Have you ever thought about starting a blog? Whether it is a desire to start your own business or to better engage with a community, blogs are a great way to empower the individual and get the word out. There are some things to consider before you start a blog, though.
So before you fork out the money for a host and start the WordPress installation, here are the…
Top 5 Things to Consider Before You Start a Blog
The Concern for Success When You Start a Blog
Any venture can have an unknown outcome. A blog is no different, and for every one that succeeds there are ten others that linger in search engine limbo. You can’t let that dictate your actions, or you will not succeed.
Instead, judge it yourself. Are you ready and committed to giving 100% to the blog’s success? If you aren’t, starting one will probably be a waste of your time, money, and resources. But if you are determined to make a go of it, then there should be no roadblocks to stop you.
If you are committed, do it, start a blog. But don’t let concern or worry burn up valuable creative energy.
The Time Commitment
So, maybe you have decided that you are going to go for it, you want to create your own blog. Good for you. But have you considered how much time it is going to take out of your life?
Now, you will find as many opinions about this as there are blogs, but this is my recommendation. A blog needs your attention for at least two hours every day through the week, and anywhere from 4 to 6 on the weekend.
Blogging is an ongoing commitment if you want to be successful, so expect to spend the time on it.
Of course, if you just want a hobby blog that isn’t an income generator, then the demands are much less. You could probably get by on a couple of hours on the weekend and produce an occasional post.
If this is your goal, this is more than possible. But don’t expect it to be wildly successful.
The Financial Investment
These days, everything costs money. It will cost you money to start a blog. The amount can vary, depending on whether you want to have a self-hosted blog that can make money for you or not. Typical blog costs include:
- The fee for registering a domain name.
- The cost for the hosting provider to host your blog.
- Web Graphics, including any WordPress themes and blog logos.
- Possible tech support in getting everything up and keeping it running.
Your end cost may vary depending on your own technical and graphical skills, but it’s good to consider everything up front in case you do need help.
Starting a blog can be very inexpensive though if you are smart and do your research.
And remember, your blog can end up making you money if that’s the route you want to take. It can be
Your Blogging Niche
Before you can start writing your articles, you will need a topic. Once you determine your blog’s niche, this will determine the vast majority of your blog topics for the future to come.
You will want to spend some time thinking about this. What motivates you, what is it that you enjoy talking about?
When it comes to blogs, a good niche is one of the best things you can have to put you on the path to success. In most cases, you don’t want to be too specific, but you want to avoid an over-reaching broad topic.
Maybe you love baking, but your specialty is cookies.
Even better, maybe you know some clever ways to bake delicious cookies that are still mostly healthy. Now that is the kind of niche that could get you a lot of views. Consider your interested topic, and try walking down a logical path to see where it could lead you as you start a blog.
The Fear of Getting Started
I put this last, for a reason. That is, if you have read my other 4 points and feel like you have addressed those, there is no need for fear. I could quote Yoda here and say something about do or not, there is no try, but that is the case.
If you can address your concerns, commit to the time, understand that there is a financial cost, and find a niche topic that you just love, then you have nothing to fear. Go forth and blog, but make sure to remain committed.
As you can see, there is nothing holding you back but yourself. Here’s a great resource to help you called, #ExposeYourself: Grow Your Blog or Business by Putting Yourself Out There that I highly recommend. You can get it here 
If you want to start a blog, it will take time, money, and commitment, but anything good always does.
The important thing is to find your niche and make sure it is something that you enjoy. After all, if you do it right, this isn’t going to be work. It’s going to be a labor of love, sweat equity included.