One of the biggest concerns for me, when I launched my blog, was what platform to use. I knew I had to purchase a domain name and hosting, but how to bring them together and make them work as one was a mystery to me. Because I was a new to tech world, I knew I wanted something easy, yet something that looked professional. However, the easy solutions that were already put together looked amateurish and unprofessional.
Because of this, I decided to hire a graphic designer to help me with the logistics of uploading WordPress to my host and to create a custom theme for me.
I had never worked with a graphic designer and knew nothing about how the design process was supposed to work. I ended up paying for all of her services upfront and sadly for me it was a costly mistake ($600 which did not include hosting costs or a domain purchase).
After months of waiting for her to complete the work, she stopped communicating with me completely. Left with an incomplete blog, I had to hire a web programmer to fix what she had left undone (another $150).
From start to finish it took four months to set up my blog. A process that I was initially told would take 6-8 weeks. Starting a blog doesn't have to be slow, expensive, or a hassle. In fact, if I had to do it again this is exactly how I’d go about it.
Before you jump in, be sure to grab these freebies:
Sign-up here for my free 25-page Blogging e-Book on how to start a blog, write content, get traffic, and make money!
And grab this freebie, the Secret Blueprint for Blogging Success, so you can organize your blog for maximum success!
Here's How to Start a Blog in Nine Easy Steps:
Step 1: Choose Your Niche
Before you start choosing a domain name and theme, you need to figure out what topics your blog is going to cover. What are you going to write about on a regular basis? You may already have an idea in mind, but if not, I suggest doing some intense brainstorming. Write a list of your passions, hobbies, and dreams, and a second list with your skills, experiences, and areas of expertise. Then start thinking about possible blog post ideas for each topic. If you're coming up short on article ideas, it's probably not the best topic for a niche.
You'll want to take a good amount of time with this step, as your niche is the basis for everything else you'll do with your blog. If you need more help picking a niche, check out this post for some helpful tips.
Step 2: Setup Your Hosting Account
When I set up my hosting account, there were so many steps involved. I had to decide between a Linux or Windows account, then there was the whole separate c-panel, and FTP, that I was totally lost. Save yourself a headache and use Bluehost. They have made the process so simple, anyone can do it, no tech experience needed. Besides being simple Bluehost offers 24-7 support via phone, email, and chat — which you’ll want should you ever encounter a problem. They’re also affordable ($2.95 to $5.45 a month, plus a free domain), which is a huge plus if you’re launching your blog on a shoestring budget.
For step 1 all you have to do is go to Bluehost.com and click on the green “get started now” button – easy peasy.
Step 3: Select Which Hosting Plan You Want
With Bluehost, there are three hosting options to choose from, Basic for $2.95/month, or Plus or Prime for $5.45/month — these prices are only available through my link, normally it's $3.95 and $5.95 a month) If you have the funds, I’d suggest going with the Plus Plan, because you get more unlimited features; and as your website grows you can switch to a more robust plan.
Step 4: Choose Your Domain Name
When you choose a domain name you’ll want to follow three simple rules:
1. Keep it simple. Refrain from words that are hard to spell or remember.
2. Use a dot.com – .com is what most people remember when typing in a web address.
3. Beware of words with multiple spellings: example: to, two, or too.
Once you’ve decided on a domain name type it into the search box and click next to see if it is available. You may need to brainstorm a few ideas to get the keywords and .com that you want, but don’t worry you’ll find one that works.
When you find your domain name, you’ll need to create your Bluehost account which includes name, address, phone number, and email address.
Step 5: Pay for Your Hosting Package
After you have your account created, you’ll be directed to a page where you need to select your hosting package. You can choose to pay for your hosting in a 12 month period, 24 month period, or a 36 month period — the longer the plan, the cheaper your price. Next, add your payment info and wait for an email confirmation of registration – this only takes a minute or two.
Step 6: Install WordPress
The awesome thing about Bluehost is they make installing WordPress a snap! No tech background needed. Once you’re registered with Bluehost, you’ll receive an email with your c-panel login credentials (Don’t worry, c-panel is short for your control panel and once you log in it’s a couple of clicks to install WordPress).
Once you’re logged in you’ll get a popup screen that says, install WordPress or concrete5, just click on the green “Install WordPress” button. Next, it will ask you which domain you’d like to install WordPress on — choose your domain from the drop-down box and click on the green button, “Check Domain.” When the install starts, you’ll get a screen that says, “Ok, we’re setting up WORDPRESS for you!”
