How to Create and Start your Own Blog that actually makes money – for beginners

 How to Create and Start your Own Blog that actually makes money – for beginners

How to Create and Start your Own Blog that actually makes money – for beginners


It will be one of the best decisions of your life if you start your own blog. I can enumerate a lot of benefits that you will reap from starting a blog. After 15 years, you won’t have an identity if you don’t have an email address. After 5 years, it will become mandatory to have a Facebook or Twitter account. Over the next 5 years, your blog will become your identity. However, that is not the reason why I want to convince you to start blogging now.

Today, the blog has become a very good source for making money by taking advantage of the traffic that you receive, so that the profits resulting from it may exceed what you can get from the normal profession many times over.

If this excites you and you want to start making money online, then starting a blog is one of the best tips I can share with you.

And if you’re thinking I’m a cool know-it-all about blogging, you’d be wrong.

I am a very average person who couldn’t write even a single sentence a few years ago.

My journey from “almost no income” in my first year of blogging to “many dollars” in the past seven years has given me a lot of experience.

One of the best experiences is “How can a normal person start their own blog and make money”.

So today, I will show you how to start a blog with simple steps.

However, before I tell you these easy steps, I want to clear some of the most common doubts.

Why shouldn’t you start with a free blog?

If you’re in the dark or have heard from somewhere that you can create a blog for free, I’ll just take a few minutes to explain this to you.

There are sites like Blogger, Wix, WordPress.com, and others that offer you the possibility to create a free blog but there are many limitations of the free blog.

Your blog will be hosted on a subdomain like yourblog.blogspot.com or yourblog.wix.com which gets long and hard to read and remember but certainly not as short and easy to remember as yourblog.com.

Your customers, ad networks, and your most important readers don’t take you seriously just because they see your blog domain.

There are many limitations to the design and how to monetize your free blog.
Your content is ultimately controlled by the free blogging system. There’s nothing you can do if your content or even the entire free blog gets deleted because someone claimed copyright infringement.

These are some of the problems you can face with free blogging platform like Blogger, Wix, WordPress.com, etc.

I also know hundreds of bloggers who started by using free blogging platforms and then wanted to move from the free platform to the paid platform (after they got some traffic), as this process is complicated.

And not only because the issue is related to the switch, but they also lost the traffic and the profits they were earning after moving from free hosting to self-hosted blog.

So, I recommend you to start your blog with the paid option using WordPress.org with reliable web hosting.

Also, all of this costs no more than $75 a year.
It’s time to start your blog…

How to start your blog

Here are the six simple steps that will help you start your blog.

  • Choose a blogging platform
  • Choose a domain name
  • Determine the good hosting for your blog
  • Setting up your blog
  • Set up your blog design
  • Start making money with your blog
1. Choose a blogging platform

There are a number of blogging platforms like WordPress, Blogger, TypePad, Wix, Joomla, Drupal etc. But WordPress.org is the hottest blogging platform in the last few years because of many good reasons.

90% of all blogs in the world, including MakeUseOf Technologies, use WordPress. This in itself is a reason to choose WordPress for your blog.
Let us check other reasons:

The system is free.

Creating a blog with WordPress is very easy
.
You can design almost any type of website with the help of 5,000 free and paid WordPress templates.

It offers 50,000 free plugins that make your blog very fast and efficient.
You can find help on almost any topic in the WordPress forum or other blogs.
Here I am talking about WordPress.org and not the WordPress.com free blogging platform.

WordPress.org is a free, open source content management system. However, you need to register a domain and purchase hosting to install WordPress.org on it.

2. How to choose a domain name

You have to choose your domain name wisely. WWNEED.com is my domain name and anyone can understand that the content of this blog is related to Technology.

Another important thing about a domain name is that it is easy to pronounce and remember.

So you have to choose the domain name in such a way that people can understand what your blog is about from the name itself and that it is easy for them to remember.

If you want to create a cooking blog, then the name should be related to cooking, or if it is a sports blog, then the name should be related to sports, and if it is related to technology, select a name related to technology.

Like an email address, it’s hard to get a domain name of your choice, so you need to make a list of names and then check for availability.

From the ranges available, you can finalize the best ones.

You can find many domain extensions other than “.com”. Most other generic domain extensions are .org, .net, .co.uk, .co.in, .info…etc. You can check it all out at the time of domain registration. Or you can go a step further by searching for domain names that are not in use but be careful while choosing which one to use. (The domain name may have been blocked in Google Adsense).

3. Select a good host for your blog

As I told you, WordPress.org is nothing but a system that you need to install. You can’t create your blog using only the system. You need a website hosting space (computer) where you can install the WordPress system.

Just like you need space in your smartphone and PC to store files, photos, and videos to view them, you need web hosting to store your blog content, photos, and videos.

