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I am SO excited today because I am going to help and show you how to start a WordPress blog on Bluehost!
First of all, if you don’t know who I am, my name is Ling, and starting my blog has changed my life!
I started my very first blog, Finsavvy Panda, a small personal finance blog where I teach my readers how to save money, make extra money, and achieve financial independence.
Before I started my blog, I actually didn’t really know what “blogging” was and this term was a little foreign, and it sounded strange to me.
Blogging was so new to me and during that time, I had no single clue on how it works. I was just told that with a low initial investment, starting a blog has the potential to earn a great amount of income.
I was hooked, got really excited about the idea, and looked into how bloggers get paid and make money with their blog posts.
After starting my blog, and learning how to get traffic, connect with readers, and monetize a website, I earned my first $5,000 per month within a year.
Today, I’m so glad and feel very fortunate that I started my blog with Bluehost as a beginner with NO prior knowledge about blogging, and NO technical, writing, or coding experience!
Starting my blog with a self-hosted Bluehost plan has changed my life! If I didn’t go self-hosted, I wouldn’t have been able to quit the job I disliked and my blog income wouldn’t have taken off to over $20,000 every month today!
Here are some quick screenshots of my blog earnings when I was still a complete beginner and new to this world:
$40,102.36 from just ONE source of income!
$2,455.64 from another source – one month of display advertising earnings!
$1,385.70 from another source of monthly earnings!
$2,015.20 from another source!
I am very happy with Bluehost because my blog has always been up and running in great shape! And, in this tutorial, I am going to show you how to start your blog using Bluehost too.
Don’t forget to save this blog post here on Pinterest so you can refer back to this detailed tutorial page on how to start your very first blog and make money!
I also offer my exclusive FREE 7-day email course to teach total beginners like you how to start your blog from scratch. I show you the EXACT steps I took to start a blog all the way to building traffic and earning a full-time income with NO tech and NO writing experience.
My e-mail course has helped thousands of people start a profitable blog and I would love to help you too. Sign up below to learn how!
Bluehost Blog Hosting Plans
In this section, I am going to go through Bluehost’s basic web hosting plans for beginners.
There are 3 options you can choose within the Bluehost basic plan – the 12, 24, or 36-month plan.
Whenever you’re ready, you can use this exclusive page for Finsavvy Panda readers to get 60% off with Bluehost and follow the step by step instructions below to get started – this can be found in the section, “How To Start A WordPress Blog On Bluehost.”
All of these plans are great deals and affordable for any beginner, and whichever plan you decide to choose will depend on your goals.
I personally started two of my blogs with Bluehost’s basic plan to get the best value and biggest savings!
I will go through these different plans in more detail in a bit.
But let me first tell you why you should start a WordPress blog with Bluehost:
- It’s powered by WordPress and any beginner (who has no experience with building a blog) will find it easy to use the platform
- There are no tech or coding skills required (I am NOT techy at all, and honestly, if technical or coding skills were required, I would have not started any of my blogs)
- It’s the #1 recommended web hosting company by WordPress
- Bluehost offers 24/7 through online support chat, phone, or e-mail (I use these free support services all the time whenever I need help with something)
- You’ll have a self-hosted blog meaning you actually own your own website (this is very different compared to the free ones you can sign up for)
What Does A “Self-Hosted Blog” Mean?
If you are wondering what a “self-hosted blog” is, in simple terms, it means that you are the owner of your website. Yes, you are the boss!
This is different from a “free” blog like the ones on the Blogger platform where you don’t actually own your blog. So, whatever you write on those free blogs, they can actually take down your content without giving you any prior notice.
It’s always best to invest a small amount of money in a self-hosted blog Bluehost because for one, you want to own your website. Why wouldn’t you want to be the owner and have full control for such a low price?
Secondly, if your intention is to make money with your blog, then it is best to go self-hosted because advertisers, affiliates, and companies you want to partner up with will take you seriously when you are the owner of your blog.
Again, I am so happy that I started my blog with Bluehost because if it weren’t for going self-hosted, I wouldn’t have been able to quit my job and earn a full-time income from home!
I honestly don’t know anyone who is actually earning an income using a free blog.
Here are just one of many e-mails I received from a reader (with her permission to post this) who regrets not signing up for a self-hosted blog right from the beginning. Now she also has to go through the hassle of transferring her content over, which is not a simple task:
Hey Ling, I have a blog on Blogger where I write about my travels and experience in Asia. I applied for Google Adsense because I want to start making money but they replied with some issues and now I think I should have listened to you several months back communicating with you when you suggested me to go with a paid domain like Bluehost… I don’t know if you remember me. I just wish I listened to your words, but I will now go and get a Bluehost plan for my blog. The problem is now I have to next find out how to move my blog posts and files over and I don’t know what to do. Please tell me how I can do this? – Amaya
As you can see, she waited several months to experience this mistake of not going self-hosted right off the bat. On top of that, she also needs to spend the time to figure out how to transfer her blog posts over.