When the install is finished, you’ll get a status update: Installation Complete. On this page, you’ll also get your WordPress login credentials – use these to log in to your new blog, congrats! From beginning to end it takes about 15 – 20 minutes to register, pay, and install.
Step 7: Make it Pretty
Now, you may be wondering if it’s difficult to navigate WordPress and I can tell you from experience it’s not. If you can navigate around a Word Document — you’ll be just fine.
When you log in to WordPress, there are some free design templates/themes (on the left-hand side under, appearance) that you can use to customize your site. However, if you’re willing to spend $35 – $199 you can get a stylish, professional-looking theme that will make you stand out from the crowd. You can either purchase a theme from the Marketplace (located on the left-hand sidebar in WordPress), or you can purchase a theme through Thesis or StudioPress (they have a much larger design selection than the Marketplace).
The process of customizing your blog will take some time (probably a few days), but it’s super easy and fun, and no professional designer is needed. In fact, when I did my site redesign this year, I purchased a theme from StudioPress. I can't tell you how much I love it, it's so easy to modify, and it only took a few days to get everything into place.
Step 8: Marketing Your Blog
Before you can start making money from your blog, you need to market it — basically, let people know about it. Here are some of the most popular methods for getting traffic and marketing your new blog.
Email Marketing – From the day you launch your blog, you need to be collecting email addresses from your readers so that you can remain in contact with them. To do this, you'll need to sign up with an email marketing provider. Don't worry, you don't need to spend a lot of money to get started, in fact, you can get a free account with Constant Contact or Sendinblue.
For a limited time, Sendinblue is offering readers of TWAHW a 99% off discount on their first paid month of service when you go through this link here.
Once you're signed up — you'll install forms and sign-up boxes on your blog so you can collect reader's email addresses, and send them regular correspondence. This post explains email marketing in more detail so you can get the hang of it quickly.
SEO – SEO stands for search engine optimization. Basically, you want search engines, like Google, to index and rank your content high in their algorithm, so that when people do an internet search — your content is easily found (preferably on page one). So when you research and write your content you'll want to consider your niche, keywords, questions, and phrases that individuals are searching for and intertwine these into your blog posts. This is an oversimplified definition, but it gives you the gist of what SEO can do your blog. This article talks more about SEO so you can start learning the ropes.
Social Media – To help spread the word about new posts on your blog, you'll want to create social media profiles with some of the various platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Each platform has its own pros and cons and which ones you choose to use will depend on your bandwidth and niche. I suggest starting with two-three and investing time in nurturing and growing them before adding more to the mix.
Step 9: Making Money From Your Blog
There are so many ways to earn money from your blog, from direct ad sales and ad networks to affiliate marketing and digital earning – so make sure to check out these must-read articles.
- How to Get Companies to Purchase Advertising Space on Your Blog
- Increase Your Blog’s Money-Making Potential with Affiliate Marketing
- How to Get Your First Blog Advertiser
- 7 Surefire Ways to Boost Your Blog Income Overnight
And make sure to grab my FREE blogging e-book, where you'll learn tips for creating awesome content, getting traffic, and monetizing your blog.
Conclusion.
I'm obviously a huge fan of starting a blog, but there are many reasons why you should consider blogging too. You get to work in a niche that you love, it's easy and affordable to get started, and it offers freedom, flexibility, and financial stability.
Do you want to start a blog? What's holding you back? What questions do you have about the setup process? Drop me a note below and I'll respond to your question personally.
You’ll Also Love These Posts:
Studies have shown if you like this blog post — you will also love the following articles. I handpicked them just for you!
- My Path to Earning a Full-Time Blogging Income
- How to Work with Brands: Learning the Ropes of Influencer Marketing
- How to Really Make Money Blogging From Home
Holly Reisem Hanna is the publisher and founder of The Work at Home Woman, which has been helping individuals find remote careers and businesses that feed their souls since 2009. Through her unconventional career path of holding over 30 jobs and obtaining two college degrees, she’s been able to figure out how to find a career path that you’re truly passionate about. Holly’s had the pleasure of sharing her expertise on sites like CNN, MSN Money, Huffington Post, Woman’s Day Magazine, as well as being recognized by Forbes as one of the “Top 100 Websites for Your Career.” Holly resides in Austin, Texas, with her husband and daughter and enjoys reading, traveling, and yoga.
