8 EASY TIPS TO SETUP A MUSIC BLOG IN 5 MINUTE ON HOSTGATOR
8 Easy Tips to Setup a Music Blog in 5 Mins On HostGator!
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Hi Everyone, similar to my previous blog post on how to start a Fitness blog, here is another article on how to set up a Music blog on HostGator. Let’s begin!
Started out as a hobby by famous music artists, music blogs have come a long way today.
Originally, a music blog was created as a form of an online personal journal. Wherein, musicians would write about their personal experiences, gave tips or simply used it to enlighten people about music. And even though these blogs were successful, what it lacked was a “wholesome feature”, thereby limiting the participation of their audience.
Similarly, when the trend of music blogging began, it was only musicians or famous artist who had a wide knowledge of music, wrote these blogs. But, in today’s world, anyone who is passionate about music – be it a single artist, a band or a record label or someone who knows a thing or two about a specific music genre, can start a music blog.
Also, while earlier creating a music blog was a huge challenge, today, however, you can create one in under 5 minutes. And to accomplish this task, all you got to do is follow these 8 simple steps!
#STEP 1: GET A HOSTING IN PLACE
Having your own web host or web server for your blog is probably the best way to start-up a business venture. While there are many free blogging resources available, they do not allow you full access, to maintain or manage your content.
And if by chance, these sites were to shut down without notice, it would result in total loss of all your work. Hence, to avoid these unforeseeable circumstances, it is essential that you create your blog on your own web host.
Plus, from a readers perspective, when you have your own domain, it gives your blog a professional touch, thereby, establishing your brand in the online world. Besides, when you have your own web host, you can:
- Have your own Domain Name
- You have total control over the operations & features of your site.
- You can manage your own Content, that means no third-party interference.
- The risk of data getting lost is kept to a minimum.
Plus, it offers various features like unlimited bandwidth & storage, SSL Certificate, user-friendly cPanel, great after-sale service a.k.a customer support, etc. Thus, for your Music blog to be successful, it is critical that you invest in a good and reliable hosting plan.
Here are the hosting plans you can select for your music blog from HostGator:
#STEP 2: SELECT A DOMAIN NAME THAT REFLECTS YOUR MUSIC
If you follow through with step 1, that means you now get a chance to have your very own Domain. You may ask, why a Domain Name is so important?
A Domain name is the URL of your blog, i.e. if your blog’s name is www.mydreamblog.com, then my dream blog is your Domain Name.
A Domain Name is important because it works as an identity, which makes it easier for people to locate your blog or business online. Besides giving credibility to your blog, a Domain Name also helps to increase your brand value. Thus, having an appropriate Domain name for your blog is critical.
Generally, the thumb rule while selecting a Domain name, is that to keep it simple, short and memorable. Hence, being creative with the name is alright, as far as the name is easy to recollect. Further, coming up with a name that reflects what your blog is about, is also important.
For example, if your blog is about new age music, then a name such as ‘newage-music.com’ which is straightforward will work well. Then, a name like ‘modern-music.com’ which is vague and can mean many things. Also, with an apt name, you will be able to attract the right kind of readers to your blog.
Now, here are some HostGator Domain Coupons that’ll help you purchase a domain for your blog at an affordable price.
#STEP 3: CHOOSE A BLOGGING PLATFORM
If you are a new blogger then it is going to be tough to decide on which blogging platform to choose from. But, if you need a blogging platform that is easy-to-use along with being credible, then WordPress is your best bet! One of the leading blogging platforms, WordPress is literally a bloggers paradise.
- Once you buy the domain name and hosting plan from HostGator, you can log in to the cPanel.
- In QuickInstall, you’ll see a WordPress icon. You can simply click on it to initiate the process of installing WordPress.
- Once the WordPress window is open, you need to fill all the details according to everything that’s required.
- Log In into your admin page, using your username and password.
- After you’re Logged In, you will see your dashboard (in the pic below). Here, under the header Posts, select Add New and fill in the required fields. That’s it your first post is ready to go live, click on Publish or Save it as a Draft.
WordPress is also a responsive design, by which it means, that it allows you the freedom to create or read a blog through mobile apps.
Lastly, it comes with a host of features that will help you to:
- Create a customized theme blog.
- It will help you with your SEO strategy.
- It will help you with content and media management.
- Since it is a multilingual platform, it gives you the flexibility to build a blog in a language you prefer.
- It has an extended list of WordPress plugins and quality community support.
Also, since WordPress is used by many bloggers across the globe, it is a reliable platform to build your blog. Plus, it also integrates social media into your site, thereby connecting you with popular social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, etc.
Further, with most of the web provider such as HostGator, offering a quick one-click WordPress installation, installing WordPress is a hassle-free process
#STEP 4: PERSONALIZE YOUR BLOG WITH ATTRACTIVE THEMES
Once you have a blogging platform in place, it is time to customize your blog. Getting this step right is critical because the overall look of your blog depends upon the theme that you select.
A theme is basically a style or a layout, that enhances the look of your blog, making it visually appealing. But, with thousands of themes available on WordPress, selecting one that is useful can be a challenge.
Since “First Impression” of a blog is very important, it is essential that you put in a little effort to get the design right. And for this reason, it is important that you:
- Go through all the appropriate themes – check out the pros and cons.
- Check if it has a user-friendly interface, i.e. it allows users easy navigation.
- Check for readers usability, i.e. is it easy to read the content or a post.
