So you wanna start a blog?

You’re doing your research and trying to decide whether or not you’ll take the leap. Or maybe you’ve completed your research and are in the tentative stages of launching a blog.

I’ve been there. And not too long ago!

I have been truly fortunate in that my little blog has picked up a bit of momentum. I only wish I’d gotten started much sooner.  I’m super annoyed with myself for waiting so long to start!

Don’t be me! Jump right in and get started!

Today I want to offer you my humble guidance. I read a lot of posts when getting started and got so much good information.  However, I originally was skeptical about the prospects of quickly monetizing my blog. I wanted something bare bones – as in “walk me through the basics of set up and don’t even talk to me about monetizing strategies yet, I’m overwhelmed enough already.” So I want to provide this service for you dear blogger-to-be and tell you the bare bones basics about getting started with your blog.

And if you are interested in monetizing, I’ve got opportunities to learn from some pretty fabulous bloggers. But only if you want it and not til later in this post. Because our focus is on getting started.

So blogger-to-be, I want to walk you through the 7 simple steps I took in the very beginning to get my blog off and running.

For your convenience, this post contains affiliate links. If you purchase from these links I may make a small commission at no cost to you. 

1. Pick your niche & blog name/domain

The most common advice you hear from other bloggers is to select a niche. This I cannot entirely speak to. I’m operating on the less popular theory that if you build it, they will come. In other words, I believe that with the right content and platforms, a writer doesn’t have to choose one specific genre or a blogger one specific niche. We are all experts in our own right, at many different things. However, where you fall in this camp determines your own decision as to whether to niche up or not.

No matter what you decide – you will need a blog name. . You will need to make sure the domain isn’t already claimed, and check social media to ensure originality. Keep it short and catchy, preferably in a 3-5 word range. You want something people can easily remember, something to help you build your brand. Ideally, you’ll go ahead and purchase the domain name. Should you ever want to monetize your blog this is necessary. And it’s not that expensive broken down monthly if you go through Bluehost. Which brings me to…

2. Decide on a blogging host.

Really you should self host, no matter what your goals for your blog are. You are taking the time to put your words out there for the world. Self -hosting is important because you have ownership over your blog. No one controls it but you. Additionally it comes across as more authentic to your readers, more professional.

And it’s really easy. When I set up my blog I went with Bluehost. I did a little research and decided I to go with them. Many months later, and I am still happy with my decision. They are extremely affordable; plans start as low as $3.95 a month! I have also found their speed to be optimal and have had zero security issues with them. Their their support is easy to access and very responsive. I also know tons of bloggers who’ve had similar experiences and strongly recommend them. To get started with them click here!

Additionally, if you need extra help getting started, I walk you through, step by step in this post on starting a WordPress blog on BlueHost.

3. Decide on blogging platform.

There are many blogging platforms but the big ones are Blogger, Wix, and WordPress. Before I started blogging, I did my homework on each of them.  WordPress offered the most important thing for me. Freedom.

I wanted to be able to fully customize my own design. This was something Wix didn’t offer. WordPress is a an open source platform, so you have full access.  I will admit, I had some difficulty learning the platform, but with fabulous tutorials from many different tech bloggers I got through it, and now it’s pretty much 2^nd nature. I love how I can customize every part of my site, and not be held captive by the restrictions of other platforms. I can truly shape and mold my blog into exactly what I want.

Check out WordPress here.  My post referenced earlier also contains a brief explanation of how to install WordPress.

4. Select a theme 

There are a number of ways to find a theme. The platform you are using probably offers themes, both free and paid. For example, WordPress has ton of great themes. I spent a lot of time looking through them in the beginning.

In my case, I created my own logo and had a clear vision of what I wanted my blog to look like(if you are interested in my logo design services click here). I found a couple of themes I liked, but none seemed to fit what I was going for. Being an Etsy seller and on Etsy all the time, I happened to search “blog themes” while on the site one day. Almost instantly the one I wanted appear.

There have been some downsides to going with an Etsy seller. When I have questions, or a plugin conflicts and doesn’t work, I don’t really have any help. Had I purchased one through WordPress it would have likely been more responsive to formatting changes in the first place, and also would have come with a certain degree of support. I’ve contemplated switching themes, for this reason alone. But I’ve also worked hard to establish my brand, and I haven’t found any themes I like that are compatible with that brand, just yet.

When creating your own brand, you need to be very specific in your vision. Nothing turns a reader away like poor site design. We are visual creatures, and will first pass judgement on what we see. A clean, professional appearance is crucial to success.

While I don’t have a degree in design – years as a photographer and as a designer of graphic files have taught me a few things about the basics of design. For design tips, please check out my post on the foundations of a strong blog design.

5. Add pages

When getting started, there are a few essential pages you’ll need. If you are planning on writing on a range of topics, I’d include a page for each section where you can index your work. This will help your readers nagivate your site easily.

