Health and wellness have become trendy blogging topics in recent years.
Just about every major health organization in the world has a blog, and many smaller organizations do as well.
Blogging has become mainstream the past decade, and almost everyone knows someone who runs a blog.
But how do you start a health and wellness blog?
I’ll start by sharing a quick story with you about my struggles.
THE STORY OF UPPLIFTER
Ever since I was a young kid, I had struggled with severe anxiety and bouts of depression. Throughout my youth I knew there was something not quite right, I would become too anxious and worrisome over situations that on the surface, weren’t that big of a deal. Other kids my age would worry, but not at the levels I was worried about. The interesting thing was there weren’t many people who knew about my struggles. I kept them hidden well.
But over time, as I entered adulthood, those struggles began to show in more obvious ways.
By the time I was in my thirties, I had struggled a few major bouts of depression stemming from my anxiety. I knew it was time to make some changes.
So I did.
I cleaned up my diet, started working out more, went back to therapy, and began restructuring my life in a way that healed my anxious mind.
To this day, I still have my struggles, but I am much healthier and have many more coping skills than I did a decade ago.
That is when I decided to start Upplifter.
I thought, “Why can’t I share with other people struggling with what I’ve learned?”
I launched Upplifter in 2019, and the response was immediate and overwhelming.
There were many friends and family members who sent private messages and texts to me, sharing their struggles. It was liberating for me knowing that others not only understood but also had experienced similar events.
Upplifter is still in its infancy but has already made an impact on me as well as others.
But how did I go about starting Upplifter?
DISCOVER YOUR NICHE
One of the most common mistakes of bloggers is the idea that a “general” blog about many different topics will succeed. When most amateur bloggers begin their journey, they tend to think people are going to be interested in every detail of their lives and multiple topics that have no relationship to each other. But this is far from the truth.
The truth is that blogging, like any successful endeavor, needs a target audience, or a niche topic.
I use the word discover because finding your niche is a process of discovery. Some may have their niche right away, but many do not. It could take weeks or even months to drill down and discover what specific topic you can blog about consistently and create a successful following.
Here are a few questions and pro tips on how to discover your niche:
- It’s okay to change your mind. Give it time, patience pays off.
- What are you an expert in? What could you talk about for hours without getting bored?
- What topic do friends and family come to you for advice?
- Be sure to get as specific as possible when drilling down.
- What areas of interest do you have the strongest passion for? Make a list!
ARE YOU BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE
The next step in the process is to decide whether the blog will be for business or leisure/pleasure. You may start off thinking one way, and end up doing the exact opposite.
Remember that answering this question is important, especially if you are wanting to create a business around your blog.
The way you will write your posts, enhance SEO, and market them will be very different from a more casual, laid back non-business blog.
Be sure to take some time and think about what you want out of your blogging. Some people just want to get their thoughts out, others want to help people, and others want to help people while making a living. There is no right or wrong answer, but you must be clear on this.
CHOOSE A NAME THAT MAKES SENSE
When choosing a name for your blog, there are some guidelines you’ll want to follow. Yet much of choosing a name is intuitive. Some of the biggest and most well-known companies in the world (Amazon, Google, Uber, Twitter, Etc.) have names that don’t necessarily tell you what they do. When it comes to blogging, sticking to a name that tells you a little bit of what your blog is about is a good thing, but it’s not everything.
Take Upplifter, for example. When I created it, the name is purposely misspelled (because I couldn’t secure the domain for Uplifter), and it doesn’t tell you what I talk about, but it does imply that it’s “uplifting.”
Choosing a name can be tricky, and many bloggers tend to overthink it. Although names are important, they aren’t everything. If you have a quality blog, people will visit your page no matter what your name (unless it’s something offensive or too vulgar).
Here are some general name guidelines:
- You can use your full name if it makes sense.
- Be careful of the length, you’ll want it small enough to fit into a domain.
- Try, when you can, to incorporate what you write about into the name.
