GENERAL

Important Things To Know Before You Start Blogging!

The word “Blog” is derived from “web” & “log”. Basically it is a platform where users can record their thoughts, experiences, ideas, etc. all in one place. It can even function as a diary or a journal.

If you are really looking to create something meaningful or add value to other people’s lives, blogging is something you must consider. 

Which platform to choose for Blogging? – Blogger VS WordPress

There are plenty of options to choose from for blogging like WordPress, Blogger, Tumblr, and much more. Of these, WordPress and Blogger are the most talked about.

If you’re starting a blog just to share your thoughts and not concerned about money, SERP ranking, and just need a simple platform that doesn’t require any technical know-how, then Blogger is something that you can go to. Blogger is a publishing platform and is provided for free by Google. The main benefits of using Blogger are:

  • Simplicity of usage
  • Ease of management
  • Fewer or no installation issues
  • No issues regarding software updates
  • Options of monetizing are readily available with Adsense & Adwords

Besides these, you’ll also be able to create new posts, add new pages, post response to user comments, and perform other basic tasks on your blog.

On the other hand, if you’re looking to earn money through blogging or building authority for your page or for just personal branding,  you may require greater control over visibility in search engines and would require a greater number of additional features and plugins. Considering all these, Blogger becomes a very restrictive space.

Here WordPress can be useful. It gives you complete control over your blog and allows you to make your blog more SEO friendly. It is generally a Content Management System (CMS) that is full of features and is mainly used for building websites. 

WordPress can be used to create any kind of website including blogs. Just like Blogger, WordPress is also available for free, but unlike Blogger, you will not get a free hosting space that Google provides. You’ll be required to choose a hosting plan of your own and choose a domain name. Only after this is done, you’ll be able to install and use WordPress.

How To Create A Successful Blogging Website?

Once you have finalized the blogging platform you can start with creating your blog site. You can use the following steps to create a successful blogging site of your own:

1. Choose your blog name and get your blog hosting:

The first thing you need to do is visit a hosting site and register your domain name. Your domain or blog name should be unique and should give the users some idea about what your blog is going to be about.

2. Set up hosting:

Once you’ve registered your domain name you need to set up hosting for your blog. You would need a reliable hosting service that provides good customer support service. Once you’ve got the hosting, you’re ready to start building your blog.

3. Pick a theme:

You don’t need any coding skills for designing a good website. You can pick a theme of your choice from either WordPress or blogger and start blogging away.

4. Add plugins:

Plugins are third-party features that add functionality to your blog. One of the best plugins to have is google analytics to track your blog’s traffic and find out more about your readers. You also need to add an email subscription plugin so that people can receive news about your blog via email. Make sure that you don’t add too many unnecessary as they might slow your website down.

5.  Write great content on a consistent basis:

Starting from creating content for your basic page to adding good images and stories, your blog must always be constantly updated with fresh new content to keep people coming back to your page. You must also establish a social media presence via Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and other platforms to extend the reach of your blog.

Bottom’s Line

In a nutshell, if you are looking to start a blog with the ultimate goal of making it popular and earning money from it,  WordPress is the correct choice. If you’re new to blogging and are looking at blogging as a purely recreational activity, a simple tool like Blogger might be more helpful to meet your needs.