How to start a Blog

How to Create a Privacy Policy for your Website

June 18, 2020 By Irene

How to create Privacy Policy for your website

One of the vital pages you’ll need to create is a privacy policy for your website.

Usual occurrences like writing a blog posts that attract visitors, commenting on blogs and social media, purchasing and selling on blogs, offering services, getting visitors to your blog are all ways by which visitors interact with a blog.

Other ways are when visitors’ information is entered in a contact form, through collecting email addresses using a form, or a plugin that performs that function.

Even if you are not collecting emails on your blog it is right to have the privacy policy page, as a blog processes information in so many ways.

It is a necessity put in place to protect both blog owner and visitors to the blog from lawsuits and other complaints.

In most countries worldwide, websites owners are required to have a privacy policy page. Such regulations keep coming up day in and out, making such a policy page a requirement.

What is a Privacy Policy Page?

The privacy policy page shows how a client’s data is gathered, used, disclosed and managed on a site.

Why the need for a privacy policy?

It shows your authenticity
It is the right thing to do
Other third-party sites you use, are also using such policies; and require it for them
to be able to work with you
Creates transparency between the visitor and yourself
Reveals any references to children in the blog

Disclosures

Disclaimers are the are legal requirements in a blog post that make the intentions of the blog or post transparent

to the visitor; for example,

Where you earn a commission should your visitor click a link and make a purchase
Where you get paid or receive compensation from blog posts

Disclaimers

The disclaimers information on a blog relates to any content that you will not want to be held responsible for.

For example, in cases of adverse effect or failure to achieve expectations as a result of taking advise from the blog.

This can be a paragraph or sentence in a blog post with a link to the disclaimers page.

Such laws, though unwritten, is implied in some offline day to day transactions.

Private Policy Statement Template

Creating a privacy policy statement is not difficult these days. Free templates, sample privacy policy and blog privacy generators are available online. You can write your own privacy policy by copying from a sample template and making changes to it, by adding your website url, contact address etc. where necessary. In addition, study the privacy policies of other websites in your niche and see what you can use from it to create your own.

You can alternatively hire a lawyer to write one for you. Or you can purchase an already written template bundle for your use.

All three statements can be written on a single page.

Depending on the needs of your website, other pages to create for your website in addition to the privacy policy, are Terms of Use and Frequently Asked Questions pages.

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How to search for a Domain Name

June 4, 2020 By Irene

The first thing to do when starting a blog is to search for a domain name. Start by brainstorming and looking at other domain names and what is on those websites for ideas on what you will want yours to be like.

Types of Domain Name

Domain names are of various types, e.g. brand-related, keyword-based; or both keyword and brand-related. Ask yourself whether you want your domain name to be related to your business or interest. This helps you to know the type to choose. What the blog is about could be implied from the name chosen e.g. home supplies. This then becomes the keyword.

The text or content of the blog shows what it is about so adding the keyword to the url is no longer compulsory or necessary, but you can make it so if that is your preference.

When you craft one, go to the following sites, and find its availability. In the past, some of the sites only gave the domain name meaning they were domain name generators.

Currently, all such sites offer web hosting, and website builder (using wordpress). We are thinking of using wordpress.com or wordpress.org for our starter sites, so register your domain and hosting with them and get your website theme from them. You could also opt for the Wealthy Affiliate premium membership route with its added benefits.

Criteria for finding a Domain Name

It should not be too long
Should be memorable
Easy to pronounce

Domain Name Generators

On the other hand, you can also check the following domain name generators for more information on the types of domain names and extensions available:

Domain.com
Godaddy.com
Name.com
Wealthyaffiliate.com
Bluehost.com
WordPress.com
WordPress.org

Other domain extensions and add-on

A .com or .net domain are the popular ones. For most of these tools, the results generated are related to the words you typed in. Several domain name variations will then come up.

