So you want to launch a blog but not sure where to start? This guide will take you through the steps to start your own blog on the WordPress CMS.
Step One: Create Your Blog Name & Find A Domain
It is now time to grab a domain name and get things going. We like to use Instant Domain Search Generator as it will help you come up with ideas and see what is actually available to purchase. Once you find a domain you want to purchase we recommend combining this with your web hosting provider to keep everything in one place although if you would like to use a 3rd party we recommend Google Domains.
Step Three: Sign Up For A Web Host
This is one of the most important steps to get your blog up and running smoothly, we highly recommend using a WordPress focused Web Hosting provider. At WordPress Web Host we are 100% WordPress ready and optimized so you don’t have to worry about tweaking any settings. You can view our web hosting pricing by clicking here. No matter who you pick for your web host just make sure they support WordPress and have the required resources to run WordPress for the plan you pick.
Step Four: Installing WordPress
This will vary based on which hosting provider you choose so we recommend you ask their support. For any of our WP Web Host customers, you can setup WordPress in less than 3 minutes! All you will need to do is sign into your account and open your hosting package, on the left menu you can login to cPanel which is your primary website control panel, once your in your cPanel please search “WordPress” on the top menu and your will see the WordPress Tool Kit pop up, select this and you will be prompted to start the install process! If you need any help just reach out to our support by live chat or by opening a ticket.
Step Five: Picking A Theme
A theme will be able to take advantage of rich content format, available layout options, SEO features, and compatibility with some of the most common plugins and themes on the market. There are a ton of options out there for themes, we recommend sticking we a free theme when your getting started and saving the money for plugins like a page builder! Take a look at WPBeginner’s blog as they have covered the best 64 free themes for blogging.
Step Seven: Install Plugins
One of the biggest benefits of having a blog is the access it provides you to resources and plugins to make your blog a bit better. Here are the plugins we recommend for those of you getting started Elementor, MonsterInsights Lite, & Rank Math SEO. We also recommend installing Grammarly on your computer as this will greatly reduce the chance of any grammar errors on your blog.
Step Eight: Get Social
Like everything else you do online, if you’re a beginner you need to get social. What do I mean by that? I mean interact with your followers and potential readers. Help them and help yourself. What’s the best way to do that? Using Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and other social platforms to spread your brand’s name and address questions directly to your followers. How do you do that? Create all the primary business social media accounts if you haven’t yet and post what you think and what you think is worth reading. Be funny, inspirational, original, playful, and so forth. Ladies and Gentlemen, Spread the Word! Alright, it’s time to build your brand. There you go, that was our 8 Steps to starting a blog!
Conclusion
Now that you have created a WordPress blog, you need to get your name out there and let others know about it. The tips that we shared above will help you with that but its important to keep doing research to grow your knowledge base as WordPress has tons of options to customize and grow your blog. Once you get your blog setup we recommend you learn the basics of SEO so you can start taking advantage of organic searches.
