Are you wondering how to start a blog? Maybe you’ve been thinking about it for a while but don’t know how to get started?
This post will break down the exact steps to create a blog that will earn you money.
Why Should You Start A Blog?
There are so many reasons to start a blog. For me, the idea of making money on my own schedule while making a difference was a huge reason. I have always dreamt of being able to work from home around my kids’ schedules and I am working towards making that a reality with my blog!
Blogging has allowed others to:
- Quit their full time job
- Pay off debt
- Make money around the schedule they want and from wherever they want
- Network with people all over the country (and world)
- Build a business from home
- Make an impact
One thing I learned early on is that blogging is a long game. You can’t expect to start earning a full time living in the first few months. It takes months of hard work and dedication but it is totally possible!
Some of my favorite bloggers make over $30k per MONTH which is mindblowing to me!
Before you start a blog though, really think about what you want to write about. You can do research to see what’s out there – but make sure the topic is wide enough that you have plenty you can write about but niched down enough that you attract the right readers that will become raving fans.
Steps To Follow When Starting A Blog
1 – Choose your blogging platform.
I only recommend using a self hosted WordPress blog. It’s the most popular and is all I teach.
WordPress actually has a hosted option (www.wordpress.com) and a self hosted option (www.wordpress.org) but it’s extremely important that you choose the self hosted option. Don’t let the .org scare you though – your blog will not have .org at the end of it.
Some of the reasons you don’t want to start a free (hosted) blog include:
- Certain free services control the money you’re able to make and require you to pay for “upgrades” along the way.
- You won’t get much support in comparison to a self hosted website
- You only have basic features available including your name being listed at the end of the website URL (www.wordpress.com/lexiconatyco). It doesn’t look very professional!
- Moving from a free blog to a paid blog can cause you to lose your work. I have read many stories where young bloggers decided to move to pay for a self hosted site and in the process their links changed, format got messed up, things got lost, etc. Then you’re looking at hundreds of dollars to get it back which isn’t ideal.
- When you pay for something, you are more likely to stick with it. It will automatically make you take it more seriously and the people that treat their blog like a business are usually the ones that become really successful!
2 – Pick a host
You will need to pick a host to get your blog up and running. I only recommend using Bluehost when starting out. It’s what I use and is by far the most popular and most affordable for new bloggers. Plus their customer service is great! You can get connected with a representative within seconds and live chat with them about any issues you may be experiencing.
Bluehost Steps:
- Go to the Bluehost website and click “get started”.
- Choose one of the 3 plans provided. I recommend starting with the Basic Plan.
- Pick a blog name/domain. Your domain address is what people will type into the search bar to get to your website so make sure you keep it simple, make it something the reader can remember, and make sure the URL ends in .com. You should also consider if you would like to use your name as your domain or keep yourself more anonymous. If you already have a domain name, you can put it in the “I have a domain name” box and continue following along with these instructions.
- Add in your account information. Make sure everything is correct here, especially your email address. You won’t be able to pay monthly so I recommend choosing the 12 or 24 month plan. This way, you don’t have to worry about it for at least a year. I didn’t choose any extras so feel free to skip those if you want.
- Set up your password.
3 – Design your website.
This is the fun part! You want your blog to look professional and put together because it’s the first thing people will notice when they come to your site.
You will be prompted to pick a theme through WordPress but after doing a lot of research, I discovered that there are hundreds of inexpensive themes you can purchase on Etsy that are beautiful!
This is the route I went and I purchased the Amelia theme from 17th Avenue Designs. The theme came with very detailed instructions for how to set it up on my blog, but you can also choose to have 17th Avenue Designs install the theme for you too.
Unless you are a website designer, I highly suggest purchasing a theme from Etsy. This will save you HOURS of work and help you get a beautiful looking blog up and running in very little time.
4 – Start creating content.
Once your blog is up and running, it’s time to start writing! This will be the bread and butter of your blog. The only way you will be successful is to start getting content out there, even if it’s not perfect!
If you’re looking to grow your blog quickly, I recommend investing in courses. The first course I recommend is Perfecting Blogging from By Sophia Lee. This course is by far the best money I have ever spent. It teaches you every single detail you need to start and grow a blog – from how to strategically brainstorm blog topics, write the title, incorporate SEO and so much more. It’s exactly what Sophia used to grow her blog to 50,000+ pageviews per month.
For additional recommendations of courses and blogging resources, you can check out my Resources page here.