- You don’t need to be trendy or overly creative; sometimes simplicity works best.
- Take your time and write out a bunch of ideas before choosing one.
Lastly, you may want to consider trademarking your blog name and logo if you decide to run it as a business.
THE DOMAIN, HOSTING, AND THE WEBSITE
After you choose your name, you’ll need to secure a web domain or URL, and then find a hosting site to hose the domain. Then you can begin building your blog and website.
People are often confused when it comes to differences between the name, domain, hosting site, and website.
Here are the differences:
The domain is the URL (universal resource locator) or a web address that “identifies a particular file on the internet, usually consisting of the protocol.”
Web hosting is “the activity of providing storage space for a website that is connected to the Internet.” Think of the web hosting site as the domain’s home.
And last but not least, the website is “a group of World Wide Web pages usually containing hyperlinks to each other and made available online by an individual, company, educational institution, government, or organization” AKA the website is the place people go to view your blog.
First, you want to choose your domain name, and then purchase it.
Then you want to register your domain with a web hosting site.
Lastly, you can build your website once both of the above are completed.
POSTING YOUR BLOG
Once your website is complete, you can start posting your blog posts. When you launch, it’s beneficial to have at least four posts already published so when people visit your website, they have material to read. You want enough quality material on your website before you ever launch. That’s the key. Having only one post doesn’t look good if you’re a visitor. Shoot for around four posts, and that should be plenty of material to keep new readers busy.
I recommend posting 1-2 times per week. Length should be between six hundred and two thousand words per blog post. I cannot stress enough how important posting at least once per week is when it comes to gaining traction on your blog.
If you want long-term SEO benefits, writing two-thousand plus word blogs is an excellent way to build up SEO in the long haul.
MARKETING YOUR BLOG
The good news? There are many different ways you can market your blog.
The bad news? There are many different ways you can market your blog.
Figuring out your niche and target audience will determine how you market your blog. Health and wellness is a broad topic that incorporates many subtopics. You need to niche down to find that deeper subtopic, and then do a little research on who the audience is and what the best way to market to them would be.
One of the biggest mistakes that new bloggers tend to make is trying to market to everyone. There isn’t a single topic in which every person on the planet is interested. I understand wanting to get your blog out to as many people as possible, but that won’t do you much good if the majority of the people you are marketing to don’t have an interest in the topic you’re discussing.
Once you do have that subtopic or niche, then you can begin assessing which marketing tools to use.
Below are some popular ones to consider:
SOCIAL MEDIA
The most obvious marketing platform, of course, would be social media. Each platform has its unique audience and therefore, you’ll want to use your niche to dictate which platform would work best for you.
If you already have a large following on a particular platform, then you can always use that to leverage your new blog post. But if the majority of your followers or friends are not interested in your blog niche, then it will be a moot point to post about it.
Here are some social media platforms that can be used to promote your blog:
- Pinterest: Believe it or not, Pinterest is a gold mine for promoting health and wellness blogs. A good majority of my page views and blog followers and email subscribers have come from Pinterest. Pinterest is essentially a search engine, so when people type in a particular health and wellness topic, if your pin ranks well, you will be seen, which in turn drives traffic to your website.
- Facebook: Facebook is a good platform to post informational content, so a blog post fits that sector perfectly.
- Twitter: Twitter can also be used to share informational content, but this can be used to connect directly with your audience. It’s also a good way to share exciting news about your blog in smaller portions.
- Instagram: Although Instagram is one of the most popular social media sites in the world, it’s typically not known for promoting blogs; however, if you can build a following through your IG account, you can get them back to your website by directing your audience to the web link in your bio.
- LinkedIn: I would say that behind Pinterest, LinkedIn may be the most underrated social media platform for bloggers. Because
FAMILY AND FRIENDS
When you first launch your blog, there is nobody better to help promote it than family and friends.
Now, depending on the topic, they might not be as interested long-term in your material. But to start, family friends are a wonderful way to get the word out about your new blog and website.
