So You Want to Start a Business Blog? 4 Simple Questions To Ask Yourself

Here’s the opening where I should give you some huge number that talks about how many blogs are started on a daily basis.

This second line should tell you how many of them fail.

Let’s just assume that both of those numbers are very large and just dive right in. Ready?

4 simple questions you need to ask yourself BEFORE starting a business blog

1. Why? 

In almost 20 years of working with individuals and businesses, I have seen venture after venture fail for one important reason – they didn’t have a concrete, definite, penetrating “why.”

Unless and until you discover, for yourself, the real reason you want to start a business blog, you are setting yourself up to fail. Being your own boss and running your own business takes strong character and determination.

Your “WHY” fuels that determination and develops that character.

Each why is different at its core. What’s yours?

• Time freedom
• Stay at home with the children
• Unable to be happy in a standard workplace (“cubicle depression syndrome”)
• Extra part-time pocket money
• Physical limitations of working outside the home
• Working for yourself – not the CEO
• Flexibility of schedule
• A passion to make a difference

2. How much time can you invest?  

Contrary to popular belief and the loads of get rich quick schemes out there, starting an business blog (or blogging business) does take time. The investment of time in the beginning is just that – an investment. You invest heavily in the beginning and that investment brings future results.

What does your time look like now? If you are working full time outside the home, do you have free time at night or on weekends? Can you make an investment of time to properly start up this business?

Frank’s Rule of Thumb: Consider your blogging business a part-time job and expect to work 20 hours per week.

3. How much money can you invest?

Depending on what is your desire to do online, startup costs can range widely. With that being said, you can start a business blog on a relatively small budget.

The most basic need to get started with a blog:

Web Hosting – I’d advise against using a free platform like Blogger (although others would argue differently) for your business blog and use a self-hosted WordPress platform. Danny has written a good comparison of free and self hosted platforms here at For Bloggers.

Web Hosting companies are numerous out there. Two that I have used are HostGator and BlueHost with HostGator (aff. link) being my favorite.

Frank’s Rule of Thumb: I do not want to get into your pocket, but here’s a suggestion. Decide on what you can set aside each month, or each pay period for your business. Then look for the best deals on whatever it is that you need to run your business effectively.  Then see if what you set aside meets those needs.

4. How well do you know the blogging business?

Running an internet business effectively from the beginning entails two things: 1. Knowledge of the internet and the blogging enterprise. 2. Or the ability to take the time to learn the internet.

Computers, hosting, marketing, finding your voice and effective writing and even keyword research are all areas that you will need an understanding. Good news – If I can learn it, so can you!

Frank’s Rule of Thumb: Always remember: Goggle is your friend. If you don’t know it, look it up.

Running a successful business blog takes a driven “why to get you started and keep you going. It also takes an investment of time, money and a willingness to train yourself or be trained.

As the right questions – find the right answers – and enjoy the ride!

Your Turn:

What questions have I missed? Did you ask any or all of these questions before starting your blog? Did they help?

Share your thoughts, agreements, disagreements and perspective below!

image: gdd