how to blog – copy&bake

New year, new you? Maybe you’ve put a lot of thought into your new year’s resolutions, but what about your blog? Some of you have been planning content weeks and months in advance, but some of us create on a more immediate basis, or might be going through a content rut. Whatever your situation, here are five ideas for content creators in 2021.

Talk about something you love.

The best content begins at the root of the things you love. Of course, keep it relevant to your niche, but don’t be afraid to experiment and pick discussions that genuinely excite you. Your enthusiasm will feed through into your content and make it all the more enjoyable for your audience to consume.

Get personal.

During this time of isolation and the global pandemic, people are craving connection. Talk about your personal life – within reason, of course, and only sharing details you are comfortable making public.

Learn something new and document the process.

Copy and Bake was founded from a love of learning and a passion for digital marketing. Dedicate your January content towards learning and share the experience with your audience. Celebrate mistakes and record all the things you’ve learnt!

Create a tutorial, guide, or printable.

The internet is a cluttered place, and the best way to grab your readers attention is by offering value they cannot get elsewhere. The best way to provide value? Exclusive tools, crafted your your unique experience and expertise. It could be something as simple as a hot chocolate recipe or as complicated as building a fully-optimised PPC campaign. It doesn’t matter! A unique piece of content is a very valuable thing in the internet age.

Post an interview, host an online panel, or record a podcast/webinar.

A great way to bring new readers into your blog, and entertain your existing audience, is to involve other sources of expertise into their orbit. No matter your niche, there will always be something to learn from your peers, and your audience will be grateful to the heap of value in your content.

ICYMI: you might want to explore My Marketing Goals For 2021 and My Top Marketing Instagram Accounts In 2021.

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Start your blog with confidence! Suitable for veteran bloggers and complete newbies alike, this guide covers the basic building blocks of creating a blog, from niche and target audience to design and hosting.

Find Your Niche

The first step to creating a blog is simple: finding your niche. This may change over time, but a solid, well-defined starting point is essential. A great resource is How To Choose A Niche For Your Blog, which covers a long list of profitable niches. Most important, though, is picking a niche you have a genuine interest in – an interest you can sustain in the weeks, months and years it takes to build a successful blog.

Your niche should be based on a topic you:

have a natural interest in
have an authority to speak on, some degree of expertise, or even a professional/educational interest in
want to learn more about

Research Your Target Audience

So, you know what you’re writing about – now you need to know who you’re writing for. Your target audience is your ideal reader. It may help to create a mental picture of your reader.

Ask these questions to clarify your target audience:

How old are they?
Where do they live?
What are their likes and dislikes? What is their biggest concern? What problems do they face? Identify a few pain points – and, when you are writing your blog, consider ways you can provide them with valuable solutions.
What level of education do they have? What is their occupation? What are their career goals and ambitions for the future? Will it be appropriate to use jargon, or formal language, or write as you speak?
What are their political beliefs? Are they open minded to different opinions? Are they looking for a balanced world view, or information that supports their perspective?
What other blogs do they read, if any? Analyse your competitors, from successful blogs to other newcomers, and identify ways you can provide a unique variety of content.

Aesthetics & Design

The design of your website will have a huge impact on your success. Your blog doesn’t need to do everything at once – if anything, it is better to start small and expand as you gain experience – but it should be easy to read, navigate, and be visually appealing to your readers. These 6 Tips For A Great Blog Layout are helpful points for consideration.

When it comes to blog design, you should ask yourself:

Which colours represent your blog?
How will you categorise your content?
Will you use stock images, personal photography, or create your own graphics? How will you ensure your graphics and photographs are high-quality?
Will you include an about page, FAQ, homepage, contact page, and product pages?
How will you ensure your blog is optimised for search engines and sharing? This is related to your content writing as well as your website design. Google prioritises websites with a great user experience!

Hosting & Domain Name

The most important step involved in creating a blog is picking a site name, domain, and website host. If you’re new to blogging and taking it up as a hobby, you’re probably going to want to opt for a simpler deal with a free blog.

When considering your hosting options, you might like to consider:

your budget
the time commitment you can make
your level of IT/technological literacy

I personally use WordPress with the premium theme, which makes the whole process relatively simple on my side and allows me to focus on the front end of the blog. Considering WordPress? Help support Copy&Bake by signing up through my referral link.

If you are looking to have more control, you might want to consider setting up hosting and domains yourself. A Total Beginner’s Guide To Website Hosting is a great guide for learning the basics of website hosting.