How to start a marketing blog

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8 Mar 2024

Starting a marketing blog is like setting up a hub for all things digital and strategic. It's your space to share marketing tips, trends and insights with fellow marketers or business owners.

So whether you're a seasoned marketer or just dipping your toes into the field, a marketing blog lets you connect with others, stay updated on industry changes and showcase your expertise. You can offer actionable advice, case studies and creative ideas, all while positioning yourself as a go-to resource in the marketing realm. Keep reading for tips on how to start a blog that’s both creative and authoritative.

Why should you start a marketing blog?

When starting a marketing business, creating a blog is crucial for several reasons. First, it's your ticket to establishing your business as a trusted authority in the marketing realm. By consistently serving up well-researched articles, tips and the latest industry trends, your blog can reflect your expertise—making it a magnet for both potential clients and fellow industry enthusiasts.

Secondly, your blog acts as the perfect stage to shine a spotlight on the unique value your marketing business brings to the table. Whether it's your specialized services, groundbreaking strategies or creative campaigns, your blog gives you the platform to flaunt your strengths and capabilities, setting you apart from the competition with style and substance.

How to start a marketing blog in 6 steps
Ready to dive into the dynamic world of marketing blogging? Here are six essential steps to help you kickstart your marketing blog:

01. Choose a blog niche
Selecting the right blog niche can help you position yourself as an expert in a specific area of marketing. In general, the more specific and focused your niche is, the easier it is to provide valuable, relevant content that engages a specific audience. Some niches include:

Social media marketing: Focus on strategies, trends and case studies related to various social media platforms. Share insights on effective content creation, engagement techniques and the ever-evolving landscape of social media algorithms.

Content marketing: Dive deep into the world of content creation and distribution. Cover topics like storytelling, SEO-driven content, visual content and guest blogging to help businesses improve their online presence.

Email marketing: Explore the nuances of email campaigns, automation, segmentation and A/B testing. Provide tips on crafting compelling subject lines, designing responsive templates and boosting open rates.

Search engine optimization (SEO): Become an authority on improving website visibility and search engine rankings. Share insights into on-page and off-page SEO techniques, keyword research, backlink strategies and Google algorithm updates.

Influencer marketing: Delve into the world of influencer collaborations, from identifying the right influencers to negotiating partnerships. Discuss measurement metrics, legal considerations and trends shaping this dynamic field.

Marketing analysis and insights: Provide in-depth analysis of marketing metrics, data visualization and the tools used to track and measure campaign success. Cover topics like Google Analytics, marketing attribution and data-driven decision-making.

Digital advertising: Cover the intricacies of online advertising platforms, such as Google Ads, Facebook Ads and native advertising. Share tips on ad copy, targeting, bid management and optimizing ad campaigns for maximum ROI.

eCommerce marketing: Concentrate on strategies specific to online businesses, including conversion rate optimization, cart abandonment recovery, product listing optimization and building customer loyalty.

Local marketing: Offer insights into marketing strategies tailored to local businesses, including local SEO, Google My Business optimization, community engagement and offline-to-online integration.

02. Select a blog maker

Once you've determined your marketing blog's niche, it's time to choose a reliable blogging platform to bring your vision to life. You’ll want to opt for a blog maker, like Wix, that includes hosting and 24/7 security—two things that are often forgotten until they’re needed.

All in all, Wix is a versatile website builder that offers an easy-to-use interface, customizable blog templates and built-in hosting with security features. It's an excellent option for beginners and experienced bloggers alike. Wix's drag-and-drop interface also makes it effortless to create and customize your blog's design without requiring any coding skills or technical knowledge.

Remember that you’ll want to pick a platform that lets you tailor your blog to your branding. Some platforms, like Wix, will offer a logo maker to get you started, plus other features for keeping the colors, imagery and other visual elements consistent across your site.

03. Find the right blog name and domain

Choosing a fitting blog name and a corresponding domain name is a critical step in building awareness and trust. A well-thought-out blog name reflects your brand's identity, captures the essence of your niche and leaves a lasting impression on your audience.

If you're struggling with ideas, consider using a blog name-generator tool. And when choosing a domain name for your marketing blog, keep in mind these best practices:

Select a domain name that's easy to remember and type. Avoid using complex words, hyphens, or numbers that might confuse your audience.

Ensure your domain name reflects the focus of your marketing blog. If possible, include keywords related to your niche for better search engine visibility.

Shorter domain names are more memorable and less prone to typos. Aim for a concise name that gets your message across.

Make sure your chosen domain name doesn't infringe on any trademarks or copyrighted terms. It's essential to build your brand on a legal foundation.

