Do You Prefer Building A Blog From Scratch or Buying and Fixing An Existing Blog (Why Both Are Valid Methods We Use)
When entering the dynamic world of blogging, you’re faced with the pivotal decision: should you start your own blog from scratch or buy and refurbish an existing one? While there’s not a one-size-fits-all answer, each path offers a unique journey with its own rewards, challenges, and strategies for success. In this comprehensive guide, we delve into why both methods are valid, the pros and cons of each, and share our insights on what we’ve learned through our own experiences.
Building A Blog From Scratch: The Creatives’ Canvas
Starting a new blog offers an exhilarating opportunity to express your creativity, establish your brand, and watch something grow from a mere concept to a flourishing online presence.
Pros:
Control and Customization: When you build a blog from scratch, you have the ultimate freedom to shape it according to your vision, from aesthetics to content themes.
Learning and Skill Development: The process of launching a blog involves SEO, content creation, marketing, and more – all of which arm you with invaluable digital marketing skills.
Cost-Effective Starter: Without the initial investment of purchasing an established blog, you can often start a blog with minimal costs, particularly if you’re doing the legwork yourself.
Cons:
Time and Effort Consumption: Content creation, SEO optimization, creating a following — all require significant time and effort with gradual results.
Slow Initial Monetization: Monetization might take time as you work on building traffic, relevance, and authority in your niche.
SEO Challenges: New domains lack authority, needing strategic SEO work and content marketing to gain visibility.
Our Take:
From personal experience, building a blog from scratch is immensely rewarding but requires patience and a long-term perspective. Your focus should be on creating quality content, honing your SEO skills, and building a community around your brand.
Buying and Fixing An Existing Blog: The Strategists’ Game
Purchasing an established blog can leapfrog the early slog of building a brand and an audience. However, it comes with its own set of challenges.
Pros:
Established Traffic and Revenue: An existing blog may already have consistent traffic and income streams, which can be appealing if you’re looking to generate income faster.
Built-In SEO Advantage: An older blog may already rank for certain keywords and phrases, giving you a head start in your SEO endeavors.
Immediate Content Inventory: You will have a library of content to work with, which can be optimized or repurposed to generate new traffic.
Cons:
Higher Initial Investment: Acquiring a blog usually comes with a heftier upfront cost, depending on its profitability and established traffic.
Hidden Issues: Existing blogs can have underlying problems like poor SEO practices, a bad reputation, or legal concerns that you’ll need to address.
Diluted Personalization: Revamping an existing blog to fit your vision might be more challenging, as you’ll have to work around pre-existing branding and content.
Our Take:
Opting to buy and fix up an existing blog can be a strategic move if you have the capital and the savvy to troubleshoot potential issues. It’s crucial to do thorough due diligence and have a clear strategic plan for enhancing and growing the blog.
SEO Strategies for Both Methods
Whether starting afresh or refurbishing an old blog, SEO is the cornerstone of online visibility and success. Implement these strategies to increase your chances of ranking higher on search engine results pages (SERPs):
- Keyword Research: Identify low-competition, high-volume keywords within your niche.
- Quality Content: Create valuable, informative, and engaging content targeting your keywords while satisfying user intent.
- On-Page Optimization: Optimize titles, headers, meta descriptions, and images to improve rankings for your chosen keywords.
- Backlink Building: High-quality backlinks from reputable sources strengthen your domain authority.
- Regular Updates: Consistently produce fresh content and update older posts to stay relevant and maintain rankings.
Final Thoughts
The blogging world doesn’t discriminate between the traditionalist crafting each word from scratch and the modern trader flipping blogs like houses. Both methods have produced successful ventures and fulfilled dreams. The key is to understand your strengths, your budget, your desired level of involvement, and the importance of SEO, no matter which path you choose.
Building a blog from the ground up is akin to planting a seed and tending to it until it grows into a sturdy tree. It’s hard work but watching something grow from nothing is infinitely satisfying. Conversely, buying an existing blog is more like restoring an old building — the structure and foundation are there but they might need some serious refurbishing.
In our journey, we’ve embraced both methods, admiring the craftsmanship of the former and the shrewdness of the latter. Through a blend of creativity, strategy, and best SEO practices, both avenues can lead to a thriving online platform.
Whether you’re a budding blogger or an adept digital marketer weighing your options, remember there’s no right or wrong choice here — just the path that aligns with your goals, skills, and passion. Whatever route you decide upon, go forth with knowledge, agility, and the readiness to adapt and grow your blog into a successful, satisfying project. Happy blogging!
