In this article, we\u2019ll show you how to find a blogging niche, how to choose the right blogging platform, name your blog, choose a hosting provider, build out your site, publish your first post, and more. Once you learn how to start a blog, you\u2019ll be able to keep it running for years to come. Let\u2019s get started with our step-by-step instructions!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is a Blog?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
A blog is a website that focuses primarily on written content. Each of these pieces of written content are known as blog posts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You\u2019ll find blogs on basically every topic imaginable\u2014ranging from personal blogs to business blogs, and even massive blogs like the Huffington Post. Blogs stand out from other websites in that they\u2019re primarily made up of blog articles.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, a lot of successful online businesses have been built off the backs of quality blogs. Blogging has the advantage of allowing you to build up a targeted readership, which you can then sell products, services, or courses to. With the right web hosting package and content, you have the potential to\u00a0turn a blog into an online brand<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are a multitude of reasons to start a blog. Whether you\u2019re looking to generate traffic for your existing site, share your perspective with the world, brand yourself as an expert, or create a popular blog and work from home on your own time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To start a successful blog you don\u2019t need to be that great of a writer. Everyone has to start somewhere. But, when it comes to writing for the web the simpler and more conversational you write the better. There are also many tools to help you write like a pro<\/a> as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People don\u2019t turn to blogs to read textbook-like prose or great literary writing. Instead, they want down-to-earth practical information that\u2019s based on real-life experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, there is one non-negotiable requirement for starting a blog. Without this trait, it\u2019ll be very difficult to continue publishing when your audience is small. And it\u2019ll be hard to make a name for yourself and grow your site when you run into eventual setbacks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What is this requirement? Passion.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Bloggers need passion, especially if they are working on a personal blog. Passion will fuel you and help you stand out from the hoards of other bloggers out there. Starting a blog can be hard work and time consuming, especially if you work full-time and are starting a blog as a side project. You\u2019ll need that passion to keep you motivated when you\u2019re short on time and creative lustre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But, when you genuinely care about the topic, this will show and come through in your writing. Plus, with immense interest in your niche, you\u2019ll be able to create new topics with ease and find new ways to delight and inform your audience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Starting a blog is easy! Just follow these steps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The niche you choose will help to make or break your success as a blogger. Before you get into naming your blog and building your site, you\u2019ll want to decide what you\u2019re actually going to write about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will be your niche<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A niche is more than just a topic or segment of a market. It\u2019s about how you\u2019re going to address this topic, your unique background, and the audience you\u2019re speaking to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your niche will give your blog a focus, help guide the design of your site<\/a>, and illuminate the unique value you\u2019re giving to your visitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t have any idea of what you\u2019re going to blog about, then spend some time with the following questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The questions above should give you a general idea of what kinds of niches you can focus on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, do you spend all your free time camping and backpacking? You could create a site that speaks to your experience, offers tips, and reviews your favorite gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Or, maybe you\u2019re obsessed with photography. You could create a blog that helps aspiring photographers level up their skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whatever you choose it\u2019s important that you care about the topic, and there\u2019s actually an audience of people who will read what you\u2019re writing. Finding other blogs and competitor sites in your niche is actually a good thing and a sign that it\u2019s a viable market.