You need to purchase web hosting in order to use your domain name and make it available to the world.

I’ve created hundreds of blogs in the past eight years, and I’ve come to know almost as much experience and expertise as web hosting services.

One of the most reliable hosts I’ve found is HostGator.

HostGator is often recommended by top bloggers.

Holidays are considered the best times of the year to buy hosting. You can get close to 65% off HostGator’s hosting plan.

You can get HostGator hosting for $2.48 a month instead of $7.99 a month with a visitor deal – Make Tech Easier.

Not only that, but you will get your domain for free if you subscribe for a year or more in the extended period, in addition to obtaining a free SSL certificate and many more features that I leave you to check.

4. Set up your blog

When creating a WordPress blog, choosing HostGator for your web hosting service is a good idea. HostGator is one of the best web hosting companies because of the specs they offer, the costs they offer, and how easy it is to start a WordPress blog on it.

Also, if you are still debating whether or not you should switch from Blogger to WordPress, read why you shouldn’t start with a free blog above. Yes, you should definitely switch. I get this question all the time and my answer is always the same. Switch to WordPress! I used to be a Blogger back in the day and still regret the years I spent there.

Here are reasons why you would want to choose HostGator to host your WordPress blog

HostGator is easy to use. I’ve created three blogs through HostGator with no problem at all.

HostGator makes it super easy to create a WordPress blog with just a few simple clicks.

HostGator web hosting offers instant technical support and a 99.9% uptime guarantee.

HostGator offers cheap web hosting.

HostGator has a full 45-day money-back guarantee.

You will be self-hosted when you purchase a web hosting plan with HostGator. If you want to monetize your blog, you will need to self-host it.

Here are step by step instructions on how to start a WordPress blog on HostGator. There is also a HostGator coupon code for 65% off that everyone can use. Just read this HostGator review.

To get the process started, you’ll first need to head over to HostGator to start doing any of that. There are many web hosting services out there, but HostGator is one of the best hosting companies out there. There is a reason why many bloggers choose HostGator for their web hosting needs.

(If you want to use Bluehost instead, the two companies are very similar and you can read How to Create a WordPress Blog on Bluehost in order to do so)

If you are planning to start blogging on HostGator, continue below:


Registering your domain name is the first step in learning how to start a WordPress blog on HostGator.

The first thing you need to do when starting a WordPress blog on HostGator is to think about what you want your domain name to be like we mentioned earlier.

You can get your domain directly from HostGator for free.

Select a plan with Hostgator

Hostgator web hosting plans are cheap. Plans start at just $2.75 per month. If you enter the HostGator coupon code provided in this thread, you’ll save 65%, too.
Using the arrangement provided by the HostGator wizard, you will either register your new domain or enter the domain you already own. You will then confirm the type of service and bill your account. If you have a single blog, perhaps the cheaper Hatchling package is perfect for you (you can always change your HostGator hosting plan later). You will then choose a username and passcode. The next window displays your billing information.

Keep in mind that you will save more money if you choose a longer plan. I usually recommend one year or longer, and many people seem to be buying for three.

