When I was learning how to create a blog back in 2014, it took me some time to find all the right information online and I had to look for it on different websites. That's why I've created this blog post to teach beginners how to make a blog fast and easy.
It's not as complicated as many people think.
Starting A Blog in this Season
Many people have walked up to me asking about how they can start their blogs too. I thought it would do a lot of good to put it out here on the blog.
First of all, I must let you know that blogging is hard work. It requires patience, consistency and passion. A lot of that. Without passion, I probably would have stopped blogging the following year.
If your primary goal for wanting to start a blog is to make money, then I'm sorry to let you know that this article would not be useful for you. However, if you are striving for living a significant and purposeful life, then you are in for a ride!
How to Start a Blog in 5 Easy Steps
Step #1: Leverage on your Unique Journey
Step #2: Write Down your Blog Goals
Step #3: Pick a Domain Name
Step #4: Choose a Blogging Platform
Step #5: Write content and promote your blog
1. Understand Your Journey
Some people will tell you that the first thing is to understand your target audience. But that wouldn't sustain you for a long time when the people you think you are blogging for stop visiting and leaving comments.
We strive for significance and meaning in our lives. When you’re starting a new blog, the question shouldn’t be, "What is my niche?" Or "What is my target audience?" But, "what is my story?" and "what pain point am I trying to solve?"
In order to offer a value on your blog, you need to solve a pain point that an audience is willing to spend time and money on.
As a lifestyle blogger, you need to understand your journey deeply so that you can offer solution to your audience's challenges exactly how they want it when they need it.
And the best place to start is by looking within yourself.
Ask yourself, What audiences am I a part of?
You’re far more likely to understand a specific group’s struggles if you’ve experienced them yourself.
Take my blog, for example.
When I started this blog, I was a jobless and single twenty-something-year old Nigerian Christian female. Then I got a job in the tech industry and was putting in long hours, sacrificing time with my family and friends, and getting stressed and burned out by the rat race. So I created this blog as a means to an end – a way to stay true to myself, be creative and take back control of my time – and my life.
So my target audience was people similar to me:
As you grow in your journey, the blog grows too.
In order to offer a value on your blog, you need to solve a pain point that an audience is willing to spend time and money on.
As a lifestyle blogger, you need to understand your journey deeply so that you can offer solution to your audience's challenges exactly how they want it when they need it.
And the best place to start is by looking within yourself.
Ask yourself, What audiences am I a part of?
You’re far more likely to understand a specific group’s struggles if you’ve experienced them yourself.
Take my blog, for example.
When I started this blog, I was a jobless and single twenty-something-year old Nigerian Christian female. Then I got a job in the tech industry and was putting in long hours, sacrificing time with my family and friends, and getting stressed and burned out by the rat race. So I created this blog as a means to an end – a way to stay true to myself, be creative and take back control of my time – and my life.
So my target audience was people similar to me:
- 20-30 years old
- Christian
- Single
- Female
- Working 9-5 but want to escape the rat race
- Creative
As you grow in your journey, the blog grows too.
2. Leverage On Your Uniqueness
After uncovering the group that you are a part of, the next step is to uncover the strategic advantages you may have over others.
Ask yourself:
- What is my current level of professional experience?
- What's special about my background?
- What connections do I have?
- What are my experiences?
- How can I tell this experience in an interesting way?
If you want to keep blogging for a long time, you have to stay true to yourself. If you decide to start a blog with a persona that isn't you, you are likely to quit before anyone says 'Jack'.
RELATED POST: Blogging Changes Me
3. Write Down Your Blog Goals
Everyone knows the famous quote by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, “A goal without a plan is just a wish.”
This is definitely true when starting a new blog. After discovering your uniqueness, you need a way to keep track of your journey — not just your to-dos and content ideas, but also your goals, ideas, and inspiration.
The key during this stage is not to overcomplicate things. Keep it as simple as possible.
The key during this stage is not to overcomplicate things. Keep it as simple as possible.
- Do you want to be famous?
- Do you want to help people?
- Do you want to make money?
- Do you want to meet people?
- Do you want more customers
Your goal might change as you start to build your blog, but it’s still important to know it early on.
When I was starting this blog, I kept track of everything in my diary. I still go back to it once in a while when I seem to be in a rut.
RELATED POST: What Is Successful Blogging?
4. Pick A Domain Name
Your blog name is the first thing people see when you show up in search results and can often tell them about who you are, what you’re writing about, and even your personality.
I'd recommend you use your name for your domain (www.yourname.com). Many people actually prefer to use their nicknames for their blogs (like yours truly here 😊). Personal domains are more flexible than the ones based on any particular niche.
Most times, lifestyle bloggers who started out with a niche domain name get to change the name of their blog to their personal name when they have a growing audience.
However, if your name is your domain, then there is no need to change it when you "blow". You can always expand your content and have enough fluidity to maintain consistency, avoid quitting, and better promote your blog for the long haul.
My domain name has always been amakamedia from the very beginning. Even while it was being freely hosted by blogger with .blogspot.com, still was amakamedia.
Other things to consider when choosing a domain name:
- Your name should not be too difficult and complex to type. It should be easy to remember and type.
