It sometimes feels as if everyone you know has a blog. As people start to drift away from social media, more and more people are beginning to personalize their online presence with a tool that can be managed, designed and created in a way that best reflects their interests and personality. So if you’re considering setting up your first blog, you’re certainly in good company. The question is, what is your blog going to be about, and how are you going to protect that digital extension of you? Luckily, there are a vast number of tools and resources that you can use to get the most from your blogging experience, and you may even benefit from the time you put into increasing your digital footprint, possibly even financially. If you’re taking the first steps towards your blogging future, here are the key elements that you need to consider.
Your subject matter, matters
You’re going to need to decide on your area of interest and focus on that. It’s all well and good having a Facebook profile where you post your random musings, but for a blog, you’re going to need consistency. This benefits you for a variety of reasons, not least because it forces you to remain focused on your specialisms. However, more than that, a well-written blog that indicates knowledge and professionalism could increase your chances of finding a new job in the area that you’re most interested in. Never underestimate the influence that your blog can have on your career.
Choosing the right platform
There are so many options available when it comes to choosing the right blogging platform. Take the time to look through the options, and don’t panic if your website building skills are minimal (or even non-existent), as the majority provide templates and are designed for ease of use.
Update regularly
Although you don’t want to overdo your content volume, you do need to provide regularly updated and consistent content. That content is the most important element of your blog in terms of attracting readers and expressing your blogging intentions. Treat your blog as an extension of your CV or online portfolio, and you won’t go far wrong. Use a blend of text and images that will attract and complement each other, and your blog will soon be looking amazing.
Be security aware
There are a number of issues when it comes to online security, and you need to be aware of them. Whether you have monetized your blog in the form of an e-commerce store or not, you will still be gathering data and providing an access route for cybercriminals to leverage into. If you’re using cloud-based services like Amazon Web Services, then you need to prioritize your AWS Security Best Practices to keep yourself safe and to keep your branding and personal data safe as well.
Blogging can be used in such a wide variety of ways that it’s no surprise blogs are increasing in popularity once again. If you want to explore the possibilities and the benefits that blogging can provide, then do a little research and make a decision on your subject matter. Once you have a clear idea of what you want your blog to do for you, then you’re off to the best blogging start.