Obviously another thing you need is an About Me page. People are going to want to know who the face is behind the blog. Your About Me page is one of the biggest selling features of your blog.

You also need a page that shares your contact info. While lots of bloggers just create a Contact page, many also use this as their Services page, including myself. I share information about the services I provide in addition to my blog, and also give sponsors and advertisers a means to contact me. My readers have also used this page to get my email address and contact me.

Due to laws and regulations on the internet, it is important you have a privacy policy page. This page needs to disclose exactly what your intentions are for any information you gather from your users. There are a number of free resources to help you get begin with this. This website can get you started.

There are many other pages you can create. While not immediately necessary, I recommend creating a resources page. This can be a great reference for your readers as they search for additional services and products you recommend.

Whatever pages you choose to add, go slow.  Everything can be a bit overwhelming in the beginning.  Start small and build steady.  Your work will pay off over time.

6. Add plug-ins

There are SO many different plug-ins out there y’all. It is more than overwhelming in the beginning. When you get started I’d recommend having a few basics.

W3 Total Cache – This plugin improves the speed and function of your website.

WP Smush – reduces image size and optimizes performance on your site.

Askimet Anti-Spam – protects your blog from spam

As you progress, you may find it useful to add a few. Here are some of my favorites:

Google Analytics – While WordPress has a built stats tracker, it is supposedly not as accurate.  Google Analytics is considered the industry standard for tracking.  You will need to provide these stats to advertisers and sponsors upon request.

AddtoAny Share Buttons – This allows my readers to instantly share whatever they are reading.  I find it especially useful with Pinterest and see lots of readers pinning directly from my site.  As you progress in your journey as a blogger, these are so important.

Mailchimp – When you’re ready to take it on, an email list is an important tool in monetizing your blog. I’m steadily building a sweet little mailing list with Mailchimp. They are easily to use and send you weekly updates to help you track your stats.

Yoast SEO –  As you will come to understand the longer you blog, SEO is super important in driving traffic.  This handy plugin analyzes your posts and provides suggestions on how to make them rank high in SEO.

I do use a few more plug-ins but they are for more specific purposes that might not be necessary for every blogger.  I recommend checking out the plugin options if you have the time.  Be sure to make sure they are compatible with the most recently released version of WordPress.  Also, always read reviews!

7. Start blogging

In your dashboard, go to Posts and select Add New.  Start typing!

Jump on in. The waters fine!

Seriously though, the sooner you get started, the easier it is. You don’t have to promote your work immediately. You can always just publish a few posts just to have them out there. I left my first one up a month and edited it over and over again before I even told my best friend it existed. But it was out there, and it propelled me to write a second post, then a third and so on. You’ve just got to do it, and before long you’ll be an old pro!

So there you have it y’all!  The bare bones basic steps to starting your blog!  If that’s all you are wanting to do for now, you’re done.  If not, keep reading.

If you are wanting to monetize your blog – there are a whole bushel of other steps to go through. I’m in the process myself, and while I make a small amount of  money, I don’t feel like an expert just yet. But I did take a ton of great courses that offered me amazing advice on how to do this. Each one of them is extremely affordable and well worth the money. I’ll give you a very brief run down here – but if you’d like more information – be sure to check out my Resources page.

Courses:

• Ready, Set, Blog for Traffic by Elna Cain.  This was the first course I took and it is SLAM PACKED with awesome information. This lady knows her stuff y’all. She walked me through optimizing my blog for traffic and growing an audience instantly! Here is a link to her course.
• Boss Girl Bloggers – Pinterest Strategies to BOOST Blog Traffic Lauren DuClos The second course I took offered a ton more insight into Pinterest and how to set your profile up for success.  She even shared her specific Pinterest strategy!  And it’s only $15!  Check it out here.
• Blog  Biz School by Chantel Arnett If you have questions about organizing your blog, building an email list, creating a great opt-in, or virtually anything else this is the place for you!  Blog Biz school is all inclusive and includes an insane about of good stuff!  And, if you purchase lifetime membership, you only continue to grab great stuff that will help you make your blog successful.  If you’re ready to get started click here for more info.
• Pinterest Workshop by Victoria Moore  When I signed up for Victoria’s Pinterest workshop I was skeptical that she could give me new information.  I was certain my research was all inclusive.  But the workshop was only $5, and I thought I’d take a gamble and see.  Boy, did that gamble pay off!  I learned so much from her workshop y’all!  And she has it seriously underpriced!  Sign up for her next workshop  here for the amazing price of $5.  You won’t regret it!

And…speaking of Pinterest – I took what I learned from these sources and many others, and modified them to create my own Pinterest and Tailwind strategy.  Check out this post to see how I went from 7K monthly viewers to 400K monthly viewers in just 3 months!

Additionally – if you would like help with your own branding – I can help get you started with a classically creative blog logo that can be used across multiple platforms. My design packages are offered on my Work with Me page.