- Do not confuse people with difficult spellings and therefore keep the name that is easy to spell and pronounce.
- Avoid using numbers and hyphens in your domain
- Try to incorporate a keyword that best represents your blog if possible. It’s not as important to have a keyword in your blog name, but it might help people identify your blog’s niche right away. Plus, it also helps search engine spiders determine what your blog is all about.
A blog is an extension of your personal branding and needs to be something that you are vey much proud of.
5. Choose A Blogging Platform
Every blog needs a web host to store it on a server so that people can access it on the internet. Naturally, without a hosting account, your blog won’t be visible on the internet.
The overall performance of your blog will be determined by your web hosting provider. An excellent hosting platform will make your blog available on the internet 24/7 without causing any interruption.
You should choose a host that is reliable, popular and comes at an affordable price. During the starting stage of your blog, you do not need to buy any additional offers.
When you start a blog, you have the option of using a free platform or a paid one. Both have their pros and cons.
If you’re a novice and want to try your hand at blogging without paying upfront, WordPress.com and Blogger.com are excellent free platforms that let you do just that. However, you may have certain restrictions. For example, you won’t have access to better themes, customizable options, etc.
Well, I started out on blogger.com. However, if you’re a seasoned campaigner or a novice confident enough about blogging, you could opt for paid platforms.
I know little about other platforms but I know so much about blogger. It's free. It's easy. It's user-friendly.
How To Create A Blog on Blogger
To create a Blog on the Blogger platform, Please navigate to Blogger.com, and once you click on the URL, the browser asks to sign in with your Google account. If you already have a Gmail account (I believe you have one), enter your details. Like,
It's pretty easy. You can read more about starting a blog on Blogger on Tutorial Gateway.
- Sign in to Blogger.
- On the left, click the Down arrow.
- Click New blog.
- Enter a name for your blog.
- Choose a blog address, or URL.
- Choose a template.
- Click Create blog.
It's pretty easy. You can read more about starting a blog on Blogger on Tutorial Gateway.
6. Create Your First Blog Post
One of the primary reasons you chose to learn how to start a blog was to attract readers, right? So put some time and concerted effort into writing headlines that’ll be interesting, engaging, and most importantly—fulfil what it promises.
Don't be in a hurry to put out your content. Type each paragraph with clarity. Start by writing down as many ideas or keywords that you can. Aim for things you know your ideal audience would find valuable. What questions are they asking? Where do you have expertise and can help fill in the blank sheets?
- Make your blog post conversational to make it engaging connect with your audience.
- Make sure your content flows naturally
- Leave out substantial white space to make it easy on the eyes.
- Double-check for typos and grammatical errors
- Pour out your heart
Fun Fact: The blog posts I am most ashamed of are the ones that drive the most traffic. Sometimes I get emails from readers that make me shed tears.
Lifestyle Blogging is for people who want to touch lives. It is also for those who want to keep learning every day and pass on the knowledge.
RELATED POST: The Ten Commandments Of A True Blogger
7. Promote Your Blog On Social Media
You can write the most compelling copy the world has ever seen and design a blog interface that would sell people their own yellow shoes. . . If no one sees the blog, though, all your work is in vain.
If you’re looking to drive traffic and build a successful blog, you need to know how to promote your posts. Truth be told, heavy traffic encourages consistency.
The obvious first place to turn to is social media. Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube are the biggest networks today. Whichever platform best suits your journey and audience interests, is the right one for you. And that’s an important note.
PRO TIP: I didn't share my blog right away. I kept it a secret until I was a bit satisfied and comfortable with the look and content. I created about 20 blog posts before going LIVE. I didn't want anyone coming to an empty blog, so I was prepared to keep them longer.
The thing is, I was a writer before I became a blogger. The poems and articles I had written in the past came in handy.
In case you're asking, Do bloggers get paid?
Yes, they do.
Bloggers can get paid exceptionally well. As is the case with all other professions, bloggers get paid to create content and communicate value. Every Blogger is employable.
Breaking it down, bloggers mostly get paid through 5 easy ways:
- Advertisements
- Sponsored posts
- Affiliate marketing
- Products
- Services
I would try shed light on services some other time because that's where I make most of my money. 🙂
However, if your blog posts don’t offer any value, they would be unlikely to create any income.
If you’re looking at blogging as a full-time job, it probably won’t make you a millionaire overnight.
One of the most purposeful reasons to start a blog is to share what you’ve learned with the world. A blog is the perfect place to share everything from your own personal journey through life, to documenting your daily activities, shedding light on life updates or offering insights to others.
Give me your Heart Rays.
This decade is all about the internet and it is exciting to have your own blog or website so that you can write your own stories.
Why not start?
* * * *
Now, I want to know how your journey on starting a blog is coming along too.
Ask questions. Share tips. Suggest ideas.
Drop a line in the comments below!
P.s My blog was listed among the top 25 Nigerian lifestyle bloggers by FeedSpot.
Written by Nwamaka Onyekachi
Let's connect on Twitter: @Amakamedia
Let's connect on Instagram: @amakamedia
Do Email: amakamedia@yahoo.com
And Bloglovin: Amakamedia
Heart Rays . . . giving light.
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