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How to Start a Book Blog With no Expertise

How to Start a Book Blog With no Expertise

One book can change your whole life. The magical world of characters, unique stories, and deep philosophical questions – it’s all there in the timeless books that never go out of fashion. As a passionate reader, you already know this. You already know that people today spend a lot of time scrolling on mobiles. Thus, they have less time for reading. Plus, hyper-production and thousands of books published daily make it hard to decide on one book worth investing time in.

In case you read everything you can get your hands on, maybe you should consider starting a book review blog. This sort of blog will let you recommend your favorite books to everyone, write honest reviews on the latest published authors or introduce promising titles that deserve wider popularity. Book blogging can be not only a great hobby but also an extra side hustle. For instance, you can receive free books from authors and publishers in exchange for an article, or get paid to promote certain books. So, if you are a true bookworm, it’s time to learn how to start a book blog. Besides practical plugins for writers, there are many powerful tools and tips you can use to build and grow your book blog. Let’s dive deeper into all the things you should consider before you publish your first blog.

Start by Thinking up a Name for Your Blog

Start by Thinking up a Name for Your Blog

As in every business, a unique name is what makes you stand out. When you have a memorable name that instantly evokes emotions, you are one step closer to building a brand. If you don’t know where to start, name your book blog after yourself (for instance “Anna reads”), or choose a name that symbolizes books and reading. For example, you can go with names that may include these constructions: library, book diary, daily reviews, bookshelf, etc. Basically, anything that can catch the attention can be a good fit if you plan to offer quality, fresh and relevant content.

Buy the Domain Name and Choose a Host

Buy the Domain Name and Choose a Host

Choosing the name for your blog is the first and important step in building your brand. However, no matter how catchy and beautiful your name is, it’s all for nothing if your desired domain name isn’t available. In reality, this happens a lot. Most often, the best, most memorable options are already taken. However, if you are lucky enough to find a domain name that works for you, get it right away. Even a single day of waiting can result in losing your perfect fit. Once you buy your domain name, it’s time to choose your hosting provider. There are plenty of WordPress hosting types shared, managed, VPS, dedicated, and cloud hosting – every option meets different users’ needs. Choose the option that fits your budget and your plans for the future.

Have a Look at Some Existing Blogs for Inspiration

Have a Look at Some Existing Blogs for Inspiration

Although there are thousands of book blogs, there is room for everyone. Whether you have a clear idea of what your blog will be all about, or you still search for the right niche, knowing about book trends and best website practices will save your time. Before you create your book blog, always have a look at existing blogs to boost your inspiration. These examples are a good starting point if you don’t know how to start a book blog. Learn by the example – prepare your mood board by collecting inspiration from well-established book blogs.

Writing Book Blog Content

If you don’t know how to start a blog, think about all the great books you want to talk about! That will surely get you started! Don’t wait for the perfect moment because there will be no one. The longer you are waiting, the more bloggers are joining the arena, so it’s better to do it sooner than later.

But, before you publish your first blog post, take some time and create a content plan. This will help you publish the articles regularly which is crucial not only for SEO but for the growing community online. You can start with book reviews as the majority of book blogs start here.

Next, you can create lists of your favorite books. For instance, you can write about 5 Chekhov novels worth reading or recommend the 10 best book thrillers. Apart from this, you can publish book-related news such as book fair announcements, events, etc. In case you have your favorite writers who can share their views on certain topics, you can publish author interviews as well. Lastly, if you want to inspire your readers and help them read more; share the reading tips that will help them read easier, faster, and more focused. Don’t forget that there are many practical tips that will help you write an amazing first blog post.

Create your Blog Review Policy

Before you create your blog pages, take a few moments to come up with your unique book review policy. This is especially important if you want to focus on book reviews and earn money from them. So, if you want to collaborate with publishers and authors who may want to request a book review, prepare your book review policy on time. Before you start accepting every book for reviews (even those you don’t like), write your book review policy. In a nutshell, your book review policy should include the following:

  • The book genre you want to focus on: Do you solely read ancient tragedies? Or literature classics? Is psychology your favorite? What genre won’t you review?
  • The types of posts you will write: Do you want to create single book reviews or to compare different books in one article?
  • Positive or negative reviews: Do you plan to publish honest reviews even if they are negative? Or do you retain the right to decline a review when the book you have received isn’t the right choice for your blog?
  • Book rating: Will you use a book rating system on your blog?
  • Contact details: Decide if you want to create a contact form or a special contact page with email details.
  • Formats you accept: Specify which type of formats you plan to accept (eBooks, physical books, PDF-s).

