Blogging can be an overwhelming task.

I know, because I do it every Wednesday. And sometimes – I don’t want to!

Or, I have writers block.

Or, I don’t have enough time to write a great one.

Or, it’s not perfect yet…

But the truth is, blogging is important to growing your business. And it can be daunting to start – so here’s how you can start a blog in 4 easy steps.

Where to Blog

Unless you’re still living under a rock, or an early 2000s website, your blog should be integrated as a part of your website. You don’t want to have a business website on one platform, and gather blog subscribers on a completely separate site.

I, of course, adore WordPress for my blog, and the websites I create for my clients, but there are also great platforms like Blogger, SquareSpace, and WordPress.com, if you just want to have a blog (without the business).

So, if you’re blogging for fun – take your pick! But if you’re blogging for business, make sure your blog is on your self-hosted site, with the rest of your content.

What to Blog

So, the next logical question is – what the heck do your write about?

A great post to start a blog with is your personal story. And, it should be pretty easy to write, since you lived it! For example:

• Are you a weight loss coach? Share your struggle with trying to lose weight and dieting.
• Are you a business coach? Tell the story of how long it took you to be a “success”.

But, if you’re looking for some meaty posts, or the opportunity to “go viral”, you’ll want to look into how-to topics, best practices, and new ideas.

Yahoo just published a great list of questions to get you to 50 topic ideas, in just 30 minutes. And I tried it – and it works!

Here’s a few of their best topic-generating ideas to start a blog with:

• What are the common mistakes people make in your industry?
• What tools do you use in your business?
• What is a breaking story/new trend in your industry?
• What are other experts writing about, and how can you put your spin/take on it?

Another great resource for coming up with topics for your blog is Hubspot’s Blog Topic Generator. Just enter three nouns related to your industry, and get 5 free ideas.

Optimize the Blog

Wouldn’t it be great if after you start a blog, millions of people read it?

Well, they will if you optimize your post for SEO (search engine optimization). If you’re using WordPress, as I recommend you do, you’ll want to start with the WordPress SEO plugin by Yoast.

After that, pick a few keywords (it helps if you say it a lot in your post), that fits with the topic of your blog post. For example, the keyword phrase for this blog is “start a blog”. This was generated based on my topic of how to start a blog, and when typing that phrase into the Yoast plugin, I was able to see common search terms.

If you can target a phrase, such as “start a blog”, or any other keyword phrase with 3+ words, your post is more likely to rank. Otherwise, trying to rank for “blog” would be a waste of time.

Be unique when thinking about SEO keywords, as well as focusing them on the true topic of your blog post. Google is also paying attention to your actual content these days, and it matters what your post says.

Share Your Blog

After you’ve published your first blog post (CONGRATULATIONS – I’m so proud!), you’ll want to share it with the world.

They may not find it on their own, or through SEO, so make sure to post the link on every social media channel that you own. You’ll also want to contribute your post to applicable Facebook and LinkedIn groups.

You can also send your post out to your blog subscribers (those who just want your posts), or send it out as part of your newsletter to your entire email list.

Rinse And Repeat

And then, you get to do it all over again!

The easiest way to grow a new blog, (and build your business) is to be consistent.

As mentioned at the start of this post, I blog every Wednesday. Otherwise, if I didn’t stick to my deadline, I’d put it off. And then have a post randomly each month, and what good does that do? I have knowledge that needs to be shared.

If you’re not blogging consistently, you’re doing a disservice to your audience and followers, who look forward to your posts.

And, you’re harming your reputation because if you can’t even write consistently, how can you be a business coach? a life coach? a health coach?

Prove that you are a pro. Determine your publishing schedule, and follow through.

Now, I’d love to hear from you…

Leave a Comment: What’s holding you back from starting a blog? Or, if you’ve been blogging for a while, share your tips for being consistent and generating great posts.