How To Start a Blog – Beginner’s Guide for all new blogger
Do you want to learn how to start a blog?
Hi there, my name is Shivanshu. I’ve been blogging for more than one year and I love every moment of it.
In 2019 when I was learning how to create a blog, I spent a lot of time searching for helpful information online. I was only able to find it piece by piece on a variety of websites. To save you time, I’ve created this free step-by-step blog tutorial to teach beginners how to make a blog quickly and easily. It’s not as complicated as many people think!
Step #1: Select a perfect niche for your blog
To start and run a successful blog, you have to select the right niche for your blog.
First, make sure to pick a niche that you are the most interested in – the one you are passionate about. That way you will follow your passion and enjoy your blogging journey.
Second, you must pick a niche that has enough audience interest.
Once you select a niche, I also suggest you validate it. Below is a 3-step formula to confirm your niche for success.
A 3-step blog success validation process:
- Check niche size.
- Explore competitors.
- Analyze monetization potential.
This process will help you obtain a clear idea of the size, competition, and monetization potential for your proposed niche.
Step #2: Choose a blogging platform
At this stage, you’ll need to look at the best blogging platforms out there and determine the type of blog management software you are going to use. I recommend that you make your own blog using the self-hosted setup that I show in this guide.
When it comes to popular blogging sites, you have the following options:
- Hosted blog solutions (free or freemium plans).
- Self-hosted blog solutions (free open-source software).
Hosted blog solutions
For many new bloggers, it’s tempting to use free hosted platforms such as WordPress.com or Blogger.com.
It’s important to understand that “free” always comes with limitations. First, your blog name will be set as a subdomain (examples: yourblog.wordpress.com or yourblog.blogspot.com). Second, you’ll be subject to their rules and restrictions. Free options come in handy if you want to test the platform. But, if you’re serious about blogging, you’ll have to start paying for full services and a custom domain name sooner or later.
Self-hosted blog solutions
You have several choices when it comes to self-hosted systems (also called a Content Management System or CMS). The most popular is the free and open-source system WordPress.org.
Self-hosted platforms allow you to set up and run your blog using your own domain and web hosting. You’re fully in charge of your blog and its contents. It will cost just a few dollars per month for the webspace (hosting account), and around ten dollars per year for a custom domain name. The actual blogging software is free.
If you plan to run ads, sell products, or services via your blog, then this is the best way to go. Many hosting providers can help you maintain an e-commerce blog.
Step #3: Pick a domain name
Your domain name will be the name by which you will be known online, no matter what niche you choose. It’s your blog’s unique address on the Internet. Your domain will be yours as long as you continue paying the annual fee ($10 to $15 per year for a .com domain).
Users who know your domain (/URL – uniform resource locator) can simply type it into their browser’s address bar. Others will be able to discover you through search engines such as Google and Bing, so you definitely need to find a unique name.
Your domain name may be the highly popular “dot com”, or it may be country or niche-specific. The general rule is to go for a “dot com” domain, but some of the other extensions can work. For example, “dot net” or “dot blog”.
If you can’t find the domain name you like, Bluehost will let you choose a Free Domain later. That will give you time to do some research and thinking.
Step #4: Get a web hosting account
After choosing a domain name, selecting a reliable hosting service will be one of the most important decisions you make.
To a great extent, the functionality and performance of your site will depend on your blog hosting. The host makes sure your site is available 24/7 to potential readers and it’s where your contents and files are stored online.
Most hosting companies will also provide you a free domain for the first year when you buy their services.
The wrong web host can cause many problems with your blog. Just imagine choosing a mobile company that has no reception. Your web host is a major piece of the puzzle to creating a successful blog; therefore, you must choose a reliable provider.
Based on our research and information available on the official WordPress website, Bluehost is a top choice in the opinion of many blogging experts.
Step #5: Starting a blog on WordPress
After you log in to the account, Bluehost will offer a 4-step process to help you create a website (blog). I suggest you go with that process if this is your first time creating a blog.
You can also click the “Skip this step” button and create a blog on your own inside the Bluehost hosting account.
Four steps blog set up assistance process:
- Step 1. You will start the process by answering 3 questions: What kind of site? What type is it? And who is it for? In my example, I selected: Blog, Personal, Myself. You can select the same choices or pick what fits your individual case.
- Step 2. With this step, you can pick what else would you like to add to your site. Bluehost gives you a few options to choose from.
- Step 3. In this step, you need to answer a few questions such as the name of your blog, tagline, and how comfortable you are with creating websites. Note, you can always change this later.
- Step 4. Check out the chosen themes by Bluehost and see if you like any of them (if you don’t see a theme you like, skip this step). You can always change it and use a different one later. More information on this further on.
- Once you complete these 4 steps you will be taken to your Bluehost account page. At this point, the WordPress software is installed and your blog structure is set up!
Launch your blog
After you click the “Launch My Site” button, your blog will go live!
If you open your blog inside a web browser don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t look quite right. It is just the first draft of your blog. Inside the WordPress dashboard, you will have to apply a few changes and add content to make it look polished and complete.
You can access the WordPress dashboard from your Bluehost account by clicking the blue “WordPress” button in the top right corner of your screen.
Step #6: Select a theme and design your blog
The first thing your blog needs is a face (design and layout).
Installing and setting up a new WordPress theme is exciting and fairly straightforward.
Inside the WordPress dashboard, under the “Appearance” tab, click “Themes”. You will be presented with some popular options. You can click on the WordPress.org Themes button and search for free themes. There are more than three thousand themes available on WordPress.org.
The look and feel of your new blog rely on the theme you choose. Your readers will first notice the overall appearance of your blog before they even take a look at the content. Select a theme that looks great, but also works for your specific content needs.
