Starting a blog is not something to be feared, and you do not require expertise as a computer programmer, Webmaster, or HTML guru to begin.
When setting up a new blog page, it is important to be aware of some basic guidelines to follow. These dos and don’ts are crucial in order to avoid making common mistakes that beginners often make. Making even minor errors can have consequences for your readership or income down the line, which is why it’s vital to start off on the right foot.
The reason I made this guide is to assist bloggers in quickly setting up their own blog by providing a step-by-step process, thus avoiding the tedious setup phase.
If you carefully follow each step provided, you will have everything you need to begin your own prosperous blog on the internet.
We should begin now.
What is a blog anyway?
In summary, a blog is a website that primarily focuses on written content, which is called blog posts. While news blogs and celebrity blog sites are commonly known in popular culture, this guide will demonstrate that you can start a thriving blog on virtually any subject.
Bloggers frequently write from their personal viewpoint, enabling them to establish a direct connection with their readers. Furthermore, there is typically a “comments” section on most blogs that enables visitors to engage in conversation with the blogger. Engaging with visitors in the comments section serves to strengthen the bond between the blogger and the reader.
One of the main benefits of starting a blog is the direct connection it provides to the reader. This connection enables you to interact and exchange ideas with like-minded individuals, ultimately fostering trust. Building trust and loyalty with your readers also opens opportunities to monetize your blog, as later discussed in this guide.
The internet is currently experiencing a significant growth, which is great news. The number of people who are online has reached an all-time high. This growth surge offers you a larger audience for your blog. Consequently, if you are considering starting a blog, there is no more opportune moment than the present.
Should I Start a Blog?
To become a blogger, one must realize that blogging is a highly popular online activity, prompting numerous individuals to start their own blogs for various reasons.
Below are a few usual causes, when thinking systematically.
- Work from home: Blogging allows you to work on your own schedule, to work from wherever you want, and to be your own boss. That said, making a full-time income from blogging is hard work, but for most people, it is a labor of love.
- Become a published author: Blogging is a great pathway to publishing your own book because it allows you to gather readers as your hone your craft. Plus, it’s obviously easier to sell books when you already have a loyal audience.
- Build up your existing brand: If you are a business owner, a blog is a great way to build and leverage your brand. Blogging allows you to reach large, targeted audiences without expensive advertising.
- As a hobby: You might just choose to start a blog simply as a hobby. If you love writing and want to share your story and thoughts with others, a blog is a great place to start.
If you fall into any of these categories, starting a blog is likely the suitable option for you as these are only a few explanations for why individuals opt to begin blogs.
Step 1: Get Your Blog Hosted Online
To begin your own blog, the initial step is to make it accessible online. This can be achieved by obtaining a hosting account, with Bluehost being our recommended choice for hosting.
A hosting account serves as the storage place for the back-end information of your blog. It refers to the less exciting server side of the website that, ideally, you won’t need to access once everything is established. Once the website is activated, you can utilize a content management system (such as WordPress) to make routine updates to your blog (explained further below).
You can think of it as WordPress making your blog have a blog-like appearance, while your hosting account makes it accessible and viewable for everyone.
With that being said, obtaining a hosting plan for your blog is a straightforward task, and I will guide you through each step of the process below.
Hosting Sites for Blogs
Which blog hosting site is regarded as the best? Bluehost, known for its popularity among WordPress bloggers, provides a significant advantage with its round-the-clock support. In case your blog encounters any issues and goes offline, it is crucial to have the ability to contact someone at any time, day or night. Therefore, it is important for your hosting company to offer 24/7 active support.
The installation process of WordPress on Bluehost is extremely easy: you just need to click once and you’re done! This simplicity is highly advantageous as nobody wants to deal with the complications of back-end servers.
In terms of step-by-step thinking, Bluehost provides several impressive sign-up bonuses that are incredibly beneficial for beginners. Initially, they provide complimentary SSL-certificates, which enhance the security of your website and data while also increasing the likelihood of obtaining higher web traffic from search results. Other companies typically charge a monthly fee of up to $10 for this service. Additionally, you can easily register your domain name at no cost when utilizing Bluehost.
Step 2: Pick Your Domain Name
To create your Bluehost account, begin by securing your domain name after selecting your plan. If you have previously purchased a domain name from another source, you can easily utilize it by typing it in the “Use a domain you own” section.
To simplify the process of purchasing a domain, you can obtain it for free by directly purchasing it through Bluehost. Simply enter the desired domain name in the “Create a new domain” section.
If you are unsure about the domain name you want or if the desired domain name is already taken, you can hover your mouse over the back button and wait for the prompt to select your free domain at a later time.
