Here is the table of contents. Do you want to communicate something, like a message or an idea? Do you want to build a community around a topic you enjoy? A blog can help you to accomplish many things, such as: inform, educate, promote and even sell. Blogging has a lot of benefits, and for some people, it can be a great way to earn extra income online. All in all, there are four important steps to making a blog quickly. If you are familiar with these things, you can set up a blog in minutes or even less:.
Creating a blog is your first step in entering the blogging world. However, to be successful online you have to learn more. There are more than free guides and resources on FirstSiteGuide to help you to succeed on the web! Before you start building a blog and make it as a blogger, you have to select a blogging niche. In simple terms, a blog niche is a specific topic area that you will be writing about most often, or even exclusively.
To pick the right niche for your new blog, begin by making a list of all of the topics that excite you and make you want to talk about them. There are no restrictions — you can include any personal or professional interests in this list. This simple exercise will help you to select a niche that you are the most interested in. That way you will follow your passion and enjoy your blogging journey. When it comes to blogging sites, you have a few options. Below are usage statistics showing the distribution of blog technologies in the United States.
I recommend building your blog using the self-hosted WordPress blog setup that I share about in this guide. That way, you will be in total control of your blog and its contents. It will cost just a few dollars per month for the webspace hosting account , and around ten dollars per year for a domain.
The actual blogging software is free and open source. Free options come in handy for testing a blogging platform. To make your blog using WordPress. Your domain name will be the name by which you will be known online, no matter what niche you choose. Have a name idea for your blog?
Bluehost lets you choose a free custom domain later before your blog goes live. That will give you time to do some thinking and research.
After choosing a domain name, selecting a reliable hosting service will be one of the most important decisions you make. To a great extent, the functionality and performance of your blog will depend on your hosting provider. If you are a new blogger, I suggest using Bluehost hosting. Here is why you should be confident going with this company:. Below are the costs of a 1-year Bluehost basic hosting plan and what extras you get with it. I was able to negotiate a special deal only for our visitors.
This section provides detailed information to help you sign up for your web hosting account. I have included screenshots of the pages to take you through the process. Go to the Bluehost. You will start by picking a hosting plan. If this is your very first blog, you can go with the Basic plan. Later, you can easily upgrade to a Plus or Choice Plus plan once your blog starts growing. Explore what each plan offers, e. Choice Plus plan comes with Domain Privacy and some extras.
If your budget allows, go with the suggested plan. If not, it will provide you with a list of similar names to choose from. You can skip this step and pick a name once you start a blog. If you have already purchased a domain name somewhere else, you can use that name. After you choose your domain, Bluehost will take you to the registration page where you can fill in your personal info manually, or you can Sign in with your Google account to make the process even easier!
Bluehost offers 12, 24, and month packages. With a month package, you will pay a lower amount upfront, but with the other two packages, you will get a better deal if you are ready for a longer-term commitment. Review your package extras carefully. You can always add extras later if you find that you need them. I do suggest that you keep the Domain Privacy Protection box checked. This service will hide your personal contact information from the global database, which is publicly visible to anyone on the internet.
Now, enter your payment information. Bluehost will send you a confirmation email when your payment goes through. You will also receive an email to verify your email address to activate your domain.
Next, you will set up your Bluehost account. You are one step closer to starting a blog! Once you log in to your web hosting account, Bluehost will offer a 4-step process to help you create a blog. I suggest that you go with this procedure if this is your first time starting a blog. Once you finish setting up your blog with these 4 steps, you will be taken to your Bluehost account page.
At this point, the WordPress software is installed and your blog structure is set up! These options are here for you to do some pre-launch customization to your blog.
This is just the first draft. Inside the WordPress dashboard, you will have to apply a few changes and add some content to make it look polished and complete. I will show you how to do this later!
Did you start a blog yet? You will be presented with some popular options. You can click on the WordPress. There are more than three thousand themes available on WordPress. The look and feel of your new blog rely on the theme you choose. Your first-time readers will notice the overall appearance of it before they even take a look at the content. Select a theme that looks great, but also works for your specific needs.
Settle on one that you like, and you can always change it in the future. It is just a skeleton of a blog. In my opinion, there are more than enough free WordPress themes to choose from for any blog topic. Both free themes are presented by WordPress.
Remember, you can always pick a different theme later as you continue setting your blog. All of the pages and unique content that you create will be transferred automatically to a new theme layout. If the current stash of free themes does not satisfy your particular desire, you can check the available premium themes.
These themes are usually designed by third-party companies and sold on different WordPress theme sites. Remember, your WordPress dashboard is the back-end location where you will manage your new blog. It provides you with fast access to all of the tools you need to add content and fine-tune your blog functionality for the ultimate user experience.
Your first step towards mastering WordPress is learning the dashboard. Once you click the checkbox, you will be taken to an AI-powered logo maker. Start by entering a name and slogan if you have one , the tool will automatically generate different types of logos. Select one logo you like the most, click on it, and further customize it according to your taste. When you are done with your logo design, click the Download button and a new page will show up with your logo files ready to be saved to your computer.
