Table of content
What is a blog
TABLE OF CONTENT
Pick your blog’s name
Get your blog on the web (web hosting)
Plan your blog with a free WordPress theme
WordPress plugins
Essential WordPress blog settings
Compose your first blog post
What is a blog niche
Basic procedures for composing an extraordinary title
Principles for organizing the ideal blog post format
Hitting publish on your first blog post
Utilizing social media to promote your blog
4 more amazing processes to promote your blog
What is a blog content strategy system?
Monetizing your blog
You’ll find this article to be a simple but effective guide on learning how to start a blog and bring in cash from it. I have highlighted 6 major steps you need to implement as well as in-depth strategies to make the most out of them.
So what is a blog?
A blog is a site that is regularly updated with, normally written in a casual or conversational style—frequently with the objective of pulling in readers and creating an online means of earning income. Shortly, I’ll walk you through how to create an effective blog and how to drive visitors to it and the first thing we need to address is the vital question of whether it is a good idea to start a blog.
Truly! Starting a blog is one of the least demanding, most open approaches to start your own business and earn money online (from anyplace on the planet). You don't need to be an expert author or web designer—and you needn't bother with any certifications, long stretches of time or a degree so as to blog and get effective with it. You can start publishing content to a blog regardless of your age, location or experience level and still form a profitable online business.
The next question would be if you will be able to blog without being an expert in your field.
Regardless of whether you have no specialty or degrees in your chosen blogging field, starting a blog has gotten so much more easier that anyone can actually start it.
Is it possible to start earning cash from blogging today?
Indeed, a huge number of people around the globe are earning from home instead of seeking after a conventional regular employment. Publishing content to a blog can be one of the most beneficial online organizations with exceptionally low startup costs.
You don't have to blog full-time either. Indeed, even low maintenance bloggers can procure well into the six-figures from their sites every year, as I've accomplished for a long time here.
What amount does it cost to start a blog in 2020?
Based on your objectives and the sort of blog you want to start, it costs less than N12,000 to start a blog in 2020 and spread your first year of fundamental costs (web hosting and domain name will be your essential cost).
Follow these 6 stages to figure out how to start a blog and bring in cash today:
In case you're prepared to take the jump and figure out how to start a blog that can develop into a wellspring of genuine online pay, at that point we should make a plunge.
- Pick your blog's name
To start with, it's an ideal opportunity to pick a name and specialty for your new blog.
The name of your blog is the thing that visitors will see first (like yourblogname.com), so it ought to perfect and should relate to the content you are looking to push into it—or it could be your own name, that of your business, or a unique but fun blend of words, or something else.
Your blog's name is speaks of the overall theme your blog is centered around.
In case you're missing the mark on thoughts for how to name your blog, or which themes you should blog about in any case (otherwise known as your "blog specialty"), simply start in any case! In case you are finding it too difficult to find a proper name, just start writing anyway, you will eventually find clarity and inspiration- instead of you spending the whole time looking for an ideal name
What happens if the name I need to use isn't available?
At the point when you start your blog with a web hosting company, they'll let you pick your name later. There’s a possibility the name you want is already taken or unavailable, don’t get stuck at this point—simply select their alternative to pick your name later after getting everything else set up and you then have more opportunity to think.
Would I be able to change the name of my blog later?
Definitely, you can change the name of your blog later, you'll simply need to purchase another area name (around 4 thousand Naira). While the name you decide for your blog is significant, it's something you can generally change later on—so don't let this keep you down.
- Get your blog on the web (web hosting)
The second step in starting a blog, is really getting your blog on the web. That is the thing that a web hosting company will do for you. In this stage, you'll be choosing the web hosting plan you'll use to get your blog on the web.
What is web hosting?
To make your site available to others on the Internet, you need a "host." The host protects all your site records, secure and ensures that people can get to your blog when they click on link or your URL. Consider web hosting as your home. At the point when somebody comes over (types in your blog's URL), they'll have the option to see what's inside.
What amount does web hosting cost?
Web hosting comes easily (around 500 Naira per month) with a top notch hosting company. Having an appropriate hosting company to host your blog is one of the main things you should strongly consider when starting.
What's the best web hosting service to utilize?
There are a few incredible web hosting companies you can use to have your blog (on a small spending plan). The organization I've discovered that best checks the entirety of the key boxes (and that's just the starting) for new bloggers is Namecheap. Despite who you pick, you ought to be searching for a web hosting organization that promises speed, highlights, security, and a solid history.
