How to Start a Blog
A Step-by-Step Guide to Starting a Successful Blog in 2025
- Last Update: December 24, 2024
So, you want to start a blogging website…!!
I must say, if you are planning to start a blog then you are a creative person with meaningful thoughts and imagination in your mind.
But…
How do you get started?
Lots of information is available on the internet and everyone is suggesting different things.
Whom should you listen to?
From where you should start?
Don’t worry. I am here to help you with all the questions and confusion in your mind.
Because, in addition to establishing my website, I have assisted many businesses in earning passive income from their blogs.
Blogging may mean different things depending on your niche — so let’s begin with this definition.
Discloser: ElegantEspace is supported by readers like yourself. We may earn an affiliate commission when you purchase through our links . Commissions do not affect our editors’ opinions or evaluations.
What Is A Blog?
A blog is a frequently updated website or web page that can be used for personal or business purposes.
In other words;
A blog is an online journal or informational website that displays information in reverse chronological order, with the most recent posts at the top. It is a platform where a writer or group of writers can express their thoughts on a specific topic.
Before you move into action, here are some valuable insights you might want to know.
I don’t know how to code – can I still be a blogger?
Absolutely yes, you can start blogging today without any coding skills. Just follow my guide to start your blog today.
The only thing you need is to write in an editor that pretty much looks like a Word document.
Can I Start A Blogging Website By Myself?
Of course, you can start your own blogging website without spending money on the web developer.
CMS platform like WordPress has been introduced, and it is widely used for creating a website.
You can use it to create your wonderful blogging website. Just follow the below steps to get your blog started today.
How Much Time Will It Take To Start A Blog?
Well, it won’t take much time.
It will take less than 30 minutes to start a blog.
However, if you haven’t settled on a domain name, hosting plans or blog theme yet, it may take some time to do so.
It also depends on the niche.
Lastly, it’s completely up to you how much time you are giving to it.
Creating quality content will take more time.
If you want your potential reader to read your post, it’s a good idea to spend more time creating a quality blog post rather than writing some junk.
Is Blogging FREE?
Yes, if you want to, you can start blogging for free.
I assume you are familiar with the domain name and web hosting.
If you want to start a blog free of cost, you can sign up with companies that provide domain names and web hosting absolutely free.
The catch is, those websites will not belong to you, it will be the property of the company through which you have created your blogging website.
Worse, you will not be able to monetize your site as you wish.
Bottom line:
If you are serious about blogging, you’ll have to spend a few dollars to get a domain name and web hosting.
And that is perfectly fine.
What do you say? You can even monetize your website to earn a good amount of money.
A domain name will cost you around $10 per year (but you will get it for free if you signup with BlueHost) and web hosting usually cost you around $4 per month. In a nutshell, it cost less than a cup of coffee at Starbucks.
Do beginner bloggers make money?
Yes.
And it depends on several factors such as your niche, the authority your website has, the amount of traffic you get and so on.
Successful bloggers are making a huge amount of money more than $2,330,000/month.
There are endless ways to earn money from your blog. The sky is the limit.
Some bloggers are selling Ad space, some are using the Google Adsense program, some of them have joined an affiliate program and some are just selling physical or digital products.
It’s totally up to you how do you want to monetize your website.
You can learn more about monetizing your blog here Legit ways to monetize a blog.
Blog posts allow you and your business to publish insights, thoughts, and stories on your website about any topic.
It can help you boost brand awareness, credibility, conversions, and revenue.
Most importantly, it can help you drive traffic to your website.
But in order to begin making posts for a blog — you have to learn how to start blogging, first. Let’s dive in.
How To Start Blogging?
1. Choose your niche.
2. Understand your audience.
3. Brainstorm content ideas frequently based on your market segment.
4. Make a list of the topics you intend to cover.
5. Name your blog.
6. Register your blog domain and get web hosting.
7. Choose a CMS and set up your blog.
8. Customize the look of your blog.
9. Add important pages & menu.
10. Write your first blog post.
11. Create a blog strategy and editorial calendar.
12. Become an expert in marketing and promoting your blog.
13. Monetize your blog.
1. Choose Your Niche
You must first find your niche.
A niche is a specific topic that your blog will focus on, and it’s key in determining your target audience. A strong niche also helps you pick the name for your blog and develop a focused blogging strategy.
