How to Start Blogging in 5 Easy Steps

How to Start Blogging in 5 Easy Steps Today is the second post of a series of 5 posts about blogging: why to start, how to start, how to get readers, how to build community and how to monetize your blog. Step 1: Decide What Your Blog is About Dont over think this one.  You dont have to have all the details figured out to start a blog.  Although marketers will tell you to pick a very niche topic, I know tons of great popular bloggers who just write about their lives, their experiences or post pictures and videos of things they like.  If in doubt, pick a general direction and get started.  Your blog will naturally evolve over time.  For example: at different points over the last 3 years Ive considered focusing  solely  on personal finance, marketing to women and job searching- all very different topics.  These days Im writing more about entrepreneurship because thats where Im at in my life. And guess what?  Youre still here reading, right!? Once you start writing, youll start to realize what you truly enjoy writing about vs. what you thought youd enjoy writing about.  Ideas will come to you at strange times and youll have more to say than you thought. Note: if your end-goal is to monetize your blog, consider writing about products you can sell as an affiliate, topics that you could teach classes about or create e-books/information products about. Or, consider writing for demographics that are highly valued by advertisers (for example, Mommy Bloggers are huge). Step 2: Buy a Domain Name Anyone can buy a domain name, and everyone who is even thinking about starting a blog, business or building a personal brand SHOULD buy a domain name.   I use namecheap.com for my domain names but there are tons of providers out there that do about the same thing.   Domain names on namecheap.com currently cost less than $10/year. Buying a domain name will also allow you to have a custom email address ([emailprotected] instead of [emailprotected]).  It looks way more professional and it is super easy to set up.  Once you buy your domain name, go to manage domains and on the left side of the screen there will be an option called Email Forwarding Setup.  Enter the email address you want and where it should be forwarded (your primary email address). DONE! What if you can’t get the name you want? You can always consider buying a domain name with an extension other than .com. For example, .biz, .me, .tv, .info and .org are also popular choices. Step 3: Decide if you want to do a Self-Hosted Blog or WordPress-Hosted Blog Every blog needs a host.  Heres an analogy that may help you understand a little better.  Like your home, you cant build a website unless you have a plot of land to build it on.  So think of the host as the land/yard, your domain name as the physical house, and the content of your website (articles, pictures, graphics) as your furniture and belongings. Make sense? What the heck is the difference between Self-Hosted and WordPress-hosted then?! If you get your blog at  WordPress.com, your blog is hosted by WordPress.   This means FREE hosting that updates, upgrades, backing-up and site security is taken care of by WordPress.   In other words, wordpress.com is the way to pop up your site within minutes without any technical knowledge. If you can use Facebook, you can do this- I promise! Those who choose to go self-hosted will still use the same same free WordPress software, but will need to maintain the updates etc. independently.  Hosting usually costs about $80/year max depending on which provider you use. So, what are the perks of choosing a self-hosted blog? If you think youd like to grow a big following or even run your blog as a business someday, I highly recommend going with a self-hosted blog.   It may seem more expensive (and intimidating!) up front because of the hosting, but it gives you several more options right off the get go. You can install plug-ins which enhance your site big time.  You can think of plug-ins kind of like iPhone apps, there are some amazing plug-ins out there that really enhance the functionality and customization of the site. If you arent self-hosted, you cant add plugins to your site. You can completely customize your sites design whereas WordPress.com sites are limited to pre-made themes only You can post advertisements (banner ads) What kind of Plug-ins can I get? The list is seemingly endless, but here are some popular types of plug-ins: Spam blockers (for comments) Search engine optimization plug-ins Cool looking social media and sharing buttons Shopping cart Add ratings to your posts I started my site on WordPress.com but then had to pay someone to switch it over within 6 months  because  I wanted a more professional looking site. BUT, if self-hosting scares you to the point of preventing you from moving forward, just start a WordPress.com blog! Step 4: If youre doing a self-hosted blog, get a hosting package I use Host Gator for all of my hosting. I really like them in comparison to GoDaddy and BlueHost.  One of the most important parts of your hosting package is customer service. Ive always had great experience with Host Gators email, live chat and phone customer service no matter what time of day.  They are always quick to respond and Ive always had my issues resolved immediately.  Ive heard nightmares about other hosting companies that might be a few bucks cheaper. Often times my issues were simply a lack of understanding of how certain technology/processes work.  Youll probably call your host a lot in the beginning and thats ok. Youll learn a lot by spending some time with customer service! Full disclosure: Im so loyal to Host Gator that Ive become an affiliate for them, meaning I get a commission when people sign up for their Host Gator packages through these links. I buy at least a one year basic package so I dont have to worry about my website not being live one day  because  I forgot to renew. 1 year of hosting with Host Gator currently runs $60-80/year. Once youve purchased, sign into your “c-panel” (control panel) using the information in the “Welcome” email sent to you by your host.   It will include the login name, password and the URL for how to access your host.     Keep your Welcome Email with hosting info filed electronically handy for future use!  Scroll to the bottom of the control panel and click Quick Install then select WordPress.  Heres a video with instructions to give you a visual! Step 5: Create an About page, a Contact page and Write your 1st Post! Once people start reading your blog, theyll want to know who you are and how they can reach you.  Be sure youve created an About page with your picture, and a Contact page.  Include your social media contact info too!  If youre not comfortable posting your email address, create a contact form (for free) by using Wufoo.com.  Creating forms is so easy and all you have to do is copy and pate the code into the page you want it on.  When people submit the contact form, Wufoo will forward you their inquiry via email. Like I said in yesterdays post, you may feel weird when writing your first post.  Thats totally normal, and 99% of bloggers will tell you they felt the same way.  Dont worry about what people will think, who is reading it and dont worry about not having much traffic.   Congratulate yourself on taking a personal challenge and becoming a blogger! Want to learn more about turning your idea into a profitable blog or small business?  Consider taking our  WordPress Setup Camp  or joining a  Ladies Launch Pad  Incubator. Both classes are taught via Skype and in-person (Chicago).