So, here is a quick summary of why you should start a self-hosted blog (and NOT a free one).
- Bluehost is the #1 recommended web hosting company for total beginners and you don’t need any technical or coding experience to start.
- Time will be wasted trying to build a free blog and then realize later that you get rejected by advertising, affiliates, and companies you want to partner with.
- It will be inconvenient and a hassle to transfer your work over from the free platform to your self-hosted WordPress.
- You may lose your work if the free website decides to take down your content, plus you won’t get any prior notice.
- You will be the owner of your own blog.
- Going self-hosted is a must if you are serious about making money with your blog.
How To Start A WordPress Blog On Bluehost
Now that you know it is essential to go self-hosted, and NOT use a free blogging platform, especially when your intention is to monetize your blog, I am going to go through the different basic Bluehost plans with you where you can start your blog (the right way) for as low as $2.95 per month.
Again, the special page here will lead you to Bluehost’s 60% off regular price hosting plans – this is exclusive for Finsavvy Panda and Blog Savvy Panda readers. You’ll also get a FREE domain name, which is valued at $15 when you start your blog here.
If you ever have any questions about starting your blog or the steps in this tutorial, please send me an e-mail at ling@finsavvypanda.com. I am very excited for you to start your blog and I want to see you make progress with your blog, so I will answer any questions you have. 😊
Now, let’s get started and guide you through this easy tutorial.
Step 1: Choose the Bluehost basic package
If you are a beginner who wants to start a blog with just one website (and yes, I recommend only one website if you are new to this), you can select the “basic” package. This is the exact same package I personally chose when I started my blog.
You can ignore the “plus” and “choice plus” because you don’t need those unless you’re planning to start more than one blog, which again, I don’t recommend for a beginner.
You can always upgrade later when you feel like you want some extra features.
I personally did not go for any extra features until I started earning over $8,000 per month with my blog.
Step 2: Choose Your Domain Name
Next, choose your domain name (AKA your blog name).
If you haven’t decided on your domain or blog name yet, you can click on “I’ll create my domain name later” based on the screenshot below.
The great thing with this option is you can get started immediately and build your blog without having to decide on a domain name yet.
And yes, the domain name is free at $0 when you decide to host your blog using Bluehost! Along with the 60% off hosting, this is a $15 value that you get for free when you use this page to start your blog!
Step 3: Create Your Account
In this step, you are going to create your account by filling in your account information.
All you have to do is fill out your first and last name. You don’t have to fill in a business name if you don’t have one yet (this is optional).
Be sure to select the country you live in along with your address, phone number and email.
Step 4: Package Information
Hang in there because you are almost done!
Now, select your account plan.
It could be the 12, 24, or 36-month plan. These are all paid upfront in the form of a one-time payment.
I personally recommend the 12-month plan because as mentioned, you don’t have to spend a lot of money upfront to try out blogging. You can test the waters and see how you like it within your first year!
Whichever plan you decide to choose will depend on your goals and your situation. These are still very great prices and are a low-price and great investment for beginners who want to try out blogging and potentially earn a great income.
Note that depending on where you reside in your country, the pricing in your currency will be automatically converted based on the current exchange rate. If you live in countries like Canada, the U.K., Australia, or anywhere in Europe, you’ll see your own currency. But if you reside in other countries not listed here, you should see this in terms of US Dollars.
Bluehost 12-Month Blog Price:
As you can see, if you choose the 12-month plan, your investment for the first year would be only $36 and that includes the free domain name, which makes starting your blog very cheap and affordable!
Who is the 12-month package right for?
I have many readers who go for this package because they want to try out blogging for one year to test out the waters without spending a lot of money upfront. It’s only $36 for the entire year to get started!
So, the great thing is you will pay a lower upfront amount (and you’ll save 60% off the regular pricing today) with the 12-month plan.
Step 5: Package Extras
Referring to the same screenshot above again, in the “Package Extras” section, you’ll see options like the following:
- Codeguard Basic
- Bluehost SEO Tools Start
- SiteLock Security Essential
You don’t need any of these extras. You can simply ignore them for now and make sure you uncheck or clear those checkboxes so you don’t get charged for extras. There’s no need to pay extra especially when you’re a beginner. Plus, you can also change these options later down the road if you decide you want extra features.
Step 6: Payment Information
The final step is making your investment in the plan you selected.