Bluehost will give you a credit for the cost of a new domain, which you can use later. This allows you to carefully choose the ideal domain name while still benefiting from the free credit.
Step 3: Installing WordPress on Your Host
Out of all the available blogging platforms today, I will simplify things for you and state that only WordPress is worth utilizing due to its efficiency.
WordPress is the largest content management system without a doubt. Websites of all sizes make use of WordPress, and personally, I utilize it exclusively due to its simplicity and extensive platform. When it comes to designing your site, there are literally thousands of free themes available, alongside even more plugins that can be used to personalize it.
It is quite easy to use and it is absolutely free, making it an obvious choice.
When you log in to your account, Bluehost will automatically install WordPress on the site, which is the best part about using Bluehost. It’s a simple process.
Simply click on the “log in” button and WordPress will be successfully installed.
Step 4: How to write a new blog post & publish it
After successfully setting up your blog, it is now time to engage in some actual blogging and create your initial piece of content.
To access “Posts,” navigate to the left menu and click on it.
To delete the default post on every new WordPress blog, click “Trash” located just below the post.
To initiate the process of writing a new post, simply click on the “Add New” link.
You are currently on the screen for the post editor. First, enter the title of your post in the upper box. Afterward, proceed to write your post in the lower box.
To include an image in your post, follow these steps: 1. Click on the “Add Image” icon. 2. Select “Upload” to upload a picture from your computer. 3. Adjust the picture size on the next screen. 4. Click “Insert into post” when you are ready to add the picture.
Please rephrase the following text while maintaining the same meaning, thinking step by step. “Once you have completed your revision, carefully review your work for any mistakes before submitting it.”
Content That Should be on Your Blog
Your blog should provide two main types of content: static content and dynamic content.
When considering your blog’s structure, it is important to include dedicated pages that cater to the visitor’s needs. These pages, known as static content, generally remain unchanged or are updated infrequently. They are typically high-level pages that can be accessed through a menu on your blog.
Before you make your blog public, it is important to have the static content pages set up in advance.
The pages that are important to include are static pages.
- About Me (Us) – This page should include a biographical summary of the author(s) as well as a mission statement. Think about the answers to these questions: How did your passion for the subject matter develop? What do you want to convey to the world? What is your ultimate goal?
- Contact Me (Us) – A contact page provides the visitor a place to reach the author which, in turn, provides the visitor with the reassurance that you are a real and reachable author. You can add your physical address, phone number, and custom email address. Or you can utilize a simple contact form to keep your personal identifying information private. You should put links to all of your social media profiles here as well.
In addition to your blog, which is typically introduced on the home/main page, it is important for these two critical pages to be visible in your top (header) menu and easily accessible. To observe how I have incorporated these pages into the header menu, you can refer to the top of this page. If you require assistance, this comprehensive guide on customizing your blog menus is available for reference.
In addition to commonly considered pages, there are other static pages which hold equal importance although they are not frequently pondered upon.
- Disclaimer Page: If you intend to monetize your blog, you must describe the ways you intend to generate income. This is an absolute must-have page that should not be overlooked, as per FTC guidelines. For example, if you are discussing and endorsing a product, and stand to profit by linking to the product, this relationship must be disclosed.
- Privacy Policy: If you collect data from your visitors in any way, you are required to add a privacy policy page that tells visitors exactly how you are collecting data, how you are using it, and if you are sharing that data. If you implement Google Adsense or a Google Analytics account on your blog, a Privacy Policy must be used. This page is required by the CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act) and the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation), and is included by default on your WordPress blog.
- Terms of Service: If your blog is also running a store or selling services, it is a good idea to have a Terms of Service page to lessen your potential liability.
Typically, these required static pages are linked in the footer menu of a blog. It is important to ensure that they are visible and accessible from the home page. You can see an example of this at the bottom of this page.
Depending on your blog and business, there are various other static pages you can opt for. Some typical examples of static pages include an advertising page where you can request paid ads, a donations page, a resource page that directs visitors to your preferred links related to your field, and a page for submitting ideas and content.
Your blog is the dynamic content that holds the greatest importance among the content you provide. It is in this space that you, as the creator, integrate your own style of informative content, which offers your audience insightful tips, facts, opinions, and stories. By doing so, you are able to captivate your visitors and retain their interest for future visits.
To establish a following, it is essential to consistently submit blog content at predetermined intervals. Delaying content creation for several months will not yield any results. Sharing posts on a weekly basis and attracting traffic to them will aid in the development of your brand.
