The Ultimate Guide To Starting A Beauty Blog
Do you want to start a beauty blog? Well, I can give you the hints and tips you need to get started!
I started my blogging journey in November 2013 because writing has always been my passion and I needed a hobby alongside my degree. I wanted to invest my energy into something that I knew I'd enjoy, as well as creating my own platform and my own personal corner of the internet where I could express myself. Creating a blog was the only way to do that.
Over the years my beauty blogging has gone from strength to strength. Even though I am not a big blogger, I’ve still been able to gain opportunities and experiences. I have been able to build up my portfolio. I've been able to hone my writing skills and carve out a career in freelance writing (separate from my blog). Best of all, I've been able to do something I'm enthusiastic about and establish my true passion - writing. Plus, it's wonderful to be a part of the blogging community, where I can meet like-minded individuals who do exactly what I do.
All in all, starting a blog was one of the best decisions I ever made.
Here is my guide on how to do that.
1. Choose your platform
There are a number of websites available where you can choose to host and run your blog, but the main ones are Blogger and Wordpress. When I started my first blog I used Blogger. When I started my previous blog, I used Wordpress. For this blog, I used Squarespace. I see so many posts online stating that one platform is better than the other but I don’t think it matters. Use the platform that’s right for you. I do think that each platform has its pros and cons so definitely do your research.
Here are some of the platforms to check out:
Squarespace
Blogger
Wordpress
Wix
Weebly
2. Pick a suitable name
I’ve always had an issue with naming my blog. Eventually, I decided on Chichi Writes Beauty when I launched my current blog. When choosing a name for your blog, make sure you pick a name that:
Represents what your blog is about
Is unique to you and your blog
Isn't too long
Is 'Googleable' and easy for people to read and recognize
3. Buy your own blog domain
When you start a blog you have the option of using a subdomain (i.e. .blogspot.co.uk, .wordpress.com or .weebly.com) or you can own your own domain (.co.uk, .me or .com.) You don't have to buy your own domain but if you are looking to run your blog as more than a hobby (i.e. turning it into a business or using it as a portfolio) then it is better to buy a domain name as it looks much more professional.
There are many websites where you can host your blog and buy your domain - such a GoDaddy, Bluehost, Fast Hosts, Namecheap, Bluehost and 123reg - and they all offer different prices so owning your domain name need not cost an arm and a leg. I had a domain that I bought with Fast Hosts a couple of years ago and had it transferred to Squarespace so that I could keep everything in one place.
4. Pick a niche
When you start a blog you should have a rough idea about what you want to blog about. Your blog could be about anything - fashion, beauty, lifestyle, food, relationships, travel, sport, politics or literature. When I had my first blog I used to blog about anything and everything, but then I decided to specialise and choose a niche based on my passion: beauty. I’d also suggest finding a niche within a niche. For example, my beauty blog mainly focuses on makeup and cosmetics.
However, if you want to blog purely as a hobby then don’t feel as though you’ve got to niche down. Alternatively, if your blog has a specific niche but you want to talk about other things, consider using a secondary platform (e.g. blog about beauty, use Instagram for fashion posts, use Twitter to talk about lifestyle and opinions…)
5. Content creation
This is the big one - content creation. After all, what is a blog without content? In order to make sure that you are running your blog effectively, you need to post regularly and keep it consistent. But remember: quality is better than quantity so don't post for the sake of it. You might want to create a to-do list or an editorial calendar and schedule a time to blog so that you can keep on top of it. What helps me is that I ‘batch blog’ when I have bursts of creativity and free time.
6. Blog photography
Even if your blog is word-heavy (like mine) visuals are still important so your blog photography has to be on-point. Take photos for your blog - it's best to do this in daylight with a camera but a smartphone with a high-quality camera will do. If you can't take photos for your blog then you can use royalty-free stock images. Many websites offer this are some are free to use. I use Pexels, Pixabay and Upsplash.
7. Promotion
In order to get more people reading your blog - and in order to increase traffic - you should regularly promote your blog and any new posts on social media. Social media the best marketing tool for your blog and it's free. You can connect your blog with your social media channels so that links to new posts are automatically published on social media. You can use services such as IFTTT, Hootsuite, Tweetdeck and Twuffer to do this. I use Buffer to promote posts via Twitter and LinkedIn.
Engagement with other bloggers and brands is essential on social media in order to get your blog out there. Also, read other blog and leave comments on the posts, as this is a way to link back to your site and to increase readership. Some blogs even offer advertising space.
8. Money, money, money
Some people are not interested in making money from their blogs and that is fine, but for those who are, the possibilities are endless. If you want to make money from your blog you need to monetise it. There are a number of ways to do this:
Place adverts on your blog using Google Adsense and Affiliate Window
Sell advertising packages to bloggers and businesses
Advertise your skills (e.g. copywriting, social media management, web creation, video editing or graphic design.)
Embed affiliate links and widgets within your posts (you can do this with Affiliate Window and Shopsense.)
Please bear in mind that even though it will take some time before you start making serious money from your blog, it's better to start monetising sooner rather than later.
And there you go! My ultimate guide to starting a blog will help you get started.
P.S. here are a couple of things I should mention:
First of all, the blogging world is astronomical so you might find some people say that there is "no point" in starting a blog or that the "golden era" of blogging is over, or that blogging is dead. Don't listen to these people. Yes, the blogging world is big, there are so many bloggers out there in the online world and blogging has changed over the years. However, there is enough space for everyone. I learned a long time ago that’s it’s best to ditch the scarcity mindset and that I’m more than capable of creating my own space online if I want to.
Secondly, if you want to start a blog for the sole purpose of gaining freebies or making a quick buck, then don’t. Start a blog because you want to showcase your passion. Most bloggers don't start off making huge amounts of money, and while receiving freebies is a wonderful thing (thanks brands and PRs!), they don't pay the bills.
Go ahead and create your own blog today!