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The name of your blog should spring out of your topic. It should be descriptive and memorable, so your readers will immediately know what your blog is about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Take some time to jot down keywords related to your niche, as well as any random words that come to mind. For example, a travel blog doesn\u2019t need to have the word \u201ctravel\u201d in the domain. You could use related words like voyage, wanderlust, expedition, touring, flying, and more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, Pat Flynn\u2019s blog is called\u00a0Smart Passive Income<\/a>, which readily describes what the site is about:<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it\u2019s also important not to get hung up on the name of your blog. Once your blog becomes large enough the name won\u2019t matter that much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To keep things consistent you\u2019ll want your blog\u2019s name and your domain name to be the same. This will help to keep your site congruent. That means you\u2019ll have to choose a domain name <\/a>that matches the premise of your blog from the very beginning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have some ideas it\u2019s time to make sure that the domain is actually available. This step will narrow down your list of potential ideas even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, head over to\u00a0HostGator\u2019s domain search tool<\/a>, input your domain name and click search.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the next page, you\u2019ll be able to see if your domain of choice is available, including the various domain name extensions<\/a> that you can purchase. The most common domain name extension is .com, however successful blogs have been built using a variety of extensions like .net, and .co.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your domain isn\u2019t available under one of the more common domain name extensions it can be tempting to pick up .info, .biz, or a different extension entirely. However, this usually isn\u2019t recommended as some extensions can come across as spammy, and it won\u2019t bode well for the future of your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve found a domain name that\u2019s available and has your desired extension, then complete the rest of the steps to purchase and set up your domain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you know the niche you will write about and your blog name, let\u2019s plan out some content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n First, start out by deciding the main topics or \u201cbuckets of information\u201d that you will write about. It\u2019s sorta like starting a business and focusing on a product or niche. Unless you\u2019re ready to be the Walmart or Amazon of blogging, you can\u2019t possibly know or write about everything. Narrow down your focus to the most important topics. Focus on a small set of topics you\u2019re really knowledgeable about or topics you are really interested in learning. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Narrowing down your focus will do a few things: <\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, if you\u2019re starting a lifestyle blog, your main topics might be travel, fashion, and party planning. Or if you\u2019re starting a blog about fishing, your main topics might be deep sea fishing, bay fishing, and equipment reviews. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Now that you know your main blog topics, let\u2019s create an editorial calendar. A what? <\/p>\n\n\n\n An editorial calendar is a publishing schedule. An editorial calendar can be used to track assignments, due dates, content types, distribution channel, and publish dates. Ultimately, an editorial calendar is a planning tool that helps you publish content on a regular schedule, especially considering timely events and seasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Keep your editorial calendar in a place where you can easily reference it. Maybe even add a section where you can jot down ideas for new blog posts when the creative lightning strikes. No matter if you are a \u2018digital junkie\u2019 or a self-proclaimed \u201cpaper person,\u201d your editorial calendar should help keep you organized so you can stay on schedule and create timely blog articles. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There are several software and platform options you can choose for your new blog. There\u2019s no such thing as \u201cthe best option.\u201d It truly matters what will work for you. Take the time to research: <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first option would be using a \u201cdrag and drop\u201d website builder<\/a>. Here you\u2019ll be able to select a template, quickly customize your site, and start publishing blog posts. This approach is built for speed and will require zero technical skills to get your blog up and running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The second approach would be using WordPress<\/a>. WordPress is a content management system that allows you to build your blog and manage your content. It\u2019s more sophisticated and will have a steeper learning curve than the website builder above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, once you get past the initial learning curve you\u2019ll be able to do a lot more with your content. Plus, HostGator offers a tool called one-click install which will let you install WordPress on your site in a few minutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Want to know more? Check out this video about the benefits of each platform. <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to have a blog that\u2019s live on the internet, then you\u2019re going to need a solid web host behind you. When you sign up for a hosting plan you\u2019re renting server space which will give you a place to store your site\u2019s files. Without a hosting company, you\u2019ll have a domain name with no website.