Start Your Blog with These 5 Steps

July 22, 20223 Minutes
Success Stories

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Want to create something meaningful? Why not start a blog? Why not become a blogger?

If you're looking to start blogging but don't know where to start, you've come to the right place.

First of all, let's see what a blog is. A blog is a website that focuses mainly on written content, also known as blog posts. You can write a blog on almost any topic.

To become successful as a blogger, there is just one requirement. No, it isn't being a good writer. You must have a passion for your topic. The key is to keep it personal. Most people read blogs to gain a perspective from others. So stay true to yourself and your opinions.

Starting a blog is much easier than you think. Here is your guide to starting a blog in 5 steps:

  1. Pick a blog name: Choose a good name for your blog. It needs to give the user some information about the blog's contents. For example, if it is a food blog, ensure that the audience would understand that just by reading the blog's name. If you aren't sure of what to name your blog, there are plenty of naming tools online that can help you. Confirm that there are no other blogs with the same name before finalising yours.

  2. Get your blog online: Your blog needs to be somewhere on the internet for people to find it. To get your blog online and running smoothly, you need blog hosting (also known as web hosting) and blogging software. More often than not, these come as a package deal. There are both free and paid sites available to host your blog.

  3. Customise your blog: Choose a simple theme that goes with the message in your blog. Most sites offer free blog theme templates. Opting for this is easier as there is no coding involved. You can always tweak the template with in-house tools to suit you better. You can add your logo and social media handles to customise it further.

  4. Write & publish your first post: Now that the set-up is done. All that's left is to start sharing your thoughts with the world. This is where it gets real. Choose an attractive title and write some quality content - make sure it is interactive and not too dull. Most importantly, be yourself and share your views freely. Keep it original, and don't forget to proofread it.

  5. Promote your blog: After you're done publishing your blog. The next step is to get more people to read your blog. This can be done with proper marketing. The first step is to alert your inner circle. Share your blog on social media too. Commenting on other blogs may also lead their audience to check out your blog. Collaborate with other bloggers to increase reach. Always engage with your audience by replying to their comments. Remember to post regularly so as not to lose your audience.

    To improve your written content, check out the various free online courses by Glow & Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair & Lovely Foundation).

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Success Stories
January 9, 20195 Minutes

