How to start as a blogger depends on what field you are quite skilled in. Though everyone is looking for a way to earn money online these days, they always ignore the basic fact that how fast you build a following will ultimately decide the fate of your long term stability in this online age. And how fast you can build your community depends on how prepared you are and the measures you take to understand the business. Confused? Well, let me explain it.
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Of course, you can make a few bucks by selling products or services to an audience you’re already engaged with (as a freelancer), but miss out on a platform that can help you reach a wider range of customers. And, no one can deny that blogging is still a viable way to reach as many customers as you want, even though millions of blogs are already publishing millions of new posts every day.
If blogging has such a wide scope, don’t you think, you should start creating an automotive way to connect with your audience and take your business to the next level? The main reason why so many fail in this endeavour is that people have no idea what they are getting into when they start.
That’s why I have written this guide to help you learn blogging the right way. So let’s turn your idea into reality and know how to start a blog on WordPress to get started with blogging.
How to Start as a Blogger
To start blogging you need to decide on a blog niche (area of interest), a domain name (that defines your name or business), a CMS (like WordPress) and a reliable hosting provider (like Hostinger). Remember, your thousand-mile journey begins with a WordPress blog. You do not need any prior experience or technical skills to get started with WordPress. With a little guidance, I am sure you will be able to start the journey on the right foot.
As I mentioned earlier, the following is a list of 4 step processes to get started with blogging and start your online journey today.
- Choose the name and niche of your blog.
- Get a domain name for your site (www.yourname.com) so that people can find it on the Internet.
- Select a web host to maintain the server so that people can access it from anywhere.
- Install WordPress on your site.
So what’s the fastest way to accomplish all this? Well, if you get started with Hostinger and sign up for their WordPress Starter Hosting plan, you can complete all three steps on the go.
Usually, you have to go to three different places to set up a domain, web hosting and WordPress installation. With Hostinger, it is an all-in-one package deal for your convenience.
Getting a free domain with your Hostinger will not only save you $10 to $15, but the high speed and advanced security features will guarantee your secure online activities. Not to mention that it is the most budget-friendly hosting service for startups. Plus, you’ll be amazed to save extra time because Hostinger preinstalls WordPress during setup once you’ve completed the signup process.
Getting started with Hostinger is so simple that even a first time user gets used to the whole process with little or no help. Below, I’ve tried to show you in more detail how you can set up a WordPress blog, no matter where in the journey you are now.
Step 1: Finding a Topic You Want to Blog About
Let’s start by choosing a topic you want to blog about. An area of interest in which you are skilled enough or which you have a passion for. But, how to decide? I think this is the first important question that everyone (including me) faces before starting their journey.
However, you can write whatever you want. But if you want to go a long way in this career, then try to decide on a topic that interests you. Although you don’t need to be proficient in it, it should be something that pleases you and you don’t get tired of diving deeper into the subject.
Let’s take a look at some of the most popular blog categories so that you understand how broad your opportunities are.
These are broad categories. You might consider choosing a subcategory that is even more specific and leans towards what you like. Remember, it is not just deciding on a topic, it is choosing a subject area that determines the fate of your blogging career.
Like any blog topic, your picks can easily spread to other areas of interest. Don’t think that the initial theme will last throughout your blogging life, but it will certainly lay the foundation for starting your journey at an early stage. Feel free to experiment with a few blog topics, and see what best matches your interests and passions.
Step 2: Choosing the right domain name for your blog
After deciding on the topic on which you are going to blog, you will have enough clues about choosing a perfect domain name for your blog.
A domain name is your web address that people type into a browser to find your content on the Internet. But getting the right domain name of your choice is not that easy now because so many great domain names are already taken. This is especially true for names that use the .com domain extension.
There are hundreds of different domain extensions, such as .net, .biz .tech etc. that you can choose from, but I would suggest having a .com extension if possible.
Some important points to consider before choosing the right domain name for your blog
- Use your personal name or choose a more general topic?
If the objective is to build a brand around you, consider choosing a domain name in your personal name. But, if you want to grow your business, choosing a domain name that defines your business is what I would suggest. - Make typing easy.
You do not want other people to get your traffic if someone accidentally types in another website. So, be sure to choose a domain name that is easy to remember and type when needed. - Make it pronounceable.
There is no need to confuse people with complex spellings or creative misspellings. Use a name that can be typed with only one accent. - Keep it short.