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When building out your first blog, you\u2019re going to have several different hosting options<\/a> to explore. The type of hosting most well-suited for your blog will probably be shared hosting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shared hosting<\/a> allows you to keep your hosting costs low, while still giving you the necessary server resources to grow your site. If your site continues to scale, you may need to upgrade hosting in time, but a shared hosting account will give you a solid foundation to work from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To sign up for shared hosting, head over to HostGator and select your preferred hosting package.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Click \u2018Buy Now\u2019 and follow the succeeding steps to complete your purchase.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With your domain and hosting account setup, it\u2019s time to actually build out your site. Building out a blog is similar to creating any other kind of website, except you\u2019ll need to ensure the platform you choose has blogging functionality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you decided to go with HostGator to host your site, then you\u2019re going to have a few different options for building out your blog. The approach you take depends on your short-term and long-term needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n HostGator has web hosting packages for both a website builder and WordPress. In step three, you already decided which option is best for you. So jump down to see the set up steps for Gator Website Builder or WordPress. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re looking for a website builder that\u2019ll allow you to build your blog in the shortest amount of time possible, then check out GATOR website builder<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This tool is very beginner-friendly. You can create your own blog without having to touch a single line of code. Plus, you\u2019ll find plenty of blogging-oriented themes you can choose from.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To select your blog template and start building your site, you can search via keyword, category, or simply browse through the entire collection until you find the perfect theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019ll notice that some themes are better suited for creating a blog than others, like those listed under the \u2018Blog category. If your main focus is going to be blogging, then you\u2019ll probably want to select one of the templates from this section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve found the perfect template just hover over it and click \u2018Select\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next screen will bring you to an editor that will allow you to customize your site with the drag and drop builder.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It might take a few minutes to get comfortable with the tool, but once you get a handle on it, you\u2019ll be amazed at what you can do. Once you click on a certain element on your website you\u2019ll see a drop-down list of customizations you can implement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019ve decided to host your site with HostGator, then setting up your WordPress blog will be incredibly easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n First, navigate to your web hosting control panel, known as cPanel, and look for a logo that\u2019s called \u2018Softaculous Apps Installer\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the next screen, you\u2019ll select WordPress and then enter all of your relevant website details.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve named your site and entered your login information click \u2018Install\u2019 and the software will install WordPress on your site<\/a> and create all of the necessary files.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, it\u2019s time to build out your blog. Login to your WordPress dashboard via a link that looks like \u2018yoursite.com\/wp-admin\u2019<\/em>. All of your relevant login details will be emailed to you automatically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019ve successfully logged into your site navigate to Appearance>Themes<\/em>, then click \u2018Add New\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here you\u2019ll be able to select your site\u2019s theme. Your theme will form the foundation for how your site looks and functions. Since WordPress is primarily a blogging platform you\u2019ll find that most themes are equipped with extensive blogging-related features.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To further customize your site navigate to Appearance>Customize<\/em>. This will give you a wealth of different options you can choose from to edit your site.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might consider publishing several blog posts before you really start promoting your blog. After all, a website with only one article won\u2019t seem very interesting. But, if you have a bunch of interesting posts already published on your site, visitors are more likely to read, enjoy your articles, and decide to come back later for more. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Refer back to your editorial calendar and choose 2-3 articles for the month when you want to publish (or go live with) your website. Sit down and start writing! <\/p>\n\n\n\n A great blog article should have the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n How long should blog articles be? That\u2019s really up to you. An average blog article length is about 1,000 words, but for search engine ranking purposes, our most successful blog articles are at least 2,000 words long. <\/p>\n\n\n\n By now you\u2019ve decided to go with the GATOR website builder or WordPress hosting<\/strong><\/a> to manage your blog, and you\u2019ve built a pretty solid foundation. Now it\u2019s time to publish your first post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s how you can publish a post on each of the platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Publishing your first blog with the HostGator builder is very simple. All you have to do is click on the \u2018Blog\u2019 section on the left-hand editor, then click \u2018Add New Post\u2019.