This post includes affiliate links. Please be aware that we only promote advertising from companies that we feel we can legitimately recommend to our readers. See our disclosure policy for further information.
Shawna Davis says
I was thinking of doing a labor and delivery blog (L&D nurse for 15 yrs), do you think there is room for one?
Holly Reisem Hanna says
Hi Shawna,
I haven’t researched the niche — but I’m sure people are searching for information on L&D. What aspects would you cover? Those looking to become L&D nurses? Coping tips for L&D nurses? L&D tips for pregnant women? I’d create a list of all the categories and sub-categories that you’d like to cover. Then start Googling the terms to see what people are searching for and what else is out there. Keywords Everywhere is an excellent tool to determine the search volume of keywords.
Good luck and keep me posted!
brittany Jordan says
Why is hosting on word press important wat does it offer u
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Brittany,
Hosting is basically where your website lives on a server. It’s a service that you’ll need to purchase if you want to own and monetize your blog fully. The domain, or URL, is the address of your website.
Let me know if that makes sense — I know it’s kind of confusing.
Sue Denym says
I have a blog, but I picked a tough niche. That or I’m doing something majorly wrong. My upward trajectory is slooooowww. and Googleads doesn’t seem to be paying me what they pay others. (My sister has a successful blog. She is on Mediavine now, but when she was using GoogleAds, she was getting paid much more per view.
Any thoughts?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Sue,
Have you tried Media.net? I found that I made more with them than I did with Google Adsense. You should also diversify your income streams. Do you do affiliate marketing? Or do you work with brands?
Here are a couple of helpful posts:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/affiliate-marketing/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/become-an-influencer/
Angela Corne says
I’ve been reading more and more about blogging as a way to earn an income. I love crafting so I know what I could blog about. But my question is more on what content can you use. For example, if I want to explain about a craft I’m making, but the idea came from Pinterest or a craft site. Can you use it and just make sure you credit where the idea came from? Hope that makes sense. Thanks!
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Angela,
Yes, you’ll always want to credit your sources. You’ll also need to take your own photos, purchase commercial-free stock photos, or get written permission to use the source’s photos.
Good luck and keep me posted!
Evalynne says
I don’t have any expertise in anything I want to write about. I graduated from college 10 years ago and never got a full time job. The most money I ever got is from what I’m doing now, pet sitting, which is $1000/month, not enough to live on. I like to write, I have written novels, but only published 2 short stories and self-published 3 short novels so I wouldn’t call myself an expert. I graduated with political science and am interested in international events, but I don’t really have expertise and doubt that could be a money making topic.
WHAT DO I DO????? HELP
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Evalynne.
Everyone, including yourself, has areas of expertise and passion. What you need to do is dig deep and figure out what they are.
Start by creating lists of your skills, your passions, things you’re interested in learning more about, classes in college that excited you, and then also list things that you don’t like or don’t want to do. Also, ask friends and family what positive qualities and traits they see if you. When you do this exercise, you’ll begin to see different patterns emerge which can help lead you to your true passion.
This article also has some good ideas for figuring out your writing niche:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/writing-niche/
Good luck and keep me posted!
acha says
When you pay for bluehost do you have to pay for word press too? I wanted wordpress but the cost of it is just too much at the moment.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
No, WordPress is a free platform.
Chekwube Nwadugbo says
Hello , all I’ve got is a iphone and internet, can I put out a blog with just that?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
You can. There is a WordPress app, although, I don’t know how easy it would be to set up. I personally wouldn’t be able to write my content using a smartphone — it’s just too small.
Alison Wright says
Hi Holly
I’m enjoying your blog – thank you for all the information. Blogging is terrific but I notice some of the comments on this post are from readers who are desperate to make money quickly. One lady was worried about losing her house. Blogging is excellent for a side income but it takes time to be successful. I would be worried about anyone using blogging to replace a full-time income from the get-go. That would be a lot of pressure.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Alison,
I completely agree — blogging income can take time to build. Even on my own journey, I freelanced for many years, while running my blog. With any business you start, you need to be prepared to “work for free” while you’re building up your business and client base. That’s why it’s so important to have a plan and a backup plan before you leap.
Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!
Music Geek says
Yes, I like your efforts, and way to explaining the things clearly.
