How To Start A Blog in (2024) [Blogging Guide For Beginners]

How To Start A Blog in (2024) [Blogging Guide For Beginners]

Do you want to start a blog and build a career as a blogger in 2024? It's entirely possible to follow your passion and earn passive income at the same time.

Over the past 14 years, ShoutMeLoud has helped millions of people like you launch their own blogs. People start blogs for many reasons, including:

• Sharing knowledge and learning
• Documenting thoughts and ideas
• Generating passive income
• Getting free products to review
• Travel opportunities
• And more

Whatever your reasons, blogging can help you achieve your goals. So let's dive into how you can start a blog today.

What You'll Learn

This detailed guide covers both theory and practical steps for starting a blog from scratch. Here's what we'll cover:

• How to choose a blog topic and niche
• Selecting a domain name and web hosting
• Installing WordPress and setting up your site
• Designing your blog with themes
• Must-have WordPress plugins
• Creating compelling content
• Promoting your blog for more traffic
• Monetization strategies

The only thing you need before starting: a domain name for your blog. Don't worry, you can change it later if you want.

By the end, you'll have the knowledge to launch your own blog on WordPress even with no prior experience. Let's get started!

Step 1: Choose a Blog Niche

The first step is deciding on a niche – in other words, a specific topic – for your blog.

While it's tempting to write about many subjects, niche blogs tend to perform better long-term. They establish you as an authority on a particular topic. Niche sites also fare better with search engines like Google.

Tips for Picking a Niche

Here are some tips to help you choose a profitable, interesting niche:

• Pick a topic you're passionate about - This will ensure you don't burn out. Choose something you enjoy learning and writing about.
• Consider your existing knowledge and background - It's easier to establish expertise if you already have experience in an area.
• Make sure there is demand - Use keyword research to assess search volume and competition. Ensure people are interested in your niche.
• Aim for a narrow, focused niche - A tight niche is easier to dominate. You can expand into subtopics later.

Take your time brainstorming niche ideas and validating demand. This key first step lays the foundation for your blogging success.

Once you've selected your niche, it's time to choose a name and domain for your blog.

Step 2: Pick a Blog Name and Domain

Your blog's domain name is its web address that visitors type in to access your content. For example, ShoutMeLoud's domain is www.shoutmeloud.com.

Follow these best practices when choosing your blog's domain:

• Keep it short - Shorter domains are easier to remember. Aim for less than 20 characters if possible.
• Use keywords - Include your main niche keyword(s) for better SEO.
• Get a .com address - .com domains rank better in search engines.
• Make it memorable - Use catchy alliteration or rhymes to make your domain stick in your reader's minds.
• Check availability - Verify domain availability using a registrar's domain search tool before you get too attached to a name.

You'll also need to choose a name for your actual blog. Ideally your domain and blog title should align closely with your niche keywords so they reinforce each other in SEO.

Once you've selected the perfect blog name and available domain, it's time to set up hosting.

Step 3: Choose Web Hosting

In order to launch your WordPress blog, you need web hosting. Web hosting provides the server where all your blog data, images, and content will be stored and delivered to visitors.

For beginner blogs on WordPress, I recommend Bluehost. Here are some key reasons why:

• All-in-one solution for hosting, domain registration, and WordPress installation
• Fast and reliable performance
• Unlimited site bandwidth and storage
• Free SSL certificate included
• 30 day money back guarantee
• 24/7 customer support

Bluehost makes it easy to get started. Simply:

1. Visit Bluehost and select your hosting plan
2. Choose your domain name
3. Enter billing details and payment info
4. Bluehost will automatically install WordPress!

Bluehost starts at just $2.95 per month. Get your discounted Bluehost hosting now to save over 60%.

Now let's look at actually setting up your hosted WordPress site.

Step 4: Install WordPress

Thanks to one-click WordPress installation on Bluehost, getting your site up and running takes just minutes!

Here's a quick overview of the process:

1. Log in to Bluehost hosting
2. Navigate to cPanel and click "WordPress" to launch the installer
3. Enter your site name, admin username/password, and other details
4. Click install!

That's all it takes for the WordPress platform to be set up.

However, you'll still need to go through some basic configuration within your WordPress dashboard for things like:

• General site settings
• Configuring static pages like "About" and "Contact"
• Setting up categories and tags
• Creating your first admin user accounts
• Install essential WordPress plugins (more below)

Check out this guide on WordPress basics to fully get your site established.

Now let's make your blog shine by selecting a great theme.

Step 5: Choose a WordPress Theme

Your WordPress theme controls the design and layout of your blog. It dictates crucial aspects like:

• Site width and grid structure
• Header design
• Integration with plugins
• Customization options

You want to pick a theme that represents your personal brand while also being easy to customize.

