A beginner’s guide to blogging: 5 secrets in 2022

Blogs are one of the most popular ways to share information online.

A blog is a high-traffic website that contains content, which can be written by anyone. It is relatively easy to create a blog and publish content.

Step #1: Select a perfect niche for your blog

Step #2: Blogging Platform/Web Hosting Partner

Step #3: Pick a domain name

Step #4: Write content and promote your blog

Step #5: Make money blogging

Before you take action steps to create a blog, let me cover some valuable facts. This section provides details on why you should start a blog and blogging information.

Step #1: Select a perfect niche for your blog

Before you learn how to start a successful blog, you must first find your Niche, figure out how to make it profitable, and figure out who your ideal readers are. 

In short, a niche is a topic that you write about most often, or even exclusively, in your blogs. 

Niche blogging is creating a blog to advertise to a particular market. 

Niche blogs are easy to monetise, and they usually contain affiliate links, advertisements, etc., and that’s mostly how they become profitable.

How to choose a niche for your blog

To become a successful blogger, you will have to choose the right Niche and attain the highest knowledge within that topic. So pick the one that appeals to you—the one you are passionate about and most interested in. 

Strive for success, happiness, and recognition. By choosing the Niche of interest and having your point of view, you’ll differentiate your blog ideas from the competition.

You have to choose a perfect Niche for your blogs; this is original & utmost important work.

(Example: If you are a chartered accountant, you should select Niche because you have expertise.

Step #2: “Choose a blogging platform” section

Why are you starting a blog?

We are starting to write a blog for various reasons, but maximum people are looking for their extra and side income, switch the industry, some want to be their boss, want to freelance, and some are passionate. They love to write by their nature.

A blog can help you inform, educate, promote, and even sell if you are clear about your intention.

Hence, take some time to figure out your message and the purpose of your blog. 

In the meanwhile, here are several reasons why many people make a blog and enjoy blogging:

• To enhance writing and thinking skills
• To establish expertise
• To increase self-confidence
• To network with others in the industry
• To make money blogging

There are many ways to make money by starting your blog; you can sell products and merchandise online or place ads and receive compensation from brands by promoting their products and services – considering that 60% of online customers make purchases based on recommendations from a blog, this could turn into a highly profitable endeavour for you.

A quick primer – Blogging for beginners

All in all, there are four essential steps to making a blog quickly. 

I’ll go into details on starting a blog on WordPress later, but you can now review these steps. If you are familiar with these things, you can create a blog in 30-40 minutes or even less:

• Carefully select the best blog platform
• Find a perfect web host and get a domain name
• Design your blog
• Find as many valuable resources as you can
• Hobbies & passions. Hobbies or other interests you are passionate about are great to start. Cooking, travel, fashion, sports, and cars are classic examples. But even blogs about more obscure hobbies can be successful since your audience is anyone with the Internet.
• Life experiences. Everyone has lessons they have learned through life experience. 
• Sharing this knowledge can be incredibly helpful to others in similar situations. For example, I recently helped a woman start her blog about being a fireman’s wife.She has a lot of experience and knowledge to share with others about this topic, and it has helped her connect with others in similar situations. Think about the things you have experienced in life. 
• This could be related to your family (example: a blog about being a stay at home mom), work (a blog about experiences dealing with clients), Or other life experiences (a blog about dealing with a troubling time such as a disease or divorce, or about a happy time such as preparing for a wedding or a child’s birth).
• A personal blog. A personal blog is a blog all about you. 
• This will include a variety of topics, from things you do daily to random thoughts and musings. 
• This is a great way to share your opinions without sticking to just one issue.

Blogging platform/Hosting

Free of cost hosting or platform

WordPress.com

The first thing you should do is find the best blog site. Many of these with all kinds of different features, including WordPress.com.

It’s one of the biggest and easiest blogging sites, and it allows you to design your blog with ease. Simpleness is paramount here, and they can help you with any website needs you have to run your blog.

You’ll need to look at the best blog sites and determine the type of blog management tool you want to use. 

I recommend that you make your blog using a self-hosted setup that I show in this guide. But before you ask yourself, how do I start a blog?

Let me describe each option. When it comes to popular blogging platforms, you have the following options: free and self-hosted.

Blogger

Google Blogger is a website that allows users to create and manage their blogs. It is part of the Google suite of online tools, including Gmail, Google Drive, and Google+.

Blogger is free to use and easy to set up. Create an account and start writing.

Blogger is a popular website for information about news, sports, and lifestyle. But its popularity is not just because of its content.

