How To Write My First Blog Post

Getting started is one of the hardest parts of blogging. The good news? For better or worse, your first blog post doesn't matter much.

One of my favorite things about blogging is coming up with ideas using keyword and topic research.

That's why I've covered travel blog post ideas, and how to find a bunch of keywords and ideas in just a few minutes.

But if you're not used to doing topic research, finding your very first idea can be overwhelming.

Fortunately, your first post doesn't have to be hard.

Here are a few things to know about writing your first blog post, and why it's not worth getting hung up on what goes out first.

The most important takeaway?

Any first post is better than none.

What should my first blog post be?

There are two common approaches you can take with your first blog post. This is one of the most critical things you'll come to learn when figuring out how to start a blog.

The first is to use your first post as an introduction to your blog and what you're setting out to do.

The second is to jump right into your content as if you've been doing it for years.

There are pros and cons to each one, but my favorite is the second option because it gives you a better chance of writing something that will potentially get traffic over time, rather than something that gets buried on your site, never to be seen again.

For example, if you're starting a food blog, and your first blog post is an "about me" style introduction to your blog and why you're getting started, eventually that post will get buried underneath all the recipes you publish.

But if you just get right to the point and make your first blog post a recipe on something like chicken and rice casserole, that post can eventually get traffic for a long time, whether that's from Google, Pinterest, etc.

Put it this way: your intro post won't do much for your bottom line, but getting to the actual content can help you create something that can potentially stick around and get traffic and income.

When friends or family ask me what their first blog post should be, I tell them to act like they've been there before: save the intro for your about me page and get right down to business.

First blog post ideas

Whether you start with an introduction or get right into the type of content you'll be creating, below you'll find a few ideas on what to write to make your first post a success.

Whatever you write about, remember the most important thing is that this is the official start of you committing to blogging.

It matters less what you write about and more that you're sitting down, writing and publishing a post.

You're going through the process for the first of (hopefully) many times, and it's a good feeling to finally get something out there at all.

So don't get hung up on coming up with the best ideas: focus on getting something up and live.

Your first blog post as an introduction

Although I don't love this route, using your first post as an intro can be a nice quick win under your belt.

It can be hard to jump right into the meat of your blog content, but posting a 300-word intro to your blog is pretty easy.

So if you're about getting quick wins and building momentum, it can make sense to go with an intro for your first post.

If you're going this route, remember the basics: who, what, why, where, how, when.

You can address all these areas and more in your intro post without going overboard.

Who: give a quick intro on who you are, your background, your interests and anyone else that might be relevant to your blog, like family.

What: describe what your blog will be – this is good practice as a blogger, but it also helps build expectations for anyone who sees your first post.

Do you focus on recipes? Videos? How-to tutorials?

Let your readers know what they're getting into with your blog.

Why: a lot of first blog posts describe the genesis of their blog. Maybe it's to get their creative ideas out into the world, or maybe it's to help the blogger organize their own ideas and projects.

Whatever it is, readers often like to see the reasons behind bloggers bein' bloggers.

Where: you don't necessarily have to give any specifics here, but if you're looking to build a community on your blog, it's nice to let people know where you are.

Are you in the hot and dry Southwest? A busy city? Letting readers know your general location can help set the scene for upcoming content.

How: this is similar to your what, but how are you going to go about blogging? Will you post weekly recipes, or focus on social media and update your blog whenever you have time?

When: if you plan on a blogging schedule, let know readers what it is. Some bloggers like to publish posts on certain days of the week, or have specific types of content, like videos or Q & As, go out at certain times of the month.

This may not be something you're concerned about, but if you do have a schedule, telling your readers about it can help you stick to your plan.

Pro: writing an intro blog post can be a quick and easy win to say you've officially started your blog

Con: in time, your intro post will be completely buried and really won't get traffic or generate income

Recommendation: I love the idea of introducing yourself, your blog and your intentions, but I think that serves a better purpose on your about me page, where people will visit over time.

Most intro posts get buried and never seen, so I'm not a huge fan on this approach.

Your first blog post as real content

This is my preferred approach for a first blog post because it skips the fluff and gets right down to business.

If you're creating a food blog, this means starting with a recipe right off the bat.

If you're in the DIY or home improvement niche, it means doing a tutorial or how-to project as an example of what your blog will cover in time.

I also like this approach because the more you blog, the more you figure out your style, preferences and voice.

If you start with an intro post, it's not that you're losing much time or energy, but you're also not working toward developing your blogging voice.

Start with a real post, though, and it's the first time you'll begin to see what you do and don't like about blogging, and you'll start to notice things you want to do different in the future.

Creating an About Me Page

If you go this route, I think it's smart to still build about your "about me" page with info about you, your background, vision for the blog and what readers can expect from you.

All that information is super helpful and necessary, especially if you want to build trust and loyalty among your readers.

But an about me page is a much more prominent place to do that instead of your first blog post.

Pro: writing "real" content will help you get to the good stuff faster – this is how you get traffic, readers, income and momentum.

Con: writing a full blog post can be difficult, especially if you've never done it before.

Recommendation: start by writing real content, but tackle an easy topic or subject first, instead of attempting a massive blog post on your first try.

