Updated May 3, 2022

Is starting a blog for a small business still worth it in 2022?

Short answer: Yes. And you’re not too late to the game.

Blogging is still relevant in 2022. In fact, roughly 409 million people read about 20 billion blog pages monthly. This is why 53% of marketers prioritize blogging as their primary content marketing strategy, according to leading Digital Marketing expert Neal Shaffer.

Furthermore, blogging continues to flourish with a 12% increase in the last 5 years, indicating that people are searching for questions your blog has the potential to answer.

How to Start a Blog for a Small Business in 2022

The reasons why your business needs a blog are plentiful.

Regardless of what your niche is, blogging allows you to build brand awareness, establish expertise within your field, and foster a strong connection with your target audience through value-packed content that instills trust.

However, it’s not as simple as typing away and publishing a post. To make the most impact and attract your target audience there’s some work that goes on behind the scenes. 

Let’s look into 5 tips every beginner can easily implement to start a blog in 2022. 

1. Choose Your Niche 

Before you start coming up with content for your blog, you need to know what your focus will be. This is essential in reaching your target audience. 

For example, are you interested in talking about fitness? Or perhaps you’d like to share your home design tips. Whatever your niche is, identify it, and use that as the basis for all of your blog’s content. 

In doing so, you’ll give readers a clear indication of the content to expect and will reach those who are more likely to engage. It will also help guide you in creating your content marketing strategy (more on that later). 

2. Choose a Name For Your Blog 

Once you have your niche figured out, it’s time to come up with a name. Think carefully, once you select a name and started creating a brand for yourself, it will be harder to change later. 

Don’t overthink the name or try to get too clever. Sometimes simple is best. Keep it easy to read and spell and check to ensure no one else is using that name. 

3. Select a Blogging Platform 

When it comes to blogging domains, WordPress is one of the most popular. There is also a lot of information out there on how to use it since it is such a popular choice. If you have questions about setting up your site, you’ll have ample resources at your disposal. 

Other options include Weebly, Wix, Squarespace, and my personal favorite — the one seen here — Showit. Showit isn’t free but allows me to custom design my website without hiring a developer every time I want to enhance the look of my blog. I pair it with WordPress (specifically for blogging because of its unparalleled SEO capabilities).

I suggest starting a blog by using a free platform, and investing more as you grow.

4. Create a Blogging Schedule and Plan 

Even if you think you have a lot to say about a topic, having a strategy will help you see how much content you have to work with. It will also help you come up with additional topic ideas, and perhaps a series of posts. 

Tools like Trello make setting up an editorial calendar simple. You can lay out your plan by weeks or months, whatever will keep you consistent. This is key to keeping your audience interested and coming back for more. 

Learn how to create a content batching schedule.

5. Enable Comments to Get Engagement 

When you start posting on your blog keep your comments section on so readers can post their thoughts. You can also include a CTA (Call to Action) at the end of your blog post asking for comments. This helps drive engagement. 

When you start receiving comments, don’t forget to engage back. A simple acknowledgment goes a long way in showing that you’re a real person and that you care about your readers. 

Start a Blog Today with These Tips 

Now that you know the proper steps needed to start a blog, you’ll be on your way toward successful blogging in no time. Start with your niche in mind, find your name and platform, stay organized by maintaining (and sticking to!) a schedule, and engage with your target audience online.

Need some help getting your content off the ground? Get in touch today and let’s talk about your content needs.