How to start a blog that gets you results

As a small business owner, you may have a lot on your plate — managing operations, serving customers, handling finances, and keeping up with countless other tasks. With so much to juggle, creating regular blog content might seem like just another time-consuming effort with minimal payoff. So, you might be wondering how to start a blog that truly makes an impact.  

The truth is, a well-crafted, regularly updated blog can work wonders for your business. Consistent content creation helps attract new customers, increases online visibility, and positions you as an expert in your field. A one-off blog post won’t cut it — success comes from publishing valuable posts on a regular basis, steadily building your brand’s authority and reach.

Websites with active blogs have 434% more indexed pages and businesses that blog generate, on average, 67% more leads than those that don’t blog. 

Blogging isn't dying. In reality, blogging is thriving in 2024. 

With the right blog strategy, small business owners can turn their WordPress websites into powerful tools for growth and customer engagement. In this guide, we’ll walk you through why blogging is not only a helpful tool, but a crucial instrument for driving the results you need. 

So, keep reading this guide to learn how to start a blog effectively, tips on how to rank higher in Google, and much more. 

Define your blog’s purpose

Before you can brag about your new blog, you need to remind yourself what you’ll be using it for. Will it be a blog to support your business? Or will you be creating a blog that is the business? Let’s explore these categories in more detail… 

Starting a blog to support your small business  

For small business owners, freelancers, or educators, blogs help sell your brand, drive traffic to your site, and instill trust. From a web development business to an e-commerce store selling garden plants, regular, engaging content that’s targeted towards your potential customers will allow you to connect with more people that may be interested in buying your services or products. 

If you’re wondering what kind of content to create, here are some examples: 

• Freelance graphic designer – Share insights on branding, design tips for small businesses, or how to choose the right design style to attract clients looking for professional design help.
• Online fitness coach – Offer fitness tips, home workout routines, or healthy eating advice to engage potential clients interested in health and wellness.
• Toy stores – Create posts on the educational benefits of different types of toys or gift ideas for various occasions to help parents and gift-givers find the perfect products.

Starting a blog business 

For professional bloggers, content creators, affiliate marketers, and media sites, the blog is the business. Affiliate marketers earn commissions by reviewing products, recommending services, or creating buying guides with affiliate links. For example, a travel blogger might write “Top 10 travel backpacks,” linking each backpack to an affiliate retailer. Media sites use ad revenue, sponsored content, and brand partnerships to generate income. Many media sites build traffic with high-quality content, increasing ad revenue as their readership grows.

Key benefits of blogging for small businesses 

If you’re not quite convinced yet on the benefits a blog can bring to your small business, here are some key ways you’ll benefit:

• Get more traffic – Fully optimized blog content that appeals to your audience helps you conquer Google, bringing more visitors to your site. Each new blog post is a chance to rank on search engines and attract more organic visitors.
• Give your brand wings – Blogging gives your brand a voice, making it easier for customers to find you. Even if customers aren’t ready to buy, they’re more likely to remember your brand after reading helpful or interesting content.
• Convert more prospects – Informative posts build trust, encouraging visitors to make purchases. For instance, a post on “How to choose the right laptop for work” can guide readers toward your product recommendations.
• Establish authority – Publishing valuable content shows you’re a leader in your industry. This helps small businesses gain credibility, especially when compared to larger competitors.
• Repurpose for social media – Blogs can be reused as social media updates, offering a steady flow of shareable material. Every blog post can become a series of social media snippets, driving additional traffic back to your website.

By establishing a blog, you’re investing in an asset that attracts organic traffic, nurtures trust, and can even help generate leads and conversions over time.

Bite-sized guide to kickstart your blog 

1. Set up your website 

If you don’t already have an existing website, you should prioritize setting one up first before starting a blog. This is because integrating a successful blog as part of your business site will help boost its visibility in search and allow you to add internal links to other pages. First steps? Register your domain and choose the right web hosting. 

What is a domain?

Your domain is at the heart of your online presence. More than just a web address, it’s a key part of your brand and will be closely linked to your digital identity. If you’re planning to launch online, securing a domain should be your top priority. Everything else, including building your website, comes after.

What is hosting?

Your hosting is where your website’s files and data are stored, making your important content available to users.

Keep in mind, web hosting isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution. It varies based on factors like the size of your website, traffic requirements, technical needs, and budget. 

Why WordPress is an ideal CMS for small business owners

WordPress is widely regarded as one of the best content management systems (CMS) available. It’s therefore no surprise that — as of November 2024 — a staggering 493 million sites use WordPress. 

If you’re a small business owner, WordPress offers an ideal balance of power, flexibility, and ease of use. One of its primary strengths is its intuitive interface, which allows you to manage and create content with minimal technical expertise. Not a developer? No problem — WordPress makes it simple to launch and maintain a professional-looking website.

