How to start a gaming blog

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1 Feb 2024

If you’re starting a gaming business, starting a gaming blog can help you level up your online presence and connect with a passionate gaming community. It's your opportunity to tap into the booming gaming industry, share insights and even promote your products or services.

Whether you're in game development, gaming accessories or anything related, a gaming blog allows you to establish your brand as an authority in the gaming world. Plus, it's a fun way to engage with gamers, get feedback and stay updated on industry trends.

So, if you're a business owner looking to power-up your online strategy, starting a blog might just be your winning move when it comes to making money in gaming.

Why start a gaming blog?

Starting a blog is a strategic step for anyone looking to establish a presence in the gaming industry. By blogging for business, you can attract a dedicated audience that’s eager to learn from you—and potentially purchase from you in the future. Among the many benefits that a blog can introduce, here are some of the best benefits to look forward to.

Brand awareness: A well-structured blog can introduce your gaming business to a broader audience. Through informative and engaging content, you can establish your brand's identity and values, helping potential customers connect with your vision.
Audience engagement and research: Your blog can serve as a live testing ground for new ideas, products or features. By interacting with your readers through comments and discussions on your blog, you can better step into your customers’ shoes, and tailor your gaming products or services accordingly.
Authority building: Consistently sharing insightful content can position you as an authority in the gaming industry. This credibility can be instrumental in attracting partnerships, collaborations and media coverage. “You can use your blog for more than just elevating your brand. By fostering relationships and collaborating on content, it can help build the foundation for thought leadership and authority building both for you and within your industry,” says Ophyr Hanan, blog growth and SEO outreach specialist at Wix.com.
Online visibility: Regularly updating your blog with relevant content can improve your website's search engine ranking, making it easier for potential customers to discover your gaming business online.

How to start a gaming blog in 6 steps

Ready to embark on your gaming blog adventure? Here's a quick six-step guide to get you started.

01. Choose your gaming blog niche

Selecting the right blog niche is a crucial step in creating a successful gaming blog for your business. A well-defined niche helps you target a specific audience and establish your expertise in a particular area of the gaming industry. To that end, you’ll want to:

Choose a niche that aligns with your passion and expertise within the gaming industry.
Research the interests and needs of your target audience and check that there's enough demand around your niche.
Evaluate the competition in your chosen niche to identify opportunities and gaps.
Opt for a niche that allows for sustainable content creation and growth over time.

Ultimately, your chosen blog niche should align with your gaming business's goals and target audience. If you’re not sure where to start, here are several blog examples, all targeting a specific niche.

Esports and competitive gaming: Dive into the world of competitive gaming, covering major tournaments, player profiles, team strategies and analysis of esports trends.
Game reviews: Provide in-depth reviews of video games, offering insights into gameplay mechanics, graphics, storyline and overall experience. Recommend games based on different genres and platforms.
Gaming tech and hardware: Focus on gaming gear, hardware reviews, setup guides and performance optimization. Cover topics like gaming laptops, consoles, graphics cards and accessories.
Gaming culture and community: Explore the cultural aspects of gaming, discussing fan art, memes, gaming events and the impact of gaming on society. Foster a sense of community among gamers.

02. Find a blog maker

Once you've identified your gaming blog niche, the next step is to choose a blog maker to bring your vision to life. When selecting a platform, consider one that offers integrated hosting and enterprise-grade security that promises a smooth blogging experience.

Opting for a blog maker like Wix that includes hosting and a strong website infrastructure simplifies the setup process. You won't need to separately purchase hosting services, saving you time and effort.

Remember that security is paramount for any website, especially one dealing with user engagement and data. A platform with 24/7 security measures protects your blog from potential threats and vulnerabilities, providing visitors with a safe browsing experience.

Your blog's design also plays a crucial role in user experience and engagement. Choose a layout and blog templates that complement your content and enhance readability. Incorporate your chosen branding elements consistently throughout your blog's design to create a cohesive and visually appealing experience for your visitors.

Your blog's design—including elements like colors, fonts and a distinct blog logo—will help you stand out in the crowded gaming blogosphere. Some builders, like Wix, will offer a free logo maker that lets you design a professional blog logo in seconds.

03. Select a blog name and domain

Selecting a suitable blog name and domain for your gaming blog is a critical step in establishing brand awareness and building trust.

Your blog's name is often the first point of contact between you and your readers. It sets the tone for your content and serves as the foundation of your brand identity. A well-chosen blog name can make your blog memorable, while reflecting your business's values and focus.

To come up with creative blog name ideas, consider using a blog name generator. These tools offer a range of suggestions based on keywords and themes related to your gaming niche. They can spark inspiration and help you discover unique and catchy names.

Your domain name, in turn, is your online address. Your domain name should align with your blog's name and theme. It should give visitors an idea of what to expect while being easy to spell, pronounce and remember. Avoid using complex words or excessive hyphens. Check for trademarks related to your chosen domain name to prevent legal conflicts.

