Skip to main content

How to Start a Blog on WordPress and Make Money [10 Easy Steps]

How to Start a Blog on WordPress in 10 Simple Steps

Step 1: Choose Your Hosting Plan

Go to HostGator’s home page and select “Get Started Now”.  This will bring you to a page that gives you 3 different packages.  I recommend starting off with the Hatchling Plan:
how to start a blog
If you are just starting out, the Hatchling Plan is all you need.  The first rule of business: don’t over complicate things and end up overspending!

Step 2: Choose Your Domain Name

Once you hit the Sign Up Now button, you’ll be directed to the order form.  The first item on the list is the most important one: your domain name!  This is the one and the only name for your website, so give this some thought.
how to start a blog
It can be tricky coming up with a name that isn’t already claimed.

Tips for Choosing Your Domain Name

  • Stick to just .com endings.  Don’t bother using .biz, .info, .org, or any other endings.
  • Make your domain name simple and easy to remember.
  • Leave out numbers and dashes and anything else other than letters.

Step 3: Enter Your Hosting Plan Information

This step just confirms what you chose in Step 1 (Hatchling Plan).  If you want to change plans, though, you can do it here.
how to start a blog
You’ll also set up your HostGator username, which is what you’ll use to access the back end of your site.

Step 4: Enter Your Billing Information

Another straightforward step.  If you can’t figure this part out, maybe this whole online biz thing isn’t for you 😉
how to start a blogSave

Step 5: Choose Add-ons That You Want

I recommend all of them, however, you can probably get away with adding them later (the cost starts to quickly rise).
If money’s tight, you can forego these things. If I had to choose just one add-on, I would choose the site backup option. Losing all your hard work is a buzz kill that I would not wish on even my worst enemy.
how to start a blog

Step 6: Enter Your Coupon Code

We’ve got you covered: use the coupon code BTOP60 for 60% off your order.  We’ve partnered up with them to give our readers this exclusive deal not offered on their regular site.
This discount is merely a promo rate and not likely to last long! All the more reason to get started right now.

Step 7: Review Order Details and Submit!

Once you’ve completed all the steps above, go through and make sure everything is the way you want it.  I won’t include a screenshot of everyone’s checkout page will look slightly different based on their choices.
You’ll also notice that there are a few other free perks: 24/7/365 Phone, LiveChat, and Email Support AND a  45 Day Money Back Guarantee if you decide blogging isn’t for you.  Pretty sweet deal if you ask me.
Once you’re all set, go ahead and hit Checkout and let’s get rolling!

Step 8: Install WordPress

Now it’s time to install WordPress on your site (don’t worry, it’s easy!).
As far as blogging platforms go, WordPress is in rare company. In fact, WordPress sites comprise around 27% of the entire Internet. You could go with a smaller platform like Tumblr or Blogger…or you can go with content management system (CMS) chosen by:
  • New York Post
  • USA Today
  • CNN
  • Fortune
  • Time
  • Spotify
  • TechCrunch
  • CBS
  • NBC
If those sites use WordPress, and you can have your own site in less than 15 minutes, I think its safe to say you’re choosing the right CMS.
To get started:
Go to HostGator’s Billing Login page:
how to start a blogSave

Use the email address you signed up with and the password included in your order confirmation email.
Once you’re logged in, you’ll see a bunch of tabs on the top.  Click on the Hosting tab.
Once that loads up, you should see an option below under “Special Offers” that says Get Started with WordPress Today.
how to start a blog
That will bring you to a “QuickInstall” page, shown below.
how to start a blogSave

Make sure your domain name is chosen in the “Application URL” section. Be sure to leave the box after the slash blank.
Then, check the “Enable Auto Upgrades” box.  Enter your “Admin Email”, your “Blog Title” can just be your domain name (with spaces), then enter whatever you want your admin username to be.
 Pro tip: Never make it “admin”!  You WILL get hacked if that happens.  Make your Admin User something unique. Lastly, fill in your first and last name, then click the “Install Now” button.