Fewer characters mean less hassle for the user and less chance of error while typing. - Do not use brand names of other companies.
If you do this, chances are that they will start defaming you and won’t win the trust of the users. - Try to use broad keywords.
Top-level topics like “health” are great, but to be more specific you need to point these big ideas to smaller topics. Use keyword research tools if you are stuck somewhere. - Make sure the name of the blog makes sense.
It should be intuitive for the user and Google so that they can categorize your content from the rest of the resources online. - Avoid using numbers and hyphens.
They can confuse your users and ultimately make it difficult for others to interpret the domain.
Try to include words related to your main topic, if possible. For example, if you are planning to create content on health issues, you might want to include a word that best defines the term.
Come up with a short list of domain names you’re happy with and check availability before choosing the best one. I am sure these tips will help you to some extent. If not, don’t think too much. Wait a moment and try again. You will definitely be able to register the right domain for your business.
Well, now is the time to act and start building your blog because new pages don’t rank easily on Google, the sooner you get started, the better. Once you have your domain name mapped on Google, it is time to find a web host that meets your hosting needs and helps you make your blog live on the Internet.
But, as a beginner, you might not be aware of what your hosting needs should be. And therefore, you will need someone who can help you decide on a hosting service that best suits your needs as a beginner. right? Let me try.
Step 3: Find a Web Host
Domain names and web hosting make your blog live on the Internet, so anyone can access it from anywhere, regardless of their geographic location. There are lots of different web hosting companies out there. But you need to find one that is reliable, secure, and has a good reputation in the hosting world.
I highly recommend choosing Hostinger as it gives you the best hosting service in terms of speed, uptime and security at the most reasonable price (less than $2 per month).
Why Choose Hostinger as Your Preferred Host?
Being a beginner, chances are, you have no idea what web hosting is and what features would best suit your needs when creating a blog. So, the question is, why not start with a hosting provider that is most popular and trusted among the blogger’s community?
Before I proceed, I must admit that this is my personal experience with Hostinger So, please note that even though I appear biased in a couple of Hostinger’s subsidiary lines, that’s exactly how I experienced it in my own way and the case may not be the same for others. Ok? so let’s get started.
Hostinger is one of the most popular and 100% trusted names in the WordPress hosting industry worldwide. They offer the cheapest hosting prices and most advanced hosting features, including speed, uptime, and security, along with 24/7 live chat support and a robust online platform to host your site.
If speed, uptime, and security are the deciding criteria for determining the quality of a hosting company, then Hostinger ranks well in all those parameters and excels over their counterpart competitors in many ways which proves them to be the #1 hosting solution in the industry.
For me, Hostinger is the best option to start with because it gives you the highest value you are willing to pay for hosting. If you still have any doubts as to why Hostinger is the best fit for your hosting needs, you can check out my exclusive guide- ‘Hostinger Prices and Hosting Reviews‘.
Step 4: Set Up Your Site on Hostinger
Go to www.hostinger.com and hit the pink ‘Get Started’ button to select the most popular ‘Premium Shared Hosting’, an all-in-one solution for your hosting needs. Make sure to choose the 48-month plan if you want to lock in for maximum benefits at this rate.
I always prefer to choose the premium shared-48 month plan at $2.99 per month, which gives you everything you need to host a well-functioning site on the Internet. They have optimized features for WordPress and it doesn’t matter if you are a beginner. If you compare it with others, they offer far more features at such an affordable price.
If you are okay with a single website with limited features and are sure of your business limitations, then you can consider choosing a single shared hosting. But to take advantage of more features once your business grows, you’ll have to pay a lot more than you would if you opted for premium shared hosting. Just keep it in your mind.
You may think of opting for a shorter-term plan but do not forget that you will have to pay a lot more at the time of renewal. Plus, it’s frustrating to have to renew it every single year. The signup process is much simpler than you might imagine. To create an account with Hostinger, you need to enter your current email ID.
Be sure to use your up-to-date email address as this is where you will receive your account information and login details once you complete the checkout process. Choose a payment method that suits you, fill in the payment details accordingly and click on ‘Submit Secure Payment’ which will take you to Hostinger’s great setup wizard.
Hostinger’s set-up wizard asks you three questions to tailor the setup experience to your needs and comfort level. Just make sure to answer them correctly and save a lot of time enjoying a customized blog without any technical skills.
