Over the last several years that I have been blogging, many friends and strangers have asked me how to set up their blogs. I love helping others and know so many parents of special needs children who can benefit significantly from working from home. I have made a full-time income with my extremely niche blog, so I know it’s more than possible for anyone to start a blog who is wanting to put in the work!
If you’ve never created a blog or website, the task can seem overwhelming. But I promise it is so much easier than you ever could imagine!
The one I highly recommend is wordpress.org. It is considered the best by so many website owners. WordPress makes designing and managing your site a breeze, and you can click here to watch some helpful videos of how you can get yourself set up on this particular platform. There are thousands of different templates you can use or choose to create your own.
How to Start a Blog in 3 Easy Steps!
For all my friends, new acquaintances, and anyone else who wants to start a blog, keep reading to see exactly how! A step-by-step guide to building a blog that will eliminate all that overwhelm!
These are the steps I took (and the ones I learned after the fact) to start this website. So here it is, a step-by-step, to start a blog quickly!
1. Pick your domain name.
Step one in starting a blog is to buy a domain name. Your domain name is critical. It is the first impression someone will have of your website. A domain name is what users will type into their web browser’s search bar to navigate to your site. For example, “themomkind.com” is this website’s domain name.
Take your time and come up with several different options. When you select your name, that name may already take it. So having a list of additional names will go a long way.
2. PURCHASE YOUR WEB HOSTING
Step two in starting a blog is deciding where to host your website. Web hosting is where your website is hosted and necessary for any website. It is the physical location for your website on the Internet. Web hosting is an online storage center that houses the information, images, video, and other content that make up your website.
There are several hosting providers. They all provide the same type of services, such as maintaining the server for your information associated with your website. It also manages the technology that makes your website connect to the Internet.
These providers provide the same basics, but they vary in price and service. We love Bluehost. They have excellent prices, are easy to navigate, and have top-notch customer support. But don’t just take our word on it. Check out these testimonials of Bluehost, too!
You can get your domain directly through Bluehost, making the whole process a breeze! When you do, you’ll get a FREE domain for the first year as long as you buy 12 months worth of Bluehost web hosting.
3. PICK YOUR PLATFORM
The third and final step in starting a blog is choosing your platform. The platform is where you edit site design, upload your content, and everything else you can imagine. Several platforms are available, such as Wix, SiteBuilder, Squarespace, and WordPress.com.
The one I highly recommend is wordpress.org. It is considered the best by so many website owners. WordPress makes designing and managing your site a breeze. There are thousands of different templates you can use or choose to create your own.
To use WordPress, you’ll want to install WordPress on your website through your hosting. Not all web hosting services make this part easy. Some are so complicated; you’ll have to pay one of their providers to help install it for you. BlueHost, on the other hand, does make this step simple! After you’ve purchased your web hosting with a free domain, BlueHost will walk you through the steps to install WordPress so you can get your blog up and go!
Bonus Tip – SEO Plugins
Your website is found in search engines by SEO (search engine optimization). There is a ton you can learn about it, but the best route to start with is by using an all-inclusive SEO plugin. We use AIOSEO for our website optimization.
AIOSEO makes it easy to set up the proper SEO foundations in less than 10 minutes. Their smart setup wizard optimizes your website’s SEO settings based on your unique profile. All in One SEO offers seamless integration with popular social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, etc. You can optimize your WordPress SEO without any coding knowledge. All in One SEO is one of the most beginner-friendly WordPress SEO plugins.
How to Start a Blog in 3 Easy Steps!
As you can see, starting a blog is as easy as 1-2-3! Once your website is up and running, it’s time to create your content. Check out these great resources on how to become a full-time blogger!