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On this screen, you\u2019ll be able to enter your post title, author name, meta tags, featured image, and finally your post\u2019s content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019re satisfied with your first blog post just click \u2018Save Post\u2019 and you\u2019re all set.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Creating a blog post in WordPress is also very easy to do. First, head over to your WordPress dashboard. Then select Posts>Add New<\/em> from the left-hand menu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This will bring up the post editor screen where you can enter your title, your post content, add social media, and any post metadata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you\u2019re satisfied with your blog post click \u2018Publish\u2019 and your post will be live.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you are setting up your blog, you will want to use on-page and off-page SEO best practices to ensure your blog can be found on search engines. If you\u2019re using WordPress, consider using SEO plugins like Yoast SEO<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to track your blog\u2019s performance, adding a Google Analytics tracking code is highly recommended. With Google Analytics, you will understand how your blog is performing and which posts are driving the most traffic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The process of creating a blog and sharing your thoughts or expertise with the world can be an exhilarating experience. Whether you are starting a personal blog or one for business, all you need is the right hosting plan and a little knowledge to start blogging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hopefully, you have a better understanding of why you\u2019d want to create a blog, how to choose the perfect niche, how to choose the right platform, and finally, you have what it takes to build out your blog and publish your first post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether you decided to go with a website builder or WordPress for the base of your blog you\u2019ll have a solid foundation to work from to make your blogging dreams come true.<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhy You Should Start a Blog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to Start a Blog in 8 Easy Steps<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 1: Choose Your Niche<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 2: Name Your Blog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/IO7Qef6cW-1eXBgkSp5WtVGk3vLJPnqc7OUxRtk8CcmeME0VpdDeAOCAqu-OKzisLMqdsGn1Nb6dRg6aydRVlWIlQsu20_LCcqNOwTqFY7ix8jhrf05Q4Y0rE_nEjknyBDk8gZYP\")
Step 3: Create your editorial calendar<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to create a blog editorial calendar<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Step 4: Choose your blogging platform<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 5: Purchase web hosting<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
![\"hostgator](\"http:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/11\/hostgator-shared-web-hosting.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nStep 6: Build out your new blog<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Building Your Blog with GATOR Website Builder<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"choose](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/EBFJ59wuHyada9uZrufri1m_iQufHxDJdUY4XZwCpbbQorsoJUBAfOn_B9iiOUI0anIeqQI-3b2gT32g9H7isGy_Pi-NLvU3Qqw_reYyxdDFcpCcUOJE3y3k_HLgZEtQrOdqwgA5\")
![\"design](\"https:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/08\/design-website-easily-with-hostgator-website-builder-1024x757.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n2. Building a Website Blog With WordPress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"where](\"http:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Screen-Shot-2020-07-17-at-4.20.16-PM-1024x522.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"how](\"http:\/\/www.hostgator.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/Softaculous_SelectWordPress-1024x501.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n![\"choose](\"https:\/\/lh5.googleusercontent.com\/II_B61Uk5SUYbKQAOO-_M9ZFUE8V3axAqz-P8i9uDyv6iqBQtYIeIBn1dWi8iXxz1mdEai08SLcB813Komm1nBCxgkT3h003tAMcfDLakAKb4Zb_78d8QSsPeZ4G7RiK8qDxHPki\")
Step 7: Start writing!<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Step 8: Publish your first post<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Publishing a Post with GATOR<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"add](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/c0io_dWjctRbxM_2XNO9EOV7YzzhNVy7R2AoZH0GD6KavypWVqiumPYV-Z2yQ5g_WCNyhhz3XknEPsaTOzRkRPVh3NG2yiSftEr9nbJDF2_bQZAJ8IS8jw8n5WoTDdgekivZ7_8Z\")
2. Publishing a Post with WordPress<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"add](\"https:\/\/lh4.googleusercontent.com\/AyXRzFjJZ59NK0qsbh8-re_uY5PpLor7xGDFI2LjvoFxInQG76v5AeRo6g9IyToneu6WdjMdyOBK37uWcJKEnvW1ZvZDuRQ1EbXTzQMBUBge3tJ9NVN1uIUQDp710uiZ0p2z5RMc\")
Make Your Blog SEO Friendly & Setup Google Analytics<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Closing Thoughts<\/h2>\n\n\n\n