Hello, my name is Anya. I’ve been blogging for more than nine years and I love every moment of it. Blogging helped me get my first job and is still my lucrative side hustle.
When I was learning how to blog in 2010, I spent a lot of time searching online for helpful information seek. I could only find it bit by bit on a multitude of websites. To save you time, I created this free step-by-step blog tutorial to teach beginners how to create a blog quickly and easily. It’s not as complicated as many people think!
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Disclosure: If If you purchase products through links on our website (i.e. Bluehost services), we may receive a commission. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but it helps us create more useful content.
Over 8,000 people have started their blogs using this free guide.
How to start a blog in exactly 9 steps
Here is the table of contents. There is a lot of useful information in this guide, but don’t get overwhelmed, go through each step and you will be successful at blogging.
Step #1: Pick a niche (topic) for your blog
Step #2: Choose a blogging platform
Step #3: Choose a domain name and get blog hosting
Step #4: Start a blog by setting up WordPress
Step #5: Choose a theme and design your blog
Step #6: Write and publish blog content
Step #7: Optimize your blog for search engines
Step #8: Promote, market, and grow your blog
Step #9: Make Money Blogging (Optional)
Before you take action, here are some valuable facts about why you should start a blog.
Think about why m you start a blog
Actually want to share something, like a message or an idea? Want to build a community around a topic you enjoy?
A blog can help you achieve many things such as: inform, educate, promote and even sell.
Here are some reasons why many people blog and enjoy blogging:
To use it as an outlet for creative expression.
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To build expertise and build an audience.
To network with others and build a business.
To improve writing and thinking skills.
To start your own business or make more money.
Blogging has many benefits and for some people it can be one be a great way to earn extra income online.
Step #1: Pick a niche for your blog
Before you start building a blog and make it as a blogger, you need to choose a blog niche.
Put simply, a blogging niche is a specific topic area that you will write about most, if not exclusively.
This simple exercise will help You to choose a niche that interests you the most. This way you will follow your passion and enjoy your blogging journey.
Step #2: Choose a blogging platform
At this stage, you need to look at the blogging platforms currently available and determine the type of blog management software , which you will use.
When it comes to blogging websites, you have a few options. Below are usage statistics showing the spread of blogging technologies in the United States.
Status: 2022-07-04, source: BuiltWith.com
As you can see from the graph, WordPress software is by far the most popular technology for blogging, with over 90% market share in the US.
I recommend your Blog using the homemade hosted WordPress blog setup I share in this guide.
You set up your blog with a custom domain name and web hosting (I’ll show you how in the next step).
This way you have full control over your blog and its content. The web space (hosting account) costs only a few dollars a month and a domain around ten dollars a year. The actual blogging software is free and open source.
What about free blogging sites?
For many new bloggers, it is tempting to start a blog using free hosted platforms such as Blogger or to launch Tumblr.
Step #3: Choose a domain name and get blog hosting
To create your blog with WordPress.org, you need two important things: a domain name and a web hosting company.
Got a name idea for your blog? Use this quick domain search tool from Bluehost – our recommended web hosting provider (I’ll explain why in a moment).
If you can’t find a domain name you want, don’t worry. Bluehost lets you choose a free custom domain later before your blog goes live.This gives you time to think and research.
That’s why you should feel confident choosing this company:
Ease of use: With Bluehost allows you to set up your blog with a few clicks of a button.
Value for money: You get reliable service with excellent customer support at an affordable price.
Room to grow: They offer a wide range of features you need to start, run and grow your blog.
Security: Free SSL certificate included and preinstalled to protect your blog visitors’ data.
Verified Vendor : Bluehost is a recommended hosting provider on the official WordPress.org website.
Used by many: I personally use their services, as do many blogger friends and family members.
Survey Winner: Based on our research, many blogging experts agree that Bluehost is a top choice.
How much does it cost for starting a blog?
Below is the cost of a basic 1-year Bluehost hosting plan and what extras you get with it. I was only able to negotiate a special offer for our visitors. Use this link to get an exclusive 67% discount.