Choose Your Blogging Platform

Once you choose your niche and define your publishing policy, it’s time to go one step further. To build your site and give it a chance to grow, you need to choose a blogging platform that fits your needs. The most popular platforms for writers are WordPress and Blogger. However, there are other platforms such as Typepad, Wix, and Squarespace that are also popular among book bloggers.

However, if you don’t want to take risks, go with WordPress. As a safe, fast, and user-friendly CMS, WordPress will help you enjoy every step of your book blogging journey. What makes WordPress an ideal choice is its large collection of useful features and intuitive interface. Plus, this platform easily integrates with themes for bloggers and authors, WordPress author plugins, read more plugins, and tons of other useful plugins and widgets.

On top of this, as one of the most popular CMS, WordPress has an amazing knowledge base where you can find tips and solutions to every problem.

Pick your Blog Theme

Once you have your book blog name and domain secured, you have to design your new blog site. The best part of being a blogger is freedom. You decide what will be published, how your site will look, and which colors will appear on your posts. With the help of beautifully designed writer WordPress themes, you can create any sort of blog page. So, if you don’t know how to start a book blog, find a theme that is mobile-friendly, visually appealing, and feature-rich. Also, make sure your theme is SEO-friendly and ready to be translated into different languages.

Create Your Book Blogging Pages

Once you install your theme, it’s time to create pages for your site. In the first place, organize your post pages in a neat, user-friendly manner. Use WordPress header tags to provide an enjoyable reading experience – header tags will help you mark your headings based on their importance and structure your text better. Also, don’t forget to break your text with images that will illustrate your content and make it easy to consume. Don’t forget to include comment sections in your posts, since interaction with readers is very important. Next, you should create an About me page that sums up your story and tells a story about your blog. This section will let your audience relate and connect with you, which is crucial for strengthening the bond with readers. Apart from this, you can create a Contact page or Shop page in case you want to sell books as well.

Read, Edit, Repeat

Your readers deserve the best. Especially when the focus of your work is literature and writing. So, before you publish an article, make sure it’s cleared, grammatically correct, and free of typos. There are many practical tools such as Grammarly for WordPress, that will help you improve your content before it goes live.

Interact With Readers on Your Site

As we’ve previously mentioned, interaction with book lovers is essential if you want to build your name and grow your reading audience. So, frequently check the comments on your articles and answer questions if there are any. Also, ask your readers what books and authors deserve a place on your blog – their wishes are a good direction for your future content.

Promote Articles via Social Networks

Promote Articles via Social Networks

If you create high-quality book articles, make sure they will reach as many readers as possible. Create your social media accounts and keep your followers posted. Use Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter – based on your preferences. You can create Facebook groups that gather book lovers or start reading challenges that will encourage people to get involved with your blog!

Read a Lot and Always Improve

To have an opinion on books, you need to read a lot, think sharply and always improve. As trends in writing change, make sure you are open to innovation. Follow the latest content writing tips to keep up with the best practices and methods that bring results.

Start Your Newsletter

Start Your Newsletter

Keep your readers informed about your latest articles. Create weekly newsletters that bring your latest news, special stories, updates about certain authors, or special book discounts. Newsletters give you a chance to reach each subscriber right there in their mailbox. Emails are an especially powerful tool if you want to earn from your blog or you run a bookstore as well as a book blog.

Start Making Money

Writing about your favorite books can be just a hobby or lucrative side hustle. In case you want to earn from your blog, you need to create a strategy that will allow you to monetize your writing. The good news is there are a number of passive ways for making money with a book blog. In the first place, you can step into affiliate marketing. In other words, you can promote the latest titles and earn each time someone follows the links included in your content and makes a purchase. Another easy way for earning with ease is creating promo banners. For instance, you can announce big book sales or introduce new publications in collaboration with bookshops and publishers. Next, you can create sponsored texts for authors that want to reach a broader reading audience. Another option is starting a Patreon that will let you generate reliable income over time.

Let’s Wrap It Up

Being a book blogger is a dream profession for everyone who loves to read. If you passionately read and think deeply about the ideas shared in the books, then you should use the blog to share your views and opinions. If you don’t know how to start a book blog, don’t be discouraged – it’s easier than it may seem. Choose your hosting provider, get your domain name and find your favorite theme and you are ready to go!

We hope this article was helpful. If you liked it, feel free to check out some of these articles as well!

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