- See if the theme as responsive design – a mobile-friendly theme is a must.
- Check if it allows personalization of each page.
- See if social media sharing and media management is allowed.
It is important that you select a theme, that is not only beautiful but also one that hints at the type of music you’re trying to showcase. I would recommend ThemeForest for you to buy themes, as this is the place which not just has varieties but, some of the most amazing themes for WordPress!
To make it, even more, easier for you, here are some themes you could use for your Music blogs:
Furthermore, here is a comprehensive list of best WordPress Themes for blogs that you can check out!
Lastly, select a theme that will integrate well with your SEO strategies. A proper theme will not only increase your search engine ranking & help you to get noticed but also boost your credibility.
So here it is, a simple 4 step procedure, that will help you to build an online blog. Further, once you have created a blog, there is a list of things you need to do, to make it successful. Listed below are 4 important tips that will help you to promote and manage your blog.
#TIP 1: SELECT YOUR NICHE MUSIC GENRE
Though thinking out-of-box, sounds cliched, this is exactly what you need to do, if you want to become the next trendsetter. Since, there are numerous music blogs, which are already dedicated to a wide range of music, making your blog different & creative is the key.
One solution is to check out already existing music blogs for ideas. It will not only help you to get a clear idea, on what not to work on, but also help you to figure out, if there is anything that is missing or not covered by these blogs.
Secondly, it is important that you first decide, what is it that you want to write about and then go about creating a blog about it. To help you make a well-researched decision, here are a few questions that you need to answer before you can proceed further:
- Who is your target audience? Who is it that you are writing for?
- Are you dedicating the blog to a single artist or a band?
- Is the blog about reviewing new songs?
- Or is it about critiquing music you don’t enjoy?
- Are you creating a blog to promote a musical event?
- Or do you want your blog to focus only on a particular music genre?
However, once you have answered these questions, there are chances that you may come up with a few more follow-up questions, which again requires brainstorming. Hence, it is important that you first, hash out all these questions, form a blueprint for your blog and then start working on it.
#TIP 2: ALIGN MUSIC WITH ENGAGING CONTENT
Like with all online businesses, Content is an all-important factor that can make or break your music blog. Earlier music blogs were a replication of each other. There was no uniqueness or originality about them. Most of these blogs would just post a song or a video, along with a short review or a brief description and that was it.
Today, however, using this technique would definitely not benefit you. Because, today when a reader visits a blog or decide to follow one, he or she is looking for much more than a few songs or a hastily written content.
Therefore, creating intriguing & original content is very critical. It will not only give your readers, a reason to visit your blog more often but also, in turn, help you to stream in more traffic.
Moreover, creative write-ups that are engaging as well as informative, leads to active participants and more interaction among the readers. And there are countless ways in which you can create engaging content such as:
- Interviewing bands, local artist or new musicians.
- Writing a short biography on new & upcoming music artist.
- Sharing interesting & quirky facts about musicians.
- Writing a brief history explaining a particular music genre.
- Telling a story behind a specific song.
Like I said, there are numerous ways to create interesting and quality content. If you are passionate enough, discovering new ways to keep your readers engaged, shouldn’t be a problem.
#TIP 3: CONSISTENCY OF POST AND UPDATES
All your efforts, be it setting up your blog, getting the design right, creating quality content, all of these will go down the drain if you don’t post or update your blog on a timely basis. Consistency on your part is essential, as it shows the readers that you are committed towards your work.
Similarly, when you start to think about blogging as a passion and not work, it will help you to become more creative. This kind of dedication will, in turn, reflect on your work, making you stand out from other bloggers. Thus, it is important, that you take updating your blog as a routine instead of a tedious task.
Further, if your goal is to create a steady and loyal readers base, then it is critical that your blog regularly. Writing daily or on a weekly basis, will not only make you look more professional but will also generate more traffic.
Also, when you’re actively blogging, you are up-to-date with the latest news and current trends, which in turn helps you to produce better content. And to help you become more consistent, all you need to do is:
- Set a goal for each day.
- Research for new & interesting topics.
- Work towards generating new, quality content.
- Space out your post – so that they are not irregular or too frequent.
#TIP 4: NETWORKING & PROMOTING YOUR MUSIC BLOG
Besides blogging, connecting with other bloggers, promoting your brand and sharing your content on social media, is also very important for the success of your blog. The more you interact with like-minded people, the better the chances for you to spread a word about your blog. And when I say networking, I don’t mean only online interaction with music bloggers.
You need to be more active than that. Go to a live concert, interview artists, get others to write for you, attend conferences and events. In short, get to know more people from the music industry, online as well as offline. When this is done correctly, networking can be fun as well as rewarding.
The fun part is that you get to interact & meet interesting people and many times get a chance to visit exotic places. Whereas, the rewards include free promotion by other bloggers, guest blogs, chance to interview famous musicians, etc.
Further, sharing your content on other networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit is also important. As these platforms are the best way, through which you can promote your blog, to a large number of people.
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CONCLUSION:
The music industry is forever evolving, thus it is important that you keep your blog and yourself up-to-date.
Since competition in this industry is aggressive, staying on top of your game at all time is very critical. Therefore, it is essential that you always lookout for new avenues and do things differently than the rest, because that’s what blogging is all about.
Be creative to get noticed, be active and socialize, be attentive to the latest developments and finally be patient, because there is a lot for you to do before people even notice that your blog exist!
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