I know it’s not very easy to start a blog and earning money at home, it’s take time to establish your brand and fame at the web.
There are numbers of things which you keep in mind while taking step towards this platform,
Patience, resistance, consistency, hard-work, research, innovation, designing, and communications.
If you have all these above things you can plunge in this mud lol!
Otherwise stay, there are numbers of a person running a different blog in different niches like music, entertainment, health, and many others.
Isaac Wanyoike says
Hi Holly, thank you very much for your very educative article about blog creation. I also want to create a blog. I am living in tight budget. How much dollars roughly will it cost to create a domain?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Isaac,
Through my affiliate link, you can secure hosting for as little as $2.95 a month. But you have to purchase the 36-month package, which would be $106.20 — but this includes a free domain name. You can use a free theme, but I highly suggest purchasing one, for $39 – $130. You can buy a custom logo design on Fiverr for $5, and you can use Sendinblue for email marketing which is free for a certain number of email subscribers. All in all, it shouldn’t cost you any more than $150.20 – $241.20 (plus tax).
If money is super tight, you could go with the 12-month hosting package for $4.95 a month which would cost $59.40, plus your theme and logo.
Good luck and let me know which path you decide to take.
lakecityHandicrafts says
Thanks for the article, Helpful info, and it sounds like setting up a blog is do-able….!
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Glad you enjoyed the tutorial.
Barbara says
I’d like to start a blog, I feel it’s easy but with all the info don’t know where to start. The goal is to have fun with it and earn potential income. How do I come up with great topics people would go for. I tried this kinda before but didn’t complete process. It gave me headache ??. By the way thanks for your blogging education. Very informative..?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Barbara,
Have you taken a personal inventory as I suggested in step number one? It all starts with brainstorming and working out from there.
For example, if your hobby is cooking, start with the different categories of recipes you enjoy cooking: Baking, Grilling, Vegetarian, Gluten Free, Beef, Chicken, Crockpot, Budget, Exotic, etc. Then break it down from there: Baking: Cookies, Pies, Cakes, Breads, Quick Breads, Baking Tips, etc. If you’re not coming up with enough categories, sub-categories, and topic ideas, it’s probably not a sustainable topic for you.
Also, research what’s already out there and figure out your point of difference. This first step will probably take the longest amount of time, but it’s also the most important.
Good luck and keep me posted!
Maureen says
I appreciate all the info you have here. I have had to retire from a 50 year career because of a health problem and I desperately need to find something to do at home to keep from losing my house. I have been looking at your site for months now, and just can’t find anything I would be interested in doing. I had a blog once before, years ago, and loved it, but never made any money from it as I didn’t understand how to. I have stayed away from the blogging idea because I know it takes a while to get going (making any money) and I need some NOW. But, after months of not finding anything else suitable, I have decided that if I don’t get started doing something, I’ll never get anywhere. After reading all of your info here, and printing out all of the basics to get started, it’s a little daunting! There’s so much more to it than I thought. I think I know what topic, niche, to use and want to start with affiliate marketing, but there is SO much to know and get it started! I hope I am able to get this all figured out! One thing you suggested is to connect with other bloggers to get tips on how to do things. How do you do that? Where do you find them?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Maureen,
Facebook has a bunch of great blogging groups. Just type blogging groups into the search function and join the ones that appeal to you.
Good luck on your journey =)
Kim says
I think the biggest challenge for me is coming up with an idea for a blog. I am a skilled writer, but coming up with the niche to blog about seems to be my major hurdle at this point. Also, once you come up with a theme to blog about – how do you determine whether or not that theme is already being covered in an existing blog? Thank you.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Kim,
I like to make a list of my passions, hobbies, skills, experience, interests, and schooling and do mind-mapping exercise to see if I can come up with enough topic ideas on that subject matter. If I can only come up with a handful, it’s probably not something I’m genuinely passionate about.
Once you have your niche picked out, then start researching what else is out there. Do a Google search, Instagram search, and Pinterest search — this will give you a wealth of information. Once you find your competitors, figure out how you can put your unique spin on the topic. I like to include personal stories in my content because I know that no-one else will have exact experiences.
Good luck and keep us posted =)
Basanta Kumar Rout says
Though I am a man I liked your blog very much. I am also from none tech background. Want to start a blog related to health and fitness. So plz give any suggestion.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
The information here is applicable to both women and men =)
Just start with the steps above, and work your way through the tutorial. Pick out a fitness and health-related theme, and start writing your content.
