5 must-have essentials for starting a blog

Imagine a house with no foundation.

It probably won’t withstand the elements and will likely collapse.

The same can be said about your blog.

Without a solid foundation, you may lose interest in your blog and it will ultimately collapse.

Here are 5 must-have essentials you will need to build a good foundation for your blogging success.

5. Music

The right tunes can help set the right mindset or mood for the occasion.

Blogging can be a positive experience, so doesn’t it make sense to also be in a positive mood to write?

Think about professional sporting events or weddings you’ve attended.

Usually music is played at these events with the logic that music will get the crowd pumped up and in the right mood. Couldn’t that same logic be applied to blogging?

I’m a music fan, so I like to listen to music and not silence when I write blog posts.

When I write, I’ll usually listen to hip hop instrumentals. I like lyrics, too. But typically when I am writing, I prefer to have my mind filled with my own words.

Lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of instrumental tracks from a Massachusetts hip hop producer named Nasty Beatz.

4. A beverage

I like drinking green tea when I blog. It gives me a nice energy lift and alertness, but without the caffeine headpunch of coffee. Plus it’s loaded with all sorts of good stuff for you.

When you first sit down to blog, you want to be comfortable and in the mood to just get your thoughts down first.

If you’re tired or not in the mood to write, then it will show up in the writing.

I will just caution AGAINST drunk blogging for obvious reasons.

Remember, the stuff you blog will be seen by anyone with an Internet connection.

3. A computer

Sure, you have your smartphone. And you may tweet or Facebook on it.

But if you want to put your best writing online with helpful links and pictures, then it makes more sense to do it with an actual computer.

Treat your blog the same as you would your resume.

That means save it and back up all of your writing and images, just like you would for any other important files and documents.

As far as computer type, that’s really up to you and your personal preference. I recommend something portable, so a laptop or a tablet would be a good choice.

A nice thing about blogging is you can do it virtually anywhere.

2. Expertise in something

We’re ALL experts in something.

For example, there are blogs about sports, fashion, business, and being a parent. We all have information and lessons that we can share with others.

Think about the type of answers that you provide others, or what you are known for in your everyday life.

What if there was a way to share these thoughts and information with others in a fun way that sets you apart from others?

You want a chance to talk directly to your niche (i.e. the people whom you want to read your blog).

You’re already interested in a particular subject and probably write about it on social media. Why not take all this and put these all into one location for everyone to find?

1. A goal 

When you have a goal in mind, you do things (or don’t do things) in your life to help you attain that goal.

I actually have three goals for this blog:

1. Practice Web content writing
2. Help others with my knowledge
3. Get noticed by B2B companies that want to do business with me

Those three goals are what’s driving me to constantly improve and learn how to write better because I would like to turn my writing into a successful career.

Your goals may be different. It can be as simple as just sharing what you know with others.

You never know who will find your blog and gain some new knowledge that may help them in their own lives.

And that’s what blogging is all about: helping others with shared knowledge.

Are you ready to start your own blog and help more people with whatever it is you are an expert at?

Because we all could use a little more help.

Especially me.

Because I’m just learning as I go and sharing as I learn.

Conclusion

Remember, a house is only as good as its foundation, and the same goes for your blog.

Start with these must-have essentials before starting a blog, and you will create a rock-solid foundation for your future blogging success.

Also, if you start a blog and want to do it right the first time, then go with a solid Web hosting provider that you can trust with your blog and your future success.

My Web hosting provider is Bluehost.

They’re great, and I really like the easy and intuitive user interface and the solid 24/7 customer support, especially when I’m up late at night and have a question.

They have the answers to all of your Web hosting questions and can even help get you set up for those of us who may be less technically inclined.

And for those of us who ARE technically inclined (myself included!), then you will love Bluehost as well with all of their different offerings and hosting options.

That’s why I highly recommend Bluehost to everyone starting a blog, or who may already have a blog but may be using a different Web hosting provider.

 

Do you have these 5 must-have essentials?
Then you can start a blog!

What are some other things you need to start a blog?
Let’s hear about it in the comments below!