Opt for a domain extension like .com, .net or .org, as they are widely recognized and trusted. However, if your marketing business has a country-specific focus, consider using a relevant country code domain extension. You might also want to consider using a .blog domain extension, to make sure your blog stands out.

Before finalizing your domain name, check that it's available.

Examples of catchy and relevant marketing blog names:

MarketingMagnet.com
MarketWhisperer.net
NicheNavigator.org
BrandBloomer.com

Be further inspired by these marketing business name ideas.

04. Write and publish blog posts

In the world of content marketing, creating and writing high-quality blog posts is essential for driving the right traffic to your website. To achieve this, you need a well-thought-out content strategy.

An effective content calendar is the backbone of your blog strategy. It helps you plan and organize your blog posts, ensuring a consistent flow of content. Include a mix of evergreen and timely topics in your calendar. Evergreen content remains relevant over time and can drive consistent traffic, whereas timely content addresses current trends, news or events. A balance between the two is crucial for maintaining a steady readership.

Consistency is key when it comes to publishing. Choose a realistic publishing frequency that you can sustain. It could be once a week, bi-weekly or even monthly. Build a schedule that you’re able to stick with, and selecting topics based on these best practices:

Focus on topics relevant to your target audience and industry.
Use tools like Google Keyword Planner to identify keywords with high search volume and low competition.
Address pain points or challenges your audience faces. Provide solutions and insights.
Share industry knowledge, insights and how-to guides.
Infuse humor, anecdotes and relatable stories to keep your readers engaged.
Occasionally cover trending industry news or events for timely content.

Blog post article ideas for a marketing blog:

How to Write a Blog Post that Converts
Mastering Blog Format: Structure for Success
Decoding Blog Post Length: What's Ideal?
Crafting Click-Worthy Blog Titles: The Art of Hooking Readers

05. Promote your marketing blog

Creating compelling content is just the first step. After this, you’ll need a way to proactively promote your blog to get eyes on your content. There are various strategies that you can employ to distribute your blog content and attract a wider audience:

Optimize your blog posts for search engines to increase organic traffic. Use relevant keywords in your content, titles, headings and meta descriptions. Incorporate internal and external links to enhance SEO and improve your blog's ranking on search engine results pages.
Leverage social media platforms like Facebook, X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram to share your blog posts. Engage with your followers through interactive content like polls, quizzes and live sessions.
Build an email list and send regular newsletters containing links to your latest blog posts. Segment your email list based on user preferences and behavior to ensure personalized content delivery. Use enticing subject lines and compelling visuals to encourage email recipients to click through to your blog. Email marketing and newsletters are important distribution techniques because “a newsletter builds a base of engaged subscribers eager to hear directly from you. It allows you to develop content that resonates with your audience, even if it falls outside of top search engine results,” according to Dor Cohen, distribution and growth specialist at Wix.com. “Newsletters let you forge deeper connections through content crafted specifically for subscribers, not just optimized for keywords. You can provide value on topics and in formats that speak to their interests, driving loyalty. A newsletter audience is there because they actively want to consume and engage with your content in their inbox. This owned and direct channel allows you to enrich relationships beyond what the blog alone can do.

Monitor for what works (and what doesn’t): Blog analytics provide insights into how your content is performing. Monitoring key metrics helps you understand your audience, track engagement and refine your content strategy over time. You can identify which channels or traffic sources are driving the most traffic to your blog—and learn how to replicate high-performing content.

06. Monetize your marketing blog

There are various strategies you can employ to monetize your blog and turn your passion into a source of revenue. Let's explore some of the popular methods and provide insights on how to make money blogging:

Affiliate marketing involves promoting products or services of other companies through unique affiliate links. When readers make a purchase through your affiliate links, you earn a commission. Research products and services relevant to your blog niche and promote those that align with your audience's interests.

Google AdSense is a popular advertising platform that allows you to display ads on your blog. You earn money whenever visitors click on the ads or view them, depending on the payment model. Ensure that the ads are relevant to your content and don't compromise the user experience.

Offering premium content through subscription models can be a lucrative monetization strategy. You can create a membership site where subscribers gain access to exclusive articles, resources, webinars, or courses. This approach works particularly well for in-depth industry insights, tutorials and valuable marketing strategies.

Examples of subscription content for a marketing blog:

Advanced marketing strategies series: Provide detailed guides on advanced marketing techniques that subscribers can't access for free.

Monthly marketing webinars: Host webinars exclusively for subscribers, diving deep into current marketing trends and strategies.

Exclusive case studies: Share in-depth case studies of successful marketing campaigns, providing valuable insights to subscribers.

Marketing toolkits: Offer downloadable toolkits containing templates, checklists and resources for subscribers to enhance their marketing efforts.