How to create a lifestyle blog in three easy steps!
Step 1) Brainstorm ideas that interest you.
Step 2) Plan out your site—from what it will look like to how you want to promote it and attract readers!
Step 3) Work hard to make your site the best it can be!
This handout includes detailed instructions, tips, and useful links to get you started on creating your own successful lifestyle blog today! Enjoy the ride!
Do You Have the Right Mindset?
Starting a lifestyle blog is incredibly time-consuming and requires long hours, but that’s just one of many reasons why it can be difficult to get started. If you have your heart set on starting one, you need to develop both an entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial skills in order to have any chance at success.
To do that, think about what type of lifestyle you want for yourself and how you’re going to achieve it. Once you know those things, then it becomes easier (though still not easy) to sit down and develop an action plan for creating your perfect lifestyle business.
How Much Does It Cost?
You don’t need thousands of dollars in start-up costs, either. To start your own website and do it on your own terms—that is, without anyone else involved except you—you just need a computer and internet connection. There are tons of free blogging platforms out there.
WordPress is probably one of (if not) the most popular blogging platform(s) available today. It’s free, it looks professional, and it doesn’t require much upkeep on your part after you get things set up initially. There are no paid upgrades or special features that go along with your free account, either.
What’s Your Niche?
Is it mothers, retirees, or college students? Regardless of who you’re targeting with your content, it’s important to understand who they are and what they like. If you have an existing following on another social media platform, take some time to study their demographics and interests.
Find out what they’re interested in reading about, who they follow and what brands or businesses are influential in their lives. You can then tailor your posts accordingly so that each one resonates with people similar to your existing audience. If you’re just starting out and don’t yet have an audience, think about how you would describe yourself if you were trying to reach people that are like-minded or aligned with your values.
Who Is Your Audience?
Identify your ideal reader. What do they look like? How old are they? Are they moms, college kids or professionals with an interest in fashion and beauty? What’s important to them? What questions do you think they have about started their own lifestyle blog? Write down your answers.
Now that you know who you’re writing for, it’s time to ask yourself another question: Where is my target reader online already? Think of how you could reach them through one or all of their favourite websites and apps.
Where Will You Find Your Readers?
Keep in mind that building an audience of people interested in your niche can take time. While it’s possible to build a large audience quickly, most bloggers need two to three years to get enough visitors consistently coming back for them to generate sustainable income from their blogs. So, how do you start attracting readers?
Here are some strategies • Guest post on other blogs in your industry and link back to your own site (and include a call-to-action at the end). This is one of my favourite ways to attract new readers. • Create great content on topics related to your niche and then share it on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter.
Be sure to use relevant hashtags so others will find you when they search for those topics or tags. • Comment on other blogs in your industry with valuable insights or questions related to their posts (don’t be spammy about it, though). Other bloggers will often respond by sharing links back to yours if they think there’s value in what you have to say.
Registering Your Domain Name
Clickbait is online content that attracts your attention, but there’s no substance behind it. Most of these articles promise information, facts or news in their title. For example, What every parent needs to know about vaccines. But what you find on-page is fluff or worse: an advertisement for a product or service.
Before you post something on your site, ask yourself: Is my title written in such a way that I wouldn’t click on it? If so, then don’t publish it. This will help you become more transparent and trustworthy with your audience.
The Basics of Style Blogging
Style blogging is about more than just fashion. The way we dress says so much about who we are and how we want to be perceived, so it’s important that your closet is reflective of who you are and what you’re passionate about.
A good rule of thumb when you’re starting out with style blogging is to follow your interests but remember that your unique sense of style will give you an edge over other bloggers. What do people say when they look at pictures from your Instagram feed?
Just Say No to Clickbait!
Clickbait isn’t just annoying—it’s dangerous. That headline isn’t helping anyone, much less your site. If people are only visiting your site for one specific piece of content, then they aren’t really engaged with it, and you have no idea if they might be interested in other pieces of content that aren’t clickbait focused.
Instead, try offering valuable free content like tips for first-time travellers in Europe, or 3 ways to improve your home office with $20 or less. It may take some trial and error, but your audience will find you more quickly.
The Key Features You Need in Place Before Launch Day!
While blogging is in many ways about exploring what you love and sharing that with others, there are some practical steps you can take to help grow your business. Take time out of your day for important activities like social media management and email marketing, so you can have time for creativity and community engagement in other areas.
Also make sure that your website is easy to navigate, looks professional and includes all of your contact information. Finally, focus on producing high-quality content that speaks directly to your readers—not just churning out as much content as possible. These tips should help ensure that you maximize opportunities as a blogger without sacrificing quality or purpose in doing so.
Conclusion
Creating a successful lifestyle-focused website or online brand isn’t easy, but if you’re passionate about your subject matter, work hard and hustle, it can certainly be done. By now, hopefully you have gained a little bit of insight into just how much time and effort goes into launching even a simple WordPress-based site like this one.
We could have taken shortcuts (such as using pre-made themes) but chose not to because we believe that being able to do it yourself is an important part of honing your craft. However, even if you don’t have that kind of time or interest, there’s always another way in: If you’re willing to fork over some cash, Upwork has thousands of freelancers who are available for hire right now.