Blogger’s popularity comes from the fact that it provides a user-friendly interface and an easy way to get informed about the latest news in any field.

Free of cost hosting or platform

Except for the above free hosting platform, numerous Web hosting platforms exist. Among them, a few are well established below the few name of them.
There are 4 types of hosting are there.

Among them, here we discuss shared hosting as it is pocket-friendly and for beginners.

• Hostinger
• Bluehost
• A2Host
• Namecheap
• Godaddy
• Hostgator
• Siteground
• Hostpapa
• EasyWP
• Big Rock
• Host Armada

However, I would recommend Bluehost.com or Hostinger for beginners since I still use Bluehost because of WordPress.org and other features.

Why should you go for the paid hosting?

Free hosting have many limitations and downsides, but self-hosting a blog on your domain allows you to own your blog entirely. 

That’s why you should seriously consider hosting a blog in your area. I am using Bluehost, you can take decision after reading this article.

Free website migration: their experts can handle everything and ensure a smooth transfer to Bluehost for all clients on GrowBig and higher plans.

There are many reasons why you should go for the paid hosting.

1. The most important reason is that the more money you spend, the more your site will be indexed by Google.

2. The second most important reason is that it’s much less expensive to setup and maintain than a free hosting solution.

3. The third most important reason is that with a paid hosting solution, you can control the security of your site and make sure that all of your content stays safe from hackers and other malicious people looking to steal your data or do harm to it.

4. Finally, when you’re paying for a premium service, there’s no need to worry about losing money because of a server failure or downtime – as long as everything runs smoothly, no problem will arise during downtime

They also offer the free WordPress Migrator tool for users on the StartUp plan. 

Easy start for beginners The WordPress Starter plugin guides users through a quick and easy installation process for WordPress, including selecting a theme and installing essential plugins on their new website. 

Collaboration tools your audience can benefit from Bluehost’s handy collaboration tools. If your referees are on Basic or higher plan, they can now add collaborators to their sites who can help them with site management. 

Step #3: Pick a domain name

A domain name is one of the essential elements of a website. By picking a domain name, you can differentiate your brand from others and make it easier for your visitors to find you.

Here are a few domain provider companies like Hostinger, Godaddy, Namecheap, Crazy domain, etc.

No, I don’t want to confuse you anymore; I will discuss this in my following blogs, which will be regarding the only web hosting sites. Now I have to cover a few more points.

Crazy Domains is a great place to get your domain name; I use them for several clients.

Design

Using WordPress, you’ll have access to free blogging themes. 

Opt for a template that’s simple to edit and, at the very least, presents a professional image.

The WordPress platform is provided by all web hosting companies, which has already been described.

Useful resources

Your blogging success will be enhanced by your knowledge of social media and the Internet. 

Keep in mind that everything in life comes full circle. Keep studying and improving if you want to keep up with the times.

Your domain name will be the name you will be known online, no matter what Niche you choose. 

It’s your unique address on the Internet. Your domain will be yours as long as you continue paying the annual fee (75/- to 199 for a .com area). 

Users who know your part/URL (uniform resource locator) can simply type it into their browser’s address bar. Others will discover you through search engines such as Google and Bing, so you need to find a unique moniker.

Your domain name may be the viral “dot com” or country-specific. The general rule is to go for a “dot com” domain, but some other extensions can work.

For example, “dot net” or “dot me.”

I was able to negotiate a special deal only for my visitors, which included:

• Free domain name if you take 1year plan of any one of the above web hosting sites. 
• 30-60 days money-back guarantee period.
• Discount price 30-60% 
• Or else you will buy your domain from Netinger.com

You will get there by 75/- to 199/-.

Here’s a quick checklist for choosing your theme by searching within the blog dashboard:

• Read the description. Most themes come with a short description of features and functionality. 
• Reading it can help you figure out if it exactly matches your needs.
• Check for responsiveness. Aim for a responsive design that will work on desktop browsers and mobile devices. Google recommends this.
• Check the ratings. Star ratings will be visible in the preview and under theme details to give you a clear idea of how good the theme is.
• Preview the theme. Preview the article (demo) to get an idea of the overall look, layout, and customization.

If you find a theme that takes your breath away, cool down. Once you install a template you like, don’t be surprised if it doesn’t look quite right. It is just a skeleton of your blog. You’ll have to fill in appealing content (text, photos, videos, etc.).

When setting up a blog, could you choose a free, premium, or custom theme?

