Question: How can I get started with blogging, and what types of things can I write about?

Answer:

Having a strong online presence is more important than ever for authors, as digital marketing continues to be an essential component of an effective book marketing plan, and as readers are hopeful to find and follow their favorite authors online. One powerful way to build your online platform and connect with readers is to write blog articles. These are short pieces of content that you control and post online on a regular basis.

If you already have an author website—and, we recommend all authors do—you may be able to add a blog feature to your current website. For those that don’t have an author website yet, we recommend choosing a website builder platform that includes an optional blog feature that can be turned on in case you’d like to utilize it in the future.

The Benefits of Having an Author Blog

For writers and authors, there are many benefits to starting and maintaining a blog including:

Boosting Your Online Discoverability: It can be hard for authors to stand out in the crowded book marketplace. Having a blog will strengthen your online presence and encourage search engines such as Google to recommend your content when someone searches for something related to what you post.

Connecting with Your Target Readers: A blog lets you connect with your readers on a deeper level through engaging and interesting content. By posting consistently, you can create a community and build a loyal following. You’ll also want to interact with readers through comments and social media to strengthen that connection.

Building Your Credibility: Blogging gives you the opportunity to show off your knowledge and expertise in your genre or field. Whether you’re sharing your writing process, tips for other authors or industry trends, a blog positions you as an expert in your niche.

Promoting Your Books: While a blog’s priority is to engage, educate, or entertain its readers, it should also be used as a promotional tool. You’ll want to use promotional posts sparingly, but an occasional post about your latest releases, behind-the-scenes sneak peeks, and exclusive offers should be integrated. You can also include a call-to-action to drive people to your book sales pages.

Increasing Your Professional Opportunities: A well-maintained blog can bring additional opportunities for you and your work including interest from literary agents and publishers, interview requests from media outlets, and speaking engagements.

Practicing and Improving Your Writing Craft: You’ve probably heard before that writing is like a muscle, and you have to exercise it regularly to make it stronger. The more writing you do and the more you push yourself to explore different types of writing, the better your craft will be over time. Starting a blog is a great way to exercise your writing muscle.

Providing Content for You to Repurpose: - Every piece of writing you do is another work in your writing portfolio. As long as you own the content and don’t sign the rights over to anyone else, you can repurpose this content however you like. You can use your blog content in your author newsletter, or compile a collection of your blog content to create a full-length book or even a workbook. There are endless possibilities when it comes to repurposing your content.

Choosing the Right Blogging Platform for You

If you already have an author website set up, the platform you are using may have a blog feature that can be turned on or easily integrated. Website builder platforms such as Wordpress, Squarespace, and Wix offer blogging features and customization.

For those authors that don’t yet have a website, we recommend exploring the below platforms to see which one might be the best fit based on your budget, long-term goals, and technical skills:

Blogger: A free, user-friendly platform that focuses on blogging. Users can build a basic website using the platform, but the features and support are limited. It does offer users access to Google AdSense, which can earn the user income in exchange for allowing targeted ads to be posted on their blog page.

WordPress.com: A great platform for beginners with easy set-up and a free, basic plan. It offers a range of website themes and built-in features including a blog. Users can access advanced features with a paid plan starting at $4 a month that includes a free custom domain name for one year.

Squarespace: A user-friendly, drag and drop interface with professionally designed website and blog templates. It does not offer a free plan, but does offer a 14-day free trial and a free custom domain name for one year. Plans start at $16 a month.  

Wix: This platform uses AI technology to help users quickly build a website with blogging capabilities. It offers a free, basic plan to get started, and then upgraded plans with additional features starting at $17 per month. There is a 14-day free trial for the upgraded plans and a free custom domain name for one year.

If you are more serious about long-term content creation and wish to maintain a blog that is separate from your website, you can explore these two platforms:

Medium: A publishing platform where people can write and read insightful articles on the topics that matter most to them. It gives writers the chance to earn money through the Partner Program, where you can put articles behind a paywall to earn income. You can increase earnings with repeat readers, engagement, and more. To participate in the Partner Program, you must upgrade to a paid member account (starting at $4 a month) and meet Medium’s guidelines.

Substack: A platform that combines blogging with email marketing, allowing users to build a subscription business. Posts can be published as free or as subscriber only. You can import any existing email lists and continue to build your list over time, using Substack for your email communications. Users can share text-based posts, videos, podcasts, and discussion threads. It’s free to get started on Substack, and if you turn on paid subscriptions, Substack will keep a 10% cut of revenues for operating costs.