You can choose to pay by credit card or other payment options like PayPal.
If you don’t have or use a credit card, you have the option to pay with PayPal by clicking on “see more payment options”. It is free to sign up for a PayPal account.
Step 7: Choose your password
Next, choose a password for your account, confirm it, and then log in.
Make sure you write down your password on a sheet of paper so you don’t forget!
Step 8: Install WordPress Powered By Bluehost
You’re almost done and this is the fun part because you’re just minutes away from starting your blog!
Now that you’ve purchased your hosting plan that comes with a free domain name, the final step is to install WordPress!
Bluehost makes this super easy with their 1-click WordPress Installation button.
Once you’ve clicked it, wait until WordPress is installed.
Bluehost will ask you to choose a theme, which you can play around with now or later. There are a lot of both free and paid pre-made templates for you to choose from so time your time to browse around and select the one you feel fits your personality.
Because you are a beginner, you don’t need to purchase a paid theme yet. I recommend testing the waters and play around with the free pre-made themes before you invest your money into a more premium theme.
It’s just easier when you get the hang of this before you jump to the next level.
Step 9: Start Building Your Blog
Now that you’ve selected the theme you want, you can select “Start Building.”
Next, Bluehost will ask: “What kind of site can we help you set up?”
You can choose either “Business” or “Personal.” It doesn’t really matter which one you select.
Going forward, you can log in to your WordPress dashboard and learn at your own pace.
Bookmark this link so that you can easily access it when you want to log in.
The link to your WordPress dashboard is: https://yourblogname.com/wp-admin/
If you have any questions, feel free to contact Bluehost support. They offer 24/7 via email, online live chat, or by phone.
Once you’ve started your blog using this tutorial, e-mail at ling@finsavvypanda.com and let me know!
I am always excited to hear from you and answer any questions you have about blogging. You can also feel free to leave any comments or questions in the comment section below. I will get back to you. 🙂
Additional Blogging Resources for Beginners
I also highly recommend you browsing around and checking out these helpful articles in this archive packed with valuable information to help beginners like you start your blog.
If you ever want a one-stop-shop with simple step by step instructions (with screenshots and images) on EXACTLY where to go and what to do after starting a WordPress blog on Bluehost, I recommend this really affordable e-book, The Treasure Map To Blogging Success in Just 30 Days, to avoid confusion and overwhelm. This is a profitable roadmap to help beginners like you build a solid and successful foundation before moving on and diving deep into learning traffic and monetization strategies.
You can also check out here how much does it really cost to start a blog to give you guidance, and honesty, of what to expect as a brand-new blogger. This is the path I personally took to see my income grow to over $20,000 per month!
I have many students who went through The Treasure Map To Blogging Success in Just 30 Days ebook and they were able to quickly set up and launch their blogs the correct way (yes, there is a correct way) and avoid silly mistakes that most beginners commonly make. They were able to do this much faster than the average person who has no roadmap or guidance. This is honestly the guide I wish I had when I first started my blog because it would’ve saved me SO much time, money, and hassle!
I hope you found this blog post helpful in starting your WordPress with Bluehost!
Happy Blogging!
Hey Ling
About this topic, this is my main problem about what should I even write about on my blog and whether anyone would find it beneficial or even try to read it or not. Like I am not perfect in a particular topic. The thing is I love discussing something regarding studies, education, and my hobby that is dance.
I am sure you must be laughing at me when am saying this that I keenly want to start a blog because I want to become independent and of course to pay off debt for my family. I am not sure if I can write things that anyone would find helpful.
Still, can you give me some motivation and suggest what should I do? And how should I think about it?
And moreover, that’s just one problem. I don’t even know how to do blogging and to get traffic and all other things. It scares me as I don’t wanna waste money on purchasing hosting when I am not confident if I will get myself to that stage of earning something and feeling proud about my lifestyle.
Please help me… 🙏
Hi Anjli
I understand your concerns, which is totally normal for any beginner. I used to feel that way too, but I didn’t let that fear stop me from trying even though there was a possibility that it may not work out. The great thing is starting a blog is not expensive compared to other business ideas!
I have a post here that will guide you on what to write or blog about:
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/what-to-blog-about/
And trust me, you don’t have to be perfect. Everyone starts off somewhere and this is how you learn, grow, and develop as a new blogger! Though you want to blog about your interests and passions, I recommend thinking about how you can translate those topics into blog posts that will help your readers. When readers come to your page, they don’t care about your life story unless it is an anecdote or something that inspires them to change their life. Again, the blog article I mentioned above will help you figure this out so I highly recommend you reading it carefully!
