5 Steps To Start A Blog And Earn Additional Income From Content Writing

The year 2017 is a fresh new start for you to do something you’ve always wanted to do – Start a brand new blog. If you have a ton of questions creeping up in your head that has made you a nervous wreck about starting a blog, then rest easy! This guide was created to hold your hand and guide you all the way to your very first post!

Before you begin blogging ask yourself what you want your blog to be. You may even want to take a look at some big data analytics to see what internet users want to read about.

Do you want to blog casually? Or are you in it for the money? Once you have made up your mind, follow these steps to get started right away.

Why Should You Start A Blog?

Why start a blog? Blogging is an enjoyable way to make money working from home. This can help you start to live in the moment and enjoy a better work life balance. Some bloggers even make a full-time income from blogging alone. If you enjoy writing, there is no better way in this modern age to do what you love and make money at the same time. It will also provide you credibility if you want to try writing for bigger name digital publications. If you want to experience these benefits, learn how to start a blog below.

1. Choose A Domain Name

A domain name is your personal address on the internet. Domain names usually end with an extension such as .com, .net, .org, etc. As a beginner, choose the .com extension as it’s the most popular. Your domain name should be short and sweet. Ideally, the name should relate to the subject you are blogging about.

You can buy a domain name from top domain registrars such as Namecheap, 1&1, Name.com, etc.

2. Obtain A Web Hosting

Now, that you’ve obtained a domain name, you need find a hosting company to host your WP blog. That’s where web hosting comes into play. Hosting companies such as Bluehost, Hostgator, InMotion Hosting are some of the top names in the business. You may need help learning technology tricks about this topic, but it will be worth it in the end.

Once you’ve shortlisted a web hosting company, choose the most basic plan on offer and complete the checkout. This will provide the endpoints connection that your site needs.  Ensure you are aware of crucial information such as bandwidth and space under each plan.

3. Install WordPress

WordPress is the platform through which you can design and customize your blog. We choose WordPress over other blogging platforms due to its widely-supported themes and user-friendly design. Also, it can be used for an Ecommerce business too, just like music YouTube ads. You could also consider other platforms such as Joomla, LiveJournal, Tumblr, Blogger, etc.

Installing WordPress is usually as easy as going to your hosting account’s cPanel and clicking ‘Install WordPress’.

4. Customize WordPress Themes

Your site should now be accessible, hurray!

But wait! It’s not what you thought it would be, in fact, it’s nowhere close to all the beautiful looking blogs you’ve visited. This is because you are running the default WordPress theme. To design your blog, you need to either buy a premium WordPress theme or upload a free one.

Some good beginner themes available for free are Parallax One, Pixova Lite, Oblique, Astrid.

5. You Are Ready For Your First Post!

Well, it wasn’t that bad, now was it? Setting up your blog when done right should take you no more than 10 minutes. From here, all you do is click the ‘Create new post’ link and fill it up with all your creative and fantasy content.

Simply click ‘Post’ to announce your arrival to the world of blogging!

Setting up your blog is just the beginning, there is much to do if you intend to go professional such as optimizing keywords for SEO, promoting your blog posts and finally monetize!

Additional Blogging Resources

Setting up your blog is just the first step on a long blogging journey. After you set up your WordPress page, you will definitely need help in the areas of promotion, internet marketing and more. There are many avenues for you do to so online. Find one of the many blogging message boards and blog posts to help you along on your journey. These resources will help you to learn the most common blogging mistakes, how to communicate effectively with your audience, and how to choose your blogging niche. Conduct a quick Google search to find the latest blog post to guide your blogging business journey as you join the ranks of citizen journalists.

Image from http://freelancefolder.com/elements-of-a-good-freelancing-blog/