2020 Blog Checklist: Essentials for Launching Your Blog in the New Year
Fun fact: Prior to launching this blog six years ago -- Lord, time flies -- I started three other blogs (on separate occasions) that wound up failing because I wasn't consistent. And I wasn't consistent because I didn't know what the hell to blog about. I was just putting out random-a** content in hopes that something would stick (bad idea). But eventually, I figured it out and, well, here we are.
Since 2020 is basically tomorrow, I already know there are plenty of folks out there who plan on launching or relaunching their blogs at the beginning of the year. And if you happen to be one of them, keep reading, honey, 'cause this post is for you.
What all do I need to start a blog?
A passion for writing. To launch a blog, you MUST be passionate about writing. Or you should at least enjoy it. Blogging requires a lot of writing, which requires a lot of time. So if you don't enjoy writing, starting a blog would basically be a waste of your time.
Something valuable to say. The key to blogging is having something valuable to share with your audience. Your blog should give them something they can relate to, learn from and share with others. In other words, it should add some sort of value. If you're in the process of launching a blog, a good place to start would be your story about who you are and why you decided to start your blog in the first place.
A niche. Every blog needs a niche or main theme that its content is focused around. If you're starting a blog for your business, its main focus should be educating your audience on topics related to your industry, products and/or services. If you're starting a personal lifestyle blog, it should still have a defined niche that sets your blog apart from others. I'll be writing more on this topic, so stay tuned.
A website. Of course, you can't have a blog without a website. If you don't have the budget for a web designer, that should honestly be the LEAST of your worries. There are plenty of website-building platforms (i.e. Wix, Wordpress, SquareSpace, Weebly, etc.) with a plethora of free and/or reasonably priced templates that you can choose from to get started. I designed my old website using Wix and my current website was designed through Squarespace.
CONTENT. Your content is literally the foundation of your blog. Without content -- ahem, CONSISTENT content -- you have no blog. A good way to develop content is to write out a master list of topics that are relevant to your blog's main focus, select a topic and start writing. The goal when launching and managing your blog should be to have some sort of content plan in place as well as a repository of three to four blog posts that are drafted, proofed and ready to publish. If you need help putting together a content plan or writing actual content for your blog, I can help!
How do I launch my blog?
Pick a launch date. This will give you a defined goal to work towards as you're developing your blog. Make sure your launch date is realistic and gives you enough time to set up your blog, prepare your content and promote your blog's forthcoming launch on social media.
Put a marketing strategy in place. Once your blog is set up, it's time to start promoting it to the masses. Because what's the point in launching a blog if people don't know about it? You might pull a good quote from one of your pre-released blog posts to generate discussion on social media while teasing your content at the same time. Or perhaps you might want to create a short video informing people that your blog is launching soon and telling them what it's going to be about. Jot down some ideas, test them out and see what works!
Launch that mug. You've taken the steps to set up your blog. You've planned and pre-scheduled your content. You've started promoting your blog. Now it's time to launch that mug! Don't overthink it. Don't worry about whether or not you're going to get tons of views and subscribers on the first day. The main key to starting a blog is being consistent. If you can do that, everything else will fall into place. Trust me.
When's a good time to launch my blog?
While the New Year is prime time to do a blog launch, really anytime is a good time.Once you've followed all the steps outlined above, you're clear for takeoff!
Do you want to launch a blog in 2020 but need help getting started? Book a consultation with me and let's get to work!