How to Start a Blog in 10 Simple Steps

Recently, I was invited by INIFD (International Institute of Fashion Design) as a Guest Speaker to conduct a Blogging Workshop during their Fashion Technical Week. I remember starting ‘Glam Adventuress” on a whim three years ago when I didn’t really know what exactly was required to start the blog, I just followed my passion, gathered the courage to begin and learnt the rest through the process. And, now three years later, I couldn’t be more happier and proud to be conducting a blogging workshop, sharing my knowledge of the business with the young and creative minds which I learned over the years. It was truly a moment of pride and honour for me. I covered a number of topics at length like what is a blog, what is a domain name, what is hosting, how to register the domain name and get the site self hosted, which is the best platform for blogging, what is a plugin, how to create blog content and make articles interesting. Apart from these, I also covered about social media marketing and strategies to take your blog/business to next level.

So, if you’re constantly searching on Google or Pinterest for the blogging advice but kept procrastinating or never mustered up the courage to start then start now, there won’t be any right time than right now. And, I’ll not only tell you the ten super easy steps to start a blog but also share how to maintain it.

I wish I had someone to guide me through the initial phase , but I’m here for you guys to help you at every step so that you don’t end up making the mistakes which I did.

So, let’s dive into the blogging world. You don’t need any technical experience and it’s much easier and faster than you think.

1. Find a Niche

You need to decide what exactly you’d like to blog about. When you find your area of interest, topics you’re passionate about then it’d be very simple for you to write articles and work on your blog.

2. Domain Name

Think about a catchy and memorable domain name for your blog, what’d you like to call your blog? It’s basically the website URL, www.abc.com so abc here is the domain name.

3. Set up the Blog Hosting

We all love free stuff but you got to remember there’re no free lunches in this world, so why should free web hosting be any different? Go for a paid hosting plan which will take care of your domain, site hosting, free email accounts and storage. Never go for free hosting if you’re serious about your blogging business. Your blog would need a space to stay on the internet so that’s where the hosting comes in. I’d recommend SiteGround for blog hosting and domain name registration, it’s the best in terms of website performance and 24*7 customer service.

4. Install WordPress

The next step is to install WordPress which is super easy and doesn’t require any technical knowledge. You need to click on “my accounts” and then go to” c panel”. Installation is totally free off cost. Once installed, choose a simple yet attractive theme to make your blog look amazing.

5. Plugins

You must add the must have plugins in order to run your blog smoothly and hassle free. It’ll protect and organise your blog, plugins are applications which improves the blog’s functionality. Consider installing the following plugins: MonsterInsights for Google Analytics to track your blog’s traffic, page views etc. YoastSEO for optimising your post to appear in the search engines like Google, Bing etc. Updrafts Plus for backup of your blog, Akismet plugin to monitor spam comments, Social Pug for social sharing buttons. Also make sure that you install the essential plugins only, else, your blog might get slow.

6. Add Blog Pages

“Pages” are static pages that remain on your blog. You need to add a few important pages to your blog like ‘About Me” to share about yourself to your readers and why they should follow or subscribe you, “Contact Me” so that people could reach you and you don’t end up missing some wonderful opportunities, “Privacy Policy” to make things transparent about your blog. You may add more but these are the essential pages which you must have in order to make your site look complete.

7. Write a Blog Post

I’d recommend you having already prepared articles with you before you start your blog so that later you don’t stress about the content. So, once you’ve written an effective post, re -write it, edit it, check for repetitions, SEO and formatting, the right keywords, always add the meta description add “alt text’ to your images. It’ll help you get more traffic. And, when you’re fully convinced then hit that publish button and there you go with your first blog post, congratulations!! From now on, focus on, consistently publishing new posts and if you get the writer’s block, sweat not, it’s normal and happens with everyone. Just push through and and don’t give up!

8. Make content posting schedule

Having a content calendar will not only help you stay organised but also ahead of time. Plan your content beforehand so that you don’t end up getting overwhelmed or dreaded when things get busy. And, eventually it’ll improve your efficiency.

9. Set up your social media

Make sure that you set up your social media profiles before you launch your blog so that you get traffic sooner rather than later. However, it’s not necessary to have profiles on all the platforms but the more the better for your blog. And have the same name as your blog, because it’s your identity.

10. Share and promote your blog

It’s often said bloggers should spend 20% of their time creating the content and 80% promoting it. So don’t wait for Google’s blessings to get traffic to your site and share your posts on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter etc to drive traffic.

I’m sure this article will help you to start your dream blog in no time. Moreover, I’d suggest you to keep playing with your blog so that you figure out new things and eventually become a pro! So, just be yourself, be confident, add value to your readers’ lives, be interesting and keep creating fabulous content. Always remember to either inspire, inform, teach or entertain your readers.

 

Let me know if you already have a blog or if you’re planning to start one. Share your blogs URL in the comments below and I’ll check them out. Also, if you think I’ve missed out anything, please feel free to share. Do spread this article with your friends or anyone whom you know is thinking to start a blog.

Happy Blogging!

Until then

Glam Adventuress