Introduction:

In the early stages, the market was not quite as saturated with blogs as it is today. But nowadays, we have to consider some elements because of the growing competition. Blogging is a great option whether you want to make a blog for money or just for fun. Because people read blogs, they scroll the web for how-to guides, Listicle articles, and information on various topics. We should not forget the importance of a blog website. It is a way to improve writing skills.

With blogging, you can build your online presence and audience as your blog grows. You can also start a business with your blog and earn money. I will walk you through every step to start a successful blog. The process is very easy as I will guide you through each step. After completing this guide you will have a beautiful blog to share with the world. I made a ton of mistakes when I was first learning how to create a blog website, but you will not make my mistakes because you will benefit from my experience and will learn how to create a successful blog.

I will guide you on how to start a blog website from scratch. If you are not a beginner, then you can go directly to the step you need the most help with or grab a cup of coffee and read it all the way through.

Definition of blog

A blog is a written form of content that educates and gives information about something. A blog can be of various types such as how-to guides, listicle articles, Authority blogs, seasonal blogs, comparison blogs, etc.  The blog is a combination of the words “web” and “log” which include a person’s thoughts ideas and expressions in one place on the web. A blog is an expression of you on the web.

Why start a blog?

There are many benefits of blogging. It helps drive traffic to your website then enables you to convert that traffic into leads and allows you to establish authority in any industry and increase your sales of business by attracting new customers and building an audience. It increases your confidence and writing skills.

 Steps to start a successful blog website

 Choosing your niche: How to research the right topic for your blog website

Choosing the right topic is very necessary. what do I mean by the right niche?  It means the profitable and engaging niche that can drive traffic to your website and increase sales of your business. But choosing the wrong niche can get you into a loss. The wrong niche is that niche in which there is very high competition.

Due to high competition, it is difficult for your site to get on page one of the Google search engine ranking page. So it is essential to choose the right niche. When passion is aligned with your Right Niche, it becomes very easy for you to make your blog successful.

Select your blogging platform

There are many blogging platforms available such as WordPress, Wix, or Blogger. These are called contain management systems. Blogger.com was established in 1999. Wix was founded in 2006 whereas WordPress was released in 2003. You can choose any of the blogging platforms available online

Recommended option WordPress: Why you should choose this

WordPress was established mainly for bloggers. It is a widely used content management system with over 43% of websites. If you are blogging as a business then you should choose WordPress because WordPress is free and worthy to choose.

There is no other CMS that is as free and useful as WordPress. Other platforms are expensive and not suitable for small businesses or beginners.

How to choose a domain name for your blog website?

A domain name is the web address of your site that takes your users to your website which makes it easy for users to find your website. It is very essential to choose the right domain name that reflects your niche.

A domain name related to your niche is a clear signal to the search engine what your website is about which helps your website rank higher. A short domain name is preferable.

The domain which I prefer is the “.com” domain because it adds trust to you website. The “.com” domain doesn’t tie your website to a particular location. If you are looking to do business in more than one location then “.com” will provide you with a domain name that will work in most countries.

 Finding the right web hosting provider for your blog website:

Web hosting is an online service that allows you to publish your website files on the internet to make your site accessible to every user on the Internet., In the market, the demand for WordPress hosting is high.

Someone who just wants to put a personal blog online may choose to go with a shared WordPress plan whereas businesses may choose dedicated hosting. Following steps should be considered in choosing the right web hosting provider:

• Reliability
• Ease of use
• Customer support
• Hosting packages
• Price
• Unlimited bandwidth

Popular web hosting providers are

1. Bluehost
2. HostGator
3. GoDaddy
4. Dreamhost
5. Hostinger

Setting up your WordPress

42% of websites are built using WordPress which is suitable for beginners. WordPress has the proper tools to help you get started on your successful blog. The easiest way to install WordPress is through a hosting provider.

You can also install through a local host and then migrate your local site to your hosting service and convert it into an online site. Following are the steps to install WordPress through a hosting provider.