Let me know if you have a more specific question — or if you’re stuck on one of the steps.
Good luck!
Miguel Castro says
Can we set up Adsense for a free WordPress theme? And a free shopping cart theme. Anybody can help.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Yes, you can set AdSense up on a free theme. AdSense does have some rules for getting started, you can check them out here: https://www.google.com/adsense/
You can also find free themes and plugins by doing a Google search.
Good luck!
Alma Ware says
Hello,
I want to start an educational tutoring blog but I want to earn money. I presently private tutor from home but want to expand and be able to charge from online but I also want to be blogging about education informing parents and students. I am not sure how to set that up once I set up the blog. Can you offer some help on how I can go about that. I don’t have a website yet but I am looking to set up blog page before August 2018 Birthday gift to myself.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
That’s awesome, Alma!
YES! We have a blog set-up tutorial right here: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/setup-blog/
Let me know if you have any questions.
Good luck!
Victoria at The Bustiest says
Great article Holly! Very helpful and beginner friendly, if I may say :) I loved how you went in depth about every single aspect! I pretty much knew all of the above and I would agree with you on everything, especially on the making something ”look pretty” part. This is more than crucial if you want to get great responses from the readers.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Glad you enjoyed the tutorial, Victoria!
How long have you been blogging?
Shannon Y. says
Hi Holly, I am considering starting a money making blog. Is this something you would consider being able to make a living fairly quickly at, or can I expect it to take a while? Thank you for all of the great information.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Shannon,
If you put your nose to the grindstone — you can earn good money within a year, but the general rule of thumb is blogging is not the fast lane to making cash quickly. I’ve been blogging for nine years, but it took me five years to hit the six-figure mark. Bloggers like Sarah Titus have hit the six-figure mark within a year. Kristin Larsen started making $3,500 a month at the five-month mark. You can read their stories below:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/single-mom-six-figures/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/monetize-her-pinterest-activity/
Good luck and keep us posted!
Oshi says
Hi, I have heard that if you re a graphics designer its best to have a unique design for your portfolio. So in that case case is it possible to customize the web design as we like? Any restrictions? or any recommendations for a theme as of such?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
When you purchase a theme, you can customize it in a variety of ways. You can also insert your unique logo. Be sure that you’re complying with copyright laws for your images and fonts.
Cheryl says
I did accounting books for customers in Va. I now live in Alabama. I have twenty years of experience, i worked as an Accountant for several companies before i opened up my own business.
What would be the easiest and less costs way to once again do books at home? I have QuickBooks Pro Accountant version on my computer.
Thank you for replying.
CHERYL M.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Check out this post, Cheryl: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/bookkeeping-business/
Elsie says
Hi Holly
Nice article and I am really inspired. I have a free WordPress blog and I would like to take the next step of getting a domain and making money from it.
I have a problem getting a nitche, I want to write about girls/women. I have a problem getting a good name for the blog.
I just write on things that cross my mind, please help me with some advice
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Elsie,
Glad you enjoyed the article!
Take a look at these posts:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/writing-niche/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/finding-your-niche-by-following-your-heart/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/stand-out-blog/
Finance Care Online says
It’s a good topic, I have been using Blogger platform more than 5 years. You can use that also, where you need too buy only domain and after that you can setup blogger blog in Blogspot hosting which is absolutely free.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Glad you enjoyed the article!
Yes, you can use Blogger, and it’s free, but you’re limited in how you can monetize your blog. If you want to be a professional blogger, I highly suggest paying for your domain and hosting so that you own your platform and can monetize in any way you wish.
Georgette says
Holly,
You have provided a substantial amount of information regarding Bluehost and Word Press which is most helpful to say the least. What I would like to do is create a site which I can display and sell products from. Can I use Bluehost and WordPress to do this? If so, how do I go about it. What plan should I consider? I’m looking for ways to make money from home.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Yes, you can create an e-commerce site with Bluehost and WordPress, but you’ll have to add either a plugin or an e-commerce platform like Shopify as well. I would go with the top plan if you’re able to do so. Make sure you do more research in terms of adding the shop — there are lots of different options out there — all with their own pros and cons.
Shakoya says
I created my blog today on WordPress and I can’t do no packages for hosting and domain right now. Can I still get traffic without all that? I did also do my first post and a lot of the customation. Am I okay to put it off?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Yes, you can still get traffic using the free version of WordPress. It’s fine to put it until you can afford it.
