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I'm a freelance writer and content creator with a passion for the outdoors and sustainable travel. I specialise in sustainable travel, gear reviews, walking routes and outdoor advice. Let's chat about your next project.
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  • ABOUT
    • About Fi
  • CONTACT
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    • Outdoor gear reviews
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    • Station to station walks
    • Devon and Cornwall
    • UK train adventures
    • Europe train adventures
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How to start a blog in 2020

May 5, 2020

There can be no denying it, 2020 has turned out to be a very strange year for businesses, bosses and employees alike. Most of us have seen significant changes in our work circumstances, and many of us will be contemplating an unpredictable future. Here at Fi Darby Freelance we are still writing for clients and offering advice and help where we can. One question we’ve been asked many times over the last few weeks is, ‘How do I start a blog?’

Blogs are important for business

Inbound marketing relies on high quality and useful web content to build brand respect.

There are plenty of reasons to be asking how to start your own blog, and blogs can serve multiple purposes. On a personalΒ  level a blog serves as an online diary but it is in the business world that a blog has real power. If you are wondering why you need a blog for your new business venture, you need to know that inbound marketing (where potential customers seek you out) relies on high quality and useful web content to build brand respect and get your website ranked by search engines such as Google.

How a blog works

An effective blog works for your brand and reputation on multiple levels, and it is important to pay attention to all of these as you start writing your own first blog post. Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself as you plan your first venture into blog writing:

  • What are you setting out to achieve with your blog?
  • What is your blogging niche?
  • How are you going to use your blog to demonstrate your expertise?
  • How are you going to keep your target audience interested?
  • How are your blog posts going to encourage interest in your offering?
  • How are you going to make sure your blog stands out amongst the crowd?

How to start a blog for free

Once you’ve got your head around these ideas, you can focus more closely on the practicalities of blog writing. The first step will be to set your blog up. If you already have a website you’ll need to discuss this with your design team but, if you are just starting up, it is possible to get a feel for blogging by starting your own blog for free. One example of this would be to use the wordpress.comΒ platform. Be warned however, although free blog platforms are available, they are far from perfect, and you might find yourself wanting to move on very quickly.

WordPress or SquareSpace

If you are starting from scratch, you’ll need two important elements for your new blog. A domain name and a web hosting company to give your blog a space on the internet. Many blog platforms provide both of these services for reasonable initial and monthly costs but the two most people look at first are WordPress (wordpress.org) and Squarespace.

Which blogging platform you choose will depend on your technical confidence and particular requirements but don’t be afraid to try both before you settle for one. It is worth remembering that you can transfer blog posts between the two once you have chosen which platform you prefer. Here are a few of the advantages and disadvantages of WordPress (wordpress.org) and Squarespace.

  • Squarespace is more intuitive than WordPress
  • WordPress can be more complicated to use than Squarespace
  • WordPress is more flexible than Squarespace
  • Hosting is included in the Squarespace package but separate with WordPress

How to write a blog postΒ 

Use search keywords but use them sparingly.

There can be no doubt that excellent and effective blog writing comes through experience but as you start writing your first blog post, there are a few basic blog writing tips that will help. Try not to worry about how long or technical your post is, concentrate instead on pleasing your audience and making sure that the search engine algorithms can work out what your topic is.

  • Showcase your experience (this is your opportunity to build your online presence)
  • Research current trending topics in your niche (social media is a great place to check this)
  • Use search keywords but use them sparingly (do some simple keyword research to find popular search terms)
  • Present your writing in easy-to-read formats (consider using listicles, short paragraphs and useful subtitles)
  • Check each blog post for grammar and spelling mistakes (one easy way to do this is to read each post out loud).
  • Set a writing schedule and stick to it (regular rather than often should be your blogging mantra)

Copywriter expertise

Copywriters don’t just write in their own niche.

Blogging is exciting to start with but many new bloggers fall by the wayside when time and ideas start to run out. It can also be disappointing when reader numbers don’t immediately reach the levels you were hoping for. At points of low enthusiasm you have three main options to help you keep your blog going.

  1. Find your motivation in whichever way suits you. This could be doing what you love, reading other people’s writing or even experimenting with different types of blog post. Combining this with a small tweak to blog length and your schedule might just give you the will power to carry on blogging.
  2. Employ the services of a freelance copywriter. Copywriters don’t just write in their own niche. We are an experienced bunch and used to talking to our clients and conducting expert research on any number of topics. Take a look at the Fi Darby Freelance portfolio if you don’t believe us.
  3. Get in touch with a digital agency that specialises in inbound marketing and content management. These experts will be able to combine a range of skills to make sure your web content, SEO and social media all work together to bring in the web visitors and ultimately sales you are looking for.

Whether you are considering starting a blog for business or for pleasure we can certainly recommend it. Blogging is a great way to kick start a writing career, and an even better way to get yourself noticed in whatever world you inhabit. If things are feeling a bit strange at the moment, blogging might well be one thing you can do to embrace the possibility of change and start to build a new future for yourself.

 

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You love the outdoors. I love the outdoors.
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Want to.keep cool while you're walking? If you've Want to.keep cool while you're walking?

If you've ever walked on the Salt Path aka the South West Coast Path, you'll know it can be a hot place to be in the summer. 

All those sea views are marvellous but my favourite summer walking routes are river walks. With trees, pools and opportunities for outdoor swimming,  the UK's rivers have so much to offer.

