Do you know how to start a blog in under 20 minutes? Follow these #5 steps and you’ll have you very own blog today. It might seem overwhelming but it’s simple and fun! Don’t hesitate, start your journey as a content creator today! The decision to start a blog is one of the best you can make.
I get that starting a blog can feel overwhelming and it can be one of those things you put off starting. You might not have the first clue about how to start a blog. You might not know the first place to visit to start your first blog. You might not know what type of plan or security features you need or how much it will cost.
You might also be worried that designing a website will be too complicated. Don’t be scared, this article will outline the first steps you can take to start a blog in under 20 minutes.
Please note this post does contain affiliate links for Bluehost and ConvertKit but this post is reflective of my experience of these products. If you sign-up with my Bluehost link today, you’ll generate a little extra revenue to help me improve money-side-up.com.
#1 Choose A Plan & Register Your Domain Name
To receive the cheapest price to start a blog, choose the “Basic” plan, as this is enough for what you need. It’s only £3.19 per month through my link, if you sign up for 36 months, which is a great price.
This includes a 30-day money back guarantee if you really don’t get into blogging. Plus, you receive a free domain name when you sign up for 12 months or more.
The Basic plan is all you really need for now, so skip the Plus and Business Pro plans as they are more expensive. You can always change it later to a different plan if you want to (and just pay the difference), so there is no need to sign up for extra that you do not need.
Choosing A Domain Name
You can click here to register a domain name and create a blog. The first thing to do, and perhaps the most difficult, is to actually think of a name. If you do get really stuck you can input some key terms on the blog name generator, at the very least this should help you get the ideas flowing. (Ideally, don’t to what I did an put “-” between the name).
One of the best things about signing up with Bluehost compared to other hosting sites is that you get a FREE domain name thrown in with plans over 12 months. On this note I’d actually suggest you go for a long term like 36 months, as this reduces the rate, commits you to blogging and gives you one less thing to think about.
#2 Get Yourself A Hosting Plan
The other item you may want to pay for when it comes to blogging is Domain Privacy Protection, which is only £0.99 per month. This is so that your contact information stays safe.
Other than the above, you do not need the other items that Bluehost sells, so I would uncheck any of the extras that are listed. You also get the SSL encryption, which makes your site secure for visitors (the little padlock at the top before the website name)
Remember, if you sign up using my link, then you will get your domain for free if you purchase a 12 month or longer blog hosting plan.
I want to reiterate that the 36 month plan is the best value for money plan at just £3.19 a month. This comes with a free domain name and lower pricing. You won’t have to deal with an expired website after each month. For example, if hosting is not renewed or if the card expires, then your website is down. Which means people may forget about your site and you’ll lose momentum. Blog hosting will most likely cost you around £58 a year on average, so £114 for 3 years (£38 a year) is a great deal!
#3 Install WordPress On Bluehost
Now we are past the hard decisions, financial commitments and payments, the fun can begin. There’s now just one really simple step to make before you can start designing your blog and producing content. Luckily Bluehost makes this very straightforward, and offers a one-click set-up process.
When you are in your cPanel (you will receive a link to this in your welcome email from Bluehost), find and click on the image that says “One Click Install.”.
Click on the WordPress icon on the next page located under “Blogs.”
Hit the “Start” button. This will begin the installation.
Once in the installation process, you will have to decide which domain you will want to install WordPress on. Click the dropdown menu to the domain you plan on using.
Now, you will see “Advanced Options.” This is where you choose your username and password for your WordPress website. You should choose something secure. Don’t use “Admin” as your username.
Click “Install Now.”
Remember to save your username and password.
#4 Design Your Website
You can add and create new posts by clicking on “Posts” on the left-hand side when you are logged in. However, before you do this, here are some useful tips:
If you want to add an image, click on “Media” on the left-hand side.
You can go to “Appearance,” then “Widgets” in order to add items to your sidebar, footer, and so on.
Then the ‘customise’ section to also add drop down lists of pages on your site.
Initially I used elementor to build my page layouts but I actually went back to the wordpress page builder for a more well-presented layout with quicker load-times.
WordPress has a number of free themes you can use to design your site, just go to “Appearance” on the left-hand side when you are logged into your WordPress website and click on “Themes,” then activate whichever one you are interested in testing out. By doing this, you can start designing your website easily.
#5 Start Producing Content & Build Your Audience
The next step is to find a niche, or something that you enjoy writing about and start to publish content and engage with other people in this niche. Blogging is a fun hobby to have, regardless of the subject you talk about. Blog about what you enjoy talking about and pursue your passion. Some people blog purely to create an income and that’s fair, but I like to talk about personal finance so that I can help others as well.
You should engaging with readers and other bloggers. Doing this has helped me learn even more about my niche, SEO, affiliate marketing and more. Blogging has also helped me to make money online. This isn’t something I even thought would be possible for me. Blogging also gives you the chance to be part of an awesome community. I’ve made lot’s of support connections and getting positive feedback from them is always a real bonus.
Don’t Forget To Build An Email List Once You Start A Blog
Make sure you capture and convert even the smallest amount of traffic. I would highly recommend signing up to Converkit to build an email list. You can use Convertkit to create lead pages and lead magnets which will help you build an email list. This is going to make it easier to build a following and encourage people back to your site.
If you are looking for a way to send newsletters or emails to your readers then Convertkit also offers automation and sequences. Originally I used Mailchimp as it’s completely free up to 1,000 subscribers. That’s before I realised how amazing the functionality of Convertkit is. It’s also a much simpler and dynamic way to create forms.
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