To find the perfect niche for a successful blog, keep the following tips in mind:
- Pick a niche that you like or are passionate about.
- Pick a niche that has audience potential.
- Check if it’s profitable.
Expert Advice On Finding Profitable Niche
2. Understand Your Audience
Before you start a blog, you must understand your target audience.
Creating a blog entails providing comprehensive information on the niche you’ve chosen.
Ask a few questions like:
- What does a potential visitor want to know?
- Are you able to provide all the information/sources to your blog reader?
- What will they connect with?
Once you are confident that your reader will receive all/exact information on the niche from your website you can begin writing your blog post.
For instance, if your reader wants to earn from Instagram you probably don’t need to provide them with information about how to open an Instagram account — most of them already have that.
However, you might, want to give them information on — how to tweak their Instagram account to make money.
It’s a small difference but will make a huge impact on your reader.
They find themselves connect with your article.
This type of tweak is what allows you to publish content on topics that your audience truly wants and needs.
3. Brainstorm Content Ideas
Keep brainstorming content ideas frequently based on your market segment.
And the best way to get inspired is from a well-established competitor.
It’s worth looking at popular, well-reviewed blogs because their strategy and execution are what helped them gain credibility.
Analyse multiple things about your competitors, as example:
Topics: See closely what they have covered in their blog post and why readers are enjoying interacting with them.
Tone: Analyse the tone, indentation and subheading of your competitor’s blog post. It will help you to write engaging content.
Also, you can approach the small blogger and see what they are covering, sometimes they have impressive content but fail to elaborate on the topic.
In this scenario, you just have to improvise the entire topic and connect them to your reader in a better way.
4. Make A List Of The Topics You Intend To Cover
Till now you are clear about your niche now it’s time to start thinking about which topics you will cover in your blog.
Try to get into your readers’ heads. Here are some questions to guide you through the brainstorming process:
- What behaviour does my target audience have?
- What topics are popular with my target audience?
- What challenges does my target audience face?
You can also come up with ideas using the tools like Google Trends, Answer my Question and the related search segment of the Google result page.
5. Name Your Blog
It’s time to pick a name. Since you have decided on the niche it’s easy to pick a name for your blog.
This is your opportunity to be creative and come up with a name that will give readers an idea of what to expect from your blog.
It can be formal and professional, Sweet and romantic, Edgy and offbeat.
However, there are some tips on how to choose your blog name.
- Keep it short and memorable
- Related to your niche
If you’re stuck on names for your blog, this how to choose blog name guide will be a helpful source of inspiration.
6. Register Your Blog Domain & Web Hosting
Once you decide on the blog name, you should go ahead and choose your domain name.
A domain is a part of the web address commonly known as a URL that someone would use to find your website or a page of your website online.
A domain typically consists of two or three words separated by dots. For example, www.elegantespace.com is a domain.
However, a URL (website address) typically consists of a protocol, domain name, and path.
The name between the two periods (second-level-domain) is up to you, as long as this domain name doesn’t yet exist on the internet.
By just entering the name below you can check the availability of your domain name.
Generally, a domain will cost $10 a year and to host a website you will be needed a server that can be provided by the hosting company.
Web Hosting is a place (server) where all the files and data (the content of your site) of a website are stored.
Most website hosting services charge very little to host an original domain — in fact, when you commit to a long term, website costs can be as low as $2.95 per month with free domain registration.
Choosing the best and most reliable hosting company is one of the most important factors in creating a blog.
Bad host provider causes so many issues, the most common issues are:
- Downtime
- Slow site
- Security issue
- Hidden charges
- Worst customer support
Luckily, we have a host like Bluehost, an official WordPress-recommended hosting company that is hosting millions of websites on its server.
Why Bluehost Is Recommended?
1. They are providing services since 2003 – which indicates reliability.
2. They have a one-click WordPress installation – perfect for beginners (even for webmasters).
3. 30 days money-back guarantee – no need to worry.
4. Superior customer support – 24/7 live chat/ phone support.
5. The best part, you will get a free domain name (usually cost $10/ year) and host at only $2.95/ month if you sign up now.
First thing first, open the Bluehost website in a new tab and follow me.
On the home page, you need to click on the “host your site” button.
