If you are interested in learning how to begin a blog, you have arrived at the appropriate location.
Bloggers were among the pioneers of online entrepreneurship, and blogging continues to be a profitable business model in the present era. It provides a splendid avenue to express one’s perspective, forge connections with readers who share similar interests, and generate revenue. In fact, the most accomplished bloggers can even pursue blogging as their primary occupation.
Although starting a blog may appear to be a daunting endeavor, we have developed a comprehensive guide that encompasses all the necessary information and resources to initiate your blog. This guide will enlighten you on constructing your blog website, generating and advertising remarkable blog content, and earning profits through your blog.
Okay, let’s begin by rephrasing the text step by step, without adding or removing any information.
Should you start a blog?
A misconception about starting a blog is the belief that being a great writer is essential for success. However, this is not true as people are drawn to blogs for a personal perspective, leading most bloggers to adopt an informal and conversational writing style.
Due to the format, it is common for successful bloggers to write about multiple topics on the same blog.
Having expertise on a topic is not necessary for running a successful blog. A cooking blog, for instance, does not require a food scientist to provide a textbook-like experience for visitors; instead, readers prefer to learn from someone who has real-life cooking experiences, including the mistakes made along the way.
In order to achieve success as a blogger, having a genuine passion for your chosen topic is the only essential requirement.
When it comes to blogging, the essence lies in sharing your knowledge with the world. The process of launching a prosperous blog becomes significantly simpler when you write about topics that truly ignite your passion. By focusing on subjects that genuinely interest you, your enthusiasm will be evident to your visitors and maintain their interest.
Why would you bother blogging? There are several reasons:
- Share your story. A blog allows you to have a voice and be heard. You can share your story with the entire world if you so choose. One of the most common ways blogs are used are as a diary where the blogger writes about their daily experiences so that friends, family, and others can all be a part of their lives.
- Make money from home. Blogging can be quite lucrative if done correctly. The top bloggers in the world obviously earn quite a bit, but even a part-time blogger can expect to make a nice profit if things are done correctly. The best part about it is that blogging is a form of passive income, since you can spend just a few hours a week writing a piece of content and then continue to profit from it long after the the writing is finished. I go into much more detail on how to blog for money later in this guide.
- Recognition for yourself or your business. No, you probably won’t have paparazzi following you around because of your latest post. But a successful blog makes your idea into a reality, and can gain you a ton of recognition in your respective field. Many bloggers are known as experts just because of their blogs, and some have even gotten book and movie deals based on their blogs.
- Find a community. Blogging at its heart is interactive. You write a post and people comment on it. This is a good way to connect with people who are interested in the same things as you are. Blogging allows you to teach these people based on your experience, and it gives you the opportunity to learn from your readers as well.
What is a blog anyway?
To put it simply, a blog is a kind of website that primarily emphasizes written content, which is commonly referred to as blog posts. Although news blogs or celebrity blog sites are frequently mentioned in popular culture, this guide will demonstrate that you can create a prosperous blog on virtually any topic.
Bloggers frequently utilize a personal viewpoint when writing, which enables them to establish a direct connection with their readers. Furthermore, the majority of blogs incorporate a “comments” section, providing an opportunity for visitors to engage in correspondence with the blogger. Engaging with your audience through the comments section further strengthens the bond between the blogger and the reader.
Starting a blog has the main benefit of establishing a direct connection with the reader. This connection enables you to engage and exchange thoughts with individuals who have similar interests. Additionally, it aids in building trust with your readers. Earning the trust and loyalty of your readers creates opportunities to generate income from your blog, a topic that will be further addressed in this guide.
There is great news about the current growth of the internet. The number of people connected online is at an all-time high. This growth presents an opportunity for more readers to access your blog. Consequently, if you are contemplating starting a blog, there is no more opportune moment than the present.
We should initiate your blog!
Starting a Blog
Step 1: Pick a blog name
If you are unsure about what to name your blog or what topic to write about, move on to the next section.
If you already have a blog name in mind, you can verify its availability by checking if it has been registered by someone else.
If you discover that the desired name is already claimed, there are several actions that you can take.
- Try a different domain extension. If the .com version is already registered you may still be able to get the .net or .org version of the name.
- Add small words. Words like “a”, “my”, “best”, or “the”. For example, this site is called TheBlogStarter.com instead of BlogStarter.com.
- Add dashes between words. For example, scott-chow.com
How to Choose a Blog Topic & Name
If you do not have an idea for a name yet, the initial step is to choose the topic for your blog.
If you are unsure about what to write in your blog, there are several methods you can use to discover a suitable blog topic.
- Life experiences. Everyone has lessons they have learned through life experience. Sharing this knowledge can be incredibly helpful to others in similar situations.
For example, I recently helped a woman start her blog about being a fireman’s wife. She has a lot of experience and knowledge to share with others about this topic, and it has helped her connect with others in similar situations.
