Introduction: How to create a blogging business for free in 5 Steps
Did you know that it’s possible to set up a blogging business for free? As long as you have access to a computer and the internet you can begin your blog.
It can seem like a daunting prospect, but with some simple steps and the right mindset, it’s easier than you might think. In fact, you don’t even need to spend any money at all.
I’ve broken down how I started my blogs into five brief and easy steps that anyone can take. So if you’re looking for a way to make some extra money on the side or just want a creative outlet to express yourself online, blogging is the way to go, and being possible to do it for free is even better.
Decide what you want to write about.
Once you have an idea for a blog, it’s time to pick a topic, often called a niche. This is one of the most important steps in starting your blog. Choose something that you are interested in and that others will be interested in reading about as well. For example, some popular blogging niches include fashion, beauty, travel, food, and personal finance.
Think about your target audience.
When you have a niche in mind, it’s time to think about who you want to read your blog. Consider things like their age, gender, interests, and even where they live. This will help you better target your content and make sure that you’re writing for the right people.
You should also consider what type of content will be easy for you to write regularly. For example, if you’re already writing about your favorite subject—or even something you will just enjoy writing about frequently and consistently —it may be easier for you to get started by publishing regular posts than by trying to learn everything about a whole new niche from scratch while simultaneously writing new content each week or day.
Set up your blogging website
Choose a domain name.
Your domain name is your blog’s address on the internet. It should be something easy to remember and type, as well as catchy and unique. Once you have an idea for a domain name, you can check to see if it’s available by doing a quick search on GoDaddy or another domain registrar.
If it’s available, you can register it for around $10-$15 per year. Alternatively, many hosting companies give you a free domain name when you set up your account with them, so this step may be free if you choose the right host. (I’ll discuss hosts in the next step).
If it’s not available, try thinking of a different variation or spelling until you find one that’s available.
Choose a hosting service (paid or free).
Your hosting service is like the plot of land where you build your blog. It’s where your website ‘lives’ on the internet.
And just like with land, there are different types of hosting services to choose from.
There are free hosting services like WordPress.com, Blogger, and Tumblr. These are great if you’re just starting out and don’t want to spend any money. However, they do have some limitations like not being able to use your own domain name and not having as much control over the design, functionality, and monetization of your site. However, if the only way for you to begin your blog is for free, then these are a way to get your blog up and running.
There are also paid hosting services that start at under $5 per month. These give you more control over your site and allow you to use your own domain name. I recommend using a paid host if you’re serious about making money from your blog as you’ll have more options for monetization (discussed in the next step).
I personally use and recommend Bluehost or Siteground for beginners, which you can get started with for as little as $2.95 per month.
Install WordPress on your website
Now that you have a domain name and hosting, it’s time to install WordPress (this is what I use for my blog) on your site. WordPress.org is a free and open-source content management system (CMS) that makes it easy to create a website or blog from scratch.
While there are other CMS options out there, I prefer WordPress because it’s easy to use and there are tons of free resources and plugins available to help you grow your site.
If you’re using a paid host, they will usually have a one-click install option for WordPress. If you’re using a free host, you can find instructions for how to install WordPress from your hosting provider.
Set up your blog design.
Now that you have WordPress installed, it’s time to pick a theme and design for your site. You can find both free and paid themes for WordPress. I recommend choosing a theme that is simple and easy to use, especially if you’re just starting out. The Blocksy theme, for example, has an amazing free version which is great for blogging websites.
Once you have a theme, you can begin customizing it to match your style and brand. If you need help, there are plenty of tutorials and resources available online.
Build an audience by posting regularly.
Now that your blog is set up, it’s time to start writing content and building an audience. As I mentioned earlier, a good way to get started is to set a schedule for yourself and commit to publishing new content regularly, whether that’s once a week, twice a week, or even every day.
Not sure what to write about? There are free tools that can help you brainstorm ideas, like Google Trends, Answer the Public, and Quora. You can also check out other popular blogs in your niche to see what topics they’re writing about and to check out what kinds of posts are popular with your audience.
Once you have some ideas, sit down and start writing. It doesn’t have to be perfect – just get your thoughts down on paper (or screen). You can always go back and edit it later, in fact, you will want to go back and edit or update your posts at 3-month or 6-month intervals to check they are still accurate and relevant.
Regularly posting on your blog is the single most important thing you can do to build an audience. If people don’t know that your blog exists, they won’t visit it, so make sure you’re posting new content at least once a week.
If you want to build a following quickly and easily, post more consistently! Write that publishing schedule and stick with it as much as possible. You can use social media to help remind people that new posts will be coming out soon (more on this later).
Make money by selling ads on your website, or affiliate marketing.
Once you’ve built up a decent-sized audience, you can start thinking about ways to monetize your blog. One of the most common ways to make money from a blog is to sell advertising space. You can do this either by using an ad network like Ezoic, Mediavine, or Google Adsense or through direct deals with advertisers.
Another option is to participate in affiliate marketing, where you promote other people’s products or services on your site and earn a commission if someone buys something as a result of your recommendation. This can be done either by including links to products in your posts or through banner ads on your site.
There are several other ways to monetize a blog as well, so if you’re interested in making money from your blog, be sure to do some research and explore all of your options once you have some traffic.
There are lots of ways to make money blogging, even if you have no budget at all.
There are lots of ways to make money blogging, even if you have no budget at all.
Blogging for profit might sound like something only those with big budgets can do, but in reality, anyone can start making money from their blog with just minimal knowledge and effort — even without previous experience!
Conclusion
We hope you’ve enjoyed this post about how to start a blog for business. As we mentioned before, there are many different paths you can take when starting a blog. The important thing is to choose one that works for you and your skillset, then get started! If writing isn’t really your thing, but social media is – don’t worry. There are plenty of other options out there (like YouTube or Instagram) which will allow you to build an audience while still making money online. The best part about all of these methods is that they don’t require any upfront investment: once again – no money is required!