Wondering how to start a blog? That is why you are here. Right?
I am currently six months into my blogging journey. I wanted to wait and test the waters a bit to experience the real world of blogging. My conclusion: Blogging is not as easy as most bloggers portray.
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Now, I do not want to discourage you but, most blogs fail within the first year. People expect it to be a “get rich quick” scheme. It is not!
Blogging is hard work and if you do not have the passion to push you through the hard work, blogging is not going to happen.
If you have that passion and blogging is what you want to do, then grab a cup of coffee and pull out a notebook and lets dive in.
What you need to know before you start a blog:
- What is going to be your niche?
- What is your blog name?
- What is a blogging host?
- How to set up your blog?
- How do you get traffic to your blog?
What is going to be your niche?
You may be saying to yourself what is a niche? If you have been doing your research you have probably already come across the word.
What is your blog going to be about? If you have a business then your blog should be related to your product or service that you provide.
If you are an individual (like myself), what are you going to write about? Popular topics for blogs are Travel, Food, DIY, Parenting, or something that you are interested in.
If you are still not sure, what are you good at? What do you have experience with? Do you have a side hobby?
Your ideal niche should be something you are passionate, skillful, and knowledgeable about.
So, brainstorm what you are good at and what you enjoy. Maybe it is your current side hobby or what you spend your time on during the weekend.
What is your blog name?
Now that you have decided on a niche. We can work on setting up our blog.
You will have to decide what you are going to call your blog. This will also be used as your URL for your blog.
You need to keep in mind your name should be something short. No one is going to remember a super long blog name. Something that is creative and catchy but also descriptive.
When people hear your blog name they should know what your blog will be about. Clearly I did not get this memo haha. But looking back I would probably keep the same name.
After you have decided on a name, enter it below to see if it is not taken.
Once you have checked your blog name, make sure you check out social platforms like Facebook and Instagram to make sure that your blog name is available.
You want to keep the same name across all your social media platforms, so people can search and find you if they would like.
What is a blogging host?
A blogging host is a necessity. It is like your landlord to your apartment. It is the place where your blog is housed and holds your website.
There are quite a few blog hosts out there, so it may be hard to choose the right one. I do not know much about the other ones, but my web host is Bluehost.
Bluehost is great. Why you ask?
- WordPress recommends it
- you get a free domain name
- easy to install
- super reliable
- 24/7 helpful customer service
If you would like more information on pricing and services click here.
How to setup your blog?
Using Bluehost is super quick and easy.
- Go to their homepage and click “Get Started”.
That is where you will see the pricing and services for each type of plan they offer. For a blogging website, you would only need the basic plan.
Pick the plan that best suits your needs and click “select”.
The next step you will type in the blog name you decided on from earlier. With Bluehost, you get a free domain name, or if you have one already you just enter it in and click “Next”.
Next, fill in all your information for your account and payment.
Once you have filled out the information form click “submit” and you will be taken to a new page where you will create a password for your account!
Make sure you can either remember your password or write it down somewhere so you do not forget it!
| Click here to start your blog!! |
Set up WordPress
Now that you have the hosting to your blog, here comes the fun part. The actual creating of your website.
Make sure you decide on a theme that will look clean and not cluttered. What is going to be the focal point of your website? Pictures or text? Choose a theme that will best fit your focal point.
Don’t spend too much time deciding on your theme because you can always switch it later if you change your mind.
Now at this point, I suggest you search through Youtube videos to help you set up different aspects in your website. For example, important pages to have, different widgets, and plugins.
Lastly, start writing content and Launch your blog!
How to get traffic to your blog?
There is really only two ways to drive traffic to your blog:
- SEO
You can also use social media but starting out you should focus on the two above. Then, you can spend more time creating and maintaining social media accounts.
Pinterest is a great way to direct traffic to your new blog. There are plenty of Pinterest courses out there that teach you how to use Pinterest. So, find one that works best for you.
SEO stands for search engine optimization. Basically, it allows Google or other search engines to see your blog and posts and rank it accordingly.
It takes roughly six months for a new blog to start seeing organic traffic from SEO, so the sooner you start the sooner you will see traffic to your blog.
Conclusion
So that’s that! That is how to start a blog.
I hope you found this post helpful and able to start your own blog!
If you have already created a blog or website, what are some other tips that helped you with the setup process.
If you enjoyed this post check out Ways to make extra money.
Don’t forget to follow along on Instagram.
