5 Things for Published and Aspiring Authors to Consider When Starting a Blog
Blogging can help both published and aspiring authors reach an audience. Correct setup will save you from headaches down the line regarding your site’s functionality and the ease of people finding your blog. Consider these five things when starting a blog.
Blog Content Management System
There are two types of blog content management systems: free and paid. Free systems like WordPress.com and Blogspotcom (aka Blogger.com) are easy on the wallet but offer limited features. For example, you can’t fully customize your domain because the hostname will appear in any URL (page address) on its site. They also offer fewer monetization opportunities.
Some bloggers start with the free version and upgrade to the paid system once they need more functionality. But transferring data to a new platform is not always smooth. Many bloggers have lamented the loss of formatting and content.
Paid systems like SquareSpace and WordPress.org (different from WordPress.com) give bloggers more control. These systems offer the flexibility for customization. Paid systems are self-hosted, allowing full access to your website files and server. You’re also able to monetize by adding advertising and e-commerce tools like a bookshop.
Choose a paid system that has staying power. According to Kinsta and W3Techs, WordPress.org is the world’s most popular content system, running 33.6 percent of websites worldwide. With its global popularity, it’s unlikely to fold.
Blog Domain
It may be tempting to create a domain with your book’s name, but this isn’t the best long-term strategy. You’d need to create new domains for each book you publish, costing money and time. It’s best to register your publishing name as a domain so you can feature all your publications in one place. Your author name is your brand.
If the domain name you want is taken, try a version of it, like JaneDoeAuthor.com, JaneDoeWriter.com, or JaneDoeBooks.com. Check name availability at the free site NameCheck.com.
Blog Title and Tagline
Your blog’s title, which ideally should be the same as your domain, identifies you. Clever names may be fun, but they can be confusing. People may expect one thing from your site but leave disappointed when they find something else.
Add a tagline that communicates your content. A tagline goes directly under your blog’s title on the homepage and can further define your site.
Tara Lazar’s blog TaraLazar.com features the tagline “Writing for Kids (While Raising Them).” This communicates she’s a children’s writer and parent. Her site also has a sub-tagline: “Blog & website of children’s book author Tara Lazar.”
Search Google to make sure your blog’s name is not similar to another person’s or readers may visit the other blog by mistake. Check the TESS system for trademarks. You cannot legally use trademarked names without permission.
Social Media Name
Social media can help promote your blog. Ideally, your social media handles should be the same as your blog’s name. That makes it easier for fans to find you.
Note that many social media platforms have length restrictions. For example, your Twitter handle (username) cannot be longer than fifteen characters. If your blog name is too long, it’ll get cut off or you’ll need to abbreviate it. Both are not ideal from a branding perspective.
Blog Logo
Having a blog logo helps reinforce your brand and makes your site memorable. Design it yourself or hire a freelance artist.
Children’s author and illustrator Joyce Wan has a logo that features her name. She customized it with her illustrations, using the same color palette as her blog to reinforce her brand. Her tagline, “Children’s Book Author & Illustrator,” is part of her logo and defines her site.
Use your logo on your business cards, social media, and marketing to create a consistent image and message for your brand. Now that you know the 5 things to consider when starting a blog, stay tuned for a future article on ways to create a must-read blog!
This post was written by Maria Adcock and originally posted in the SCBWI Kid LIt News 2019 Newsletter: Fall/Winter Edition ©All rights reserved. All content is copyrighted ©2019 The SCBWI Long Island NY. SCBWI.org. Kid LIt News is a quarterly and educational newsletter of the Long Island, New York region of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), the international organization for professionals in children’s publishing.
