Blogging

Cassie Daves Guide To: Starting Your Own Blog.

Because I keep getting emails from people asking about how to get started with their blogging adventure, I thought to finally put out a post sharing some tips and advice from starting mine and my own little experience thus far.
Lets dig in.

Covering The Basics.
So you’ve decided that you want to be a blogger? But not so fast yet, first of all you have to cover the basics before delving any further.
What are these basics?
– Defining your niche, Target audience and Purpose : This basically means figuring out what it is you want to write about, who your content is aimed at and what you hope to achieve with blog.
When I first started, I honestly didn’t have a set plan for what I was going to use this space for although I knew I was going to definitely write about my life and style but I’ve learnt that knowing what your focus is and having some direction in the beginning usually helps to guide you along the way.
I finally defined my niche and purpose along the way : This is a fashion and lifestyle blog and I write with a hope to inspire, encourage and motivate people by sharing bits and pieces of my Style and fashion journey, struggles, life lessons and also build community and connect with likeminded people
Picking Out A Name.
Now that you’ve finally covered the basics and you know what topics your blog will be centred on and all. Picking out a name is the next step. I also got stuck at this stage and at first this blog was “beneathmybeautiful” before i finally changed it to “cassiedaves” but here are a few tips for figuring out a name 
– Make sure it doesn’t already exist
– Maybe a name people already identify you with?
– Something that goes with what your blog is about?
– You want something that shouldn’t be so hard to recall. ( I thought cassie Daves was pretty easy but people still keep mixing the daves up with davies. Uggh)
Choosing A Blogging Platform.
Source : tanjamortensen.com
If i had to choose all over again, I’ll probably go with wordpress. Not just because their commenting system is easy but there are really dope themes there and a lot more you can do but the downside to wordpress is that its a bit techy and if you’re like me who doesn’t really have time to read How-To books (My uncle actually gave me a book on wordpress to read and it wasn’t exactly a small book) and scour the internet for help then maybe blogger might just be for you. 
Although I had the option of moving over to wordpress when i was trying to set up my domain, I decided to stick with my blogger mostly because of the chance of loosing all my blogger stats with the move and also i think blogger is way easier for me to maneuver.
Finally, it all balls down to personal choice but i think you should figure that out to avoid the stress of moving later on and possibly loosing your stats.
Also if you plan to build a brand off your blog, I think getting a custom domain name straight up might be best ( a .com rather than a “wordpress.com or blogspot.com) but you can as well start out hosted and convert later

Blogger Starter Pack.
Source : jennypurr.com
Really all you need is your head to think up content, a blog planner ( Get yours here)for ideas and computer / phone. But a camera or just a badass photographer who can help you out might come in handy especially if you’re planning to start a fashion blog.
I wrote a post on my blogging process and also shared some of my blogging tools and you can read that here


Blog Design.
This is very important as your blog design is the first thing people will see and a cluttered one can put people off. I prefer more minimalistic themes but it all depends on your choice as long as you keep it clean. 
There are lots of wordpress themes but unfortunately with blogger, its a bit limited although there are some nice free blogger themes like the soraya theme and iksandi theme but you can always buy blog themes on etsy.

Start Creating Content.
Focus on creating awesome, engaging and original content. Say No to plagiarism! and if you do post another blogger’s stuff, please link back to them.

A Few Extra Advice.
– It may or may not kick off real quick so don’t get dissapointed if after the comments aren’t rolling in. Focus on yourcontent, 
– Network Network Network!! That is one important way to get your blog out there so visit other blogs, leave meaningful comments, and join in on the fun.
– Consistency is key.
– Don’t forget to set up your bloglovin and GFC and get a good header image (the cassandra ikegbune fashion life style you can see up there)
I really hope this is helpful and if you finally start up one please leave me your links . 
You know I gatchyu always!!
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If you prefer to be guided through the process of starting your blog, instead of doing it all alone and making mistakes that might cost you time. I can help you with that.
Click Here for more details


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Author: Cassie Daves

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