10 Do's & Dont's for Bank PO Exam

The Institute for Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) holds the PO Exam every year for recruiting Probationary Officers (PO) and Clerical Cadre in various public-sector banks in India. Nearly 20 lakh candidates apply every year for this exam. This year, various public sector banks, including the Syndicate Bank, Canara Bank, etc. are set to hire 1 lakh people with a view to change the culture of PSUs to drive business. The examination is conducted in two phases: 1. IBPS PO Preliminary Exam and 2. IBPS PO Mains Exam. The IBPS PO 2019 Application Forms will be released in July 2019 and will remain open for a month. The tentative dates for the Preliminary Exam are October 13, 14, 20, 21 and that for the Mains exam is November 18. The IBPS Exam is quite a competitive one and hence, you need to very well-prepared for it. The syllabus for this exam includes subjects like Quantitative Aptitude, Reasoning Ability, English Language, Computer Aptitude, and General Awareness. This is a very crucial exam and months of preparation is required. To make your preparation strategy much smoother and effective, here are 10 do's and dont's that you need to follow: **Do's for the exam** **Set Goals:** Since you have many different subjects to study it will be very helpful to set goals for yourself. Fix a date by which you have to decide and complete studying certain portions. When you achieve your goal, it gives you the impetus to study harder further. **Take the help of good study material:** There are hundreds of books and online material on Bank PO Exam preparation available. It's important that you buy the best ones and use only those to study the subjects. The wrong choice of material will end up wasting your valuable time. **Focus on weaker areas:** You require to be equally good in all the subjects involved in the exam. Leaving out areas that you are not very good at is a bad idea. Allot time in a way that will help improve your weaker areas of study. **Make flashcards:** When you have vast portions to study, which includes dates, events, formulae, etc., it would be helpful if you make flashcards and quick notes for easy reference. **Eat healthy and light:** Keep away from junk and heavy food that makes you lethargic and sleepy. Eat fresh, light food that gives you energy. **Practice online mock tests** : This is an extremely important thing to do during preparation. Keep practicing time-bound tests online. You will find various [online mock tests](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/online-tests)for the Bank PO Exam on the Glow \& Lovely Careers (formerly known as Fair \& Lovely Career Foundation) website that you can take for free. This improves your speed and gives you a check on where your preparation stands at every point before the exam. **Solve Previous Years' Question Papers:** In order to get an exact idea of how to prepare for the exam, there is nothing better than solving previous years' question papers. Sometimes the questions follow a similar pattern and understanding this will help you in a big way. **Read Every Day:** Verbal section is one part that will let you score well, provided you are adequately prepared. Read every day without fail as this helps you increase your speed of reading and helps you improve your English vocabulary. **Take breaks** : Cramming for hours without breaks will only make you feel saturated in your brain. Its imperative that you take ample breaks in between. **Sleep well:** Don't ever make the mistake of sitting up all night before the day of the exam. Get ample sleep every day and especially the night before the exam. **Don't's for the exam** **Don't mug up:** There is absolutely no point mugging up solutions while preparation. The PO exam tests your analytical and reasoning skills and the only thing that can save you is practice. **Don't stress too much** : Stop thinking too much about the exam and worrying. Take it easy. Focus only on what you are currently studying. **Don't sit up late at night:** This is applicable not only for the previous day of the exam but also for all the other nights during your preparation. Sitting up late night will completely wear you out the next morning. **Don't ignore your weaker areas of study:** Many a time, people tend to ignore areas that are harder for them to study and only focus on their strength areas. This is a bad idea as you can never be sure from which portions questions might be asked. **Don't delay solving previous question papers:** You might be tempted to postpone solving previous years' question papers to a point after your studies are completed. This is not the right strategy as you always need the help of previous question papers to build a strategy for preparation. **Don't dwell on one question:** At any point during the exam if you feel like you're not able to crack a certain question, do not take it as a prestige issue and dwell on it. Try for a few minutes and then move on to the next question. \*\*Don't panic during the exam: \*\*Your mind might start wandering a lot during the exam and you might feel all stressed. This can cost you big time even if you have done your preparation well. Breathe deep and attempt questions with a calm mind. **Don't guess:** You might be tempted to mark the answer of every question in the exam, even if you're not sure of the answer. In the IBPS Bank PO Exam 0.25 marks is deducted for every wrong answer. So, don't make the mistake of guessing answers. **Don't forget to carry important documents:** Make sure you carry all your documents for the exam so that you don't get into trouble at the center. **Don't experiment in the examination hall:** Always give priority to the questions that you have practiced well before. Don't spend time experimenting in the hall. Keep all these points in mind while you prepare for the IBPS Bank PO Exam. The Glow \& Lovely Careers has a number of [online practice tests](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/online-tests/banking-and-insurance/testbook/557569e82a39650f6f395648/bank-po) for the bank exam that you can take up for free.