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46 Comments
Amber Myers
This is helpful! I will pass this onto some of my friends who have been thinking of starting a blog.
Julia Hess
Thank you!
GiGi Eats
Great tips!!! I started blogging 8 years ago and it’s changed SOOOO much since I started!!
Julia Hess
I can only imagine how things have changed. I feel like things have changed within just a few months.
melissa
Starting a blog can be extremely intimidating. this is a fantastic resource that i wish i had when i started my blog.
Julia Hess
Thank you!
Tara Pittman
This is very helpful for people. These tips are good to pass on to my friends
Julia Hess
Thank you!
Cindy E Ingalls
Good info! I started my blog 10 years ago when things were very different–no twitter, snapchat, instagram, etc!
Julia Hess
Oh I am sure things have changed. Social Media helps with sharing your blog.
Marie Koss
I’ve started my blog a whole ago, but still found some useful tips here. Thank you 🙂
Julia Hess
Thank you!
Nyxie
This is a great starting guide for anyone wanting to start a blog. Thank you for sharing!
Julia Hess
I hope to just help one person with their blogging journey and I will be happy!
Suman Doogar
This is a great resource for people looking to start a blog. Even I was planning to write a similar post for my blog too.
Julia Hess
I would love to read your post. Thank you.
Monidipa
I have been blogging since 5 years. I had one heck of journey.. Your point in here is great, I will share it with my new blogger friends..
Julia Hess
Thank you for sharing!
Marta Skeledžija
Where were you when I started blogging. 😁😁 Amazing post. I will pass this along to a friend of mine.
Julia Hess
Aww you are the sweetest! Thank you!
Silvia
A great guide for anybody who would like to start a blog. When I started mine I actually thought for the name for a week before I opened it and I’m glad I did.
Julia Hess
Something you think is so simple like picking a name, is actually the hardest part!
Sara
Great post! It’s very thorough and should be helpful to anyone starting a blog!
Julia Hess
Thank you!
Katelyn Sinclair
Great tips! Blogging is not as easy as it seems… there is so much work that goes into it! Thanks for sharing this 🙂
Julia Hess
There is so much work that goes into it!
WorldInEyes
Doing blogging for the first time is not really very easy..Well this blog post is much helpful to start a new blog..Thanks for sharing..loved this..this is very inspiring..Great work..
Julia Hess
It is very difficult and a lot of work. Thank you.
Georgia
Blogging is so overwhelming! started a few months ago and i discover new things every day! Great tips!
Julia Hess
Same here. There always seems to be something to learn or work on.
Lekha Chellani
This is a helpful blog. Saves a lot of time and effort when all the steps are listed!
Julia Hess
So true! If I can help someone that would be wonderful.
Cristina
It is helpful indeed! My blog is very young and I am discovering new things everyday. It’s so exciting but a lot of work as well. The important thing is that I am enjoying it.
Julia Hess
Yes enjoying it is the most important thing. You do not want to get bored and discouraged and give up. Then it would be all for nothing.
Maria
Such a helpful guide to start a blog. Coming up with a good name was the hardest part, as all the cool names are taken, therefore, I just go with my initials.
Julia Hess
Mine is a play on my first and middle name, you are so right the name is the hardest part. Something so simple.
Tanvi Chadha
I totally agree! Blogging is TOUGH! I started about 2 months ago… and boy i am OVERWHELMED. have you started earning anything from your blog? Just wondering so i can create some sort of goal?
Julia Hess
The first few months are definitely overwhelming! I had made some money with Amazon affiliates and then they pulled my contract. I never received what I earned. So, now I am focusing on traffic and working my way up to a better ad company.
Holly Hood
These are great tips for beginners. People are always asking how they can start a blog and now I can direct them to your post.
Julia Hess
Thank you so much!
Britt K
This is a great breakdown. You’re right, it’s definitely NOT easy. You have to wear so many different hats – writer, editor, photographer, web designer, social media marketer, etc. It takes a lot of time, dedication and hours upon hours of work before you start to see any results. That being said, if it’s something that you’re passionate about, it’s totally worth every painstaking minute building your site!
Julia Hess
So many hats is so true. And personally loving every minute of it!
Peachy @ The Peach Kitchen
I’ve been blogging for a lot of years and it is indeed not easy. Will share this to some friends who want to start blogging. It will help them a lot
Julia Hess
Thank you so very much!
Rosanna and Winston Javier
These are great and helpful tips dear, thank you for sharing these.
Julia Hess
Thank you! Just hope to help someone.