Physically starting a blog is the easy part.  You use a free blogging website like wordpress or blogger, and you follow the simple directions.  You’ll choose a look for your blog (colors, layout, font), you can put in pictures or video (upload files), and you can write whatever you want (posting).  The first time I tried to write a blog, I just followed the directions and used the help key if I needed to.

But What Would I Blog About?

Here are some questions that might direct you to the perfect blogging idea for you:

1.  Am I an expert in anything that allows me to offer advice and insight for others?  (Gardening, cooking, cleaning, public speaking, travel, parenting, exercise)

2.  What topic do I usually talk the most about?

3.  What issues concern me or excite me the most?

4.  Do I have a unique story that could inspire others?

5.  What type of people do I care most about?  What issue does this group care about?

6.  What motivates me to blog?  Do I want to inform?  Do I want to inspire?

The Hook and the Payoff

Every blog needs a hook (a way to get readers interested) and a payoff (a way to satisfy readers with information or insight).  When I started my blog, my hook was a question:  What would it look like to find extraordinary meaning in common things?  How can I live with flair? Common “hooks” for blogs include:  an interesting question, a curious photograph, a provocative quote, a controversy,  or a humorous or emotional story.  The payoff is that readers find a spiritual principle at the end of every blog entry.  I write, “Living with flair means. . . ”  Blogs that showcase family stories or tips for living always have some sort of payoff at the end.  Maybe there’s a bit of humor or an emotional appeal as the blog entry concludes.

How Long Should My Blog Entry Be?

The shorter and the more concise, the better.  Some blogging experts say the best size for a blog entry is 250 words.  Some of mine are much longer (1000) or even much shorter (100), but on average, I try to stay within 250 words.

What if I’m not a good writer?

Check out some quick tips in my earlier post: How to Write with Flair.

Happy Blogging!  Stay tuned for my next blog post:  The Best Tips on How to Market Your Blog and Gain a Strong Readership.

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Source: Girl with a Book is available on Wikimedia Commons and is in the public domain.