Irene says
Have thought about setting up a blog many times but didn’t know how or were to start. Put it off because the whole process overwhelmed me. Thank you for breaking the process down, I will have to just decide on a topic.
Alejandra says
Great article! I’ve been trying to set up a blog, but due to lack of funds I began on the WordPress free platform. Is it practical to keep developing content for that free blog and then transport it to a paid platform or should I begin from scratch on a paying site? And also, how much content should I have before I launch my blog? I’ve wanted it to be so perfect I’ve barely brought myself to write, even though I have so many wonderful posts trapped in my head, but they have to get out of there, I need to start! Thanks in advance!
Shelley says
I just have to say, you have provided the public with so much useful information. Thank you – it’s very helpful! Although I have a blog, it’s not in my niche area, have so much to think about now! Amazing work!!!
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Thanks, Shelley! Appreciate your kind words!
Debra says
Thank you so much for this informative yet free startup article which is better than what Ive seen from those who charge. I want to know should I start with one thing cause I got so many things in my head that I have a passion for. Home Interior Design, Clothes , and everything a woman love and see where Anthropologie has pulled it off very well.
I was looking at reviews on web hosting which Host Gator Cloud came in first showing the best upload speed which understand is an essential element to have for a site and Blue Host Cloud in 4th but understand they are great for beginners so Im at a lost now.
Also saw if one hates content writing I can pay to have it done in one of your other articles which I think Im going to do because I’m not good at it.
Any insight to these issues would be most appreciative.
thanks in advance
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Debra, I don’t have any experience with Host Gator. I like Blue Host because it’s easy for beginners to set up. Not all hosting companies make the process this easy. I started off with Go Daddy and I wasn’t happy with their services and I need a web programmer to upload the blog to the host because the process, at least 8 years ago, wasn’t intuitive. Also, if you don’t enjoy writing — blogging probably isn’t the right path for you.
Ariel berrios says
Hello! I am so happy I found this article. I hope you can answer a few questions for me! I actually want to start my own event blog bc I would love to start planning events in regards to food and activities?. I love booking restaurants for my friends and family, they always look to me to find a place for them and I feel so good when they tell me they loved what I suggested for them! I am 23 and currently in college . I have been wanting to kick this off for years and was wondering if you have any frost step suggestions for someone who is not majoring in this field! ( I am a public relations major) Thank you so so much, wonderful help! :)
Ariel B
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
After you have your blog set up, you’ll want to install these must-have plugins for added functionality. All of these are free for the basic usage.
Yoast (SEO plugin)
WordFence (Security and anti-virus plugin)
Askimet (SPAM plugin)
Google Analytics for WordPress (Traffic data)
Social Warfare or Shareaholic (Social sharing buttons)
Next, you’ll want to set up your social media profiles/accounts.
After that get comfortable with blogging, writing, responding to comments, promoting your content, etc. You can grab me free e-book which helps with writing, getting traffic and monetizing. https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/newsletter-signup/
Deja Taylor says
What do I blog about? A general topic or a specific topic?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Here are a couple of helpful posts on how to choose a blog niche:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/writing-niche/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/stand-out-blog/
Mark says
I love helping people and went through my own weight loss journey and when face to face with people I do very well and pretty quick I get more and more people but its a face to face thing where Im teaching a crossfit or boot-camp style outdoor exercise routine and follow it up with some dietary knowledge and its a great combo but….I started a blog a while back and wrote some of my best secrets in some well written blog articles and also started a youtube channel. I stayed at it for a few months and got maybe 5 followers on the blog and a few dozen views on my youytube videos. I dont understand because some of the most ridiculous youtube weight loss videos brag about losing 10 pounds in 10 days and some bikini clad babe give the most bland answer like “Dont forget to drink lots of water” [that was day 1]…and has millions of views!
I want to blog about health, and add affiliate marketing to it but honestly, I dont know how to bring in readers that want to lose weight.
any advice on how to bring readers to my blog?
Many thanks and love your articles!
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
How are you promoting your blog, Mark?
Michael says
I didnt want this to be my first post, but I think that is what he is asking. What ARE the best ways to promote a blog? I think we all of us would be interested in knowing. Thanks.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Michael,
This post explains in depth 20 different ways to get traffic to your blog:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/20-ways-to-drive-traffic-to-your-blog/
Let me know if you have more questions — thanks!
