So you want to start a blog and don’t know where to start, right ?
A blog’s the right platform to share your knowledge and experience or build a brand around your product/service. There are hundreds of resources and how to guides to help you learn the ropes.
But these are mostly technical. We present to you a simple and straightforward guide that’s easy to understand and doesn’t require coding skills.
– The First Step:
Unlike the proverb, the first step in the world of blogging is the easiest. But it is definitely the most important. You can begin by creating a site on WordPress or Blogger.
WordPress is the most downloaded platform, not only because it is free and open source, but also because it is extremely customizable. Besides, there are thousands of themes made using the WordPress platform.
– Domain Registration and Hosting:
But before that you will have to register your domain through domain hosting sites like hostgator.com. Choose a simple/basic plan if you aren’t sure about continuing. And don’t forget to seek opinion about the domain hosting company. I recommend hostgator, as I’ve been using them for my blog.
Some key features include customer support, tech support, uptime promise, etc. And if you are a novice, look for ease of use. Some companies have simplified blog hosting so much that all you have to do is to click a few buttons before the domain is ready.
– Theme:
There are hundreds of free and paid WordPress themes to choose from. Choose one that’s scalable and can be tweaked to suit your niche. Plugins like Facebook and Twitter share buttons can also be installed easily. A theme can be divided into two halves; the framework and the actual theme. The framework provides the foundation for the site, while the actual theme is the blog design.
This blog runs on the Thesis Theme, one of the most reliable and stable themes used by wordpress bloggers.
– Content:
I’m assuming that you’ve already chosen a niche. Without selecting a niche, you wouldn’t be able to choose an apt domain name. Choose a niche that you are passionate about and have sufficient knowledge to create unique content.
Once everything is in place, the next step is to focus on the content. This is undoubtedly the most important part; your site may have all the bells and whistles, but if the content lacks punch, nobody’s ever going to visit your site.
Once all of this is in place, consider yourself ready to jump start your blogging career!
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