I also understand that you are concerned about paying for a blog hosting plan because you’re not sure whether this will work out. Trust me, when I say that I wasn’t confident about myself either at the beginning, but I was willing to invest some money to see how far I can go with it.
I always tell people that nothing in life is guaranteed, but the great thing about starting a blog is it’s affordable and I would NEVER call that a waste of money when you are putting it towards something that can potentially help you grow, learn and develop as a person. Any investment that you put towards a business or an education is never a waste of money.
I also recommend you going through this post that explains how much it will cost for a beginner to start a blog. I did not spend a lot of money when I was a beginner, but I was willing to spend on resources to help me learn and grow faster. I only started reinvesting more back into my blog when I saw it was growing.
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-start-a-blog/
I also want to end it by saying the bloggers I see who have succeeded are the ones who are motivated and serious about putting in the effort. They are open and willing to invest in themselves. 🙂
I hope this advice helps!
Hi Ling!
This is a great post with details on how I can start my blog. Thank you for taking the time to share your journey of how you became a successful blogger! It is very inspiring!
As I read different blogs I think how much fun it would be to do something like that, but then I often wonder how would “I” ever be capable of doing something like that.
Not only do I struggle with finding a name for my blog, but I actually struggle with blogging period. I worry I won’t have enough knowledge or experience to come up with enough content or the “right” content to write about. I have even found myself asking “who’s going to want to listen to what I have to say?”
My first thoughts are to write about multiple things like reviewing different products, recipes, meal planning, freezer meals, DIY projects, saving money, gratitude and blessings, and maybe even ways to get out of the corporate world. Where/how do you create/find content that people want to hear?
Obviously, I don’t want to use something someone else has put out there. I want the content to be based on my own experiences. Ultimately, my goal is to leave my corporate job so I am not working a 9-5 job.
What sort of name do you recommend to encompass everything? I am tossing around “Life’s Treasures”, “Life’s Journey’s”, and “A Cup of Life.”
Hi Andrea
Thank you for your kind words and I’m very happy to hear that you find my story inspiring! 🙂
Just like you, I once thought “how would I, me, ever be capable of doing something like that?” I also struggled with writing content at the beginning because I’m such a slow writer (and STILL a slow writer, but better and a tad bit faster than before now, lol).
Things always seem impossible but once you get started and implement what you learn onto your blog, you’ll be surprised at your achievements over time. They are gradual changes that you may not even notice when you put in the effort and consistent work throughout your life’s journey!
And believe me when I say you will attract YOUR audience and YOUR raving fans. When you stay true to yourself and you’re authentic about your values and beliefs, your blog will reflect that, and you will attract a tribe of people who are very similar to you – they will listen to everything you have to say. Just always remember to write for YOUR readers and no one else!
All the list of topics you have there such as product reviews, recipes, meal planning, freezer meals, etc. are all very popular topics and get a lot of searches. You actually don’t have to be unique or reinvent the wheel when it comes to this type of content. The only place where you should be unique is when you are speaking from your true voice and telling them your experience with your own twist – that is what will set you apart from everyone else writing the same content.
I really hope this gives you the encouragement to start your blog. I also look forward to seeing you leave your corporate job in the near future!
I am very confident that if you are a self-learner, someone who takes initiative, and works hard, you’ll see great results with your blog! It’s not easy to build a successful blog, but definitely achievable and doable! You just have to really want it to make it happen for yourself!
By the way, I love all your suggested domain names. They sound beautiful, but they are all taken (the “.com” version, which I highly recommend going for) – I checked.
The good news is I thought of an alternative called Life and Treasures (lifeandtreasures.com) and currently, it’s still available when you use this domain name checker here.
I also have a post on how to choose your domain name here if you’d like additional information:
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/how-to-choose-a-domain-name-for-your-blog/
Let me know if you have any questions about starting your blog. I’m happy to help! 🙂
Ling
Hi Ling,
Thank you so much for your kind words and inspiration! I can be my own worst enemy by letting my lack of confidence get in the way. I am a very hard worker and self-learner and I have no doubt that I can accomplish this! I can’t wait to get started!
Thanks again!
Andrea
Hi Ling,
I’m Anna, a full-time virtual assistant from Indonesia. I read your story about how you made $10k from blogging and also a few posts about blogging on your blog, they really inspired me to become a full-time blogger!
But I’m struggling to find a niche and wondering what did you post when you first started blogging?
I have a few ideas in mind, like my life experiences, eczema, minimalism, self-improvement, lifestyle, and more. I know all the different topics are gonna make my blog super messy but I have so many stories to tell (which I think they are gonna be helpful for my future readers) and I don’t want to just stick with one niche. Let me know what you think 🙂
I hope you’re staying safe and healthy
Love,
Anna
Hi Anna,
That’s nice to hear that my story inspires you to start your own blog too!
