An Easy 5-Step Guide to Starting a Blog

In the past week, I had a few people reach out to me asking me questions about starting a blog. I almost feel like a fraud to be handing out advice on blogging when I only have a handful of followers compared to other bloggers, but I know that comparison is the thief of joy. I've been running this website for about 2 years now, and I have learned a lot along the way. If I am able to help someone else through this journey, then I definitely want to seize that opportunity! So, if you've been thinking about starting a blog, I hope this easy guide will help you get yours up and running in no time to be able to start sharing your own amazing and unique content!

I also need to add that my technology advice comes backed by my very tech-savvy husband. I love being married to a cyber-security computer man, but he doesn't just do the work for me. It is nice though to be able to reference a computer expert, and I hope the tips he gives me will help you too along the way!

Let's get to it - an easy guide to starting a blog:

Step 1: Choose a name & decide the type of content you want to post.

• This might seem simple, but it's probably the hardest part! I say the second part loosely because frankly, I blog about whatever I want. Really, you can change your blog name down the road. In fact, I feel a name change coming on for myself, so don't let this step stop you. I would, however, be wary of choosing a name that boxes you into one topic if you plan on sharing a variety of topics down the road. For example, if my blog was named "Everyday Beauty" it would look a little odd to be sharing my travel adventure. Have fun with it, and if you're at a total loss, you can't go wrong with just using your name! 

Step 2: Choose your blogging platform

• This is where that whole "techy husband thing" comes in quite handy. Blogger vs. Wordpress - everyone has their own opinion on this. I was convinced that I needed to use Wordpress to be a good blogger. From the very beginning, my husband Kyle insisted I just stick with Blogger. Blogger is a free platform owned by Google, and while less customizable than Wordpress, it is very user-friendly and quick and easy to set up. After my grumbling about needing to use Wordpress, my husband set me up a site to play around with. I tried and tried to get it how I wanted it, but it was pretty confusing and I didn't have the patience to work with Wordpress. That's definitely not to say that I won't ever use Wordpress, but my husband highly recommends if you're just starting out (i.e. not making a substantial amount of money from blogging), Blogger will work just fine. 

Step 3: Purchase a domain name and/or blogger template (nice, but not necessary).

• I purchased my domain name for $12 a year through the Blogger platform. You could also use Go Daddy or something like that as well! Purchasing a domain name basically means my website will show as www.everydayemilyblog.com vs. www.everydayemilyblog.blogspot.com. To me, it just looks more professional. Purchasing a Blogger template is another thing I did from the get go. I bought my current template from Georgia Lou Studios for somewhere around $30, but it looks like she now offers them for around $20! You can definitely find them cheaper on Etsy as well. Setting them up can be a bit tricky, so that's something to keep in mind. But if I can do it, you totally can. Reference a tech-savvy friend if you get stuck! 

Step 4: Establish a library of high-quality photos to get you started.

• This is a really important step. I include an image in almost every blog post I write. Whether you're using a free stock photo, a purchased stock photo, or an image you took yourself, be sure to have quality images to accompany your written content and attract your reader.

Step 5: Start blogging! 

• I think so many people overthink this step. There are so many people that say they want to start a blog, but they don't know what they'd write about. I'm not an expert on any of the topics I share, but the truth is, even if you're covering a topic that's been covered 100 times before, you have your own unique take on things and can add your style to make it unique and worth reading. My best advice is to just start writing and posting. You'll only get better from there! 

I hope this 5-step guide to starting a blog is helpful, and as always, drop any questions in the comments!