7 Important Tips to Start a Blog and Grow Organically

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I remember when I first started my blog, it was back in 2011 and I called it “Simply Adventurous”. Back then, blogging wasn’t what it is today. There were little resources available to teach you how to start a blog and grow it organically. 

Depending on the business you are in, your blog may be your entire business as a digital content creator (that’s me!). But it can also be an aspect of your business that is crucial in driving organic traffic to get eyes on your website and eventually get people to purchase your services or products (also me!).

Which one do you fall under?

Whichever one it is, your in the right place. Blogging is crucial to almost every single business. If you have a website and your neglected your blog, what’s the point?

There are some successful businesses out there who have not utilized a blog right away and that is ok too. But if you want to take your business to the next level or if you are just starting out, let’s dive in to the importance of starting a blog.

Tips To Start a Blog and Grow Organically

I have been offering 1:1 Business and Marketing Strategy Sessions for a few years now. If you are new around here, you can learn more about me and the businesses I own here.

Starting a blog and figuring out how to grow it organically is probably one of my favorite things to do. If you do it correctly, you will reap the benefits for months and maybe even years.

1. Know Your Audience

Alright, my number one question to my clients is “Who is your audience?” Maybe you are still figuring out that ideal client, but you should have a general audience in mind.

Change With Us is a lifestyle blog focused on everyday life, affordable style and deals, and tips to grow your business.

Audience vs. Ideal Client

Change With Us’ audience is between the ages of 24-38, while some work a 9-5 and others are living out their entrepreneur dreams, they both have one thing in common. They are living with intention and they know that life isn’t perfect and bright, it’s real, and there are struggles happening behind the scenes. They make under $100k a year.

Change With Us’ ideal client is a 28 year-old female working a 9-5 by day and on her passion project at night. Whether her goal is to be a solopreneur or to stay where she is at, she knows one thing – she is driven. Success for her is defined as progress. She makes $65k a year.

2. Pick a Platform

There are so many different CMS platforms out there to consider. CMS stands for content management system and it is where your website is built on.

Some CMS Platforms

• Self-Hosted WordPress
• Free WordPress
• Squarespace
• Wix
• Weebly
• Blogger (Blogspot)
• Show-it

If I could do one thing differently, I would start a blog on WordPress from the beginning.

When I first started my blog, I was using Blogger (is that even still around?). I made the switch to self-hosted WordPress (very different from free WordPress) and have never looked back.

If you take one thing from this section, it’s this: choose self-hosted WordPress and never look back.

If you have any intention of making money in your business whether it is online or in-person, WordPress is the way to go. In the long run you’ll thank yourself considering all of the SEO benefits (we will get into this) and limitless capabilities of WordPress. 

WordPress is used by over 35% off the Internet and growing daily. There is a reason for using it and it is so easy to use once you get the hang of it. 

Now if you want to start a blog to write (like a personal journal), then you might consider one of the other CMS platforms. But if that is the case, you probably aren’t looking to grow your blog organically as a marketing strategy. 

3. Learn SEO

Okay, okay. This is a LOADED topic. SEO which stands for Search Engine Optimization is the way that people find you through search engine platforms like Google or Bing.

It is constantly changing, but there are some constants within SEO that are important to know when you start a blog. Plus, there are several factors regarding SEO that impact how your blog grows organically.

Understand These

• Google Analytics – where is your traffic coming from? What audience are you attracting? How long are people staying on your website? Learn this and more via Google Analytics.
• Google Search Console – is Google crawling your website? Do they know you are even there, so potential customers can find you? Submit your website URLS for Google to crawl.

Keywords Matter

Every blog post on your website should have a focus keyword if you want it to have the potential to be found. And that keyword should be a word or phrase that is being searched monthly.

If people are searching for it, they are looking to find resources, YOU want to be that resource. A few sites to identify keywords include:

• SEMrush (my favorite paid tool)
• Google Trends
• UberSuggest (my favorite free tool)
• Answer The People
• Quora

However, you DO NOT want to keyword stuff. Way back in the day, people thought that was the way to get found, but today that is a big NO-NO and Google and Bing will penalize your website.