1. Go to your hosting account
2. Launch the dashboard
3. Find the option to install a new WordPress site. you will be directed to the WordPress installation page
4. Click on the installation button to install a new WordPress site
5. Add your WordPress login credentials

Every hosting provider has its own way of installing WordPress depending on the hosting provider you choose

Choosing your blog theme and design

The theme you choose for your blog will decide the layout of your website. Your theme should be visually appealing and user-engaging. Consider the purpose and type of your blog and choose a theme that aligns with your purpose.

Make sure that the theme you choose is easy to use and navigate and includes all the features that are required for a successful blog. My recommended theme for a blog is Astra. This theme is not complex, the more you dive into complex themes the more difficult it becomes to use.

You can design a theme by importing a template or using Elementor or Gutenberg Editor. I recommend Gutenberg editor for blogs instead of Elementor because Elementor is basically used for designing purposes which is best for other types of websites instead of blog websites.

In a blog website content is “King”. Readers’ focus is not on how you design your website but on the quality content you provide. Gutenberg editor is specifically designed for blog websites. Your blog should be user-friendly and mobile-friendly. Most of the traffic come from mobile, make sure your theme is compatible with WordPress and your theme should be SEO friendly.

 Essential plugins for your blog website

WordPress plugins are like apps on your phone. You can download or purchase them to enhance the functionality of your website. There are 59,000 free plugins in the WordPress plugin directory and over 52,000 paid plugins.

Plugins are essential for your WordPress because they add functionality to your website plus it makes it easy for less tech-savvy users to add functionality instead of editing files or adding code all users need to do is to add and activate a plugin

Following are some essential plugins that you should consider

1.       SEO plugin

1. YOAST SEO
2. rank math
3. All-in-one SEO

2.       Security plugin

1. itheme security
2. Word fence

3.       Backup Plugin

1. Backup buddy
2. Updraft plugin

4.       Contact Form plugin

1. ninja form
2. WP forum
3. Contact Form 7

5.       Page Builder plugin

1. Elementor
2. Royal addons

 

Creating content: Writing your first blog post

Before writing, a blog post should be interesting and educational and engage the readers. It should help the readers to find a solution to the challenges they are facing and solve their problems. Answering a question is not enough.

You should also provide “call to action” steps. Include images, videos, and compelling headings and give value to readers. The blog post should be SEO-friendly to make search engines rank your website on top. Use Grammarly to remove grammatical errors if any.

Optimizing your blog for SEO:

Optimize title tag and meta description. The title tag is an HTML code that allows you to give a web page a title. The meta description is an HTML tag that provides brief information about a web page.

It tells users what the page is about. It is essential to optimize your title tag and Meta description because they play an important role in organic ranking. Your title tag and meta description should be written in such a way that attracts users to click on your website.

Include focus keyword in URL, Title Tag, Meta Description, first paragraph, H1, H2 or other headings, internal and external links. Keyword density should not be more than 3% to 4%. Avoid keyword stuffing and keep content unique.

Properly optimize images. Always upload images after reducing their size. You can also use a plugin, but most plugins are paid. These were some On-Page and technical SEO ranking factors. Submit your website to the Google search console so that Google knows the existence of your website.

Drive traffic to your blog (OFF Page SEO):

To drive traffic, you should provide quality content and then get backlinks from other websites which is relevant to your niche. A backlink is a link from one website to another website. Following are some ways of getting backlinks which include:

Get backlinks from:

• Question/Answer Sites
• Image Submission Sites
• Social Media platforms
• Article Submission Sites
• Guest Posting
• Forums

Monetize your blog: Earn money from blogging:

Blog monetization is a time-consuming process and it does not happen overnight. Following are some ways you can use to monetize your blog.

1. Online Ads:

Using Google AdSense, you can monetize your blog with advertisements and generate income anytime those ads are viewed or clicked. On your blog, for the ads to be profitable, make sure they relate to your audience’s interests.

2. Affiliate Marketing:

As an affiliate, you partner with a brand to promote their products, earning a commission for every product sale from your blog.

By combining these two methods, you can monetize your blog and make it profitable.

Conclusion:

Overall. blogging is a long term process but with consistency. you can achieve success. It takes time but success is possible. These were the important steps involved in creating a successful blog website. Always remember, SEO is an important factor which cannot be ignored and is essential for the success of your blog. Keep your content unique and fresh and always keep your blog website update to the new trends of the market.