Success Stories
July 26, 20217 Minutes

Free Online Courses with Certification For Stay At Home Moms

Fortunately, we live in a time where learning can be done from the comfort of home. So if you're looking to start working again or want to improve your skills? [Online courses](/online-courses) are the way to go. Doing an online certificate course also shows that you are taking steps to get better at something you like. In the pandemic, online courses have become even more popular. So there are many options available. To make things easier, we have listed the top 9 free online courses that stay-at-home moms can apply for. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /> 1. Take Up A Creative Writing Course A creative content writing course is one of the best ways to improve your writing skills. Once you get into the habit of writing, you can slowly try making a profession out of it. An online writing course provides opportunities to [learn good English](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/course-detail/englishedge-912/let's-talk-in-english-(hindi)). You will be given writing activities that uncover the passion you have for writing. Some of the lessons involve learning grammar, punctuation, and different writing styles. After understanding the basics of writing, you can apply for jobs related to content writing, proofreading (editing) or copywriting. You get to see your words used in magazines and websites! These types of jobs also don't have a strict working schedule. This is a bonus if you like to plan your own working hours. <br /> <br /> 1. Develop Your Communication Skills Everyone feels slightly nervous about presenting confidently in the office, especially if there's been a gap in work. This is why it's necessary to brush up on speaking skills and more by taking up a [communication skills course](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/course-detail/niit-156/basics-of-communication). With each class, you gain confidence to keep a conversation interesting and get the right points across to colleagues. Communication courses will teach you to find the right words to say and take control of a conversation. If you are interested in jobs linked to sales, media, or even teaching, you should definitely take communication skills courses. Most of these online courses also give importance to non-verbal communication skills. You get to practice maintaining eye contact and posture when you speak. All of these are equally important for good communication. <br /> <br /> 1. Learn To Use Excel For Book Keeping And Accounting Do you love keeping a budget, tracking your income and expenses at home? Then you may have a passion for accounting. So why not take up a course on it to [understand the basics of accountin](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/course-detail/edx-imperialbusinessx+icbs001/accounting-essentials)g? The knowledge you gain from such an online course can help when you land well-paying jobs in the finance industry. Microsoft Excel is a very useful tool for roles like professional accountants, where you have to look at data and make a financial strategy. This is why we also suggest taking an [Excel course](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/course-detail/niit-47/office-productivity-tools:-mso-excel-2010) to know the proper use of it. Once you learn Excel, you will be able to do quick calculations and organize the numbers in neat spreadsheets. <br /> <br /> 1. Do A Preschool Teacher Training Course Would you enjoy being a teacher to children in the age group of 2 to 6? Then we suggest that you do an online Preschool Teacher Training course. Teaching nursery kids is interesting because you get to make a huge impact on their lives. Besides taking a training course, you can also apply for short tutorials that help teachers to make lesson plans. Once you have the certificates, you will have more value in the job market. After that, you can apply to different preschools for a [teaching job.](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/exciting-jobs/teaching-jobs) There are several websites, like [WONK](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/exciting-jobs/teaching-jobs), where you can work as an online teacher too and earn a good salary. Teaching is a rewarding profession and if you are interested in it, we highly suggest registering for several free teaching courses online. When you attend good quality courses, your teaching qualities increase too. <br /> <br /> 1. Online Personality Development Course Like we said when there's a gap in employment, it takes effort to get outside your comfort zone. This is when many people take up online [personality development courses](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/online-courses/filters?fields=personality-development). Personality Development courses prepare you for speaking in interviews and sharing your thoughts in groups. You also learn basic etiquette (manners) and tone of voice to use when you write emails or make phone calls. Knowing these small things can make a huge difference in the workplace. <br /> <br /> 1. Pursue A Digital Marketing Course Digital marketing courses are in demand because technology is now present everywhere. When a new brand opens, the owners want the products to be visible to their potential customers. For this to happen, a lot of work goes into making a brand's potential visible on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube, and more. If you would like to be part of the team that builds brand awareness for a company, you should pursue a digital marketing course. The things you learn from a digital marketing course will also help you get ideas for when you feel like running your own business. Overall, digital marketing is a vast field and there are various interesting job profiles you can consider. Also Read: [10 Simple Ways To Start A Career In Digital Marketing](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/blog/10-simple-ways-start-career-digital-marketing-121) <br /> <br /> 1. Beautician Course Have you always wanted to work at a beauty salon, spa, or clinic but never felt qualified enough? Then try a [beauty therapy course](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/course-detail/englishedge-1397/assistant-beauty-therapist-introductory-course) to learn the basics of managing a salon and its jobs. You can take lessons on nail art, haircutting techniques, makeup, skincare, and more. The beauty of such courses is that you also get to meet other passionate people who also love the beauty industry. There are many self-taught makeup artists in India. But if you have a certificate from an online course, you are at an advantage. You will have a better chance of getting work. <br /> <br /> 1. Basics Of Marketing Most big companies always give plenty of value to the marketing department. This is because the marketers take the responsibility to educate interested customers about the products. Without marketing employees, a company can even fail. The job of a marketer is to also generate leads (interested customers) for the salespeople. Now, this is not an easy task unless you have some knowledge about it. In a [Marketing course](https://www.glowandlovelycareers.in/en/course-detail/edx-ubcx+comm420x/introduction-to-marketing), you will learn strategies used by companies to gain leads, manage them and bring profit to the company. If you are interested in marketing, take a free online course that introduces you to its basics. <br /> <br /> 1. Human Resources Certification Course Human Resources is one of the many departments in a company. This group is usually always searching for new employees to fill open job positions. Their role involves finding the right candidate for the company and having an eye for detail. A person working in HR studies different profiles and sorts through resumes to find that one talented person who can become a part of the company. This is a very interesting job for many and the scope here is endless. You manage various administrative tasks for the company and you get to interact with new faces. You also get to welcome new team members and organize fun activities for the company. If you would like to learn more about this field, consider taking up a free HR course online. <br /> <br /> <br />