Have you put a lot of time and research into starting a blog, but don’t know where to begin?
Then you reached the right place!
I am hoping to guide you through the beginning steps of getting your blog started!
The hardest part of blogging, is taking the leap to start!
There are currently over 600 million blogs circulating the internet.
With numbers like these, blogs make one of the most essential content sources online as well as one of the finest techniques for fast and fruitful earnings.
If you are ready to join the world of bloggers, I have all the resources you need to kick off your business.
What makes a great blogging site successful?
More importantly, what are the steps towards creating a reputable and relevant blog?
Quality blogging can depend on a variety of factors – from budget and exposure, to targeting the right audience and finding your optimal content voice.
Although building a blog can be years in the making, it is also a promising business choice for those sharing dedication and passion for the written word.
Ready to begin your blog journey on the right foot?
Below I have provided a lovely TABLE OF CONTENTS to allow you to jump ahead to the spot in your blogging journey you are currently in.
If you are still looking for that last bit of research and information on blogging to help you get started, I got your covered too!
Please read on, as we share our detailed guide on how to swiftly build and grow a successful blogging business.
WHAT ARE BLOGS?
Blogs are personalized online platforms where worldwide writers publish relevant content in a range of niches.
Today, blogs come in all shapes and sizes and mainly require undertaking a series of essential steps to launch your business to online fame.
The best thing about blogs in 2021 is the fact that basically anyone can do them!
It doesn’t matter if you are a stay-at-home mom or a busy bee working around a packed schedule, blogging can easily be a side career, or vice versa.
Blogging is “generally” intended for passionate writers who nurture a voice of their own and have something relevant to bring to the table.
But do not get that part mistaken, you do not have to be a writer to run a successful blog. All you need is the passion for something you would like to share with others. Whether it’s fashion, organization, or productivity tips.
As a career, running a blog can be quite profitable,
Does producing quality content inspire and drive you?
You’re in luck, as the odds for you becoming a successful blogger are working in your favor.
Building a successful blog in 2021 will require carrying out a few beginner steps such as setting up your initial goals and providing readers with engaging content.
No worries, by the time we are done with this tutorial, you will be confident enough to launch your very own blog and more importantly- learn how to profit from it!
4 REASONS TO START A BLOG IN 2021
1. GUARANTEED ONLINE EARNINGS
One of the main reasons why many take to blogging is because it ensures making money online.
Although typically considered a hobby, blogging makes a profitable career choice, with some bloggers earning a six-figure income from it.
As a business model, you can start earning from blogging while using both new and old content at a very low start up cost.
With just a few hours of work a day, you can generate stunning income and turn blogging into a profitable job.
Not to mention, blogging allows you the opportunity to be your own boss and develop individual business strategies to make it even more competitive.
Blogging can be the ideal platform to demonstrate your ultimate skills, whether it is writing fiction, how-to guides, video tutorials, product reviews, or anything else that gets your creative juices flowing.
2. ATTRACTING AN AUDIENCE
Whether you want to share your ideas and tips or promote your own product, like a book, a blog makes the perfect outlet for it. What is more important than having ready-to-use blog content is attracting the right kind of audience interested in it.
By generating like-minded individuals to your blog, you will be able to spread the word, spark up interest among targeted audiences, and attract new leads as you grow.
3. STORYTELLING
I can tell you one thing right now- your audience loves a story well told!
Therefore, it is no wonder quality content makes one of the pillars of a successfully run 2021 blog. Telling your story can include just about anything- from sharing your personal experiences and knowledge with others, to training them in a particular creative skill.
Regardless of your aim, if you have your way with words and the desire to appeal to a wider crowd, blogging is the ultimate shortcut to profiting from sharing your experiences.
4. FINDING YOUR VOICE
As a writer, you want to find your place in the blogging world and let your voice be heard. Expressing yourself as a writer is easier said than done, as many are struggling to narrow down their niches of interest.
