Creative Blogging: Getting Started Blogging For Beginners
Blogging by itself can be used as journaling exercise or a public diary. Sharing what you feel are the important aspects of your life can inspire others to branch out of their comfort zones. At the same time, blogging can be a way to express yourself. Helping you step out of your comfort zone too.
If you have a website, you should be maintaining a blog. Having a blog can help your search engine ranking (SEO) and be a way for you to showcase your personality and values to readers.
Blogging can also be used as a way to differentiate yourself from other people in your industry. It can be used as a way for you to position yourself as an expert in your field by giving you a platform to share your knowledge.
Related: 20 Blog Post Ideas For Photographers
Starting a blog from scratch can seem like a daunting task so I sat down (we actually stood the whole time) with Yanna (So This Is Lovely) to talk about her blog and how it went from idea to reality.
It’s my hope that her story will inspire you to get workin’ and hit PUBLISH on your first blog post.
Getting Started Blogging with Yanna from So This Is Lovely
Tell me about yourself?
Yanna: Where do I start? I’m married. I have two kids. Two girls, Olivia and Emily. I have my bachelors [degree] in biology but I actually found my true love in a career in marketing.
What made you want to start a blog?
Yanna: I’ve always wanted to start a blog. I love taking pictures and creating content. I really wanted something that I owned. Just something that was mine and that I could work on and make it what I wanted. I’m always inspired by Instagram bloggers and hoped to inspire others.
What was your biggest challenge in getting started?
Yanna: Getting started!! That was definitely the biggest challenge. Just saying “hey this isn’t perfect but I’m still going to do it and push through and make it happen.” Another thing that was a little difficult was WordPress. Figuring it out, because I don’t have that background it was kind of tough to get used to it. I ended up Googling a lot of things to get over that hurdle.
What topics are covered in your blog?
Yanna: My blog mainly focuses on living in Cleveland, so things my family and I do around Cleveland, like events and different activities. Since we’re remodeling our home, I’m really excited to have a home section with some of the home decor and remodeling tips. I also blog about travel. It’s a lifestyle blog so it’s a little bit of everything.
What are some goals that you’ve set for your blog?
Yanna: I would like to blog at least once a week. Since I’m only starting out I think if I can blog once a week I’d be thrilled. That’s over 50 posts in a year. So that’s a great start. Another goal is to continue to grow my following. Being helpful too, obviously I want to be as useful and helpful to my readers as possible.
Related: Make It Happen! 25 Goals for your First Year in Business + A Free Checklist
How do you plan on reaching those goals?
Yanna: Writing them down since they’re more likely to happen that way. Also, setting time aside each week to work on it. Sitting down and brainstorming content and writing posts. So making blogging not just a hobby but seeing it as more of a side job.
What advice do you have for anyone out there looking to start a blog?
Yanna: Since the hardest part for me was starting, JUST START. It’s the best advice I’ve received and I completely agree with that. When you start you learn along the way. You’ll learn to adapt and change your content to go with it. So just start. Google and YouTube also helped me with difficulties I was having. YouTube really walks you through issues and helps you resolve them.
Check out Yanna’s blog, So This Is Lovely, for great content including fun things to do and see in Cleveland, Ohio.
