Blogging is hands-down my favorite way to connect with people, share what I love, and earn a little extra on the side. If that sounds like something you’re into, keep reading—I’ll show you how to get started!

You might want to share your thoughts or expertise with the world and blogging gives you a platform to express yourself and build a community online. From fashion and travel to food and tech, there’s a blog niche for everyone.

The best part? Blogging can also be a solid way to make money. With the right strategy, you can grow an audience and even turn your passion into a profitable side hustle (or more!).

In this post, I’ll guide you step-by-step through starting your very own blog—no experience needed.

How I Accidentally Fell in Love with Blogging (and Why You’ll Love It Too!)

I got into blogging almost by accident, but it turned out to be one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. It all started when I wanted a creative outlet to share my thoughts (and let’s be honest, to escape my boring 9-to-5). I knew I had stories to tell and tips to share, but I had no idea where to start. After a lot of trial and error, late-night Googling, and a few cups of coffee too many, I finally figured it out—and what started as a hobby grew into something so much bigger.

Blogging not only gave me a way to connect with an amazing community of like-minded people but also opened doors to opportunities I never imagined. From making some side income to collaborating with brands, to saving for retirement, I’ve built something that feels both creative and meaningful. And guess what? If I can do it, you absolutely can too.

If you’re curious about how I got started or want a little guidance on your blogging journey, let’s connect—I’d love to help!

Free Blogging for Beginners Email Course!

So, if you’ve been contemplating how to start a blog, I’ve created a free email course that is perfect for you. It’s a 5 day course designed to guide you through the process of starting a blog, learning the tech, making it engaging, and of course monetizing it!

Here’s a quick outline of what you will learn in this free course:

  • Day 1: Blogging 101, Selecting Your Topic, Audience, and Blog Name
  • Day 2: Choosing a Host, Installing WordPress, and Selecting Branding
  • Day 3: Installing Your WordPress Theme and Plugins
  • Day 4: Creating Engaging Content, Blog Post Categories, Getting Ready to Launch
  • Day 5: Monetizing Your Blog – Turning Passion into Profit

To sign up for my email course use this link here, or keep on reading for the quick overview and a step-by-step guide to how to start a blog from scratch.

Free Blogging for Beginners Course

Grab our free 6-day email course to get started with your Blog on WordPress!

You’ll also get our emails delivered to your inbox. Not into that? No problem – unsubscribe at any time.

Table of Contents

how to start a blog from scratch

Why Should You Start a Blog?

So why should you consider blogging? Well, for starters, blogging allows you to express yourself and share your passion. It gives you a platform to connect with people worldwide who share similar interests. It’s a wonderful way to create and join a community of like-minded individuals.

Furthermore, blogging can help you build credibility and authority in your chosen niche. By sharing your expertise and insights, you position yourself as an expert in your niche. This can lead to opportunities such as collaborations, partnerships, speaking engagements, and even book deals.

Lastly, and perhaps most enticingly, blogging can be monetized. This means you can make money from your blog through various methods like advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and selling products or services.

Things to Consider Before Starting a Blog

Before you dive headfirst into the world of blogging, there are a few things you should consider.

First, you need to decide on a blog topic. This should ideally be something you’re passionate about and knowledgeable in. It could be anything from your hobby to your profession. The key is to choose a topic that you can write about consistently and passionately.

Next, you need to think about the purpose of your blog. Are you blogging to share your experiences, to educate others, to showcase your expertise, or to sell products or services? Having a clear purpose will guide your content creation and help you connect with your intended audience.

Finally, you need to consider the commitment involved. Blogging isn’t a one-and-done deal. It requires consistent effort in creating content, promoting your blog, engaging with your audience, and keeping up with industry trends. You need to be prepared to invest time and effort into your blog.

A Step-by-Step Guide on How to Start a Blog

If you answered yes to all of this and still want to start a blog let’s dig in! Starting a blog isn’t as confusing or overwhelming as it may seem. With the right guidance and tools, you can set up your blog in no time, just take it step by step. To start a blog you only need three things:

  1. A computer or laptop
  2. Internet connection
  3. A self-hosted Website

Below is a step-by-step guide on how to start a blog.

Step 1: Choosing the Right Blogging Platform

The first step in starting a blog is choosing the right blogging platform. This is the software or service you’ll use to publish your content online. There are many blogging platforms available, with WordPress and Blogger being the most popular.

When choosing a platform, consider factors like ease of use, customization options, community support, and cost. WordPress, for example, is known for its user-friendly interface, extensive customization options, and large community support.

