Although in the past few years TV shows have been getting more and more traction, many great movies hit our screens every month.
So many genres, so many film fans—so much to write about!
If there’s ever been an excellent time to start a movie blog, it’s now. But to rank among the best movie blog sites—you will have to learn to address your audience in an honest and entertaining way.
Ready to learn how to start a movie blog or a movie review site and attract an audience?
Thought so.
Let’s begin.
Different Movie Review Websites for Different Demographics
Even though film, as an art form, has always provided an infinite spectrum of aspects to focus on—the amount of niches that one can discuss has never been more abundant than it currently is.
With countless genres, time periods, and geographically and culturally contextualized types of films—everyone has their opinion and tastes—and every niche has a widespread audience.
This is why starting a movies blog is a rock-solid idea.
The audience is as broad as it gets!
But, you might be asking yourself—how do I start a movie blog?
First of all, we need to answer a few questions, like, what even is a movie blog? Should you start one today? And, what should a movie blogger focus on?
Let’s find out.
What is a Movie Blog?
A movie blog is a website created by a movie blogger—in this case, you—who wants to write articles about films.
It’s pretty simple, really, and there aren’t many restrictions on what it can look like.
It could be more of a movie review site or a personal blog with your opinions on films. Filmmaking blogs are also quite common, and they can be critical, academic, or purely conversational.
In essence, a movie blog or a movie review site is a place for expression and movie fans to gather and learn about past and upcoming films.
Why Should You Start Blogging About Movies?
Let’s address the elephant in the room straight away; you shouldn’t even think about blogging about movies unless you’re a film lover.
There are indeed many movie bloggers and YouTubers out there. You may think that what they’re doing is an easy way to earn a lot of money and that anyone could do it.
It’s not. They can’t.
If you’re not genuinely into blogging about movies, you’ll never be able to reach your audience the way you intend to.
People can always tell who’s in it for the money and who’s in it for the love of the topic. It’s obvious which content creator they’ll prefer.
Starting a blog is a risky business, so it only makes sense for you to endure the hardships that come with it. If you’re not dedicated to blogging about movies—you’re doomed to fail.
Make Your Personal Movies Blog Signature
The second most important thing is to have a signature.
Filmmaking blogs are a type of personal expression, and, especially when it comes to talking about art—the main intention should be having opinions on the matter you want to express.
Did you like a film that everyone hated?
Do you feel like a specific genre or trope has been overlooked?
Address it!
Create your movie review site to do so. Create your voice and fight for it—make a personal signature—it’s the best way to reach people’s hearts.
Know Your Format & Tone for Your Movie Review Site
A movie blogger should never forget that honesty is why the blog format exists in the first place.
You don’t have to be a professional reviewer, journalist, or film critic. You can incorporate aspects of these fields into your movies blog, but at the core of it, your personal relation to the films and your audience is what will really engage your readers.
Find your unique tone of presentation.
Some bloggers are more playful, ironic, or tongue-in-cheek. Some are more reserved, and others are critical and direct. At the other end of the spectrum, others may take a more academic, film-studies kind of approach.
Find what suits your character and employ it. At the end of the day, movie review websites are made by filmophiles for filmophiles. Establishing a personal connection is mandatory.
The Perks of Filmmaking Blogs
There are literally countless ways in which you could benefit from starting a movie review site.
A movie review site would, first of all, enable you to enjoy doing what you love, and write about what interests you.
Most of the time, we find ourselves doing a 9-to-5 job that is of little-to-none interest to us personally. Starting a movie blog could be interpreted as a heartfelt effort, an endeavor, through which you’ll express your personal voice.
Just think about the possibility of actually earning money from it—a dream come true.
Becoming a Better Content Creator and Movie Blogger
From a different perspective, think about how much you’ll perfect your skills. You could become a true pro when it comes to writing, phrasing your thoughts, and expressing your opinions.
Depending on the particular tone of your texts and the specific type of films discussed, you’ll get a good sense of how a blog-y text should look like.
