Today, I will be telling you about every single thing you need to have in place, in order to set up an amazing and profitable blog.
In fact, this is a complete guide for beginners on how to start a blog! With these five steps, your blog will be up and running.
I wrote a newer article on how to start a blog. Read it here.
Online Business Ideas For Lazy People
What Is A Blog?
I’ve got many questions like this and I think it is time to sort this out plainly.
A blog is an online platform where you can share your knowledge with a global audience.
It is that simple!
I did a Google search right now, and here’s another definition of what a blog is about:
Actually, a blog is a website. But it does not stop there – it is not just a website. It is a regularly updated website where people can find useful knowledge or opinions about certain topics.
So, maybe you love Football. And a small number of people agree with your knowledge and love what you do. Having a blog might be the platform you need. There are a number of reasons why you should open a blog, and I will talk about them.
Blogging is one of the ways to make money online.
Why You Should Have Your Blog
You should have your own blog, because of the following reasons
- Blogging is a hobby that can be monetized
- Blogging can give you exposure in your field
- Having a Blog is fun
- People need that Knowledge that you have
- Having a blog is a way of gathering all your thoughts on your OWN platform.
I promise to explain in great detail, why you may need a blog later. Because blogging is not for everyone, you will need some pointers that will help you decide whether blogging is for you, and I will treat that very soon.
Now, you are about to discover what you need in order to start your blog, and how you can get it done by yourself.
Can You Start Your Blog By Yourself?
Contrary to what you were expecting me to say, you can actually create a blog by yourself. It is 2021, and things have gotten easier. Yes, if you do not have that time, you can look at getting someone to create a website for you, but with just 5 steps, you can set up your own website, thanks to WordPress!
How to Start a Blog – The 5 Steps
Even my wonderful grandma can follow these steps, so you do not need to be a tech guru at all. It is an extremely simple process. I have helped a large number of people to create their blog because they wanted it done professionally and without any mistake. If you are like that, you can get it done for just $100 – Blog setup + Beautiful theme + SEO + Adsense ready settings. Send me a mail if you are interested.
But if you are reading this post, there is an 80% chance that you want to do it yourself, so I will teach you.
- Buy Your Domain Name
- Buy Your Web Hosting
- Install WordPress
- Install Necessary Themes and Plugins
- Join a WordPress community
1. Buy Your Domain Name:
The first step to getting your blog set up is to buy your domain name.
What is a Domain Name? I will explain it to you.
A domain name is a location on the internet. It is just like the address of your physical house. A visitor will need that address to know where you live. Similarly, a domain name is a unique web address that leads people to your website or blog.
Now, the domain name is not the actual website. But it is a specific address that people need to find your blog. Just like no two houses have the same address, your domain name is unique to you.
You will need to buy a domain name in order to start your blog. You may be wondering, “Where do I buy a domain name?”
Namecheap sells the cheapest domain names. “Namecheap” is not coincidental. Now, we all know cheap things do not last, but trust me, Namecheap is an exception. And if you are ready to take the first step, you should buy your domain name now from Namecheap.
When you visit that link above, you should see something like this:
As you can see, for just some cents, you can purchase your domain name. Depending on your desired extension (.com or .org or .anything), prices might vary.
Availability
Because there are millions of websites on the internet, it is impossible for you to buy acanbi.com (obviously because I own it already), or google.com, or even easy.com. You know the first reason – someone has a website using that address. Another reason is that some people have bought the ‘easy’ and short domain names a long time ago, knowing that others would need them. Now, they sell those domains for hundreds or thousands of dollars. That’s business!
Now that you have your domain name, the next thing that I will talk about is Setting up your Web Hosting.
2. Buy Your Web Hosting
After you have set up your domain name, the next thing on your agenda is to buy Web Hosting. Now, just like domain names, there are various websites where you can buy web hosting, but the ONE PLACE that is both affordable and very good is Namecheap.
If you are ready, Buy your Web Hosting from Namecheap.
Namecheap offers three major plans, and you can decide which one you want, depending on your budget. Of course, the more expensive the plan, the higher the quality of the website. I use the Stellar Plus plan for acanbi.com, for example. This isn’t even the biggest web hosting plan on Namecheap, yet my website performs very well and hardly has downtime.
Once you get the hosting purchased too, the next thing is to install WordPress on your web hosting.
HAVE YOU READ: INTRODUCTION TO AFFILIATE MARKETING?
3. Install WordPress
The next thing you should do is install WordPress on your hosting. Here is a video that shows you how to do that.
4. Install Necessary Themes and Plugins
WordPress allows you to customize your blog the way you want it to be. Inside your dashboard, you will be able to download and install a free theme. Alternatively, you can buy a premium paid theme from Themeforest.
5. Join a WordPress Community
If you want to do well in WordPress, you will need to learn off-the-books secrets of blog growth. Join my WordPress community for free today!
Conclusion
Starting your blog is very very easy. The most important thing is the responsibility that comes with it. You must make sure that you decide to post consistently, to keep your blog alive. With Namecheap, you can buy cheap domain names and web hosting.
I have been blogging since 2015, and it has been an amazing experience, with lots of lessons learned.
Do you have questions, or did you enjoy this article? Please share it, and let me hear what you feel.
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