15 Essential Things to Do Before Launching Your Blog

Launching a successful blog in 2023 takes work, dedication, consistency, and discipline. It may seem intimidating at first, but it is very doable. Before you launch your blog and get ahead of yourself, you should do a few important things first. To avoid making more than a few mistakes like I once did, I am sharing 15 essential things you need to do before launching your blog.

#1 Write Down Your Why

When I first created my blog, I wasn’t clear on who I wanted to help and why I started my blog. I knew I wanted to share my life with others to inspire them, but I wasn’t sure how I would do that exactly. There’s so much more to launching a successful blog that it’s important to understand your why, especially when you do not see the results of your hard work. Your why will keep you going when you do not see instant results. A way to avoid losing your why in starting your blog is to write down three reasons. Once you’ve done that, break those reasons down further.

#2 Decide On A Niche & Categories

Your niche should be something that you have knowledge or experience in. Your niche can be as broad as you would like or very narrow. For example, my niche comprises lifestyle, beauty, travel, and blogging tips. My categories in beauty are broken down into natural hair, skincare, and makeup. Keep in mind as your life changes, so will your niche. The things that you once enjoyed may not spark your interest any longer.

#3 Research Other Bloggers In Your Niche

Before launching your blog, it’s a good idea to research other blogs in your niche. Look at how their blog is set up. Take a look at their theme, categories, layouts, etc. Does it seem as if what they are doing is working for them? If so, write down a few takeaways you could incorporate into your blog. Researching other bloggers in your niche is not to copy but to find inspiration and insight.

#4 Elevator Pitch

What is an elevator pitch? An elevator pitch is a simple way of informing others of what you do. It can be hard to explain what you do as a blogger to others. Before launching your blog, write down your elevator pitch. This will help you gain clarity as a blogger and level your personal brand. Want to learn how to develop your personal brand as a blogger? Check out this blog post: 7 Killer Ways To Develop Your Personal Brand.

#5 Create Your Blogging Goals

Your niche doesn’t matter when it comes to creating your blogging goals. The key to building your blog’s goals is to have realistic goals for your blog. Take a few weeks to brainstorm at least 2-3 goals you can achieve. Your goals don’t have to be huge, just attainable.

#6 Monetizing Your Blog

Before launching your blog, you will want to consider monetizing it. It’s good to have a few ideas for securing the bag. Here are a few ways you can make money as a blogger:

• Offer products & services,
• Sponsored Blog Posts,
• Affiliated Links,
• Ads

#7 Write 10-15 Title Blog Posts

Knowing what to write about is more important than making your blog profitable. Yes, I said it! However, this is essential to having a successful blog before launching your blog. Before making money as a blogger, you will need topics to discuss. Having at least 10-15 potential blog posts written down is a good start.

#8 Blog Posts

Having a few blog titles is the foundation for your blog posts. Take it further and create at least 2-3 blog posts for each category. Don’t let the numbers scare you; if your niche is something you have knowledge and expertise in, a few blog posts should be easy to outline. Writing a few blog posts will give you the confidence to launch your blog!

#9 Create Your Blogging Style

Let’s face it; not all blogs are the same. Your blog should be a representation of who you are. People who visit your blog want to feel like they know you. Your fonts, branding colors, layouts, and everything should visually express who you are. Your writing voice and style are important for capturing new eyes to your blog. Take a few days to brainstorm how you want your blog to look and feel to your potential audience.

#10 Choose Your Hosting Platform

Starting a blog can be expensive, but your domain and hosting platform is the only expense you should begin with. Before launching your blog, do a little digging to see what platform works well for you. I use BlueHost, a self-hosting platform, and I love it! You have the capability of setting up your domain name there as well.

#11 Choose A Domain Name

Your domain name should be easy to pronounce, spell, and recognizable. Remember, your blog should represent you, including your domain name. Many new bloggers don’t put much thought into their domain names. Doing this is the worse mistake that you can make. Your domain name is what people will remember. Take a few days to think of a name you don’t have to second guest.

#12 Setup A Professional Email

Before you launch your blog, you should set up a professional email. That is another great reason why I love Bluehost. With Bluehost, you can have one email address with your domain when you initially sign up. A professional email will look similar to this- [email protected]. This is important if you want to be taken seriously as a blogger. You can always set up separate or several email addresses through Google to avoid overloading your professional email account. This is an excellent idea to do when you start receiving brand sponsorships.

#13 Setup Social Media Accounts

Once you’ve decided on a domain name, head over to the social sites you will be using to see if your name choice is available; if it is, snag it asap. If possible, you want to use the same name across all social media sites you will be using. You don’t have to be on every social media platform, but a good start would be Instagram and Pinterest. These two social sites are excellent for driving traffic to your blog.

#14 Email List

Before launching your blog, many new bloggers missed this vital step, even me! Setting up your email list is great for building an online community. You don’t have to wait to launch your blog to do this. You only need a landing page through an email management provider like ConvertKit. Then, you can prepare your list of subscribers for what is to come and what you’ve got in store for them. This is why you created those blog posts early on to share them with your audience!

#15 Create a Content Schedule

As a blogger, you often hear this saying; content is king. Creating a content schedule helps you determine what you will post and when. Creating a content schedule gives you more control and increases your chances of launching your blog without fear.

Let’s Recap

1. Write down you’re why
2. Decide on a niche
3. Research other bloggers in your niche
4. Elevator pitch
5. Create your blogging goals
6. Monetizing your blog
7. Headline topics
8. Blog posts
9. Create your blogging style
10. Choose your hosting platform
11. Choose a domain name
12. Set up a professional email account
13. Set up social media accounts
14. Email list
15. Create a content schedule

There you have it, friends! 15 essential things to do before launching your blog. Drop a comment below and let me know if you’re ready to launch your blog.