So You Want to Start a Blog

It’s my birthday! Well, it’s Nuggetland’s birthday. I started this blog one year ago and I’m blown away by how far it’s come in just that short time.

I started this blog after I got laid off. I knew I was going to take a break from a full time corporate job yet I wanted to stay creative and fight off any rust that being out of the workforce for an extended period of time can bring. In my last corporate role, I created websites, marketing and advertising campaigns, generated and nurtured leads though compelling content and shared that on social media. Branching out on my own with a blog seemed like a natural fit and in a lot of aspects, it was. But man on man, did I have a lot to learn.

There is so much that goes into having a successful blog beyond just writing a good story. There is the technical aspect of building and managing a site. There are the layers upon layers of creating content that is found, and read, and engaged with. There is the monetization of your site and setting yourself up for earning an income. Don’t even get me started about photography and video. <Cue my shameless plug to subscribe to our Youtube Channel>

How Do I Start a Blog?

I get asked a lot about what it takes to get started. First and foremost, you have to like to write. You have to be confident in yourself and put aside any worry about what other people will think. It’s one thing to put out your work behind a corporate brand, it’s a completely different feeling when it’s your work and your name and your life and whoo. It’s rewarding but humbling. Putting yourself out there, either in a home project like my laundry room or in a deeply personal post, like when I shared about being a victim of domestic violence, isn’t easy.

Second, you need to give it time. It takes time to build the content, it takes time to build an audience. An authentically engaged audience. Since my girls are young and not in school full time, I only have time to work on the blog part time. It’s not a realistic expectation to make thousands of dollars a month as a new blogger – no matter what Pinterest tells you. Especially if you’re like me and you don’t have 8 hours a day to focus on it.

Blog Resources

There are plenty of resource out there to help you start. Here are the ones I’ve found most helpful. Some of these are affiliate links, meaning if you click and buy the company pays me a small commission at no cost to you. And if you care curious about blogging as an income stream, then affiliate links are a great way to supplement your income.

Bluehost – this is the hosting service that I use. I’ve been extremely happy with their support and service.

WordPress – Build and manage your site with WordPress. Customize your theme, layout and content.

Google Analytics – take their free courses and learn how their reporting works. You will gain so many insights on your audience and content that it will be integral in helping develop your content calendar.

Canva – easy way to up your Pinterest and graphics game.

Blog Clarity – their Pinning Perfect course not only helped me develop a pinning strategy that has significantly increased my reach on Pinterest (resulting in website traffic) but elevated my blog content dramatically. It’s worth every penny.

Tailwind – I have a very limited time to work each day since I’m home full time with my girls. This service lets me automate my pinning. It’s a game changer and time saver.

Mom 2.0 – This conference helped me not only from a professional education standpoint but increased my network significantly. I met some really amazing women who have mentored me and become my friends. It’s a great experience if you are looking to expand your reach as a mother with a platform – i.e. Mommy Blogger.

I’ve got big plans for the next year at Nuggetlands. I’m so thankful to the woman who told me when I first started and was feeling a little clique about it all – that no one has my voice and that there is always room for another voice to be heard. It’s so true and has been so gratifying. Thank you for reading and being part of this incredible journey so far. Even though I’m currently looking to get back to work, I always plan to keep this site up and growing, sharing our family, fun, food and function at home.

Blog Resouces

 

 

Similar Posts