so you wanna start a blog?

I received this question on my Ask Brooklyn form, and decided to dedicate a whole blog post to it because this is a question I've received MULTIPLE times. 

"Let's suppose I was maybe kind of somewhat interested in starting a blog. Where do I start? How do I decide what kind of blog I want to have? How do I get followers? I feel like blogging is something I would maybe like to do, but the whole thing is just so overwhelming!

Any advice you have would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!"

Where do I start?

Go to blogspot.com and login using your Google account. Click New Blog on the left side of your dashboard and wah lah! Follow the instructions it gives you and you can consider yourself a blogger!

There are also Wordpress options for blogging, but I don't know a dang thing about Wordpress.

How do I decide what kind of blog I want to have?

When I started blogging, I blogged mostly about my favorite quotes and things I was learning at church. As I moved to college I started more lifestyle blogging, talking about all the things I was learning through my experiences and once I met another blogger friend in my college town who would take outfit photos for me I became a bit of a fashion blogger. When I got married I rebranded my blog to focus more on my marriage and the things I learned about relationships. I also started focusing on positive personal self-change.

I guess the point here, is you don't HAVE to have one specific thing you'd like to blog about. And it can change with time as you change. But here's a few questions to get you started...

*What do you like to do?

*What is your life situation?

*What are your strengths and weaknesses?

*What do you love to talk about?

*What blogs do you love to read?


How do I get followers?

This is a tricky question because it is different for everyone, but here is what has worked for me.

1. Sponsoring other blogs.
I offer sponsorships on my blog and most big blogs offer them as well. What is sponsorship? Advertising. Simple as that. See on my right sidebar how there are pictures of other people there? Those are my current sponsors. They pay for that spot on my blog. And each paid sponsorship comes with social media shout outs to get more people looking at your blog.
Some of my favorite blogs to sponsor.
The Rachael Way
Life With Amberly
Whit Speaks

2. SWAP SWAP SWAP!
Anyone just starting blogging should offer "blog swaps." An example of what I mean can be found on Brielle's blog. Basically you put their blog button on your blog, and they put yours on their blog. It's like free advertisement! It's one of my favorite things about blogging from when I first started.

3. Pay for a blog design.
I know it seems crazy to spend so much money on a blog, especially if you're not making any money on it, but if you go to etsy.com and search "premade blog design" you can find premade designs for as cheap as $10. And just think of it as a hobby. Scrapbookers spend lots of money on supplies, people who love to work out buy lots of work out clothes. They don't need to, but it's their hobby, so they put money into it. I see it the same way. I can also recommend a few blog designers if you are interested!

4. Get a Twitter and start interacting!
Most bloggers have a twitter button on their blog (like the little bird on the left side of my blog) so click on that and follow your favorite bloggers! Comment on their tweets and craft your own! Share your favorite blog posts by others and the blogs posts you are writing! Twitter has been a huge thing for me as I've been trying to grow my blog.

5. Post on your personal Facebook. 
This can be scary, sometimes I don't want everyone I knew from high school reading about my not so secret life, but honestly? TONS of my traffic comes from my  personal Facebook posts. You can also create a Facebook page for your blog, it might seem silly when you only have 3 or 4 "likes", but think of the power influence you can have through that free media outlet!


Is blogging overwhelming? 

Sometimes, it can be. Sometimes I have to take a step back and remember WHY I'm blogging, but it's also one of the most rewarding hobbies I've ever taken up. Create a to-do list and slowly check things off your list, you will never be "done" blogging, but that's one of the beautiful things about it, you get to continually improve yourself and your blog. Blogging is a great way to use the internet for good! You CAN make a difference. I've been brought to happy tears many times getting emails from readers saying that my blog post that day was exactly what they needed to hear. There is real potential in blogging. For personal growth, income, creativity, and forming relationships with people who have similar interest.

Where can I get more advice??

I have a few Pinterest boards dedicated to blogging that you might want to check out.
Blog Advice
Blog Design Help
Blog Posts I Love

Here are some of my favorite blog posts by others about blogging...
10 Things I Wish I Knew When I Started Blogging
How to Use Twitter for Blogger
Serious Blogging Tips
Tips for Blog Sponsorship
Get More Traffic to Your Blog

Have more questions? I LOVE talking blogging, I'm obsessed with it. So shoot me an email brooklynburton@hotmail.com !