HOW TO BLOG, BESH? (PART ONE: BLOGGING BASICS)



So, you wanna start a blog but you're too busy but still, you wanna give it a go because you have all these cool ideas and you'd just go insane if they in your head for much longer.

Whew!

Don't worry, we've all been there. A lot of friends have been asking me how to start a blog for either business or personal purposes and I think it's great! I know I mentioned that I'm more of a writer than a blogger in my previous post, but either way, getting your stuff out on the internet works pretty much the same way. That being said, I'll do my best to give aspiring bloggers some advice on how to start their very own blog. In this first installment, we'll take a look at the very basics of setting up your blog.

Ready?

Here we go:

1. Pick a platform!


If you want to start a blog, you need to pick the right platform. If you're starting out casual, there are a lot of free blogging platforms out there. The most popular are Wordpress and Blogger. KFTI runs on Blogger and the experience has been pretty okay so far. But that's just it. Blogger is painfully basic and clunky. I don't know why Google doesn't try to improve it.

Now, Wordpress, on the other hand, works like a dream.

There are two kinds WordPress out there. Wordpress.COM is a free platform, which means Wordpress owns your blog. Wordpress.ORG, however, is a paid platform. Your website is yours. It also means that you have to host and pay for everything. Here's a more in-depth explanation right here.

There are other free platforms out there, like Tumblr or Wix. Personally, I think Wix is just too complicated and Tumblr is too full of fandoms that can distract the hell out of you. So, narrow it down to Blogger or Wordpress. If you ask me, Wordpress is the better choice. It's got a lot of customization options and is very easy to use.

2. Pick a damn catchy blog name


Blog names are important; they basically tell the world who you are, so make it catchy. Short and easy to remember does the trick. Like I mentioned in my previous post, invest in your own domain name. YourBlog.Wordpress.com isn't as cool as YourBlog.com, right?

Wordpress offers a relatively cheap personal plan that comes with a free domain name, which should cost you about Php 2,000/year at most. I think it's a pretty good deal.

If you're using other platforms, you can buy a domain name here and here.  Just key in the domain name that you want and the vendors will check if they are available. Prices usually depend on the suffix. You can choose the quintessential .com or you can go for .net or .ph. It depends on you. My domains usually cost me Php800, tops. Once the vendor says it's available, you can go ahead and purchase it. Congrats, you now have a domain!

Now what?

Map it to your site. It's easy, I did it and I don't have any idea about tech stuff. Here's a useful tutorial on mapping your domain for Blogger and WordPress. See? Easy right?

Photo by Scott Pacaldo :)


3. Jazz up your theme


Now you've picked a platform and come up with a badass blog name. Congrats! Now, it's time to make your blog pretty. This is my favorite part. I like making things pretty.

Wordpress made this step really easy for you. There are lots of pretty and free themes that you can choose from, even if you're just using the free version. I'm especially proud of my book blog, thirdworldbooknerd.com. All I did is follow the instructions on the theme info and viola---a pretty blog.

Now, Blogger is a different story. The free default themes are so fugly, I don't even bother. But here's the good news! There are a lot of free third-party themes that you can download and install. A quick Google search should give you that. Most themes also have instructions on installation so if you don't mind the slightly steep learning curve, you can definitely do this.

If that sounds like a headache, you can simply buy one at Etsy. It's so easy and convenient. I got KFTI's theme for around Php250+ on an Etsy sale here. Best part? Installation was free! Done in less than 24 hours. It's very convenient. Saves you a lot of time and energy, too!

4. Create killer content


Congrats for making it to step four! Now you're ready for the best part: creating killer content. Whatever you want to blog about, make sure that your content has great value.

Content is still king.

It's not 2006 anymore, so people won't want to spend hours on your endless rants. You can still keep it personal, of course, but make sure that your audience can take something away from the blog. They're taking time out of their day to read your content, so make it count!

Final Thoughts


Starting a blog can be daunting, but it's not as difficult as you think. You can literally make one within a weekend. Lay your plan out on a piece of paper. You'll be surprised by the ideas that come out. Blogging is a great outlet for creativity, especially for busy people who are itching to let some of those creative juices out. Stay tuned for part two where we take a look at how you can make your content awesome.

Good luck and don't be shy to let me know about your blog's progress in the comments below.

All the love,

K x 

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