Now, let me show you where you can do general customizations of your blog. That includes: uploading the logo you just created or will create in the future , editing the blog title and tagline, changing colors, uploading the background image, and making homepage settings changes.
If you picked a different theme the process could be slightly different. However, in most cases, all themes have similar customization options. To start optimizing your blog, go to the WordPress admin dashboard. Locate the Appearance tab on the left-hand side and choose the Customize option. Each WordPress theme will customize a little differently. You can also check how your blog looks on different devices by using the menu at the bottom with three icons: desktop, tablet, and mobile devices.
Many themes e. Gutenberg is a visual editor that works on a blocks principle. So, when you decide to add a new paragraph, heading, image, video, or anything else, there are blocks you can quickly add to new pages or blog posts. Plugins are bundled pieces of code that affect the way your site looks and functions. While the majority of plugins are free, there are many that are offered for a fee, based on their unique functionality. At the moment, WordPress. By default, when you set up your blog, Bluehost will automatically add some plugins they think are important for any website.
You can review these plugins inside the WordPress dashboard and add new ones by clicking the Plugins tab on the left-hand side. Congratulations, you just learned how to customize your blog and make web design changes! Your framework is complete. Now comes the moment of truth and you can actually start blogging. You need to learn how to write your first blog post. Before you begin publishing posts day-to-day writing on your blog make sure you fill in all the important static pages with content such as About us, Contact, etc.
Depending on your individual needs you can decide what pages to publish. The following are the most common pages bloggers use:. A blog page provides static content or information to the readers. Standard pages that bloggers use include: About, Contacts, Products, or Services. A page also can be a cornerstone or evergreen content with information that continues to be relevant to its readers.
For example, this guide you are reading right now. Creating blog posts inside WordPress is nearly the same as creating pages. In your first blog post , you can take a moment and introduce yourself.
Tell your readers who you are, what motivated you to blog, and what you will write. Search engine optimization SEO is the process that website owners use to get more traffic to their web pages from search engines such as Google. This number shows how important it is to make sure that you optimize your WordPress blog for search engines. SEO involves many different tactics and techniques.
As a blogger, you will have to get familiar with these. As a bare minimum, you will have to do the following for every blog post or page you publish on your blog: perform keyword optimization and add SEO meta tags on all pages. This is the process of researching and selecting the right set of keywords that you think people will type in a search to find information like yours online. Ideally, keyword optimization should be performed for any blog post or page. This way it will be easier for search engines to understand what a specific web page is about when they crawl it and you have a better chance to rank higher in search results.
When you publish a new blog post or page, you will need to add SEO meta tags for each piece of content. These tags are not seen on the actual page, but Google will use metadata to better understand what the webpage is about. If you want to start ranking your content in search engines, this is an important step to complete. SEO tags should be prepared and added when you create a new page or a post inside WordPress.
The title tag length should be between characters this is what Google typically displays and the meta description tag can be between characters. It is important to understand that you can write the most compelling copy in the world and design a blog interface that would sell people their own shoes.
However, if no one sees it, all of your hard work is in vain. So, you need to know how to promote your blog.
Get started by informing your friends, family, and colleagues about your new endeavor. Basically, you should let anyone know who might be interested in reading your content.
Blogger communities are a good way to connect with other bloggers in your niche. You can engage, build friendships, and help each other in spreading content. Before your blog becomes popular and starts to grow, you should look into leveraging other platforms on the web that already have some audience and readership. To give you a better idea, here are some of the techniques that you can use:. However, in order to increase your organic traffic, you will have to learn how to get your content to rank higher in search results.
There is no magic formula for higher rankings, but you should focus on the following factors:. Appropriate and well-informed use of paid media can help you to gain exposure and attention before your organic naturally derived traffic takes hold. After starting a blog, you will begin attracting new readers and visitors. As people come to know and trust you, they will respond better to your promotional efforts.
Rely on the blogging fundamentals: a clear and well-functioning blog, focused and helpful information, engaging conversation, and practical advice. Your authority will come from helping and giving advice to your audience. It is about creating useful content and writing blog posts that will attract readers and make them come back for more. When starting a blog think about adding content that will generate future income. Our case study of the blogging industry shows that But, how can YOU make money blogging?
There are seamless possibilities for you to run ads on your blog. Google Adsense , Mediavine , and Adthrive are some of the most popular choices for blog ads. Affiliate programs are ways of teaming up with retailers to promote their products and benefit from successfully carrying out sales through a commission. There are a few popular online platforms that offer affiliate programs if you want to get started, such as Amazon Associates , ShareASale , and ClickBank.
If you are creative and entrepreneurial, you could consider using your blog as a venue for selling your own products and services. This is an option especially as your blog grows in readership, authority, and popularity. There are WordPress plugins, such as the WooCommerce plugin , that you can easily integrate into a blog and start using to sell products online. Advertisers are always looking for exposure and are willing to pay you for placing a sponsored post on your blog.