The same goes for other formats as well.
If your main channel of expression is through videos, for example, you’ll learn plenty about filming, lighting, sound set-up, and editing.
If you stick to your movie review site, you’ll see massive quality improvements through time. But even if you drop everything, as a movie blogger you’ll have earned an invaluable skill for the future!
We never know what life will bring us, so it’s great to have as many skills as possible!
Living the Dream, Building a Name, Blogging About Movies
There’s only one thing better than doing what you love, and that’s getting paid for it!
Truth be told, if one considers the competition, it’s incredibly difficult to get a big break on YouTube or through your written blog platform.
Yet, if you’re both good at what you do and lucky enough, you might see yourself become a household name.
“I find that the harder I work, the more luck I seem to have.” – Thomas Jefferson.
You’ll be writing or talking about what interests you, and you’ll be getting the recognition you deserve. Blogging about movies sounds ideal, right?
The Cash Side of Movie Review Websites
Pleasure, purpose, strong interpersonal relationships, and finally—money—would truly make life worth envying. Only a few can say they’ve achieved this, but one never knows how things can turn out.
If you’re really lucky (like our buddy Thomas Jefferson), you won’t even need to do another job. Your movie review site will be your main source of income.
Picture that. You’re a professional movie blogger—how cool would that be?
The Extra Benefits of Filmmaking Blogs
Running a successful filmmaking blog would guarantee some extra benefits as well.
Bloggers with well-established movie brands often get early access to movie screenings—having the privilege to write reviews before the films are out for regular viewers.
Moreover, you’ll be able to collaborate with other distinguished bloggers in similar niches. You may be a guest on their movie review site, or they on yours. That way, you’ll both promote each other to a wider audience.
Finally, you may even get an opportunity to meet some movie-related celebrities!
Another aspect of your blog is that you could interview actors and actresses, directors and movie writers, movie buffs and movie critics and discuss their films.
As a movie blogger, you’ll be able to get free souvenirs and movie merchandise. You may even be able to create and sell your own merchandise.
The possibilities are virtually endless!
However, it’s time to get down to earth. Before you start dreaming big, you should first set up a good foundation for your blog. Remember—quality is the number one priority and before you can have all this, you need to start a movie blog.
What Should My Movies Blog be About?
Neither films nor you exist in a vacuum, and neither should any movie blogger.
Before starting a movie blog, you should thoroughly research other filmmaking blogs—movie review websites or video content creators—and see what kind of movies they’re talking about and how they do it.
Do you need to imitate them? Absolutely not!
You should only get inspired to discover the precise thing you’re interested in. Find your space and niche—that’s crucial.
A question that should be at the forefront of your mind when thinking about how to start a movie blog should be how you are going to distinguish yourself while also staying true to your passion.
The answer?
Through your niche, of course.
When choosing your niche, be careful to neither be too broad (since you literally won’t have a target audience) nor too specific (a “romance films from 2002” blog will go out of topics incredibly fast).
Again, when choosing a niche, you should prioritize your own strong suits.
The Context—Movie Review Websites
Before you make up your mind about your specific niche of filmmaking blogs, think about the most famous and well-established movie blogs and movie review websites. IMDB, Rotten Tomatoes, Metacritic, and other similar websites, are good sources for basic information and general critical opinions about films.
Renowned movie review websites like ScreenRant, ScreenCrush, and CinemaBlend, which have quite a broad target audience, are also a great place to start when it comes to getting a good sense of what’s being written about.
Finally, streaming platforms, such as Netflix, for mainstream audiences, Mubi, for indie, art films, or Criterion, for classics from all periods and genres, are great places where a movie blogger can find potential films to discuss.
Once you’ve explored the landscape, discover your own niche.
Types of Filmmaking Blogs and Movie Blog Niches
Have you read thousands of Marvel or DC comics?
Are you obsessed with what the movie adaptations got right and what they didn’t?
Well, that’s your niche right there!