WordPress.orgBlog hosting service $2.75 per monthDomain RegistrationCustom Email SSL CertificateStorage*Bandwidth* Total price$33.00* Disk space shows you how much space you have for your Blog and media files can use. Bandwidth is the amount of data your blog can transmit to visitors. These two parameters are important as your blog starts to grow and get more traffic.
Get a blog hosting account (+ free domain name)
This one Section contains detailed information to help you sign up for your web hosting account. I’ve included screenshots of the pages to guide you through the process.
Step 1. Visit the Bluehost homepage
Go to the Bluehost.com website. Then click the green Start Now button.
Step 2. Choose your hosting package
You start by choosing a hosting package. If this is your very first blog, you can opt for the Basic plan. Later, you can easily upgrade to a Plus or Choice Plus plan once your blog starts to grow. Discover what each plan offers, e.g. The Choice Plus plan comes with domain privacy and a few extras.
Step 3. Set up your domain name
Your domain will be your blog’s address, so take your time to find them with something unique and unforgettable. Just enter your desired name in the New Domain field and Bluehost will show you whether it’s available or not. If not, you’ll be presented with a list of similar names to choose from.
Don’t worry if you don’t find a good name right away. You can skip this step and choose a name once you start a blog.
If you have already purchased a domain name elsewhere, you can use that name. Just enter it in the “Use a domain you own” field.
Step 4. Sign up with Bluehost
After choosing your domain, Bluehost You can enter your personal information manually or sign in with your Google account to make the process even easier!
Add your account information
Start with filling in your personal information.
Choose your hosting plan
At this point, it’s time to choose an account plan from the available options. Bluehost offers 12, 24, and 36 month plans.
A 12-month plan pays a smaller amount up front, but the other two plans give you a better deal if you’re willing to commit longer.
Package Extras
Check your package extras carefully. Not every extra is essential, and unchecking the boxes for extras you don’t need will reduce your total amount owed.
You can always add extras later if you need them. I suggest you leave the Domain Privacy checkbox checked. This service hides your personal contact information from the global database, which is publicly visible to everyone on the internet.
Payment information
Now enter your payment information.Check the box that you have read and agree to the TOS (Terms of Service) and click the green Submit button.
Bluehost will send you a confirmation email when your payment has been received. You will also receive an email to confirm your email address to activate your domain.
Next, set up your Bluehost account. You’re one step closer to starting a blog!
Step 5. Create your account
Let’s create your account on Bluehost.
step 1 . Click the Create Account button.
Step 2. Enter your password and complete the account setup.
Step 3. Your account is ready to use. Click the “Sign In” button.
Step 4. Fill in the “Email or domain name” and “Password” fields.
You are complete. Next, start creating your blog.
Step #4: Start a blog by setting up WordPress
Once you log into your Sign up for a web hosting account, Bluehost offers a 4-step process to help you create a blog. I suggest that you follow this procedure if you are starting a blog for the first time.
You can also click the “Skip this step” button and work on the blog creation yourself in your Bluehost hosting account.
Four steps to help blog setup:
Step 1. You start this process by answering 3 questions: What kind of website? What kind is it? And who is it for? In my example, I selected: Blog, Personal, Me. You can choose the same options or choose what suits your individual case.
Step 2. This step allows you to choose what else you want to add to your website. Bluehost gives you a few options to choose from.
step 3. In this step you need to answer some questions such as: For example, your blog name, tagline, and how familiar you are with building websites. Note: You can always change this later.
step 4. Check out Bluehost’s suggested themes and see if you like any of them (if you don’t see a theme you like, skip this step). You can always change your theme and use a different one later. More information on this below.
Once you have completed setting up your blog with these 4 steps, you will be redirected to your Bluehost account page. At this point, the WordPress software is installed and your blog structure is set up!
Start your blog
In your Bluehost account, you will see options to further customize your WordPress blog -Site based on Bluehost recommendations. These options allow you to customize your blog before you start.
After you click the “Launch My Site” button, your blog will go live!
