Are you passionate about something and want to share it with the world? Are you looking to start your own blog and don't know where to start? Are you new to blogging and feeling overwhelmed already? You are at the right place to get your answers. I was in your shoes before I started my blog and have learned a lot in my blogging journey. I decided to write this blog to share my experience and help new bloggers learn how to start their own blog. So let's jump right in....
What do you need to start a blog?
- Number one is to define your niche and write awesome authentic content.
- A great hosting platform - Bluehost. Free blogging sites can be a big lure for a beginner blogger and can be apt for a group of bloggers doing it as a hobby. But if you are very passionate and want to monetize your effort, free blogging platforms are a big NO! Some of the obvious reasons are:
- Poor features
- Limited templates
- Highly restrictive in terms of use of plugins or affiliate ads
- Choosing the right theme for your blog - Bard Pro from WP Royal
Choosing the hosting platform
Bluehost for WordPress is one of the most trusted hosting brands. I can now vouch for it from my personal experience. It is simple, to begin with, and has been designed for absolute beginners. It caters to all your needs as you gain experience and has a lot to offer:
Features of Bluehost
- Free domain name (the name of your website – you usually have to pay for this separately).
- Free email address.
- Bandwidth is unmetered – this means you don’t have to worry about your blog crashing if it suddenly gets a ton of traffic. Whether you get 5 people or 10,000 people visiting, you will be charged the same amount. That’s huge!
- Extensive library of training videos (Installing a WordPress theme, setting up mail, how to embed a video, etc…) Their videos make it easy for everyone to successfully build a website.
- Full refund if you cancel your account within 30 days. Or prorated refund for the remainder of your hosting term if you cancel Bluehost after 30 days.
- Excellent 24-hour technical support via chat, ticket or by phone.
1. Start here – Bluehost Account creation
Visit the Bluehost site and click on the ‘Get Started’ button which will take you to the plan selection page.
2. Selecting a plan
Bluehost has several hosting plans on offer to suit your needs i.e., whether you are just starting (shared hosting) or have high traffic (VPS and dedicated hosting).
3. Domain name
Even the Basic plan under shared hosting offers a free domain name (your very own website URL name). Having a ‘.com’ URL is preferable as it is more popular as compared to ‘.net’ or ‘.org’.
4. Package Information and Extras
Think long term, building a brand for yourself takes time. A longer account plan will prove to be cost-effective and would give you enough time to grow and make your mark by which I mean having an increasingly steady income from your blogging. And yes, cancellation is allowed and hassle-free.
The package extras can be added later. Fill out the payment information and click ‘Submit’. You will be prompted to set-up your password
5. Installing WordPress:
Log in to your account which will take you to the Bluehost Welcome page. Click on Log in to WordPress on this page.
Select the kind of site you would like to set up – business or personal. This is completely optional and can be skipped by clicking on I don’t need help.
You will be asked Pick A Theme That Inspires You on the next page. This can be changed later at any time so do not spend much time on it. You might also experiment on few themes later once you have some content ready.
Once the selections are made, Bluehost will seamlessly manage all the installation process internally.
6. Selecting the right theme
Select a theme that has a responsive design and will showcase perfectly on any device. Bard Pro Theme from WP Royal is perfect for any kind of blog - personal, lifestyle, food, travel, fashion, corporate, or photography. Its clean and modern responsive design will perfectly showcase your content.
You are all set to ‘Start Blogging’. Congratulations on taking these valiant steps and happy blogging!!