Similarly, suppose you’re a film school graduate, well versed in the theoretical analysis of films, their relationship to literature or philosophy, the art of cinematography, or film music.
In that case, perhaps you could build your brand around this niche.
Do you want to focus on blockbuster Hollywood films or European, Asian, or African cinema?
Do you want to go for high-budget or indie features?
Perhaps you’re really into anime or documentaries.
Maybe you’re a pro when it comes to a specific genre—horrors, thrillers, slapstick comedies, or westerns.
All of these are great potential starting places. Think about what you like and make it presentable.
The Best Movie Blog Sites
Here are some examples of filmmaking blogs and movie review websites dedicated to different niches:
- The Movie Blog—blockbusters
- Out of the Past—classic, black-and-white films
- Strictly Film School—avant-garde films from a more theoretical perspective
- Birth Movies Death—indie and forgotten classics
- Screen Anarchy—all kinds of films, including European, Asian, and African
- No Film School Blog—indie, art films
- Miss Malini—Asian and Bollywood movies
All of these focus on different types of movies, targeting a diverse audience, but they all overlap. Regardless of the niche you choose, find the perfect compromise between selling and enjoying your own content.
Style vs. Trends: Evergreen or Bombastic Movie Review Site?
Another aspect to consider is the longevity of your content. While this division is not absolute, you could roughly say that some types of content are evergreen, whereas others are trendy and bombastic.
The evergreen type of content is always recommended, as potential readers (or viewers) will find some of your older entries equally relevant whenever they read or watch them. This type of content—covering the history of a specific genre or the Golden Age of Hollywood, for example, is timeless.
Conversely, if you’re a movie blogger focused on reviewing new films, you might benefit from quickly creating and posting your opinions on the hotly-awaited blockbusters.
The downside to this is that once the movie in question loses its popularity after a while, fewer people will be interested in your article.
Precarious Balance
It’s always best to have a bit of both.
The second type of content will give you more “explosive” reads or views, but the first one will remain a steadier source of income in the long run.
Have something to offer to all audience members interested in your niche.
Thinking Outside the Movies Blog Box
Don’t be afraid to abandon your niche from time to time.
Having a laser-sharp focus is essential, but you needn’t limit yourself entirely. If you write about Japanese cinema from the ‘60s, for example, but find some recent Hollywood films really provocative, go ahead and say what you want.
Trust us—your audience will appreciate your enthusiasm and honesty.
After all, filmmaking blogs are about the human connection between the creator and the audience.
Share your passion with your readers. That’s how a movie blogger improves.
Stick to Your Movie Blogger Guns When Starting a Movie Blog
Honesty is paramount.
That’s because it’s so easy to get lost in this business. General opinions have a sweeping power, whereby you may feel forced to discuss or, let alone, praise a film you may not really like, simply because other bloggers or content creators do.
Never fall for this. Ever.
Your audience is with you because they want to hear your voice on the matter.
In fact, you have the best chance to stand out when you disagree with the majority of reviewers or bloggers. Don’t repeat what’s already been said.
State your opinion clearly and fight for it.
Still, be careful not to go overboard, and imply that everyone who disagrees with you is stupid or something. Like you, people have their own opinions. So, subtlety is king.
Blogging about Movies Should be…
Now that we have the content of your movies blog out of the way, it’s time to start thinking about the form.
After all, we live in the era of the internet, where everyone is churning out online content daily. Everything is flashy and bombastic.
How to stand out when starting a movie blog?
Integrity and honesty are essential, but people don’t have an ingrained radar to notify them when a good movie blogger appears.
You have to play your part.
At the end of the day, this should go without saying for someone like you—a well-written film is nothing without stunning cinematography, a well-composed score, and brilliant acting.
The same goes for your movies blog as well.
The Name of Your Movie Review Site
The names of filmmaking blogs should be something that’s both innovative and cool, related to the content, yet simple and memorable enough.
Your audience should be able to easily think of you and recommend you.
Remember that the name shouldn’t perfectly reflect your niche, so don’t go for something too specific that will limit you in the long run. It should be short and snappy.
