HOW TO START A BLOG
Two years ago when I started The Alma Chronicle, I remember being overwhelmed by all the information I came across on the internet. I spent countless hours trying to make sense of words I had never come across and somehow never figuring out what exactly I wanted or needed to do. Over the years, I’m proud that I’ve managed to single handedly grow it to what it is today.
Over the next couple of weeks, I’ll be doing a series called “Owning your blog”, sharing pointers from how to get started as a blog/website owner to creating compelling content and even content management. There’ll be 4 engaging posts to this series published every Thursday in the month of March and I hope at the end of it, someone’s work will be made a lot easier.
Domain Name & Hosting:
This is the first step to owning your website. When I started, I remember being confused on the meanings of a “domain name” & “hosting” & why they were necessary. A domain name is a unique address to a webpage or in this case, your blog. It is essential to your brand identity as it’s what you will be known for years to come so please take it seriously. After deciding on a name, check for its availability & register it with a Domain Registrar for a fee. My personal favourite is Bluehost for a couple of reasons, but most of all is the affordability! You can get a domain name registered for as low as $3.95. As a beginner blogger, you’ll appreciate these savings in the long run!
Next thing is to integrate this domain name with a blogging platform such as WordPress or Blogger. Luckily, Bluehost has a simple, free, one-click installation process. Spending money on a domain name and hosting is not necessary for everyone. I recommend it if you want a more professional looking site. On the other hand, if you’re just looking to try out blogging with no intention of committing, I suggest starting with a WordPress.com (e.g xyz.wordpress.com) which is free.
(Tip: Domain registrars typically go on promotions from time to time so be on the lookout to get your desired domain name at a cheaper price)
Update: In partnership with websitesetup.org, I’ve included an easy step by step tutorial on how to get a registered domain name with Bluehost. Watch below!
Click LINK to register your domain name.
Choosing a Theme/Blog/Brand Identity:
A theme sets the tone for your blog and overall brand. This is the first thing users see when they click on your link and you want to make sure it represents you and your brand identity to the latter. Before picking a theme, do an overall blog/brand analysis and make a mental picture of what you want your brand to be known for. Think colours, name, overall aesthetics, fonts, photos, layouts, etc.
Most platforms come with decent pre-installed and free themes that I advice people to take advantage of when they’re just starting out. You know, get a hang of blogging and decide it’s something you want to do/commit to before you start throwing some major bucks into it. If you decide to go a step further to make your blog look more personal and professional, I recommend purchasing a pre-made theme from a theme developer and customizing it to your preference. That way, you don’t stress with the technicalities behind web design and focus on tweaking the theme to your taste; and creating content. You can purchase themes off a lot of websites but my favourites are Etsy, SquareSpace, & Theme Forest to name a few.
Blog Content:
This varies depending on what your blog is centered around. Contrary to popular belief, blogging isn’t as easy as it looks. A lot of work and thought goes into creating content, especially when it’s done for a living. Overtime, analyze your audience demographic and be intentional about every content you put out. Be it be entertaining, inspirational, educational, etc. Make sure it adds some sort of value to the person on the other side of the computer screen.
Have fun & be consistent:
Just like everything else in life, consistency is key to growth; but blogging shouldn’t be a chore. It’s important to view your blog as your brand and have fun nurturing it so it can grow. For me, I’m happiest when I’m in front of my computer editing photos or creating compelling content such as this one for you guys. It’s also amazing how many opportunities and doors this platform has opened to me and I’m forever grateful.
Please let me know if you found this post useful & leave any questions you have in the comment section below, I’ll be sure to get to it as soon as possible!
The next post in the series will be up on the 9th March, 2017!
Till next time,
A.R.E
xx
(N.B This post is monetized with affiliate links from Bluehost. They are published in accordance with this site’s the terms of use policy)
Style Domination
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Great post, Alma! Don’t forget “Design a cool logo”!
Alma
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Ha!! I feel that is more advanced level, I don’t even have a logo yet lmao
IJEOMA UBANECHE
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This is helpful. I will be staying tuned for the details in subsequent posts. The theme thing is something i have been troubling over, but i will just let it be for now. Most importantly i have resolved to be consistent and have fun.
http://www.ijefinelivin.com
Alma
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It’s okay if you don’t have it figured out yet, in due time. And just like you said, stick to being consistent for now! Thank you for reading!!
Mz C-me
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My dear….I pretty much changed my theme a couple of times (while I was designing it) before I finally found 1 I liked and I did a some customization on it. Thankfully, they had a forum where they help with issues and co.
EatTechTravel || Camping & Hiking at Omo Forest Reserve
IJEOMA UBANECHE
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Thats nice. Its good to know i am not in this alone. Thanks, i will definitely be checking your blog out
http://www.ijefinelivin.com
Iremide
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This is just what I needed! I’ve been trying to start a blog for a while now and I’ve been struggling with the bits and pieces but this post just gave me life! Thank you for this.
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Ama Okoji
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Hi Alma,
This is very fantastic and useful to me. Well put together. I’d read a number of your post but this one, I told myself i must not leave this page without dropping some line for you. I just launched my blog in June 2016 and I can attest to all you have in your “Own your blog” series. Thanks for the “own your blog” posts. Wish to speak to you on personal ground. Xoxo
Alma
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Hahaha!! Thank you for leaving a comment Amaka, they’re very well appreciated! <3
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