How To Create A Blog
Here are 7 steps to starting a blog:
- Step 1: Pick a Topic
- Step 2: Take Your Blog Live
First Things First: What Is a Blog? and Other Important Questions
Before we get started on the step-by-step guide, let’s cover some blog basics.
What Is a Blog, Anyway?
The term blog combines the words “web” and “log.” The earliest blogs emerged in the late 1990s, and compared to the static websites at the turn of the century, blogs offered a better way to communicate online by allowing a dialog between any individual and the audience he or she wants to write for.
Users can leave comments and have conversations with each other and with the blogger. In a sense, blogs worked like today’s social media — anyone could have a platform and discuss whatever they wanted to the world at large.
Do You Have to Know About Computers to Blog?
If you can send an email you can probably set up a blog — it’s that simple. You’ll have to know how to wade through a new platform, but these days, it doesn’t take much technical expertise to get started.
Will I Have to Blog Every Day to Succeed?
Consistency matters, but you can come up with your own content strategy — your frequency is up to you, but most experts agree that doing something regular is the best way to go.
Can I Make Money Blogging?
Yes, you could earn money blogging. However, earning enough money to quit your day job will be unlikely though not impossible.
So let’s get started now with the seven steps.
Step 1: Pick a Topic (Not Just Any Topic)
You may already have a blog title and topic in mind. Even if you do, don’t skip ahead to Step 2 just yet.
First make sure your topic has long-term potential and that it could lead to your own online niche.
Blog Topic Checklist
Put your topic through this checklist to see how it holds up:
- Do you have anything unique to say about your topic? You’ll need your own voice to be heard.
- Will someone care to read your take on this topic? If what you have to say is already being said, what do you have to offer by starting a blog?
- Are you an authority on this topic? You don’t have to hold a series of degrees on the subject, but some experience, or at least a keen interest, will give you authority.
- Could you give a 20-minute speech right now on your blog topic? If not, you may run out of post ideas within a couple weeks.
Find-a-Topic Checklist
Not sure about your topic yet? These questions could help you find one:
- How do you spend your free time? Are you an avid reader of 1930s noir? A weekend drag racer? A huge fan of the TV show “I Love Lucy?” Your quirky interests may show you the way to your topic.
- Do you care a lot about something? Some people wonder what happens to recycled milk bottles. Others may want to write about Marvel movies or English grammar. Your “cause” could be your topic.
No matter what you decide, make your topic clear to your audience. If the ultimate goal of your blog is to promote your new novel, don’t try to hide your intention. The average reader has a knack for detecting your real purpose anyway.
Your blog could educate, inform, or entertain. It could increase awareness or sell a product. If you’re not sure about your purpose, that’s fine. You can find it along the way.
Blog Topic = Blog Name?
Your blog topic and your blog name work together but they may not be a precise match. Your blog’s name needs to be memorable, catchy, and short — yet it also should summarize your topic with enough depth to grab a reader’s attention.
“My Dog and Me” may not be the best name for your blog about the tragedy of animal abuse. The name doesn’t tap into the real tension your topic covers. Something like “Real Life with Rex and Rescue” may work better. A subtitle can also help: “My dog’s journey back from tragedy.”
Step 2: Hello, World! Making Your Blog Live
When you’re good to go with your topic and your blog name, it’s time to get your blog out there for the world to see.
You can do this in one of two ways:
- For Free (at least at first): Sign up for a free blog account on a service like WordPress.com or Wix.
- For Real: Get your own hosting account and domain name and your own WordPress blog installation.
For most of this post we’ll assume you want your own hosting account and domain name — mysite.com instead of freeblog.com/mysite123. But to make sure, let’s take a look at the free services first.
Pros of a Free Blog Service
- The Speed: You could have your first post online within minutes.
- The Simplicity: If you can navigate Facebook you could use these tools.
- The Price: You can get up and running without getting out your credit card. These services do ask for money when you need more advanced features, though.
- The Built-in Tools: The software you need to publish a post is ready and waiting. You can upload photos, edit themes, and even embed YouTube videos in some sites.
Cons of a Free Blog Service
- The Ads: The free service will put ads, including annoying pop-ups, alongside your content and then collect the revenue itself. This eliminates many of your monetization routes which we’ll discuss in Step 6. Plus, you won’t have control over which ads appear.
- The Amateurism: Nothing says professional like your own domain name and your own hosting service; free blogging won’t give you this.
