Want to start a blog and become a blogger?
Yes, you can do both at the same time!
Imagine being able to follow your passion and earn passive income at the same time, what could be better than that?
Over the past 10 years, I've helped tens of thousands of people just like you start their own blogs.
There are many reasons why people start blogging, such as:
- Share new knowledge
- Record your thoughts
- Earn Passive Income
- Get free gadgets or travel opportunities
- Or just for free expression
Whatever your reasons are, blogging can help you achieve your goals.
So don't wait, learn how to start a blog today! This is a detailed guide with some theory and practice. Just a few reads and a few steps to start your blog.
What do you need to prepare?
Before you get started, you only need one thing: a domain name .
(Don't worry, domain names can be changed at any time.)
Next, I will teach you step by step how to create a blog and answer all the questions you may have.
10 Steps to Start a Blog
- Choose a Blog Topic
- Choosing a Blogging Platform
- Choose a domain and hosting
- Install WordPress
- Design your blog's appearance
- Install the required plugins
- Writing your first blog post
- Publish and share with the world
- Make Money Blogging
- Increase traffic and exposure
I’ll recommend some beginner-friendly platforms and hosting options to get you started easily.
How to Start a Blog From Scratch (No Experience Required)
This guide is designed for beginners like you. In just a few minutes, your blog will be online!
Step 1: Choose a Blogging Platform
Where should you start a blog? There are many options out there, but most bloggers start with WordPress.
Why WordPress?
- It is simple and easy to use
- WordPress powers 37% of the world’s websites
You need a self-hosted WordPress blog (WordPress.org), not WordPress.com.
Step 2: Decide on a Blog Topic
You need to find a niche , which is the topic of your blog.
Don’t just blog for the money, choose a topic that you’re truly passionate about.
You may be a jack of all trades and want to start a blog on multiple topics, but this will not be very productive because people prefer to subscribe to an authoritative blog on a particular topic.
Also, as the largest search engine, Google prefers sites based on a single theme. For example, SidelinePlay's theme is "Blog," and that's how you found us.
Here are a few suggestions to help you get started:
- Find a topic that you know more about than anyone else. It doesn't have to be the work you're doing, it can be anything. Try to come up with a topic that you love talking about the most and that you could easily talk about for hours.
- It is best to choose a topic that you read about regularly. The topics that you read about regularly are the ones that interest you.
- Also, make sure you have a strong interest in a particular topic and that you can add value with your insights.
- For newbies, I always recommend taking the help of a pen and paper and writing down the topics you like in different columns. For example: motivation, fashion, technology, finance, photography, scientific research, baby care, healthcare, etc. Now, try to write 5 post ideas for these different columns. When you write the post titles, think about what you can write about without references. By the end of the 5th post, it will help you find your favorite topic (niche).
This is a crucial step before starting a blog as it will help you choose a topic that interests you the most.
I suggest you use pen and paper to list the topics that interest you, such as:
- science and technology
- Fashion
- finance
- photography
- healthy
Then, try to write 5 article titles for each topic. If you can easily write these titles, it means you have found the right topic.
- How to choose a niche for a new blog?
- Single-Theme Blog vs. Multi-Theme Blog: Which is Better and Why?
Conclusion – Choosing the right niche is the first and most important step to start a new blog.
Step 3: Choose a Blog Name and Domain
The domain name is the address of your blog, for example: www.sidelineplay.com.
We need to pay $12 per year for this. However, I share a trick that can help you save that $12 when buying a domain name.
When choosing a domain name, remember these 4 rules:
- Easy to remember
- Easy to spell
- Easy to pronounce
- Easy to brand
We recommend using a .com domain name because it’s more popular. You can use Bluehost’s domain suggestion tool to check if your desired domain name is available.
I think the name of your blog is very important. You can also have a domain name named after you, which is great for a personal portfolio or if you plan to build your own brand.
However, I prefer to have a common name so that someone can run the business in the future and I can enjoy the benefits of being a solo entrepreneur.
My advice is to get creative and follow the four rules I shared above. Here are a few things you shouldn’t do when choosing a new blog domain name:
- Don’t use a domain name that’s too long. Try to keep it under 12 characters. Example: SidelinePlay
- Avoid domain extensions like .info, .net, etc. as they tend to rank poorly in search engines. I always prefer and recommend using domain extensions like .com or .org.
Suggested readings:
Step 4: Choose a host
The host is where your blog is stored. It is a server that is online 24*7. All your future blog pictures, blog designs and all content will be stored on this server (hosting).
This way your website can run 24*7.
The good news is that hosting is cheap.
I recommend Bluehost because it offers:
- Free SSL
- Unlimited bandwidth
- Unlimited storage
- Free domain name (save $12 per year)
- Easy to use cPanel.
- Live chat support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
At just $2.95 per month, it’s an extremely cost-effective plan.
Here’s how to buy:
- Go to Bluehost.com[](http://127.0.0.1:86/visit/bluehost)[](https://www.shoutmeloud.com/visit/bluehost-link/)
- Click to start now
If you want to start a single blog, choose the Basic plan ; if you want to start multiple blogs, choose the Plus plan.
On the next page, you can request a free domain name. If you don’t have a domain name ready yet, you can click “Choose later.”
Fill out your contact information on the next page. Pay special attention to the package add-ons, as you may be able to save some money by skipping some items.
Uncheck all options except Domain Privacy Protection.
Under Payment Information, you can pay via credit/debit card, or if you want to pay via PayPal, you can click More Payment Options.
* Savings
Once you’ve made the payment, Bluehost will also create your blog within the next 10 minutes. This will be done automatically, saving a lot of hassle for beginners who just want a ready-made blog.