If you open your site in a web browser, be Don’t get frustrated if it doesn’t look quite right. This is only the first draft. Within the WordPress dashboard, you need to make some changes and add some content to make it look polished and complete. I’ll show you how later!
You can access the WordPress blog dashboard from your Bluehost account by clicking the blue “WordPress” button in the top-right corner of your screen click.
Have you started a blog yet? → Click here to get started
Next, as I promised, I’ll show you how to find the right topic for yourself and how to customize your blog.
Step #5: Choose a theme and design your blog
The first thing your blog needs is a face ( design and layout).
Installing a new WordPress theme is exciting and pretty easy.
From the WordPress dashboard, under the Appearance tab, click Themes. You’ll be presented with a few popular options. You can click the WordPress.org Themes button and search for free themes. There are over three thousand themes available on WordPress.org.
The appearance of your new blog will depend on the theme you choose. time- Readers will notice the overall look before they even look at the content. Choose a theme that looks good but also works for your specific needs.
Here’s a quick guide to choosing your theme Search the WordPress dashboard:
Read the description – Most themes come with a brief description of their features and functionality, by reading this you can find out if the theme meets your needs.
Preview the theme – Preview the theme (demo) to get an idea of the overall look , layout and customizability.
Check the reviews – Star ratings are shown 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 you love it absolutely, don’t worry. Pick one you like and feel free to change it in the future.
Once you have a theme installed, don’t be surprised if it still doesn’t look quite right. It’s just a skeleton of a blog. To make it appealing, you need to fill it with content (text, photos, videos, etc.).
Should you choose a free or premium theme?
In my opinion according to there are more than enough free WordPress themes to choose from for any blog theme.
If you don’t feel like searching through thousands of themes, you can easily start with the Twenty Twenty or Twenty Twelve themes. Both free themes are powered by WordPress.org and are popular with creators.
If the current stock of free themes doesn’t meet your specific need, you can check out the available premium themes. These themes are usually designed by third parties and sold on various WordPress theme sites. Single-use license prices range from $30 to $500 depending on which premium theme you choose.
Blog Theme Customization
Remember that your WordPress Dashboard is the back-end site where you manage your new blog. It gives you quick access to all the tools you need to add content and fine-tune your blog functionality for the ultimate user experience. Your first step to mastering WordPress is to learn the dashboard.
WordPress offers unlimited customization options, so it’s impossible to cover everything in this How to Start a Blog guide. Instead, I’ll cover the first key changes you should make to your blog. In this example, I’m using the Twenty Twenty theme.
Create Your Blog’s Logo
In your Bluehost account you will find the Create Your Logo tool. If you haven’t done it when you started your blog, now is the time to do it.
Once you click the checkbox, you will be taken to an AI-powered logo maker. It’s an easy-to-use tool that will help you create a beautiful logo for your blog in seconds. Start typing a name and tagline (if you have one). The tool automatically generates different types of logos.
Select a logo you like the most, click on it and further customize it to your liking.
When you’re done with your logo design, click click the download button and a new page will appear with your logo files ready to be saved to your computer.
Customize your blog
Now let me show you where you can make general adjustments to your blog. This includes: uploading the logo you just created (or will create in the future), editing the blog title and tagline, changing the colors, uploading the background image, and changing the homepage settings.
Like me As mentioned earlier, I’ll show you how to apply these changes to the Twenty Twenty theme. If you chose a different theme, the process might be slightly different. However, in most cases, all themes have similar customization options.
To start optimizing your blog, go to the WordPress admin dashboard. Find the Appearance tab on the left and select the Customize option.
Each WordPress theme is customized a little differently. In my case I am showing you the customization options for the Twenty Twenty theme.
On the left side you will see the following customization menu options:
Website Identity – Upload your logo, change website title and tagline and upload website icon.
Colors – Change your blog’s background color, header and footer colors, and customize the primary color.
Theme Options – Choose to show a search icon in your blog header and an author bio for your posts.
Cover Template – Make additional changes to the page template, e.g. B. the overlay background color, the overlay text color and the overlay opacity.
Background Image – Upload a custom background image to use on your blog.
