How to Start a Blog in 2018: A Step-by-Step Guide for Writers

Do you have a knack for writing or do you feel the need to start a blog? Having a blog can be a massive boost to your business, and vice-versa. However, this doesn’t imply that every blogger out there does so, for the sake of money.
For a beginner, it may feel intimidating to start a blog? There is numerous advice on how to go about it, but whom can you trust. Before I started blogging, I hadn’t decided that it was what I wanted to do.
Somehow, I just came to a decision and am loving every journey of it. I have and probably will continue to face the ups and downs of blogging, making mistakes here and there, and learning to take lessons from them. As you look for manual data entry, here’s a step by step article to guide you in starting your blogging journey:


Self-hosting vs Free Hosting

The initial stage of starting a blog requires much research. If you choose the wrong service provider, it may cost you in the future. While you don’t need to spend money to start blogging, it’s something you have to consider critically.
If you aren’t keen on going it big right from the start, you can use any of these free blogging platforms: Blogger, WordPress.com, Tumblr, Medium, Blogspot, and the likes. However, these come with their limitation on what you can or cannot do with your blog.
First, you have no ownership over the blog, and if they want to, they can delete it. You won’t get to own your domain name and have to stick to a preset URL format. You have to stick to the basic templates of the host.
You won’t even be able to monetize your site, among other things. A web hosting company are who put your website, online. Check iPage, BlueHost, Godaddy, and more. Beware of web hosts that have hidden fees and poor customer service.
Remember, cheap is sometimes costly in disguise.

Domain Name

It is the address of your blog, e.g. (Facebook.com). The choice of topics to cover in your blog will guide you in finding a suitable domain name. It is advisable to stick to a specific area, or niche. However, you can also decide to write on a variety of topics.
If you are good at alphanumeric data entry, then, coming up with captivating and easy to remember, name, for your domain, may not be tedious. Also, you can settle to using your name. Typically, a domain name costs about $10-15 each year.
Put some thought into the choice of domain name, as it has an impact on your rankings, and defines your brand. It is also the first impression that visitors have of your site. It should be easy to type, pronounce, and concise.

Blogging Platform

You have probably heard of WordPress, or come across bloggers who use it. In the world, it is among the biggest blogging platforms. You will have access to unlimited add-ons and plugins, to ease the use and design of your site.
It is easy to use and free. All you need to get is a web host that is cheap and a domain. You get to choose from over 5000 themes the look of your site. To spice up the deal, it is what most bloggers use.
Most hosting service providers have a “one-click” WordPress installation. So, at the click of a button, you will have installed WordPress on your blog. To keep your details private and to enjoy automated back-ups, consider getting whois privacy.

Customization

Now you have already chosen a web host, have a descriptive domain name and have installed WordPress; it is time to personalize your blog. With WordPress, you can change the layout of your blog with a click.
The theme you choose is important because it determines how your blog will look like. There are free and premium themes to choose from. Moreover, you can change from one to another.
Just try not to make the changes often, you want your readers to be at the same pace as the site. Choose a simple design that will make it easy for readers to navigate your site. Since we are in a mobile-first internet era, ensure that it is responsive.
In that, it can adjust to the different devices and screen sizes. Test the speed of the theme with Pingdom, and find one that’s optimized for SEO “SEO ready”.

Write Your Content

It’s now time to publish your content. Remember to drive traffic to your site by sharing on social media. If you are ready, you can monetize the site and earn money passively.
Ensure that you publish engaging content regularly. You have to do what will keep your site in the mind of your readers. Create a free Google Analytics account, to help you track your stats.
Set up a Feedburner account so that readers can subscribe to the site through RSS subscriptions and email.
Conclusion
The most difficult stages of starting a blog are the first two or three steps. Once through with them, you can comfortably set up and design your site the way you want it to appear. You can even do so; as you search for blogging.

Post a Comment

Previous Post Next Post