The tool of choice when it comes to Blogging is Wordpress. WordPress is a free content management system that has been around since 2003 and now controls over 60% of all online journals on the Internet. Namecheap is one of the most dependable organizations in the blog hosting industry.
Pick your plan
To start with, you'll select a hosting plan (selecting your blog name comes alongside this).
Pick your blog's domain name
In the event that your desired name is not available, you can attempt another alternative that rings a bell. Besides, later on down in this guide, I show you some more tips on the most proficient method to pick the correct name for your blog in case you're not chosen at this point.
Which plan duration is ideal to start a blog with?
By and by, I suggest picking the plans that extend 3 yearsas opposed to a one year plan. It guarantees you lower rates and enough time to focus on growing your blog visitors and subscribers over a long period of time without worrying about when to renew your hosting plan.
That is the reason in the event that you pick the three year plan, your cost will be secured in light of current circumstances for a very long time, as it is possible that the cost may increase in future, because of this I suggest going with the longest length plan that you are financially capable of.
Presently we're at the point in this guide where everything starting now and into the foreseeable future will be based upon the assumption that you've just registered for a hosting plan and that you’ve secured your domain name—so in the event that you haven't done so as of now, take only a couple minutes to rapidly get that set up.
Click this link (here) to get started
I know direct that figuring out how to start a blog can be a huge thing doing it on your own.
Also, in the event that you need somewhat more definite direction, I set up a free ace course that spreads the entirety of this work out into a progression of activity stuffed exercises, and goes into considerably more details than this instructional exercise – find the course by clicking here.
While the main and most essential task to kicking your blog off today is getting hosting and a domain, my free course ventures into really developing your blog and covers everything from design, installation, menu, uploading content and everything in between. All through this 7-day course, you'll go from zero to distributing (and advancing) your first blog entry. I can't suggest it enough.
- Plan your blog with a free WordPress theme
Since we've overcome the pivotal arrangement period of starting a blog, it's an ideal opportunity to have.
Planning your WordPress blog is the point at which you may start to feel a little contact with this handbook, however (in the event that you have zero experience with these things), I guarantee this won't get excessively difficult.
In my free course How to Build a Blog in 25 minutes, I went into the full details and WordPress is your most brilliant option.
Let’s spend some time talking about WordPress, so you understand why WordPress is the correct tool (otherwise called a Content Management System or CMS) to run your blog on.
What is a Content Management System (CMS)?
A Content Management System (or CMS) is the place where you'll be composing, planning, and distributing your blog entries. A decent CMS (like WordPress) is very easy to setup and use, where you compose your write-ups, upload pictures and recordings, and have power over how your whole blog looks freely picking topics.
What is WordPress?
WordPress is the most well known CMS on the planet, with a large number of bloggers utilizing it consistently (counting me). Indeed, the most recent writing for a blog measurements show that over 60% of all web blogs run on this CMS, including the sites for Forbes, New York Observer, TED, Thought Catalog, TechCrunch, NBC and others.
Would it be advisable for me to start a blog on WordPress (and is WordPress free)?
Obviously there are different CMS choices you can check out, (for example, Wix, Squarespace, Tumblr, Blogger, Medium or Ghost), yet I unequivocally suggest setting up a self-facilitated WordPress blog as it's the most manageable, long haul CMS. It's allowed to utilize (you'll simply require a web hosting plan) and actually the main alternative worth considering in case you're starting a blog with the possible objective of bringing in cash somehow or another.
Imagine a scenario where I need to make a blog with Wix all things being equal.
While I'm a significant backer of utilizing self-hosted WordPress to start a blog (particularly in the event that you need to augment your capacity to bring in cash from your blog in the long run), it's as yet conceivable to utilize a CMS tool like Wix for your blog all things being equal. Notwithstanding, one of the significant contemplations to remember with utilizing Wix to make a blog, is that you won't get the advantage of having the world's generally adaptable, practical CMS (WordPress) readily available. Furthermore, that adaptability takes care of big opportunity with regards to making a blog that can convey an extraordinary encounter for your future visitors—and furthermore give you the most occasions to adapt your substance.
In the event that you pick Wix (or Squarespace, Tumblr or any other one), your blog customization and adaptation alternatives will both be significantly confined when contrasted with the range of the choices available to you In a self-hosted WordPress blog where you keep full control over everything. This isn't to imply that it's difficult to make a blog and bring in cash with it using Wix, simply that you're not giving yourself much room doing that.
