… is to start a blog and use it.
The barriers to entry into blogging are low – you can start a blog in minutes using a tool like WordPress.com.
In setting it up and hitting publish on your first blog post you’ll learn so much. In your first week of blogging you’ll develop skills and habits that could change your life.
Your first post won’t be perfect but it’ll be a step closer to perfect than never publishing one!
The only real way to learn about blogging is to start one!
Hey Darren
The main problem after starting a blog for me is getting people to view my stuff! Seems impossible
Hi Sam,
you can guest post on other blogs, contribute comments or join a social bookmarking community like Viral Content Buzz or Blog Engage.
Experience is the best teacher. You can read all you want but, until you actually get out there and apply what you’ve learned, it will forever be nothing more than theory.
I remember the first blog post I ever did, it was a bit of a struggle to get things set up but, I did it and it felt great to know that I could do something that “technical”. Now, it’s a piece of cake. Sometimes you just got to get out there and give something a try, you might surprise yourself.
I could not agree more with Hermine. I was a novice when I started. I knew nothing about where to start with a blog, nothing about WordPress, templates and somehow I just kept forging along got my WordPress set up just like I wanted it after major changes, 6 plus months later came up with my first blog with something passionate to write about.
Originally, I had a completely different topic when I first started out and since I had done so much research and read so many articles about making money on the internet, my thought was why don’t I just share it. Once, I got started writing my first blog it got easier and easier for my thoughts and words to start flowing. It is all about just starting and it does get easier.
How True! You can read about it forever, but until you just start and do it, you just don’t learn how to blog.
Thanks
Amen! I knew nothing before I hit publish for the first time!
Darren,
I couldn’t agree more! I started a blog a few years ago – just to learn about blogging. I started with an assumption of who my target audience was. But I wasn’t sure. Nonetheless, I decided to JUST START and to see who showed up to read it. I wrote “essays,” which were simply my opinions and observations about a particular topic (Business Process Management). Nobody cared. Not even my Mom. I got very little traffic.
But I paid attention to my stats. My stats told me what pages and file downloads were popular. Once in awhile, one of my site visitors would E-mail me or call me with a question. Those people weren’t from my assumed target audience. After a few E-mails and calls, I began to suspect that those people were my TRUE target audience. So, I started another blog (http://www.bpaacademy.com) to test my assumption.
But first, I created a couple of information products: an eBook and an assessment spreadsheet. Then, I started transferring some popular posts from the old blog to the new blog. Right away, a few sales trickled in. That made me suspect that I might be on the right track.
Then I crashed my site and now I’m working to rebuild it – into something better. That incident was certainly tragic, but I learned how not to make those mistakes again.
I have lots to do on the second blog. It’s crude and needs many more posts. But, because I had that first, experimental blog, I KNOW what to do. Yes, the first blog was not a “success” from a monetization perspective. But it was an overwhelming success from a learning perspective.
“Just start” is some of the best advice we can give fellow prospective bloggers. Results prove this is a very practical approach.
Good Blogging!
Jim Reardan
and the only real way to appreciate this post is clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap
Succinct and to the point.
In other words, quit ‘studying’ and Take Action already!
Excellent point that’s the only thing that’s worked for me.
People are wasting time READING everything from EVERYBODY.
It’s much better to learn by DOING.
This is so true! My first experience with a website/blog was through an employer. As the director of marketing I worked with an ad agency to create our new site, but I was determined to learn how this new beast worked so I could handle the blogging myself. I loved it immediately and have now had my own blog for several years. You make all kinds of mistakes, but the more you make, the faster you learn.
Exactly! Even if it’s a bit daunting at first, it’s the best way to learn. Just dive in.
This is so true. My First 2 weeks were terrific. Along the line, i learnt new things, developed new habits like carrying a note pad and pen anywhere i go. You can’t know fully the pros and cons until you start.
Honestly, it couldn’t be clearer! LOL! Just today, I learnt three new things about blogging! I learnt about plug ins to back up your site, then I also learnt a bit more about Google Analytics and finally, when I pressed the publish button, I learnt that taking action gives you much more satisfaction than reading the same stuff all over again but in different forms!!! Learning curve…goodbye…action curve…HELLO!
Have a great day!
Yoan
May I add….”“Amateurs sit and wait for inspiration, the rest of us just get up and go to work.”
― Stephen King, On Writing
Yoan
Yes, SO TRUE. I would, however, recommend skipping wordpress.com and going straight for a self-hosted WordPress site. You can start for less than $50 for the first year. Well worth it.
When I first started, I hadn’t actually STARTED. I was wasting so much time researching and comparing web hosting companies. Then, I got into the same mess with theme companies. You can easily get into an endless web of start up information that will paralyze you from actually starting. Most will tell you their biggest regret was not starting sooner. That is why we created our WordPress start up guide for beginners. wpsetupsteps.com
To the point.
Hi Darren,
Once you hit “Publish” for the first time you are on your way. No better way to learn for you face all your fears up close and personal. The fear of criticism, failure, heck, the whole host, come flying your way after you publish, but this is the only way to knife through these fears.
I remember the trepidation I experienced posting, some 3000 blog posts ago. Now I have fun and prosper with blogging, because the lab of life taught me and continues to teach me invaluable lessons in the blogging arena.