How to write your first blog post

There's no "right way" to write your first blog post other than to get your thoughts down.

If you're going with an intro-style post, it's good to include:

your background, interests and expertise, if any
what you hope to accomplish with your blog
contact information or social media links
a call to action to email, comment or follow you elsewhere

As you'll see from the blog post examples below, there's not much else to it!

You can dive into your story as much as you'd like, but as I recommended, it's also good practice to present that information on your about me page.

If you dig right into your content, how you write your posts depends a lot on your niche, style and topics.

Again, there's no right way to write these first posts, but if it feels like you're having a hard time getting your ideas down, it can help to create an outline first, or make a bullet list of things you want to cover.

It may take some time to find your blogging style and voice, so don't be afraid to make this first post "rough."

You can always go back later and edit it once you've refined your blogging process, but the important thing is you get it done rather than waiting a long time to get it "perfect."

19 first blog post examples

1. The Friendly Teacher

Hannah at The Friendly Teacher does a great job with her first blog post.

It's an intro that goes over:

the purpose of her blog
her background and interests
her approach to teaching reading

She also announce a giveaway on the page, which is a nice way to kick things off.

Overall, the page is an intro, so it won't get much traffic over time, but it does do a great job of introducing Hannah, her personality and what she hopes to accomplish with her blog.

2. Gimme Some Oven

I came across Gimme Some Oven when researching mom blog name ideas. Ali keeps it short and sweet on her first post, and this is how it goes for many first blog posts.

3. Fun Cheap or Free

My wife and I follow a lot of Jordan Page's advice and content at Fun Cheap or Free.

Her first post is straightforward and mentions her goal of highlighting creative ways to save money. I also like that she includes contact information for readers who do come across the post.

4. Young House Love

The first post at Young House Love offers a quick glimpse into what's to come from bloggers John and Sherry.

It's quick and to the point, and acts more of a preview than a full introduction to the couple and their blog.

5. Happy Hooligans

The Happy Hooligans' first post is a great one: it introduces the blog, the goal and also has some nice calls to action to comment, email Jackie or follow them on Facebook.

I also like that the intro posts includes internal links to other blog posts – if you're going to create an intro post, it will be the most "aged" post on your site, so it's a great idea to link this page to more content-heavy ones.

6. Michael Hyatt

This post is an interesting example because Michael set up this site as a way to "communicate with our employees on some sort of regular basis."

He does a great job of laying out why the blog could be effective, and explains what he expects to do with the blog.

Overall, this is a great intro because it explains the how and why behind the blog and its creation.

7. A Girl's Guide to Home DIY

Lauren at A Girl's Guide to Home DIY does a great job with her first blog post, which goes over:

her background and interests
how she started doing DIY home projects
the goal of her blog

This is one of the best intro posts I came across because there's a clear story line in Lauren's content.

She also adds it to the top navigation of her blog for good measure, so this intro post probably gets more traffic than your typical one.

8. Sylvie's Suitcase

Sylvie has a great intro post that reviews her previous blog, Cotton Tales, and why she focused on travel content with her new blog.

She also includes a few photos and a good idea of what readers can expect from her blog.

9. My Debt Epiphany

Chonce at My Debt Epiphany has a great intro post, going into her background and what her blog will cover.

I also like that she includes a nice bold call to action using ConvertKit, so her intro post can capture more leads than the standard first post.

10. IKEA Hackers

Here's a quick and easy first post that goes over the basics, and tells readers that Jules is not paid by IKEA to do content.

Nothing crazy, but gets the point across.

11. Cherished Bliss

Ashley at Cherished Bliss posted her first post as a way to update people on her Etsy store.

It's less of a robust intro and more of an update post, which is a great idea if you have an existing platform or audience from social media, email, Etsy, etc. that already has an idea of what your content, services or products are all about.

12. Domestic Imperfection

Ashley at Domestic Imperfection gets right to the point: this blog is "about all things domestic."

It's not a long intro, but it does include an example project so readers can get an idea of what to expect from Ashley's content.

13. Trips with Tykes

Trips with Tykes' first post from Leslie covers all the basics: her background and why she started her blog.

14. Have Baby Will Travel

It looks like this post is the first of Have Baby Will Travel's "updated" blog, and Corinne does a good job of including a call to action to email with input.

15. Beneath My Heart

Here's a solid all-around intro post from Traci that covers a little background, a little story and some pictures – as well as a call to action to join her email newsletter.

16. At Home with Ashley

Ashley uses her first blog post to spell out her blog vision and purpose.

"I believe my calling in life is to create beauty and I want to help you (yes, you!) have a beautiful life," she writes. "So here I am blogging about the process."

17. DIY Beautify

Cindy's first post on DIY Beautify is all about fear and the pull to create cool things. That's what blogging's about for a lot of bloggers, but she does a good job of laying it out simply.

19. Citygirlmeetsfarmboy

This one's short and sweet and explains that Citygirlmeetsfarmboy is all about "how the world is better when people do what they love."

What will your first blog post be?

The answer: it doesn't matter. It just matters that you write it.

That you actually sit down and do it.

That you get it out of the way, so you can get to the real work.

Now go on and get nah!