Choosing A Topic

The very first step before setting up your blog is to choose your blog's topic or 'niche'.
Try to choose something that is both something you're passionate about (or at least have some interest in) and something that's profitable (something that other people are passionate about and are willing to spend money on).

Obviously it's really important that you have some knowledge on your niche so you know what you're talking about when making blog posts. If you are knowledgeable on your topic, visitors to your website will perceive you as an expert and someone they can go to for advice. The information you will be providing on your blog must be helpful and informative in order for you to build credibility and make money. People will only pay for information that is genuinely useful.
However in saying this, you don't actually have to be a qualified expert in your field, just as long as you know just a bit more than the average Joe. Even if you're unsure whether you're someone who can come across as being knowledgeable and credible in your niche, it's nothing a little research won't fix.
So the first thing you should do is think about your interests and what you are passionate about. Something that is a big industry, that has a lot of money in it e.g health and fitness.
Next, you will need to break this down into a sub-topic. For example, the health and fitness niche is very profitable, however it is swamped with competition, so you will want to narrow it down to a smaller sub-niche such as 'raw food diets' or 'pilates for rock climbers' etc.
Even if the niche is small and obscure, it can still be extremely profitable and under-monetized with big potential. However don't go too small into sub-niches with absolutely no competition because chances are there's not much money in them.
Topics that are always popular and profitable are:
- Making Money
- Relationships and Dating
- Health and Fitness