And are perfect for my menopausal body.

There are rivers near train stations right across the UK. I've chosen three of my favourite locations to share with you. All of them are on long distance walking routes but walking sections can be just as rewarding.

1. The Thames Path. Walk from Kemble station to the source of the River Thames then on to London and beyond if you have the time. On the way meet Ratty and Co from The Wind in the Willows, visit Windsor Castle and dip in gently flowing waters.

2. The Ribble Way. Walk from Ribblehead station onto empty Gayle Moor to find the springs that feed the river then down to its estuary at Preston. On the way visit the famous Ribblehead Viaduct, cross God's Bridge and pass through beautiful salt marshes.

3. The Speyside Way. Join the route at Aviemore for a mountain town vibe then wander along Scotland's second longest river through the Cairngorms National Park then on to beautiful Moray Firth.

We are so lucky to have such a wonderful variety of rivers right on our doorsteps. They all need looking after. Perhaps the summer of 2025 will be the one when we all get to know them better.

#rivers #walkng #trains #walkingroutes #trainadventures
I haven't done this for a while. Sea swimming thr I haven't done this for a while.

Sea swimming through the winter saved my mental health through menopause but now, as I slowly come out the other side, I find I don't need the cold water kick as much.

Which means winter swimming doesn't happen as often.

Today I decided to celebrate summer by getting back in the sea for the first time since November.

It was cold but not biting.

And utterly marvellous.

Down here on the beaches of Devon, May is definitely the start of summer.

#devon #beach #seaswimming #outside #beachhuts
When you don't like your legs enough to wear short When you don't like your legs enough to wear shorts

But do it anyway.

The South West Coast Path in the sunshine; what better place to let my legs have a taste of sunshine.

Being a plus size and over fifty, I often envy people who have the confidence to wear shorts but find it difficult to accept that my legs are suitable for public view.

Today I decided that I actually didn't care.

It was very liberating.

Perhaps I should write an outdoor gear review for my legs.

#plussize #outside #outdoors #shorts #outdoorgear #gearreview #legs #overfifty #southwestcoastpath
Which of these counts as litter? πŸ‘‡πŸ» 'Take a Which of these counts as litter? πŸ‘‡πŸ»

'Take all your rubbish home with you.' It is an important part of the Leave No Trace message and it's particularly important when you're camping in beautiful wild camping locations.

But what counts as rubbish?

It's a question I ask DofE trainees every year.

1. Chocolate bar wrappers? Yes -take it home
2. Tea bags? Yes -take it home
3. Orange peel? Yes -take it home
4. Noodles? Yes -take it home
5. Banana skins? Yes -take it home
6. Toilet paper? Yes -take it home
7. Tampons? Yes -take it home
8. Poo? Yes -take it home (or bury it properly)

Some of these cause comments but arriving prepared to take everything (including yours or your dog's poo home) home is the best way to look after the places you wild camp.

Things we traditionally think of as 'biodegradable' will (after a long time) eventually disappear from view but everything leaves an invisible trace that wouldn't have been there if you hadn't.

This summer, let's look after the places we love.

#wildcamping #leavenotrace #location #walking
#outside #getoutside #takeithome #outdoors
I've got some news for you... There are only 43 d I've got some news for you...

There are only 43 days until the summer solstice. That's 43 days until the nights start drawing in again.

The weeks between the start of May and June 21st are my favourite of the whole year. They are the weeks when the world turns green and the sun sets golden.

And the days stretch on forever.

Summer might not officially start until June but May brings summertime to my heart.

It's easy to waste these long evenings though. Busy lives can often be tiring and getting outside after work can seem like a lot of effort compared to sitting in front of the TV.

But it's so much better for the soul.

Why not set aside an evening next week to spend some time outside. This was Dartmoor on a Thursday night but your evening outside could be anywhere. The local park, the beach, a nearby hill or even just a footpath.

I promise, you'll sleep much better than you would after a night watching Netflix.

#dartmoor #notflix #outside #summer #may #eveningwalk
What is train travel in France like? It's natural What is train travel in France like?

It's natural to feel nervous about new travel experiences but going to new places and doing things differently are all part of the adventure when you choose sustainable travel and take the train to Europe.

When you're Interrailing, it's easy to imagine that the travel will get trickier once you leave the UK. But this isn't necessarily true. For example:

TRAINS IN FRANCE ARE A LOT LIKE TRAINS IN THE UK.

πŸ‡«πŸ‡· They mostly turn up on time
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· They're often super fast (city to city)
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· But sometimes slow (great for views)
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· Some are very long (leave plenty of boarding time)
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· Some have restaurant carriages (worth a visit)
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· Very few have ticket barriers
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· Very few have English announcements or screen info
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· Some are double decker (check your reservation)
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· Most have comfy seats
πŸ‡«πŸ‡· Not all have WiFi and charging facilities 

Of course, the best way to find out what  flight free Interrail trip is like is to try it yourself. Especially if you are over fifty like me. You don't have to go far or to multiple countries for your first trip. 

JUST HOP ON BOARD AND SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

#interrail #interrailing #europe #trains #europebytrain #overfifty #adventure #travel #sustainable #flightfree
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HOP ON BOARD
I'm a freelance writer and content creator with a passion for the outdoors and sustainable travel. I specialise in sustainable travel, train adventures, gear reviews, walking routes and outdoor advice.

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