Upon clicking you will land on the hosting plan page. There you will get four options:
- Basic
- Plus
- Choice Plus
- Pro
I suggest you choose the ‘basic’ plan, it’s a perfect start for a new blogger.
When you will start getting millions of visitors then switch to a higher plan (You can downgrade or upgrade it anytime).
Next, you will get the option to create a new domain name.
If you already own a domain name (i.e already registered somewhere else), then put it in the right box stating Use a domain you own and click on next.
Lastly, you will have to provide the account information ( to make a hosting account with BlueHost ).
Fill in all the details then move to the next section.
In ‘Package information’ choose the account plan.
The higher you choose the better price you get.
To get the best value, I recommend you go with 12 months.
Uncheck all the add-on options, you really don’t need them.
Scroll down and make the payment.
If you want to pay with PayPal click on the ‘more payment option’.
Once completed, you will receive a confirmation email with your cPanel login information.
A place from where you will manage your account settings and install WordPress.
7. Choose A CMS Platform And Set Up Your Blog
So far so good.
Now we will see how to install the CMS platform – WordPress.
A content management system (CMS) is a software application that allows users to create and manage websites without having to code them from scratch.
Installing WordPress is very easy with Bluehost.
To do so:
1) Log in to your Bluehost account using your domain name and the password you set in the previous step. If you have misplaced your password you can reset it by clicking the “Forgot Password” link.
2) On cPanel you will see dozens of icons, ignore all of them and click on the Install WordPress icon followed by the Get started button.
3) You will be asked to choose your domain name on the next page.
From the drop-down section choose the URL of your domain name and leave the directory name blank, then click Next.
4) After that, enter the name of your website and create a username and password (we will use this while login into your WP site).
Tick all the checkboxes and hit the install button.
WordPress installation will begin and take a few minutes.
No need to do anything here, wait until the installation is finished. Upon completion, you will get a success notification at top of the page.
Congratulations, you have created your WordPress website on your own. Cheers…!!
Now we will learn to customize the site’s appearance and start writing the article on it.
8. Customize The Look Of Your Blog
Once your domain name is set up, you should customise your blog’s design to reflect your brand and the theme of the content you intend to produce.
For instance, you should consider customizing:
- Colour
- Font Style
- Theme Style
- Branding
For example, if you’re writing about sustainability and the environment, green may be a colour to consider when designing your blog.
By default when you install WordPress your website will look very similar to the below screenshot.
To configure your website as per your blog requirement, you need to log in to the back end of your WordPress dashboard.
To log in type https://yoursitename.com/wp-admin (Replace yoursitename.com with your actual domain name).
Enter the username and password you previously entered while installing WordPress and you will be redirected to the WordPress dashboard, which looks like the below screen.
The dashboard might confuse you, and you will feel a bit overwhelmed.
But don’t worry, I have promised to get your blog up and running. I will guide you through the dashboard.
First of all,
You need to choose a perfect theme for your blog.
How To Install WordPress Theme?
To install the WordPress theme, navigate to the admin area and select Appearance, then Theme, then Add New.
You will be redirected to the theme section, where you can choose any theme as per your blog niche or pick something you love.
However, consider a few things while a theme:
1. Simplicity: It will be great if you choose simple themes.
These themes would be easy to navigate. Better to avoid fancy and bulky themes.
2. Responsive design: A significant number of web traffic is generated from smarts phones and tablets. Make sure the theme you are choosing is mobile friendly.
3. Browser compatibility: Some developers only design their theme for certain browsers. So check it wisely.
4. SEO Friendly: Always go for a theme which is SEO optimized because it plays a crucial role in the overall SEO ranking factor.
5. Light-weighted: Light theme helps a website to load fast. A site that loads under 2 seconds ranks better in a search result.
The theme I use is Astra Pro – It’s has all the quality a website owner needs and is the fastest-growing theme of all time.
Moving forward, Once you find your desired theme, just click on ‘Install’ followed by the ‘Activate’ button.
To check the preview of your website, hover your mouse to the top left corner of your WordPress dashboard where you see your site name.
From the drop-down, you will get an option to visit the site, click the right button of the mouse and open it in a new tab or window to view your site.
If you want, you can change your Theme later.
It won’t delete your previous post, pages, and content. So, do not worry, if you want to give your site a new look.
I have assumed that you have installed the Astra theme.
