One of the greatest misconceptions about blogging is that to turn it into a profitable venture or even to get a few hundred readers, you need to invest a lot of money. Be it in a well-known web host, a graphics designer to make your website or even the costs of buying a computer, there is some cost involved.
Fortunately, those are just myths. As long as you have access to an internet-enabled device, even just a smartphone, you have the ability to create a beautiful and informative blog that can draw in hundreds or thousands of readers, and this article will explain how.
Expensive Hardware is Pointless
Having working hardware is essential if you want to become a blogger, but you don’t need to go overboard with it. All you need to blog is a device capable of accessing the internet. That means you could even blog using your smartphone and the built-in keyboard. Of course, that’s not very practical, so unless you want to be typing with your thumbs for an extended period of time, you should invest in at least a keyboard.
The best value for money purchase in terms of hardware would be a simple and cheap laptop. If you absolutely need more productivity power, such as for editing videos, then you could get a refurbished MacBook from a website like www.m-suite.co.uk. Never buy new if possible, because all you’re essentially doing is writing and editing some footage at best, meaning you don’t need to pay exorbitant amounts for your computer hardware that you won’t be using to its full potential.
Designers Aren’t Needed
You aren’t trying to make an award-winning website that will be noticed by millions of people, you’re writing on a personal blog. Stick to templates given by your web host and don’t spend money on a freelance designer. If you’re unhappy with your theme and you want to stand out, then learning how to design a website will save you money in the long run and you can customise your designs to your liking.
If you’re going to pay for a designer (or any other professional services), then there needs to be a good reason. Remember, most online blogs don’t even have logos, and if they do, it’s created by the owner and not a graphics design artist. Check out websites such as http://www.freebielist.com/ to see what you can get your mitts on completely free of charge!
Paying For Other Services
If you’re thinking about paying an outsourcing company for more content or asking other bloggers to write for you, then you’d better think twice about putting your blog’s content in the hands of other people. You should be starting a blog because you enjoy writing and you have something to share, not because you want to solely make money.
If you pick a subject you enjoy then you’ll be surprised at how much content you can write for your own blog. If you pick a subject that is profitable but isn’t something you personally enjoy, then how could you hope to make it a long-lasting and viable venture? You’ll end up hating it after a couple of weeks because all you’re doing is paying other people to write for you instead of writing about things you enjoy.