Defining your blogging voice is a key tool to help you stand out from the competition and become recognized through your very own form of expression and interaction with your readers.
STEP 1: CHOOSING YOUR BLOGGING NICHE
Although setting up your blog online is the first action to take when starting. The actual first step is determining what your niche is! A niche is similar to a topic, or even a specific category.
If you haven’t found your Niche and you are uncertain of what a “niche” is, then please check out my detailed post I wrote on profitable blog niches to help guide and narrow down your interest.
For what it’s worth, great writing ideas are all around you, so even if you have not decided on a niche yet, you have lots of room to get creative.
In 2021, providing readers with life changing blog content might be tricky as most niches have already been written on. However, what you need for your own blog to succeed is to individualize your niche and find a way to present it uniquely.
In choosing the most suitable niche to write on, relevance is more important than personal preferences, so no matter what you ultimately choose, always ensure your niche corresponds to a specter of readers.
Some of the most popular niches in 2021 include health and fitness, lifestyle, beauty, technology, business and finance, fiction, food, productivity, parenting and mom blogs, as well as DIY content.
So, take your pick, again be sure to check out my detailed list of over profitable blog niche ideas to choose from!
STEP 2: FINDING THE RIGHT BLOGGING PLATFORM FOR YOU
With a ready-to-use niche, the next step to building your successful blog is to use the right platform for it.
Today’s options of blog building platforms are richer than ever before.
However, if you are a career-driven individual, not all platforms will make the perfect home for your blog business. Typically, most owners host their blogs at WordPress.com and WordPress.org.
While WordPress.com is a free blog building platform, it does come with a few downsides and restrictions, especially in the way you run your campaigns and incorporate both widgets and plugins to your site.
However, WordPress.org helps you self-host your blog and thus make the most of their utility services, like top marketing tools, plugins, themes, add-ons, and helpful apps to further boost your blogging project.
As per statistics, around 34.5% of all websites rely on WordPress for proper blog management.
So, if you are in for a long time and not a good time, consider building your business on WordPress, as it is one of the most productive and success-oriented platforms online.
For all of you on-the-go lady bloggers out there, no worries, as you don’t actually have to install WordPress on your own. If you enjoy an automated setup process, thoroughly managed by a reputable hosting site, Bluehost is here to help!
Thanks to its new feature called ‘Blue Spark’, Bluehost grants users free services that help you set up a WordPress blog site the way we like it- no muss, no fuss.
Whatever you need to be built, reach out to Bluehost’s support team to enjoy a variety of free services along with expert WordPress guidance.
STEP 3: SELECTING A DOMAIN (WEBSITE NAME)
In a nutshell, a domain name is essentially the purpose of your blog.
Usually, domain names are friendly and engaging and perfectly depict the identity of your blog. As such, every blog page you create will largely depend on the quality of your chosen domain name.
Choosing a domain name can be quite engaging and fun, so here are some tips to make your blog’s domain name market-relevant:
- For competitiveness, most renowned blogs will use .com and .org.
- Easily pronounceable blog names work the best- don’t overcomplicate it!
- If creating a personalized blog, consider using your first name in the domain.
- Keep your domain name niche-oriented and keyword-optimized. Are you writing on real estate? Ensure your domain name features at least one relevant keyword, like home, house, housing, living, etc.
- If you use Google, ensure your domain name is intuitive to the platform and your audience’s demands.
With Bluehost, you can always purchase your dream hosting providing all of the above- and enjoy a free domain name for an entire year!
STEP 4: WEBSITE HOSTING
Got a name already?
Congratulations, let’s move onto the next step!
Now’s the time to purchase a great website hosting, through a company that will perfectly handle your blog performance. A web hosting company grants you a space for your online business and keeps all of your files and data in one place.
The most important factor to consider when purchasing a website hosting is reliability.
As mentioned, Bluehost can provide you with an excellent blog service and detailed customer support for your business needs- 24/7!
