These are small steps you can take toward authoring your own blog. As in life, you can skip steps, repeat steps, or stay on steps as long as you like.

the-steps-to-blogging

steps-to-blogging-step-1Value Blogs

The first thing you must do is value blogs. Find one or two which really speak to what you think is important. Become a reader, a subscriber of those blogs. If you find these through social media, explore linked blogs or blogs which users similar to share.
Consider a RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed which let’s you know when new posts publish from your favorite blog. Consider utilizing a reader such as Feedly, Flipboard, or Pocket (I recently started using Pocket) to read your blog subscriptions.

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Comment on Blogs

Commenting on blog posts is an awesome way to work up to blogging yourself. While sites using WordPress (this site), Tumblr, and Blogger have-built-in commenting systems some blogs will ask you to log in to a commenting system, like logging in with your Facebook account to comment. Other commenting platforms may ask you to sign into are Disqus or Livefyre. Do not let the sign in process stop you from commenting. Usually once you have signed in your browser will remember the sign in for you.

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Start Small

A way to start small is microblogging on a site like Twitter – 140 characters is small.  But also consider sites such a Tumblr which are less text heavy and more graphic-centric. Even if you start a full-on blog, you could start with just pictures, quotes, anything to get the feel of the blogging platform, the schedule, the sharing.

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Technically Blogging

The hardest thing is really getting started blogging. You decide if you want your own URL, to host your own blog, and if you want to include advertising on your blog. Here are the step-by-step guides. Consider reading my three part series: Starting a K12 Blog if you are ready to make that step! Let me know if I can help you with the startup process.

Once an educator gets blogging the stories tell themselves – you know teachers have good stories. The secret is you have to get started!

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What to Blog About

When you are ready to write you can find many lists of prompts on sources like Pinterest. Here is my Blogging Thoughts board, I like to keep these on hand for when I am stuck.
It is a great idea to start capturing ideas as you get them. Consider using the Reminder function on your phone, a notes app, or start a draft in your blogging platform via your phone.
An editorial calendar is an awesome idea for a visual, calendar layout of past, draft, and future posts.

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Blog!

If you are not a fan of a blank page consider mentally cataloging the layout of blogs you like now; look for patterns in how the content is laid out. Think about if you want to include actual pictures, graphics, or word art in your posts. A nice introduction, a few paragraphs, and a call to action usually makes a nicely sized blog post.

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Plan Ahead

That editorial calendar is awesome for stacking up blog posts for an upcoming busy period where you are sure you won’t post. Consistent new posts are how blogs are typically ranked by sites such as Teach100. And remember, when you are not consistent (because that will happen) just start again!

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Promote

Definitely allow your readers to share your posts! Find a widget, plugin, or code which allows readers to share to the social media of their choice.
You can promote your content also. Consider using some of the functions of your blogging platform, give If This Than That a serious look, and then manually share. I have manually shared to: Scoop.it, Medium, Pinterest, Google+ Groups, and whatever the appropriate hashtag is on Twitter.

I hope you start an educator’s blog if you are thinking about it. Please reach out to me if you want to talk over any of the suggested steps I have presented.