In this blog post and in the email course, I focus on creating a blog using WordPress as the platform.

Step 2: Setting Up Your Blog Name, Domain, and Hosting

Once you’ve chosen a blogging platform, the next step is setting up your blog.

This involves choosing a domain name and a hosting provider. The domain name is your blog’s address on the internet (think about the URLs you visit when you go to a website.)

While the hosting provider is the company that stores your blog on its servers and delivers it to your readers when they type in your domain name.

Having a self-hosted blog is key if you plan to monetize your blog now or in the future. You’ll need to own your website and the content. If you are serious about blogging make sure you don’t skip this step!

Choosing a Blog Name/Domain Name

Choosing a domain name can be tricky. Ideally, it should be short, memorable, and related to your blog’s topic.

Use this format for setting up a cool blog name:

  • [Noun] and [Noun]
    (e.g. Travel and Taste – Code and Canvas – Garden and Grove)
  • [Adjective] [Noun]
    (e.g. Creative Chronicles – Serene Spaces – Vibrant Voyages)
  • [Verb] [Noun]
    (e.g. Explore Essence – Design Dreams – Capture Creativity)
  • Using your own name!
    (e.g. Jessica’s Journeys – Mike’s Musings – Chloe’s Creations)
  • Alternation Names
    (e.g. Pink Panda – Perfect Pixels – Fashionable Flora – Baking Bliss)

For hosting, choose a reliable provider that offers good performance, excellent customer service, and reasonable pricing.

Sign up for WordPress Hosting with Dreamhost

I personally partner with Dreamhost for first-time bloggers at a great rate to help new bloggers get started blogging! You can launch your blog for just $34 for 1-year ($2.95 a month) $or $94 with a 3-year commitment ($2.59 a month).

Both of the above packages are great if you are looking to start a blog with a small investment. However, if you are ready to go all in there is a special deal with for WordPress Unlimited at $3.95 a month for 3 years or $2.95 a month for 1 year. The Unlimited plan includes:

  • A free domain included
  • Unlimited traffic
  • Unlimited WordPress installs (great for multiple blogs or websites!)
  • Unlimited Email @ Your Domain

Both the WordPress Starter and WordPress Unlimited Plans are great options when you are just getting started since they don’t break the bank. If you want to sign up for a self-hosted blog use the steps to sign up with Dreamhost below.

Instructions to Sign Up with Dreamhost

  1. Go to Dreamhost.
  2. Click on WordPress from the top menu.
  3. Select WordPress Basic option.
  4. Scroll down and select WordPress Starter or WordPress Unlimited from the sale options. Note: Use Unlimited if you plan to start more than one blog.
  5. Select between a 1 year plan or a 3 year plan!
  6. Click the “Signup Now” button.
  7. Register your domain or select choose domain later if you are still deciding on your domain name. Note: You must select a domain name within 3 months of signing up.
  8. Pay by credit card or PayPal.
  9. Setup your account.
  10. Additional Options: Add DreamHost email for $19.99 a year or unselect these options. If you want Unlimited Email @ Your domain make sure you sign up for WordPress Unlimited!
  11. Click the purple “Submit Order” button.

Step 3: Designing Your Blog – Adding a WordPress Theme

After securing your hosting, it’s time to design your blog.

This involves choosing a theme, customizing the layout, and adding essential elements like navigation menus, social media buttons, and a contact form.

When designing your blog, prioritize user experience. Your blog should be easy to navigate, visually appealing, and mobile-friendly.

Remember, your design is the first impression visitors get of your blog, so make it count!

Use Kadence WP for Your Theme!

When picking a blog design or theme I absolutely love using the Kadence WP theme! Kadence is a newer parent theme and comes with all of the bells and whistles you’d want as a first-time blogger.

When I first started blogging I was really stuck on the technical pieces of WordPress. That was until I found the Kadence WP theme and everything just clicked. Kadence couldn’t be easier to use for newbies and advanced bloggers alike.

The best part? Kadence WP is free and offers tons of free starter themes to get you started building your blog today!

Instructions to Install Kadence WP (Parent Theme)

  1. In your WordPress admin, go to Appearance > Themes.
  2. Click Add New, then search for Kadence in the Search Bar at the top right.
  3. The Kadence theme will appear in the search results.
  4. Click Install.
  5. Click Activate.
  6. Go to Plugins.
  7. Click “Add New“
  8. Search for “Kadence Starter Templates“
  9. Click Install > Click Activate.
  10. Click “Add New“
  11. Search for “Kadence Blocks“
  12. Click Install > Click Activate.
  13. Start customizing your Kadence theme from scratch or select one of the Free Starter Templates to install.

