Christian Blogging 101: Part One
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Recently a friend of mine (and AWEsome prayer and accountability partner) asked for some advice on how to amp up her blog, so I wrote a short novella in a Facebook message to her with some ideas. The following day, I received another request for some advice on how to get started in blogging and how to make money doing it.
Two requests in two days…all I could do was laugh.
But I’ve got to say that when you’re called to a task, you’re called peopleโฆand you’ve got to take a deep breath and accept the challenge head-on, full well knowing that the big guy has got your back. ย So here I am to present to you some ideas to help guide you as to take the next step in your own call to Christian blogging.
Let me preface my advice in saying, that if you do not intend to blog as a Christian ministry, don’t worry, this advice will still be more than sufficient to help guide you. ย It’ll just be peppered with my own thoughts of ways to go about things from a Christian POV.
So without further ado…
Develop a Mission Statement – once you have determined what your content will focus on, you can develop a mission statement. ย This statement provides a concise description of the purpose for your blog.
Select Key Words – from your mission statement you will want to select key words that each of your posts will touch on. ย For example, Breething’s mission statement is to “inspire others to become the best version of themselves, through their relationships, health and faith”; therefore the key words that I focus my content on are relationships, health and faith, and I try to gear each of my posts towards at least one of these.
Choose a Fitting Name – just like it takes some careful consideration when naming a baby, you’ll need to do the same for your blog. ย Consider a play on words that fits within the niche you have selected, or simply go with something straight forward. Just be sure that it’s a title that gives the impression of your intent as a Christian blogger.
[Tweet “Blogging doesn’t start with the 1st post. It’s the behind-the-scenes work!”]
Purchase a Domain Name – by purchasing the URL, website address, domain name (whatever you want to call it) for the selected name of your blog, you are ensuring that once your blog is developed and begins to grow, that you will have a certain place within the “blogosphere” in which you are easily recognized and discovered. ย There are a variety of sites to purchase from, but some of my preferred are GoDaddy.com or 1and1.com for their pricing and customer service.
Select Your Blogging Platformย – this is probably one of the most challenging parts of getting started in blogging; determining the best place to do it! ย And it really all comes down to personal preference. ย Some of the most recommended and best by industry standards include WordPress.org, Blogger, and Weebly. ย Do your research to determine which will suit your needs the best. ย There’s no right or wrong answer, just what will work best for what you intend to your blog to become.
Select a Web Host Provider – depending upon which blogging platform you choose, you may need a separate web host provider. ย Weebly and Blogger have built in hosting, so you do not need to worry about purchasing a separate package. However, if you choose to self-host through WordPress.org, you will want to consider using one of the three top recommended hosts for WP:ย Bluehost, Dream Host, and Laughing Squid. ย As always, do your research ahead of time to determine what will work best for you and your blogging
needs.
Create Your Blog – it’s finally time to get started in developing your physical blog. And the first thing you’ll want to do is determine the type of “look” you are trying to achieve with your blog. Is it fun and colorful, is it simple and minimal in design, or does it have a unique flair all it’s own? Whatever you select as your overall “look”, be sure that it is something that you are comfortable sharing across a variety of platforms (such as social media – which I’ll talk more about in Part Two). This will help to provide a branded look, that aids in recognition of your blog and the content that you provide.
Need ideas for color schemes (and what they mean)? Check out this link.Remember that Less is More – when building your blog, you want to start out with a simple design and concept and build from there. Don’t crowd your page with too many images, that it overwhelms the reader. Stick to your color scheme, but add a fresh pop of color occasionally through different images.
Utilize Images – Pinterest is one of the most popular social media sites, specially for women and is a top referring site for many bloggers, so using images in your posts is crucial to get more traffic heading your direction, once you are established. The rule of thumb is that you should include at least ONE image per blog post, but the more the merrier!
Some great sources of free images to download and use as you wish can be found at:ย https://medium.com/p/62ae4bcbe01bย & alsoย www.pixabay.com
Brush Up on Your Photo Editingย – if you don’t have Photoshop or don’t have the time to learn how to use it to it’s fullest potential, consider using Picmonkey. ย It’s a free site that allows you to edit, add text and graphics to your images. ย You can also upgrade for a low annual cost to get additional options for editing and more font choices. ย I use Picmonkey for all of my images – it’s super user-friendly.
