Three years ago I hopped onto my Pinterest account and searched for “How to start a blog“. Little did I know that three years, three blogs later, I would still be doing blogging. Not only has blogging been an incredible creative journey, but it has really allowed me to grow as a person too.
One of the biggest comments I have gotten through social media is how to start a blog. I don’t know how many times I can say that is seriously is not that hard to do!
I actually just launched this blog at the beginning of the year, and it took me all of fifteen minutes. Everything that you see besides the posts went up in fifteen minutes! I’m going to take you through the process, and by the end of it, you’ll be ready to start writing, taking photos, and growing your blog.
The basics: name and topic
Honestly, coming up with your blog name might be the hardest part of this entire post. You can always use your name, but if you’re looking for something unique, I have some tips!
Once you have some potential names, here comes the scary part. Make sure that the domain name you have picked is available. If it is, then you have one more step to do. Make sure that you can get that name on social media channels. This way your readers can connect with you across various platforms.
If there is one thing you take away from this post, this is the most important!
Now that you have selected a name, what are you going to blog about? If you have chosen a domain that is something general, you’re not going to be restricted. If you are going to choose a more specific topic, then you might want your name to reflect that.
I have said before that I don’t think you need to choose a niche. Write about what you want to write about, but you need to have a little bit of focus to attract readers.
Domain & Hosting
This can be a tricky area. I purchased this domain from Namecheap. The process was quick and painless, and really affordable. I have had domains through other providers in the past, and it hasn’t been an amazing experience…I’ll just put it that way.
Let me jump in here to say that you don’t have to pay for a domain if you’re using the free version of WordPress or another platform. Having your own domain is going to come across more professional, and will allow you to do so much more in the future. It is going to cost you less than $10 bucks, it’s definitely a great investment.
Namecheap actually will host your new blog as well, but *Siteground is what I fully recommend. Siteground features three different options when it comes to hosting. If you know the tragedy with my last blog, then you might know the importance of backing up your blog.
The *GrowBig was the best option for me for all of the specifics that the option supports, and most importantly, they do constant backups! Yay!
In addition to being an amazing cost, customer support is incredible. I had some issues which I personally couldn’t resolve. After ten minutes with my chat assistant, he had completely fixed the issue and even showed me what I needed to do if it ever happened again. If you’re about to start a blog, *Siteground is totally where you need to be. Also, the platform is incredibly user-friendly. I am not a techy girl, so trust me on this one.
Setting up your blog
Alright, you’re in! Now that you have selected your domain, topic, and hosting here comes the fun part. I’m going to be using WordPress as my example here. When you log in to your account, you’ll see an “account” tab. Click on that tab, select the domain that you have and click on the “manage account” button.
Once you get here, this is your main area. Here you can go to your cPanel (which is basically a control panel), renew, upgrade, or go to your WordPress admin once you have it set up. There are also tabs that have an extra feature or two that you might need. To keep going, click the red “Go to cPanel” button.
This is your control panel. Any installations, back-end work, and back up files will be located within this platform. For now, we are going to get your new blog started on WordPress. In the middle of the right-hand side, there will be a few different options. The easiest to use is the WordPress Installer which will basically do all of the work for you! I’m telling you, *Siteground is the best. After you’re there, just click on install, and you’re good to go!
Customizing your new blog
Congratulations, you have officially started your own blog. Feels amazing, doesn’t it? Now comes the part that is totally up to you. When you start your blog, you’re probably looking forward to this part.
WordPress has some great theme options that are totally free, and if you’re just starting out, then those are great to start with. The themes are responsive and gorgeous.
If you’re looking to invest some into your blog theme, then Lovely Confetti is by far the best place to go. The themes are unique, and really let you customize them to be perfect for you. There are some great options on Etsy as well.
Another great tip is to start thinking of your brand right now! Even if you aren’t selling anything, you will still need a brand. This is going to consist of colors, graphics, and fonts that you use across your platforms to streamline everything.
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Aldene
Thanks for sharing the info. You recommend Siteground for hosting but which one did you use prior to that one?
Keep up the great work!
ashleestuart
AldeneI was using Go Daddy which I would stay far away from! They would make up issues just to try and get money out of me. Haven’t had any problems with SiteGround at all!