Are you thinking of starting a blog?
Weblogs (or ‘blogs’) are specific types of website that arrange your content in reverse chronological order (the most recent blog post is always at the top of your site). They can be used to share your thoughts, your expertise on a subject or simply to share photos and videos. And, one of the main advantages of a blog is that your visitors can leave comments about what you have posted.
There are over 156 million private blogs in existence and setting up a blog couldn’t be easier. Here’s our guide.
Choose the platform for your blog
There are lots of sites out there that can help you create your blog. The three main blog providers are:
- WordPress – offering a wide selection of blog features but requires an outside host
- Blogger – a simple, easy to use blog with lots of custom options
- Tumblr – idea if you want to share photos and videos
Once you have chosen the provider you wish to use, you will have to sign up for an account. This is normally a quick and simple process.
Name your blog and decide what you want to say
Once you have signed up for a blog, you will need to decide on a name and what you intend to say. You can name your blog anything (as long as someone hasn’t used the domain name before) and you can blog about anything you wish.
Many people use a blog as an online diary to express their thoughts and feelings or what they have been up to in their everyday lives. Some people use a blog to report news and information on a specific subject, for example cricket, mobile phones or movies. Others use a blog as an extension to their business to provide advice or guidance to readers.
Choose a domain name
You normally have two choices when choosing a domain name for your blog.
If you are setting up a blog for the first time, you may be better to use your blog host’s name in your web address. For example, your blog domain may look like:
Alternatively, you can buy a domain name in order that your web address reads:
- www.yourblogname.com (or co.uk etc)
Head online to buy a domain name. After you set-up your blog with your blog provider (WordPress, Blogger, Typepad) you can ‘point your newly-purchased domain name to your blog. Your blog provider can explain how to do this as it varies from provider to provider.
Customise the appearance of the blog
Once your blog is up and running, you need to decide how to customise the appearance of your blog.
Many blog providers have a wide range of templates, applications and widgets with which you can personalise your blog. There are also lots of templates and colour schemes for the major blog providers online.
Start blogging!
When you have finished setting up your blog, it is time to start writing. Readers enjoy regular content and so it is often worth trying to blog on a regular basis.
Make sure you invite comments, and always remember that your blog is in the public domain and can usually be read by anyone. Be careful what you say.
