The Essential Dos and Donts of Starting a Sports Blog

According to a 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair survey that was conducted a few years ago, about 90 percent of Americans watch sports at least occasionally.

Not everyone spends all their time checking out the latest NFL, NBA, and MLB games. But a large portion of the U.S. does have a rooting interest in sports, especially when it comes to big events like the Super Bowl.

With that in mind, anyone who loves both writing and sports should consider starting a sports blog. There is a lot of money to be made if you’re willing to work hard and set up a sports blog that people actually want to read.

Before you set out to get your sports blog off the ground, though, it’s important to make sure you go about doing it in the right way. Here are the essential dos and don’ts of starting up sports blogs.

Do: Find a Niche

What exactly is your new sports blog going to cover?

If you answered with “sports,” you need to spend some time thinking about making your coverage more specific. There is so much going on in the world of sports right now, which can make it impossible for one blogger to keep up.

Instead of trying to cover every athlete in every sport, why not focus on, say, NBA rookies instead? People will know they can count on you to create great content about first-year NBA players when you take this approach.

Don’t: Pick a Topic No One Cares About

While it’s good to find a niche when you’re starting a sports blog, you don’t want to make the topic that you cover so nuanced that no one actually cares about it.

For example, a blog about NBA rookies would be good. But a blog about NBA rookies who were all born in the state of Washington? That might be a little bit too specific.

Sure, there might be a dozen people in Washington who take a ton of pride in the NBA rookies born in their state. But you’re going to limit your blog readership when you choose a topic like that.

Do: Come Up With a Memorable Blog Name

Creating a name for your sports blog might be the most important part of starting it. If you pick a name that no one is going to remember, you’re going to struggle to get people to visit your blog.

Sit down and brainstorm a bunch of ideas for your blog before choosing the right one. Some suggestions for your blog about NBA rookies might include:

• First Year Ballers
• Baby Ballers
• Youngest Ballers in Charge
• Down Since Day 1
• Hey Rookie

No matter what name you choose, it should be something that’ll stick in people’s minds when they sit down at their computers.

Don’t: Choose the Wrong Hosting Service

In 2019, it’s never been easier to start a sports blog. But before you can do it, you’ll need to choose a web hosting service to house your blog.

If you’re going to dump a bunch of money into developing an entire website for your blog, you might want to consider investing in the best web hosting service you can possibly get. But if you’re doing it without a budget, you can find web hosting for just a few bucks a month.

Do: Create Posts People Can’t Find Anywhere Else

Once you have your blog all set up, it’ll be time to start creating content for it. This is where you’ll get your opportunity to shine and set yourself apart from all the other sports bloggers out there.

Your goal should be to create blogs for your site that people can’t find anywhere else. This will increase the chances of people coming to your blog to see what you have to say about certain things.

If your blog covers NBA rookies, you might want to create posts like:

• The 15 Best (and Worst!) Dressed Rookies in the NBA
• Re-Drafting the 2018 NBA Draft Based on the First Half of the 2018-19 NBA Season
• Why Trae Young and Not Luka Dončić Deserves to Be Named Rookie of the Year

Show people that you have something important to say about whatever your sports blog is going to cover. This will help you make a name for yourself as a sports blogger.

Don’t: Leave Large Gaps of Time Between Posts

You do want to spend time creating high-quality posts for your blog’s readers. But you don’t want to spend so much time working on them that you’re only able to post on your blog once or twice every week.

The sports world moves quickly. So you should have more than enough material to put up at least one post per day. It’ll show people you’re serious about sports blogging.

Do: Start Social Media Accounts for Your Blog

You’re going to be making a big mistake if you don’t create social media accounts on all the various social media sites for your blog. Set up accounts on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, at the very least.

Use Facebook to promote the posts you put up on your blog. Use Twitter to develop the voice of your blog. And use Instagram to provide readers with photos and videos they won’t see everywhere else.

Social media will give you a chance to put your blog on the map. Take full advantage of it.

Don’t: Miss the Chance to Interact With Readers

Sports bloggers need to do more than just sit around and create blogs all day long. They also need to form connections with readers in whatever ways they can.

Some sports bloggers do it by chatting with readers in the comments section of their posts. Others do it by tweeting at those who tweet at them. There are even some who set up live webcams to communicate with readers during big games.

You can visit this site to see how a live webcam works. It might be the best way for you to build up your brand and create important connections with other sports lovers.

Think About Starting a Sports Blog Today

Starting a sports blog doesn’t require much money at all. You can get your entire operation up and running for just a few dollars.

You will have to pour your blood, sweat, and tears into your blog to make it stand out, though. If you’re ready to do it, there’s never been a better time to get your sports blogger career going

Read our blog to find out how to create the ultimate sports entertainment room in your home. It’ll be the perfect place to start your sports blog.