Blogging has been in our lives for quite a while now, but it still raises so many questions. I get e-mails from people wanting to start their blogs on the daily bases and by now, I’m pretty much aware of the general concerns you might be having. In this post, I answer some of your most frequently asked questions and I really hope it will clear things up about the reality of starting a blog.

Frequently Asked Questions About Starting A Blog

I want to be dead honest here with you all. My community deserves to know the truth and I want to start being as open as possible with you. The answers in this post might be harsh, but they are true. Let’s lay those cards on the table…

Can I start my blog for free?

Well, the short answer is yes, you can, but the real question is- should you? You see, all of the free platforms out there, such as Blogger.com or WordPress.com will offer you a free service, but you will most definitely want to move after a month or two of taking your blog seriously. Free platforms are just too limited if you want to make a living blogging and very soon you’ll start feeling stuck. Blogging game is extremely competitive these days and if you want to make it work- you have to start on the right foot.

In my opinion, self-hosted WordPress.org is the only platform you should be looking at and yes, I personally tested quite a few platforms to say this. Not only it is so easy to start, it offers limitless opportunities for growing your blog. Trust me, even the HUGE players use it!

How much does it really cost then?

For the first year, you can really get away with spending less than $100 for your web hosting (if you use this link), domain name and perhaps even get a few blog scheduling tools. However, as you grow, blogging gets pricier. Especially if you’re trying to grow it into a business.

Can you really make legit money from blogging?

Yes, you most definitely can. I honestly make great money doing this & my income keeps growing every year.

However, so many bloggers out there do not make even a single penny from their blogs and I can’t promise that you will. You see, blogging is a constant work. If you want to monetise your online presence, you will have to keep working your butt off FOR MONTHS. I only started making money after three months of working 24/7 on growing & improving my blog.

Yes, you will be able to start monetising your blog straight away, but it will take you at least a few months to get trust from your audience, to create great content and to find ways to monetise your blog. Thus, be ready to commit and stop believing in those get-rich-quick methods out there.

Also read: How Exactly I Make Money Blogging.

Why do I need to stick to a niche?

Even if you are the most interesting person in the world, unless you’re a celebrity already- you can’t really make a living writing down your personal stories.

The good news, I bet you can definitely find the niche for yourself if you think about your hobbies & knowledge. We all love different things and have experienced different things. Make sure to discover who you want and what would separate you from others.

Finding a niche is a must, trust me. Read: How To Find The Right Niche For Your Blog.

How do I get people to read my blog?

Social media, social media, social media. Especially Pinterest. Use hashtags, connect with other bloggers, get inspired and most importantly- just keep growing your audience. Once you have a clear base, you can start focussing on SEO or E-mail marketing to bring those proper stats.

You don’t need to grow a huge following, but focussing on your community straight away can help you get those stats up and that business going. Be helpful, create your content around other people’s needs and stay consistent.

Read: Why You Don’t Need To Have A Huge Following To Make Money Online.

Should I care what other people think about my blog?

This is a pretty hard question. I think you should definitely ignore all the haters and do what you love. However, if you want to make this blog of yours profitable, you need to consider your presence. Companies care about the bloggers they decide to work with. Just as your readers will never share a blog on their facebook page that doesn’t look professional enough.

Let me tell you a harsh truth- I personally click out of the blog that uses one of those default Blogger/Wordpress templates in the first 5 seconds. Your blog content can be gold, but if you don’t put enough work on your branding- people most probably won’t be interested in what you have to say. The blogosphere is extremely visual days and you have to put at least a bit of an effort.

I can help you with your blog design if you wish, check out my services over here. Making your reader’s experience as pleasurable as possible should be your top priority and getting your layout designer properly can really do the dirty work for you!

How long is it going to take for my blog to be a success?

I can’t give you a specific deadline. No one can. It all depends on you, really. There’s no magic formula except hard, very hard work. Most of the bloggers out there work like crazy for years before that hit that big break. Focus on what’s important- creating a useful, engaging content that will benefit your readers. Keep consistency, grow your social media numbers and everything will fall into places. Just don’t lose hope after a few weeks of trying. You will never know when your next post is going to go viral!

Looking back at the beginning of your blogging career, is there anything that you would do differently?

Absolutely! I would take this seriously from the early beginning. I guess I kind of did, but I was really doing it all wrong at first. If I were to start this all over again, I would sign up for e-courses, read books, hire professionals and invest into photography equipment as early as possible. I’ve only started to invest back into my blogging business after a couple of years in and that’s one of my biggest regrets. Don’t wait until you grow big, do the work now and start taking your blog seriously right this minute.

---

Really hope this post answered some questions for you, friends! Let me know if you have any questions of your own, I promise to be honest!