Yay! I am so excited that you have decided to start a blog! If you are looking to create a profitable blog then you are in the right place. These are the steps that I went through in order to create my blog and start earning profits. Building a blog can be easy if you have the proper instruction and the time. To get a blog started you need to create (and buy) a domain name and a hosting site. I will discuss what these are later down the road, but for now, just know that you will need to put out some money (roughly $10) to get your blog off the ground.
Note: I may use affiliate links in this post. I DO NOT support products that I do not absolutely believe in. All products mentioned have been tested and loved by me.
Blogging is truly a TON of fun! Especially when you blog about something you are passionate about. I have fallen in love with blogging and being able to get my creative side going. Although I will help you create your dream blog that is profitable, blogging can be just as fun for the people who don’t want to do this as a job or to earn money.
Here we go! I am so excited that we are going to start getting to the fun stuff.
This will be a longer read so if you need to get some snacks or cuddle up with your pet then go do it because creating your dream blog can be done from anywhere! The most important thing to remember when creating your blog is HAVE FUN! Get creative and let your blog be an extension of YOU!
Step #1: Finding your Niche When Building Your Dream Blog!
Simply put, what are you going to blog about?
The first thing you have to do is find what it is that you are passionate about. You can create your dream blog about anything. One thing that I have found when growing my blog is that readers want passion. The reader will stick around if they feel that you are passionate about what you are writing about. Are you passionate about health? Food? Beauty? Find what you are passionate about and go from there.
Once you have decided on a broad category of what you want to blog about, figure out what you are particularly passionate about in that category. The best way to make a profitable blog is by blogging on one specific thing and as you gain followers you can then expand out. Now, this is not the end-all-be-all, if you want to talk about several different things because you are passionate about them, then go for it! But if you can, try and be specific. For instance, if you are blogging about food maybe focus on healthy recipes, I know, who would focus on healthy recipes when you can blog about desserts.. either way, you get the jist!
If you are struggling with coming up with a Niche, consider a few questions:
- Who is your audience?
- What does your audience want from you?
- Think about the kind’ve feeling you want your readers to have when they read your content. (For example: Family, Health, Food, etc.)
- What do you want to me known for?
- List a few key credentials you have that will make your audience want to listen to you.
If you are blogging for fun then finding a niche is not terribly important. However, if you want to make a profitable blog or think that you might want to make a profitable blog in the future, it is best to find your blogging niche now so you don’t have to back track later down the road.
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Step #2: Picking a Domain Name for Your Dream Blog!
Now that you know what it is that you are going to blog about, it’s time to choose your blogs name. This is also called a domain name. You can pick just about anything you want when naming your blog. Just know, that there is a chance that the domain name is already going to be taken. I would pick out your favorite five names and put them in order from your favorite to least favorite and go from there.
Your domain name is important, when you become a successful blogger this is the name that you will be known as. Here are some things to remember and help you narrow down your search:
- Make your domain name specific to your niche but not too specific– You don’t want to have a blog name that is no longer applicable in a couple years. For instance: The name “Being 40 and Fabulous” for beauty bloggers, you will not be 40 forever so this name won’t be applicable to you in a couple of years.
- Don’t make your blog name too long or too hard to remember– It is hard enough as is to remember websites, it is even harder if it is too long or has extra characters that throw everything off.
- You can do a play on words with your name– For instance, my blog “Babbling with Brooke” (cute, right? 🙂 )
- If you are planning on selling a product such as skin care products (this is applicable to those who want to create a blog for their MLMs), I would recommend not using the name of the company or the product you are trying to sell in the domain name- For instance, if I sold skin care products from company X, I would not include the name of company X or that my blog is all about skin care. This is because if something ever happens to the company where it is no longer around, you will then be branded with that company name or product. Does that make sense? If this applies to you, I would recommend branding yourself. Use your name as your domain name that way you can blog about anything you want at any point in time without being branded with a certain company.
This is one of the really fun parts about building a blog, getting to create your name! I got the name “Babbling With Brooke” when I was a kid. I used to always be called Babbling Brooke so I just stuck with it. I love my blog name now and it is something that I can take with me no matter where I end up going.
To check to see if your domain name is available go to this Link. Enter your domain name in the box and it will tell you if it is available!