Step 9: Finish WordPress Install and Log Into WordPress!

Once WordPress is finished installing, you’ll get a confirmation message giving you info on   where to access your WordPress login, your username, and a randomly generated password to sign in.
Your WordPress page can be found at http://yourwebsitename.com/wp-admin/ – go to that URL and sign in.
And that’s it!  You’re all set up and ready to go with your new domain.

Step 10: The Part About Making Money

I’ll be honest with you.  It’s gonna take time.
And if you just got done with the steps above, you should probably focus on building up your blog’s content and growing your audience before you start thinking about money.
Here are a few parting thoughts I have on how to start a blog (successfully):
  • Make sure you’re writing in a way that’s easy to read.  What do I mean by that? Be conversational, use short paragraphs, and use short sentences.  Oddly enough, this is way harder than it sounds, especially for new bloggers.  The way you learned to write in high school and college is NOT the way you want to write for your blog.  I can’t stress that enough!
  • Your content needs to help people solve a problem.  If it doesn’t do that, then it better entertain them.  If you aren’t doing either of these things, you will probably fail.
  • Use social media to promote your blog.  I recommend starting with Pinterest.  Check out my comprehensive Pinterest guide.
  • Start learning about the different ways of monetizing your blog.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How to Make Money on YouTube, According to 3 People Who Do

Every day,  five billion YouTube videos  are watched around the world. And they're not just being watched -- they're being devoured. The average YouTube session by any one viewer is roughly 40 minutes, up 50% from the previous year, according to Omnicore. If only there was a way to make money off of a website people spend so much time on. As a matter of fact, there is! A few ways, actually, and the proof is in the people (and businesses) who've cashed in on their  video strategy . Free YouTube Course: Successful Strategies to Grow and Optimize Your YouTube Channel Who's making content worthy of a nearly hour-long visit to youtube.com? Well, YouTube isn't just for amateur filmmakers and people videotaping their zainy housepets anymore. Musicians, TV networks, small businesses, and the self-employed all find monetary value in posting their own amazing content on a YouTube channel. An active, entertaining YouTube channel -- which is free to make through a G...
Post a Comment
Read more

Have You Ever Tried to Make Money Online?

Do you see the internet as a way to earn extra cash? Do you view it as an alternative to a traditional job? Hakim Ahmed The internet seems to offer plenty of opportunities for teenagers to earn money: selling vintage clothes via Instagram; listing unwanted Magic and Pokémon cards on eBay; posting videos on YouTube and hoping they go viral. Have you ever tried to make money online? Were you successful? What happened? And if you’ve never made a dollar on the web, have you at least thought about it? What would you want to sell or do to try to earn cash on the internet? Do you think making money online is easier or harder for most teenagers than just getting a traditional job, like working in a store, a movie theater or a restaurant? Why? In “Here’s What’s Happening in the American Teenage Bedroom,” Taylor Lorenz writes about Rowan Winch, a 15-year-old who has had an unusual degree of success making money online: For years, Rowan Winch was nothing if not onl...
Post a Comment
Read more

Important Benefits Of Paying Back A Reduced Amount Over Paying Off Debts In Full

 If a family member, parent, friend, or someone else is willing to pay your debts off for you, should you let them? Most clients who we have spoken with after making this mistake have shared that they wished they had not paid back their unsecured debts in full. They often said, “It was the  worst mistake  I’ve made.” Read on to discover some very important information that could save you a considerable amount of frustration and money. Let’s say that you do come across that lump sum of cash needed to pay off your debts. Before you spend a dime of it, you must do a financial analysis of your situation. Let’s look at the financial analysis: Is This Money You Received Going To Be Ongoing? For example, let’s say you will now be receiving $50,000 extra every year in a bonus. Or, as another example, your new product is now selling in your business and you anticipate making a lot more each year than the debts you have. If this is the case then it woul...
Read more