Today we are going to be talking about blogging, specifically about a step by step process of how to start a blog. And I have been wanting to write this article for ages because this is a question we are often asked as FIRMSconsulting.com started as a blog and only later grew into a multimedia educational platform it is today.

Many FC members now are starting their own businesses. And almost any business these days can benefit from a blog.

Why? Because a blog is one of the very few ways to get organic traffic to your website.

FIRMSconsulting.com was created in 2010, 14 years ago. When we were starting out we had to figure out everything. All the details of running a blog. How to purchase a domain, where to host, which platform to use, how to optimize articles for search engines, how to select articles to write, how to make sure our blog looked nice, how to collect email addresses of our readers so we can keep in touch with them. If this is the kind of information you are searching for, this post if for you.

How to start a blog, step # 1: Pick a niche

The first step is, of course, to pick a niche you want to focus on. If you want to give yourself some room to experiment and settle on a niche later, you can use your own name for your blog. This will allow you to try out different things and then grow into finding your own space. But if you are certain you want to focus on a specific area, now is the time to figure out what it is, because that will give you more options when you are selecting a domain name.

Think about what you want to write about for years and years. There are no restrictions. Some common blog topics include:

• travel;

• fashion & style;

• politics;

• food and cooking;

• business.

Some of you may be thinking, hold on, what about a business plan? Why are we not starting from writing a business plan?

I wrote them when I was doing my MBA. They take a lot of time and they are not that useful. Business is as much art as it is a science. And it is a lot about showing up and working hard, every day, for many years.

Things don't go according to plan. And the person who wins is often a person who takes action, does solid high-quality work consistently, over a long period of time.

So, in my opinion, it is much better to channel your limited time and energy in taking action versus writing a business plan.

You can spend 200 hours writing a business plan, outlining your target market, marketing plan, team requirements, the competitive advantage of your company, but at the end of those 200 hours, you still have done nothing. And your competitor, who invested their 200 hours on registering a company, buying a domain name, creating a product, building an audience is light years ahead of you by now.

How to start a blog, step # 2: Test your idea

I mentioned this in earlier articles. This step does not have to take long but it is an important step. Before you invest a lot of time in starting your blog, speak to a couple of people within your network who are passionate about a topic you selected, and see what are their most pressing problems. Talking to them will help you identify some areas you may want to focus on immediately. It may also help you figure out which products and services you can offer. It is a crucial and very helpful step.

At this point also take a look at blogs of your competitors. See what they are doing well, and what you can do better. Notice what products and services they are offering and see if this is something you could offer as well. Read comments to figure out what are major pain points people in your target market have and think about how you can help them. Reddit is another good place to look for ideas on what people are trying to find answers for.

While you are doing this research keep track of article ideas that come to mind as you are speaking to different people and reading comments.

How to start a blog, step # 3: Buy a domain name, select a design/theme (Wordpress.com), and hosting

Use a reputable blogging service. My favorite is Wordpress.com. There are many Wordpress.com themes you can use to help you create a presentable blog efficiently and effectively. For domain names I usually use GoDaddy.com. You will be able to search for domain ideas, see how much it will cost you, pick one, and purchase it, all in a few easy clicks.

For hosting, I prefer to use either Wordpress.com or GoDaddy.com. GoDaddy is a cheaper option and offers a package option where you pay for hosting of multiple blogs at a cheaper rate.

If you need help configuring everything, you can hire a freelancer on codeable.com or upwork.com. I always search for freelancers with many 5 star reviews and high completion of jobs rate (Upwork). This gives you some assurance that freelancer takes their job seriously.

How to start a blog, step #4: Start writing and optimizing articles

From step 2 you should have a list of initial blog posts you can write. Pick one and go to Google Keyword Planner and check monthly searches for potential keywords that will work for this blog post. For example, for this blog post the keyword (phrase actually) is "how to start a blog." It has 10K-100K monthly searches on Canada and United States alone.

How to start a blog, step #5: Include images

Create posts with images. Search engines give preference to blog posts with images, so try to accompany your blog posts with high-quality images. Check out websites like UnSplash.com and Canva to find images for your blog.

How to start a blog, step #6: Post regularly

Few things contribute to a decrease in blog traffic like a long absence of new posts, or irregular posts. Post at least once a week, ideally at least 2 times per week. And try to schedule your posts for the same time. For example, always schedule your posts for 10am PST on Mondays and Thursdays.

How to start a blog, step #7: Index your blog on Google and other search engines

Make sure you submit your blog to Google and other search engines.