9. Add Important Page And Menu
Now add important pages (like About us, contact us, services whatever you want) on your WordPress website.
To do so, go to your dashboard’s sidebar and select Pages, followed by Add New.
When you click Add new, a page that appears very similar to the text editor will open, where you may add a title, text, images, tables, charts, and much more.
Ok, let’s break down (1-3) for better understanding.
1. Title Area: Write the title of your page. Make sure you are adding the main keyword in the title.
2. Content Area: Here you can write the content of your page. You can also insert images and videos into your content. Click on the Add Media button to insert them.
3. Additional tools: In this section, you will find so many options. Here you can add featured images change the page layout and publish or preview the page.
If you want to add new page elements – click on the ‘+’ icon that’s in the top left corner of the editor interface.
Any block you select there will be added at the bottom of your page.
You can edit it freely, and change the properties of the text, plus there are colour settings in the right sidebar. Do whatever you want.
As always, remember to click on “Publish” when you’re done.
However, if you want to make your website more attractive with animation and eye-catching designs you can install the Elementor page builder.
Add Menus To Blog
When you create pages, you should add them to the menu so that your visitors can easily navigate your site and its content.
Generally, the primary menu consists of pages like ‘About’, ‘Blog’, ‘Service’, and ‘Contact’.
The number of menus and their placement depends on the WordPress theme you have installed.
There is no point in creating a website if your visitor will not be able to find the content of your site easily.
So, be careful while creating it because bad menus can lead your visitors to leave your website immediately.
How To Add Pages To The Menu?
To add a newly created page to the menu ( navigation bar ) follow the below steps.
1) On the sidebar of the dashboard click on ‘Appearance’ and select ‘Menu’.
2) Locate the page you have created and add it to the list by clicking the checkbox next to it and then hit on the ‘Add to menu’ button.
For reference check the below screenshot.
Most of the time, a simple menu is sufficient, but some websites require mega menus; in this case, see our guide on how to create a custom menu.
10. How To Write Blog Post
The only thing missing after you’ve set up your blog is content.
While the design and layout are enjoyable and functional, it is the content that will draw your readers in and keep them coming back for more.
Writing premium content basically consist of 6 steps that I have mentioned below.
Since there is a need for a separate explanation of how to write a professional blog post, I have included a link below that will show you how to create your first SEO-friendly blog post.
How To Write A Blog Post: 6 Important Steps
1. Start with keyword research.
2. Come up with a working blog post title.
3. Outline your main points.
4. Write engaging content.
5. Use relevant images in your blog post.
6. Optimize for SEO.
Creating a blog post is very similar to creating a page.
Just like you added the page, you can add a blog post on your website.
To do so, go to the sidebar and click on Add new under Post.
A visual editor which is very similar to the normal text editor will open where you can add text, images, lists, videos, alignment, and hyperlinks.
Start writing your blog post and publish it when finished.
Create A Category To Your Blog Post. To Do So:
First of all, you have to create a category for your blog post.
Go to Posts >> Categories.
Create the category by giving it a proper name, slug and description (refer to the below screenshot).
Once you have finished writing your blog, you can add it to the desired category (from section number 3 of the text editor).
Congratulations! You have successfully written your first blog post. Now it’s time to work on certain things to get more traffic to your site.
11. Create A Blog Strategy And Editorial Calendar
Creating an editorial calendar is an important part of starting a blog.
It’s an effective way to ensure you publish content consistently, letting you hold yourself accountable as a writer and ensuring you don’t deviate from your blogging goals.
Start with 1-2 new posts per week if your primary goal is to raise brand awareness. If your primary goal is to increase traffic to your site, you should ideally be writing 3-4 new posts per week.
Furthermore, you can always bring in guest contributors to increase the amount of published content each week.
12. Become An Expert In Marketing And Promoting Your Blog
These last couple of steps will focus on how to spread the word about your blog and grow it into a serious monetization tool.
In order to get readers, you’ll need to find creative ways to drive traffic to your site.
Few of them are:
How To Promote Your Blog
1. Share on social media.
2. Create a blog newsletter.
3. Start building backlinks.
4. Write engaging content.
5. Reach out to an existing community.
6. Write for other sites.
7. Participate in questions and discussion sites.
8. Invest in paid ads.
However, you will also have to work on On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO strategies.
