This guest blog comes from Laurel Springs’ Academic Department Chair, Emily Reid. Ms. Reid is a Kindergarten through 8th grade teacher at Laurel Springs. She is extremely passionate about student growth. She loves facilitating her students by learning about their individual needs, interests, and situations. Ms. Reid is an advocate of online learning and encourages her students to embrace new technology and other 21st century skills to develop knowledge and improve resourcefulness.
- Do you want to become a better thinker?
- Do you want to express your opinions?
- Do you want to make a difference?
- Do you want to become a better writer?
- Do you want to connect with people that have similar interests?
- Do you want to stay connected to a concept or interest?
- Do you want to help people understand something?
- Do you want to inspire others?
If you said yes to one or more of the questions above, then you should start blogging! I am going to help you by providing the basics of getting started.
Pick a Topic
Blogging has no limits. People often blog about travel, sports, music, art, projects, people, personal growth, news, food, education, finance, politics and more. The list of topics covered by bloggers is truly endless. The key is to pick topics you feel passionate about.
Some questions you should ask yourself when considering topics are:
- What interests you?
- Who is your target audience?
- Do you want to write about something your friends are interested in?
- Do you want to create a blog about your family’s interests or travels?
- Are you interested in connecting with people that have the same fascination in a specific topic or person as you?
Once you create a list of things you are passionate about, you can begin eliminating topics by deciding who you want to interact with and what topic would be of the most interest to you and your audience.
Find a Web Host
There are a number of sites that offer easy-to-use platforms for blogging. Some cost money and some are free. Doing a little research to see what will fit the needs based on your topic and affordability is the best idea. The best site I have found available for students is edublog.com. This site has a free option that fits the needs of just about any new blogger.
Once you decide on the host, you will sign up and choose a domain name. You will find many simple names are taken, but if you think of something unique and creative, you should be able to find a name you desire!
What to expect?
A successful blogger is considered to continually grow newly engaged followers while keeping their existing followers. Blogging should be 100% authentic; use your own words when sharing ideas and information. There is not a specific guideline to follow, so you can easily experiment with different writing techniques and go with a style that works best for your topic. Remember, if you stay passionate about the topic and continually add new information, your audience is likely to stay engaged, interactive and continue to grow.
What will you gain by blogging?
Many people actually claim to live a more purposeful life by blogging. Exploring your passions more in depth will give you a stronger connection to the world you live in. When you write about topics that interest you most, you will feel encouraged to explore a variety of media formats.
Blogging also creates the opportunity to build a network with others who share similar beliefs and interest as you. It allows you to engage in purposeful learning and sharing of information. Expressing yourself through a blog will improve both thinking and writing skills. Writing blogs is a productive lifestyle that promotes professional development. Best of all, you will be an inspiration to others by starting your own unique blog!
Good luck on your new blogging adventure and be sure to share your blog with us by emailing: testimonials@laurelsprings.com.
