Let’ s be real here, if you want to be anything on line you need a blog.
I have since written an up to date guide for 2021 on How To Set Up Your Blog
This blog post was also updated 22nd January 2021.
Let’ s be real here, if you want to be anything on line you need a blog. In this post I am going to share 5 steps that you can take today to getting started with your own blog.
In this rapidly changing world snowballed by the advances of the internet, women all over the world in order to stay up to date have to keep learning and developing their skills.
Not easy if you have taken a career break to have a baby, or having a career break to find yourself, right. When you return there are new systems and technology in place that it can feel quite overwhelming.
Life as we have known it has changed and moved on.
The way we communicate our message has changes so quickly.
No longer do you have to send messages through the school grapevine, or through other people’ s newsletters.
If you have a message to share, then you are able to take control and do that yourself.
All you need is a blog.
Sorry, there’ s no other way that’ s easier than your very own blog in today’ s world.
The best and easiest way that I have found in my travels is to launch your very own self hosted blog with WordPress.
Don’ t go, read on, it’ s not that hard to set up your very own blog, I promise.
Or if you want it all set up for you and skip all of this and Go Here to find out how to set up your no hassle, self hosted blog (FREE for 30 days at the time of writing this).
How hard is it to set up your self hosted blog?
If I was able to set up a blog as I have with this one, and I’ m going to be honest with you, I used to struggle with Facebook way back then.
When you put your mind to it, it’ s not so hard and everyone who has access to the internet and a laptop can do.
60 million people can’ t be wrong, that’ s how many blogs there are out there on the internet, probably more by now.
Many of those blogs have been set up by people, just like you and me, ordinary people, mums who have lots of things to do, they just have a message that they want to share with the world.
These blogs are read by people all over the world.
Every day millions and millions of people use Google to search for information, advice and they want to know other people’ s experiences. Maybe that’ s how you found this blog?
If you have a blog, then they will find your message.
If you have a blog, then you can share your message with them.
If you have a blog, then you can connect online with millions of people all over the world.
Sometimes, I have to pinch myself because we have been born into an era of opportunity. It has never been easier to start a conversation and to keep it going.
How Can You Use a Blog to Share Your message
Let me give you an example of how someone used a blog to share a message,
I received an email message in 2016 from a man whose wife whilst on a family holiday with their daughter was imprisoned in Iran for no apparent reason. I did not know him and had never heard of him before.
But when this devastating thing happened in his life he used a blog and he used an online blog called Change.org to spread and share his message.
He started blogging daily and his message soon gained momentum with millions of people reading his story. He had a way of connecting with them and raising the plight of his wife.
He used a blog as a way of getting the world to listen to his plea for help to have his wife released and returned home to him with his daughter. It is very sad but at least he has a way to try to help to get his wife back using the technology that is at our fingertips.
So if you had the chance to share your message with the world and don’ t get me wrong, you don’ t have to have a cause like Richard Radcliffe’ s Trapped In Iran in mind, you just need to have a message or some experience, something of value that you want to share with others around the world.
Since then as I am updating this blog post in January 2021, this story has gained national headline press and momentum, sadly his wife has still not been released.
We all have something that we want to say.
How many times have you heard someone say, I want to write a book.
But they never do anything about it.
They never take action.
Blogs are truly the easiest way to get started especially if you have that book inside of you.
Many aspiring authors have started with a blog and then turned their knowledge into a book.
We all have to start somewhere and where easier than with your own blog.
I always knew that having a blog of my own was the answer and I would see people all around starting up a blog and sharing their messages.
And I would ask how are they doing this?
I had no idea where to start and thought that it was much too technical for me.
How do you start your own blog without spending a fortune?
There are sites like Copyblogger and The Hub. These are all set up and you join and just start blogging. Seems easy right, but in my view, you have very little control and having a personally branded website will give you that.
One where I had control. One where I could share my voice without worrying that it would be shut down by the hosting site as they effectively owned that site and I was just a guest using their facilities.
Setting up a self-hosted blog sounds really technical right and I hope that I haven’ t lost you already because I have to tell you that in five simple steps you can have your very own self hosted blog ready to get started with.
Yes, you may have to invest a little bit of money but we are not talking hundreds here so relax.
I’ m going to show you exactly what you need to do to set up and host your very own blog.
I am going to show you just how easy it is to set up your very own self hosted blog.
I wish I had known this when I got started it would have saved me hours of frustration. I would have been able to share my message with the world way earlier.
I will be sharing some of the tools that I use and some of these are affiliate links, this means that I recommend the company because I use them too.
