After weeks or months of thinking of the perfect idea for your blog, you finally have it! You know what the theme will be, the different types of posts you will have, even how often you want to post. The only thing missing is starting the blog!
Blogging is one of the most popular ways of communicating nowadays. In 2016, 67 million people blogged on blogging sites. If you are a small business and have a blog, you could be seeing a 126% increase in leads generation!
Why Start A Blog?
Blogging is one of the most popular ways of communicating nowadays. In 2016, 67 million people blogged on blogging sites. Before you get started, think about the reason why you want to start a blog. Here are a few of the most popular reasons.
Make side money. So many people dream about making money off of their blog. It is not easy making money as a blogger, but it is possible if you are willing to put in the effort. Luckily, it is a relatively low risk due to the low overhead costs, and it is easy to get started (as you will soon find out!)
Get more exposure for your business or organization. Businesses that blog 16+ blog posts per month got almost 3.5 times more traffic than companies that only published 0-4 monthly posts. Plus, your blog can help increase your SEO if you are putting forth valuable content. If you are a small business and have a blog, you could be seeing a 126% increase in leads generation!
Give yourself a voice. A blog can help you create a two-way conversation with others, helping you to get your opinions out there. If you are passionate about something, write about it! Writing blogs can help you think more, and can energize your day by giving yourself something to look forward to doing.
No matter what your reason for starting a blog is, today is the day to get started on your blog and make your blog dreams come true!
Pick A Name And Domain
Step one can be the one that people get stuck on for the longest. Coming up with the perfect name for your blog is tough so if you haven’t started thinking, start brainstorming now! A good blog name should be one that is descriptive enough so your readers what your blog is about generally.
It is better to come with more than one blog name because you want a name that is unique and can stand out. Do a bit of online research to make sure no one has the same name as you.
After you have picked out a name, you will have to purchase a domain that matches. First, make sure that no one has taken your desired name and go ahead and buy it.
Choose A Reliable Hosting Platform
Now that you have figured out the name of your new blog and purchased the domain, the next step is finding a hosting platform. A hosting provider is someone who provides the technology needed for someone to view a website on the Internet. Nowadays, it isn’t even necessary to know one bit of coding, so don’t get too worried about the aesthetic of your website yet!
We recommend going with A2 Hosting to start off your blog. You can buy a domain off of A2 Hosting for $14.95 for the year, and their hosting plans start at $3.92 a month. They have a WordPress specific blogging plan with a turbo server option, which brings you speeds 20 times faster than the average.
Once you signed up for your hosting plan, the next step is to download WordPress for your blog. Many web hosting providers (like A2 Hosting!) use 1-click installs, which make it incredibly easy to install WordPress. Follow the instructions on the website, and once you have downloaded WordPress, you are ready to start designing your website.
Customize Your Blog
Time for the fun to begin, which is making your blog beautiful! Now, this might seem intimidating, but it is not difficult. No coding experience is necessary; you can use a free or paid WordPress theme that is installed easily with just a single click.
Look for a theme that fits what your blog content. If you are making a food blog, some themes can help you showcase your recipes more attractively. If you are starting a photo blog, there are themes to choose from for that as well! No matter what it is you are looking for, WordPress most likely has it.
However, if you want to find a host that helps you create a website a bit easier, website builders could be the right option for you. Hosting providers offer site builders to help you quickly set up a website in just minutes. Their “drag & drop†options make it incredibly easy for you. For more information, read our article here on our favorite website builders.
Install Plugins
Plugins are pieces of software that act as an add-on to a web browser. It will help give your website additional functionality and can be useful for making your site even better. WordPress has tons of free plugins available ranging from plugins to help with SEO, monitor your analytics, or also share your content on social media.
Start Writing!
You have done all the hard work, and your website should be all set up, and ready to go! It’s time to start blogging. Think of creative content so that your visitors will want to keep coming back for more and more amazing posts from you.
As your blog starts to grow, you can begin to think about upgrading to a host that can handle all upcoming traffic or your changing needs.
Get out there and start blogging!
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