Menus – Customize your blog’s menu and social media menu links and change where they appear.
Widgets – Customize your footer, add a description and learn how to be found if you have a physical location.
Homepage Settings – Choose what is displayed on a blog’s home page. This can be the latest blog posts or a static page.
Additional CSS – Add your own CSS code to customize the look and feel of your website (advanced option).
You can also check how your blog looks on different devices using the menu below with three icons: desktop, tablet and mobile.
Gutenberg is a visual editor that works according to the block principle. So if you decide to add a new paragraph, headline, image, video, or anything else, there are blocks you can quickly add to new pages or blog posts.
That’s the way it is Creating blog content much easier for beginners, whether you are creating a landing page or writing a new article. Blocks can be rearranged in any layout and are here to make your life easier.
Adding plugins to your blog
Plugins are bundled pieces of code that affect the way your website looks and performs. You can add new features to your WordPress blog, expand the possibilities of your theme, and personalize all or part of a blog.
While most plugins are free, there are many that come with a fee, based on their unique functionality. At the moment, WordPress.org has more than 57,000 different plugins in its repository.
By default, when setting up your blog, Bluehost automatically adds a few plugins that it believes are important for any website. You can review these plugins in the WordPress dashboard and add new ones by clicking the Plugins tab on the left.
Here you can install, disable, delete and update new plugins.
Below, I show Here are some suggested plugins you should use.
List of recommended plugins for bloggers
To save you time I have selected Some important plugins ( free) for your immediate blogging platform needs:
MonsterInsights – Google Analytics plugin for WordPress to monitor and analyze your website traffic.
Yoast SEO – A comprehensive SEO plugin for your blog to optimize your content for search engines.
WP Super Cache – Helps your WordPress blog loading time and delivers content to your readers faster.
Akismet – Protects your comments and contact form from spam and prevents your website from posting harmful content.
Contact Form 7 – A contact form with flexible Email Options. It supports CAPTCHA and Akismet spam filtering.
Disqus – An alternative to the basic WordPress commenting system with advanced management and commenting capabilities.
YARPP – Creates a list of related blog posts at the end of each piece of content automatically to encourage people to keep browsing your site.
Congratulations, You just have learned how to customize your blog and make web design changes!
The next step is to learn how to write content for your blog.
Step #6: Write and publish blog content
So far there you go. Set up a domain name, choose your blog hosting site, set up a blog design and you’re good to go. Your frame is ready.
WordPress CMS is structured in such a way that you can publish your content as posts or pages.
Before you start publishing posts (daily writing) to your blog, make sure you have filled out all the important static pages with content (e.g. “About Us”, “Contact Us” etc.). Let’s look at these types of pages.
Preparing and publishing content on main pages
Depending on your individual needs, you can decide which pages to publish. The following pages are the most used by bloggers:
Home Page – This depends on what type of layout you choose.As I described above, when customizing your blog, you can choose to display the home page as a static page. In this case, you need to prepare content for it.
About Us – The most traditional page on any blog is the About Us page. This site tells new visitors what it is about, who you are and why you blog about your niche topic.
Contact – This page allows visitors to your blog to communicate with you. It can be a simple page with your email address and links to your social networks, or you can use a simple contact form for visitors to communicate with you.
Products, Services, Resources – Static landing pages with additional information you want to include in your blog.
The guidelines for a new Publish WordPress Page:
A Blog Page provides readers with static content or information. Standard pages used by bloggers include: About, Contacts, Products, or Services. A page can also be cornerstone (or evergreen) content with information that remains relevant to its readers. For example, this guide you’re reading right now.
To create a Blog Page, log in to your WordPress dashboard admin with your credentials (username and password).
Move your cursor over the Pages menu item in the navigation menu on the left side of the dashboard. Click “Add new“.
Write your first blog post
Creating blog posts in WordPress is almost the same as creating them from pages. However, for a blog post, WordPress allows you to select categories and tags while pages do not.
Wondering how to write quality blog posts? It’s easy.
Here is a simple 3-step approach to create great content of any kind:
Period – State your main blog topic idea you are covering.