Riley says
Thank you so much for all of this useful information. I am very excited to start blogging and getting everything together and your post is so clear and easy to follow!
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Good luck, Riley. Keep us posted =)
Ekanem says
Hi holly, hope my geographic location won’t affect me when I want to make payment. I am in Africa, what payment option will I use? Thanks
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
It depends on how you monetize your blog and what payment methods are available in your locale. With blogging, you’re running a business, not working a job.
Mark says
Greetings Holly;
Thank you so much for sharing your information to all that are interested. I am interested in creating a moneymaking Blog. Subject is musicians with instruments. And I hope to attract advertisements. Do you have any ideas or direction you could point me to? I am extremely new to the work from home and Blogging concepts. Thank you
MJM
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Mark,
What aspect do you need help with?
JT says
Thanks! This is great information. I’ll be using this to launch my blog in January.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Good luck, JT. Keep me posted!
Musa says
Thanks so much. Suppose I select the Basic Plan, must I pay before registration is effected or later; say before the month runs out?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Musa, With BlueHost you pay for the year in advance. Let me know if that answers your question.
carol says
Great article. I have now taken the plunge. I feel like I have over researched and as my sister just told me, I just have to do it. So I did, and later today I will begin work on making the blog itself.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Yay, way to go, Carol. Cheering you on all the way — keep us posted!
carol says
If only it was as easy as you describe. I’ve got my domain. but as for the rest who knows? Bluehost is barely user friendly and so far wordpress is garbage. and every single item want more and more money. I’m about ready to forget the whole thing.
Carol says
Still fighting with it. I hope I can get it going sometime soon.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Carol, Sorry to hear about your troubles. Did you upload WordPress to Bluehost? If so, what you need to do now is upload a theme. There are free ones that you can use, or you can purchase one from StudioPress (this is what my blog is designed with now), Elegant Themes, or Thesis. I’ve heard the Divi Theme from Elegant Themes is super easy to modify. Don’t give up you can do this — with anything new, there is a learning curve.
Lauren says
What options do you recommend when signing up for blue host? Site backup, etc
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
If you can swing the Pro plan, it has some useful features. I like the site backup and the privacy domain functions — those are two things I currently pay for with my current host and domain provider. If you can’t afford the more robust plan, you can use a free plugin like UpdraftPlus Backups to back up your blog. Good luck and keep us posted.
Terri says
So, do you have to pay monthly cost for Bluehost and for WordPress? I looked at both Bluehost and WordPress and they both require the monthly payments made in at least 12 month increments which can be costly. Are there other options?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
No you don’t pay both; WordPress is a free platform. What you’re looking at on the WordPress website is their hosting service costs. You’ll be able to upload WordPress directly from BlueHost. There are free options but you’re limited in how you can monetize. This post has some information on free options: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/businesses-start-no-money/
Adeola E says
Hi Holly,am a regular reader of your blog.i want to start a beauty blog.i want to know if I can start with the free blog first later on I can now pay for a domain name and hosting.please explain the free blog and let me know if I can start.thank you
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Adeola, With BlueHost there’s not a free option. You can setup a blog for free on WordPress.com or Blogger.com — but you’re limited in how you can monetize. You also end up with a domain name like: beautyblog.wordpress.com instead of beautyblog.com. You can switch to the paid option later down the road — I’m not sure how difficult it is to make the transfer.
Taominx says
Swapping is so simple with WordPress. I use them for my blog and when decided to start a my Mum and Bub Beauty blog. I purchased a domain to look more professional. (I used http://secure.newdomain.com.au/ as I’m in Australia and they are Melbourne based)
When my domain was secured, I logged into WordPress and it’s just a matter of changing your plan. After you have brought your plan (paid plans are premium and business) they also offer you a domain that you can buy from them, or you can map your own third party domain. This becomes free when you buy a plan with them.
As I had a third party domain all I had to do was log into my domain provider and change my server names. It really is so simple.
Heather says
Hi Holly, I love your website I read it a lot. I am seeking something to do working from home. I love the idea of a blog, but I can’t figure out what to write about. Is having a blog with different topics normal? Or do you think it’s better to stick with one main idea?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
It’s good to have a main topic — but you can branch out from there. Many coupon bloggers post coupons, discounts, money saving ideas, ways to make money, as well as home related stuff like recipes, parenting, etc. Have you ever tried mind mapping? That would be a great way for you to discover if you have enough ideas for a blog on any given topic. Good luck and keep us posted!
