Today, virtually every individual or business owns a blog. Starting your own blog doesn’t have to be costly or complicated.
With a couple of steps, you can create a blog for yourself. You have a lot to share with the world, even if you don’t think so. Blogging can be profitable if you set out to make it profitable. Here, we will be giving you a step-by-step method on how you can start your own blog.
Steps on How to Start a Blog
There are a couple of fundamental steps you have to go through to set up a blog. In case you properly follow these steps, your blog will be set up within a couple of minutes.
- Choose what to blog about
- Select a Blogging Platform
- Hosting: Free Alternative or Self-Hosting
- Install WordPress
- Design Your Blog
STEP1: Choose what to blog about
The first step in starting a blog is choosing what you want to blog about – this is called a niche. If you are a business, your blog should be identified with the products and services you offer.
As an individual, you may need to be more flexible about your blogging niche. When deciding what you will want to blog about, there are a couple of things you need to remember include:
- Blog about something you are enthusiastic about. This is something you enjoy and appreciate.
- Blog about a topic that gives plenty of room for discussion.
- Above all, select a specialty or niche in which you can set up yourself as an authority.
- The objective of any blog is to turn into the first point of call as regards any niche or topic.
STEP2: Select a Blogging Platform
There are a lot of services individuals can use to begin a blog. Since you plan to make money from your blog, do not use free services. As the saying goes “You get what you pay for”.
The little cost you pay for a “paid service” will be a wise investment for years to come. WordPress remains the preferred option when it comes to blogging due to the numerous plugins, tweaks, and developers available to offer you support.
STEP3: Hosting – Free Alternative or Self-Hosting
After deciding on the niche to blog about and the blogging platform, the next thing is hosting. Web hosting can be referred to as a service which allows you to post your blog on the Internet. Most hosting companies require that you own a domain name so as to host with them.
A domain name is the address web users will input into their browsers when they want to search for your blog. In case you don’t have a domain name, the hosting company will help you get one. The good part, hosting a blog and purchasing a domain name does not cost much. It all depends on the hosting company. With as low as $5 to $10 every month, you should be able to host your blog.
STEP4: Install WordPress
Once you have selected a domain name, and the web hosting company, the next thing is to create your account and install WordPress. Creating the account is simple, it only depends on the hosting platform used. The same thing goes for WordPress. With WordPress installed, you are as good as ready.
STEP5: Design Your Blog
What makes WordPress unique is the design flexibility. The platform has a great feature that permits you to change themes with only a couple tweaks. If you are not satisfied with the current UI, you can simply install another theme.
However, the design of your blog should reflect you and your identity, as well as, the niche your blog is about. Having a football-orientated theme for a fashion blog can be quite absurd.
Furthermore, everyone appreciates a blog with an appealing and wonderful design. Make your design really wonderful, and make it easy for visitors to navigate and explore. Build a simple, yet, appealing and easy-to-use UI that will get your visitors fascinated. Post quality and informative contents that will make them stick around.
Congrats! You are presently the proud owner of a self-hosted WordPress blog. There are numerous things you can do now. Blogging is about learning as you go and handling things as you can. Once you have gained authority in your niche, you can start implementing money making ways gradually.