“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.”
Plato
That’s a famous quote by the Greek philosopher Plato. Music has a way of bringing people together, and more often than not, it brings happiness and joy to our lives. So getting a chance to share your content and influence the music industry can be a dream come true for many. If you are considering starting a successful music blog, stick around for tips on how to become a blogger.
Starting a blog is easy – as easy as a five-minute process according to Google. Starting a successful music blog, however, is another thing altogether. Apart from the know-how, it requires patience, hard work, and dedication. In this article, we take you through a step-by-step process of how to become a music blogger and share your content with the rest of the world. While a music blog may have some similarities with other kinds of blogs, there are still some things that are distinctive and unique to the music niche. You need to have a concrete plan before you start.
If music is your passion, then a music blog is a perfect fit for you. Doing something that you are passionate about gives you that extra drive to see things through to success. There are many other music bloggers, but not many of them have a considerable following or earn a significant income. There is a lot of competition out there and if music is not your thing, then you might give up easily. But if you have a passion for music, then you should enjoy the challenge and the process of growing your blog.
A niche is simply what your blog is about or the specific kind of audience you are reaching out to. If you still haven’t figured out or don’t know how to go about selecting your market niche, then you can follow the following steps:
Identify your interests and strong areas
First, you need to identify your interests, passions, and what subjects you are already knowledgeable about. As stated earlier, if you don’t love your music, then starting a music blog may not be a good fit for you. Also, if you are only passionate about a certain kind of music, stick to that genre and target an audience that has similar interests.
However, just because you have a passion for music doesn’t mean that your blog will be successful. But if music is your passion, then that is an excellent place to start. First, identify which genre of music you love to listen to or play, what instruments you enjoy playing and such. The list does not have to be perfect at this point.
Identify problems and offer solutions
Identify problems that your niche audience has that you can solve. That is an essential principle for any successful business. If you want your blog to resonate with a majority of your target audience, you have to identify the problems that they experience relative to the music and offer solutions for them. Here is an example to help clarify: If your blog is about classical music, then you might have a broad audience that loves the same kind of music but doesn’t know how to play the piano. Solution: you can offer tips on how to play the piano.
Research the competition
Thirdly, you need to research your competition. If you are trying to start a successful music blog, then it’s essential to understand your competitors, the type of content they create, what they are doing that you can emulate and what mistakes they are making. Remember, running a successful music blog is not just about getting your content out there. You should also think about how you can make your niche profitable. If you have a profitable blog, then its easier to maintain consistency in the future.
It is essential to take some time to discover your niche. Once you have found your blogging niche, you will have a clear idea of who your target audience is and you can formulate a plan on how to reach that audience. Discovering your niche also helps you develop a strategy regarding your content.
Set goals and be consistent
You also need to set goals for your blog before you start. Goals will help you know where you are in the growth process and will help you build consistency as you seek to hit benchmarks.
Consistency is vital when it comes to blogging. Otherwise, you may end up losing your audience along the way. When your audience knows they can expect new content from you at specific times per week, they will know when to visit your blog and will be looking forward to your next post.
Creativity is also crucial
It’s not enough to be consistent, but you also have to be creative. Your posts have to be engaging and innovative enough to keep drawing the readers back to your blog. Also, you have to keep up with the current trends in the music scene if you want to remain relevant and keep your readers engaged. Have a plan for your content and be organized and disciplined enough to stick to it.
How to start a blog
Now that you have discovered your niche and learned the basic principles of a successful blog, you are ready to go to the next step, which is actually creating your blog. The following are a few simple steps you need to follow to get your blog up and running:
Create a name for your blog
Your blog name is critical. It’s your identity. Keep the name short, memorable, and catchy enough to draw people’s curiosity. The title should also be relative to the topics you will be posting about in your blog. If you’re having trouble coming up with a name for your blog, you can try blending words or misspelling words using phrases. Ensure you do thorough research to make sure the name is unique and that no one else is using it.
Domain and Web Hosting provider
Once you have chosen a name, it is time to register it as a domain name. It is better to pick a domain that can be recognized globally, such as ‘.com.’ There are several service providers that you can register your domain with such as Bluehost. Many service providers offer excellent service at very affordable prices. It’s essential to do your research to find the one best suitable for you.