Content Matters

Don’t write just to write. Write because you want to provide valuable resources and information to your audience. 

The goal here is to get them on your website and stick around and browse other pages of your website. To do this you’ll need to use internal backlinks to your website.

Then you want them to sign up for a freebie, share your post, or convert them into a customer.

Maybe you suck at writing or maybe you don’t have time. If that’s the case, hire someone to create content for you (hello, me!). Whatever you do, don’t just hire someone who is good with words, make sure they understand SEO and know how to write for SEO. Because if they don’t, it will probably just be a waste of money.

Keep Learning

As I mentioned, SEO is constantly changing and unless you are an expert solely focused on SEO, you won’t know every single thing and that is OK.

Learn as much about SEO as you can and continue to learn. SEO is how you will be found and the number one way to grow your blog organically. 

4. Consistency Matters

While yes it would be amazing to post every day of the week, it’s not always realistic.

With one of my businesses, Nevada Moms, we made it a goal to have 3 new posts every single week. Two contributor posts and one resource post. We’ve been consistent with it for 2 years now and our SEO is through the roof with traffic to our site.

For Change With Us, we strive to post new content once a week. While it doesn’t always happen, I try to stay consistent with updating old posts and being active on social media to help drive traffic that way. 

My goal for this year is to be posting 2-3x a week consistently by July. Hold me accountable, people!

Wherever you start, start somewhere. If once a month works for you, be consistent with a specific day of that month. If you can do once a week, pick a day that new posts will go live.

Don’t post 3 articles in one week and then nothing for a month. That is not consistent. Instead spread them out.

Google LOVES consistency when their little bots go to crawl your website.

5. Monetizing – Where’s the Money?

Most of you own a business or want to make this a business right? Well you don’t get anywhere without working hard and figuring out how to monetize. 

Where will your revenue come from when you start a blog? Will you have different streams?

For most businesses monetization will come from the sale of your products and services. For others, it may come from ads and partnerships (mine does!).

As an example, here are the different revenue streams Change With Us utilizes.

• Paid Partnerships
• Affiliate Links
• Ad Placements
• 1:1 Marketing Strategy Sessions for Business Owners

Figure out how you will monetize. It is really important to understand my first tip here – your audience. What action do you want them to take?

6. Build Your Network Through Relationships

The keyword here is RELATIONSHIPS. You can network all day long, but that is only going to get you so far. 

The hidden value is all into the relationships you build within that network.

At the end of the day, somebody is going to refer you business whether it is themselves or someone they know if they LIKE YOU.

I know, I know – you’re not going to be everyone’s cup of tea or whiskey. And that is OK. 

My husband I talk about this weekly, because unfortunately we know a lot of people who don’t understand the importance of networking. It’s building relationships, people!

Networking is your foot in the door and building that relationship is on a whole other level. That’s where you want to get. Because relationships should be mutually beneficially. 

Networking is not – it’s always a what’s in it for me and that is why people do not succeed by going to every single networking event there is.

They succeed by building relationships with those in their industry and complementing industries.

7. You Get Out What You Put Into It + More!

Starting a blog and growing it is two-fold. Not only do you get that satisfaction of publishing articles, but you get to help others. You want to be the expert in whatever industry it is that you are in.

And at the end of the day, you’ll build relationships with people who may become lifelong friends, you’ll sell more services and products, and you’ll get to spend more time doing the things you love. 

Because you’ve built a foundation and set a standard for yourself in your own life and with your website and blog.

Ready to Start a Blog and Grow Organically?

Phew! Now that was a lot of information.

There are so many more tips I could give to you, but I think this a great start for anyone that is interested in blogging or ready to take their blog to the next level.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, know you aren’t alone. If you feel like you’re ready to conquer the blogging world, let’s do it!

Maybe you read this and aren’t sure where your blog stands or maybe you are looking for a bit more. If that’s you, get in touch with me.

I have a limited amount of 1:1 Business Strategy Sessions available each week and I would love to take a deeper dive into your business.

Start a blog today. If you wait until you’re ready you’ll never do it.