Welcome back everyone!
It’s been a little over four months since I started this blog, and I’m so happy that I did. I always saw creating a blog and beginning to post on it as a daunting task, but I now know that it’s actually quite manageable. If you feel similar to how I used to and have always wanted to start a blog but are a little too scared to take that leap, I highly encourage you to. Keep in mind I am by no means an expert, but I promise it’s easier than you think- just keep reading this guide to learn how you can get started.
- Find a provider that works for you – I chose WordPress because it seemed easiest to navigate and I would definitely recommend it, but there’s also lots of options out there. I would honestly choose whatever you’re most familiar with.
- Start with the “free” plan – There are lots of upgrades you can do if your blog gets more popular and you want your own domain, or you’re using your website as part of a business, but I would just start with the free plan (unless you are using it for a business right off the bat). You don’t need to spend money if you’re just playing around, and you often won’t know how to actually use the features the premium plans have yet.
- Spend a little time with the site layout – Think about the types of layouts you would want to see. How do you want your posts to be displayed? Do you want little widgets/are there extras that would be useful due to the purpose of your blog? Make sure you have an interesting title and home page.
- Think about what you want to focus on in your posts – This is something I have trouble with since I write about a little bit of everything, but it does help if you have a niche in mind. Write about whatever interests you, and hopefully you’ll find a niche from there.
- Create some sort of profile picture or logo – It doesn’t have to be of you if you’re not comfortable sharing yourself/your name as part of your content. I used PicMonkey to create a little logo for myself, and that’s what is currently my “profile picture” on here.
- Establish some sort of posting schedule/pattern – I pretty much have a post going up everyday, but I write most of them on the weekends and pre-schedule them for the days of the week. You don’t have to post that often, but it’s nice if you start out with a lot of content just to experiment and see who your readers will be.
- Engage in the blogging community – This is something I’m trying to work on. When people comment on your posts, take the time to reply with something nice. If you notice people liking your posts or following you, go check out their profile and leave some likes or comments. This can help you build an audience, but it’s also just a nice thing to do, and you can make some online friends.
Once you start posting and get into the swing of things, it will feel natural just to keep your blog running. You don’t have to have a super structured purpose for where you want to take it in the beginning, but it’s great if you do. Honestly, I just like having fun with mine and writing about the major components of my life (academics, my activities, family life) because I think a lot of high school students can relate to it. If you have any questions, I’m always here to help- happy blogging!
-Brooke
adventures of a typical high school student 