More options from other domain extensions like .info, .biz, .site etc, will be provided. In addition to your offer will be the privacy and protection of your details by the company.

What is the cost of a Domain Name?

The cost of a domain differs from one site to the other; and also from type to type e.g. a .com maybe be higher than others like .net or .org, .info, .biz, .me; depending on the site you buy it from.

But overall, domain names are usually not expensive and cost between $10-$15 a year. It is usually bought for 1-3 years at a go. The privacy and protection that is provided by the company are added. When you buy a domain, it is saved and protected on a database; which is known as WHOIS privacy and protection.

The cost of domain and hosting at Bluehost is comparable to the others. You may purchase a WordPress theme from

wordpress.org or wordpress.com and host it at Bluehost. Alternatively, you could sign up as a premium member with Wealthy Affiliate, get access to their domain and hosting, plus all the added benefits of being in the community.

Note that you can move your website from one hosting site to another.

The exercise of searching for a domain name may take some days to do. Combine it with brainstorming and writing out some of the articles you have in mind to put on your blog.

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HOW TO START A BLOG IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A NICHE

May 21, 2020 By Irene Leave a Comment

How to start a blog if your dont have a Niche — How to start a blog if you don’t have a Niche

Do you want to start a blog and yet think you don’t know what to write about? It is really difficult for some bloggers when starting out to know what to write about. But we are writing all the time, isn’t it?

Everything online needs content in some form, whether it is

a blog post,
Whatsapp message,
YouTube video,
podcast,
social media posts.
text on images

You name it. We are communicating in writing now more than before.

Why own a blog or website?

When you have a blog, it’s your very own virtual property, you can add anything to it and make it look the way you want. Changes to social media may not unsettle you or affect your blog. Secondly, as you advance you’ll realise that a website is required for most of the things you’ll like to do online.

Finding a niche to brainstorm about

Note that not immediately finding a blogging niche idea is not a new thing. It took many successful bloggers several years to find traction; and it may take you some time to find one that meets your desires.

I faced the same roadblock. It took time for me to settle on a stated interest.

Maybe you’ve seen some websites or social media pages you like and follow, or comment on. Are there other angles you can direct on your own, vis a vis your current engagements online?

A niche, which is the topic to write about, can be targeted. A smaller segment of the general interest is generally chosen so that it can be easy to reach the intended audience. For example, ‘girl-child’ instead of ‘all children’.

What about content. Does it scare you?

Blog content can be put together by jotting down your thoughts on anything related to your daily life; as a lifestyle blog, and using many topics grouped into categories. By so doing, you may even develop new interests and find out that you have much knowledge to easily write on. Start with a free wordpress.com or Blogspot blog. Write as much as you want, anytime you can. Write up to between 350 and 500 words or more.

If you have no idea what to choose for a niche, this should not stop you. Start by writing about everything you are interested in or have some knowledge about. Write, using several topics grouped into menus, categories, and tags. In a sense, it is a lifestyle blog. You don’t need to be perfect here, nor think about search engine optimization as yet. As you continue with that, your flare for some of the topics will flow naturally. With time, some niches will be revealed for you to choose from.

Write as though you are offering the information to someone searching for it.

Changing a Blog Niche

Are you already blogging and would like to refocus or make a completely new blog because you are now certain of what to do? Go ahead and do it.

Steps to take

Write out by hand or type in a word doc.
Have a URL e.g. mysite.wordpress.com or mysite.blogspot.com, where ‘mysite’ is your URL. It can relate to your niche or not, and can always be changed. There are several tools you can put your niche name into to see if someone is already using it. Like name.com and godaddy.com. Nowadays, most sites and WordPress itself and some hosting sites offer this service. When you are sure of the name, go and get the domain from wordpress.com or Blogspot.
Use whichever URL is not being used by anyone.
After writing use Grammarly or other writing resources to edit it.

Now that you know how to start a blog without a niche, put your plans into action.

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