Want to launch a blog to success but not sure where to start? In this article, you will find the simple 5 steps you can take to start a blog and make it into a huge success.
If you didn’t know, blogging is a lucrative passive income and side hustle for many. Anyone can start a blog in just a few hours and start generating passive income on the side. Blogging has long been a great past time for students and I’ve even seen bloggers who went from hobby to full time writers!
Without any delay, here are the 5 steps you need to take to launch a blog to success.
1. Find a domain name
A domain name is important as it represents your brand (don’t worry if you don’t have a brand now). When it comes to blogging, you should find a domain name that suits your niche.
For example, it is always better and recommended to have the keyword of choice in your domain name.
There is no wrong going for a self-named domain name like I do (www.reginaldchan.net). Even dot com, dot net or any form of TLD is fine. End of the day, it boils down to your self preferences.
The cost of buying a domain name is cheap, typically under $10 per year. When it comes to domain names, my first and only choice is NameCheap.
To make it easier for you, just use the widget below to find your ideal domain.
Find a domain starting at $0.48
powered by Namecheap
[tcb-script] !function(){ var e=document.querySelector(“#sas_form”), n=document.querySelector(“#sas_domain”), t=document.querySelector(“#sas_link”); e.addEventListener(“submit”,function(o){ o.preventDefault(), t.value=”https://www.namecheap.com/domains/registration/results.aspx?domain=”+n.value; if(e.domain.value === “”){ window.location.href = document.querySelector(“#sas_url”).href; } else{ e.submit(); } }) }(); [/tcb-script]
2. Choose a reliable web hosting service
There are many web hosting services that you can choose from — but reliable ones? Only a handful to be honest.
If you are brand new to blogging and want to get the best value for your money, HostGator is the best option. With web hosting that starts under $5 per month, there is no better deal than this one.
Important note: Remember that cheap web hosting services doesn’t mean good.
If you are looking for a more reliable web hosting service with superior performance, WP Engine and Kinsta are two of the best heavyweights in the market. By going for either one of these web hosting services, you are getting excellent support, along with bulletproof security and server performance.
3. Install WordPress and plugins
WordPress is a powerful CMS and there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn’t be using it for your blog. Using web hosting services such as HostGator, WP Engine and Kinsta, installation of WordPress can be done in just a single click.
Here is a list of WordPress plugins you should install on your blog:
- Yoast SEO / All In One SEO Pack
- Contact Form 7 / Ninja Forms
- Akismet
- chevron-circle-rightAMP
There are thousands of WordPress plugins that you can choose from, but you do not need to install many of them. Keeping your plugins to the minimum is always a great way to ensure your website loads fast.
4. Publish your first blog post
Publishing a blog post is not about simply writing a long-form content and hit the publish button. It involves checking, analyzing, research and of course, ‘beautifying’ the content.
Most bloggers I see do not take enough time either in doing research or making the content much more readable.
Research
Doing research on a blog topic involves search engine optimization (SEO) and the easiest way to do proper SEO is by using KWFinder. You can create a free account and use it to search for relevant keywords (so that you rank higher and faster).
Beautifying
We all hate boring blog posts. Imagine the wall of texts. Those are seriously boring and unattractive. Beautifying a blog post could involves coding skills to make your content looks more attractive which is the hard way — or the much easier way by using visual builders such as Thrive Architect or Divi.
5. Build fan base and followers
The last step is critical for your blogging success … especially when you are looking to be successful in the future.
From the first day of blogging, you should focus in building an email list to encourage readers to sign up. You can offer them perks such as eBooks and downloadable materials to help you get the ball rolling faster!
The trick here is to start collecting emails as early as possible in your blogging career.
Want to start an email list? Here’s what you need to do:
- 1Signup for an email marketing provider such as AWeber
- 2Integrate with your lead generation plugin (I highly recommend OptinMonster or Thrive Leads)
- 3Create popups and different forms of perks to attract sign ups
- 4Send daily or monthly emails to keep your readers engaged
Are you ready to launch a blog to success?
I hope you find these 5 steps easily and useful. Have a question? Ask me in the comments below!