Set up your blog on HostGator
Now, once your account is set up, you will have to verify your email. You should receive an email about your account information in order to be able to log in. You will then click on the Control Panel link that has been given to you. The link will direct you to your cPanel.
When you are in the Control Panel on HostGator, scroll down to “Software/Services” and click on “Quick Install.” Where you will install WordPress. It is a free tool!
After you click on Quick Install, on the left side you will find the option “WordPress”. click on it.
Click Continue.
Here you will click on the domain you want to install WordPress on. You will need to enter the admin email, blog address, admin username, first name and last name.
Then click on Install Now. On the next page you will see a message. Make sure to save your username, password and link to the admin panel.
And I’m done. somewhat.
You have now created a WordPress blog on HostGator. You will have to work on the design and produce high quality content, of course. good luck!
If you are looking for a good template for your blog, Genesis always seems to be very popular. Genesis has been used on my blog for a while, and I highly recommend it.
Also, if you are looking for a way to send newsletters to your readers, I would recommend AWeber.
5. Design your blog
You need to do some of the most important things right after you create your blog.
1. Complete WHOIS verification
If you chose a new domain in Step 2 “Type your domain name” above, you will receive a WHOIS verification email. Open your email and click on the “Verify your email” link to activate your domain.
Then login to your WordPress account by clicking on “Login to WordPress” from your Hostgator account.
After logging in you will find the admin panel for WordPress. You will be asked about the nature of the blog (business or personal). Simply click on the “I don’t want help” link.
Then do the other things related to setting up your blog.
2. Create a new user with the Administrator role
This is the first thing to do after starting a blog. When Hostgator installs WordPress on your hosting, it gives you the default username “Admin” which is not good. Spammers and hackers can attack your blog with spam and malware.
You should change it to use strong username and password details.
There is no option to change the username in WordPress. You need to create a new user and delete the default user “Admin”.
Click on “Members” as shown in the image, then “Add New”.
Enter the new user details. Username, email, first name and last name.
Click on “View password” to see your WordPress blog’s password. If you want, you can change it.
Choose the role as “Administrator”.
Find here your WordPress blog account details.
WordPress login URL: https://YourBlog.com/wp-admin (replace YourBlog with your domain name)
You will have to enter your username and password as given in the above steps.
Now you have to register your WordPress account and login again with your new username and password details using the login URL link above.
Navigate back to “Members -> All Members”.
Select the user “Admin” and delete it or change its role to “Subscriber”.
3. Install a template after starting your blog
You need to install or change your theme when you start the blog. There are thousands of free and paid templates offered by thousands of web application developers. Theme will change the overall design, style and layout of your blog.
You can click on “Appearance -> Themes -> WordPress.org Templates” to find free templates provided by WordPress.
Do some experiments with the free templates and check which one you like the most. Choose a responsive template that is compatible with the smartphone.
There are hundreds of premium templates outside of WordPress offered by different companies. My favorite template as I mentioned earlier is Genesis provided by StudioPress. Premium templates have more features and are easy to customize.
4. Install important plugins
WordPress plugins are like apps that allow you to add new features and functionality to your WordPress blog. You must install some necessary plugins to create your blog.
Click on “Extensions -> New Added” and search for these extensions to install and activate them.
Here are the best plugins you should have
Yoast SEO: One of the best plugins for on-page SEO and other things like creating a sitemap.
JetPack: HostGator already installs it. Click on JetPack and then click on the Setup button to set up this add-on. It is a multi-purpose addon where you can add things like contact form, share buttons, site stats, and many other things.
Akismet Anti-Spam: This plugin will protect you from spam comments. This add-on is already installed by HostGator. You need to activate it and go to Settings and then click on “Get API Key” to get an API key to use this extension for free.
WP Smush: Images are a great way to improve the quality of your posts, but images take up a lot of storage space and at the same time slow down your blog. This plugin optimizes and compresses your images without reducing their quality. It results in less storage and more speed.
There are other add-ons that you can add such as “Contact Form 7”, Google Analytics, Any Share Button add-on, WordFrence Security etc.
5. Change the permalink
Permalink is a great way to create a clean, custom friendly link. Just click Settings -> Permalink to change your settings. Simply select Custom Structure, enter /%postname%/ in the text box, and click Save Changes.
6. Add the first article
Time to add your first post. You must write a minimum of 1000 words for your blog post on your preferred topic based on your blog remit. Images make your content more attractive so you should consider adding high quality images in your article.
You can find images on sites like Pixabay, Canva to use on your blog.
Click on “Posts -> Add New” to add your first post.
Add your title and content along with the images and click on the “Publish” button to publish the post.
Congratulation! You published your first post after starting your blog.
6. Start making money with your blog
The reasons for creating a blog vary. Someone might use it as a place to showcase their hobby or as a personal blog. Someone can use it as a business blog. Instead, someone else wants to become a professional blogger like me.
However, making money with a blog is one of the most common goals for starting a blog.
Here are the steps if you want to make money after creating your blog.
1. Write on a regular basis
You should write on a regular basis after starting your blog. Your posts should be excellent with good research and adding original ideas where people can get something new. People love and share such content.
The more quality content your visitors have, the more traffic you can get.
2. Promote your blog
This is the most important step to get high traffic to your blog. It’s hard to make money without visitors. It takes time to get good traffic on your blog.
There are many things you can do to get traffic to your blog.
Learn SEO and implement on-page and off-page SEO techniques on your blog. In this way, you can get good traffic from Google.
Share your content on social sites like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Pinterest etc.
Write comments and guest posts on other blogs.
Create videos and upload them to YouTube and other video sharing sites.
3. Brand your blog
This is the ultimate goal of every blogger after starting a blog. There are a number of ways to make money from a blog, but I wouldn’t recommend many of them.
I’ll keep it simple and suggest 2 ways for you as a beginner.
You can make money with Google AdSense and Amazon.
Sign up with AdSense here (try doing this only after you receive some traffic on your blog). Google will display ads on your blog similar to what you see on this blog. When a visitor clicks on any ads, Google pays you.
Another excellent way is to earn money by featuring Amazon products linked to your blog content. Just sign up with the Amazon Associate that matches your country (the service is available in all major countries). Log in to your linked account and get an affiliate link for any product you want to promote through your blog.
When someone goes to Amazon by clicking on your referral link on your blog and buys something, you will get 4% to 12% commission from Amazon.
Do not look for any other methods for now, as you will be confused but you should not focus more on making money instead you should make your blog successful. a

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