how to start a blog in 2017

top. similar jeans. glasses.

**I thought it would be fun to start a new series on blogging for those of you out there who would like a little advice or who are thinking of taking the plunge and start a blog but don’t know how.

One of the questions I get asked most often is how I got started blogging and how I’ve been able to build it into a business that brings in a great income for my family.  First of all, let me just say thank you to all of you.  Because without you, I wouldn’t be doing this.  Period.  Your energy sustains me when I get a little burnt out, and many of you have been with me, cheering for me and my family for several years, through multiple moves, launching a clothing line, losing a baby, and always you have been such a support.  And it is because of you that I get to do this work, and earn extra money for my family, so thank you.

I believe in the internet.  I know it can be a nasty place, but to be honest, so much good can come from it.  I mean, where would we be without google and wikipedia?  (but, seriously though.)

I thought for a long time about whether or not I would ever write “about blogging” cause honestly, I get kind of annoyed when bloggers spend too much time talking “about blogging.”  (Like, what is the point of that?  And also, boring.)  But I get asked about it a lot, and I get a lot of emails asking for advice, and I realized something over the last few months.  Blogging has blessed my life in so many ways.  Personally, and financially.  It has helped me stretch and grow and learn so many skills.  It’s given me an incredible creative outlet and as a mother, I especially appreciate that I’ve been able to earn a good income staying home with my kids.  I’ve been able to speak at conferences, and give presentations on business and social media.  I’ve connected with other women from all over the world.  I’ve done things I never dreamed I’d be able to do.

Now I’m not saying that blogging is all sunshine and roses.  It’s a ton of hard work and it will test your confidence, and your perseverance.  But, I believe in blogging and the blessings it can bring to families, and how it enriches the lives of bloggers and their readers.

Okay, so let’s get started.

I have been blogging for several years, and let me tell you something, blogging has changed.  How to start a blog in 2017 is very different different than how people started blogs in 2008, when Facebook was a baby and Instagram and Pinterest didn’t even exist.  But don’t worry, it may be different, but it’s still simple and I am going to give you the steps.  So let’s get started.

1. Choose a niche, and define your voice/perspective.

This is the first and most important part of starting your blog.  What’s your topic?  What are you going to write about?  What lights you up?  What are you passionate about?  Once you narrow in on that, think about your voice, what unique perspective you can bring to that subject, how YOU and YOUR VOICE can enrich your audience’s life.  And it’s really important to do what is natural and authentic to you.  Be you, the results will follow.

2.Pick a domain name.

Once you’ve decided on your blog topic and your voice, you need to choose a domain name for your site.  Your domain name should be the same as the title to your blog.  Period.  It’s the easiest way for people to find and remember you.  You want to be easy to find and remember.  If you come up with a great name for your blog, google it, and it’s already taken, pick a different name.  You’re going to be competing with an established site right from the get-go if you don’t, and you really don’t need or want to give yourself that kind of disadvantage.   Also, avoid using numbers in your name, because people won’t know if they should spell it out or not, and again, it makes it harder to find you.  You can register your domain name right when you set up your blog for free with Bluehost, but we’ll get to that more in a minute.

3.Set up a wordpress site. 

There are lots of free platforms to use to set up a blog, but if you want to have a future with blogging, if you want to grow and monetize your blog, I absolutely recommend setting up a self-hosted (we’ll get more into this in a second) WordPress site.  WordPress is the most universal platform for a blogger and there are endless options for plugins, and templates.  It gives you, the blogger, the most control and it’s the easiest platform to monetize on.  One more plug about self-hosting and then we’ll get started with the quick and easy steps to set it up.  Of all the stuff you’re going to do as a blogger, the social media platforms, etc… your blog is the only platform that you will own and have complete control of.  As long as you are self-hosted, you have complete control of your own site, no algorithm change is going to affect you there and that’s really important to consider–make your site the top priority.

