I have been noticing that I get a lot of questions lately about setting up a blog. The fact is that setting up a blog is easier than ever before.
As we go through this post, I will be assuming that you are setting up a blog on WordPress. I understand that there are other blogging platforms, however, none in my mind have more features and more ways to customize your blog than WordPress.
Setting Up A Blog Essentials
- Choose a domain (Use A Hosting Services, such Go Daddy
, Blue Host
, And HostGator)
- Get WordPress hosting along with your domain
- Find a WordPress Theme
- Set up WordPress Backup. WordPress Backup is vital to your site. If something goes wrong you want to make sure that your site is OK. I use
Setting Up A Blog Customization
- Check your theme options to see what customization features are available with your theme. Every theme has different options available from changing the header and background to full seo, social media, and other options.
- Start installing plugins. You will definitely want to install these plugins to add some character and additional functionality to your blog.
- All In One Or Platinum SEO
- Sexy Bookmarks or Digg Digg
- Recaptcha (See Disqus Vs Intense Debate Vs Recaptcha Vs WordPress Commenting System)
- Google Analyticator
- XML Sitemaps
- Feedburner Feedsmith
- Review all of the settings on your blog. From deciding whether you want your blog readers to land on a different page of your blog to making sure that you customize your permalinks, your settings will be an easy fix to your settings.
Setting Up A Blog Marketing
- We discussed above a few SEO plugins, such as All In One or Platinum SEO and also XML Sitemap. Make sure these plugins are set up correctly for you to start getting free search traffic.
- I believe that every blog should have a way to capture readers for repeat visits. These repeat visitors will form the core of your future prospects. Feedburner is great for updating these readers whenever your update your blog.
- Additionally, you want to start adding people to your email list. I prefer Aweber, because they have so many amazing features to their email marketing management system.
- Additionally, you will want to use social networking to drive in traffic. My Facebook Business Page has a custom landing page to help increase the conversion rates of my page. It is great, because over the long haul I get more people who sign up for my email lists. I use Lujure for hosting this and all of my other business page.
- Start using video traffic to get backlinks for SEO and also get this content syndicated to over 100 social networks, video sharing sites, article directories, and podcast directories. Traffic Geyser is an amazing tool to make this happen faster.
Setting Up A Blog And Make Money
- Now that you have all the cogs workings, let’s make some money. There are a hundred different ways to make money with blogging. The easiest and fast to get started with is Google adsense. The sign up is really quick and easy.
- Next, start looking at becoming an affiliate marketer. Here are some of my favorites: Peerfly, ShareASale are some of my favorites.
- Additionally, start looking at what you are currently selling to sell online as well. Some of the best bloggers were passionate about their information long before they started blogging. They took that passion to blogging and made a lot of money with their passion.
Setting up a blog can sometimes take time, but it is definitely worth the effort. Let us know what your successes (and lessons learned) were from setting up a blog yourself.
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Perfect timing for me on your informative article Andrew! I’m the development stage for my second blog and to be honest, my mind’s a little blurry about all the steps I went through setting up my first. That was suchh an intense time of learning, trial and error – I was so determined to learn how to do everything myself – so your tips here really help me to get focused and prepared to make the set up for the next one a little less crazy. Thanks!
Marquita,
Cool! You are on the second blog. This was actually my second blog, so I understand what your thoughts are like right now. I had just set up a previous site on WP, and I felt confident about doing this, and unsure of exactly how to do it. Let me know if you need me to jog your memory on anything for your new blog.
Andy
Hey Any,
Thanks fo all the great info. It is amazing the things I have learn from your blog posts. Every post has something for me to implement into my own. blog. I can spend hours on your site. This is like getting another college degree.
Joyce
Joyce,
Thank you so much! I am glad that you are getting so much out of my blog!
Andy
Hi Andrew,
This is a very concise post on seting up a blog. I agree with you concerning WordPress being the choice platform for your blog. I use WordPress and would highly recommend it to anyone wanting to get stated. I found, however, that I needed to install a professional theme as WordPress seems to lack in this area a little, otherwise I can’t fault them.
It is true that setting up a blog can sometimes take time, but if you’re willing to put the effort in you’ll be rewarded soon enough.
Paul
Paul,
I want to switch over to a premium theme in the next month or so as well. When I have the time(please be soon). For beginners, using the free themes is enough to get started and still have a professional look. The premium themes, however, are an ultimate goal for every blogger.
Andy
It is so great how you made setting up a blog so simple. When I get a newbie into my funnel, they always get all bent out of shape about setting up a blog. We know how easy it is, but this post needs to be all over the internet so people can understand clearly how to do it. There are so many newbies out there that are still asking me “Why a blog” and thinking that it is too complicated. It’s so great to read how you put it all together with links for people to get started.
After all, our blog is our home base and it is so important to have a good working one. Thanks for writing this and making it easier for people.
Donna
Donna,
Thank you! We are definitely on the same wavelength with this. New bloggers need not be bent out shape. It takes some time to learn, but is well worth the effort.
