TECH SUPPORT: Advice On Starting A Teen Blog

EMMA H. from GREATER TORONTO AREA asks:
 

I'm 15 and I have been thinking about starting blog, what should I do to get started and do you have any tips? Do I have to stick to one topic, or can I blog about anything?

CHRISTELLA (aka TECH SUPPORT) says:

Being a blogger is a great way to write through experiences, keep a journal of your life, or even try out some cool products every now and then! But it is also a lot of work. Don't let that deter you, though, because it's rare to find anything worth doing that isn't going to take a bit of work. 

Starting a blog is the easy part—and no, you don't have to stick to one style of post (in the industry we often call these niches or genres), but it can help if you're hoping to grow your readership over time. In order to best decide what type of blog you should do, think about things you could write about easily, frequently, and well. If you're really into doing makeup and fashion, maybe starting a blog about that might be fun for you. Writing about what interests you will always work best in the end, because it shouldn't be difficult or frustrating. 

How do you start a blog? Well, there are lots of free sites that offer blog support. The most popular being Wordpress, quickly followed by Blogger, and Wix. Try out some of the different engines and decide which one is easiest to use for you. (I highly recommend Wordpress, though!) You'll learn more tricks of the trade over time, don't stress out if your blog doesn't look super professional right away. 

If you're under 18 and thinking about starting a blog, you should definitely have that conversation with your parents. While you may be totally fine with putting your life online, they may not be so comfortable with the idea. Sit down and have a discussion with them about writing the blog, rules of engagement (literally and figuratively), and what you can and cannot write about. Putting yourself online as a public figure can be exciting, but it can also have negative repercussions and you need to thoroughly understand that before jumping headfirst into blogging. 

Once that is decided, take some time and write a few posts. Don't publish them right away, instead wait until you have 5, 10, maybe even 20, and you're happy with your work. If your parents have asked that they preview every post before it goes live, give them a look and then begin scheduling your posts. Try not to over-commit yourself to too many posts per week, but in order to be successful you should be consistent. Give yourself a deadline date every week to have a new post ready and stick to it. It also works best if you stay ahead of the curve with your publishing and always have a few posts waiting in the wings. 

Here are a few more tips for people wanting to write their own blogs. Fellow bloggers, please feel free to add your own tips in the comments! 

• Write what you know! Don't try to re-invent the wheel right away, finding your voice can take time, so just keep writing!
• Read other blogs. Find ones that you love and figure out what you love about them. Maybe you can incorporate those ideas into your own articles. 
• Don't get discouraged! Writing a blog and growing an audience takes time . . . a LOT of time.
• Who is your target demographic? Decide who you want to reach—is it other teenagers? Parents? Local kids or kids around the world? Beauty product lovers? Once you figure out who your reader-base is (or who you want them to be), it will be easier to come up with ideas for posts. 
• DO NOT write when you're angry. Actually scratch that! Write as much as you want when you're angry, just hold off on publishing anything until you're SURE you want that put out into the world. 
• Don't expect free stuff right away. Most brands want to work with bloggers who are established and experienced. That will come, but it takes time, so if you want to write reviews start by reviewing things you already have and go from there. 
• Think about what you're looking for online—if you can't find good answers, maybe others can't too! Write a post about it and ta-da! Instant google traffic! 
• Join online blogging groups and network with other bloggers. Most are more than willing to offer advice, support, or even a few comments here and there. 
• BE YOURSELF!

If you liked this, check out: "Breaking Bullies: Does Your Family Have A Cyber-Bully Plan?" and "I Want My Kids to Be Weird."