Think about the things you have experienced in life. This could be related to your family (example: a blog about being a stay at home mom), work (a blog about experiences dealing with clients), or other life experiences (a blog about dealing with a troubling time such as a disease or divorce, or about a happy time such as preparing for a wedding or a birth of a child). - A personal blog. A personal blog is a blog all about you. This will include a variety of topics, from things you do on a daily basis, to random thoughts and musings. This is a great way to share your thoughts with the world without having to stick to just one topic.
- Hobbies & passions. Hobbies or other interests you are passionate about are a great place to start. Cooking, travel, fashion, sports, and cars are all classic examples. But even blogs about more obscure hobbies can be successful, since the your audience is literally anyone in the world with the internet.
Step 2: Install WordPress
After setting up WordPress, you have the ability to personalize the design of your blog and begin generating content.
Step 3: Select Your WordPress Blog Theme
When you initially install WordPress, your blog will have a default theme, which does not typically appeal to most individuals. WordPress themes are responsible for determining the appearance of your blog.
You are fortunate because there is a wide range of free WordPress themes accessible through the WordPress dashboard. All you need to do is go to Appearance » Themes and browse through the directory of themes.
Before you install a theme on your website, you have the option to preview it and see how it will actually look.
While considering the step-by-step process, ensure that the preview may not fully resemble the image in the theme directory. This is because customization options are available for later adjustment. Pay attention to the overall design, colors, fonts, and other essential elements.
You can also opt to purchase a premium theme from websites such as ThemeForest or CodeCanyon. Make sure to select themes that have received high ratings and have recently been updated.
When making a choice between a free or paid theme, our top suggestion is to opt for a straightforward design. By doing so, you ensure that your users have a great experience while also making it convenient for you to manage.
To install a theme that you like, click on the Install button. Once the installation is complete, the button will change to Activate. Click on Activate to apply the theme to your blog.
Once you have installed your new theme, you have the option to personalize it by selecting Appearance and then choosing Customize. You will find pre-installed customization options that you can utilize to modify your blog’s design.
If you want greater design control, you can utilize a WordPress page builder such as SeedProd or Elementor. These plugins enable you to create custom headers, footers, sidebars, and even entire themes without the need for coding. Compared to website builders like Wix or Squarespace, you have a higher level of design control. You have the option to modify pre-made templates to suit your brand or commence from a blank canvas.
After choosing your WordPress theme, you can proceed to include plugins.
Step 4: Add Plugins and Customizations
WordPress plugins are similar to applications that enhance the functionality of your WordPress site. With plugins, you have the ability to incorporate vital components on your website such as a contact page, image galleries, email subscription forms, and even an online store for selling products.
As you begin building your blog, we suggest using the plugins found in the plugin directory, which offers numerous free options. Additionally, there are paid plugins that offer enhanced functionalities.
1. WPForms Lite
To my surprise, WordPress lacks a built-in contact form. Hence, it is necessary to utilize a WordPress form builder plugin in order to incorporate a contact form on your blog.
WPForms Lite is our preferred option. It is the free version of WPForms, the leading contact form plugin. By utilizing the WordPress block editor, WPForms Lite allows you to integrate a contact form into any section of your website.
2. MonsterInsights
MonsterInsights is the recommended plugin that allows for the simple connection of your WordPress site to Google Analytics.
First, create a free Google Analytics account and then install the MonsterInsights plugin without any cost. Subsequently, you will be able to insert the Google Analytics tracking code into your blog and initiate the monitoring of your blog’s traffic.
3. All in One SEO (AIOSEO)
In order for users to find your blog through search engines like Google or Bing, it is necessary to optimize your blog for SEO right from the beginning.
The All in One SEO plugin simplifies the process of getting started. It is a comprehensive WordPress SEO plugin that enables you to establish a WordPress sitemap, incorporate appropriate keywords in your post titles, content, and meta descriptions, and offers a wide range of additional features.
Step 5: Publish a Blog Post
In order to publish your first blog post, go to your WordPress dashboard and click on Posts, then select Add New.
Upon accessing the block editor screen, you will have the opportunity to compose your blog post. The WordPress block editor provides the capability to design your post with various elements such as text, headlines, images, videos, and more.
To enhance your blog’s SEO performance, it is beneficial to categorize and tag each post. This allows readers to navigate your blog easily and helps improve your visibility in search engine results. Additionally, linking to related posts can further enhance your SEO performance once you have more content published.
To make your post publicly visible to the world, click the Publish button in the top right corner. You also have the option to save it as a draft or schedule it for later publication. Please rephrase the text while retaining the original meaning, without adding or removing any information.
Once you have published a blog for the first time, you can continue to follow step 5 to consistently publish new blog posts and start earning money from your blog.