Step 5: Set up your blog
Bluehost will automatically install WordPress for you, but you’ll need to complete some basic setup, such as:
- Choose a theme
- Install the plugin
- Writing your first blog post
To start setting up your blog for branding and make it perfect, I share a few guidelines you can refer to:
Step 6: Design your blog's appearance
Blog design is key to attracting readers. WordPress offers many free and paid themes. I recommend:
- Astra theme : lightweight and suitable for beginners
- Genesis Theme : Professional and Flexible
Blog design is the most important aspect of a blog because a good design will ensure that your visitors will enjoy your blog. In fact, it is also how readers will remember your blog. Imagine your blog design like the beautiful clothes you wear.
In WordPress, there is a concept called ‘WordPress themes.’ These are ready-made designs suitable for all types of blogs.
There are many free and premium WordPress themes available in the market. I always recommend going for a premium theme because you will get all the support and getting started guides, and your blog will have a high-quality design.
Here are some easy to use modern themed clubs that I recommend you start with.
* Savings
- Astra Theme : This is a lightweight theme that offers templates for all kinds of blogs. After installing this theme, you can choose from ready-made templates and your blog design will be ready in 30-45 minutes. It is the perfect companion for any new WordPress blog. You can read Astra review to know all about this multipurpose theme.
- Genesis : This is one of the best theme frameworks out there. I use it for ShoutMeLoud. You need to buy the theme and skin to make it work for you.
Read: How to Install a WordPress Theme
There are many other premium WordPress theme clubs out there, but I recommend the two above as a professional starter.
Step 7: Install the required plugins
Plugins can enhance the functionality of your blog. Here are some basic plugins you’ll need:
- Yoast SEO (optimize search engine rankings)
- ShortPixel (compressed images)
- Jetpack (security and performance)
You can find a list of the best WordPress plugins here.
There are many other plugins out there, but the above mentioned ones will ensure that you have all the essential plugins installed on your blog.
If you have completed all the steps so far, your blog is up and ready to go.
Now, what you should do over a period of time is add new content.
Step 8: Write your first blog post
Now the real fun begins, writing your first article.
The following guidelines can help you decide on a topic for your first blog post .
I’ll share some article links below to help you get started, but here are a few tips to make sure you don’t make the common mistakes newbies make:
- When you write content, imagine that there is someone sitting next to you and you are talking to this person. Write in the first-person voice because there is only one person reading your blog. For example, you are reading this blog post alone. That is why you may notice that my voice is "I" and "you".
- Your content should cover all aspects of the topic you are writing about. Feel free to write more than 1000 words.
- Don't copy images from Google. Instead, use these sites to download free images .
- You can also embed YouTube videos. Here's a tutorial on how to do it.
If you want to avoid the crowd and take your blogging to the next level, then read my guide to SEO copywriting . This will ensure that whatever you write will help you drive tons of traffic from search engines.
Step 9: Increase traffic
So, you’ve got everything ready and your first blog post is live.
Now, the next step is to drive traffic .
Follow the steps mentioned here and it will help your blog to be visible in Google search.
Now, there are many techniques you can use to drive traffic to your newly created blog.
Once you have your blog established, make it social so readers can join your community.
You just need to get started and don’t stress because I will be here again to guide you with the best resources.
To make your blog social, you need a Facebook page, Instagram account, and Twitter account.
Here are some resources to help you get started.
- How to Create a Facebook Fan Page for Your Blog
- How to create a Twitter profile
- How to Build Community Through Blogging
Step 10: Make Money Blogging
Once your blog has a certain amount of traffic, you can make money through advertising, affiliate marketing, or selling products.
Here are some of the most popular methods:
- Google AdSense
- Set up your ad
- Affiliate Marketing
- Sponsored content (write about other people and get paid)
- Amazon Affiliate Program
- Direct advertising sales
- Own digital products such as e-books and online courses
I cover all aspects of making money blogging in this exclusive article: How to Make Money Blogging
What else you need to reach the next level in blogging:
Learn SEO to attract free traffic
SEO is an advanced topic that is difficult to cover in one article. Many beginners try not to focus on search engine optimization, which is a big mistake.
Search engine optimization helps you attract targeted traffic from organic searches, which can bring you more revenue. There are three core parts to SEO:
- On-page SEO : The quality of your content, keyword placement, and other factors.
- On-site SEO : Crawl and index your website.
- Off-site SEO : Backlinks from other websites.
As SEO goes, I would also like to add two more here:
- Social Signals : Social media plays a major role in improving your blog ranking. Google Plus has been proven to be the best social networking site for improving your ranking.
- User Experience : New SEO is all about providing a great user experience. Some key aspects of a good user experience: navigation, website loading, website design, readability, etc.
Here are a few articles you should definitely read to learn about SEO:
- Use Google Keyword Tool for Keyword Research
- How to Write SEO-Friendly Content
- What are backlinks for SEO
Increase blog traffic
If you have done all the above, you will start getting organic traffic from social media sites. Now, I am sharing some featured posts here to help you drive more traffic to your site. Remember, targeted traffic leads to more revenue.
Readers and improving your blog
One of the main differences between an average blog and a great blog is the details.
Top bloggers pay attention to every detail to ensure that users subscribe to their blog and are happy to be a part of it. That’s what we call converting one-time visitors into readers. Here are some advanced and little-known tips to take your blog to the next level:
In the world of blogging, we always wish for someone to guide us from the beginning when we start a new blog.
While this may not be possible, there are many resources available. Join blogging-related groups and forums and ask your questions. There are thousands of people out there who can help you.
Disclosure: Some of the links in this article contain affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click through to visit us, at no extra cost to you. See how SidelinePlay is funded, why it’s important, and how you can support us.
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