Presently, one thing you should be cautious about, is that WordPress comes in two totally different stages. There's WordPress.com and WordPress.org. They have nearly a similar name, yet there are exceptionally huge contrasts between the two:
WordPress.com:
• Is allowed to use (with hefty limitations)
• Doesn't let you pick a custom area name (for example yoursite.wordpress.com)
• Has restricted adaptation choices (you can't sell your own advertisements)
• Doesn't let you transfer modules (for email catch and different things)
• Has restricted topic specializations so you're left with essential plans
• You need to pay to eliminate WordPress branding and get your own domain name like yoursite.com
• Limited SEO and examination
WordPress.org:
• Fully adjustable plan, limitless module alternatives, and no Wordpress branding
• Complete control over your monetization goals
• Powerful SEO abilities (so people can discover your site more easily)
• Let's you start or add an eCommerce store or learning site
• Small month-to-month charge (from the modest hosting plan you use to get your blog on the web)
While the decision is yours, In the event that you need to customize your blog, have the option to have it developed to your taste and make money from it, WordPress.org is the best approach when figuring out how to start a blog (and the specific tool we've used all throughout this guide). It's the CMS of choice that will sit out of sight and power your blog.
Invest time acquainting yourself with the administrator territory of your WordPress blog. Read and test things out. You'll build up a lot understanding of how WordPress functions and which things you can rapidly change about your site's visual appearance and usefulness. This is the point at which the fun truly starts!
Picking the best (free) WordPress theme to start a blog
At the point when you're just starting, I don't normally suggest purchasing a paid WordPress subject immediately. When you have some traffic and can build authority, at that point it's brilliant to pick a top notch, paid topic with more visibility. For now however, a mind-boggling subject will be an interruption from your most significant need of really driving visitors to your new blog.
WordPress accompanies a huge load of free themes to browse, so start with one of the options you like in (Appearance > Themes > Add New Theme > Popular ) without putting a lot of energy in this until later. You can generally return and change it later.
In the event that you need to explore different avenues regarding different WordPress themes to start a blog with, make sure you tick all these boxes to help you arrive at the best decision:
• Simple to understand: A great deal of extravagant subjects go over the top and bargain on convenience.
• Responsive: Responsiveness refers to subjects that ensure your blog looks great on a PC, cell phone and tablet. More people use their phones to visit sites and Google likewise favors mobile responsive sites. In case you're uncertain about whether a theme is responsive or not, copy the URL of the theme’s demo page into Google's Mobile Friendly Test page.
• Supports plugins: The real joy and power of your WordPress blog comes from the ability to install plugins. Ensure your theme supports all popular plugins.
• SEO friendly: SEO optimization also influences how well Google and other web crawlers discover your website when people look for it. A few themes use massive code that makes it hard for web crawlers to discover.
• Support: Problems occur, and when they do, you need to have the option to request help. Some free theme designers won't offer help for their items, so remember that.
• Ratings: Look for themes with a decent history and history of positive ratings.
Why design is so significant when figuring out how to start a blog
Regardless of whether you don't generally think about design, your visitors will navigate across your site based on the design of your blog. Indeed, during a recent report from Google, specialists found that clients judge a site's usefulness in about 1/twentieth — 1/50th of a second. In addition, because of somewhat mental predisposition called the Halo Effect, people will stretch out that judgment to all parts of your blog.
What this implies, is that in less time than it takes to snap their fingers, a visitor has chosen whether or not to confide in your blog.
Hear that again - "In less time than it takes to snap your fingers, visitors choose whether or not to confide in your blog."
A great blog design inspires trust. It enlightens people that you care enough about your blog to make it look decent. This doesn't mean you need insane designs or huge loads of textual styles and shadings. The opposite is the case most times, the best designs are straightforward, clear and simple to view.
The moment you've chosen the correct theme for your WordPress blog, it's an ideal opportunity to plunge into the universe of WordPress plugins, to help open significantly more customizations and must-accomplish work so as to give your blog a solid possibility of becoming an all out business.
7 fundamental WordPress modules you ought to introduce on your blog today
WordPress plugins assume a totally essential role in how your blog will work.
You will need these 7 modules at the present time.
