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As a stay-at-home mom, I was in search of a work from home gig so I could make money from home while raising my kids.
That’s when I found out there were so many bloggers making a full-time income from home.
I decided I wanted to be one of them and began to learn how to start a blog to make money.
> I began this blog in March 2018 and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.
From reading blog posts to getting advice from experienced bloggers in Facebook groups – I spent 3 months learning the initial set up on how to start a blog.
This was my first time blogging and I am not that great with technology and this fear was holding me back. But trust me, once you get the hang of it (which might take a month) things are really easy from then on.
I used to spend 5 hours a day blogging in my first 3 months. Now I only work on my blog 2 hours a day and I don’t blog on the weekends:)
I began making money on this blog in my very first month, by joining a couple of high-paying affiliate programs that accept new bloggers in any niche.
*This post may contain affiliate links.
As a new blogger you may have many questions, like where to start?
How to get a website up and running?
Learn how the tech side of blogging works, and so much more.
So let’s break this down real quick.
First with hosting
The 2 things you need to get a blog website SET-UP is,
1. Web Server– Hosting
2. Content Management System– WordPress (the most popular one)
>>Now don’t worry too much about the tech terminologies I have used above.
What it really means is you need a server to keep your content safe and secure and a storage space to store all your blog content. That’s what hosting and WordPress do for you.
Was that easy?
You have two options to choose from to start a blog.
1. Free – Blogger or WordPress.COM
2. Paid – WordPress.ORG (self- hosted) – this is what we need to make money from your site!
Now WORDPRESS themselves offers both the free and paid option. You need to choose the paid option which is called SELF-HOSTING.
Now, why should you choose to pay?
I’ve got 4 reasons to explain this,
- You are 100% in control of your site – content that goes on it and you take full credit
- You don’t need to follow rules that are set out by “WordPress” if you go with the free version
- You don’t need to share revenue you earn from your site
- Let’s say I go with the FREE version. My website URL would then be – www.onefinewallet.wordpress.com But since I’m self-hosted, I have a clean looking domain name www.onefinewallet.com (without the wordpress.com at the end of my domain name). This way my site looks more professional and readers will take my content more seriously.
Almost every day I read this question on facebook groups I’m apart of- “Which is the best hosting service for my blog” And it is always a resounding chorus by everyone in the comments section screaming SITEGROUND!
Here’s why,
1. Siteground gives my site incredible speed. So when someone lands on my site they don’t have to stare at a blank page that is still loading.
2. They provide FREE site security- an SSL certificate that comes free with them.
3. Customer service is A class! They have an online chat support where a real tech expert will sort any issue you have not just with hosting! I have had them walk me through navigation WordPress WordPress dashboard, and even helped me out when I had trouble with the ads on my site! The best part – you only need to wait less than 5 seconds for someone to clear your query.
4. I’ve never had downtime with my site – One less thing to worry about as a new blogger 🙂
5. They also provide website backups so your content is stored safely.
7 STEP CHECKLIST
- Hosting– Siteground costs less than $4/month using this link.
- Choose a blogging platform– WordPress is the biggest one around and it comes free to install with Siteground.
- Domain name– Your website name. Mine is ONE FINE WALLET. So my URL is www.onefinewallet.com. Choose something that is easy to remember and spell. You can also use your name in the domain as well!
- Domain Privacy (optional) But definitely worth buying.
- SSL – website security comes free with Siteground
- Themes– To customize your site and give it the look you want. The theme for my site is with Divi from the Elegant themes, super easy to create for someone with no web designing or coding experience.
- Plugins– I like to think of them as apps on my smartphone. Most of the essential ones come FREE when you install WordPress.
The domain name and domain privacy are around $10 each but are worth getting it to keep your site safe. You can also opt to pay for domain privacy later on as well.
3 Step tutorial to start a blog with Siteground
1. Choosing the right Siteground Plan
They have 3 plans.
> StartUp Plan– For those looking to begin their first blog and give blogging a try.
> GrowBig Plan- The best value for money and great for those who want to run more than one blog on the same plan.
> GoGeek Plan- Advanced bloggers looking to create an online store and have a higher number of visitors to their site.
2. Choosing a domain name – The URL
If you don’t already have a domain name, which is your website name – you can register it with Siteground.
But if you already own a domain name, insert it in here and proceed.
Make extra money by browsing the web, watching videos, playing online games and testing new products - clothing, food, cosmetics and more! Its free to join. Sign up for your chance to get a $5 Swagbucks bonus.
3. Final Review
Do a last check and see if all the details look right. Add any additional products if you require. I would recommend getting the SG site scanner and domain privacy. Both maintain the security of your website.
If this tutorial still confuses you, head to Siteground chat page and they will stay online with you while you are setting up.
Yes, how easy is that? I got their help when I started my blog too. They were online the entire 15 minutes, through payment and setting up WordPress.
You can click the link below and head straight to their online chat service to get started.
