Starting a Successful Blog: My Feature in LinkedIn News
Recently I was chosen and interviewed as an expert by LinkedIn News for an article they were working on for tips on starting a successful blog. This was such an honor because while I think of myself as an expert in the field of Orthodontics, I hadn’t quite given myself that title when it came to blogging, until now.
If you ever had the thought of starting a blog but it felt daunting, this article will shed some light on how doable it is. Anyone can start a blog, but a successful one takes a lot of time and effort. Here is an excerpt from the article.
Creating a blog can be the beginning of building your brand or a way to attract a larger audience to your business and expand it. You can also monetize your blog, providing an additional stream of income for your business or yourself.
But it is important to remember that building a successful blog takes time and effort. This is why, before building a blog, you should choose a topic you enjoy with room to grow.
Identifying your niche is critical, orthodontist and The UnOrthoDoc blogger Dr. Patrice Smith said.
“It has to be something that you have a little bit of expertise in,” Smith said. “It has to be something you are interested in, otherwise you are not going to blog consistently. Once you figure all that out, narrow down your niche and then narrow it down some more, because there are a million blogs out there.
“Once you figure that out, write your first 10 blog posts. You can put them in word documents. and then as soon as you have your blog set up, publish all 10 so that it looks like your blog is established.
“You don't want to drive traffic to your blog with just one or two blog posts. You want to take readers on the journey.”
I chatted with Charles and Dr. Smith for more about how to start a successful blog.
How to Start Building Your Blog
Choose a template, blogging platform, and hosting site for your blog after you decide on your niche.
“There are many platforms out there,” Smith said. “I use Squarespace, but one of the most popular ones is WordPress and there are other sites like WiX, Weebly, and some even blog on Medium.”
Select a hosting site after you select your blogging platform. Hosting costs generally range from $5-$25 a month, according to “Age of Influence” author Neil Schaffer.
“Some platforms already come with a hosting platform built-in,” Dr. Smith said. “I know WIX does not, but Squarespace does. For some WordPress users, some popular options include Bluehost or GoDaddy or DreamHost, but for Squarespace, mine was built-in. That is another reason why I chose Squarespace.”
Meanwhile, Charles first launched her blog with a template she found on WIX. Once her business grew, she upgraded, worked with a website designer, and they moved her blog to Squarespace.
“Start off with [a platform] that is relatable and you feel comfortable with, but then as your business grows, it is OK to invest in yourself and tap into somebody who specializes in that work,” Charles said. “I don't think the investment needs to come immediately because the problem is if [you invest] immediately there will be pressure to work to pay off your investment.
“You don't know if people are going to be as interested in your material as you think it is because micro-blogging, i.e. Instagram is free.”
Also, consider aesthetics when choosing your blog template.
“Aesthetic is an important factor,” Charles said. “People want to click and look at what they enjoy versus if it is ugly, why would they spend their time there? I don't think you have to have the most beautiful [blog], but I think you have to give some effort.”
Keep SEO (Search Engine Optimization) in mind, too, as you build your blog. If you don’t know much about SEO, consider taking a LinkedIn Learning course, watching YouTube expert videos or searching online for the info.
“I Googled everything pertaining to SEO even down to the title of your blog post that could be optimized to reach your target audience,” Smith said. “You can utilize keywords. So, you want to do a lot of research before you choose a blog topic because it has to be something that will be picked up by keywords.
“For example, if somebody Googles ‘How to start a blog’ you want to have those keywords in your title. Somebody might Google how to start a blog in 2023, and if your blog title isn’t optimized for that search, then you are not going to be the one that is reached.”
Top Takeaways on How to Start a Successful Blog:
Choose a niche you are passionate about.
Select a blogging platform and hosting site that is easy to use and inexpensive.
Incorporate SEO into your blog posts and use social media platforms to build your audience.
Monetize your blog with affiliate links, digital products, and ads.