Once you've settled on a domain name, check its availability. If your preferred name isn't available with the common .com extension, consider using other domain extensions like .net.

Some examples of good potential gaming blogs and domain names:

GameQuestHQ.com
PixelPulseBlog.com
GamerInsightHub.com
NerdLegendsGaming.com

You might also want to consider using a .blog domain extension, to make sure your blog stands out.

04. Plan, write and publish your blog content

Creating a successful gaming blog hinges on effective content planning and creation. As you plan your content, you’ll want to:

Organize your blog topics with a content calendar, balancing evergreen topics with trending subjects.
Understand your audience's preferences and challenges, addressing their needs with informative, up-to-date content that reflects gaming trends and developments.
Craft how-to guides for games and techniques suitable for beginners and experts. Share your insights through opinion pieces on industry trends and culture, adding a personal touch to your blog.
Incorporate high-quality visuals like screenshots, concept art and infographics to enhance the reader experience. Embed video content such as game trailers, gameplay footage or tutorials for added depth and appeal.

When it comes to the actual writing of blog posts it's best to create a structured blog format that includes an introduction, main body and conclusion if relevant. Break up content into digestible sections with subheadings. While the ideal length for a blog post varies, aim for around 1,000 to 2,000 words for comprehensive blog posts. Longer posts can provide in-depth analysis but still be readable.

Top it all off with attention-grabbing blog titles that convey the main topic and intrigue readers; a compelling title can significantly impact click-through rates to your gaming blog.

Before publishing, make sure to check that your posts are error-free by proofreading for grammar, spelling and punctuation. Also, verify the accuracy of any facts or statistics you include. It’s worth putting together a blog post checklist to make sure this is done every time you publish.

Some blog post examples to inspire you:

10 Must-Play Indie Games of the Year - A listicle showcasing standout indie games across different genres.
Mastering Combat Mechanics: A Guide to Effective FPS Strategies - An in-depth guide on improving first-person shooter gameplay.
The Evolution of Open-World RPGs: A Journey Through Gaming History - An exploration of the evolution of open-world role-playing games.
Gaming Accessories that Elevate Your Experience: A Comprehensive Guide - A review and recommendation of gaming accessories and peripherals.
The Rise of Mobile Gaming: Exploring the Impact on the Gaming Industry - An analysis of the growing influence of mobile gaming on the overall gaming landscape.

05. Promote your gaming blog

Promoting your gaming blog effectively is crucial for attracting a wider audience and increasing readership. Here are some popular strategies that you can test to promote your blog.

Search engine optimization (SEO): Optimize your blog posts for relevant keywords and phrases to improve their visibility on search engines like Google. This can drive organic traffic to your blog. Use blogging tools like Ahrefs and Semrush to research keywords to target.
Social media marketing: Share your blog posts on social media platforms like Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram to reach a larger audience. Utilize gaming-related groups and forums, such as Reddit, to engage with communities interested in your content.
Email marketing: Build an email list and send out newsletters featuring your latest blog posts. This keeps your subscribers engaged and informed.
Collaborations and guest blogging: Collaborate with other gaming bloggers or invite guest writers to contribute to your blog. This can introduce your blog to new and wider audiences.
Promotional events: Borrow from popular social media strategies and run gaming-related contests, giveaways or challenges on your blog or social media platforms to encourage participation and engagement.

As part of your blog promotion efforts, it's important to use tracking tools, such as Google Analytics or Wix Analytics, to monitor your traffic, engagement and other important metrics. Don’t just lean on gut instinct to guide your marketing—use the data that’s available to you.

06. Monetize your blog

Monetizing your gaming blog is an exciting way to turn your passion into a profitable endeavor. You can make money through your blog through a variety of tactics:

Affiliate marketing: Partner with gaming-related companies and promote their products or services through affiliate links. You earn a commission for each sale or action generated through your referral link. For instance, you could review gaming gear and provide affiliate links to purchase them.
Run ads: Integrate display ads from platforms like Google AdSense into your blog. You earn revenue whenever visitors click on these ads. It's essential to strike a balance between ads and content to maintain a positive user experience.
Subscription gaming content: Offer premium subscription content or online gaming courses for a fee. Gamers who want to improve their skills are likely to subscribe to such content. Some examples include writing advanced guides for specific games that provide insider tips and strategies not available in free content. Or, create exclusive step-by-step walkthroughs for popular games, providing subscribers with an edge in completing challenging levels or quests. Another idea is to host live streaming sessions where subscribers can interact with you in real time, ask questions and watch you play games.

Remember that monetizing a blog takes time and consistent effort. Continuously engage with your readers and respond to their needs to develop offerings that genuinely add value to their gaming experience.

Gaming blog example: GamerG.one

GamerG.one covers game reviews across multiple reviews and covers aspects—such as the history of the game, their characters and strategies. This gaming blog also keeps readers up to date on the latest gaming and console news and trends.