So how exactly do you know if you should start a blog? I know so many people are thinking about starting a blog, but aren’t sure if they should. I’ve come up with 11 questions to ask yourself and consider before starting a blog.
1. What do you want to blog about?
First and foremost, before you start a blog, you need an idea of what you’re going to blog about. The most important aspect of what you blog about needs to be that it’s a topic others want, need, and are searching for. There needs to be a market for it. But it also needs to be something you are good at, knowledgeable about, and truly enjoy.
2. Why do you want to start a blog?
Something else you need to be crystal clear on before you commit to blogging is your end goal for your blog.
There are three purposes people start blogs:
- Hobby blog (diary of your life)
- Influencer blog (to be famous or popular)
- Profitable business (to make money)
You need to know the purpose of your blog before committing time and resources to create it.
Each of these blog types will have completely different strategies and approaches. Knowing your goal at the very beginning will help you get on the right path immediately.
3. Is your blog topic something people are looking for?
If your goal is to monetize your blog and to have a profitable business, your blog topic must be something people are searching for and it must have monetization potential. If no one is searching for information on your topic, it isn’t going to be possible to make money. I recommend doing some research in order to figure out if there is a market for what you want to write about.
4. How much time are you willing to commit?
The amount of time you are willing and able to commit will determine whether your blog is a hobby or a successful business. Blogging takes a significant amount of time. It’s certainly not a get rich quick scheme. Starting a blog is quite a commitment.
5. How much money are you willing to invest?
Something not a lot of people understand about starting a blog is that it takes money to make money. If you aren’t willing to spend money on your blog, it will just be hobby. Taking your blog seriously means committing to it financially. You can technically start a blog for free, but if you want it to ever be successful, you’ll need to pay for a self-hosted website on WordPress. You will also need to invest in a website designer as well.
6. Are you willing to put yourself out there?
When you start a blog, putting yourself out there into the internet world can be a little scary. Are you willing to put yourself out there and have others get to know you? No one will discover you if you don’t put yourself out there!
7. Who will your ideal reader be?
Who will your reader be? Do you know who you want to attract to your post? Do you know who you want to help? Blogging without knowing your ideal market will make it harder for your blog to succeed.
8. How will you monetize your blog?
I learned a ton about how to effectively monetize a blog and I teach it in my blogging course.
There are several ways to monetize a blog:
- Display advertising
- Affiliate marketing
- Sponsored posts
- Creating and selling digital products (ebooks, courses)
Creating a monetization strategy is critical for making your blog successful. I recommend taking a blogging course like mine to get a good understanding of the different monetization strategies so you can choose a strategy that is best for you. Without blogging courses, I would have had no idea where to start. It really helps having someone who has been successful teach you what they’ve learned.
9. How will you increase your knowledge about blogging?
The most important thing I’ve done for my blog and business is being willing to spend money on blogging courses to increase my knowledge and skills. When you start a blog, there is going to be a ton, and I mean a TON, that you don’t know anything about. Searching for information can be a huge time suck, and not to mention frustrating. This is why I recommend above anything else that you take a blogging course.
10. How will you connect with your readers?
There are many ways to strengthen the connection with your readers. Whether you use Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or email, you need to have a plan for how to deepen the connection with your audience. And, are you willing to implement those changes?
11. Do you have the right mindset to succeed?
Last, but certainly not least, having the right mindset to start a blog can mean the difference between sticking with it and giving up. Blogging is one of those things that takes massive action – meaning you continue to take action until you get the results you want. You don’t stop until you have the result. It’s going to take more than a few actions for your blog to be successful. It’s going to take a ton of failure.
Final thoughts
Deciding whether you should start a blog is a big decision. Blogging takes dedication, time, money, and perseverance. Hopefully by asking yourself the above 11 questions, you’ll be ready to start a blog. If you’re still on the fence, just go for it. What is the worst thing that can happen? You create something that completely changes your life.
Are you ready to start a blog of your very own? Check out this step by step guide I have created to help you.
Where to next?
- You can sign up for my Free 30 Home Business Affirmation printable and email series.
- Check out The 8 Elements Needed For A Successful Brand
- Check out the Building Your Brand eBook designed to help you create your brand in four days!
- Join The Blogging Academy!
- Join the Facebook Group!
- Check out my services!
- Check out my portfolio!
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