How to Start a Blog for Beginners

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Is one of your New Year’s resolutions to start a new blog? Look no further and I will tell you how easy it is to purchase a domain, find the perfect theme, and get blogging in no time! When I first started my blog, I was using a free WordPress site, but I wanted to monetize my blog and use a professional theme.

To start a blog that makes money, you need two things: passion and a little bit of money.

You can’t start a successful blog without passion. You can write about anything, but you need to write about what inspires you to also inspire your readers. There are thousands of blogs out there, set yourself apart from the crowd by writing about what you love. It doesn’t matter if it’s advice, baking, or being a stay at home cat mom, if you love it, your readers will sense that. It may not happen overnight, but with a little bit of passion, you can succeed.

You also can’t start a money making blog without investing anything into it. I know you can do this! You don’t even need a lot of technological know-how. Here are the steps that I took (and you can, too!) to start a new blog that rocks:

A Domain Name

What will you call your site? Your domain name must be unique and tell readers a little about your site. I first started with Eating Clean, Growing Green because I wanted to post clean recipes and gardening tips. However, I have since expanded my blog and clean eating is no longer the focus. It was also a mouthful. Here’s the secret to how I came up with Iris and Honey. It’s simple, actually: My cat (well, one of them) is named Iris and I love honey.

Web Hosting

I love Bluehost because it includes your domain, easy to use WordPress for your site, and 24/7 support which I used a lot in the beginning. Get started by clicking this link:

Next, decide which plan you’d like to sign up for. Basic is really all you need to start.

Next, type in the snazzy new domain name for your site.

Next, enter your account information and choose your package options. I recommend Site Backup Pro and SiteLock Security. For my blog, I use SiteLock Security Lite which comes free with Bluehost. I also have a free SSL certificate which provides secure encryption so that any data provided cannot be accessed by hackers.

Install WordPress

Now that you’ve got your domain and web hosting down, you’ll want to install WordPress. Simply go to your Bluehost cPanel and click the icon to install it.

Choose Your Theme and Plugins

You can use a free theme from WordPress or you can purchase a theme that works best for your blog. I love the themes from StudioMommy. These themes also come with easy to follow instructions to install them on your blog.
Plugins enhance or add new features to your blog. They are easy to install and implement. Some of the plugins I use are for my recipes, connecting my Instagram account, social media sharing buttons, and search engine optimization.