For many visionary novice bloggers, the world is not enough. The stash of free themes does not satisfy their particular desire for the look and feel they are going for. 

You can look at two other options: premium and custom themes. But they incur a cost, sometimes a tiny one, at other times a considerable amount.

Custom themes are created by an individual developer (coder and designer, or agency) who will customize an existing piece or create new music. 

While coming with clear-cut advantages, they are not ideal for a beginner blogger due to their high cost. Prices to customize a theme, depending on the features you want.

Now write your content.

Step #4: Write content and promote your blog

So far, you’ve captured a domain name, chosen your blog site, and set up the theme, and you are ready to go. 

Your framework is complete. Now comes the moment of truth. You must learn how to write blog content – in the blogging world, any helpful information you bring to readers can be called “content.” 

It must be something people will want to interact with and come back to get more, something of value.

The next step is to figure out what content you need to make for your new blog and follow the best practices. 

Whether your blog is composed primarily of words, photos, graphics, audio, video, etc. – the content will be the bait that draws your crowd. Few will come just to see your new site.

Even the most well-designed, tightly-structured blogs will fail without great content. 

The web framework is code – but the website’s attraction is the material found there.

Three things your content should do

• Your content speaks to a specific audience and provides value to them significantly. 
• If this sounds suspiciously like our Commandments, you are right. Drill the idea into your mind and never forget it: It’s not about you; it’s about them.
• Your content should be as accessible and appealingly delivered as possible. 
• Your presentation must also approximate the quality of your content. Don’t downgrade graphics or designs to save money on production.
• Your blog must attract your visitors and encourage them to interact with your content.
• Your content may be commercially purposed but should never be commercially focused. 
• Never greet your visitors with pop-up ads and giant banner ads. Greet them with content and reasons to engage with that content. Let them know you are there to help them, not use them.

As a blog owner, you might get overwhelmed by all the available content and methods to deliver to your readers. 

Remember that the content delivery method is less important than the actual content and its quality.

I was wondering how you can create quality content? It’s simple.

Here are three simple steps approaches you can use to make great content of any type:

• Point. State your main idea and the issue you are covering.
• Prove. Give an example of the concept you are hiding.
• Perform. Give a simple way to execute the vision.

There are two blocks you need to worry about, pre-launch and post-launch contents:

Pre-launch content

Before you start writing your day-to-day blog posts, you will want to make sure static pages (such as About us, Contact, etc.) and other parts of your blog (Sidebar, Footer, etc.) are filled with relevant information. 

Let’s explore each of these content areas.

• About us: The most traditional page on any blog is the About page. This page tells new visitors to your blog what it is all about, who you are and why you run a blog about a particular topic.Depending on your Niche and style, the information you provide can be “all business” or personal and fun.

• Contact: This page allows visitors to your blog to communicate with you. It can be a simple page with your email address plus social network links, or you can use a simple contact form that visitors can use to communicate with you without leaving your website.

• Sidebar content: Your sidebar is the smaller column to the left or right (depending on your selected theme).You could include your blog categories, the most popular posts, ads, etc.

• SEO meta tags: You will need to prepare content for each page’s SEO titles and description tags (not seen on the actual page, but you need to have it ready).

Post-launch content

• Blog posts. The blog post is an entry (article) that you write. It can include content in text, photos, infographics, or videos.
• Cornerstone content. Cornerstone (or evergreen) content continues to be relevant to its readers and gives them value years after the publish date. 
• It is always fresh and up-to-date. It remains informative and retains its original quality. As its name implies – it is timeless.

Start promoting your blog.

You’ve learned that the content will be the bait that draws your audience. 

You can write the most compelling copy the world has ever seen and design a blog interface to sell people their shoes…if no one sees the blog, though, all your work is vain. 

Marketing and promotion happen every time you engage with your current and future readers. The success of your blog promotion will depend on the ability to be involved in your Niche.

Let’s look closely at the advanced and straightforward promoting/marketing activities you could be taking to become an authority and successful blogger:

Let your friends know about your blog.

Inform everyone you know about your new endeavour. You should include your blog name and URL in your email signature, list it on your social media profiles, and use every opportunity to get the word out about your new undertaking.

Submit your blog to search engine

It only takes a moment to help get your blog indexed. To submit your blog URL to Google, sign in to your Google Account and the Submit URL option in Webmaster Tools. For extra credit, submit your site to Bing.

Submit your blog to bookmarking sites

Bookmarking sites can offer your content to many potential viewers searching for content within your Niche. 

