Starting a blog is a way to get your voice heard. The first step is to develop a focus for the blog that aligns with who you are. What do you want to blog about? Start by considering three elements.
Think about your interests
- What are your passions?
- What do you want to make more time for in your life?
- What activities or thoughts do you want to cultivate?
- What do you want to spend more time doing?
Think about whom you want to interact with
- Do you want to work alone or with a collective of other bloggers who share your focus?
- Do you want a chance to connect with experts in your field?
- Are you inviting comments and building a community?
- Do you want to blog about what you can discover by going out and about to concerts, restaurants, or museums?
- Do you want to stretch your comfort zone by taking up a new activity such as making books or training for a marathon?
- Are you happiest at home with a good movie, or in the kitchen, or at your sewing machine?
Think about what your blog will do
- Commentary can include anything from your travel journal to your thoughts on the state of the economy. You might share your thoughts on the funny things that happen in your life or share a poem that is particularly meaningful.
- Reviews are good excuses for getting out and enjoying cultural activities such as movies, restaurants, theaters, or concerts. If you are a homebody, you can review books, electronic equipment, or services.
- Tutorials are great for sharing recipes and cooking techniques, crafting or artisanal projects. You can also teach your readers how to start a business, build a container garden, or ask for a loan.
- Portfolios show off your creative work. Poets and writers, painters and sculptors, weavers and knitters, or makers of any kind can find a way to get their work before the eyes of the public through their blog.
- Business Updates can let your customers have a peek behind the scenes, involve your customers, and build loyalty. Your dog grooming business might feature a different dog every week. Your wine shop is a great platform to inform your customers on the merits of new wines. As a printer, you can highlight new equipment that will serve your customers better.
As you think about the direction you want your blog to take, keep a notebook to capture your midnight ideas or those that come to you as you read or stand in line at the grocery store. Go out and do something interesting. Talk with people who share your passion. Hopefully, you will be writing your blog for a good long time; make certain you are spending your efforts on something you love.