How to start a sports blog

If you’ve got writing chops and a passion for sports, there’s no time like the present to start your own sports journalism blog. Blogging is a fun way to play commentator on your favorite sports and start a conversation with other fans. The bonus? Writing about sports could earn you some extra cash.

Just like pro athletes, sports writers make money doing what they love. Once you’ve created some posts, hosting ads and affiliate content on your sports website has the potential to bring in passive income. But you need a game plan before you can start earning – like sports, blogging requires a mix of creativity, strategy and skill.

Ready to use the power of the pen to become a sports influencer? Here’s how to start a sports blog of your own.

How to launch a successful sports blog

You’ve probably spent plenty of time reading sports journalism blogs. Maybe there’s one particular blog that’s inspired you to take the leap for yourself. You understand how starting a sports journalism blog can affect others because someone else’s writing has affected you. Now you’re ready to leave your own mark on the sports world.

Find your niche

You might be an indiscriminate lover of sports, but you’ll have to narrow down your interests before writing your first blog post. You have a better chance of standing out if you talk about a specific aspect of the industry, such as little-known facts about the history of Formula One racing. You can also form your content around a particular theme. Here are a few ideas:

• If you’re good at math, give readers the statistics they may not have the time (or desire) to study themselves
• Post minute-by-minute commentary on matches and games
• Recap recent or historical games

Find your target audience

Consider your future audience as you work to determine your sports niche. These readers won’t just be critical to the success of your blog: they’ll be key to the success of your marketing efforts. Once you’ve gained traction as a sports blogger, you can partner with brands or launch affiliate marketing campaigns through services like Amazon Affiliates or Google AdSense. You’re more likely to perform better if the audience that reads your blog is the right one for the products you’re pitching. As you learn more about your target audience over time, adapt your writing style and post about topics you think they may want to read.

Find the right name

The saying “it’s all in a name” was around long before the internet, but that adage is truer than ever now. With so much content on the web, you need a blog name that’s memorable and searchable so when someone mentions your blog at a tailgate party, their friends won’t forget what it was called when they look it up the next day. Be sure to secure the corresponding domain name once you’ve settled on one so no one scoops up the name before you do.

Find the right platform

You’ll need a platform to host your blog and future posts. Plenty of free and low-cost platforms, such as WordPress or Medium, make it easy for beginners to get their start. These platforms offer web hosting services, attractive templates and useful integrations and plugins – like an ecommerce option you can use when your blog becomes popular enough to sell branded merchandise.

Keeping the ball in play

If launching your own sports blog is like winning a game, running a successful blog is like taking home a championship title. Here’s how you can bring in more readers and keep the ones you have interested in the content you create.

Spread the news

If you’ve just started, readers aren’t likely to find your sports blog on their own. That’s normal – new pages don’t often reach the top of Google search results. To increase your blog’s popularity and ranking, bring in new readers by spreading the word to friends and family and posting about the blog on social media. Let followers know any time you publish a new article.

Adding a link to your blog in your social media bios will make it easier for people to find. Use a Linktree URL to send them to your blog and other social media platforms. Another way to spread the word about your site is to team up with a fellow sports blogger and ask them to host your content on their website. Make a guest post featuring their content on your site so you can both earn new subscribers.

Write consistently

There’s a lot of great content on the web, and fresh posts pop up every second. Stick to a regular posting cadence, whether it’s just on game days or on Mondays after weekend sporting events. Use a contact form on your website to invite people to sign up for your blog’s newsletter so they’re the first to know when there’s a new post.

Become an SEO pro

Search engine optimization (SEO) helps web browsers and the people who use them find your blog content. If your text contains specific terms, known as keywords, search engines will push your content to the top of the results. To figure out which keywords to use, search for articles like yours and see which combinations of terms get you the most relevant results. Alternatively, you can use a third-party SEO optimization service for keyword research. They’ll take the guesswork out of deciding which words to include in your text.

Analyze your stats

Follow your favorite athlete’s example and check your statistics to see what’s working. Many blog platforms offer in-depth analytics for your site that show where readers are located, what times see the most traffic and what your most popular posts are. All this info can help you figure out what time to post and which content your readers vibe with the most. You can also track analytics on social media. If monetization is your goal, driving traffic to your website via social media can boost site visits and increase clicks on affiliate content, which means more cash for you. Use data to determine when to post about your latest blog entry so followers on social media are sure to see it.