Another huge benefit of WordPress is its vast number of high-quality, professionally-designed blog themes, a subsection of the 30,000+ WordPress themes you have at your fingertips. These themes are visually appealing, functional, and optimized for performance, giving your blog a polished, professional look right from the start. For small business owners, WordPress themes save valuable time by offering pre-built templates tailored to specific industries. They also enhance your branding by allowing you to easily customize colors, fonts, and layouts to reflect your unique identity, all without requiring advanced technical skills. 

Just as enticing are WordPress blog plugins, part of the 70,000+ overall available plugins on WordPress. These invaluable tools are great for adding exciting new features to your site and creating the best user experience. 

Plugins allow you to extend your site’s capabilities in ways that directly benefit your business. For example, you can integrate contact forms to capture leads, add e-commerce functionality to sell products or services, or optimize your site to conquer Google with powerful SEO plugins. Many plugins also support marketing efforts by enabling email sign-ups, social media sharing, and analytics tracking, helping you better understand your audience and refine your strategy.

Cloud WordPress hosting vs shared hosting

When choosing the right hosting solution for your small business, it’s essential to understand the benefits of cloud WordPress hosting and shared hosting. Each option offers unique advantages that cater to different needs, budgets, and levels of technical expertise.

Cloud WordPress hosting is specifically tailored to WordPress websites, making it an excellent choice for small businesses and bloggers looking for optimized performance, security, and ease of management.

Shared hosting, on the other hand, is a versatile, budget-friendly hosting option suitable for a wide range of website types. It’s an ideal solution for small businesses and individuals who want a cost-effective way to establish their online presence.

2. Define the target audience for your blog

Identify who you’re writing for. Are they prospective customers, existing clients, or industry peers? Knowing your target audience will guide your content choices. For example, if you run a fitness studio, your target audience might be local fitness enthusiasts or people interested in wellness and exercise.

3. Choose your content angle

Decide how you want your blog to serve your small business. Will it be educational, industry-focused, or product-centered? Your content angle should align with your business goals and your audience’s interests. Again, using the fitness studio as an example, content angles might include workout tips, nutrition advice, or customer success stories.

4. Brainstorm content topics 

Make a list of potential topics that align with your business. If you own a toy store, blog topics could include “Educational benefits of wooden toys,” “Top toys for holiday gift-giving,” or “Why interactive play is essential for kids.”

Pro tip: Use tools like Namecheap’s RelateSEO, Ahrefs, or Google’s Keyword Planner to find popular keywords and topics relevant to your industry.

5. Set up a content calendar

Consistency is crucial. Create a schedule for publishing that’s manageable and sustainable for your team or budget. Many small businesses start by posting once a week or every two weeks. Planning your posts ahead of time ensures you always have fresh content to share.

6. Write and publish your first blog post 

As you write, think about what’s valuable for your audience. Optimize each post for SEO (more on that below) to help it reach a broader audience. Add engaging images, concise paragraphs, and clear calls-to-action (CTAs) like “Sign up for our newsletter” to keep readers connected.

SEO tips to optimize your blog on WordPress

To make sure your blog gets discovered, optimizing for Google and other search engines is vital. 

Here are key SEO tips for your blog on WordPress:

• Use keywords strategically – Use relevant keywords naturally in titles, subheadings, and throughout the post. If you’re writing a blog for a toy store, keywords like “educational toys” or “best toys for kids” may be helpful.
• Optimize meta descriptions – Your meta description gives a quick summary of your post in search results — keep it concise and engaging.
• Use alt text for images – Describe images with keywords in the alt text to make your posts more accessible and improve searchability. For example, instead of “IMG_1234.jpg,” use descriptive alt text like “wooden educational toy blocks.”
• Link internally – Link to other relevant pages on your site (product pages, related posts) to keep visitors on your website longer. For instance, if you’re a bakery, link to your “Order now” page in a blog post about custom cake designs.
• Mobile optimization – Make sure your blog is mobile-friendly, as a significant portion of web traffic comes from mobile devices. A responsive theme helps ensure your posts look great on any screen size.

These SEO practices will help your blog rank higher in Google, drawing more visitors to your website and, ultimately, helping to increase conversions.

Start simple, track progress, and aim for long-term success

Starting a blog for your business isn’t just about publishing content — it’s about building an online presence that drives meaningful engagement, establishes credibility, and attracts potential customers. By following these steps and optimizing your blog posts for SEO, you’ll lay the groundwork for a blog that can boost your business’s success over time.

A well-maintained blog supports your business goals, whether you’re aiming to increase brand awareness, boost traffic, or become an industry leader. Consider starting with simple, valuable content and tracking your progress, adjusting as you go to see the real benefits of blogging unfold.