Most book-lovers and readers harbor the dream of having a platform to share their love of books, meet and mingle with like-minded bookworms and explore more great books to read. The good news is you can do it all by starting a book blog. So, if you have been considering starting one but wondering where to begin, this blog post is for you.
I started this blog in 2012 when blogging was still picking up. But I wasn’t sure I wanted to start book blogging yet even though I had read more than 300 books by then. To be honest, reading books is one thing but writing about books consistently is a much bigger commitment and I wasn’t sure if I had it in me then. But that didn’t stop me. I started sharing my reading updates and constantly interacting with readers and other bloggers. This went on for 5 years and by then I knew I had developed the discipline it took to run a book blog. I dived in.
From my own experience as a book blogger, let me tell you this – it isn’t easy, but it isn’t impossible either. You need to be at it even on the days you have the slightest heart to leave bed. Eventually, you’ll get there – have a blog that gets you fellow readers, interactions, traffic, and gradually collaborations too.
Disclaimer: I have named brands in the post just for the sake of sharing my experience with you. This post is in no way sponsored or affiliated with them.
On that note, let’s get you started. First things first.
Identify your Audience
Your target audience is the specific group of people to whom you devote your book blog, such as readers of a particular age range, location, gender, or community. When it comes to book blogging, you have to understand that the ‘One shoe fits all’ approach never helps. As a blogger, you ought to be specific in your style and content and that you can define once you know your audience.
Determine your Niche
Book blogging entails deciding on a book blogging angle and niche, which are specific segments of the book world on which your blog will focus. A narrower niche can lead to less competition and more loyal readers, whereas a unique niche can set you apart from other book bloggers.
My niche is literary fiction, horror, and historical fiction mostly so most of the books I read and review are from these genres so my audience knows what to expect over at my blog. Covering specific genres such as romance, horror, fantasy, science fiction, or classic books; focusing on a specific book series or works of certain writers; dedicating your blog to a specific matter; or blogging about specific tropes or character types in books are some ideas for choosing a niche. Your niche will help you differentiate yourself from other book bloggers and attract more readers.
Choose the Right Blogging Platform
A blogging platform is software that allows you to create and manage a blog or website. There are two kinds of website builders: content management systems (CMS) and website builders. CMSs, such as WordPress.org, Joomla, and Drupal, run in a web browser and do not require any programming knowledge. They are best suited for large-content blogs that require optimised hosting. Website builders, on the other hand, are user-friendly tools that allow users to design blogs or websites using a drag-and-drop interface on the front end.
Hostinger Website Builder, Wix, and Squarespace are some popular website builders. A reliable website host provider is required to set up a website. Choosing the right hosting plan for your blog’s online presence is critical when using a CMS. I have always run my site on WordPress but that was only after I had tried Blogger and found WP more user-friendly. Feel free to experiment before taking a plunge.
Pick a Domain Name
A domain name is the web address that people use to access your blog or website, and choosing the right one is critical. Take it from me – I had 3 different domains in 12 years. Yes, that’s not just bad but very bad. I lost on a lot of traffic every time I changed my domain. But back then no one told me what it meant to have a permanent domain. I learned it the hard way but you don’t have to.
To choose a domain name, do extensive research, make it easy to remember, avoid numbers or hyphens, and use.com if possible. Consider long-term use, save social media usernames, claim nearby alternatives, and seek a second opinion. Creating a website will be useful for better interaction with your audience.
To purchase and register a domain name, find a reputable registration, use a domain checker to check domain name availability, select the desired domain name from the options provided, purchase the domain name, fill in the required fields, and verify ownership via the email address used for registration. This will increase traffic to your website and ensure that people can easily navigate it. I’ve always loved Godaddy for domains. You can choose who you like best.
Choose a Blog Theme
If a domain name is your site’s identity, the theme is its attire. Always remember – a blog theme helps audience understand your and your blog’s personality. Whether it’s serious, authentic, frivolous, or casual or professional, the blog theme helps decide.
Choose a blog theme that matches the tone of your blog platform and is simple to use. There are numerous options, including free themes from the official WordPress theme database and premium themes from third-party websites such as ThemeForest or StudioPress. To choose a theme, make a list of the features you want, look for light and responsive themes, consider your budget. After configuring settings and uploading files, test the theme.
I have been using WordPress so I can tell you this – free WordPress themes have benefits such as easy testing but the higher plans do have their share of challenges too. They do, however, have limited features, lack uniqueness, and lack dedicated support. Paid themes include a plethora of features, frequent updates, and personalised support. They are, however, not free, may be more difficult to use, and may not have official approval from WordPress. Don’t blind-pick but look around for what you need exactly and then go for it.
Build a Blog Identity
Enhance your credibility by building a blog identity. Choose the logo, design style, typography, and colours wisely, and once done stick to it. Changing these important aspects often is not advisable as it will only confuse your audience.
Create the necessary pages to clarify the purpose of your blog, provide contact information, and provide legal protection. These pages should include an About Me page, a contact page, information about your privacy policies, a disclaimer statement, terms and conditions, refund or exchange policies, and your ability to modify your legal pages.
Don’t Ignore SEO
Just creating content isn’t enough if you aim to turn this into an online business. Relevant and well-organised content is critical for SEO, which determines which websites and web pages appear higher on search results pages. Blog taxonomy is a classification system for categorising posts, which aids in content organisation, exposing readers to older content, facilitating access to similar content, and improving search engine optimisation.
Install Important Plugins
WordPress plugins are essential for book bloggers who want to expand the capabilities of their website. Hostinger AI Assistant, Akismet, UpdraftPlus, Easy Table of Contents, Yoast SEO, Broken Link Checker, WPForms, Comment Reply Notification, MailChimp, bbPress, Ad Inserter, and W3 Total Cache are some recommended plugins but these aren’t free and you might have to upgrade to a business plan on WordPress. But nothing to worry about, at beginner levels, you still have all crucial plugins in-built and that also helps save a lot of money.
Set a Blogging Schedule
Voila! Your blog is ready to go meet readers. Now all you need to do is write and publish consistently. This is easier done when you have a blogging schedule in place. Decide which days of the week you want to publish your content. Share a post on your blogging schedule with your readers so that they know when to expect your next post. This not only ensures consistency but also helps you develop a writing discipline.
Market, Market, Market
If you think starting a book blog is work, wait. What about marketing your blog? Now that’s religious work but worry not, it isn’t rocket science!
Actively promote your blog to drive traffic to your website. Use word of mouth, social media, email campaigns, online book clubs, sharing buttons, guest blogging, interacting with fellow bloggers, advertisements, and collaborating with influencers. Spread the word about your blog and get more and more traffic to boost your blog ranking.
That’s all folks!
I hope you have enjoyed reading this blog as much as I enjoyed sharing my experience and knowledge with you. Stay tuned for the next one, in which we will discuss about how to choose a domain name.
Do you run a book blog? What’s your story?
