Isn’t it about time you stopped wasting you time and just start a blog already?
The basics to starting a blog are really simple with a step by step walk through. It doesn’t have to be hard and you definitely don’t have to overthink it. Starting a blog can be a great way to share what you know, learn design skills, connect with a community, make money, and more.
Why did I start a blog?
I started this blog because I wanted to share my experiences and expertise with the world hoping that it will inspire and motivate others. I chose the topics I did because that is what I knew about and can most easily talk about.
This post will cover the basics of starting a blog such as how to prepare for writing your blog, how to choose a topic, choosing a domain name, a hosting service, and setting up wordpress.
Why start a blog?
A blog is a great way to share the knowledge you have and to put your personal voice into the world. I always used to enjoy writing in journals and making up stories when I was younger. Those journals I now have stored in a box in my garage, never to be seen again.
Starting a blog has been a game changer. Not only can I share what I’ve learned about life but I can also help others accomplish their goals.
Blogging gives you sense of accomplishment. It allows you to be yourself and help others with things that you know about. It can also help you create an great income.
I think making an income from blogging is fascinating. If you do it right you can make thousands of dollars a month and replace your full time job’s income.
My original inspiration to start a blog came from Michelle Schroeder-Gardner from Making Sense of Cents. I stumbled across her blog post on Pinterest and I couldn’t believe what I was reading. She is making more than what I make from a full time salary for 2 years in JUST ONE MONTH!
Here is her most recent income report…
All she did to accomplish this was just writing about what she knows about while at the same time writing to help others. Thousands of people read her blog for advice. Thousands purchase her products to help them accomplish something. It seems so simple.
Yet a blog is a lot of moving parts and if you don’t know what parts to focus on, it can turn into a complicated mess really fast.
I have started up several blogs and the initial investment is not that big so it is a great side job to work on when you are not yet ready to quit your full time job.
Where to Start your Blogging Adventure
I’m going to be honest, the hardest part of blogging is starting. The best thing that you can do is be prepared to start your blogging adventure.
Being prepared is more than just getting your domain name and hosting. It is making sure that you have time to blog. As well, it is deciding what you are going to blog about and picking topics that you can talk about for days.
To get ready for my blogging adventure, I made sure that I set aside time for my blogging.
With a full time job and an 11 month old, time was really not on my side. I barely had time to think, let alone type up a post.
As soon as I designated time for my blogging it became a lot easier. I had to find time in between my day, in places I never thought I had time.
On the days that I am working, I will take my keyboard to work and plug in the usb to my phone so I can type on my break or in the car before I start work. I also found that I have a few hours after my baby goes to sleep at night.
Time management is definitely important when starting a blog because you want to be able to post consistently, not twice a month every other month.
Posting consistently will not only allow you to be present in the blogging community, but it will also give you better search results as Google looks for fresh content.
You are what you consistently do. Therefore, if you are consistent at blogging, you are a blogger.
Finding Your Topic
When you first start out blogging consider some of these questions…
1. Do you have any expertise in a topic?
2. Do you know about something that others would like to know about?
3. Do you have any creative ways of accomplishing a task?
4. What do you feel like talking about?
In order to prepare for writing your first post, consider what you will write about. Make a list of all the topics that appeal to you. If you have several items on your list, pick a few that will be easy and fun for you to write about. If you don’t like what your blog is about, then you won’t stick with it.
A blog doesn’t have to be a document of your life. It doesn’t have to word for word what you did that day. In fact, you will get a better following if you consider who will be reading your blog.
The reader is the person that you have to appeal to. Many times the reader is not looking to just read a story, they are looking to solve a problem. If you can solve that problem for them or offer a solution that they haven’t thought of, then you will get more readers.
Choosing a Domain Name
When choosing a domain name, you will want it to somewhat relate to the topic of your blog. If you are creating a food blog you don’t want your domain name to be FashionFriend. Give your blog a domain name that will identify your topic.
Of course, not all bloggers associate their domain name with the topic of their blog. If you have a personal brand (like this one), something that reflects you as a person, then making your domain name your personal brand is not a bad idea.
If you plan to write about multiple topics such as a lifestyle blog then you can name it whatever you want, but make sure you realize that you won’t get as much traffic from SEO or search engines if you don’t have a specific niche for your blog.
Search engines look for domain names that are specific and identify a particular niche. So if you are creating a lifestyle blog or a personal brand with a random name, that’s okay but you will have more work to do on the traffic front and on social media after starting a blog.
Purchasing Your Domain Name and Hosting
In order to register your domain name and hosting, you must set it up with a hosting company. Bluehost is a popular and cost-effective hosting service that you can purchase your domain name and hosting from.
Bluehost has hosting for only $2.85/mo so it is a great choice if you are on a budget. Like I said earlier, blogging will take a small investment and I highly recommend purchasing a domain name and hosting. It will cost you about $10 but it will be the best $10 you could ever spend.
Setting up an account on Bluehost is easy. First, on the main page select the package you want to go with.
Then specify if you have a domain name or if you need a new one.
Go through the check out process to pay for your domain and hosting. You save more if you pay yearly, but if you want to you can pay monthly.
Once you do this the follow these steps so you can get WordPress on your blog. I would highly recommend WordPress as it is the easiest to work with and has some great customization options.
- After purchasing your domain name and hosting and confirming your order, you will head over to your server panel. This is where all your files are for the blogs on your account.
- You will hit the button that says Add On Domains and add the domain name you just created.
- Then you will head over to the WordPress icon and install WordPress on your domain. This will turn your regular website into a blogging platform so you can start your blogging adventures.
- Once that is done you can put in your domain name..com/wp-admin into your browser and sign into wordpress.
You now have access to your dashboard which is where you can customize your blog. Hit the button that says Write Your First Post and start typing!
Congratulations!
The purpose of this is just to get your blog started. You don’t need it to be perfect from the start. After starting a blog and beginning to create posts, you will find it is easier to then create menus, tags, and get the theme of your blog going.
If you need more help with these technicals, feel free to subscribe to my email newsletter, the 5 Day Build a Blog Course that will give you the next steps after starting your blog to get it to a stable and profitable website.
Also check out my resources page for tips and tricks on how to improve your blog and allow it to work for you.
Please feel free to comment below if you have any questions on how to start your blog.
Just Start Your Blog
Don’t be like me and wait so long just to put something out there in the world in fear of what people will think or wait for it to be perfect.
You can fearlessly take action and create an asset that will continue to benefit you emotionally, mentally, and financially. Don’t worry about all the details. As you work on it each day, you will see it come together. Keep in mind that how it starts is not how it will end up, your blog will constantly evolve and improve over time.
Start your blog today!