If your domain name is available check to make sure it is available on other social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, Etc.). If it is not, do not freak out! If the name is taken on social media, you can simply keep the name and add “Blogger” or “Official” behind it. For instance, when I created an email for my blog, “babblingwithbrooke@…” was already taken so I changed it to “babblingwithbrookeblogger@gmail.com”. Easy fix, especially if you love the name you have chosen!
Step #3: Setting Up Web Hosting to Create Your Dream Blog!
If you are a blogger that is looking to make money off of their blog, then you must use a self-hosted site. What this means is that you own all of your own content and your blog is completely owned by you. If your site is not self-hosted, such as with WordPress.com, Wix, etc. then you do not own your content. When you begin to make profits off your blog they can then come after you for the money. Nobody wants that. It is easier to pay the fee now, then to go through the hassle later.
You will also need a self-hosted site if you want to run ads, make money through affiliate links, sponsored post, etc.
I personally use BlueHost.com and love it. I know that a lot of other bloggers also use BlueHost as well because of its reliability, speed, and affordability. You can get hosting for just $3.95/month with bluehost. There are however a lot of web hosting sites out there, if bluehost is not right for you then I suggest researching the other hosting sites before purchasing.
This is the homepage of bluehost and what you will see when you are on their homepage. A easy way to get to the homepage is by clicking here. Once you get to the homepage click “Get Started” . From there you will be asked to select your plan. The $3.95/month plan works as you are just starting out your blog. There is a 30 day money back guarantee, if you absolutely hate blogging or its too confusing then you can get your money back.
*If you are struggling to understand how everything works, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE reach out to me before you call it quits with the blog. I understand that technology can be frustrating but I want to help you become the blogger that you dream of becoming. So, please reach out if you are having any issues at all.
From there, you will be taken to this screen where you will choose your domain name.
From there you will click “Next” and be prompted to enter in your account information.
My recommendation would be to sign up for the 36 month plan. The reason I say this is because Google will recognize you as the “real deal” if you sign up for longer than the 12 month plan. It tells Google that you have a commitment to the business and that you truly are a business. However, if you can’t afford the investment right now, then you can choose another option. When the time comes around to renew your bluehost account, I would recommend looking into the longer plans.
After you finish entering your information and selecting any additional packages that you want, you will enter in your payment information.
From there, hit “Submit” and create your password. Once you have created a password you will be ready to login to your bluehost account! Bluehost will automatically download WordPress for you which is the site you will use to edit your blog. WordPress is awesome and easy to use.
Step #4: Designing your Dream Blog!
This is the fun part! Designing your blog is a lot of trial-and-error, you will think that you like something then see it on the blog and want to change your mind. That’s OK! Play around until you find something you absolutely LOVE!
Before you can get started with designing the blog itself, you first need to pick a Theme. A theme acts as a template for your blog. A theme is a very important investment as a blogger. You can always change your blog in the future but changing themes can be a bit challenging.
My personal suggestion for a theme is the “Birch” Theme. It is very versatile and transfers nicely to mobile phones. To view an example of a couple different themes I would suggest, click below!
- Birch Theme (What I use on my blog!)
- Hayes Theme
If you don’t like any of my theme suggestions then you can pick one of the themes that they provide you. Either way, you want your blog to look sophisticated and professional, that is what brings readers in and makes them want to stay.
To purchase your theme, go to the left side of your screen and click on “Appearances” then “Themes” on your WordPress dashboard. It looks like this:
Once you pick a theme you can start designing your blog. You can play with the color scheme and so much more. When you are done designing your blog you can “Launch” your blog by going to “Menu” on the left hand side, and filling out the information required. Until you “Launch” your blog, it will say “Coming Soon” to any public viewers who might get to your page.
YAY! You are set to start blogging!
As you begin your journey of blogging I would start with getting a good amount of content under you before you try to monetize your blog. Head over to “5 Ways to Make your Blog Profitable” to find out more information on how to monetize your blog.
And of course, HAVE FUN! Be creative and shoot for the moon!
If you have ANY questions at all please email me at babblingwithbrookeblogger@gmail.com. I am happy to help you with whatever you may be struggling with. I also LOVE to hear success stories so please email me even if it is just to say “Hi”. I love getting to know my readers and I would love to witness your journey to becoming a blogging success!
Happy Blogging!
