To start a blog, you don't necessarily need to graduate from the Faculty of Computer Science or even have a computer science degree. Of course, knowledge of modern web technologies wouldn't hurt, but you can get by without it if you're willing.
To create and promote your blog, you need to follow a few simple rules . The hardest part isn't the rules themselves (they're actually quite simple), but rather their regular adherence.
1. Come up with a simple and memorable name so that visitors will remember it immediately once they see it. And create a URL that matches it.
2. Write about what you are really interested in and what you understand.
So, if you're not exactly popular with girls but want to start a pickup blog, first learn how to communicate with girls, and then give them advice.
If you're an expert on missile systems, you'll sooner or later find a loyal readership. The main thing is that maintaining such a blog doesn't fall under the definition of “disclosing state secrets,” although your blog on this topic is unlikely to gain widespread recognition and popularity.
3. Choose a platform that is convenient for work.
If you don't understand WordPress or another platform (I'm using WordPress as an example; I'm not very good at it myself, but that doesn't mean it's bad), don't create a blog with it. Of course, you can create a blog and learn as you go. But this will only negatively impact the quality of your blog. Blogging should be convenient and shouldn't require constant effort.
4. Update your blog regularly.
To start (for the first few months), you can update daily, and maybe you'll develop a habit. If a visitor visits your blog once, then returns a week later and sees nothing new, the likelihood that they'll come back again and again is slim, but very small. If they see nothing after several visits, you can say goodbye to them. They're no longer your visitor. They'll now be visiting other bloggers. Once a week isn't enough for a new, newly created blog. It doesn't attract new visitors, it just drives them away. You might visit such a blog once a quarter—it won't have more than 12-13 articles or posts anyway. And who's going to remember the blog next quarter? Especially a new blog, where you don't know what to expect.
5. Personalize your blog.
Tell us about yourself, but don't start every sentence with the word “I”—it's annoying. Readers are interested in whose thoughts and posts they're spending their time on. They always want to see (or at least imagine) their conversation partner. After all, a blog is, above all, communication, albeit indirect.
6. Find joy in blogging.
Perhaps, over time, it will start making you money—if it becomes popular. The paradox is that the most popular blogs are those created for personal interests, purely for the soul. Max Kraynov's blog, for example, doesn't advertise at all and doesn't make money from it. Although it could, since it consistently ranks high among finance blogs.
7. Avoid platitudes.
Come home from work, relax, write an article or at least a short post. And make it a habit. Just don't write: “Woke up, washed up, had breakfast, went to work and pretended to work, came home, God, what traffic, I'm terribly tired, time to sleep.” This is not news to anyone and no one is interested. If you don't have any thoughts that could interest someone or at least tell something new, it's better to take a day or two off. Refresh your mind and body – in the fresh air, actively. Or read other people's websites and blogs if you absolutely cannot live without a computer.
8. Allow visitors to comment on your posts.
Even negative feedback is better than silence and ignoring. A blog is about communication. But if you get comments, it means someone cares about you.
9. Reply to comments.
The visitor has worked hard, written, and expressed their point of view. This means you've somehow “hooked” them, either positively or negatively. Refusing to respond to comments can be perceived as a refusal to communicate. If you don't respond, they'll stop sending comments and perhaps even reading your posts. After all, by your silence, you're making it clear you're not interested in your readers' thoughts (perhaps you don't even read the comments on your articles). Communication can't be one-sided (and blogging is communication, too), otherwise it won't last.
10. Don't ignore your guests' questions.
By answering a few questions, you can gain a regular reader or subscriber. And eventually, a friend or partner.
11. Don't make too “smart and serious face.”
Sometimes it's okay to be sarcastic and humorous, even if your blog is about serious topics. Excessive, hidden seriousness (including in a blog) can become boring. As the Poles say, “too much is not healthy.”
12. Invite readers to subscribe to new articles using RSS.
If you don't know how yet, don't be lazy about sending new posts to your regular readers' email addresses (after they agree); a new blog doesn't have many regular visitors, so set up an automatic newsletter anyway.
Your subscribers are already loyal readers (unless, of course, they become disillusioned with you). And a blog's popularity is determined by the number of visitors. If a reader is subscribed to your blog, each new post will come to them automatically. But if they aren't subscribed, it's unclear whether they'll visit your website or blog and read every post. Even if they have the patience to click through every page to read every unfamiliar post, guess how often they'll do it. Once a week? Once a month? Are you sure they'll remember you in a month?
13. A large article can be split into several posts.
It's better to have a new short post every day than one big article once a month.
14. The text of the articles must be readable.
And don't get lost among advertising banners and pop-ups. A title and paragraph divisions are essential. It wouldn't hurt to highlight or underline key points. Protect your visitors' eyes by not using the smallest font size possible, trying to squeeze as many characters as possible onto a single page. Even if you're a budget-conscious person (likely using paper), there's simply no room for saving on your blog pages. It's a virtual space.
15. If visitors enjoy your articles, encourage them to bookmark or favorite your blog. This will make it easier for them to find you online.
16. Your blog should not only contain articles for specific dates and events (they will not be long-lasting and will “run out of steam” after a few days or weeks).
Admittedly, it's not very interesting to read about the best gifts for March 8th if it's already April. At least half of your articles should be devoted to more universal topics that align with your blog's message. Ideally, most posts should have no expiration date and be equally interesting regardless of the time of year or the economic or political situation in the country.
17. If your opinion does not coincide with the opinion of the majority, do not disguise yourself and do not try to be “like everyone else.”
There's not a single average person in the world who's absolutely “like everyone else” in everything. If your blog is like everyone else, why read it?
18. If your readers' opinions do not coincide with yours, be polite.
But don't agree with them just to please and keep your readers. Everyone has their own opinion, and you're no exception.
19. If it is possible to create a function in the blog for private communication between the reader and the blogger, then definitely do it.
Many people will not write questions and comments publicly.
20. Install statistical counters.
They're essential for attracting advertisers (if you already have consistent traffic), and it's useful to know how many users are visiting your site. And you shouldn't just admire the counters; you should also analyze them. For example, if you've been blogging haphazardly for six months, publishing a tiny post once a month, your traffic will be correspondingly low. It won't happen right away, but it will eventually drop to a minimum.
21. Communicate more in chats and forums on topics relevant to your blog, write comments and reviews on other authors' articles – and put a link not to your email, but to the blog address.
If your opinion is of interest to others, you will attract even more readers from similar resources.
22. It is not necessary to immediately “make money” from advertising.
If your blog is new and not yet popular (maybe too few people know about it?), it's smarter to spend that money on promotion. If you link to your blog on more popular sites with similar topics (not necessarily on the homepage—that would be more expensive), and your blog's content is capable of not only attracting but also engaging and retaining readers, it will be much more beneficial.
23. If you always do everything by the book, it quickly becomes boring. Come up with something new, add a twist. Even a little scandal can sometimes help boost your popularity. Think about our showbiz stars; even their careers soar the more outrageous and scandalous they are. Get people talking about you and your blog.
Good luck to you! Gods don't make pots and pans. Gods don't make blogs.