Try out a play on words, such as alliteration, for example.
Also, bear in mind that once you have your movie review site up, it’ll be the URL of your movies blog. AlienRomanticComedy-Horrors.net.co.gov is not something you’ll want to end up with. Try to think of a simpler alternative and, whatever you do—try to go for the “.com” extension.
It’s the easiest to remember, and it’s trusted the most by internet traffic.
Finding it hard to think of a name? Try our free generator(LINK)!
Choosing a Blogging Platform for the Best Movie Blog Sites
On the technical side, the platform is one of the most important things to consider. Most soon-to-become movie bloggers are not professional web designers, so it’s expected that you won’t be making your movie review site from scratch.
Luckily, WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace exist to help host movie review websites.
They’re easily customizable, offer you various design templates to choose from, have an integrated SEO system that’ll help with promotion, and they’ll allow you to easily share your content around social media and other platforms.
Note that for most of these platforms, you have to pay a monthly or yearly fee, so before you rush to create your blog, consider carefully which option is better for you.
Paid or Free?
Going for a paid platform is usually the better option.
Your movies blog will look much smoother and professional and you’ll often be afforded certain privileges for choosing to use a web builder and host.
On paid platforms, you won’t also be forced to compromise on your blog’s URL, and you’ll have fewer limitations when it comes to promotion and earning money.
Furthermore, on free sites, there might be countless ads popping up to every fan who visits your movie review site, which is bad news—after all, these platforms need to be monetized somehow.
Considering how risky the whole blogging venture is, though, there’s a good chance that you may not succeed and give up on your movie blog after a short while—particularly if you’re not in it for the love of movies.
After all, it takes a lot of time to see the results, and sometimes—they never arrive.
Evaluate your own position and choose wisely. Both alternatives have perks and downsides, so find the one that suits you best.
The Domain and Hosting Provider
In that vein, you should also choose a stable, reliable, and well-established domain host. Most hosting providers aren’t free, and you should do thorough research before settling.
Once you do, you’ll have finished with most of the technicalities when it comes to establishing your movie review site, finding suitable servers, and owning the space where you’ll create your movies blog.
There are a number of hosting services out there, some of which are 10Web and Bluehost.
The Design of Your Movies Blog
Design is another component meant to visually represent the essence of what your blog is about and to sell it to your potential audience.
With it, you should strike the perfect balance between relevance, stylish outline, and ease of use.
You wouldn’t write about romantic comedies while having a dark, gloomy website, with skulls everywhere, right?
Browse through the web design templates offered by your platform and find one that suits you. Customize it as you wish and research the internet.
Ultimately, find something unique and catchy—complimenting your content and your name.
Starting a Movie Blog With a Recognizable Logo
Finally, the third aspect of the sacred trinity—the logo.
It should be creative, unique, and memorable. The logo should be the bridge between the name of the blog and the textual aspect and design of the website.
The logo will be the final test of your blog’s visual compatibility with the content you’ll be writing.
Browse through some logo ideas for filmmaking blogs online, or consult with a friend who is experienced in graphic design, or simply hire an expert.
There are many free logo makers as well on the internet—consider using them!
Once you come up with the suitable logo, the best design, the appropriate platform, and the perfect name, your movie blog is ready to emerge and stand the test of time!
How Often Should I Update the Movie Review Site?
Standing the test of time is crucial. Yet, it’s the most challenging part of the process, for it involves two aspects that are incredibly difficult to persist through; regular output and patience.
Be Consistent as a Movie Blogger
Consistency is key. The only way for you to get any kind of audience, especially when starting, is to regularly update your blog.
Many “How to Start a Movie Blog” websites may even recommend that you churn out new content daily—even twice or thrice a day!
We wouldn’t go as far as saying it’s necessary, but it does say something about your dedication. If you hope for your filmmaking blogs to see the light of day, like with all things in life—you need to dedicate a lot of time to it.
