A Blog refers to a frequently updated website that publishes new information regularly. Information in a blog can either be in a controversial or informal style. Blogs are developed with the main aim of generating income and attracting online readers. Starting a blog is simple and does not require academic qualifications or experience. The year 2022 has seen an increased number of individuals opting to start blogs even without knowledge of websites. In addition, the presence of Coronavirus has seen an increasing number of people working from home and developing blogs at a low startup cost. Making money from home is the easiest instead of reporting to the workplace. The cost of starting a blog ranges from $35 to $65. The majority of the costs are used to study how to start a blog, enhancing the overall content. The following six procedures serve as a guide for individuals seeking to start a blog and gain a considerable following.
1. Picking a name and niche for a blog
This step is the initial stage when creating a blog. You have the opportunity to select your desirable name that the audience will view. When you experience challenges choosing a blog name, several websites generate names for users without charges. For instance, Smartwp.com provides the best services to the users, and they provide ideas on blog names and allow you to choose one. Notably, the blog name is significant since it is the first thing an online family sees whenever they visit your blog. The details for the name appear in this manner: ‘ideannn.com.’ You can either use a topic, your name, or the business name you desire to venture in. Once you choose a topic for a blog name, you should stick to the content to avoid confusing your audience. When you select a topic in lifestyle, your viewers expect discussions about places your visit and how you live your life. The details also assist future viewers who visit your blogs for content. A topic on lifestyle can have a blog name like ‘lifestyledila.com to attract viewers and generate more income. You should never take time in the first step since a blog provides an option to change a name. The process can be undertaken at the cost of $10. The stage requires you to execute suggestions rather than achieve perfection. Notably, one should express creativity by coming up with a name. For instance, Sony is a unique name that garnered worldwide recognition, and this has played a vital role in boosting product sales.
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2. Get your blog online
The step requires you to get your blog online. This occurs after you have created a unique name for your blog. You have to understand that it is through online exposure that income is generated. Also, the step requires you to select a web hosting plan that is desirable and efficient to follow. Web hosting is like a house where people visit to receive services. To ‘host’ means providing accommodation. You have to realize that your blog details should be secure and safe. It takes $5 to receive the services of Web hosting. As a blog beginner, it is essential to visit Bluehost, a recognized website for displaying your blogs to the audience. WordPress also offers cheap services, and I recommend its use when starting a blog. Hosting your blogs is like an investment bound to generate online income.
The stage also requires you to choose a hosting plan for your blog. I have used the Choice Plus plan as it is affordable and easier to operate. It consists of programs that will protect your private information from audience access. You then proceed to select a domain name. I recommend using the ‘.com’ domain as influential bloggers widely use it. Bluehost is recommendable to enable you to fill in your account details conveniently. It consists of one-to-five-year payment options for new users. The majority of hosting packages do not offer monthly subscriptions to encourage bloggers to stay valid in the market for a year and more. I have used the Bluehost package, and I suggest that you subscribe for three years.To buy a cheap plan from Bluehost,follow this link. I believe that this will assist you in managing your blog and attracting a large audience. Bluehost provides an offer for the new users, and I recommend that you opt for a five-year plan. The payment method requires one to skip one option and fill other slots. You are then required to enter your billing options and select the ‘submit’ button. You should be sure of the year and payment method chosen to prevent errors. Once you dial the ‘Submit’ button, you should be in celebratory mode. Once you have sign up for the blog, you must optimize and set it up to attract the audience.
3. Design your blog
WordPress website offers free designing services for blog beginners. The fun part of starting a blog is creating since it allows you to express your ideas. You will design your content using Content Management System (CMS). The CMS also provides a platform to publish your posts for online viewers. Most bloggers utilize WordPress, which falls under the CMS, and it is easy to access and operate. I have used WordPress since I started blogging, and I can recommend its services. Through WordPress, you get to upload videos and images to receive online income. The most popular CMS used globally is WordPress since it has a massive following with desirable content.
The CMS also consists of Ghost, Tumblr, Squarespace, and Wix, which offer excellent services to bloggers. Other websites where you can share your content are NBC, TechCrunch, Thought Catalog, TERD, and Forbes. The majority of the sites are challenging and expensive to access, which discourages newcomer bloggers. You can monitor your blogs using WordPress efficiently and future readers can use the content. There is no restriction when using WordPress compared to Ghost, Tumblr, and Squarespace. I recommend that you focus on reaching a colossal audience when you start a blog. This has a direct impact on revenue generation by your blogs. You will get to monitor all your activities online. WordPress exhibits a long-term profit generation as it has limited monetization rules.
