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I could go on for days about how beneficial it is to own a blog or website. I didn’t realize how beneficial it was until I was seven months into running my website. My blogging journey began in May of 2020 because of the free time I had at the start of the pandemic.
I knew I wanted something professional to add to my resume, that would also allow me to be creative with a chance to make money. It ended up being the best decision and investment I’ve made because I’ve landed internships and interviews because my website made me stand out. I’ve also made money from my blog (insane I know right!?), gained technical skills, and can creatively express myself.
Here are a few reasons to start a blog:
- You gain skills in writing, graphic design, SEO, social media, and marketing
- You become self-motivated and self-driven
- Owning a website can be added to your resume!
- You can make a passive income!
- You get your own space to be creative and can share it with everyone
- And this list can go on forever
Those are just a few reasons as to why you should start a blog, so let’s get into how to actually start a blog. It sounds really complex, but it’s easier than it sounds because the programs and companies I’m going to tell you about make it easy. (The hard part is actually running the blog and staying consistent.) I’m going to go through the basics of how to start a blog with these 3 easy steps to make it as simple as possible.
3 Steps To Make A Blog
1. Pick A Hosting and Platform Site
Why I Use WordPress and Bluehost
If you’ve been doing your research on starting a blog, then you know choosing a blogging platform is one of the trickiest parts because there are so many options, from WordPress to SquareSpace to Wix and on and on.
I personally use WordPress because every recognizable brand/company utilizes WordPress. For example, The New Yorker, Disney, and even Beyonce all use WordPress to run their websites. WordPress is immensely supported by creators and companies, and is by far, the most functional and professional. Any blogger that is making money blogging is utilizing WordPress.
I chose WordPress in the beginning because I found out about a blogger who was making $400,000/year using WordPress, insane, I know. If you choose to use a free blogging platform like Wix, Blogger, or Squarespace, that’s great too! But if you’re looking to have a real domain people can Google (ex. www.yoursitename.com), or want to make money, then 100% choose WordPress. Because you cannot make money using a free blogging platform.
Along with a blogging platform, you’ll need a hosting platform. A hosting platform in simple terms is basically the hard drive for your website, storing all the data for your blog. I use Bluehost because you get the most bang for your buck, and literally, everyone uses it because it’s made simple to use.
How To Get WordPress and Bluehost
First, you’re going to go to Bluehost and sign up! This will include a free domain (ex. www.yoursitename.com) and free SSL certification (which authenticates your website as safe). It will also sign you up for WordPress at the same time! Getting Bluehost will be the only thing you pay for throughout this entire process. And you can pay as little as $3.95 a month for 3 years. That’s what I did! It was personally the most affordable decision for me, and what my friends did as well for their blogs.
- First, click here to go to the Bluehost page
- You’re going to click “Get Started” and choose your plan. I picked the Basic 36-month plan.
- Pick your domain! A name that is short and sweet is the best way to go.
- Now fill out your info, and check out (it will ask if you want any of the Package Extras, the only one I got and recommend is the Domain Privacy Protection)
- You will then log into your Bluehost account and are going to log into WordPress!
2. Design and Aesthetics
Now that you’re set up and on WordPress, it’s time to handle the basics of your website! On the left of WordPress is the dashboard you’ll see Settings towards the bottom, so press on that and then on General. And you’re going to make sure that information is up to update, and fill in anything that is empty.
If you press on Appearance, and then Theme, you can choose the setup and design of your website. For now, pick something simple because you’re going to be focusing on the functionality of the blog. These are all free themes, but after several weeks of blogging, you may decide to pay for a new one. I paid for a newer theme through Etsy! I got mine here.
3. Pick a Niche and Write!
Since your website is ready to go, it’s time to decide what your niche will be about. Your niche will be what you want to talk about and what you want people to come to you for. In the beginning, I couldn’t choose a niche, so I wrote about three different topics for a few months until I stuck with fashion. This way it will be easier for you to figure out the overall theme and brand of your website.
Once you know your niche, get to writing! On the dashboard to the left, click on Posts. This is where you can create drafts and publish your writing to your blog.
I know this can all be a little overwhelming in the beginning, but trust me, if I was able to figure it out with Google and Youtube, you can too. WordPress can be very intimidating to use at first, but there’s a reason you gain so many skills by having a blog — because you’ll be learning new things constantly. (FYI: Pinterest, Google and Youtube were my biggest help through navigating WordPress.)
But How Do You Make Money With A Blog?
This is a process you’ll want to start after your website looks how you want, and have 10-15 posts published. Before, doing any of these though, you want to make sure you have a Disclaimer page on your site to let readers know you are making revenue, whether it’s from ads or affiliate marketing.
There are a ton of ways to make money through blogging, but the biggest are:
- Affiliate Marketing
This is the way I make an income blogging. I write posts on fashion, and throughout those posts, I link products. If someone were to buy a product through my link, I would make a small commission.
- Selling Products
You can offer anything you’d like on your website for sale. Bloggers often sell e-books or e-courses, presets, and planners and prints.
- Ad Revenue
Running ads is a really popular way to make a passive income through your website. Every time a user clicks on an ad posted on your blog, you make a small commission. This is great if you’re getting a ton of traffic to your blog, but if not, it may not be worth it. I don’t utilize ads on my site because I’m really specific about the way my pages look, and I dislike the way they interrupt aesthetics of a post.
Have any more questions about starting a website? Feel free to comment them below!
Living life, and writing about it as I go.
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