Once you select a Kadence WP free starter temple you can start to customize and build your blog with this awesome free WordPress theme!

Don’t Want to Build From Scratch?

Not tech savvy? Don’t want to build your website from scratch or one of the free Kadence Starter Templates?

Then you have the option to purchase a child theme from several developers that work with the Kadence WP framework. These are done for you templates that give you a semi-custom website/blog look without paying the designer price.

I have partnered with Restored 316, HelloYou Designs, and 17th Avenue Designs to provide beautiful plug and play themes for new bloggers. Check out your options below:

These child themes are easy to install and configure and give your blog a designer website look without the custom designer price tag.

Follow the steps below to install your Kadence Child Theme in just under 10 minutes!

Instructions to Install A Kadence Child Theme

Once your Kadence theme is installed you will now need to install your child theme. Follow these steps below. These instructions are for a fresh WordPress install on a new website:

  1. Make sure you follow the steps above to install the Kadence WP parent them.
  2. Next, go back to Appearance > Themes
  3. Click on “Add New“
  4. Click on “Upload Theme” > Add File
  5. Select your .ZIP child theme
  6. Click “Activate“.
  7. Now you will need to import the demo content
  8. Go to Appearance > Starter Templates.
  9. In the top right hand corner select “Gutenberg” then select the child theme provider which will be Restored 316, HelloYou Designs, or 17th Avenue Designs.
  10. Click on the theme to start the import of the demo content.
  11. This can take from 5-10 minutes, wait for your pages to import.
  12. Start customizing your new theme!

Step 4: Essential Blogging Plugins and Tools for Beginners

Now that your theme is installed you’ll want to focus on other tools to get you up and running. Blogging involves more than just writing and publishing posts. There are several tools that can make the process easier and more effective. These include tools for keyword research, SEO, social media scheduling, email marketing, and analytics.

As a beginner, you may not need all these tools right away. However, it’s good to familiarize yourself with them as they can significantly enhance your blogging efforts as you grow.

My favorite blogging tools and plugins are listed below:

RankIQ: This AI-powered tool is an essential for bloggers who aim to rank higher in search engine results. RankIQ uses AI to analyze the top articles for any keyword and provides you with a blueprint of what to include in your blog post to rank on the first page of Google. It’s an invaluable tool for optimizing your content for SEO.

Wordfence: Security should always be a priority for any blogger, and Wordfence is one of the most popular WordPress security plugins available. It includes an endpoint firewall and malware scanner that were built from the ground up to protect WordPress. Wordfence also offers real-time traffic with geolocation, security threat defense feed, and real-time IP blocklist to keep your site secure from malicious traffic and hack attempts. In addition, the plugin keeps you updated with the latest security alerts and trends, ensuring your blog stays one step ahead of potential threats.

UpdraftPlus: Data loss can happen to anyone, and the consequences for a blogger can be disastrous. UpdraftPlus is a WordPress plugin that simplifies backups and restoration. It can automatically backup your blog to cloud services like Dropbox, Google Drive, or UpdraftPlus’s own storage. With UpdraftPlus, you can have peace of mind knowing your blog data is safe and recoverable.

Grow: This social sharing plugin can help you grow your blog’s audience. It adds eye-catching social share buttons to your blog, enabling readers to easily share your content on their social platforms. It supports all the major social networks, and also provides analytics so you can see which posts are being shared the most.

Antispam Bee: Another great option for handling spam is Antispam Bee. It blocks spam comments and trackbacks effectively, and is compliant with European data privacy standards. One of its key features is that it allows for a private IP address for commenters, which is especially valuable for European-based bloggers given the stringent GDPR rules.

Google Site Kit: This is Google’s official WordPress plugin that provides insights about how people find and use your website. It integrates Google’s most useful site tools like Google Analytics, Google AdSense, Google Search Console, and PageSpeed Insights into one WordPress plugin. It’s a must-have for a holistic overview of your site performance.

WP Fastest Cache: Website speed is a crucial factor not only for user experience but also for SEO. WP Fastest Cache is one of the best caching plugins for WordPress. It creates static HTML files from your dynamic WordPress site. To put it simply, it helps your site to load faster, which is beneficial for both your visitors and your site’s search engine rankings.

Yoast Duplicate Post: This handy tool from Yoast allows you to clone posts or pages, or edit them as new drafts. It’s a real time-saver if you have a specific format you follow for blog posts or if you want to revise older content without messing with the original. Yoast Duplicate Post is not only about duplicating posts but also includes numerous features to streamline your editorial process.

