3 Ways to Create a Personal Blog

2024 Author: Samantha Chapman | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-15 13:47

Blogging has become one of the most popular pastimes on the Internet. Some blog to earn money, others blog about current affairs, and others to make people laugh. The list is long. More and more bloggers are using weblogs as personal journals, choosing not to leave them in the spotlight. Creating a personal blog is simple. Here's how to get started.

Steps

Method 1 of 3: Choose the Blog

Step 1. Choose a blog host

A blog host is a site that provides a blogging platform. There are tons of them, and many of them are meant to be used by people who know little or nothing about computers. There are also many free alternatives in addition to the paid ones. Some examples are:

• Free blog hosts:

  • Wordpress
  • Blogger
  • Posterous
  • Tumblr

• Paid Blog Host:

  • GoDaddy
  • Bluehost
  • HostGator
  • Hostmonster

  

  Step 2. Decide how much control you want to have over your URL

  If you decide to use a free blogging platform, your URL will look something like this:

  www.myblog.wordpress.com/

  If your blog wants to be strictly personal and you are not going to use it to create a new brand or to connect with other bloggers, a free service will suffice. If, on the other hand, you plan to show the blog to other people in the future and create your own online presence, you should think about a paid hosting service because it allows you to create a blog with a custom URL, similar to this:

  www.alittlebitofblog.com

  • Understand the other differences between free and paid services. Mainly paid services give you much more control over the appearance of the site, as well as offering you more tools with which to customize it (plugins, widgets, buttons, etc.). While a novice blogger usually doesn't need a paid hosting service, it's useful to know what you can and can't do with a free platform.

    

  • Generally free hosting services offer some ready-made themes to choose from. Paid services usually offer multiple themes to choose from and give you the ability to create a new theme from scratch.
  • Some plugins are only made available to those who pay for a hosting service. Plugins are tools that bloggers use to customize their blogs.
  • This seems to be the bottom line: If you're only interested in writing your own thoughts, all these extra things are probably superfluous. If, on the other hand, blog design is important to you and you like the idea of creating different tools to interact, one day, with potential visitors, then choosing to have more customization possibilities could be the right choice.

  • Familiarize yourself with all the details of the hosting service you decide to use. How do you turn a title into italics? How do I link to another site? These are questions you will ask yourself when you start writing. While your knowledge will improve as you continue blogging, it's important to explore all the options available to you right away. You will never know what you can do if you don't try to do it first.

    

  • Some blogs offer an introductory video or presentation for new users. If the service you have chosen gives you this option, be sure to take advantage of it. These tutorials are full of tips and will help you start blogging better and faster.

  Method 2 of 3: Start Blogging

  

  Step 1. Design the look of your blog

  Every time you log into your blog, its design will have to motivate you to write. Some people like to have a plain white background, reminiscent of a blank page. Others prefer more intricate backgrounds. What do you prefer?

  • Many suggest choosing a plain background rather than one that catches the eye, but choose what you prefer. Here are some wallpaper ideas you could use:
  • A photo with you and your family on vacation
  • A simple pattern that doesn't distract you from words
  • A map or image of a map
  • An object that makes you think about writing, such as a fountain pen, a typewriter or a stack of paper
  • A plain background of your favorite color

  

  Step 2. Look for a "keep private" box in your blog options

  If you want your blog to remain private and not indexed by search engines, select this option. Many blogs also allow you to make a blog completely private by requiring a password to log in. Look for this option if you want your blog to remain totally secret.

  

  Step 3. Design your blog to be easy to navigate

  If you create categories, try to sort them by popularity. Why put the post you visit least at the top of the list, and the one you visit most at the bottom? Design the site with ease of navigation in mind.

  Reduce the confusion. Just because you have the ability to create dozens of plugins and widgets doesn't mean you have to use them all. If the blog is yours and your thoughts, make sure they are they to stand out.

  

  Step 4. Create your first post

  In many public blogs, the first post contains a brief explanation of who you are (you can keep some secrets) and why you decided to blog, a kind of online introduction. Since you are building a personal blog, however, it is not necessary to be so formal in your first post.

