Do I need my own domain name? Do I need my own hosting? What about designing the blog? Should I learn how to code first or just jump in and get started as soon as possible? What about all those other little details that come with starting a blog?
It’s easy to get caught up in and overwhelmed by the minutiae of what starting a blog entails. But the truth is, anyone can start their own blog from scratch. The following guide will walk you through the process of setting up your very first blog, step by step. Read on to discover everything you need to know about how to start a new blog from scratch.
1. Decide on a Blogging Platform
Before you even start thinking about what type of blog you want to set up, you need to first decide on the blogging platform you want to use. There are many options on the market, but not all blogging platforms are created equal. There are two main blogging platforms that are used by most bloggers:
WordPress Blogger
Both are great choices, depending on your needs. WordPress is the most used blogging platform in the world because it’s a content management system (CMS) that is open source, free to use, and has a large community of users. Though there are many free blogging platforms like WordPress, Blogger is Google’s own blogging platform that is offered as part of Google’s free suite of online tools.
2. Pick a Domain Name
A domain name is essentially the web address of your blog. All blog platforms will allow you to choose your own domain name when you sign up for a blog. This is one of the first steps you’ll take when setting up a new blog, so it’s important to get it right. Your domain name is essentially the “human” name of your blog. It’s what people will use to find and remember your blog. You need to make sure your domain name is both memorable and relevant to your blog topic. Some people make the mistake of picking a domain name based solely on their blog topic. For example, let’s say you want to start a blog about dog training. You may be tempted to use something like “www.greatdogtrainingtips.com”, but that’s not a good domain name. There are several reasons for this.
First, it’s too long. People don’t want to remember a 12-word domain name. They want something short and sweet. Second, it’s not memorable. There’s nothing about that domain name that will make people think “Dog training tips”. Instead, they’ll likely just forget it. Third, it’s not relevant. People don’t want to be reminded of your topic every time they see your blog address. That’s just annoying.
3. Choose a Hosting Platform
Next, you’ll need to choose a hosting platform to house your blog. Hosting is essentially the platform you’ll use to store your blog online. There are three main types of blog hosting that you can choose from:
Shared Hosting Private Hosting Virtual Private Hosting
Shared Hosting
Shared hosting is the most common type of hosting used by new bloggers. It’s also the cheapest option. With shared hosting, you’ll host your blog on a server that houses many different websites. This means your blog will be sharing its server with many other sites. While this may sound like a bad thing, there are definitely benefits to using shared hosting. For starters, it’s very affordable. You can also scale your hosting up or down as needed, which makes it a flexible solution. The main downside to shared hosting is decreased control over your site’s performance. If other websites on the server eat up all the server’s resources, your site will be affected.
Private Hosting
Private hosting is a more expensive, but more powerful alternative to shared hosting. It gives you complete control over your site.
Virtual Private Hosting (VPS)
Virtual private hosting (VPS) is a type of private hosting, but with a few extra features that make it more secure. It’s more expensive than shared hosting and has higher minimum requirements. However, it can be very powerful for those who want to scale their blogs up to millions of readers.
4. Install WordPress
Once you’ve picked a domain name and hosting platform, you can log into your account and begin setting up your blog. If you’re using WordPress, there are a couple of ways you can go about doing this. You can either sign up for a premium hosted WordPress account, or you can download the WordPress software and host it yourself. The hosted version is great if you don’t want to deal with installing and maintaining WordPress on your own. If you want more control and flexibility, you can download the WordPress software and install it on your own server. This is called self-hosting, and it gives you full control over your site. The only downside is that you’ll need to install WordPress manually. This is a relatively straightforward process, but we recommend taking a few extra minutes to make sure you do it correctly.
5. Determine Your Blogging Goals
Before you even start writing your first blog post, you need to take a step back and think about your goals. These are important questions you need to ask yourself before you dive in and start setting up your blog.
What do you want to achieve with your blog? Why are you starting a blog? What do you want to blog about?
These are some of the questions you need to ask yourself as you begin the process of setting up your very first blog. Your blogging goals will help you stay focused and motivated throughout the blogging process. They will also help you navigate the sometimes chaotic world of setting up your first blog. They’ll help you make important decisions along the way.
6. Start Writing Content
Once you’ve set up your blog, you’ll need to begin writing content. When starting a blog, it’s important to get the ball rolling as quickly as possible. The best way to do this is to just start writing. Even if your blog is a complete mess and you have nothing to show for your efforts, at least you’re moving forward. You can always clean up your blog later. It’s important to write regularly and frequently on your blog. You don’t have to write a novel every week, but you should be posting content on a regular basis. Your blog should be a living, breathing thing. It should be a place where your readers can come to get your take on the latest news. It should be a place where you share your thoughts, insights, and ideas.
What Really Matters
Starting a blog can seem like a daunting task, especially if you don’t know where to begin. There are so many things to consider: Do I need my own domain name? Do I need my own hosting? What about designing the blog? Should I learn how to code first or just jump in and get started as soon as possible? What about all those other little details that come with starting a blog? But don’t get bogged down and overwhelmed. Enjoy the journey, and remember that what really matters is that you have a desire to write and a purpose guiding you. The technical details you can figure out as you go along, and if you follow the steps listed here, you’ll be well on your way. Good luck! This content is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge and is not meant to substitute for formal and individualized advice from a qualified professional. © 2022 Rohit
