Starting your own blog can be both personally and financially rewarding, and it's not as technologically difficult as you might think. While you can always start a simple, free blog using sites like Blogger and Medium, if you want to eventually make a living blogging it's important to own your own website.
You don't need a graphic designer, web developer, or photographer to start your website, and you don't need a huge budget. Here are the 5 basic steps you'll need to follow to get your blog up and running.
Choose a Topic
What are you an expert on? What is your passion? Write down a list of the things you might be interested in blogging about, and then ask yourself which of these topics likely appeal to others as well? Choose a blog topic that interests a specific readership--helps solve common problems, entertains, and educates.
The best way to settle on a topic is to write out a list of everything you are interested in writing about. Then, narrow that down to topics that also might interest a significant number of readers. Research what websites already exist for these topics, and consider how you can offer a new, unique perspective. Your topic should be general enough that it appeals to a broad audience, but niche enough that you can develop your reputation as an expert. For instance, if you want to write about parenting, you may want to instead consider the niches of parenting on a budget, free-range parenting, or parenting with Christian values.
Also consider search volume and popular content that already exists. You obviously want to choose a topic that is currently being searched for by your target audience, and you also want to know which niches already exist and are producing shareable content. You can use tools like BuzzSumo to find the most buzzworthy content and choose a topic that you know will resonate with readers.
Purchase a Domain Name
Your domain name should reflect your chosen topic, be memorable, and, ideally, help you rank for your topic within search engines like Google and Yahoo.
When choosing a domain, ask yourself:
- Is it too long? Your domain name should be short and sweet.
- Does it incorporate keywords for your topic? Use the Google Keyword Planner to find out.
- Is the name copyrighted or trademarked? If so, you'll have to choose a different name.
- Is the domain name available, or will you have to purchase it from its current owner? You can sometimes buy domain names that are expiring soon.
Only buy a domain from an accredited source that's registered with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). There are plenty of scams online that sell fake domains, so select one from the approved list to make sure you don't waste your money.
Pick a Web Host
After you've purchased your domain, you will also need to purchase web hosting. This is basically paying a company to store the information (text, images, videos etc.) that makes up your website and allow it to be viewed on the internet. This is done using servers, and you will be charged either a monthly or yearly fee.
There are many web hosting services available online at varying prices, but you should consider more than the cost when choosing a company. Read customer reviews of the web hosting companies you're considering before you purchase—some have a bad reputation for having "unscheduled downtime" when your website will be unavailable to readers. You want a company that has great customer service, minimal downtime, and unlimited storage and bandwidth for your data. If you are clueless about what to look for, try using this web host comparison chart to aid in your decision.
Choose a Content Management System
A Content Management System (CMS) allows you to organize the content of your website. Wordpress and Drupal are my two favorite CMS choices—they're easy to use and allow you to customize your site and make sure it's mobile-friendly.
Do some research to find the CMS that's right for your needs. While Wordpress is easily the most popular, there are plenty of other free options. Whatever CMS you choose, installation is easy and shouldn't take more than 10 or 15 minutes.
Pick a Theme
Lastly, you'll want to pick a theme that works with your CMS to customize how your site looks and is structured. Think of your CMS as the bones of your site, and the theme as the flesh. Installing a theme can be a bit tricky—consider hiring a professional to install it for you unless you are willing to put in some time tweaking.
There are plenty of great free themes available for bloggers, or you can pay anywhere from $20-$70 to buy a theme on sites like ThemeForest and ElegantThemes. Above all else, make sure the theme you install is mobile friendly. Your site must look slick on mobile devices, both because an increasing number of readers interact with blogs on their smart phones, and because search engine's consider mobile optimization when ranking your blog in search results.
Once you have accomplished these 5 steps, your website will be a blank canvas for you to fill! Now it's time for the real work—adding high-quality, engaging content that will serve as a resource for your readers.