Kate says
how do i “mind map”?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Kate,
It’s basically brainstorming on paper. This article tells you how to get started:
https://lifehacker.com/how-to-use-mind-maps-to-unleash-your-brains-creativity-1348869811
Good luck!
Gin says
Hi Holly,
I’m a bit confused…are you talking about using WordPress.com or WordPress.org when setting a blog? I heard not to use WordPress.com for a blog even though its free because the blog isn’t really “yours” and they can do what they want with it. Can you clarify the difference between the .com and .org and which one should be used in setting up a website and blog?
Also, not sure if you’ve discussed this or not, but if you can talk about the schedule a new blogger should have that would be great. For instance, how much time you dedicates to what task, etc.
Thanks a bunch!
Gin
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Gin,
Yes, I’m talking about setting up a blog via WordPress.org. When you use the free platform WordPress.com — you limit your earning potential and you have a funky domain name: myblog/wordpress.com.
Time management is a very personal issue. You’ll need to figure out what the right balance is for you. As a general rule of thumb you’ll want to post regularly, which depending on your niche will vary. Some coupon bloggers post multiple times a day. I generally post 3 – 5 articles a week. But a lot of research and time go into writing my posts, because they are educational in nature. Personally, I’m of the mindset that it’s better to post less and ensure that your content is awesome! You’ll also need to spend time marketing your blog daily. Then there are administrative tasks like email, bookkeeping, replying to comments, editing, etc. A good place to start is by figuring out how many free hours you have to work on your blog. Once you know that — you can use the block scheduling method to plan out your tasks.
If you need more time management tips — there are a ton on the blog: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/category/time-management/
Good luck and keep me posted on your journey!
Darryon says
When you pay for bluehost do you have to pay for word press too? I wanted wordpress but the cost of it is just too much at the moment.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
No, it’s free with the hosting.
Polly says
Thanks for the article, helpful info, and it sounds like setting up a blog is do-able! how does a person, a potential blogger, know if they have enough knowledge/ something interesting to say that people will want to read on a daily or weekly basis?
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
That’s a great question, Polly!
Take some time and create a list of topics you’d like to write about. Then for each topic create subtopics. Example: Cooking – Gourmet Cooking, Gourmet Cooking on a Budget, Gourmet Recipes, Easy Gourmet Recipes, Gourmet Desserts, Gourmet Chocolate Desserts, etc. Next brainstorm specific article ideas for each subtopic. Make sure to write these down on paper — it helps to visually see the process.
How many article ideas did you come up with for each niche? Look for the niches that have the most ideas. If you had a difficult time generating ideas for a specific niche, it’s probably not a good fit.
This article from Amy also has some great info on choosing a blog topic: http://amylynnandrews.com/how-to-decide-what-to-blog-about/
Good luck and keep us posted!
Nicky says
Hey Holly.
This is another great resource similar to Amy’s article:
http://www.makeblog.org/what-to-blog-about/
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Thanks for sharing, Nicky!
sharon says
This seems the best steps yet even though I am a complete novice but I am willing to learn and move towards earning some cash. My area of expertise includes Human Resources,Teen mentoring,baking (native) and more.Could you suggest what I can create as my mean blog or can I use more than one/ I nee dyour help with this. Thanks
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Hi Sharon, What topics are you most passionate about? You want to make sure that you choose a topic that you won’t become bored with over time.
Michaele says
Just what I was looking for. I’m a bit overwhelmed but looks like I have my work cut out for me. I’ve worked at home for 20 years but I’m ready to move into creating an income with my blog. Thanks for the priceless info :-)
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
It’s really easy to set up this way. Let me know when you get your site up … good luck!
Sue Brackstone says
Great article, lots of people are put off by the technology side of creating a website so this is really helpful. One of the things I love about WordPress is that it’s easy to pick a different theme if you change your mind once the blog is set up.
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Yes, it’s very easy to modify and use. And with all the plugins you can add pretty much any function you need (shopping cart, forum, member site, etc).
cindy says
once the option to download wordpress comes up, what do i do since ive had wordpress installed already on my computer
Holly - The Work at Home Woman says
Are you using BlueHost?