4 Top Tips On How To Start Your Own Blog

Blogging is 100% my passion, hobby and my own little piece of the internet. Back in May, I decided to take Doorways & Dresses to a self-hosted site and focus on my blog more. Honestly, this is the best thing I have ever done and wish that I had made this decision sooner and that’s why I felt inspired today to share my blog tips. 

In this day and age, there are hundreds of bloggers trying to make their stamp within the online world. Granted, it’s competitive and can be quite disheartening at times but as long as you start blogging for the right reasons, you will not have anything to worry about. By saying the right reasons I mean, don’t get into this industry for free products and the money. Start blogging because you love to inspire others, share your images and express yourself via your writing.

I have started to fall back in love within the social media world and one of the reasons is the support from the blogging community as well as my loyal followers. If you have wanted to start a blog for sometime but are unsure on where to even begin, don’t worry. I am no pro but here are my top tips on how to start your very own blog.

FIND YOUR NICHE

It’s such a competitive industry and there is room for everyone. You just need to find your own niche and bring something different to the table. I created Doorways & Dresses mainly as a Fashion & Travel blog, however it has turned into much more than that now and I write about a number of topics to keep myself and my followers entertained. You have to stop thinking about other people and make sure you love what you are writing about – that is the main thing. If you love to travel, then focus on a travel blog or if you love beauty, then start with some skincare and make-up tips for example.

CHOOSING YOUR DOMAIN

I remember when I first started blogging and I had no idea how to choose a domain and I found it quite difficult. Thinking back now, I knew that I wanted something quirky, different and in line with what I would be blogging about. My fiancé and I were bouncing ideas off one another (many which were taken already) until he came up with Doorways & Dresses and I loved it straight away. Remember it’s important to choose a name that you are going to be happy with as it may be difficult to change it further down the line/once your brand is established. Give it some thought and remember there’s no rush. If you are looking for advice, you could always start a Twitter poll.

CHOOSING YOUR PLATFORM

I began blogging on a free WordPress account and then I decided to purchase a domain and upgraded to the premium account. As mentioned, this year I decided to take my site self hosted through WordPress.org and I love being able to adjust and play around with my site to make it just the way that I want. Blogger is also a good platform to choose and although I haven’t personally used this platform before, I know a lot of people that have and love it. I think it comes down to personal preference really so make sure you do your research beforehand to see which suits you the best. Why not start with the free versions of WordPress, Blogger or Tumblr.

TRAFFIC IS KEY

Traffic is key! Now that you have set up your blog, it’s time to get your name out there and start attracting people to it. For me, social media is the best way to generate traffic to my site. Instagram stories, Facebook groups and constant tweeting on Twitter really help bring the numbers in. Lately I have heard a lot of people generating traffic through Pinterest. This is a social channel that I have only recently just joined so I will get back you on that one.

If you’re wondering where these awesome phone cases shown in this blog come from, they were gifted by Paradise Amsterdam and I absolutely love them! Who says you can’t be stylish and practical at the same time.

I hope you have found this post useful and you are now ready to start your own blog. Remember there is no need to rush. Take your time, love what you put out into the world and you’ll start seeing good results. Don’t worry if it doesn’t take off straight away, just make sure you’re consistently working on your writing and photography. If you are wanting some tips on photography then read my post on “5 Ways To Improve Your Photography Skills For Your Blog” 

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