  • Explain what motivated you to start a blog. It might help you get started writing. It is also usually a cathartic activity to release stress and tension. Try this to see how you feel.
  • Explain what you are going to write. Get started immediately. Your blog can become a kind of diary or a place to collect the most interesting articles on the net and comment on them. Of course it can also be something in between. Talk about what makes you happy.

  Method 3 of 3: Keep the Blog

  

  Step 1. Try to write every day

  Even if nothing noteworthy has happened, it's important to take the time to write. Getting into the rhythm can be difficult, but you will soon be able to do it instinctively: as with the first day of school, it can be a little weird at first, but soon you start making new friends and the new environment begins to become familiar.

  Think about a few themed days when you write. For example, you could create "Crazy Mondays", where every Monday you talk about a person whose crazy ideas have changed the world. This provides your blog with structure and helps you keep writing, even when you don't have any specific ideas

  

  Step 2. If you have trouble writing, write short posts

  A blog can be different from a diary, an exhibition or a news article: it is meant to be read quickly, offering different sources and linking them together in a concise way. Keep the following three guidelines in mind when you start blogging:

  • A blog can be a place to read. Take notes quickly rather than being too verbose. Something like "Hey, check it out!" seems to be much more efficient for a blog than "And these are all the reasons I'm better than you."
  • Use the links. Insert links to other interesting content that you have found on the net. This will allow you to both remember interesting sites you've discovered, and save time by avoiding paraphrasing the content of the article - unless that's what you're trying to do!
  • Use the blog to revisit topics you've already seen. Repeat. Just because you've already written a post on a certain topic doesn't mean you never have to do it again. Revisit the feelings you exposed in an article in a new article, for example.

  

  Step 3. Use initials of names when talking about other people to remain anonymous

  For example, "And he really pissed me off today; I've had enough of his selfishness." This ensures that no feelings are hurt if someone happens to read your blog.

  

  Step 4. Be honest

  Feelings don't always make sense! Luckily, they don't have to. What matters is that your emotions are written down rather than expressed in the form of an ulcer. Remember that your blog exists only as an outlet for you. You don't have to worry about pleasing other people if that's not what you want.

  Often you will find that writing about something helps you understand it better. Even if you don't understand something perfectly, then being honest about it can help you understand it better. Writing is about discovering yourself. If you are sincere when you write, you will surely discover something about yourself that you did not know before

  

  Step 5. Learn from your posts

  When you've been writing for some time, go back and look at your first posts. Have you found out what are the sources of stress in your life? Can you notice any recurring themes? Is there any person who is particularly detrimental to your sentimental health?

  

  Step 6. If you have a community of readers and commentators, interact with them

  Even if you write anonymously, your blog can appeal to a community of readers and commenters. Often these people leave comments on the article expressing compliments, opinions or questions. Successful bloggers understand that interacting with fans is an important part of developing a readership following.

  • Reply to almost all comments, but not all. Often readers will leave a comment prompting you to keep writing. A simple "Thanks, I'm very happy" can be a good way to respond. In other cases, readers will go off topic or express very controversial opinions. You don't need to respond to every comment if you don't feel like it.
  • Consider adding an invitation to interact at the end of the post (optional). Of course, if you're not planning on sharing the blog with other people, this step isn't necessary. But if you like the idea of asking for your readers' opinions, include something like "What was your favorite Christmas present?" or "What do you think of what happened?" at the end of the related posts.

  Step 7. Consider sharing what you write with friends and family

  The people closest to you care about your thoughts and feelings. Even if you've created the blog to write your private thoughts and feelings on it, sharing them with others can be powerful. What you are doing is starting a conversation, and conversations can be enlightening and inspiring.

  For example, suppose you have been diagnosed with cancer and have decided to create a blog to document this journey. Initially you wanted it to be read only by you, but by continuing to write you have discovered that sharing your deepest fears and your strongest desires has brought you closer to the people around you; made you more human. Sharing this realization with your closest friends can be incredibly liberating

  Advice

  • If you decide to make your blog public, be sure to re-read all posts and delete any names or events that might insult someone.
  • Talk about the things you like, and don't think about what others might say… Always remember that it's your blog, you can do whatever you want with it, and have fun!
  • Search the web for some free templates if you want to add a touch of style to your blog.
  • Don't post anything personal and don't hurt anyone's feelings!
  • Listen to some music, have a glass of wine, create the right atmosphere to help you write freely.