Andy
I like how you have listed this in a step by step manner. I found that when looking for themes, it is best to go for clean looking ones. Don’t clutter the blog with too many stuff. It is your content that is important. Also, finding the right plugins is important. Leverage the benefits of social marketing by making sure those syndication buttons are easy to find. Those are a few things that I learned.
Lian,
A clean theme is everything in this business. We definitely need to make sure that we do not have flashing buttons and weird stuff everywhere.
Andy
You have put together a great outline for setting up a blog. I think if I was just starting out, I might need more information, but having this step-by-step outline would certainly be helpful. I agree with Donna’s comment – that it will take some of the ‘fear’ out of the process for people just starting their blogs.
Wendy
Wendy,
Thanks! That is more important than anything else. Removing the fear from the equation.
Andy
Hi Andy, I love your systematic step-by-step approach! The truth is, when you set up a blog, there is a learning curve, especially if you are a self-confessed technophobe!
Once you are over the hurdle of getting your blog set up, the challenge most people face is in getting that blog found (using the seo plugins you mention), capturing visitors (with an optin offer and autoresonder) and engaging with those visitors, or giving them the chance to engage with you via the easy commenting and sharing tools you mention.
This post goes a long way to shortening the learning curve for many people.
Thanks 🙂
Getting started is only the beginning. However, it is a very important step!
Hey Andy,
Great blog posting and insight on helping others to get started in blogging. Thanks for keeping it short and sweet while expressing the need for things like proper plugins, self hosting, and building a list.
Glad you enjoyed this list!
Hey Andy, thanks for putting this out there for all those new people setting up blogs. They gotta learn it from somewhere! Although it is easy, if you are entirely new it can be a bit overwhelming, but you covered most, if not all of the bases here. Good job!
WordPress is the way to go for setting up a blog! If you are setting up your own site, you want it to be as customizable as possible. Thanks for sharing.
Brandon Wraith
Knowledge is POWER
Brandon,
Definitely overwhelming when you first start. I almost threw my computer out the Panera window the first time I wanted to use wordpress. However, once I calmed down I was set it up successfully. Thanks!
Andy
Hi Andy:
This is a very valuable post for online marketers and newbies alike. You’ve covered some really important foundational steps to setting up a blog and in a way that newbie beginners can understand and implement. You’ve covered all the basics. If I had this list when I was first starting my work online, it would have made my life so much easier. Thanks for adding so much value to this post.
Loren,
If I had this list when I started as well it would be easier. Alas, the next generation of bloggers will have it available for them. Thanks for the great comment!
Andy
Andy, wish I had found your blog 9 months ago when I started my blogs – you laid it out so simple and so concise that you would have saved me weeks of messing around trying to figure out wordpress and plugins… Anyway, if I run across someone needing to setup a new blog I now know where to send them, thanks!
Hans,
Thank you! Just let me know if you know someone who needs help. Love to see what I can do to help them!
Andy
Hi Andy,
I agree with comments above about premium themes. Some of them are already set up with a design and coding that is optimized for SEO, and have many features not available in free themes. I personally use Studiopress themes on most of my blogs, and Thesis on some as well. Both of these theme providers have strong support and excellent user forums where you can get quick answers, which is a big plus.
Eldon,
I am making the transition to one of those themes in the near future. Glad to know it is such a great option.
Andy
Hey Andy,
Great post and introduction to people looking to start their own blog. I too believe that a self-hosted wordpress blog is the best choice and people will regret not having one if they start with one of the blogging sites.
Good detailed list for those getting started.
Regards,
James
James,
Thanks! My first blog was hosted and it was ok, but it did not have the emotional appeal and look that I wanted for a blog.
Andy
Great article how to set up your own WP blog, Andy!
I’d like to recommend the Yoast Word Press SEO plugin. I just replaced All In One SEO with it and it is just amazing! It also replaces XML Sitemaps, so you have one less plug in to load your site. Get it here: http://yoast.com/wordpress/seo/ (No, that is not an affiliate link 🙂
Cheers,
Kris
Kris,
Yoast is definitely a good option. I use Platinum on this blog and have used Yoast on a number of my other sites. Thanks for the insight!
Andy
What do you use to back up WordPress? I need to attend to this
Thanks!
Love your content–it’s always very helpful.
Dawn,
My WordPress developer swears by BackupBuddy. Here is my link: https://andynathan.net/backupbuddy Let me know if you need any help? Thanks!
Andy
Looks like you summed up the basics well.
We have found a few other PREMIUM plugins that have been very beneficial in helping to add Curation to blogs, within Niches.
Also ASL ASL and ASK some more on How to SERVE your audience better.
The use of short surveys is very helpful and one will be surprised at the % response as the techniques are tuned
Chuck,
Surveys are useful! This is one area where I just do not have any patience in doing more of, however.
Andy
Thanks so much i have been looking for this I am revamping my whole blog and I need a brush up on the basics and I didnt know where to go for domains .thanks for suggestions in each step
Marty,
Glad to help! Let me know if you have any other questions? Thanks!
Andy