What You Can Write About in Your Blog

A common question from authors who are considering starting and maintaining a blog is, “What will I write about?” Creating quality content from scratch on a regular basis can seem overwhelming at first, but if you build a solid content plan ahead of time, the execution will become more achievable. It’s also helpful to research writers and bloggers similar to you to review their content strategies and brainstorm ideas for your own blog.

Here are twelve blog content ideas that you can write about to help get you started:

1.  Your area of expertise
2.  A topic or step from your book
3.  Your writing and research process
4.  The craft of writing – outlining, plotting, world-building, character development, etc.
5.  Personal essays about life experiences, your passions, or interests
6.  Commonly asked questions from fans and your answers
7.  Editing, publishing, or book marketing advice and tips
8.  Mistakes or obstacles you’ve overcome on your author journey
9.  Lists of your favorite things – books, movies, hobbies, etc.
10.  Book reviews to support other authors
11.  Written interviews with other authors
12.  Links to other blogs you like and follow, and share why you like them

Once you’ve established a quality blog for your own work, you can offer to guest blog for other authors or individuals related to your topic or message. This can be a great way to tap into the fan base of others to grow your own.

Best Practices for Blogging Success

Starting a blog is just the beginning; maintaining it effectively over time is the key to building awareness for your work and increasing your readership. Here are some best practices to ensure your blog’s success:

Define Your Blog’s Purpose and Audience: Before you start writing, it’s important to clarify the purpose of your blog and identify your target audience. Are you writing to engage with readers of your books, share writing tips, or explore industry trends? Finding your niche and knowing your audience will help you create content that resonates and drives engagement.

Create a Content Calendar: Consistency is crucial in blogging. We recommend developing a content calendar to plan and schedule your posts in advance. This will help you maintain a regular posting schedule and ensure a steady flow of content. You’ll want to aim for at least one post biweekly or weekly to keep your audience engaged.

Write Quality Content: Focus on creating high-quality content that offers value and demonstrates your best writing. Your posts should be informative and relevant to your audience. You can also incorporate storytelling, personal insights, and actionable tips to make your content engaging and memorable. You’ll want to aim to write at least 750 – 1,500 words for each blog post.

Optimize for Search Engines: You can appeal to the algorithms of search engines such as Google by using relevant keywords, descriptive titles, and internal and external links in your blog posts. You can also optimize any images you include by using what’s called “alt text”. Google’s algorithms, for example, use a mix of factors to help determine which blog content demonstrates aspects of experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness, otherwise known as “E-E-A-T”.

Promote Your Blog: Don’t rely solely on organic traffic to find your blog. You’ll want to actively promote your blog and drive people to it through social media, collaborations with other bloggers, and your email newsletter.

Engage with Your Readers: Be sure to respond to comments and messages from your readers to foster a sense of community. Engaging with your audience not only builds relationships but also provides valuable feedback that can help you improve your content.

Monitor and Analyze Performance: You can use any data provided by your website or blogging platform to analyze things such as traffic, page views, and reader engagement to understand what’s working and what needs improvement. By reviewing and understanding your blog’s performance, you can make informed decisions and refine your strategy.

Continuously Improve: Blogging is an ongoing process of learning and adapting. It’s important to stay updated on industry trends, experiment with new content formats, and be open to feedback. You’ll also want to update older content as needed, and ensure any links to other pages are still working and relevant.

The Challenges of Starting and Maintaining an Author Blog

As with most book marketing efforts, starting and maintaining an author blog requires ongoing time and effort. Blogging can be frustrating because you will likely not see an immediate increase in followers and book sales. It takes time for people to find your blog, determine whether the type of content is something they would like to follow, and ultimately make a purchase. If you find yourself burning out or dreading content creation for your blog, it may be time to reassess your goals. It’s important to genuinely enjoy the process, otherwise your content may seem too forced or contrived.

Starting a blog is a smart strategy for authors looking to enhance their online presence, engage with their readers, and promote their work. By following best practices and consistently delivering valuable content, you can create a successful blog that complements your writing career. We encourage you to embrace the opportunities that blogging offers, and watch it become a powerful tool in your author toolkit.

Photo credit: anyaberkut via Getty Images
Photo credit: izusek via Getty Images
Photo credit: asbe via Getty Images
Photo credit: Christian Horz via Getty Images

GO BACK TO THE MAIN BLOG PAGE