Start by contacting at least twenty people closest to you; parents, siblings, cousins, friends, acquaintances, coworkers, classmates, etc., and let them know you are launching a new blog. Write something up, a quick three or four-sentence blurb, that describes the blog’s mission and a basic overview of what you will be discussing. Send this out and ask if they could help you promote the blog by sharing with their friends or posting on social media.
Family and friends were my first true fans, and without them, my blog wouldn’t be where it is today.
JOIN GROUPS, FORUMS, AND ATTEND SEMINARS
Depending on the niche that you select, there are likely going to be many opportunities to join groups, forums, and attend seminars on that topic.
The first place to look would be social media sites like Facebook and LinkedIn. You can also try sites like meetup.com and other professional sites that promote and discuss a certain cause or niche topic.
Seminars, trade shows, and webinars are also excellent events to attend to connect with other people within your niche market.
ATTRACTING ORGANIC FOLLOWERS
Like any online venture, you want to build up your SEO (Search Engine Optimization). You do this by writing high-quality, niche content that is directed towards the same topic. You should write the majority of your content for your niche audience.
One of the biggest and most common mistakes new bloggers make is trying to write for everyone with too many topics that don’t relate to each other.
A blog about cooking, traveling, playing guitar, and your favorite TV shows are not going to get you tons of subscribers and followers unless you’re already famous or well-known. For the far majority of people, this is not the case.
Pick one, or at the most, two niche topics that are related, and write 80% + of your posts about these topics.
EMAIL SUBSCRIBERS
One of the most underrated ways to not only promote your blog but also to sell products (if you intend to go that route), is using emails to respond to your readers.
But why email?
It seems too generic and outdated.
Well, think about it.
Does everyone have Facebook, or Instagram, or LinkedIn?
No. But I guarantee you almost every single person you know has an email.
Research and data have shown that email marketing is one of the strongest techniques you can employ to grow your audience and sell products, sign people up for sessions, and many other items.
You do this by adding what is known as an email opt-in form on your website so that people can sign up for your email list. But it’s important to remember to add a freebie that a subscriber gets when they sign up (a helpful tips sheet, short email course, YouTube tutorial, etc), otherwise, they will not have as much incentive to join your list.
Email marketing is still a very powerful way to market your blog.
BLOGGING RESOURCES
Below are some resources I have used to help me get started with creating a new blog:
Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, meaning I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
CREATE AND GO BLOGGING COURSE: In my opinion, this is THE best blogging course you will find. It was worth every penny I spent as they continually update the curriculum for no extra charge. I learned almost everything I know about blogging and how to start a business around that blog from Create And Go. They go in-depth on every aspect of blogging and I wouldn’t have a successful blog today with this course. Here is a listing of all Create And Go courses.
AMIRA LAW LEGAL TEMPLATES: Amira and her team are incredible. I purchased all of my legal templates from Amira as she is an expert in the online world, especially blogging. Instead of spending hundreds and thousands of dollars going through a lawyer who doesn’t specialize in blogging, I highly recommend Amira Law. Here is a listing of all Amira Law Legal Templates.
IN REVIEW
Creating a blog is a fun and adventurous journey that can lead you to unexpected places. But be sure you are doing it for the right reasons. If you are in it strictly for pleasure, then share with the world what you must. If you are in it to make money or create a business, do it the right way, cover your bases, put together a business plan, and make sure you are covered legally.
Blogging about health and wellness has helped change my life for the better. I’ve connected with more people than I can count, and have honed my writing and entrepreneur skills in the process. If you are thinking of starting a health and wellness blog, be prepared to work hard, do a lot of research, and improve on almost every writing skill that you have. Good luck!
Although we strive to provide accurate general information, the information presented here is not a substitute for any kind of professional advice, and you should not rely solely on this information. Always consult a professional in the medical and health area for your particular needs and circumstances prior to making any medical or health-related decisions. For your health-related questions, please seek the advice of a licensed physician or any other qualified health care provider immediately.
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