Choose a Web Hosting provider
After registering your domain name, it’s now time to choose a web hosting provider. There are free web hosting providers such as wordpress.com, Tumblr, and Blogger. You can also choose a paid hosting provider where you pay a monthly fee. Some hosts will even charge less than $5 a month. The advantage of paid hosting is that they may have additional features that free host providers may not have, such as storage for music and video files and extra bandwidth. Again, it is essential to do your research and read user reviews before deciding on a host. We strongly recommend Bluehost.
Plug-ins
The next step is to add the necessary plug-ins that will be suitable for your blog. Plugins will help make your work easier. They include media playing plug-ins, calendar, download, and payment plug-ins if you intend to sell your music and merch through the blog. There are many more plug-ins available for you to choose according to your specific needs and preferences.
Note: Too many plug-ins can slow down your website speed so don’t go overboard. Only install essential plug-ins that serve a necessary purpose.
Choose a Theme
Choosing an appropriate theme is essential for your blog. There are many free themes provided by the service provider. There are also custom themes that you can buy. Themes help your blog look beautiful and appealing. The theme also helps with the functionality of your blog. Make sure the theme you chose is relevant to the topics you are discussing on the blog. As you look up your competition, take notice of the themes they use in regards to color, layout, etc.
Promote your blog
Now that your blog is up and running don’t just sit around and wait for people to find your blog posts. Get out and promote it. You can engage local artists for interviews and use social media for marketing your blog. Even something as simple as encouraging your readers to share your content with their family and friends can go a long way in helping you build a sizable audience.
You can also be creative in choosing keywords that will drive traffic to your blog. As your traffic increases, you can monetize your blog to make some income through Adsense and affiliate marketing. Your sales will increase as more and more people come across your content.
Conclusion
Starting a successful music blog is possible, but it’s not easy. All you need is the right information, the discipline, and the motivation to see it through. There are many music blogs out there, so it is vital to find a way to be unique and creative to stand out from the rest.
Also, it’s important to stick to a specific niche. Most successful blogs (not just in the music category) target a particular audience. Even so, spicing things up once in a while is not a bad idea. You may find interesting opportunities to expand your audience and broaden your niche. Also, remember to promote and advertise your blog wherever you can.
How to Start a Successful Blog
That’s a famous quote by the Greek philosopher Plato. Music has a way of bringing people together, and more often than not, it brings happiness and joy to our lives. So getting a chance to share your content and influence the music industry can be a dream come true for many. If you are considering starting a successful music blog, stick around for tips on how to become a blogger.
Starting a blog is easy – as easy as a five-minute process according to Google. Starting a successful music blog, however, is another thing altogether. Apart from the know-how, it requires patience, hard work, and dedication. In this article, we take you through a step-by-step process of how to become a music blogger and share your content with the rest of the world. While a music blog may have some similarities with other kinds of blogs, there are still some things that are distinctive and unique to the music niche. You need to have a concrete plan before you start.
If music is your passion, then a music blog is a perfect fit for you. Doing something that you are passionate about gives you that extra drive to see things through to success. There are many other music bloggers, but not many of them have a considerable following or earn a significant income. There is a lot of competition out there and if music is not your thing, then you might give up easily. But if you have a passion for music, then you should enjoy the challenge and the process of growing your blog.
A niche is simply what your blog is about or the specific kind of audience you are reaching out to. If you still haven’t figured out or don’t know how to go about selecting your market niche, then you can follow the following steps:
Identify your interests and strong areas
First, you need to identify your interests, passions, and what subjects you are already knowledgeable about. As stated earlier, if you don’t love your music, then starting a music blog may not be a good fit for you. Also, if you are only passionate about a certain kind of music, stick to that genre and target an audience that has similar interests.
However, just because you have a passion for music doesn’t mean that your blog will be successful. But if music is your passion, then that is an excellent place to start. First, identify which genre of music you love to listen to or play, what instruments you enjoy playing and such. The list does not have to be perfect at this point.
Identify problems and offer solutions
Identify problems that your niche audience has that you can solve. That is an essential principle for any successful business. If you want your blog to resonate with a majority of your target audience, you have to identify the problems that they experience relative to the music and offer solutions for them. Here is an example to help clarify: If your blog is about classical music, then you might have a broad audience that loves the same kind of music but doesn’t know how to play the piano. Solution: you can offer tips on how to play the piano.