WPS Hide Login: Security is a crucial concern for any website owner, and WPS Hide Login provides an extra layer of protection by allowing you to change the URL of the login page to anything you want. This helps protect your site from brute force login attacks and makes it harder for unauthorized users to gain access.

Simple History: As a blogger, you might make numerous changes to your posts or site settings over time. Simple History is a plugin that shows recent changes made within WordPress. This could be anything from uploaded files, deleted posts, plugin activations, and more. It’s like a black box for your website, helping you track what happened when something goes wrong.

Fluent Forms: Whether you’re collecting emails for a newsletter or feedback from your readers, forms are essential for interaction. Fluent Forms is an intuitive, user-friendly plugin that makes form creation easy. It offers a drag-and-drop builder, various field types, and integration with popular marketing and payment tools.

Easy Updates Manager: Keeping your WordPress themes, plugins, and core up-to-date is essential for security and functionality. Easy Updates Manager makes this process effortless by managing all your WordPress updates in one place. You can enable or disable updates for individual plugins, themes, or WordPress core.

Step 5: Creating Your First Blog Post

Now comes the exciting part – creating your first blog post! This is your chance to introduce yourself to your audience and set the tone for your blog.

When writing your post, focus on providing value to your readers. Whether you’re sharing personal experiences, industry insights, or practical tips, make sure your content is informative, engaging, and unique.

  1. Catchy Title: The title of your blog post is the first thing readers see. Make it catchy, compelling, and concise. It should clearly communicate what the post is about, and make people want to click and read more.
  2. Introduction: The introduction is a vital part of your post. It should draw readers in and give them a reason to stay. Provide a brief overview of the topic you’re discussing and why it’s important. A good tip is to ask a question or share a surprising fact or statistic that relates to your topic.
  3. Body: This is where you delve into your topic. Organize your content into sections, or points, each with a subheading for easier reading. Use bullet points or numbered lists where possible. Make sure to break up your text into digestible paragraphs – large chunks of text can be daunting to readers.
  4. Use Visuals: Incorporate relevant images, infographics, or videos to break up text and enhance your points. Visuals can improve comprehension and keep your readers engaged.
  5. Conclusion: Summarize the main points you’ve covered in your post. This is also a good place to include a call-to-action – ask your readers to leave a comment, share your post, or subscribe to your blog.
  6. Links: Don’t forget to include internal and external links in your blog post. Internal links lead your readers to other relevant posts on your blog, which keeps them on your site longer. External links to reputable sources can enhance your post’s credibility.
  7. SEO: Optimize your post for search engines by including relevant keywords in your title, headings, and throughout the text. However, make sure your writing still sounds natural – remember, you’re writing for humans, not search engines!
  8. Proofread: Finally, before hitting publish, proofread your post. Check for spelling and grammar mistakes, make sure all links work, and that your formatting is consistent. If possible, have someone else read your post – they might catch errors you’ve missed.

Remember, a well-structured blog post is more likely to engage your readers and keep them coming back for more.

Step 6: Monetizing Your Blog

Once you’ve established your blog and built a sizable audience, you can start thinking about monetizing it. There are several ways to monetize a blog. These include:

  • Displaying ads
  • Affiliate marketing
  • Sponsored posts
  • Selling products or services

The two easiest methods to monetize for new bloggers are through affiliate marketing and selling digital products or services. Two beginner friendly affiliate marketing programs we are love Share-a-Sale, and Amazon Associates.

Remember, monetization should never compromise the quality of your content or the trust of your readers. Always be transparent about your monetization methods and only promote products or services that you genuinely believe in and that are relevant to your audience.

Let’s Start That Blog

Starting a blog can be an exciting journey. I’ve had so much fun blogging for the past three years and its a great creative outlet! Blogging is also a chance to share your passion and hobbies with the world, connect with like-minded individuals, establish your authority, and even make money.

So, are you ready to start your blogging journey and want to learn more?

If so, then take my free blogging for beginners email course and start a blog today! It’s designed to guide you step-by-step through the process of starting a blog, from choosing a blogging platform to creating your first post and everything in between.

I’ll be there with you every step of the way to get your blog launched. See you on the inside!

Free Blogging for Beginners Course

Grab our free 6-day email course to get started with your Blog on WordPress!

You’ll also get our emails delivered to your inbox. Not into that? No problem – unsubscribe at any time.

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  • Disclaimer: I use affiliate Marketing on this blog. That means if you use one of my affiliate links to purchase a product or service I RECEIVE a small COMMISSION at no additional cost to you.

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