Every time you publish a new blog post, you should spread the word. Some popular social bookmarking sites are Scoop—Reddit, etc.

Be active in your Niche.

Get active on relevant blogs, forums, and social pages. Blogger communities are an excellent way to connect with other bloggers. 

You can engage, build friendships, and help each other spread the content.

Be active on social networks.

Your business is unique, and you should use the social media avenues that best fit your Niche and style. Choose the one (or ones) that best fit your needs and become an expert at leveraging them to help reach your goals.

Comment on other blogs

Commenting on other relevant blogs is a great way to build relationships with top bloggers. This will help you make them and their readers aware of your existence and develop your brand.

Guest blogging

Take the relationship further and write a guest post for other websites. Just be sure your work goes on reputable sites and that the content is directly related to your Niche. 

Guest blogging is an excellent way to build an online presence.Start building your mailing list.Once your blog gains new fans and readers, collecting those who want to be notified of recent articles and offers is good. 

People will respond better to your promotional efforts as people know and trust you.

Advertising on the web (paid traffic)

Appropriate and well-informed use of paid media can help you gain exposure and attention before your organic (naturally derived) traffic. Paid traffic avenues include Google AdWords, and Facebook, a few major ones.

Step #5: How to make money blogging

Monetization is the process of translating your blog activity into earnings. You should remember that blogging isn’t about making money but creating helpful content to attract readers and make them come back for more.

After producing great content and engaging with your niche market, you will become a recognized expert who will build a significant list of followers and subscribers. Only then you could consider adding content that will generate income.

Blog monetisation channels

How to monetize a blog? There are several options from which to choose. You should use the ones that prove most beneficial to you:

Running ads on your blog.

There are seamless possibilities for you to run ads on your blog. Regardless of your Niche, you can opt for ads specific to what you are writing about or ads that better serve your advertiser’s purposes. Google AdSense / AdWord Ads is one of the most popular choices for announcements.

Enrolling in affiliate programs

Affiliate programs are ways of teaming up with retailers to promote their products and benefit from successfully carrying out sales. Some things that you need to consider when enrolling in affiliate programs:

• The number of affiliate sales will strongly rely on the number of visitors.
• You need to be credible enough for your visitors to click on your links.
• You may consider placing a notice on your Terms of Use page that you use affiliate links.

A few famous online platforms offer affiliate programs you can enrol in Amazon Associates, ShareASale, etc.

You are selling your products and services.

If you are more creative and entrepreneurial, you may consider using your blog to sell your products and services.

Use this advantage, especially when your blog gains readership, authority, and popularity. 

You can easily integrate plugins into your blog and start selling, such as the WooCommerce plugin. It comes with product pages, cart, checkout, secure payments, etc.

Writing and selling an E-book.

Another excellent opportunity to make money is to gather existing content from your blog and offer it as a downloadable eBook.

Your eBook can be sold independently if your blog has a commercial platform (such as Big-commerce) or elsewhere.

Amazon and its KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing) program offer an excellent publishing opportunity.

Sponsored posts

Advertisers are always looking for exposure and are willing to pay you to place a sponsored post on your blog. Those posts usually promote advertiser products or services and are an excellent way to earn additional income. 

If you can build one of the most popular blogs and become an authority in your Niche, the advertisers will approach you to publish their posts.

As you can see, there are numerous ways to monetize a blog. Consider the possibilities and choose the methods that best suit you and your audience.

At a minimum, from the very start, you should begin compiling a mailing list of your readers through subscriptions.

Then, when you are ready to recommend products, you will have access to those who want to hear what you have to say.

Congratulations, you just understood how to create a blog. Your new blog is ready for Published.

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Conclusion:

Think beyond the basics – Your blog should be more than just a platform for you to share your thoughts and views.

Think about what you can offer your readers that will make your blog stand out from the rest.

Use social media to your advantage – Social media is a powerful tool that can help you reach a wider audience for your blog.

Use it wisely and you’ll see your traffic and engagement grow significantly.

Quality over quantity – It’s better to have fewer, high-quality posts than a large number of low-quality ones.

Your readers will appreciate well-written, informative posts that add value to their lives.

Engage with your readers – Take the time to respond to comments and questions from your readers.

This will not only make them feel valued, but it will also encourage them to come back for more great content.

Be consistent – One of the most important things you can do for your blog is to be consistent with your posting schedule.

Readers will appreciate knowing when they can expect new content from you, and they’re more likely to stick around if they know they can count on you to deliver quality content on a regular basis.