With that being said, don’t force yourself more than you can bear it.
If you overwork yourself at the beginning and see no immediate results, you’ll be quick to give up on your movie blog, with all your effort and invested money going to waste.
You need to find that sweet spot that will both suit your personal day-to-day schedule and the demands of your future and current audience.
Be Patient With Your Movies Blog
Similarly, you will need to be incredibly patient. We mentioned several times that it’s insanely difficult for movie review websites to immediately take off.
The competition is stiff and most of the time, even if you’re the best at what you’re doing, you will need some time to attract an audience.
You mustn’t be discouraged, though.
Even creators that ended up successful were never that popular or viewed at the beginning.
They kept blogging about movies and what they love and never lost hope.
So should you. Regularly update your blog, and don’t expect miracles. Only time and consistent blogging will bring your results.
Be Reserved With Blogging About Movies
It’s obvious why you shouldn’t overwork yourself or overinvest in movie review websites.
If it’s something you’re doing in your free time, blogging about movies should be an act of free will and a gift to the readers.
Don’t lose that spark. Don’t make it a chore. It’s very risky, so don’t put too much on the line at the beginning.
Work smart more than you work hard.
Be Prepared—Filmmaking Blogs Should Look Professional
Another thing to note—before you launch your movie review site, try to have around 10-12 already written articles.
The best way to give off a reliable vibe while also having a good quantity of content to offer to your first audience members is to have a small selection of texts already available.
By doing this, you’ll allow all coming viewers and readers to know what exactly your niche is, what your type and tone of writing are, and approximately what they’ll be getting at your blog.
Most of the time, a single text, or even two texts, are not enough for a reader to get a good sense of what’s to be expected. By starting with a “full tank,” you’ll be guaranteeing your integrity as well.
How Should I Promote My Movies Blog?
When it comes to building an online brand, promotion is one of the easiest and trickiest things to consider. It’s relatively easy because, in this day and age, almost everyone knows that social media is the place to go.
It’s tricky because it requires constant—and we mean constant—updating, posting, and shameless self-promotion.
First things first, you’ll need to create a Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and TikTok account for your blog and, preferably, connect them so that whenever you post on one of these platforms, the others will automatically get updated too.
How to Start a Movie Blog With a Strong Visual Element
You may have noticed that we name-dropped a few web platforms/social media websites, which are primarily video-based.
This wasn’t a coincidence.
We’re all visual creatures, and, especially nowadays, with all those flashy colors and posts going through our screens, you should think of how to make your content visually appealing.
Make it into a video format, for example.
Translate your texts into video essays, later uploaded to YouTube. If you’re not the recording type, think of other ways to promote yourself through pictures and videos.
After all, movies are a visual and auditory medium—make the best use of that. Not all content creators can.
The Old-Fashioned Way of Blogging About Movies
Besides translating your content into visual media and providing your Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram followers with posts, think about spreading the word physically too.
Notably, at the beginning of your movies blog, the first people to read it should be your friends and family. Share it with them and encourage them to promote it in turn.
Word-of-mouth does wonders.
But so does online sharing. If only 3% of your Facebook friends were to share your promotional posts about your blog, quite a few people would get exposed to it. Hopefully, this number will grow exponentially, and, eventually, you’ll get your big break!
Establishing a Community: Befriend Another Movie Blogger
This is something that you’ll be able to do once you’ve made a name for yourself, but still, it’s important to consider.
What we’re talking about is contacting and networking with other movie bloggers like yourself.
They don’t need to be in the exact same niche as you, and it’s enough that they’re somewhat successful. Contact them and arrange a conjoined video or a guest blog post —either you write a text for their blog, or they for yours. Or both.
Of course, your names should be publicly advertised, as should the links to each other’s filmmaking blogs. This way, you’ll both expose your audiences to each other.
Moreover, you’ll convince your audiences that the other movie blogger is worthy of their attention. This goes both ways, of course.
Sharing is caring and establishing a community builds trust. By acknowledging others like you, you’ll be appreciating their effort while getting recognition for yours. That’s how movie review websites thrive.
