To blog, or not to blog
Blogging has become so popular, that you can easily find writers who claim their financial success and are willing to share with you how they did it. I’ve read posts from writers who end up earning anything from $80. a month to over $50k!
But is it just their stories that create the income? Typically, no. And these earnings are also not typical for the average writer. But why can’t they be? This tutorial offers some essential tips for starting a blog.
DISCLOSURE. The following content contains affiliate links. If you access a product or service through my links, I may make a commission at no added cost. I only promote products or services I personally use and endorse.
But why?
My purpose for starting a blog is two-fold. The first is that I love to write. I’ve always loved to write. There is information and stories bursting from my insides that need to be shared!
Do I hope you all take the 23 seconds to read what might have taken me a few hours to compose? OF COURSE! Can you blog for free? YES! If your only purpose for blogging is to share your experiences, then this is for you!
If you ALSO wish to make some hustle money on the side, then this is for you!
What to write about?
Some people think they can’t write a blog because they failed literature class or don’t consider themselves good enough writers. I’m here to tell you that doesn’t matter!
All you need is a passion for writing! Blogging can lead to other possibilities as well.
My first blog turned into my first published ebook! To learn more about that, check out the article 10 Steps for writing a book – You have to start somewhere.
But, what do I write about? Since I’m offering tips to start a blog, I researched for you. Here is a list of the top 5 blog topics most popular at this time.
-Personal Finance
-Health and Fitness
-Personal development
-Food (bacon, anyone?)
-Travel
But I’m not an expert.
You don’t need to be an expert in an area to write about it. All you need is some personal experience or desire to do some research, then write away!
To determine if the topic can be sustained for years to come, start out by making a spreadsheet of 50 to 100 ideas related to your topic. Learn about keyword research, as you want to ensure your keywords within your niche ideas are words audiences are searching for!
Then, as your list of ideas grows within your niche, you have the golden ticket.
Is a blog host necessary?
So far, this sounds great! But wait, I mentioned you can blog for free, so why would I want to pay for a blog host? You can sign up for WordPress and not pay for blog hosting.
But remember I mentioned the potential for hustle income? I like saying hustle. You can’t do that on free hosting sites.
Did you know that if you don’t pay for your hosting, you technically don’t own your own material?
Did you know that if you don’t own your hosting, your site and all your hard work can be taken down without your knowledge or approval?
And lastly, if you don’t pay for your hosting, you won’t have any opportunity to earn that hustle income.
Webhost
You’re reading this because you are debating on starting a blog, whatever your reasons. The next step, after deciding your blogging purpose, is to decide on a blog name.
Once you decide on your blog name, you will need to get that name registered (so it’s yours forever) and sign up for your hosting.
I chose Bluehost as my hosting company. There are several hosting companies out there, but here is why I chose this one:
• Bluehost is flat out the most popular for bloggers (over 2 million users)
• They register your blog name for free
• They offer free blogging software, WordPress, which is easily installed
• It has been recommended by WordPress since 2005 as a hosting leader
• Outstanding customer service offered 24/7
• Bluehost has a money-back guarantee
Getting started with Bluehost is easy. The first thing you do is simply register your domain.
Click here to start the process.
Coming up with a domain name is not an easy task. A new blogger in the early 2000s used to make it catchy, something that identified their niche, something that set them apart from the rest. But, times have changed.
Consider choosing the brand of you as a domain name.
Think about it. What happens if you love to write about cat health, then you make a shift and want to educate the world on managing finances.
If your catchy niche site name is something like “Catful Lives,” don’t expect to rank on Google for sharing the best bank rates of the month.
Hence, just use your name! The title of this blog, as much as I like it, does the opposite of what I just said! There is no way anyone will know my niche by just the name of this blog.
In other words, I am an SEO (search engine optimization) nightmare. Feel free to make my mistake if your purpose of writing is like mine. Writing to entertain and educate. With a bit of hustle on the side.
You can get your domain name directly through Bluehost. This makes life easier doing it this way. If you are a brand-new blogger, I recommend doing it this way.
Another bonus with Bluehost is if you sign up for web hosting with them, you get a FREE domain the first year, as long as you purchase 12 months’ worth of hosting through them.
The BASIC package is genuinely all you need at this point.
Blog hosting, on average, will cost you around $59. a year or bulk is cheaper, $99. for three years.
Now that you see how easy it is to get started and are ready to create your blog site, follow these steps to set up your blog hosting.
1. Click this link for the discounted Bluehost rate, then click the “Get started Now” button
2. Chose your package by clicking on it
3. Sign up for a new domain name
4. Enter your personal and payment information
5. Enter a secure password.
Now for the moment you’ve all been waiting for! Time to install WordPress. Bluehost will walk you through the steps of installing WordPress, but here are a few tips anyway.
- After you receive your welcome email from Bluehost, open the link provided, which takes you to your Panel; find and click the button that says “One Click Install.”
- Once you see the WordPress image on the next page located under “Blogs,” click on it.
- Click on “Start.” The installation will begin.
- You will be asked which domain you want to install on WordPress. Use the dropdown menu to choose your domain.
- Under “Advanced Options,” choose your username and password for your WordPress website. Make sure this is very secure. Don’t use “Admin” as your username. My password is over 30 various characters in length. Make sure you write it down. There’s no way I will ever remember my own password.
- Click “Install Now”
In conclusion
That’s it! You’re off and running! Take this excitement and momentum and get writing! After you publish your first post, please leave me a comment so I can visit and help you promote it!
Please comment below, even if it’s just to say hello. I like to hear what’s on your mind. And don’t forget to subscribe to my blog! Thanks!
Looking to earn some extra funds? This post is called Making Money with a Side Hustle -the Top 15 will offer you some great ideas! Or maybe taking surveys is your bag. My personal favorite is Survey Junkie.