Prove – Give an example of the idea you are covering.
Implement – Provide an easy way to implement the idea.
The guidelines for publishing a new WordPress post:
In your first blog post you can take a moment and introduce yourself. Tell your readers who you are, what motivated you to blog, and what you are going to write. The title of the post could be “Welcome to my blog”.
Within the WordPress dashboard on the left you will see the Posts menu item.
Move your cursor over (or click) the post element. Then select “Add new”.
Next, I’m going to talk about how to optimize your content for search engines.
Step #7: Optimize your blog for search engines
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process website owners use to get more traffic from search engines (like Google) to their websites.
According to recent studies, 53% of all website traffic comes from organic search (.pdf). This number shows how important it is to make sure you are optimizing your WordPress blog for search engines.
SEO encompasses many different tactics and techniques. As a blogger, you need to familiarize yourself with this. I will not talk about advanced processes here. As a bare minimum, for every blog post or page you publish on your blog, you must do the following: Do keyword optimization and add SEO meta tags to all pages added.
Keyword Optimization
This is the process of researching and choosing the right keywords that you think people will type in a search to find information like yours online find.
Ideally, keyword optimization should be done for each blog post or page. It’s important to choose the main keywords (and related words) you want to target for each page and make sure you include these (and related words) in the content. This makes it easier for search engines to understand what a particular webpage is about when they crawl it, and gives you a better chance of ranking higher in search results.
SEO meta tags
When you publish a new blog post or page, you need to add SEO meta tags for each piece of content.
These are the SEO Title and SEO Description tags. These tags aren’t visible on the actual page, but Google uses metadata to better understand what the webpage is about.
If you’re looking to start getting your content ranked on search engines, this is a important step . SEO tags should be prepared and added when creating a new page or post in WordPress. You can add SEO meta tags via free plugins like Yoast SEO.
The length of the Title tag should be between 50-60 characters (this is usually shown by Google) and the meta Description -Tag. strong> can be between 50-160 characters.
Step #8: Promote, Market, and Grow Your Blog
By now you’ve learned how how to start a blog, how to create blog content and how to get it discovered by search engines.
It’s important to understand that 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 it, all your hard work will be for nothing. So, you need to know how to promote your blog.
Let’s take a closer look at the basic advertising and marketing activities you can use to grow your audience once you’ve built a blog.
Tell everyone about your blog
Start by letting your friends, family and co-workers know about your new venture. Basically, you should let everyone know who might be interested in reading your content.
You should also do the following:
Include your blog name (URL) in your email signature.
Put it on your social media accounts or online communities that you are involved with.
Use every opportunity to publicize your new business.
Be active in your niche
Be on relevant blogs, forums , groups and social pages active.
Blogger communities are a great way to connect with other bloggers in your niche. You can get involved, build friendships, and help each other spread content.
Here are some popular activities you can do:
Blog comments. Post comments to other relevant blogs. It’s a great way to build relationships with top bloggers in your niche
Social Media Marketing. You should use the social media opportunities that best suit your own niche and style. Pick the one (or the ones) that best suits your needs and start promoting your content to grow your audience. Some of the most popular social networks that bloggers use on a daily basis are Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest.
Guest Blogging. Take the relationship one step further and offer to write guest blog posts for another website. Just make sure you guest post on reputable sites and that the content is directly related to your niche. Guest posting is an excellent way to build an online presence.
Promoting Your Content Across Other Platforms
Before your blog becomes popular and starts to grow, you should commit to it deal with the use of other platforms on the Internet that already have a certain audience and readership. To give you a better idea, here are some of the techniques you can use:
Bookmark websites. Submit your blog content to bookmark sites that can offer your content to many potential viewers looking for information in your niche. You should do this every time you publish a new blog post to spread the word. Here are some popular social bookmarking and content curation sites: Scoop.it, Reddit, Flipboard, etc.
Content Republishing. You can post the same or slightly repurposed content on platforms like LinkedIn and Medium. The best thing to do is publish content to your blog first, wait a few days while it’s indexed by search engines (Google), and then you can start publishing it on other platforms. Also, make sure to link to your original article as a source. Learn more about a re-release strategy here.
