and they always ask the same couple questions. Instead of repeating myself over and over again I will use this article to answer those beginner questions…
Do I need a blog?
Well really this is up to you. I think if you have a business or a business website then yes you definitely need a blog. It gives you the chance to communicate with potential customers, build brand recognition and get traffic to your website. It is the proverbial “no brainer”. If you aren’t self employed and just want to hobby blog there are benefits there as well. Blogging about your passions can be very therapeutic.
Does it cost much?
Blogging can be successfully done for free. There are hundreds of sites that will give you the software, a domain name and they will even host your blog for you. You could start a free blog tomorrow and never pay a cent. If you want to take it to the next level you can buy a domain name for about $10 per year and pay another $10 a month to host it. With a hosting package like that you could even run five or ten blogs. Blogging for free is very possible and even if you want your own set up it is still quite reasonable.
Can I make money?
Yes you can. If you have a blog that gets decent traffic there are numerous ways to monetize it. It would be another article to go deep into how to monetize your blog. On a high level you can sell advertising on your blog, offer affiliate products, sell your own product or even ask for donations. Not every blog will make money but every blog has the potential.
Where do I get started?
You can look for free blogs on Google or you can just jump in with the two most popular free blogging platforms; Blogger and WordPress. Simply visit their sites, sign up, follow the instructions and away you go. It is that simple to become a blogger.
Is It Easy?
Sure it is. There is no one to judge you so it is super easy. Setting up a free blog is simple, you just follow the instructions. As for the act of blogging, it is as simple as using Mac Pages or MS Word. There is a learning curve if you want to become a power blogger. The great thing is, anything you need to learn is easily found on the internet, and it is usually found on a blog! The only thing you really have to work on is being consistent and thinking of what to write.
These were definitely the five top questions people interested in blogging asked me. If you are thinking about starting a blog, you now know the answers to your most pressing questions. I wish you good luck in your journey, and remember content is king!
