In every blog offering side hustle ideas, in between the “play solitaire games for cash!” and “sell your data to big corporations for five bucks with this quick survey!” is always the suggestion to start your own blog. It seems like such a simple task- all you have to do is sign up to a platform and start writing, right? Right?
Well, it turns out that, much like those other “easy” suggestions, blogging is a bit more complex than it appears. That’s why I’m starting this “How to Blog” Series, where I’ll share the step-by-step process I followed to set up, design, and write this blog, all with complete transparency. So let’s dive in!
Get the corresponding worksheet here!
Before you set up a blog, you need to make sure that you have a solid topic to write about, i.e. find your niche. This decision is foundational and will shape basically everything on your blog. It is also the hardest part of the blogging process since you have to come up with your own idea, or a unique twist on a previously established one.
Task 1: Brainstorming session!
You can skip this task if you already have a really strong idea that you are sure you want to write about. If not, then take some time to think about what you want your blog to be about.
Tip: Aim to come up with 3-5 ideas that you are passionate about and can explore in depth.
Tip: See how easy it is to come up with 4-5 blog post ideas related to the topics you came up with. You want to make sure that your topic isn’t too narrow or you won’t be able to sustain your blog for long.
Task 2: Do some research!
It is pretty likely that someone has thought of the same idea as you and has implemented it in one format or the other. Don’t be discouraged by this! Research similar blogs and think about how you can differentiate your voice.
How I did it: There are probably hundreds of blogs about side hustles and passive income. I read as many as I could and I noticed that it seemed like most creators were presenting strategies they never actually tried themselves, with suggestions that were less than practical. So I decided to make my blog different with two main things: actually attempting the side hustles I suggest, and documenting the process with transparency.
Tip: The way you differentiate yourself doesn’t necessarily have to be through your choice of topic. You can have a unique style of writing, website design, content format, etc.
Task 3: Determine your audience!
Most articles I read stated that it was important to think about your target audience. Personally, I believe your topic will naturally attract the right readers. No matter how niche your niche is there is probably at least a group of people who are interested in the subject, and if your content is engaging and accessible, you expand a section of your audience to people who are interested in you and the way you present things, as opposed to the actual subject matter.
Tip: Even if your blog is targeting experts, try to simplify your content/language so that it is easy to follow along.
Task 4: Name your blog!
You will probably want to name your blog before you get started with the actual blog setup. It will help you when you are picking a domain or usernames. You will need a good catchy name that gives your audience some idea of what is going on with the blog. Don’t get too hung up on this step! Pick whatever you like most and let your blog make it a great name. You will also want to come up with a short (6-8 words) tagline that further expands on your title.
Tip 1: Use a random name generator to generate 10 or more names you like. Write them down and run them by some friends. Narrow it down to one or two.
Tip 2: Do a quick google search of your favorite names to see if they are taken, or if there is something very similar already out there.
How I did it: I used this random name generator (this is an affiliate link, but it’s a free random name generator!). I just typed in some of my blog topic keywords and used the names that were generated as inspiration. I ended up with these blog name ideas (I included my notes on them as well):
- Behind the Hustle PODCAST EXISTS
- Startup with Cinnamon BORING
- I love the streets BAD NAME BUT IT WAS REALLY FUNNY
- Side Hustle Hustle
- Journey to 100k
- The Business Class Podcast ie The Business Class Blog TAKEN
- The Money Mindset Hustle MOUTHFUL
- The Entrepreneur’s Diary TAKEN
- Side Hustle Empire TOO SIMILAR TO SIDE HUSTLE NATION
- Side Hustle Nation TAKEN
- The Hustle Empire with Cinnamon MEH
- Dough for Days with Cinnamon THERE EXISTS A BLOG DOUGH FOR DAYS…
- Rolling in the dough THERE ARE SOME ROLLING IN THE DOUGH STUFF BUT RELATED TO FOOD. THERE IS A ROLLER IN THE DOUGH SMTH PODCAST
- Cinnamon Rolls in the Dough
Tagline:
- From zero to a million: Join the journey to passive income and beyond.
- Turning side hustles into sweet success
I stopped thinking of names/taglines once I found one that was good enough for me.
These are all the essential steps to consider before setting up your blog! You can download my worksheet here to help you organize all the information and simplify the process. Plus keeping a written record of your ideas is a great way to ensure you don’t forget anything!
In the next blog post, we’ll dive into the actual setup process for your blog, so stay tuned for more tips and tricks. Or better yet, join the patreon community here and I will send out a notification once its out so you don’t have to remember! Plus get weekly recaps and sneak peeks of what I’ve been up to (and its free!).
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