- Technical Limits: You’re not a paying customer so you can’t complain if the blogging platform goes down a few days or has super slow response times.
- The Limited Tools: With a free service you’ll bump into the paywall when you push the limits. If you’re going to pay, you may as well be paying for your own blog.
So should you start out with a free service or take the plunge into blog ownership?
“My suggestion is to pay for hosting from the beginning,” says Sarah Cook, founder of the blog Sustainable Cooks. “If you are paying money for something, you’re investing in your blog. When you invest, you are more likely to treat your blog like a business instead of a hobby right away.”
“Free hosting services should be used only by beginners wanting to dip their toes in the world of blogging,” adds Kieran Smith, a British content marketing consultant focusing on fintech. “Low bandwidth, clunky domain names and limited technical capabilities mean blogs hosted on free platforms are unlikely to be taken seriously.”
Decision Time: Paid or Free?
A blogger who never plans to earn money from his or her content may be fine with a free blog. A business owner who wants a simple way to display contact information online could also accomplish this goal with a free blog.
Everyone else needs a domain name, a hosting provider, an SSL security certificate which protects your site visitors’ private data — and maybe even an email address connected to your new custom domain name. The rest of this guide will explore this professional route to blog ownership.
Hosting
Your hosting account provides the online home for your blog. WordPress blogs work especially well with these web hosting companies:
- Bluehost: Custom made for WordPress, Bluehost also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee for hosting and award-winning customer service. It’s the go-to hosting service for a lot of bloggers.
- Hostgator: You could save money but customer service response times could be slower; good for people who already know what they’re doing.
- Justhost: Fast and simple but without great customer service response times. Like Bluehost, Justhost offers a 30-day money-back guarantee.
- HostPapa: Also fast and affordable but without great customer support.
- Dreamhost: You could save money without sacrificing performance if you choose Dreamhost. But this hosting provider will not include free email addresses with your custom domain.
How much does blog hosting cost?
Hosting services normally start with a low introductory price and then, after a year or two, increase the price to a standard rate. You could shop around for the lowest price, but eventually the price will increase.
For the best value go with a “shared hosting” plan — unless you need the extra security of a dedicated host or a virtual private server. A shared plan means your blog will live on the same server as other blogs that use the same web hosting company; dedicated server space or a virtual private server plan will cost significantly more.
After your introductory rate expires, expect to pay between $100 and $150 a year for hosting using a shared hosting plan.
Some of the hosts listed above will advertise WordPress hosting packages. These deals cost more but can include nice features such as a secured server certificate or free email addresses. If you’re not sure how long you’ll need the account, stick with a basic shared blog hosting plan.
To lock in the lowest rates you should pay for three years (36 months) of hosting up front. If you can’t afford to spend so much up front, choose a 12-month or a month-to-month plan. Just know you’ll be paying more for the convenience of monthly payments unless the host says otherwise. (Dreamhost and HostGator will be your best choices if you’re paying month to month. Bluehost will cost more if you pay month to month.)
Most web hosting companies give money-back guarantees for 30 days but these guarantees do not apply to your custom domain name.
What about features?
Any host you choose will offer two or three service packages. Usually these choices have names such as “Basic,” “Choice,” “Professional,” or “Premium.”
The plans have different price points, too. Most people can stick with a host’s “Basic” plan. If you need additional email addresses, more server space for videos, or some other extra feature, consider one of the more expensive plans.
You should consider buying features like SSL and online privacy protection. Sometimes, privacy protection will be included in the most expensive package. If this happens, you may be able to add privacy to the Basic plan later for an extra $1 a month.
If not, consider another host instead.
What to Look For in a Web Hosting Company
If you’re new to hosting, and you don’t want to use a company on the list above, make sure your web hosting company offers:
- Constant Uptime: A host that claims 100% uptime all the time may not be telling the entire truth; however, you should find a host with 99.97 percent uptime month after month. Your site can’t succeed if it’s not up. (what is “uptime?”)
- Proactive Security: Lots of hosts offer free back-ups, free SSL certificates, dedicated IP addresses, and spam filters. Your host should at least offer these services even if you pay extra or have to choose a higher-priced plan.
- Free Site Migration: You shouldn’t have to pay a fee to move your site to a new host.
- Free WordPress Services: If you’re new to blogging and WordPress, especially, find a host with one-click WordPress installation or even preinstallation.
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