Some of the reasons why Bluehost makes a suited option for your blog hosting include:
- 2 million users hosting their website on Bluehost;
- A WordPress-recommended hosting platform;
- Automatic WordPress updates and installation;
- A free SSL certificate;
- A free domain name to use for up to 1 year;
- 24/7 customer support;
- Most suited for up and coming bloggers;
Getting Bluehost Service from WordPress Specialists
Once you purchase your hosting, feel free to contact Bluehost’s support team for further directions.
With a 24/7 support team, Bluehost’s WordPress experts will get in touch and guide you to through the step-by-step process.
Once you have your website goals in place, the Bluehost team will gladly suggest smart solutions, like recommended plugins or the most adequate blog theme to further optimize your site performance.
STEP 5: CREATING AND SETTING UP WORDPRESS
Let’s now examine the step-by-step guide in creating your WordPress page while using Bluehost.
STEP 1
Sign up to Bluehost using this link. Once open, the link will redirect you to the main page where you can click the big green button reading ‘Get Started’. All done!
STEP 2
Choose your preferred hosting plan. On Bluehost, your pick between Basic, Plus, and Prime packages, all offering different needs and perks depending on what your plan needs.
STEP 3
The third step involves registering your new domain for free on Bluehost, or select ‘I have a domain name’.
Regardless of your pre-purchased domain name, the site offers you a free domain name to use.
STEP 4
This step is for you to recheck the domain information you entered as well as provide your official email address.
STEP 5
Looking at the ‘package information’ section, you’ll notice you can use the site services for 36 months (3 years) for $3.95/month. In this case, you are pre-paying for your future use of their services.
You can always use the site’s 30-day money-back guarantee, in case you reconsider.
If you find the cost too high, you can always choose a 12-month plan and uncheck all features you won’t be using as part of the service. Finally, you can upgrade your package at any time and move on to more detailed services.
STEP 6
Enter your billing information and check the box to agree with all of the site services.
STEP 7
You did it, your website is set up and ready to go! Come up with a secure password to further protect your account and get down to business.
STEP 8
Once you have your login window in sight, it is time to choose a suitable theme and a temporary one. Later on, you can switch to a different site theme or choose premium options.
As far as the technical aspects are concerned, feel free to reach out to Bluehost to maximize the use of their free services.
YOUR WEBSITE
To start a blog your website has to officially run, you first need to set up your WordPress page.
What’s more, the WordPress dashboard will be the place where you spend most of your time blogging.
WordPress can seem a scary platform to run, but it is essentially very simple to use once you get used to it.
The first step you want to take on WordPress is to change your general settings. To do this, click on settings (in the left bar) and choose ‘permalink’ and the ‘post name’ option.
When navigating through the dashboard, you will find many different options for creating pages, posts, comments, uploading media, featuring hyperlinks, and more.
The only way to adjust to the way the dashboard works is through actively publishing and editing blog posts.
So, cut yourself some slack, blog a bit, and give yourself the time to learn WordPress in detail.
CHOOSING A WORDPRESS THEME AND DESIGN
No need to look for the perfect blog theme anywhere else- you can find it right there, on WordPress. If you decide to use Bluehost, you can also make the most of the site’s WordPress-friendly theme offerings.
However, it is worth noting that a customized WordPress comes with lots of other perks.
That said, if you don’t mind paying, a responsive blog theme might be the perfect solution to your needs.
For countless blogger including myself I use Elegant Themes to find an amazing theme that makes customizing your site easy, with a professional look.
As far as WordPress themes go, the most popular choice among clients is the Divi theme, while more options can be found within the platform’s official theme gallery.
INSTALLING WORDPRESS PLUGINS
Wow, look at that fabulous new theme of yours- it’s so cool!
Now, the time has come to enrich your site with essential performance tools, or plugins.
For beginners, it is best you begin with all free WordPress plugins available, and move onto a paid theme option as you grow.
Installing a plugin is as simple as one-two-three. On your dashboard, click the ‘plugin’ button, located in the left bar. Click ‘Add new’ on the right bar, and research the name of the plugin you want.