Earning Money While Blogging About Movies
At some point, if you’re good at what you’re doing and if you’re fortunate (think about our good friend Thomas Jefferson again), this hobby may slowly grow to become your primary source of income.
If this happens—and even before that, if you’re in dire need of extra cash, or if you’re especially greedy (which isn’t a bad thing, of course) – you’ll need to start thinking about ways to properly earn money from your movie blog.
There are several ways to do so, and we’ll point out the most usual ones.
Advertise Your Movie Review Site
Display ad networks, such as Google AdSense, Mediavine, or Ezoic, are some of the easiest and simplest ways to earn money for your blog.
Just sign up, and allow these networks to place ads on your movie review site interface whenever a customer opens your movies blog.
You’ll be earning your share for each ad viewed and, in time, as your revenue grows, so will your income.
It’s true that some people find such pop-up ads annoying or distracting, especially since most of the time they’re completely unrelated to the content displayed, but they are a good way to start earning some money at the beginning of your blog career.
Affiliate Marketing to Help With Filmmaking Blogs
Affiliate networks, like Commission Junction, Shareasale, or Amazon Affiliate, allow you to earn money by promoting or recommending products and leaving a link to said products.
For every product bought by a reader/viewer of your movies blog, you’ll be earning some cash.
In a way, it’s kind of similar to the advertising method, but it’s a tad bit subtler.
Go for a Subscription Service Platform
Such platforms, the most well-known Patreon, will guarantee you a monthly income based on the number of subscriptions you get. Your faithful readers and followers who want to get early and uncut content from you will be your main patrons.
By having a Patreon account, you would be able to both publish your work for free and offer special exclusives for patrons who have subscribed.
For them, this subscription is usually a small monthly sum, but for you—it might amount to an entire monthly salary.
Start Selling
In essence, there are two types of products which you could be selling: digital and physical products.
Digital products, such as eBooks, online courses, or any kind of gated content, will enable you to promote your own services through your movies blog.
Write or create something cool and innovative, and set a price for it. Maybe some of your followers will be interested in buying it, who knows.
Physical products, like merchandise, for instance, can be sold in two ways.
Through self-fulfilled methods or by drop shipping.
The former means that you buy these products originally, and then resell them to your readers/viewers. The latter means that you establish a link between the original seller and the prospective buyer.
You’ll probably earn more through the self-fulfilled method, but dropshipping is a much easier and more profitable tactic to resort to.
Create a Service
Similar to selling digital products of your own making or gated products restricted for your Patreon, creating a service is a way to promote your own skills in your field.
Do you want to offer a short course on film analysis?
Perhaps lessons in the history of movies or something similar?
Promote your skillset and, once you’ve built a name for yourself as a movie blogger, your followers will buy this package.
Although this is a tactic best left for the more developed period of your blog career, it’s a fantastic way to boost your reputation.
Sponsoring Through the Movie Review Site
Finally, if you’re already a somewhat established brand, start getting sponsors for some of your posts or videos. They’ll invest in you, and you’ll promote them with your content.
Even though your sponsor may not be fully related to blogging about movies, thus sticking out like a sore thumb, it will let your audience know that there are companies that want to sponsor you. Hence, your reputation is growing.
It all boils down to building an image for yourself. That’s precisely how the best movie blog sites succeed!
Final Words on How to Start a Movie Blog
As you can see, you don’t need to be a professional, and you don’t need to know anything about movie review websites, web design, or marketing.
These are all things that are easy to learn and, considering the development of the internet nowadays—provided by specialized services.
In order to start your movie blog, the first and only thing you’ll need is to love what you’re writing about and be damn proud of it.
As long as you’re honest with your opinions, your chances of success while blogging about movies are quite good. Of course—they’re never guaranteed—but nothing worth working for in this life is!
If success does come your way, though, embrace it wholeheartedly.
There’s nothing better than making an income while doing what you love.
Good luck!
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