If you’re a beginner and building your blog for the first time, it offers helpful support so you’re not left with too much to figure out on your own. If you are experienced and have already gone through the whole process, it takes care of all the essentials and then stays out of your way to create the vision in your mind.
Please remember that this guide is designed for beginners who are just starting out with little or no experience. So, if you feel bored somewhere, you can go straight to the next step.
Next, you will choose the platform i.e. your preferred CMS on which you want to run your site. Since we are talking about creating a WordPress blog, go ahead and select WordPress from the given list.
When you click Select under WordPress, Hostinger will display a field for you to create a new WordPress account or sign in to your existing account. You can complete it right here without leaving the wizard.
Hostinger offers a selection of unique site templates to get started with a better experience with WordPress. Choose one and proceed to the next step.
You can consider using the themes on offer here. They will populate your site with backgrounds, images, content, and more. All that will be left to you is to swap the photos, words and colour schemes yourself to match your preference and brand.
You can skip it anytime if you feel like you can set your own design or don’t want to commit to a selected theme. Simply scroll down to the ‘Show more’ button and move on to the next step.
Now is the time to choose your preferred domain which is important for your site to be accessible from anywhere in the world. Getting a domain name is free if you have opted for the ‘Premium Shared Hostin’ plan.
To do so, simply click ‘Select’ below Buy a domain and use the search bar to check the availability of your preferred domain. It will take some time but using the right tricks will save you a lot of time. You can also select ‘Use existing domain’ if you already own it.
Since you’ve already spent a lot of time brainstorming the right domain for your site, just enter it here and select it in the field after clicking Search.
I strongly recommend spending an extra $10 per year for WHOIS Privacy. It prevents your personal information from being made public which is vital for online existence. So, make sure to add this feature before checking out and completing the signup process.
It will take a few minutes for Hostinger to install WordPress and connect your domain to your new site. Wait and see how it works and once it is done, you will be taken to your account dashboard.
When you log into your dashboard it may seem very technical at first. But as soon as you take enough time, you will soon become familiar with everything. So, to get started with customizing your site click on WordPress on the left-hand navigation menu in your dashboard.
This will show you the current version of WordPress installed. Be sure to set up your SSL certificate just before doing anything else.
Since WordPress is already installed, you can take the leap towards creating your own blog. For that, just click on ‘Edit Website’ on the right side and you will be taken to the WordPress interface.
Congratulations. Your site is now live on the Internet. But, much remains to be done from here. Please refer to my exclusive guide on ‘How to Optimize WordPress Blog‘ before proceeding further.
Now if you are done with your site configuration, it is the right time to start creating content for your blog. To start writing your first post, simply click ‘Posts’ near the top-left menu bar, and then click Add New.
This will take you to the ‘Post Editors’ page where you can start writing your first blog post and add images to it. You can also add pages to your site (such as the homepage, about me page, etc.) or look for themes and plugins to make your WordPress blog look and function the way you want. But the key is to focus on creating the content. That’s why you first wanted to create a WordPress blog, right?
Building a website, and buying hosting and a domain name is only half the battle. The real work starts from here on how you can make your blog valuable to others. You need to create content to answer the questions people are looking for. This will attract your readers to your blog and ultimately help you to earn from your blog.
Why choose WordPress
WordPress, powered and managed by wordpress.org is the most popular content management system (CMS) in the world, with millions of bloggers (including me) using it every day to create, modify and maintain their blogs.
The latest online statistics show that over 65% of blogs run on WordPress, including popular names such as Forbes, New York Observer, TED, Thought Catalog, TechCrunch, NBC, and more.
But to get the most out of WordPress, you need an excellent hosting service like Hostinger because your web host plays an important role when it comes to the reliability, availability and security of your site.
All at a Glance
How to start as a blogger? Well, you will need a domain name, reliable hosting and a secure online platform like WordPress to build a following by sharing your content with the world. It depends on your passion and dedication that how long will it take you to reach your expected goals. As long as you are putting your imagination into writing and pouring your knowledge and interests into your posts, you are on the right track.
You will need to post regularly if you want to build a following. You can start attracting your audience by having a really good strategy on how you structure each blog post and rank well in Google Search. There is nothing better than landing on page one. All the best for your new WordPress blog.
I’ve written this guide to help you make the best decision when you’re about to start your online journey. I had tried more than 6 hosting services which I found were the best. But the experience I had with Hostinger is worth recommending. I’ve had a bad time during this process and I don’t want the same to happen to you.
