Blogging is very much alive! Starting a blog in 2023 is still a great idea. People are spending more time on the interest than ever before. It’s never too late to get started. If you stumbled upon this post, I can assume that you’ve finally decided to step into the blogging world and want to know exactly how to start a blog.
Starting and maintaining a blog is hard work but is an equally rewarding journey. When I started my very first blog many years ago, it was a fun passion project that occasionally helped me flex my creative muscle.
Never in a million years would I think I could make money from writing about the things I love and sharing my life with the internet world. Who wouldn’t want to get paid to do something they enjoy? Once your blog is up and running, you can start monetizing through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts and ads. I’ll discuss this in detail in a future post.
If one of your goals for the new year is to start a blog then you’ve stumbled upon the right post. Blogging is a great way to make passive income (if you implement the right strategies) while sharing the things you love with your audience.
The Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a Blog in 2023 (it’s easier than you think!)
Whether you want to share your experience and help new moms through motherhood or if cooking is your passion and you want to share some of your favourite recipes. I’ve broken down the process of starting a blog in 2023 into five easy steps so let’s get right into it.
1. Choosing a Niche and Name for your Blog
So what exactly does it mean to find a niche? To put it in simple terms, this is essentially figuring out your blog’s focus, genre, or topic. You’ll want to find a niche that you will be inspired to write about consistently and that is reflective of who you are as a blogger but most importantly – as an individual.
If you need some help in choosing a niche, here are some popular and profitable niches in the blogging world:
- Motherhood and Parenting
- Health and Fitness
- Fashion/Style
- Beauty (Hair, Makeup, Skincare, etc.)
- DIY and Crafts
- Food and Recipes
- Travel
Once you’ve settled on a niche, it’s time to pick a name for your blog. You want to consider choosing a name that is memorable – the shorter, the better. If you can find a way to make your blog name reflective of your niche or the type of blog you want to have, that would be even better. Stay away from names that can easily be misspelled.
2. Buying a Domain Name for Your Blog
Your domain name is the name of your website. Once you’ve chosen a blog name that you’re happy with, you want to secure that name! So from my previous example, if my blog name is What She Eats then my domain name would be www.WhatSheEats.com. If you’re lucky (which I hope you are!) the name you’ve chosen is available for purchase.
Having a secured domain name will give you complete ownership of your blog and allow you the freedom to do whatever you want with your website and most importantly – monetize. Without complete ownership of your blog, it will be extremely difficult to make a significant income from it.
Bluehost gives you a free domain name when you purchase any of their hosting plans.
3. Choosing a Web Hosting Provider for Your Blog
So you have your blog name and your domain name is available but now what? Getting a web hosting provider will allow you to have your website active and accessible online. This is where your w When you’re just starting out with your blog, a basic hosting plan is all you’ll need.
My blog is hosted with Bluehost and I highly recommend them! There are a ton of hosting providers out there and when you’re just getting started, it can be overwhelming and confusing. I’ve been there!
Their basic plan is $3.95/month and includes everything you’ll need to start:
- Free Domain Name
- Free SSL Certificate (You’ll need to have your website secured if you want to monetize it. We’ll talk more about this later!)
- One-click WordPress Installation (plus, WordPress is free with Bluehost!)
- Custom Themes
- 24/7 Support
If you’ve chosen to go with Bluehost, I’ll walk you through how to get started in a few short minutes.
4. How to Set up Your Blog with Bluehost
To get started, head over to Bluehost and follow the instructions.
When you’re starting out as a beginner blogger, Bluehost’s basic plan is a perfect choice. As I mentioned earlier, the basic plan comes with everything you’ll need to set up a secure home for your blog. This included a free domain name AND a free SSL certificate among other great features.
In the next step, you’ll set up the domain name that you chose earlier. If you had already purchased a domain name with another service provider, you’ll enter it in the second box. If you’re just starting out your domain name will be included. You’ll enter your proposed domain name in the first box.
Once you’ve set up your domain and completed the process of purchasing your plan, you’ll create a login for Bluehost.
Once you’ve created a login for your account, you’ll fill out the details about your blog. The name if your site will be your blog name without the .com. In my earlier example, What She Eats will be the site name. You’ll turn on the first toggle to indicate that you will be creating a blog.
You’re almost there! Bluehost will provide you with recommended steps along with a full guide to set up your blog. These steps can be followed in the WordPress dashboard which can be accessed by clicking the blue button at the top right side of the screen.
Once you’re in the WordPress dashboard, this is where you will spend most of your time designing and customizing your blog, as well as creating posts. You will not need to go back into your Bluehost account unless you are going to set up an email account for your blog or looking for additional guides and tech support.
5. How to Install a Blog Theme in WordPress
Once you’ve set up all the technical aspects of your blog, the fun begins. You will now be able to create the look and feel of your blog using premade themes. Using the menu on the left-hand side of the dashboard, you’ll select Appearance then Themes. WordPress comes equipped with tons of free themes for you to choose from. Once you find the one you want, you can install it and then activate it.
If you’re not a fan of the themes that are found within WordPress, there are thousands of themes that you can purchase, download and install directly into WordPress.
There are a few options that you can explore to find themes for your blog. Some of the best places to shop for beautiful and affordable WordPress blog themes are Etsy and Underline Designs. You can also do a simple Google search of something like “WordPress themes for female bloggers” or “feminine WordPress blog themes“.
Once you’ve purchased and/or downloaded your theme, you’ll upload the .zip file into WordPress. To do this, go back to Appearance then Themes. This time instead of browsing the themes, you’ll select the Add New button at the top right. You’ll be able to drag and drop your downloaded theme here. Once installed, you can activate and start using your theme.
6. How to Customize Your Blog Theme in WordPress
Once you’ve activated your new theme, you’ll want to customize is to your liking. Some themes are so great that you won’t even need to take this extra step so it’s entirely up to you. You will however use this step to add your blog title and tagline, if necessary.
In the WordPress dashboard, click Appearance then Customize. Once in customization mode, you’ll be able to play around with the different options and preview the changes as you go. Once you’re happy with your customizations, you can hit publish.
You did it! You’ve learned the exact steps necessary to start a blog. Now that your blog is all setup, you’re ready to start writing posts and publishing! Take the time to plan out your blog posts and figure out the type of content you want to create around your niche.
You’ll also want to spread the word about your new blog! Let family, friends and even internet friends know about your new blog and what content they can expect to see from you. Don’t be afraid to promote your blog posts on social media, through your email list and Pinterest.
Comment down below and let me know if this post was helpful! Leave a link to your new blog so I can check it out and support you as you start your blogging journey.
Why do you recommend bluehost?? I have bluehost and really regret not going with sitegeound. I’ll probably eventually switch over, because I hear they are so much better. My site went down twice already for 1/2 hour. And everyone tells me I need to switch hosting provider. So I would never recommend going with bluehost. Siteground is faster as well.
https:// amish-heritage.org
Oh no, I’m sorry to hear that! I switched from Hostinger, another hosting company that I had been with for almost 2 years. My website is so much faster since I made the switch. A friend recommended Bluehost to me. Apart from being an affordable option, my experience thus far has been great. They set up my entire website from me – including importing all my data and files from my existing domain. The customer service and tech support are also amazing!
I know all about my site crashing, it’s terrible – it used to happen to me with my old hosting company. Thank you for taking the time to read – even if you don’t agree. Wishing you luck with your site!
Motivated to start my blog now! Thank you Jo x
Yay! I’m so excited for you to start a blog – I’m happy to help if you have any questions 🙂