Starting A Blog-11 Important Lessons I Learned

Getting started as a new blogger can be overwhelming, to say the least. That is why I decided to share with you the lessons I learned from my own personal journey so I can make your journey a little easier.

Managing your personal finances can be stressful. I should know. I have dealt with some difficult financial situations in my life.

Growing up, I lived in a 2-bedroom apartment with my mom, brother, and sister. We didn’t have a car and barely survived on government assistance. I knew from a very early age that I wasn’t going to live this way as an adult.

I was tired of wearing my brother’s hand-me-downs and not having any money to go out with my friends. As soon as I was able, I took every babysitting job that was offered, had a newspaper route, and did other various jobs.

I worked hard, always had good grades, and went to college. But then I did something that wasn’t very smart. I got married at the age of 19. Two kids and 14 years later, we divorced. This was my first financial setback as an adult.

A few years later I married my soulmate and we have been together for 18 years now. The first couple of years were a little strenuous on our finances because he did not have the best track record when it came to managing his money. He was paying child support for 2 children and had some high-interest debt. Needless to say, we were able to get a handle on it, and we are in a much better position today.

Even though I faced a few financial challenges in my adult life, I was never faced with living in poverty as I did as a child. Sure, money was tight a few times, but I was always prepared to weather the financial storm.

There are a few financial habits I have stuck to ever since I was a teenager. They are as follows:

• I always put some of my earnings in a savings account
• I always shopped around for the best deals
• I keep unnecessary spending within reason
• I diversify my investments
• I monitor my credit
• I pay my credit cards in full every month
• I take an occasional side-hustle to either build up my savings or put towards something that is not in my budget

More recently though, I decided to start my own blog. I’ve heard so much about people making money blogging that I decided to give it some serious thought.

The idea of blogging became more and more appealing. I have been an accountant for over 20 years, but I felt it was time for a change. I was stuck in a rut. I was tired of the 9-5 and the office politics. I took a serious look in the mirror and realized that I really enjoy being creative, but I couldn’t just quit my job.

Blogging allows me to put my creative talents to work and earn some money at the same time. I am an introvert so starting a blog was a little scary. But I enjoy writing.  It is an outlet for me, and it is very therapeutic. So, I decided to take the plunge and began my blog Sensibly Shelley.

I will not sugarcoat it or lie to you. Blogging takes dedication, tenacity, and patience. And you shouldn’t expect to quit your job right away. Regardless of what you may have heard, you are not going to be making thousands of dollars right from the start.

Lessons I Have Learned

Prior to my first publication, I did a lot of research. I watched videos and read articles about choosing a platform, writing articles, and building an audience. And even though I had a few posts written ahead of time, I still wasn’t as prepared as I thought I would be.

1. Know Your Strengths

One of the things I have learned since I started my blog is that it takes a certain type of person. You should be dedicated, organized, and willing to learn. Lucky for me, these are traits that I already possessed. I just didn’t realize what an asset my traits would be with respect to blogging.

2. What Are Your Interests

Before starting a blog there are a few things you should seriously consider, the first of which is deciding on a niche. Think about the subjects that interest you. It helps if you have some knowledge in those areas. Make a list of your interests and narrow it down from there.

Then do a little research. Read articles that are similar to your niche. You probably have subscribed to a few blogs already. What are they writing about?

Once you decide on a niche, try writing a few posts. Aim for 5-10 articles, this way you will have some content when you are ready to move forward.

3. Decide on A Name          

Then you should decide on a name. This can be tough. You want it to be something easy to remember but helps you stand out. Some people use part of their name, like me while others decide on a name that is related to their content. The point is to make your blog name original and distinctive.

4. Choose A Host Provider and A Platform

After you have done some research, written a few posts, and decided on a name, you will need to choose a web hosting provider and a platform. I use Host Gator for my provider and the platform I use is WordPress. I have nothing but good things to say about both companies.

Host Gator has reasonable prices, and they offer 24/7 support. I have run into some technical issues twice and really appreciated getting some assistance on a weekend.

WordPress is great too. The platform is easy to use, and they offer several different options for support plans. I was able to do much of the set-up and design myself, but there were still things I needed to learn.

I paid for one month of service and focused on learning everything I could in that month. A few months later when I needed a little more advanced assistance, I paid for another month and did the same thing.

5. Protect Yourself

Before you hit the publish button for the first time, you will want to make sure you protect yourself legally. To comply with federal laws, be sure to include a privacy policy, disclaimer, disclosure, and terms and conditions.

Get assistance from Blogging for New Bloggers. They offer a Free Legal Course and a Legal Bundle Value Pack. They also have a Privacy Policy Template which made writing my privacy policy so much easier.