If you click on the link and buy, then I get a commission and this does not cost you anything. This is called being an affiliate and it is something that you can do to in order to earn some extra cash.
I want to let you know that I only recommend products that I personally use and get value out of, so you will find I give good as well as bad reviews on products that I have come across.
The Five Key Steps to Launching Your Very Own Blog
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You Need a Host
Now, I’ m not talking about someone to welcome you and show you around but it is something similar to that.
A web host is where your website will stay, it will become your blogs home.
This becomes your property, you own it. It is your little piece of real estate on the internet.
There are many companies that you can use to host your website but I recommend Bluehost Basic plan.
They are great for getting started with a low start package with just a few dollars per month. Blue host is one of the most popular web hosts on the internet and the reason for that is that it offers fantastic customer support services 24/7.
So if you get stuck at any point there is always someone ready to help you and walk you through what you need to do. Go here to get started with Blue Host
If you have already set up a blog and considering going for a speedier hosting plan then I have to say I have since moved to Siteground, because as my blog few and I wanted to host several blogs, I found that this was much easier. You can read my review of how to set up your siteground blog
2. Register a domain name
What is a domain name you may be asking.
Well simply it is the name of your website or blog.
Mine is called The Digital Mum.
You could use your own name for your domain name.
If you are hosting on Blue Host then it is best to purchase the domain name with them as this is simply easier when setting it up.
You can purchase your domain name from places like Go Daddy or Namecheap. I use GoDaddy, you can use whichever you prefer. All you would have to do is to change the name servers and there is a video telling you how to do this on the Blue Host website.
So if you’ ve already registered a domain elsewhere don’ t despair you can still get started.
I’ d go for a .com domain if possible but you can also use a country extension like .uk or .us if your site is specific to the place you live in.
Still undecided about your domain name?
You could use your own name if it is still available. Or you can add your niche for example Your name and writer if you are a writer, or your name and blogger.
You can also use name generators to help you narrow down your names using your niche.
Here are a few that are useful.
or have a look at Shopify , they have a cool name generator tool as well.
3.Install WordPress
Stay with me, it’ s not as complicated as it sounds.
If I can do it then anyone can. In order to set up your blog you will need the right software. The best one to use is called WordPress. (you need wordpress.org)
It is easy, quick and best of all it’ s free. You can set up WordPress through your hosting company and if you are using Bluehost then they will do this for you for free.
This is the same with Siteground’ s new easy set up wizard which will walk you through setting up your very own website.
Just a little hint that wordpress.org blog is very different from wordpress.com site and gives a different level of access and usability. (personally, you want to use wordpress.org as this allows you to host your own site.)
4. Get a Theme
A theme is the design that you will use on your blog.
WordPress comes with thousands of themes.
The theme is just your blog design.
It sets out the look of your website, think of it like the décor of your home. It is how many columns you want, the header and you can adjust and play around with this as you get the hang of it more.
One of the most popular themes is Twenty twenty one, it’ s a simple easy to use theme when you are first starting to set up a blog.
Divi
Log in and Start Blogging
You’ ve done it well done.
You’ re all ready to get started. Once you have set up a word press account then it should automatically re-direct you to your dashboard.
Your url to login should be yourwebsitename.com/wp-admin/ (just in case you ever get lost or cannot find it again just type this into your search bar.)
Once you are logged in then click “Post ” on the left hand side and then select “Add New ”.
Write a title and create some content for your new blog.
That’ s’ it you’ re done. Hit save and publish — your message is out there for the world to see.
You’ ve just created your first website now go start blogging.
Here at The Digital Mum we use a suite of tools that simplifies this process even more. No more fiddling with all of the above.
I use the Digital Lounge where you can purchase your domain name, it is hosted by the Digital Lounge servers, they will install the wordpress software on the site for you and you could be ready to get started in even less time.
Not only that there are a range of tools to help you get started including a step by step guide to blogging and setting up your website.
And wait for it, you can try it for FREE for 30 days.
You have two options — for the DIY Option, that I have outlined for you above
Or you can have it done for you — Your choice.
Click here – I just want to blog – don’ t give me any of that technical stuff.
Come join me on the journey as a Digital Mum, enjoying the digital life without the hassle.
Here’ s to living your digital life
The Digital Mum spreading the word about the Digital Lifestyle
Because there is another way!
FreeDigitalPhoto.net
Blog Tools Means World Wide Web And Blogger Stock Photo
Photo by Stuart Miles. Published on 26 May 2015
Stock photo – Image ID: 100329205