Those posts usually promote advertiser products or services and are a good way to make money from your blog. Above are the most popular choices to earn money. However, there are more ways to monetize your blog. Consider the possibilities, and then choose the method or methods that best suit you and your audience. As a minimum, you should — from the very start — begin compiling an email list of your readers through subscriptions. Then, when you are ready to recommend products, you will have ready access to those who want to hear what you have to say.
Few more things before you get started with your journey. Below are some helpful facts and common questions that many people ask before they start blogging. Simply put, Yes , blogging is still relevant in and beyond. Technologies change. Business processes evolve. But I believe that making a blog today is still as worth it as it was 10 years ago. Blogs are a fantastic way of introducing your ideas, products, brand, business, and content to the world. To be successful as a blogger you have to work hard and give your blog the attention it deserves, especially at the beginning.
Will you be able to motivate yourself to do it right, day in and day out? Blogging is a public act that will put you in the spotlight. The more successful you become, the more attention you will receive for your words. This is one of the most common questions people ask. Let me explain to you some ins and outs of free blogs. Several platforms allow making your blog for free. Free platforms may limit or prohibit you from using ads, or they may even place their own ads on your blog.
So, what is the best way to build a blog? To take any blog to the next level, you will have to start paying for it. That way you can get full control of your blog, access to more features, and a custom domain. To get started right, I strongly suggest setting up a self-hosted blog and installing WordPress software free open-source on any web hosting account. If free blog hosting is currently the only option for you, create an account on one of the free platforms mentioned above.
Starting a self-hosted blog is not as expensive as you might have initially thought. The basic package also includes a free SSL certificate which protects data transfers on your site and makes it safe , 50GB of storage, and unlimited bandwidth which means you can have as many visitors as you are able to attract to your blog.
And this is more than enough to start with. If you decide to switch to a self-hosted WordPress, you can quickly and painlessly move your free blog to your new host. Most of the blogging sites allow you to export the content to another site. And WordPress features a ton of tools that will automatically import the info to the new blog. If you are running a Blogger Blogspot site, let me show you how to move it to WordPress , step-by-step. Often, people think that they should start blogging about popular topics so they can make money.
In this case, it would show that you are writing about something that you might not completely understand and love. The result would be an unsuccessful blog that not even you would enjoy. Instead, new bloggers should start a blog and write about something they love or follow. Even if it is a smaller audience, their passion and expertise will attract just the right people.
If you choose to blog about something that you are passionate about, you will be able to connect with your audience, which will help you to grow and even earn money. Juggling so many balls, so many projects, posting stuff on my Not A Blog is not my highest priority, so things may always be a little bit behind here. Current Mood: happy. This blog is the only place for official communication from George R. For press inquiries, please contact David Moench.
Blog Home George's Website. The new Tor edition is a hardcover. Railroad Wars! November 9, at pm. A Win for Big Blue November 9, at pm. Let us just say… life is full of ups and downs. Tags: nfl. Cooters Invade Montreal? November 5, at am. We hope, we hope.
Maybe February, if we are lucky. And long long overdue? Current Mood: bouncy Tags: conventions , films , movies , science fiction. Pablito Is Coming November 2, at am. And who is Pablito, I hear you asking? A friendly purple dragon who lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Current Mood: cheerful Tags: Beastly Books , christmas , signed books , signings.
Victory in Black, with White October 31, at pm. Who WERE those men in black? But meanwhile… what a treat! The Jets should wear those black uniforms every week. Meanwhile, life is marvelous and full of joy. Current Mood: giggly Tags: nfl. Win One, Lose One October 26, at pm. Well, this Sunday was somewhat better. Guess we will find out. Life is… well, mostly wretched, but once every few Sundays they let you win one.
Current Mood: discontent Tags: nfl. Sunday Sorrows October 17, at pm. Well, at least the Jets did not lose this weekend. They had a bye. Pakistan has reported more coronavirus recoveries during the last 24 hours, according to the government's portal for tracking the spread of the disease in the country. The total number of patients recovered from the virus has risen to 1,, and the recovery rate stands at 96 per cent.
Three patients died in a fire that broke out early Sunday on a coronavirus ward in a hospital in southeast Bulgaria, AFP quotes the rescue services as saying. Bulgaria's hospitals, frequently run down, are currently overwhelmed by the number of coronavirus infections. With only just over 23 percent of the total population of 6. Carlton Blues defender Liam Jones has announced his Australian Football League AFL retirement for personal reasons, the club announced on Sunday, days after local media reported he had chosen not to get vaccinated against Covid, Reuters reports.
Dawn News. Such a radiant moment of pure love and commitment. Sure You will be asked to leave your row. A verbal yes response is required before takeoff. Do you think this operation will fix my heart doctor? Sure A verbal yes is desirable before someone slices you open.
Can you see us spending our lives together? Sure In this moment sure seems more of a why not than an actual verbal yes. Alas if you choose to continue using this word, there are only three instances that it makes sense: When you want to annoy someone. When you do not want to commit or completely agree with another person. When you want to softly agree with someone, a way of saying I see you. Do you get it? This content was written and shared by guest blogger Jennifer Magley. Topics: Executive.
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