Tips to help you start a successful blog and become a popular blogger

Choose a platform. The first thing to do when deciding to start a blog is to choose the platform you want to use. There are tons of platforms available for blogging such as WordPress, Blogspot, Tumblr, Blogger, Goggle+, etc. There are many different platforms available to choose from, with different features and benefits; you just have to figure out which one is right for you.

Name it. Now that you’ve chosen which platform you’re going to use, you need to choose a name for your new blog. You want your name to be something catchy that draws people in, but also something that says what your blog will ultimately be about. Think carefully about finding a good name that represents you and what your blogs are about.

Organization and Style. Make sure your blog is organized and stylish. You don’t want your blog to be all over the place and too hard for people to follow. Also, you want your blog to have some sort of style and customization. Have fun designing and styling your blog, but don’t make it too messy and overwhelming.

Time/Availability. Set a schedule for yourself about when and how often you’ll post to your blog to keep your blog consistent and let your readers know when and how often to check back. Don’t post once in a while and so sporadically that your readers don’t want to follow you or don’t check back with you because you don’t keep up.

Be transparent. Always be open and honest with your followers. Your blog is a reflection of you. Only post and show things that you agree with and that represent you and what you do. Do not allow other people to write posts for your blog or respond to comments from your followers; it’s your blog and you should take ownership of it.

Comment and listen. To gain and keep followers on your blog, you must comment and reply to the post. Don’t upload your content and then leave it there. When people make comments, engage them, ask them questions, what they think and respond. Have conversations. Listen to what your followers are saying and consider any advice or feedback they offer to better improve your blog.

Share. Upload photos, links, videos, podcasts, etc. These are important things that will improve your blog and allow you to share more about yourself and your interests. Be selective about what you share, don’t share anything you later regret or that might be offensive to people looking at your blog.

Personality and Opinion. Once you’ve picked the perfect name and know what you’re going to talk about, you need to get some content. Your blog can be about anything; your own thoughts and opinions, but you need to have some personality. People don’t want to read dry and boring posts, they want something exciting, something they can relate to and enjoy.

Promote. Once you’ve created your blog and started posting, you need to attract people and build a following. Tell people about your blog, promote yourself on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc. Let people know about your blog, where they can find it, and what it’s about.