I get so many questions about how to start a lifestyle website or blog, I thought it was time for me to share with you the basics. I know it looks easy to get into the content sharing game until you actually get going and realize you have no clue what you are doing. I had to teach myself how to do everything! In fact, I am still learning something new every day. This industry has no rules and things are constantly changing. You have to find your own space within it to stand out. You will find, unfortunately, few people are willing to give you real tips.
I have looked at a lot of blog posts on how to start a site and to be honest, some of it isn’t useful. It’s stuff you can figure out on your own if you use google.
What’s Your Site Name?
First things first, what are you going to call your website or blog? When I decided to create this site, I knew that the name was probably one of the most important things. Why? Because this is what will help you determine what your brand is. The Things I Wish I Knew is about life lessons and sharing things I know or things I am discovering. It’s about learning and sharing. So write down a list of names and start googling the names you have come up with. When you think about a name, ask yourself why? Why is this interesting? What does this mean to me? Some people think that having a unique name is the way to go. To be honest, you want to stand out but you also need to think like a business person. Further, how searchable is your site?
The beauty of the internet is that you can discover things simply by searching for let’s say “how to build a website”. Other than using your name, which is cool, using a name that incorporates keywords that a search engine can recognize will help drive more eyes to your site. You can include your city or words and phrases that people say often. For example, I could have called this site “The Girl Who Knows Nothing”. To Get fancy I could also add “A City Girl Who Knows Nothing”. All of the words I have used above are familiar, tell you a little bit about what the site might be about and they are familiar. It’s all about making the familiar new, unique, relatable and approachable.
Test out a few names and do a quick search to make sure it’s available! Sometimes other people have the same idea as you, it’s more common than you think!! Luckily, no one had this domain name even though everyone seems to be searching “the things I wish I knew” about…life, marriage, beauty, etc. I would say my site name is a win!
Hosting
What the hell is hosting? As I mentioned above, I own the domain name, “The Things I Wish I Knew”. There are quite of few blog platforms where you can start a blog simply by picking a name and theme; it’s that easy. One thing you need to keep in mind is that you do not own your blog or website if you go about it this way. To have full ownership over your website, you must purchase your domain name and then look for a hosting company that will keep all your data (site information) on their server. It’s pretty much-renting space. You can pay monthly or yearly for this service. You can also purchase your domain name with the same hosting company.
What to look for in a hosting company?
Yes, price matters. You want to save as much money as you can. At the same time, you pay for what you get. Some hosting companies have a no-frills approach and very low cost. If this works for you go for it. I feel this type of hosting is great for those who are tech-savvy.
What company do I use and why?
I have been using Bluehost.com for the last three years. The first year with Bluehost is inexpensive and the team at Bluehost goes above and beyond to make sure your site runs smoothly and helps you with tech issues. As you know I had to teach myself everything! The tech support at Bluehost is amazing and has taught me a lot. They have also helped me with things that if you have no idea how to do you would have to outsource a web developer. It’s also perfect for those who use WordPress ( I will have a post soon about WordPress). With Bluehost, you also have the option to have them help you build your site for an extra fee.
Choosing a hosting company that offers you more than hosting will save you a ton of time. A few of the great features with Bluehost include – website tech support and setup, themes/templates & email marketing.
What’s Your Goal
Why are you starting a blog or website? Why should/would people read about what you have to say? What’s your end goal? What do you hope people will get out of reading your content? Who is your audience? It’s a lot of questions to answer but don’t get overwhelmed. Trust me, it’s a lot more overwhelming if you have no clue. Further, you are more likely to lose sight of why you started content sharing in the first place if you don’t have a goal. Look at the bigger picture. If you aren’t a fashion blogger, then don’t get lured in by becoming one. Be as authentic as possible. Ignore what other people are doing and stay focused. Just know that you are bringing something unique so don’t get discouraged or compare yourself.
You have to know what you WILL NOT do from day one. You have to know what you WILL NOT post from day one, even if there is money on the table. It may be easy to make a few bucks but it’s hard to build an audience. Obviously, this is a business as well, unless you want to make it a hobby and have money saved to keep your site running. With that said, don’t postpaid posts just because the money is good, EVERYONE can tell, even you. Don’t lose your integrity, it’s all you have.
If you are feeling like you are in a rut. Always go back to why you started your website or blog in the first place. Knowing the “why”, will help you stay motivated and help you produce content with confidence.
Get Social
As you know, social media is a great marketing tool. It’s up to you what social media platform you want to use. One of the biggest mistakes that people do when they start to promote themselves online is to join every social media platform. You only have so much time in a day and you will not be good at all of them, so do yourself a favour and pick no more than THREE at first to focus on. You can create an account for a few but decide where to start first in terms of audience growth. Don’t forget you still have to build an audience on your website and you will need more than social media to do this.
It’s not uncommon for people with lots of Instagram followers to have low website traffic. There are websites with less than 1000 Instagram followers yet they have more traffic than your favourite Instagram accounts. Your social media account, if you are using it to further promote your website should showcase your goal. Just like your website you need to be clear when it comes to messaging. Be authentic. Don’t be fooled by what you see on other accounts or get discouraged. Build at your own pace and be authentic.
The first three social media platforms I think you should focus on – Pinterest, Facebook & Instagram. In the next post I will share with you which one drives the most web traffic for The Things I Wish I Knew. I am sure you are wondering what to use to build your audience. Pinterest is a great platform to drive traffic and to stay organized consider using Tailwind – an easy way to manage Instagram and Pinterest.
Why Tailwind? Well, it helps your organize Pins! Now you can use all those great photos you have taken. Fresh content gets a better response rate. With Tailwind you can schedule your Pins. If you are like me you most likely have a ton of great images that you haven’t showcased. Once you have selected one for a blog post, after taking quite a few, there are many photos that just sit there. This is golden content and it’s perfect for driving website traffic.
You can also schedule images from blog posts and new product listings. My goal with Pinterest is to inspire Pinners to engage, share and save as well as click on my Pins. Tailwind saves you TIME because your Pins are scheduled in advance.
Tailwind tip, put your scheduled Pins together once a month. You can also set aside a folder on your desktop of images you would like to add. If you are not sure about diving in right away they offer a trial. This entails 100 scheduled Pins or 30 scheduled Instagram Posts. Please note that Instagram and Pinterest are separate paid subscriptions. Tailwind is a Pinterest and Instagram Partner so it’s important to keep in mind the best practices. For example, Pinning or posting images beyond the suggested limit. Just to make sure sharing runs smoothly Twailind has a SmartGuide assistant feature that helps you market yourself while staying within the guidelines.
Let me know what you think. If you would like me to give you more insight on the following: SEO, how to write a good blog post ( I get asked this a lot), how to build relationships…the list goes on and on. I can tell you what’s worked for me. I want you to know that there are people out there that like to help other people and I understand that growth is about the community.
Unfortunately, there are content creators who operate out of scarcity. They fail to understand that they are, in the long run, affecting their ability to grow and make this a viable and respected industry. Further, there can’t be a monopoly in content sharing because not everyone is going to like you or find what you are bringing to the table interesting. No one would want to hear only one musician?! That’s why it’s called the music industry and it only works and grows as a community.
Would you be interested in a mini how-to manual? I would love to know your thoughts. Also, please let me know what you don’t like about other how-to’s you have seen around the web. I know some people just create these things to gain more traffic. It’s pretty obvious when you read the post, it’s pure BS!
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