Great Resources for the Beginner Blogger
Christian Mommy Blogger – Though it was recently taken over by someone new, it is chocked full of great items for beginning bloggers and tips on how to start out and growโฆ faithfully. Their information really got the ball rolling for me and has provided me with a fantastic group of women that have been a God-send in supporting me as I grow.
SitsGirls – I recently came across this dynamic duo and their fantastic blogging advice. ย It has been an adventure keeping up with their fast-paced Twitter parties and wealth of knowledge. ย I love their positive attitude and their willingness to aid others in their own journey through blogging.
Blogelina – Quite literally all the help you could ever need in blogging, this girl has got it! ย From the basics to advanced questions on how to build and grow in the blogging world, you’ll find the answers here!
Blogging with Amy – Perfect example of how a little goes a long way, in the ways of design and her short snippets of invaluable information to get you going on the road towards success. ย Amy has wonderful step-by-step guides to get you where you want to be.
Looking For More Blogging Advice
Be sure to follow my Blogging board on Pinterest. ย It’s constantly changing with the most valuable information for new and seasoned bloggers. ย Also check out my favorite Blogging Tools, while you’re there!
Follow Bree Blum’s board Blogging on Pinterest.
More to come in Part Two on how to grow your blog…so stay tuned!
Other “How To” Guides you may enjoyโฆ
How to Create a Vision Board Using PicMonkey ย
Confessions of a Multi-Tasker: 5 Ways to Be More Effective
How to Budget: Becoming Responsible in Your Spending ย
Guide to the Ultimate Color Run Experience ย
Note: Some of the links above are my affiliate links which means, at no additional cost to you, I may receive a small commission if you make a purchase. Thank you for your support in this way!
Wow, you really covered everything! This is a great resource for those looking to start. Blogging with Amy was so helpful to me!
Thank you, Tiffany! With my years of experience in web design, I just compiled a list of things that I have told my clients time and again. I couldn’t help but post after receiving two requests, two days in a row…that can’t be by chance, right!?!
Wow. I’m so excited.can’t wait to dig in and get started.this is the best.
Sue, I’m so excited for you to get started! I thank you for being part of the inspiration for this post and I pray that it will help you on this first leg of the journey! If you have any questions, please let me know…and stay tuned for part 2 as well! ๐
Great tips, Bree. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you, Sheila! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment!
These are great tips. I think I know most of them. Some definitely took a lot longer to grasp than others.=) Blogging is a learning process. But, so fun!
Thanks, Barefoot Hippie Girl! Blogging is definitely a learning process, but I really enjoy collecting all of the great tips out there, testing them out and seeing what works and often times what does not. ๐
Hi Bree,
Great tips for new bloggers ๐
Thank you, Anita! I hope that this series will help to inspire others who may have otherwise decided not to start this venture because they thought it was too challenging.
This is such a great list and resource for those starting out. I’m pretty sure that I owe Blogging with Amy all the credit for starting mt blog! I love your quote that starting a blog is more than just a first post, but all the work that goes on behind the scenes, so true!
I fully agree – Blogging with Amy is FULL of great information for those starting out. Her tidbits are easy to implement as well. Thanks for your sweet words on about what blogging takes. Many blessings to you and your home on the web! ๐
Thank you for the hints, tips and advice. I appreciate you sharing this. ๐ Gentle Joy
Oh, I don’t know how I overlooked your message, I’m so sorry! I appreciate you stopping by and taking the time to comment. Please forgive me and my forgetfulness! I pray these tips provide you the steps you need to get yourself on your way to creating a place of your own. Be blessed!
Some of these tips are things I constantly need to remind myself about. Thanks for posting!
You and me both, girl! I actually stop back to this post myself sometimes to remind myself what I should be focusing on, lol! I hope that the information here helps to provide you the focus that you need in order to develop your own little corner in the world wide web! Many blessings as you continue on the journey!
Thanks so much for including Blogelina in your list of resources! You have an amazing post here for bloggers – and it’s only part one! ๐
You are most welcome, Tanya! I’m glad that you enjoyed the post. And thanks for the reminder, I really need to get on that “Part 2”! ๐
This is great! Can’t wait to get started! Thanks for the support and teaching the newbies!!! Grateful for you!