8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start a Blog

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I get asked a lot about how to start a blog. Before you make that commitment, you need to answer these 8 questions before you actually start a blog.

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I started Project Motherhood in January of 2012 and started blogging full time in June of 2013, so at this point, I have a lot of experience in the whole world of blogging. I do blog as a full-time job, so just as much as I’m building my community, I’m always working with brands behind the scenes to product content that is organic to my everyday passions and that will always serve this amazing community that hold so near and dear.

Because of how far I have come from the days where I was just learning the landscape of things, I get asked a lot about how to start a blog. A lot. And while the women supporting women part of me always dives right in and tries to share and mentor as much as I can, I’ve learned pretty quickly that people don’t really understand how much work goes into this.

8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Start a Blog

Not only have I learned a lot of the blogging industry as a whole, but I know that if I had asked myself these questions before I got started, 8 years ago, that I would have done things differently from the very start.

1. What is my goal with my blog?

Oh boy, this is the most important question of them all probably because it will let you know how you want to steer the entire direction of your blog. If your goal is just to keep an online diary or journal of what’s happening with you so that you can keep in touch with family and friends living far away, then you can take a much more relaxed approach with your blog. If your goal is to build a business, then you’ve got some major work to do.

2. Have I been “tricked” into thinking that if I start a blog I will get rich quick?

All you have to do is a quick search in Pinterest to see that there are hundreds and thousands of “how to start a blog” articles that promise the world. They lead people who don’t know any better to believe that they will start a blog (easily, of course), and that the money will start rolling in. This couldn’t be any further from the truth.

Starting a blog can be lucrative over time but it is not, and I repeat, is NOT something that will make you rich quickly, or can even be considered a side hustle if you do not treat it like a business and put in hours and hours from the start. Remember, most new businesses break even after two years of operation. I hope that puts things into perspective for you.

3. How much time do I have to commit to this?

You need to figure out how much time you can carve out to start a blog (even if it’s just an hour a week), and stick with it.

4. What niche do I want to write about?

Choose something you love and are passionate about writing an entire blog about. Lifestyle blogs are dying and are getting harder and harder to monetize (if that is your end goal). In order to have a successful blog, you need to niche down.

5. How am I with a camera?

Blogging today is about so much more than just writing blog posts and hitting publish. You must be able to take your own photos, or pay for stock photos from time to time to embed into every single blog post. You need to invest in good lighting, the camera on you phone will do just fine, and learn how to work photo editing programs am Apps.

6. Am I willing to put our names, location, etc out into the world?

You lose some privacy whenever you make your life public when you start a blog. Weigh the pros and cons here and figure out what works best for you and your family. You can opt to keep certain things private for sure, but figure out if you plan to feature your family in blog photos, too, and make sure they are really committing that. One of the biggest sources of blog stress for me now is getting my family to take pictures.

7. Am I willing to learn things like SEO, social media management, video, etc to make up for the learning curve I will face?

If you are willing to set some of that time you promised in #3 aside to invest in SEO programs (and the hours it takes to learn them), and everything else that goes along with blogging, great. If not, you will be chewed up and spit out before you first hit “publish.”

8. Am I willing to accept that most people won’t really support me?

I know this one sounds pretty gut wrenching, but I can’t even begin to tell you how many bloggers I hear complain that their closest friends and family who always said they would support them with their blog, don’t. They won’t even do simple things that are free, like liking and sharing posts. This is just what happens, mostly.

However, the upside is that you will find yourself connecting with so many amazing bloggers and influencers online who WILL support you no matter what. The blogging community is worth more than gold, seriously.

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If you answered with a very enthusiastic “YES!” for most of these question and are ready to write your business plan and get started, that’s amazing! If you are hesitant and not quite sure, that’s fine, too. Blogging can be a big commitment and shouldn’t be taken lightly. There are so many wonderful things about blogging and my experience has truly been so much more positive than negative and I hope the same will be for you.

XOXO,

Allison