Being a content writer editor, my first battle was the importance of my first blog post and what goes in there. I searched and researched. There are some good first blog post examples out there and I agree with them but there is one little problem; none of the first blog post articles are written for a content writer or by a content writer, not any that I could find. They are social media experts, SEO professionals and marketing veterans. Yes, it is necessary for a blogger to learn all those things but the the main star is the blog.
With this dilemma, I started penning my thoughts around the first blog. It was a good idea but the second best; why? Because you can only tell other about the first blog after you have written the first blog post yourself.
Many blogs across the virtual realm will scream about the value and content of the first blog but if you are a beginner in content, getting it straight from a person who has been doing it as their passion and profession for life, is always better.
Why care for the first blog?
Having set up a website on WordPress, the biggest challenge comes through. What should the first blog be about? Most bloggers and businesses care little for the first blog, as they want to put themselves out in the virtual space and know that major traffic isn’t turning up anytime soon. Does the first blog matter?
Time for a bit of truth: it does matter! Your first visitor will be the person to make or break your deal. They have to get past the headline and the first paragraph to get to the end. You can choose to increase your bounce rate with some careless matter or choose to captivate them with meaningful content. As the bounce rate (FYI for novices, this is negative thing) goes on to increase, any traffic that follows will be affected too. This, in turn, affects Google Ranking adversely.
Your first blog sets your quality standard. The more meaningful it is to your website, the better it is for your future path.
Having cleared that,
What must you write in your first ever blog?
Think of it as an ‘About‘ section on a website. The difference is, you are describing your platform, not yourself. Tell your reader about yourself, sure, but keep it short and sweet. If they want to know about you as a person, they can be redirected.
Focus on your blog’s introduction; start from the very beginning. Where did the idea first capture you? Where did imagination turn to creation? Where you fed up from a 9 to 5 job? Were you an SEO and Social expert looking at bloggers living a luxurious life everyday? Did you want to share your passion with the world? Or, like me, did it start with a desire to create a portfolio?
Answer the questions most relevant to you:
What were your struggles and achievements along the way? Did you face fear and confusion? How did you overcome it? How long did it take for you to learn the ropes? Where did you get your first gig? What did you like about it? What is it that inspired you to take the first step? Where do you expect to go from here? Who do you wish to help through your website or blog?
Tell people about your reasons to be here and tell them about your passion for your blog or business. This shows your drive and your dependable attitude. For once, wearing your heart on your sleeve is a good thing.
Side Note: Include keywords like first blog post, welcome, ‘insert niche‘ blogger and more researched words. Saying, I am here works too!
What is in it for the readers?
The readers want to know about you, they want to know about your blog, they even want to read your first blog post but the greatest incentive they have to be on your website, at all, is to know about their benefits.
- Tell your readers about the content you will often be posting.
- Give them some of the ideas for blog topics you will be exploring and they can too.
- Tell the readers if your blog is going to be inspirational, actionable or both.
- You can also slip out when the next blog will be posted.
- Also, try to recommend other bloggers you like and they can too. Don’t redirect, only suggest.
- For niche bloggers, it is a good idea to give out your social links. Everyone is interested in social media!
The first blog sets the stage. It is there to convey a story. Set your’s right and people will love your story.
The public wants to find out if their interests matches yours and that is what you must give them as a business or as a blogger. Establish your authority in your area of expertise. Your audience will rely on you for advice.
Side Note: Some First blog post examples I had inspiration from: I Wanna Be A Blogger (things to set up before the start and some bonus hacks), Jane Friedman (even though I didn’t follow her example, I loved it) and Spokal (actionable advice).
See you next blog!
Abhilasha Dubey 