Blogging is a great for writing and sharing your opinions with others

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If you have a passion for writing and sharing your opinions with others, blogging is a great way to find others with the same interests. But with over 2.7 million blog posts being published each day, it can be an overwhelming task for a new blogger to stand out. Here’s what you should do to ensure that your blog has the best chance of succeeding.

1) Do your research between the major blog platforms. One of the biggest decisions you’ll have to make is whether you’re going to go with a free platform like Blogger or WordPress.com, or a paid platform like WordPress.org, SquareSpace or Wix. As you make this decision, you’ll want to decide if this blog is a long term hobby or one that you see as a professional business start up. If you’re sure that blogging is what you want to do professionally, it’s best to invest the money in a self-hosted platform right away. You can do this at a later stage in your blogging career, but the transfer becomes more unwieldy as you produce more content.

2) Have your own domain name. This step is the single easiest way to make your blog look professional. Instead of having “www.myblog.blogspot.com” or “www.myblog.wordpress.com,” you can have an easy to remember URL such as “MyBlog.com.” Search around for the cheapest domain name registration since you’ll find a wide variety in how much you’ll pay for this service. Register.com is a good option since it is easy to search for available domain names, is reliable, and has competitive pricing.

3) Consider a web address with an unusual ending. Although we’re all used to seeing “.com” after web addresses, there are so many other domain extensions available. These might be a fun way to distance yourself from others for a very small investment. Use “.tv” if you’re including a focus on videos, or “.net” for an eye-catching URL.

If you’ve managed to nab a standard .com address that you think might be popular in the future, you should also consider purchasing other popular domain extensions and redirecting those to your blog. This is a cost effective way to protect your blog and he brand you are building. After all, it would be awful to build a blog at “MamaKatesBestRecipes.com” only to have a copycat blogger build another food site at “MamaKatesBestRecipes.net.”

4) Start building your social media audience immediately. While your blog’s content is at the heart of your long term success, you need to connect with your intended audience. The best way to find your ideal readers is through social media. As soon as you settle on a name and you’ve purchased your domain, set up your Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest accounts. You’ll see those monthly pageviews climb in no time!

5) Network with other bloggers. Navigating the path to blogging success can be tricky and confusing. There are hundreds of support groups on Facebook where bloggers share their tips for success, help promote each other’s content, and answer general blogging questions. So, if you need to know how to upload photos to your Twitter account or how to respond to that first sponsored post request, you’ll have to tribe to help you every step of the way.