How do I start a blog?
We regularly get requests from people to create websites on which they can start blogging. But how do you start a successful blog?
How do I start a blog?
Looking around the Internet, you come across so much information that you soon find yourself completely overwhelmed and decide to put off your blog for a while after all….
Everyone tells something different so who do you choose to listen to?
I promise that this article will be simple, easy and clearly understood (without too much technical jargon).
Are you ready?
Let’s get down to it.
Why do you need to start a blog and share your creativity with the world?
Below there will be more about how to start and set up your own blog. But before we dive into this, I want to talk to you a bit about WHY you should start a blog.
(If you already have a clearly delineated concept and the why question has been answered you may skip this particle.)
- In a very short time, blogging has become one of the most popular ways to share your opinions and views with the world. There are literally millions of blogs found online. Have you figured out how that will make you stand out among these?
- It’s a great way to express yourself and share information with others.
- You will become a better person and a better writer.
- The best reason? You can earn from it while developing yourself.
You probably already knew this but it’s nice to be reminded.
Setting up your own blog does take some time, somewhere around 30 minutes. So just grab something to drink in between and we’ll get started.
Step 1 : Choose a platform to work with.
Choosing what you want to work with is the first important step to take. I assume you’ve heard of WordPress before?
This is pre-eminently the largest platform worldwide with countless plugins and add-ons. It is also very easy to make your website look the way you want it to without needing HTML or CSS.
There are also other alternative platforms such as :
Personally, I prefer WordPress because :
- It is super easy to set up and free to use
- There are a huge number of free themes and layouts available
- You can find someone everywhere to help you if you run into something
- Your blog will work quickly and look good
- Interaction is very easy. People can share and like your content without problems.
Now, to step 2 (we put some pace behind it)
Step 2 : Will you seek hosting yourself or work with a free alternative?
This step should certainly not be underestimated. It may seem like a trivial choice, but it has far-reaching consequences in the future.
WordPress, Tumblr and Blogger all offer free blogs. Fantastic right? This, of course, is perfect for taking your first steps into the blogging world risk-free.
But there are also many drawbacks to this.
1. You have no OWN domain
On a free blog, your url will look like this : www.mijneigenblog.wordpress.com or www.mijneigenblog.blogspot.com
Doesn’t come across as very professional right? Your visitors know immediately that you don’t take blogging seriously if you’re not willing to invest anything in it yourself.
2. Many restrictions
You are very limited with free blogs. With WordPress, for example, you don’t have the ability to add different plugins and themes. (Which is really a drawback).
You don’t have the freedom to upload as many photos and videos as you want because bandwidth is usually limited.
3. Your blog is not really yours
It may sound strange, but you work on a blog that you put sweat and tears into to make it a success. But he’s not really yours anyway….
It is hosted on someone else’s web space and they can delete it whenever they want. It has happened several times in the past (due to errors) that websites have been removed to make room for new ones.
If you provide your own hosting you are the REAL owner of your domain name and you can choose the url completely by yourself. You therefore have virtually unlimited storage space and can completely customize the web page to your personal taste and preferences.
Now how much does it cost to purchase a domain name and hosting?
Of course, this depends on what package you choose. But your hosting starts as low as 5 – 10 euros per month. And your url costs on average around 11 euros per year.
This in itself is not the big cost, and it gives you tremendous freedom to do as you please.
We even offer you additional discounts on Hostgator through this link. You can start with the starter package for as little as 3.5 euros per month. We also use this hosting company ourselves because there is almost no downtime and because they offer 24/7 live support for problems or questions.
Of course, if you can use help with this you are always welcome to contact us.
Step 3 : Starting your blog on your own domain
I will assume further in the example that you have chosen WordPress. And if you are still not sure, choose WordPress (Seriously this is the best).
Just for your information :
- Domain: When talking about a domain, it is talking about the URL used. With us, this is https://are-agency.be
- Hosting: Hosting is actually the company you choose to keep your website online on the Internet for other people to see. All your data is stored here.
Most hosting companies offer a “one-click” installation option of WordPress on the admin panel.
Clicking this will automatically install the WordPress software. I told you it was easy, didn’t I?
Several extras are offered with the hosting package but you don’t actually need any of these options. For example, you can get a personal corporate gmail account for an additional $5 per month. But you can also create it for free through Cpanel.
The only option that could possibly be interesting is to choose httpS if you want to sell products. This is officially required in Belgium to ensure the security and privacy of your customers. (And this is a ranking factor for Google )
As mentioned in the previous step, you can register with Hostgator using this link to get additional discounts.
Once WordPress is installed you can log in towww.jewebsite.be/wp-admin
And voila, you can start blogging.
The first time you open WordPress it can be equally overwhelming. But don’t worry yet, it will all sort itself out quickly.
Step 4 : Personalize your WordPress blog
Here’s the fun part.
You can finally really start your blog!
Make your blog look like EXACTLY what you want it to look like. You do this by choosing a theme. This theme is the blue ground on which you base yourself. Once you have found a suitable theme you should go to
Appearance => Themes => Install
Remember that you can only upload Zip files.
There are several free themes available but these are often slightly less performant than the paid versions. On websites such as ThemeForest, you can purchase special premium themes for about 40 euros.
I personally always choose a theme that looks professional and is easy to customize. Through plug-ins and widgets you can already do a lot without having to code but if the theme already offers the option itself, this is still an added value.
And if you get tired of your blog look you can just replace it with a new one. The content on it is automatically converted to the new theme.
Remember that the design of your blog should reflect both yourself and the theme of your website. “Design” is of course subjective so everyone likes different things.
But no one likes ugly websites.
I think (hope) the choice is quickly made.
Now on to the final step.
Step 5 : Interesting and useful tools for beginning bloggers
Beginning bloggers often come from different backgrounds which causes beginner mistakes to be made at times.
There is always room to learn and improve yourself.
Some blogs you should definitely follow :
And of course Are Agency, as we regularly post new content online that will help you make your blog a success. All about online marketing can be found on our “learn more” page.
That’s it! You are ready to start your own blog.
If you come across something that doesn’t work or you have questions you can always come to us for advice. (Free)
Contact us via the contact form or send an email to info@are-agency.be
Enjoy your new blog!
ps : There will be another part 2 coming up which will go further into personalizing your blog itself.
Stay Tuned