Designing a blog will help you to maintain your audience. The online website consists of the ‘Halo Effect’ whereby the audience judges a post based on the graphical presentations. Online audiences perceive beauty as the desirable way of presenting blogs. Designing a blog will enable you to build trust with your audience. Besides, designing a blog indicates that you value and care for your posts. Therefore, you should ensure that you maintain easy, clear, and simple designs considering the suitable theme. Whenever you start blogging, it is essential to acquire WordPress plugins. This includes MaxCDN, WP Rocket, UprdaftPlus, WPForms, and Yoast SEO. When you use Yoast SEO, you receive optimization services that increase your blogs’ presentability. MaxCDN increases the speed at which you load your statistical online elements and images. When you start your blogs, you must provide identity information. For instance, you should indicate your name, place of origin, and reason for starting your blog. In addition, you should fill in the contact page as it offers a better avenue for your audience to converse and ask questions.
4. Write your first blog
Before you start writing your first post, it is vital to consider your target audience. It is from your research that you will outline content to the audience. You should pick a clear niche that should convey your interest in the blog content. A blog niche is a requirement for attracting more audiences to your post. It has to outline your positioning to a topic, the target audience, and the approach you seek to convey your blog content. Since I started blogging, I have learned to appreciate the services of Niche Market Demand Checker in determining the content weight of a blog. The website requires users to utilize keyword research to develop desirable topics and content. The audience will get to read your blog based on the content you seek to convey. Bloggers who experience increased traffic in their posts maintain a flow of content. In return, they get to generate massive revenue in the online market.
Blogs will offer you the opportunity to express yourself through sharing posts, images, and videos. It is challenging to develop ideas naturally, and this plays a role in the income you will generate from blogging. I encourage you to be honest with your blogs to discourage confusion. You have to acknowledge that it is your blog, and you serve to share and educate online users. Moreover, you have to recognize the role of Simple Editorial Calendar in ensuring bloggers maintain the flow of ideas in their posts. You can get blog post ideas by brainstorming topics, lumping similar sentiments in a spreadsheet in the order of priority.
Once you have learned the idea development process of a blog post, you are good to go, and the first step is to press ‘Add New Post.’ Next, develop an attractive heading by clicking on ‘Add Title,’ considering this is the first post and you seek to attract a large audience. After which, write your content and add an SEO-friendly URL and a compelling introduction. Ensure your blog covers more than 1000 words and use Life of Pix or Wikimedia Commons to add photos to the blog content. You have to understand that blog content consists of blog goals, main content pillars, and knowledge of the online audience.
5. Promoting your blog
This step requires that you promote your blog to attract a large audience. Social media use has been on the rise since the emergence of Coronavirus in the world. The major social media sites that have experienced increased members and subscribers are LinkedIn, TikTok, Snapchat, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook. I have accessed the social media website and acknowledge its contribution to bloggers’ income. Next, you have to determine which platform addresses areas of your interest and the target audience. Twitter and Facebook online platforms are used mainly by bloggers. Online communities present in Facebook offer bloggers an avenue of reaching more audience from a single post. Notably, you have to take the chance and convince the group members through developed content. An email newsletter offers a broader reach to the audience, which is a better marketing strategy for a blog.
You should focus on promoting your blog. The key is to cover a large online community with guest posts. You must perform interviews in your niche. You achieve this by starting a podcast with famous bloggers. People are attracted to interviews, and they seek content from influencers’ strategies of generating money online. When conducting interviews, you learn from the best and actualize their strategy. Networking is another crucial aspect of promoting your blogs. Whenever you post, tag along with bloggers and acknowledge their posts. The move makes famous bloggers appreciated, and you may be lucky when they suggest your blogs to their large audience. Significantly, you learn from top bloggers in the online platform since they posit the feature of success. Talk to your friends and colleges on your blogs since they are your immediate networking audience. You should reply and like their comments on your blogs to build a trusted environment. Therefore, it takes you to rise to the top in blogging, which should be a motivational factor.
6. Make money
After accomplishing the five steps, it’s time to make money from your blogs. It takes the patience of more than five years to start generating massive income in the online industry. When you start a blog, it is not guaranteed to generate income instantly. There are several steps involved: creating solid content, consulting bloggers, and attracting an audience. The fastest way of generating blogging money is by sharing your content with famous bloggers. Although, in this case, you work as a freelancer, there is minimal pay instead of practicing patience with your blogs. You can also make money through sponsored blog content. The payments are provided to bloggers who have a massive following on social media platforms. Podcast sponsorships are another better avenue bloggers use to generate revenue with their blogs. Through podcasts, you get to share ideas with other bloggers and, in turn, generate revenue.
Here are ways to make money from your blog in 2022
- Through AdSense
- Through AdSense alternatives
- Through sponsored posts
- Through affiliate marketing
- Through direct banner ads
- Through selling of your own products like courses
- Develop your blog and sell to other bloggers
- Reviewing products for other companies