Here are some helpful tips to help you have a lot more success when starting with Joomla.

Launching a Joomla blog for the first time can seem intimidating and complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. With the right amount of preparation and careful execution, you can get your blog up and running in no time. 

Five Tips for Success 

As successful entrepreneur Neil Patel puts it, “A blog can serve as the foundation for just about anything you want — a personal brand, an enterprise level business, a multi-million dollar content provider or a startup. A blog is super important.”

And while most people think about WordPress when it comes to blogging, Joomla is actually preferred by some of the internet’s top bloggers.

Here are some helpful tips for successful results:

1. Choose the Right Template

From a marketing and user experience point of view, your layout is one of the most important aspects of your blog. And unless you plan on designing your own site from scratch, you should rely on one of the many templates that already exist. Specifically, here are some things to look for in a template:

• Responsive. Today’s internet users move from device to device and expect the same experience, regardless of whether they’re using a desktop computer or a smartphone. As such, use a responsive template that automatically adjusts to the user’s screen size.
• Customization. When evaluating different templates, make sure you take customization into account. Some templates are fixed, while others allow you to tweak different elements. The ability to edit is extremely helpful.
• User reviews. What do other users think about the template? Does it have annoying bugs, or is it pretty smooth? It’s best to find out before investing your time and money.

Choosing the right template is a very important part of launching a Joomla blog. Don’t overlook it.

2. Make Visuals a Priority 

Today’s top blogs are the ones that prioritise visuals. While the text is still important, you need to put just as much effort into the selection and implementation of images, videos, and graphics. Don’t make the mistake of putting images on the back burner. You’ll end up with an outdated look and a low conversion rate.

3. Focus on Page Loading Speed

Page loading speed is very important. If it takes a page too long to load, users will bounce, and you’ll miss out on conversions. Thankfully, speeding up your site is fairly straightforward. 

It all starts with choosing a good Joomla host. Ask about speed before making a final selection and keep tabs on how they’re doing. The second most important thing you can do is enable Joomla cache. Once enabled, your blog will save visitor information and present a stored version of the page the next time they visit.

4. Cleanup the Sidebar

From a design perspective, a blog’s sidebar can make or break the overall look and feel. Make sure you’re strategically using this space - don’t include superfluous elements. Not only does a complicated sidebar overcrowd your blog, but it also slows down your site. A simple author bio, opt-in bar, and a few social media icons are all you need. In the future, a well-placed PPC advertisement can be added.

5. Invest in Security 

Finally, you should invest in security. With cyber-security threats on the rise, you need to protect your blog – especially if you ever plan on collecting user information or processing transactions. Investing in HTTPS here is a must.

Enjoy Your Joomla Blog 

It takes some time and effort to get a Joomla blog running, but your investment will be rewarded in the long run. Once you have the right infrastructure in place, have some fun and begin crafting and publishing content that resonates with your readers.