Be disciplined. Write the first post and keep blogging to figure out all you need to know, because the lessons WILL continue to flow your way if you work at this blogging gig daily.
Thanks Darren,
Ryan
The journey of thousand miles starts with the first step .We all learn from experience and what we dont know we can learn along the way
I read and read about blogging thinking one day I’d start one. I started a year ago and learned more in the first two weeks than I did in a year of reading. Get started today. Do yourself a favor and self host and buy a domain and then just start. Worst case, you lose $25 starting a blog and skip a movie :)
Short and to the point. Good stuff Darren.
I think just getting out there and “doing it” is key.
You’re right WordPress.com makes blogging available to everyone.
That is so true. It felt so daunting running a blog, but once I set it up, wrote a few pieces and familiarized myself with the interface I loved it. Couldn’t imagine a life without blogging anymore.
I thought this would going to be a long blog post. Anyway, precisely the only way to find out something is to take action. It is not all about planning for future, thinking of the past but what you are about to do today.
I agree – but I’m not sure it’s the ‘starting’ people find most difficult. Lots of people set up blogs but then give up quickly because it’s too much trouble to maintain it – more work than they’d envisaged.
Sue
I kind of agree with you, Sue. Many people get discouraged because they thing they have nothing to say, that’s what I find, more than the actual technicalities of maintaining a blog, though that can be a barrier too.
Start Small, Think Big!
Amen! The past two years have been a fantastic journey filled with one adventure after another.
So true. Setting up a blog is simple with WordPress and there are so many themes and plugins available that can be installed very quickly as well. Once the structure is set up the first post you make can be looked on as another major step forward and you will feel a real sense of achievement. Regular posting will invariably follow, particularly if your blog is something that you are very passionate about.
After time and your blog takes shape and your postings are receiving some rewards – ie visitors – you may well then have the confidence to then really kick on with added links maybe, adding videos etc. In short developing your “baby blog” into a fully fledged, popular information stop for all your visitors.
The other side of fear is freedom and Fortune favors the bold.
One addition: ProBlogger plows the road for a smooth blogging ride that’ll take you where you want to go. And you always get the ‘good view’ seat. Thanks Darren.
The image was a pleasant surprise and was very on point. Starting is the hardest part of any journey but once you begin it only gets better.
So very true. I’ve been blogging for 4 years now and have learned so much about content creation and marketing. When I think about where i started and where i am now, i realize how far I’ve come. I couldn’t stop. It’s too much fun.
A very on-point post. Do people really try and learn about blogging before starting one?
You’re right, anyone can do this. I started with blogger and then moved on to wordpress.org. The more you do it, the easier it gets.
My first blog was with Blogger and it was awful. The funny thing is that I still have that blog after 4 years and will occasionally add a post to it. It doesn’t get any readers though. I agree that the hardest part is to just get started. If you don’t get started then you can’t fail but, then again, haven’t you already failed by not started.
Hey Darrwn,
The great explaination for learning blogging in very few words. I really liked this article which is short but worth reading. Hope to see you with such great words in the future.
Yes Darren, the word Blogging seems easy but what lies behind it is a lot meaningful than just writing a post and share it to your Social Media Links.
If you want to be a blog blogger, That is an easy step, but if you want to be an Entrepreneur or a Blog Master, you have to do a lot of work !
Thanks for the info
You got it Darren. You HAVE to start blogging, and learn along the way. No one ever starts as an expert blogger, but just like any other form of exercise, it gets easier as you do it more.
Hey Darren,
I really like the way you write this post and Yes, the only way to learn about blogging is to start one. After starting a blog we must have to update it continuously and also have to make links with other either by guest posting or by blog commenting. Thanks for sharing this post.
develop a passion for writing, practice makes perfect.
Thank you, Daren, for all your helpful posts and advices! I recently started a blog, because I felt I need to fill in my free time with some profitable occupation, which involves my needs to communicate, to find good, creative and artistic people with attractive style of dressing and living. I wish to make the readers day better and make them feel good and positive. The thing is I don’t know if the traffic is good or bad for three-week old blog, I need the opinion of profesionalists in blogging. All the people, who had expressed their thoughts about my idea, were positive and liked it, but I really need someone who is involved in this sphere for a long time, because I enjoy doing it! For sure, it’s going to take time and knowing myself, I will always look for moving on. I need you to share what you think about it
Thank you all :)
“Your first post won’t be perfect” – this is so true, you can probably say it’ll be horrible! It’s either super rigid and overdone, or very boring, from my experience with my own blogs.
It’s actually a great idea to go back a re-read your first post to see how far you’ve come. Great motivator to continue ;)
One thing I’ve learned over the years about blogging is patience, a lot of patience is required in the beginning without which you cannot succeed in this field.
Very true. At some point you have to jump in and learn as you go. Everyday brings new insights.
Thanks for the great advice. I’m up to approx 20 posts now. I just need the patience whilst I wait for someone to answer a question, somebody, anybody.
What is your question, Jodie? :)
Nice said darren,
START for me is: Swiftly Take Action at Right Time…
I have started canvasing my ideas in my blog. And your thoughts and ideas have always been motivating and encouraging.
i like your post and the image of start..
so so true …… *sigh* … I miss my blogging days …..