Okay, so here are the steps to setting up your wordpress site:

First, you need to choose a domain name(as I mentioned above), and figure out where you are going to host it.  Most hosting companies can also register your domain name, so this simplifies that process.  There are lots of hosting companies out there, (you can google them) but the one I personally recommend, the one I have been using for 5 years and love is Bluehost. There are a ton of reasons why I love Bluehost, but the top are: they are inexpensive, have great customer service, and my site functions really well and runs fast.  They’ve also been super helpful when I’ve had technical issues, even issues that weren’t related to them, they still helped me out on.

Go to Bluehost and check if your domain name is available and register it, and you can also sign up for hosting at the same time.  When you’re first starting out you can choose the simplest least expensive plan option, because you can always upgrade your site later as your traffic grows.

Once you’ve signed up through Bluehost, its very easy and free to install WordPress on your site.  Once that’s done, you can log-in and install themes/templates, design your website, and start writing posts.  You don’t need to know ANY coding to create a wordpress site.  There are tons of free, and inexpensive themes which will design the entire website for you, and they are easy to install.

4.Install a pretty template.

This isn’t 2008, so if you want to start a blog, it needs to be professional and visually pleasing right from the get-go.  Also, brands will not work with you if your site looks janky.  Period.  This doesn’t mean you need to invest $5-8,000 right off the bat on a website design.  You just need to find a great template.  There are lots of free options, but I recommend spending $75-150 on a really great theme designed specifically for lifestyle bloggers there are a ton of great really pretty ones on Etsy right here.  You can create a simple header using pretty fonts in Photoshop or even powerpoint.  If you want something a little more professional for your header, there are tons of ala carte designers you can find on Etsy that will design your site header for you for under $100.  It can make a huge impact and help your site look professional and cohesive. This girl is my favorite, she’s awesome and quick.

5.Set up your social media accounts.

After you’ve got your site up and running, you need to set up social media accounts.  Sign up for Instagram, Pinterest and twitter, and set up a facebook page for your site.   Make sure your handle for all of these is either your name (first and last) or your blog title.  If you choose your name, your blog title should be the first thing in your profile, and visa versa.  People should always be able to easily associate you with your blog title.  Get them set up and start sharing your content.

6.Buy a DSLR.

I know that phones have better cameras these days, and a phone camera will definitely get you started, but if you are going to create a visual blog, you need to buy yourself a good DSLR camera.  Hiring a photographer every time you need to shoot anything can get complicated and expensive really fast.  And it’s not practical when you’re just getting started.  You don’t have to spend a lot on camera equipment to get great pictures, but you really should get a DSLR.  We shoot on a Canon 5D Mark 3 which we upgraded to after a few years of blogging, but we shot for the first 3 on a very basic Canon DSLR like this one, and it was great.  I do recommend buying fixed focal length lense, it will improve your pictures so much.  We shoot on this 85mm, but a 50mm lens is a good length too.  (I’ll have more photography tips coming soon.)

7. Create content.

This is the fun part!  Now you get to write about the stuff you love.  Have fun, let your passion and creativity guide you.  Spend time finding your voice.  I recommend making a list of some great topics to cover for those days when your creative juices run dry, and making an editorial calendar will keep you organized and on-track and make it easier to find the time to shoot and write.  Also, consider your story, how much and what you will share with your readers, and keep a cohesive brand across your channels.  I also recommend deciding how often you are going to post, and try to be consist about it.  It doesn’t have to be 5 days a week, just give your audience something they can count on.  I usually post between 4-5 times a week.   Once you create content, start sharing and promoting your posts on those Pinterest, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts you just set up. ;-) Network with other bloggers in your niche.  And start enjoying the fun creative process of blogging!

8. Monetize.

When you first get started your traffic is small, so you won’t be able to make a ton of money immediately until you build up your following a bit, but I still recommend monetizing right from the start.  You’re going to be creating amazing content and often new readers will go back to earlier posts, so it’s good if you’ve already monetized.  Plus it will get you blogging in the right mindset and way that will attract brands.

So there you have it!  How to start a blog in 2017.  If you have any questions about any of this, or anything else you’d like me to write about, please leave a comment and let me know!