Research the competition
Thirdly, you need to research your competition. If you are trying to start a successful music blog, then it’s essential to understand your competitors, the type of content they create, what they are doing that you can emulate and what mistakes they are making. Remember, running a successful music blog is not just about getting your content out there. You should also think about how you can make your niche profitable. If you have a profitable blog, then its easier to maintain consistency in the future.
It is essential to take some time to discover your niche. Once you have found your blogging niche, you will have a clear idea of who your target audience is and you can formulate a plan on how to reach that audience. Discovering your niche also helps you develop a strategy regarding your content.
Set goals and be consistent
You also need to set goals for your blog before you start. Goals will help you know where you are in the growth process and will help you build consistency as you seek to hit benchmarks.
Consistency is vital when it comes to blogging. Otherwise, you may end up losing your audience along the way. When your audience knows they can expect new content from you at specific times per week, they will know when to visit your blog and will be looking forward to your next post.
Creativity is also crucial
It’s not enough to be consistent, but you also have to be creative. Your posts have to be engaging and innovative enough to keep drawing the readers back to your blog. Also, you have to keep up with the current trends in the music scene if you want to remain relevant and keep your readers engaged. Have a plan for your content and be organized and disciplined enough to stick to it.
How to start a blog
Now that you have discovered your niche and learned the basic principles of a successful blog, you are ready to go to the next step, which is actually creating your blog. The following are a few simple steps you need to follow to get your blog up and running:
Create a name for your blog
Your blog name is critical. It’s your identity. Keep the name short, memorable, and catchy enough to draw people’s curiosity. The title should also be relative to the topics you will be posting about in your blog. If you’re having trouble coming up with a name for your blog, you can try blending words or misspelling words using phrases. Ensure you do thorough research to make sure the name is unique and that no one else is using it.
Domain and Web Hosting provider
Once you have chosen a name, it is time to register it as a domain name. It is better to pick a domain that can be recognized globally, such as ‘.com.’ There are several service providers that you can register your domain with such as Bluehost. Many service providers offer excellent service at very affordable prices. It’s essential to do your research to find the one best suitable for you.
Choose a Web Hosting provider
After registering your domain name, it’s now time to choose a web hosting provider. There are free web hosting providers such as wordpress.com, Tumblr, and Blogger. You can also choose a paid hosting provider where you pay a monthly fee. Some hosts will even charge less than $5 a month. The advantage of paid hosting is that they may have additional features that free host providers may not have, such as storage for music and video files and extra bandwidth. Again, it is essential to do your research and read user reviews before deciding on a host. We strongly recommend Bluehost.
Plug-ins
The next step is to add the necessary plug-ins that will be suitable for your blog. Plugins will help make your work easier. They include media playing plug-ins, calendar, download, and payment plug-ins if you intend to sell your music and merch through the blog. There are many more plug-ins available for you to choose according to your specific needs and preferences.
Note: Too many plug-ins can slow down your website speed so don’t go overboard. Only install essential plug-ins that serve a necessary purpose.
Choose a Theme
Choosing an appropriate theme is essential for your blog. There are many free themes provided by the service provider. There are also custom themes that you can buy. Themes help your blog look beautiful and appealing. The theme also helps with the functionality of your blog. Make sure the theme you chose is relevant to the topics you are discussing on the blog. As you look up your competition, take notice of the themes they use in regards to color, layout, etc.
Promote your blog
Now that your blog is up and running don’t just sit around and wait for people to find your blog posts. Get out and promote it. You can engage local artists for interviews and use social media for marketing your blog. Even something as simple as encouraging your readers to share your content with their family and friends can go a long way in helping you build a sizable audience.
You can also be creative in choosing keywords that will drive traffic to your blog. As your traffic increases, you can monetize your blog to make some income through Adsense and affiliate marketing. Your sales will increase as more and more people come across your content.
Conclusion
Starting a successful music blog is possible, but it’s not easy. All you need is the right information, the discipline, and the motivation to see it through. There are many music blogs out there, so it is vital to find a way to be unique and creative to stand out from the rest.
Also, it’s important to stick to a specific niche. Most successful blogs (not just in the music category) target a particular audience. Even so, spicing things up once in a while is not a bad idea. You may find interesting opportunities to expand your audience and broaden your niche. Also, remember to promote and advertise your blog wherever you can.
Additional GospelChops Articles
Gerald is the producer of GospelChops and the Chairman of the GospelChops Foundation.