Now I don’t know about you, but starting a blog can seem like a daunting task. I’m sure many think you need to be a whiz at web design to even get a blog off the ground. But trust me, you don’t. Starting a blog is incredibly simple. If you don’t believe me, read on to find the easiest way to start a blog.
PICKING YOUR BLOG NAME
Now I’ll be honest this is probably the most challenging part. Coming up with a name is hard. Especially if you come up with a great name only to find that someone else has already snapped that name up. You can use the domain search function in Lyrical Host to see if your chosen name is available. And it’ll give you the option to purchase it on .com, .net or .co.uk.
If you want to have a brand that sits across your blog and social media channels, then Namecheckr is a great tool to use as you can easily search across so many platforms to see if that name is free.
My only piece of advice when it comes to a name is don’t overthink it. Go with your first choice – if it’s available – and if not, choose something that will work with your niche. For example, you could choose to use your name as your blog. Or if you want to blog about plus-size fashion, then you could try and incorporate the word plus-size or mid-size into your name.
BUYING YOUR DOMAIN AND HOSTING
Now I should start by saying that having a self-hosted blog is an absolute must. You can start a blog for free using Blogger or WordPress.com. But having a self-hosted blog on WordPress.org with your own domain not only makes it look more professional. It also means you’re in control of the type of content that you blog.
Being self-hosted with your own domain does come at a cost. But then what business doesn’t require a little investment, to begin with? it’s honestly a small price to pay if you want to create a smart and professional blog that brands will want to work with.
When it comes to hosting, there are a lot of options around but for me, I really recommend Lyrical Host for not only hosting but for also purchasing your domain. The cost of hosting is £9.99 per month – but I have a 10% off if you use the code MERRY10. The cost of your domain will vary depending on whether you have it on .com, .co.uk or .net but they start at as little as £7.49 for the year.
In addition to the hosting and domain facilities, another reason why I love Lyrical Host is how easy they are to work with. Want to create a fancy-looking email address that includes your blog name (so yourname@yourblogname.com), not a problem. Just raise a support ticket and they’ll guide you through it. Plus every month they send out incredibly useful blogging resources!
So once you’ve brought your domain and your hosting, all you need to do is raise a ticket with the support team at Lyrical Host. They’ll set everything up behind the scenes. Once it’s ready all you’ll need to do is type your URL into a web browser and follow the steps to set up WordPress.
CREATING YOUR WORDPRESS SITE
So that’s the hosting and domain done. The next thing to think about is your theme. You can use a free theme on WordPress. But personally, I love how easy and beautiful the pre-made templates from 17th Avenue are. The beauty of a pre-made theme is that not only are they incredibly easy to customise. But they also have a whole host of other features including:
- Search Engine Optimised (SEO)
- Responsive design which means it looks on mobile too – which is so important when you think how many people view websites on mobile now
- Support from the creators of the templates
- Instant updates
- They’re super fast to load – another important feature
- And they’re completely customisable meaning you can choose a variety of different layouts to suit you
Any pre-made template will come with instructions but essentially, you just need to download the theme. Then log in to your WordPress account, head to Appearance > Theme. install your theme. And then to customise your theme, head to Appearance > Customize where you can customise to your heart’s content.
So there you have it. The easiest way to start a blog in just three simple steps. It is honestly so simple and if you’ve been thinking of starting a blog for a while now. This is the perfect opportunity! Let me know in the comments below if you’ve taken this advice. And leave a link to let me see your new blog creations.
Leave a Reply