Found it? Click ‘Install Now’ and you’re done!
Some of the most recommended WordPress plugins- especially for SEO-run sites, include:
- Yoast: This Highly-recommended plugin manages all things related to SEO and keyword optimization.
- Akismet: An important plugin that secures your blog posts from spam content and comments.
- WP Super Cache: A plugin that efficiently manages your cache, thus speeding up your site.
- Shortpixel: Quite useful, this plugin allows you to compress your larger blog post images.
- Contact Form 7: This plugin is already featured on your contact page.
CREATING THE CORE PAGES & MAIN MENU
For a more refined website or blog, it is best you set up these pages ahead of time.
If you want the best results, the core pages and your site’s main menu should feature the following segments:
- Legal Pages: This includes your Disclosure and Privacy Policy content, as per Google’s policies. If you are using an ad program such as Adsense, this will have to be listed in the content you provide. In the long run, this informational content will keep you safe from legal troubles. Check out one of the most popular FREE Legal Guide COURSE to find out everything you need to have on your blog.
- Contact Page: If you want to attract your audience you will need a Contact Page listing all information on your blog, and the ways your fans can reach out. A contact page might feature any kind of information, be it your email address, fan page link, or phone number.
- About Page: Your About page will help users learn the core principles and mission of your blog. This kind of content should be interactive, dynamic, and stimulating, and explain yourself and the purpose of your blog in an elegant yet playful way.
- Main Menu: You can create the main menu by going to the WordPress dashboard, clicking ‘appearance’, and choosing ‘Menus’. Enjoy the many options available!
LAUNCHING YOUR WEBSITE
As soon as your website lands on WordPress, you can release it live.
To do that, you will need to:
- Set the permalink structure: Go to your dashboard, click ’Settings’, and then ‘Permalinks’. Choose ‘Post name’ as your best option.
- Make your blog public and ensure search engines index it.
- Head to ‘Settings’, open Reading, and double click the box to see whether your blog is visible.
YOUR FIRST BLOG POST
How exciting is writing your very own blog post?
When you first start writing your blogs, you will find it fulfilling as it appeals to a readers that have an interest in your chosen niche. Although a newbie, your first-ever post should be as impactful as those to follow.
Keeping up with the quality of content and the relevance of your topics will then ensure you a wider and more targeted audience.
Ideally, you want to come up with a detailed content plan and write at least several blog posts weekly.
PROMOTING YOUR BLOG AND DRIVING TRAFFIC
Different blogs use different promotional platforms for their businesses, and a handful of them as well. Some of the ideal ways to promote your blog site and drive traffic to it (hello, profits!), is through the following networks:
- Social Media: Facebook groups, Twitter, Youtube, and Pinterest are among the most favored promotional options- easy in reach, precise in a niche, and not as expensive in advertising.
- SEO and Organic Traffic: The best results are often provided through organic traffic. This can be achieved through SEO advertising, done by Google. It works on relevant keywords, links, and crafting top-notch and relevant content and, when done right, delivers mind-blowing results.
- Newsletter: Building an email list will help you appeal to your readers more often, and in a more customized way. Email newsletters serve best when used for announcements, discounts, or promotions, and they work wonders! Our recommended platforms include Mailerlite and ConvertKit, where you can acquire 1,000 free email subscribers.
TURNING A PROFIT FROM YOUR BLOG
To profit off your blogging business, you’ll need to apply a series of tools, including:
- Affiliate marketing
- Smart advertisement
- Digital sales
- Sponsored content
- Review products
HOW MUCH WILL STARTING A BLOG COST ME IN 2021?
Depending on your requirements, a fit budget to launch a blog would round up to $47- a free one-year domain included.
Of course, if you feel like boosting your blog a bit more, you can always choose the pricier Pro Plan, which allows you to host several websites at once.
All things considered, blogging for a living makes one an affordable investment, and promises great reach and greater earnings.
