Beginner's guide on how to start a blog

Most people think that passive income is doing nothing and sitting around while the money keeps adding to your account. The term 'passive income' refers to putting your efforts for once and then reaping the advantages for years to come. This is where blogging helps. This guide provide beginner's tips on how to start a blog.

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You must have heard about people making money online. But, how about making online money in reality through your efforts? A fantastic way to generate passive income is to learn how to start a blog so that you can quit that job and escape the rat race. 

Most people think that passive income is doing nothing and sitting around while the money keeps adding to your account. The truth is that it is not passive income; this is free money. The term 'passive income' refers to putting your efforts for once and then reaping the advantages for years to come.

The golden rule is to provide extreme value with rich and relevant content, and Google will love you for it. Your visitors will come back to your site again and again, and you can generate more and more money. So, if you are looking for an opportunity to generate passive income, then this is the best time to start a blog.

This is easy to follow and step-by-step guide that will help you set up your blog from the beginning and is intended for all those looking for an answer to the following questions: In this guide, you can learn useful tips to establish your blog and monetize it.

What is a Blog? 

A blog, also known as a weblog, is just a website that comprises entries that are listed in reverse chronological order. A blog is a word used to describe various kinds of Portals and Websites that share information on broader categories or particular topics. It generally includes features, such as Widgets, links to other Websites, Comments, Videos and Blog Posts.

The initial idea behind a blog was to be an online diary or journal that was required to stay updated regularly. Over the last few years, many blogging platforms and software programs have been created to make this process easier, as most bloggers have no idea about programming languages.

As a blog writer, you have to type your entry depending on which platform you use and then press submit. This will show up on your blog and the whole world can see. It is extremely easy to understand how to start a blog because it is simple to set up as well as completely free. Generally, a blog features different articles on a specific topic.

What is Blogging?

The first question that arises in the mind of every person who enters the Blogging World is: What is blogging? Blogging is actually a very creative thing to do. It is completely awesome and different thing which makes you feel better. The skills you need to manage and run a Blog are known as blogging. Blogging includes all the skills, such as:

  • Maintaining and designing your website
  • Publishing, editing and writing posts
  • Social Media Marketing
  • Search Engine Optimization

It is necessary to learn all these skills to be a Blogger. For example, you need to be a good writer to write a lot of quality and unique content for your website. You have to be a Social Media Marketer to influence your blogs or websites with social media power. A good Search Engine Optimizer can optimize your blog as per the rules provided by Search engines.

How to know the topics of Blogs?

You can create blogs on any topic in which you have expertise. For example, suppose you are skilled in coffee-making so that you can begin a Coffee blog. Similarly, if you are a professional in Search Engine Optimization, you can start with SEO blogs.

Blogs are generally created on topics such as:

  • Gadgets / Technology
  • Blogging Tips
  • Web design
  • Sports
  • Political Topics

How To Start A Blog: Get A Blogging Platform

If you want to know how to start a blog, you need a blogging platform. There are four main options, and all of them are completely free. The easiest option among these 4 includes WordpPress.com, Blogger.com and Tumblr.com; however, these 3 have limited features.

If you want to make an additional few hundred dollars, then these options can work for you. However, if you really want to make a big amount of money from blogging skills, it is better to self-host your blog.

  • Tumblr.com: Tumblr is the simplest platform for blogging; however, it is also the least customizable. It is good to start with this option, but it would not be easy to build a good money-making website.
  • Blogger.com: This website is another easy to set up a blogging platform owned by Google. Here you can customize the theme. With time, Blogger.com is becoming more customizable and recently has many more options than a few years ago.
  • WordPress.com: Wordpress.com is not only easy to set and customizable, but it is also completely free. However, other customization options are limited.

How To Start A Blog: Web Hosting Solutions

When it comes to the trustworthiness of the web hosting company, you have to be really strict. Server response time and server uptime are significant for anyone who has a website; it does not matter what business they are doing.

When a customer or visitor goes to your site, and your site is down after this, it means that you are losing business and traffic. Besides losing temporary customers, if your site goes down on a regular basis, there are higher chances that your customers will get irritated and ignore your site in the future.