And, to make things even easier, I’ve put together a full SEO guide.
Keep it in mind.
More Traffic = More Money
13. Monetize Your Blog
There are numerous ways through which you can monetize your blog. But remember always choose the legit ways.
The most popular ways to earn money from a website are:
- Affiliate marketing
- Google Adsense
- Offer paid subscriptions
- Write sponsored content
- Sell e-books and merchandise
- Premium content
- Sell Ad space
Once you set up your blog, start thinking of monetizing it to know more about monetization check out my article on proven ways to monetize a website.
Basic Setup Of Blog
How Can You Update the Website Title And Tagline?
This is a question that a lot of people have. Is it possible to modify the name (not the URL) and tagline of my website?
It’s really simple, and you may modify the title and tagline of your website at any time.
To do so go to Settings and select General, where you will see an option to update or change your website title and tagline.
Once you have made the changes, click on the Save Changes button.
How To Disable Comments For Posts And Pages?
To disable the comment feature on your website follow the below steps.
1) At the top right corner of the text editor, you will see the Screen Options dropdown tab. Once you click on this, some options will appear.
2) Enable the Discussion option. Then a new section will appear below the text editor, where you have to uncheck Allow comments.
In this way, on that particular post/ page no one will be able to comment.
3) To disable comments on every new page or post by default, go to default Settings >> Discussion and uncheck “Allow people to post comments on the new article”.
How To Edit Sidebar?
Almost every WordPress themes have a sidebar on the right side. However, in some cases, it will be on the left side.
To customize the sidebar (technically known as a widget) follow the below steps.
1) Go to Appearance followed by Widgets in the sidebar of the WordPress Dashboard.
2) From there you can drag and drop available widgets to the different boxes of your sidebar. You can also completely remove the item you don’t want.
How To Setup Static Front Page?
1) Go to Settings followed by Reading
2) From the HomePage drop down option choose the static page you want to display as the home page.
How To Install A Plugin On WordPress?
Plugins are apps that allow you to add new features and functionality to your WordPress website.
Just like installing themes, plugins are also very simple to install.
- Go to the sidebar of the dashboard.
- Click on ‘Plugins’ followed by ‘Add new’ and start searching for the plugins you need.
- Once you find the plugin of your choice, click on install, and it will be ready to use.
However, before installing any plugins, I would suggest you read this article carefully.
Things you must know before installing WordPress plugins.
That’s all you will need to start your blog.
Congratulations !! You have created your blogging website on your own. Cheers…!!
If you found this guide helpful, do support me by sharing it. If you need any assistance or help comment below I will definitely help you with that.
FAQs On Blog
What is a blog used for?
1. To help your company rank on search engines.
2. To become an industry expert by sharing information about a specific topic.
3. To bring visitors to your website and convert them into leads.
4. To build an online community and interact with a target audience.
What is the purpose of blogs?
A blog’s purpose is to provide a regularly updated website or web page written in an informal or conversational style.
How can blogging help your business grow?
Blogging is usually underestimated as a worthwhile marketing tool, but the truth is that it may have a significant impact on your company’s bottom line.
Here are four specific ways that blogging can help your business grow:
- Generate Leads
- Drive Traffic to Your Website
- Establish Thought Leadership
- Build Relationships with Customers
How often should I post new content?
According to the experts, most small businesses publish new blog posts one to four times per week.
However, consistency is often more important compared to frequency.
What is the optimal length for a post?
The length of a blog post seems to get longer every year as bloggers compete to produce more in-depth content.
According to market strategies ideal length for a blog post is between 2100 and 2400 words.
Great article, exactly what I needed.
Hi! Do you know if they make any plugins to safeguard against hackers?
I’m kinda paranoid about losing everything I’ve worked hard on. Any recommendations?
You can use these securities measurements to safeguard your WordPress website. https://www.elegantespace.com/wordpress-security/
Thanks, it is quite informative
Glenna, Thank you!!
Greetings from Los angeles!
I really like the info you present here, excellent
site!
Which hosting plan will be good for health website? I had some other quires so I have send you an personal email please have a look on that. Thanks
If you are just starting your blog then go with a shared hosting plan. Once you start hitting good number of visitors then switched to a higher plan.
I want to start a blog but the domain name is taken. The available domain name is there with .in extension. What should I do?