WordPress plugins
A WordPress plugin is a little bit of programming that can be considered as an "add-on" which gives additional usefulness to your blog. Plugins let you add a wide range of features from gathering email subscribers, to nailing your blog SEO, enhancing your blog design, improving your pictures, expanding your page load speed and much more.
The main issue with WordPress plugins, is that there is a very wide selection possible for you to choose from. To assist you with slicing through all the commotion when you're figuring out how to start a blog however… these are the 7 must-have WordPress plugins to use when you start writing for your blog today:
Yoast SEO: The more people can locate your content, the better your blog will do. The Yoast WordPress plugin encourages you to streamline your blog post titles, descriptions, content length and different components over your whole blog so you can be discovered simpler via web crawlers.
WPForms: You'll need your visitors to have the option to connect with you effectively, which I strongly suggest—as it'll support different bloggers who need to work together with you a simple occasion to connect. WPForms is a simple to-utilize plugin that permits you to drag and drop contact forms onto any page of your blog.
Google Analytics Dashboard for WordPress: This is a 100% free Google Analytics plugin that permits you to see the entirety of your website visitors and engagements inside WordPress. Connect the plugin to your Google Analytics account (you can get a free Google Analytics account by visiting www.analytics.google.com ) to discover who's going to your website, how long they're staying, and what your most famous blog posts are.
UpdraftPlus: Again, some of the time things will turn out badly on your blog (and it won't generally be in your control). It's inherently ideal to have a debugging plugin that will take all your difficult work over and over again, and this free one stands high over the rest.
WP Rocket: Faster sites rank better in Google and give your visitors a superior encounter. WP Rocket is a plugin that stores your pages, and does substantially more to guarantee that your blog loads quicker for everybody.
MaxCDN: Speaking of speed, MaxCDN makes pictures and other static components of your blog load quicker too, buying this plugin is a supplement to WP Rocket.
Insert Headers and Footers: Sometimes to alter your topic, you'll need to add code scraps to your header or footer (it's not as startling as it sounds). Be that as it may, doing it in the code of your subject can cause issues. This module lets you add little scraps of code effectively to selected areas around your blog.
Bonus — Lightweight Accordion: In only a couple clicks with this plugin, you can rapidly add folding FAQ boxes to your WordPress blog.
Essential WordPress blog settings
There are a wide range of motivations to start a blog and similarly the same number of remarkable objectives you may have as a main priority. In any case, it pays to have an essential understanding of the more extensive parts of how WordPress capacities, so you can control the visual appearance of your blog.
How about we delve into a couple of the master plan settings that you can discover in your WordPress dashboard.
Permalinks (URLs)
The most effective method to streamline your WordPress permalink settings:
When you set up your WordPress blog, the permalink settings will default new blog posts in the this manner: ‘domain.com/post-name’
In the event that your permalink settings aren't now set to this configuration, it's imperative to transform them at the present time. This'll assist you with positioning better in web crawlers like Google, on the grounds that your title's content will show up in every one of your URLs.
In your WordPress dashboard, hover your mouse over "Settings" and move to Settings > Permalinks to make this change.
You'll actually have the option to alter an article's URL prior to distributing in WordPress, however now you have a default URL structure that is SEO-friendly.
Tidying up your default site URL
After your WordPress subject is written, you'll need to change the default URL of your site to incorporate a "www" before your site URL.
That will bring you from a URL that resembles https://yourblogname.com over to an all the more outwardly engaging https://www.yourblogname.com.
You can change this quickly by going to Settings > General and following this process:
The entirety of the pages on your blog will currently be diverted naturally to the www variant, which looks a lot of cleaner and will in general feel more reliable to visitors.
Setting your blog landing page
My recommendation is to simply set your landing page to be the place where your blog posts show.
You have the option of setting your landing page to be a static, specially crafted page that can serve to catch email recruits, sell an item, or in any case later on. Be that as it may, for the present, stay with simply a rundown of your ongoing blog entries as you actually explore the way toward figuring out how to blog.
In the event that you're setting your landing page to be the blog, at that point one thing you can consider is changing the settings to show the total content of your blog entries directly on the landing page, instead of a rundown that has short sees of each post.
Since you won't have numerous posts on your WordPress blog for the following scarcely any days or weeks, this'll make it resemble there's more content for the time being, and you can change the settings back to a rundown and review design whenever you've gotten your initial 5 or so posts distributed.
To change these settings, simply go to Settings > Reading.