Many web hosting companies guarantee a 99.9 percent Server uptime; however, most of them do not deliver what they claim. 

Short List of Good and Cheap Web Hosting Companies

Here is a list of some web hosting companies that offer reliable as well as affordable web hosting solutions. If you are beginning a WordPress site, then think about getting hosting from these providers.

  • http://www.dreamhost.com
  • http://www.bluehost.com
  • http://www.hostgator.com
  • http://www.inmotionhosting.com

How To Start A Blog: Domain Name For Your Blog

A good domain name is the first thing to look for when setting up a blog. But why it is essential to pick a good domain name for your blog? The Domain name remains with your blog for the rest of its life. That is why; it is wise to choose a good domain name for your blog. Here are a few guidelines for picking a good domain name for your blog.

  • Use Keywords: Make sure to use keywords in the domain name that clearly describe your site. Your domain name displays the nature of your service or product and exactly what the site is about. For example, if your site is about collectables and antiques, get a domain name such as www.collectibles.com or www.antiques.com.
  • Domain Name Extension: Try your best to get the TLD (Top Level Domain) ".com" extension because it is the most popular.
  • Easy to remember: Always choose a domain name that is easy to remember. This is because your visitors type in the domain name for revisits. So, if your domain name is difficult, they can't remember it, and there is an increased risk that you may lose potential traffic. Moreover, easy-to-remember domain names are also easy to spread in viral marketing.
  • Short Domain Name: Your domain names should not be more than ten characters.
  • Use Hyphens If Required: You can also use hyphens in between the words if required for your domain name.

How to Start a Blog with WordPress 

You need to follow some steps for installing WordPress on your Domain.

Step 1: First of all, transfer the WordPress files to your web server. You can do this by downloading the latest WordPress package from the download page of the WordPress website. After this, upload the WordPress files to the root directory.

Step 2: The second step is to add a user and Database for WordPress. You can create a user and database for WordPress by logging on to your cPanel from the Databases and Users section.

Step 3: The third step is to rename the Configuration File to "wp-config.php" from "wp-config-sample.php"

Step 4: The last step is to install WordPress. You can start the installation process by running the WordPress installation script. The total time to install WordPress will depend on your internet connection speed.

WordPress is a list of top WordPress Plugins that you can use to improve the efficiency of your blogs.

  • Must-Use Plugins: Akismet is the best security against comment spam for WordPress blogs.
  • File and Database Backup Plugins: The BackUpWordPress helps to backup your complete site.
  • Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Some best SEO plugins include All in One SEO Pack, WordPress SEO by Yoast and Google XML Sitemaps.
  • Blog Security Plugin: All In One WP Security & Firewall and BulletProof Security.

Important Tips on How to Start a Blog

So now you know how to start a blog? Don't let your excitement be tempered by the reality of creating relevant and consistent content. The right idea feels like a huge victory, so if you are thinking about how to find a stream of ideas for your posts, then the following are a few places you can mine for great and inspirational ideas for your new blog.

  • Your Friends

Your friends provide love and support to you on a regular basis. But, the interesting thing is that your pals can also provide great fodder for blog content.

So always listen to what your friends are saying. Notice the prevailing topics of conversation when you get together in a group. Also, listen to what interest people of your age as they can help you find inspiration to write blogs for them.

  • Ask Your Audience

People like to be helpful, specifically when they are acknowledged for their good deeds in public. You can ask your readers about what they would want to see on your blog. This will not only help in building interaction with readers but also make your readers feel valued. You can use their recommendations in several blog posts.

  • Social Media Platforms

Social media platforms have played a significant role in how we live our lives in only the last few years. Whether it comes to experiencing the pain of an injury or getting engaged, nowadays, many people at once rush to post a status update on Twitter or Facebook for an instant influx of support and attention from their social media followers. This reliance on social media sites can be a blogger's best friend.

People are likely to blog everything and anything about social media at one time or another. You can quickly get constant inspiration by checking social media when starting a blog.

  • Carry a Notebook

Always carry a notebook with you as inspiration can strike at the oddest times. You can also use a notebook application if your phone is your constant companion. Do what suits you best, and in this way, you can come up with a myriad of ideas.