Your two main options are free themes or premium themes:

Free themes

• No cost to use
• Less design options
• Limited support

Premium themes

• One-time purchase fee
• More customization features
• Better performance
• Developer support

For new WordPress blogs, I recommend premium multipurpose themes like:

• Astra - extremely lightweight + fast theme, easy to customize layouts
• GeneratePress - great for blogs and memberships sites
• OceanWP - beautiful designs and integrations

These platforms make it simple to create a stylish blog tailored to your niche quickly.

To learn more, see our guide on the best premium WordPress themes and how to install themes.

Up next: must-have plugins for functionality, SEO, and security.

Step 6: Install Essential WordPress Plugins

WordPress plugins add all types of extra functionality to your site - everything from contact forms to analytics.

I recommend starting out with these free essential WordPress plugins:

SEO Plugins

• Yoast SEO - optimize technical SEO aspects
• All In One Schema Rich Snippets - improve search appearance

Security Plugins

• Wordfence Security - firewall and malware scanner
• iThemes Security - hide WordPress version, limit login attempts

Engagement Plugins

• Feedzy RSS Feeds - display curated content
• Google Analytics - integrate analytics tracking

This covers the technical site optimization basics. As you grow your blog, you can add ecommerce plugins, membership plugins, popup builders, and more.

Now the fun part - creating content!

Step 7: Write Your First Blog Post

Before you publish your first article, take some time to map out a basic content plan and editorial calendar. Identify topics that fit your niche and brainstorm related keywords.

This upfront content planning will pay dividends over the long run. You'll maintain focus while also identifying new article ideas faster.

When writing your first few blog posts, follow these best practices:

• Focus on quality over quantity - Better to publish fantastic 1,500+ word articles weekly than rushed 300 word posts daily.
• Craft compelling titles - Use emotional hooks and keyword optimization to capture attention.
• Structure content - Break down posts into scannable sections like intro, headings, paragraphs, lists, conclusion.
• Insert images and graphics - Visuals make content more engaging and shareable. Use free image sites.
• Link to references - Cite sources with contextual anchor text links to pass authority.

Republish your content on social networks and submit it to online aggregators to maximize exposure.

Be patient - it takes time to pick up momentum. Stay consistent publishing content optimized for your niche keywords and traffic will steadily grow.

Which brings us to our next critical task: promoting your blog.

Step 8: Promote Your Blog

Simply publishing excellent content is not enough. You need to actively promote your articles to drive readers to your site.

Here are proven tactics for getting more eyeballs on your content:

Optimize for SEO

Search engine optimization means optimizing your posts so search engines can easily crawl, index, understand, and rank them. This brings in targeted organic traffic.

• Perform keyword research to identify high-potential topics
• Include semantic keywords naturally throughout content
• Format content for scannability with metadata, formatting
• Build internal links to pass authority around your site
• Gain backlinks through guest posting and outreach

Promote Content Socially

• Share posts on your blog's social media profiles
• Join Facebook Groups and Subreddits to share content
• Engage with your audience by commenting on forums related to your niche
• Leverage paid promotion through platforms like Facebook Ads

Build Readership

• Send email newsletters with curated or original content
• Publish roundup posts that mention other top content in your space
• Conduct webinars or live talks to showcase expertise
• Integrate calls to action in articles driving readers to subscribe, download lead magnets, make purchases etc.

Driving traffic takes persistence, but pays off exponentially. Check out this in-depth guide on strategies to maximize reach.

Now that you have readers coming to your site, let's discuss making money!

Step 9: Monetize Your Blog

Blogging opens up numerous income stream opportunities beyond direct advertising. Here are popular blogger monetization models:

Affiliate Marketing

• Promote relevant products and get a % commission of sales
• Examples networks: Amazon Associates, ShareASale, CJ Affiliate

Sponsored Posts

• Get paid by brands to review products or write branded content
• Use Mediavine, BuySellAds, Google Ad Manager

Digital Products

• Sell your own ebooks, online courses, templates, graphics etc.
• Sell through Gumroad, Teachable, E-junkie, Selz platforms

Membership Sites

• Give premium access to special content or tools for a monthly fee
• Use MemberPress, WishList Member, Paid Memberships Pro

Dropshipping

• Sell trending products shipped directly from supplier to customer

The beauty of monetizing online content is everything scales. The same article that took you 5 hours to write can continue generating affiliate income months and years down the line.

Learn more with our make money blogging guide covering 19 proven models.

Conclusion

And that wraps up our complete guide on how to start a profitable WordPress blog from scratch, even with zero experience!

Here are the key steps we covered again:

1. Choose a profitable niche
2. Pick a domain and hosting
3. Install WordPress
4. Select a theme
5. Set up plugins
6. Create compelling content
7. Promote your blog
8. Monetize your work

The hardest part is taking the initial leap. I hope breaking down the process makes it feel achievable.

What aspect of getting your new blog online are you most excited about or find most challenging? Let me know in the comments!