Okay lets talk about it! if you are reading this, I'll assume you have thought about why you want to blog and what you want to blog about! This post is about how to bring your ideas and imaginations to life. Here is how to start a blog:
- Draw up a plan: this could be a long term or short term plan. Whatever your decision is, make sure to define your end goal; are you blogging for fun or as a long term investment? This will make choosing your platform a lot easier as well as guide your financial commitments with h process.
- Choose a platform: Going from number 1, you should decide if you want a free blog platform or a standalone platform (your own website). A free platform would be best if you are just testing the waters and doing it for fun. But if you have decided to dive right into it and you are just ready to go all in, then a branded platform would be your best choice. Here is how a hosted platform works verses a self hosted platform.
Hosted (free) platform:
There are multiple hosted platforms, you can create blogs on WordPress.com, blogger.com and Wix and Squrespace (for a trial period). The most popular hosted platforms are WordPress.com and Blogger.com. Hosted platforms will let you start a blog with the hosts prefix to your domain name.
Of course the pros include a free platform, free themes and templates as well as access to the hosts "community" and ease of use. However the cons include limited customization as you can only edit so much seeing as your blog would be part of a larger network which is controlled by your host. Other limitations include limited ownership as once again your platform is part of another networks platform, you have to play by their rules. You might also encounter difficulties with monetization as well as limited support if you do run into technical difficulties.
Self-Hosted Platform:
This is the main focus of this post, creating a stand alone website/blog!
Find a Host:
The most popular self hosted platform (that I know of anyways) include WordPress (WordPress.org), Blogger, Wix and Squarespace. With these platforms you have liberty to create your own unique website with your specific domain. Now the first step create a self-hosted blog that is accessible to people online is to get a server space.
A server space or a "host" will enable you buy a server plan to house your domain for access. There are a couple hosts out there, a few I know of are Host Gator (which I personally use), Bluehost, Wix and SquareSpace.
Using Host Gator, Click HERE to go through the steps to start a blog! Click on the "Get Started" tab (see picture for guidance).
Select Your Plan:
When you get started, you will be given the option to choose your plan type. I use the " Baby" plan because it allows for add ons and I like the option to add more domains for when I decide to expand my brand or manage client websites. I find it is a good compromise between the basic "Hatchling plan" and the "Business plan". Host Gator also provides SSL certificate (protection) for all their plans.
When you select a plan, you will be brought to a page that allows you pick a new domain name or transfer an already existing domain name. For your reference, your domain name is your website address, it typically contains your brand name. For example www.thelotuspure.com is my domain name, "thelotuspure" is my brand name. You can choose to go with a dotcom, dotnet, dotorg. There are multiple options you can proceed with. dotcom websites are generally more popular.
If the domain name you choose is already take, HostGator will alert you and give you other variations of that domain name that you can opt for. Most people typically go with their name for a more unique domain.
When you have done that, you can choosing your billing options. HostGator offers 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, 12, 24 and 26 months. If you just testing the waters, you can choose a shorter billing period. However you will notice that you will save more with the longer term options.
When you have submitted your purchase, you should receive the welcome message and promoted to change your password. If you have gotten to this step, congratulations! You now own your own domain!
Build Your Site:
From HostGator, you can click on WordPress right away and the link will bring you to a page to choose your domain name, domain admin, admin email. This will create a basic WordPress blog for you and you can start customizing it! If you notice that you were assigned a temporary domain, don't worry. After 24 hours, your domain should be fully registered and you should see your real domain.
At this point WordPress should be your main concern! From your email inbox, find the link to verify your WordPress account and log in to your blog (yes, you own a blog now! 🙂 ). From here you can go ahead and customize your blog to suit your preferred set up.
For customizing your here are a few things I suggest you set up first:
- Set up your Permalinks Structure: This will dictate how your posts will appear in correspondence to your website. For example this post "How to Start a Blog" will have a permalink that indicates that this topic exits on The Lotus Pure's platform. My will appear as http://www.anitaaloys.com/how-to-start-a-blog. This helps with your blog visibility and SEO structure (I'll write about SEO soon). To set this up, in your dashboard, select "Settings" and from the drop down menu, choose "Permalinks" and choose your Permalinks set up.
- Choose a blog template: This is an important part of branding. I suggest you take your time and shop for the best template that suits whatever image you intend to put out about your brand. There are lots of free templates you can try but remember most free things include limitations. I always recommend a responsive blog template. A responsive template makes your readers in interaction with your blog easier. It is one that allows you navigate through the site easily, moving from page to page. And most importantly a responsive template allows your mobile readers experience and navigate your website with ease as well. I picked a few responsive templates you can check out, but definitely do your research as there are thousands of options out there that you can try!
- Set up your Permalinks Structure: This will dictate how your posts will appear in correspondence to your website. For example this post "How to Start a Blog" will have a permalink that indicates that this topic exits on The Lotus Pure's platform. My will appear as http://www.anitaaloys.com/how-to-start-a-blog. This helps with your blog visibility and SEO structure (I'll write about SEO soon). To set this up, in your dashboard, select "Settings" and from the drop down menu, choose "Permalinks" and choose your Permalinks set up.
3. Set your website Menu: From the appearance menu, choose your site categories. This is important to enable you structure your website and allow your readers filter through to the specific categories they are interested in. Most blogs include a Home, Contact and about categories along with other specific categories. I attached a shot of my categories, make sure each category contains the appropriate post type to make your reader experience better!
4. Create your first post: You've made it this far! Good for you! You have gone through the process on how to start a blog, now did your feet into the water a little more and create your first post! It might not be your best but its best to start! Your readers will give you feedback and you can grow and learn from them but you will learn more from doing!
Congratulations on your new blog! I hope this was helpful for you! Comment to let me know what you think and let me know what next you would like me to write about for blogging tips! If you have any questions specific to your own blog, feel free to reach out to me on Instagram (@auneetuh), or email to book a blog consultation!
Love,
Auneetuh