SPECIAL BONUS If you already have a hosting provider that you are not satisfied with, and want to transfer to Siteground. For a limited time, they are offering FREE website transfers to Siteground done by their tech staff if you migrate to their Growbig plan or higher! How cool are they?! You can avail the offer below and head to their online chat support to complete the transfer.
Very informative. I use wordpress.org and love it. This is a lot easier and straight forward read than many of the ‘how to start a blog’ posts I’ve read in the past. Thanks!
Thanks Vince! I’m glad you found it informative and straightforward. I hope this helps a lot of new aspiring bloggers start this incredible journey š
This post tickled me a little. Lol. I remember when I started with blogger. I was all over the place. Just like you, I knew I had to take it to the next level. So I moved my site from blogger to bluebost- hated them. Then I moved the site to siteground, changed my blog name, and I am completely happy now. Great guide and information for someone looking to start fresh.
Hi Mirlene! Yes, absolutely! Siteground is as good as it gets. Glad its worked out well for you too š
To put ad’s on i would have to pay right ? I use blogger can ad’s be put on blogger ?
Hi Carissa! You can sign up to google adsense for free! Once you have been approved by them, you can use the links on your blogger account for ads to show up on your site straight-away! Hope this answers your question š
This is so helpful! And I was just asking about different WordPress themes! I feel like mine is so bland I wanna spice it up a bit! Make it look more professional! Thank you!
Hi Brittany, I totally understand what you mean. The theme is what brand your blog and makes it look professional. Divi from the elegant themes is the easiest to handle and a good choice if you hate to deal with coding.
I wish I had come across this post when I started blogging, it would have made my life so much easier! Great tips for new bloggers.
myfootprintsaroundtheglobe.com
Thank you Maninder! I’m glad you think it can resonate well with new bloggers š
Very informative post! Thank you so much for sharing š
Thank you Justyna
Super useful for new time bloggers! I remember when I was looking up these same kind of posts when I started blogging. Thanks!
Thanks, Diandra!
Great post…good for new blogger or someone thinking about starting a blog. There’s a lot to learn when you’re just starting out.
Absolutely, Nina. And it can get overwhelming if you don’t get the right resources to help you along the way!
Informative! I use siteground and love it as well š I think most bloggers would highlight what you wrote here so itās super helpful to see what other people think of it !
Hi Tammy! Thanks for stopping by and agreeing with me on this š
I am new to all of this. From what Im reading, Im definitely will go with siteground. Ive written poetry, and short stories ever since I was 13 years old. After losing my Mom at 13 I turned to writing down all of my sadness, and anger. It has helped me cope. My words I thought would never get read though, until now.
This is great stuff. Very informative and clear action points. Keep up the good work
Thank you Pujarini!
That tech expert thing is such a great resource for new bloggers like myself!! Awesome tips thank you so much!!
Thanks Brittanny! Glad it helps š
Very informative! Thank you for writing this! I am using blogger, but I will share this with others getting started with WordPress.
That’s great! Thanks Amanda!
Thanks for tips! Getting the theme setup is probably the hardest thing for me.
This is a very informative post and easy to follow.
Do you know how to add google adsense to a wordpress blog? I’ve tried and it doesn’t seem to work properly.
Hi Cristina, Once you are approved with Adsense you need to create ad links and insert the code into your site. It should show up almost instantly. Are the ads not appearing?
Hi Cristina, Once you are approved with Adsense you need to create ad links and insert the code into your site. It should show up almost instantly. Are the ads not appearing?
Hi Saranya! Such a detailed and informative post! You have put it all so nicely, for a starter blogger, this information will be extremely valuable. Keep up the amazing job! Severina @LessAsMore
Using your link for Siteground. Cheers. Regards, Renu
Thank you so much Renu!!
Great post! I love how you explain the difference between hosting and WordPress š
Thanks Nicole!
Iām trying to start a blog so thanks for the helpful info! Just wondering how i find the best (preferably free) images to use on my blog. Is anything I find on the internet safe and legal to use or do i need to get permission/link back to it? Do i have to use all my own images? Thanks!!
Hi Marissa
Yes it’s not legal to use any photos from the internet. There are sites like pexels and pixabay that allowed you to download images for free and there are thousands to choose from:) And you don’t need to link back to them!
Hi Saranya, super helpful post for newbies. I love Siteground as well. Their customer service is excellent and so is the speed! Btw, I also love your blog layout – just curious, how do you get those super cool, pink link boxes on your site. They look so neat and clean!
Thanks Emily! The pink boxes come as part of my theme! I use the Divi theme from Elegant themes, and there are endless customization options for your blog design. I just love them as much as I do with Siteground:)
Interesting information. Thanks for sharing with us.
Thank you Saranya, for the clean and clear information. I am in process of setting up and was looking for an easy, no-stress way and I found it! Definitely pinning and sharing your site.
Thanks for the sharing of information. You have explain this in very detail. This is very useful for new and medium bloggers to get new idea and skill to improve their blog ranking and traffic. Well explained.