Here’s a quick guide for choosing your theme by searching within the WordPress dashboard:
- Read the description – Most themes come with a short description of features and functionality. Reading it can help you to figure out if the theme matches your needs.
- Preview the theme – Preview the theme (demo) to get an idea of the overall look, layout, and how customizable it is.
- Check the ratings – Star ratings will be visible in the preview and under theme details to give you a clear idea of how good the theme is.
If you can’t find a theme that you absolutely love, don’t worry. Settle on one that you like, and you can always change it in the future.
Once you install a theme, don’t be surprised if it still doesn’t look quite right. It is just a skeleton of your blog. To make it appealing, you’ll have to fill it in with content (text, photos, videos, etc.).
Step #7: Write content and promote your blog
So far, you’ve established a domain name, chosen your blog hosting site, set up the blog theme, and you are ready to go. Your framework is complete.
Now comes the moment of truth. You must learn how to write blog content. In the blogging world, any useful information that you share with readers is called “content.” Your content must be something valuable that people will want to interact with and come back for more.
Wondering how you can create quality content? It’s simple.
Here is a simple 3-step approach to making great content of any type:
- Point – State your main idea and the point you are covering.
- Prove – Give an example of the idea you are covering.
- Perform – Give a simple way to execute the idea.
There are two blocks you need to worry about, pre-launch and post-launch contents:
Pre-launch content
Before you start writing your day-to-day blog posts, you will want to make sure that static pages (such as About us, Contact, etc.) and other parts of your blog (Sidebar, Footer, etc.) are filled with suitable information. Let’s explore each of those content areas:
- Homepage – This depends on what type of blog layout you choose. As I described above, when customizing your blog you can choose to display the homepage of your blog as a static page. In that case, you will have to prepare content for it.
- About us – The most traditional page on any blog is the About Us page. This page tells new visitors to your blog what it is all about, who you are and why you run a blog about your niche topic.
- Contact – This page allows visitors to your blog to communicate with you. It can be a straightforward page with your email address plus your social network links, or you can use a simple contact form that visitors can use to communicate with you.
Post-launch content
- Posts – A blog post is an entry (article) that you write on a blog. It can include content in the form of text, photos, infographics, or videos.
- Pages – A blog page provides static content or information to the readers. Standard pages that bloggers use include Products, Services, and Resources. A blog page also can be a cornerstone (or evergreen) content with information that continues to be relevant to its readers. For example, this guide you are reading right now.
Note: When you publish any blog post or page, you will need to add SEO (Search Engine Optimization) meta tags on them. These are the SEO title and SEO description tags of each page (not seen on the actual page, but you need to have it ready). This will help search engines to identify what the content is about and include it in search engine results.
Content is not limited to written material. Other types of material are easily overlooked! It is often best to utilize numerous forms of content and give your audience more than one way to obtain knowledge from your blog.
To produce quality content, you will have to use originality and imagination. You will also learn that some content performs better than others on your blog. You should start creating content that you feel comfortable with, that is right for your readers, and for your blog.
Start promoting your blog
You can write the most compelling copy in the world and design a blog interface that would sell people their own shoes. However, if no one sees the blog, all your work is in vain. Marketing and promotion happen every time you engage with your current and future readers. The success of your blog promotion will depend on your ability to engage in your chosen niche.
Let’s look more closely at the variety of promoting and marketing activities you can take to become an authority online and a successful blogger:
Let your friends know about your blog
Inform everyone you know about your new endeavor. You should include your blog name and URL in your email signature, list it on all of your social media profiles, and use every opportunity to get the word out about your new undertaking.
Submit your blog to search engine
Having your blog indexed on search engines is a quick and useful task. To submit your blog URL to Google, sign in to your Google Account and go to the Submit URL option in Webmaster Tools.
Submit your blog to bookmarking sites
Bookmarking sites can offer your content to a lot of potential viewers who are searching for content within your niche. You should do this every time you publish a new blog post to spread the word. Some popular social bookmarking sites are Scoop.it, Reddit, etc.
Be active in your niche
Get active on relevant blogs, forums, and social pages. Blogger communities are a good way to connect with other bloggers within your niche. You can engage, build friendships, and help each other in spreading content. Commenting on other relevant blogs is a great way to build relationships with top bloggers within your niche.
Be active on social networks
Your business is unique, and you should make use of the social media avenues that best fit your own niche and style. Choose the one (or ones) that best fit your needs and become an expert at leveraging them to help reach your goals. Some of the most popular social networks that bloggers use daily are Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Guest blogging
Take the relationship a step further and offer to write a guest post for another website. Just be sure your work goes on reputable sites and that the content is directly related to your niche. Guest blogging is an excellent way to build an online presence.
Start building your mailing list
Once your blog gains new fans and readers, it’s a good idea to collect the email addresses of those who want to be notified of new articles and offers. As people come to know and trust you, they will respond better to your promotional efforts.
Advertising on the web (paid traffic)
Appropriate and well-informed use of paid media can help you to gain exposure and attention before your organic (naturally derived) traffic takes hold. Paid traffic avenues include Google AdWords and Facebook.
Remember that you can always find other ways to promote your new blog. Rely on the blogging fundamentals: a clear and well-functioning blog, focused and helpful information, engaging conversation, and practical advice. Your authority will come from helping and giving advice to other people, your fans, or readers.
Question's Covered in this blog:-
- how to start a blog for free
- how to start a blog for free and make money
- how to start a blog and make money
- how to start a blog on Instagram
- how to start a blog in India
- how to start a blog on WordPress
- how to start a blog with no money
- how to start a blog writing
- how to start a blog step by step for beginners
- how to start a blogging website
- how to start a blogging website and make money
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