How to Start a Blog:
Step by Step Guide
One of the most frequent emails I receive in my inbox is, “What did you use to build your blog? How can I start a blog?
I would love to start a blog, but I have no idea where to begin!”
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I started blogging and building websites back in 2013, and I’ve seen so many amazing blessings come from it! I’ve meet incredible friends, traveled, hosted conferences, written books, built a platform to share my books, and have even built an online business: all from yup, you guessed it, blogging!
Needless to say, I would encourage anyone who has a dream of starting a blog, to GO FOR IT. You never know what kind of beautiful opportunities will come from the experience!
One of the biggest hurdles aspiring bloggers have to overcome, is the FEAR OF GETTING STARTED. From the outside looking, blogging can appear somewhat like jumping out of an airplane. The hardest part, is throwing yourself off the edge. But once you’re free falling, the fear dissolves, and you’re in for the adventure of a lifetime!
Blogging is similar to skydiving, in the aspect that, it’s a whole lot easier (and way less-scary!) if you have a guide jumping with you who has done it hundreds of times before, telling you exactly what to expect, and how to overcome each roadblock.
If the technical aspect of setting up and starting your blog seems a little bit daunting, you’ve come to the right place! Here is a STEP BY STEP guide with all the details of how to start a blog.
#1. Choose Your Platform
With such a huge variety of blog and website builders out there, it can feel a tad overwhelming to sort through all of them. In this post, we're going to be talking about starting with a self-hosted blog on WordPress.org. But if you're interested in learning about and exploring several other options, check out my Top 5 Website Builders!
#2. Choose Your Domain Name
Every website needs a domain name. Having your very own .com is super exciting! You can purchase your web name through a domain provider such as Go Daddy or Hover. Or, to keep things simple, you can get your domain from the same place where you set up your hosting. BlueHost offers a free domain name with their hosting package, which is pretty sweet!
#3. Choose Your Hosting Service
Every website needs a host. A hosting service is kind of like the neighborhood where your blog “lives”.
You want to choose a hosting service you trust, because it can effect both your site speed, security, and personal accessibility. Choosing the right host is like choosing the right neighborhood: you want a secure community. It’s so important to have a solid team of people you can depend on, if you run into any issues, or have questions.
I've used BlueHost for many of the websites I've designed and I couldn’t be more pleased with it. Whenever I have technical questions, their support team has been extremely helpful and friendly. (And fast!)
There are other hosting services out there, so feel free to do your own research on other hosting services, but the majority of my blogging friends all use BlueHost, and have had great experiences with them as well.
Full Guide: How to Set Up Your Blog and Hosting on BlueHost
Let’s walk through the steps of getting your blog and hosting set up with BlueHost! I’ve provided some screenshots to make this process as simple and strait-forward as possible. Simply follow the steps provided, and your amazing new blog will be up and running in no time!
-Go to http://bluehost.com/track/livylynnblog. This is my affiliate link, which means I’ll receive a payment from BlueHost (at no extra cost to you!), if you use this link to sign up. Thanks for your support! Affiliate links help keep my blog up and running, covering costs of operation.
-Click on the green, “Get Started Now!” button.
-Since you already know what you want to domain name to be, you have the option to either register it with Blue Host, or click “I have a domain name”, if you already purchased it through Go Daddy, Hover, ect.
-Enter all your account and contact info. Choose the pricing package option that works best for you, enter your billing info, agree to the service terms, then click NEXT.
-Woo hoo, you officially have a BlueHost account! *HIGH FIVES, PIZZA AND GLITTER FOR YOU!* Next, create your password.
-Create a strong password, write it down in a place you won’t forget (anyone else have trouble keeping track of passwords? Eeek!) then, log into your BlueHost account for the first time!
-Your next task, is to choose your template. WordPress has a handful of free templates you can choose from.
Or, you can purchase a template from another source. If you desire to invest a little bit of money into this project, and are looking for template possibilities, I recommend Restored 316. I’ve enjoyed using their templates for multiple sites I've built in the past, and I ADORE them. Browsing through their amazing selection of themes, is kinda like browsing through a pet shop: SO MUCH CUTENESS! Their How To Tutorial videos were incredibly helpful, and I had my template set up in no time!
-Now, you’ll land in your Back Office, which is where all the magic happens!
From this page, you can begin writing posts, adding fun widgets, uploading images, and connecting with your lovely new readers!
And bibbity, bobbity-boo, that’s all you have to do! After following the steps above, you’ll have set up your brand new blog!
Sister, I am SO excited for you!
Once you get your site up and running, be sure to message me, that way I can check out your amazing new website!