Reuse content. You can reuse your content, create graphics, slideshow presentations, audio files or even videos and publish everything on the platforms that support different content formats. How to create 64 pieces of content in a single day (PDF).
Get organic traffic from search engines
You already know that it is important to optimize your content for search engines.
However, to increase your organic traffic, you need to learn how to rank your content higher in search results.
There is no magic formula for higher rankings, but you should focus on the following factors:
Create useful content for your readers, not for search engines.
Always create fresh and quality content.
Ensure the user experience is flawless.
Make sure your blog is secure (HTTPS), mobile friendly and loads fast.
Link your content and work to get external links.
Advertising on the web (paid traffic)
Reasonable and informed use Paid media can help you gain exposure and exposure before your organic (naturally derived) traffic takes hold.
Paid traffic routes include:
Social media advertising on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.
Search engine advertising via Google Ads or Bing Ads .
Content discovery platforms like Outbrain or Taboola.
Remember, you can always find other ways to promote your new blog.
Rely on the basics of blogging: a clear and well working blog, focused and helpful information, stimulating conversations and practical advice. Your authority comes from helping and advising your audience.
Step #9: Make Money Blogging (Optional)
Monetization is the process of converting your blog activity into revenue.
You should remember that blogging is not just about making money. It’s all about creating useful content and writing blog posts that attract readers and keep them coming back for more.
If you start a blog, think about adding content that will inspire future generate revenue. Through my own blogging experience and working with other bloggers, I’ve learned that certain types of content are more effective for making money.
Here are types of content you should write and add to your blog:
Lists or top lists
Guides
Tutorials and Guides
Product Reviews
Product Comparisons
Now let me show you some different ways bloggers make money.
Blog Monetization Channels
Our blogging industry case study shows that 59.8% of bloggers make money from blogging.
But how can YOU make money blogging? There are several options available, but below I’ll show you the best ways to monetize a blog:
Place ads on your blog
Here are seamless ways for you to place ads on your blog. Regardless of your niche, you can opt for ads that are specific to what you’re writing about or ads that simply serve your advertiser’s purposes better.
Google Adsense, Mediavine, and Adthrive are some of the most popular blog ad options.
Sign up for affiliate programs
Affiliate programs are ways to partner with retailers to promote their products and earn a commission from successfully completing sales.
Some things to consider when signing up for affiliate programs:
The number of affiliate sales depends heavily on the number of your visitors.
You must be credible enough for your visitors to click on your links.
You may want to place a notice on your Terms of Service page that you are using affiliate links.
There are a few popular online platforms that offer affiliate programs if you want to start, such as Amazon Associates, ShareASale and ClickBank.
Your products and services v buy
If you are creative and entrepreneurial, you might consider selling your blog as a venue for your own products and services. This is especially an option as your blog’s readership, authority and popularity increases.
There are WordPress plugins like the WooCommerce plugin that you can easily integrate into a blog and use for selling online products.
Sell sponsored posts
Advertisers are always looking for attention and are willing to pay you to place a sponsored post on your blog.
These posts usually promote products or services from advertisers and are a great way to monetize your blog. In the future, if you are able to build a popular blog and become an authority in your niche, advertisers might turn to you to get their posts published.
Above are the most popular money-making options listed. However, there are other ways to monetize your blog.
Consider the possibilities, and then choose the method or methods that best suit you and your audience.
As a minimum, you should start building an email list of your readers through subscriptions right from the start. Then, when you’re ready to recommend products, you’ll have direct access to those who want to hear what you have to say.
Pre-Blog FAQs
A few more things before you start your journey. Below are some helpful facts and frequently asked questions that many people ask themselves before they start blogging.
Conclusion
Congratulations! You have learned how to start a blog. You have your own domain name, storage space and your blog is set up. Next, you need to get familiar with the WordPress dashboard, make the changes you want, start creating content, and start promoting to become a successful blogger. Check out all of our resources on starting a blog and learning how to blog successfully.