When I started my first blog about finance and money, Finsavvy Panda, there were times where I dived out of the personal finance niche and I felt like I wasn’t free to write other stuff I wanted to. That’s why I started a separate lifestyle blog, so I could write about anything I want (and no, it’s not this one you’re reading here) lol!
Starting a lifestyle blog would be a great fit for you since you have so many topics and stories that you want to tell! The one recommendation I have is for you to try to make those topics relate to each other wherever possible. For example, when I wrote about personal finance on my blog, I wanted to talk about home decor and DIY stuff, so I decided to create a post on how to make extra money flipping furniture or how I save money by painting old furniture. You see how it still relates and ties back to personal finance?
I have a post here that talks about what to blog about. I also mention some examples of how you can make a lifestyle blog work when you create a common theme around your blog:
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/what-to-blog-about/
At the same time, I’ve seen many bloggers write off-topics, but they still group them in the appropriate categories – e.g. food, money, self-development, etc. And make sure you have a good amount of content in each category so you can still interlink your posts to your other related posts. That way, your readers won’t be super confused. I see that these bloggers are still able to generate a great income with their lifestyle blogs. There isn’t a right or wrong approach to starting your blog!
Let me know if this helps! I’m really excited for you and I’d love to see you start your lifestyle blog! 🙂
Hello Ling,
I just have one question that has been bothering me: Can you make money from blogging no matter where you live? I‘m asking this because where I live there are not many big bloggers who have an international community. So does this depend on where one lives or does it not matter?
I hope you can help me.
Hi Maimi,
In addition to the U.S., U.K., Canada, Australia, and countries in Europe, I see many bloggers from all over the world who are earning a full-time income online including many countries within Europe, Asia, South Africa, and more! There are literally bloggers from all over the world!
I believe this post explaining how bloggers get paid and make money will help you understand:
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/how-do-bloggers-get-paid/
Let me know if you have any follow up questions. I’m always happy to help!
Hello Ling,
Thank you very much for your reply. This is really helpful and reassuring and also thank you for the link to the post!
Hi Ling!
I’m Yel and I’m one of your readers and thank you for this tutorial on how to start my blog. If you don’t mind I have a few questions.
I am from Philippines and is it possible to also market my blog in the US? And do I really need to make new content every day for my blog?
Thank you!
P.S. I really love reading your blog. It is such a great help and I’m planning to buy your ebook as well 😊
Hi Yel!
I know SO many people who start blogs from ALL around the world.
On top of U.S., Canada, U.K., Australia, people start blogs all over in Europe (like Italy, Germany, France, Spain, etc.), India, Philippines (yes, your country too 😊), Nigeria, Jamaica, South Africa, Puerto Rico, Singapore, Hong Kong, and this list goes on!
Yes, you can market to US readers as long as your blog is in English and your domain name ends with “.com” as well as you have some understanding of how they live their lifestyle. I see a lot of people from other parts of the world target the US market.
The great thing about a blog is you can start from anywhere and connect with all different kinds of people around the world.
I hope this helps!
Let me know if you have any questions about starting your blog. 🙂
P.S. I’m confident you’ll find my ebook, Treasure Map to Blogging Success in 30 Days helpful which also talks about how you DON’T need to be writing a piece of content every day! 😉
Thank you so much Ling! Your tips are always helpful. 🙂
Hi Ling,
My name is Anna and I came across your blog recently when I was searching for information about blogging.
First of all, I want to thank you for sharing valuable information which I find extremely helpful 🤗 I’m thinking about starting a blog myself and it’s been a real pleasure to read your content about starting a blog and all the things that need to be done.
I’m very excited to take the first step and thanks to your blog everything seems to be less overwhelming for me.
The only question I wanted to ask you is about the time you spend on all activities related to your blog: how often do you publish your blog posts etc?
I currently work from home full time and I was wondering if I will have enough time to run my blog professionally.
I would love to have a go and start monetizing the idea at some point too. Originally the idea was to grow some audience on Pinterest as I love Pinterest and I use it a lot, however, I never even thought about making money out of publishing pins.
I like inspiring people and being inspired and I thought starting a blog would give me something to focus on in the current pandemic situation but as I said I’m a bit concerned I won’t have time to focus on the blog properly.
You probably receive tons of messages daily but I would be grateful if you could reply back to me.
Have a great day 😊
Anna.
Hi Anna!
I’m glad to hear that you find the information on my blog valuable and helpful in starting your blog!
Just like you, I felt overwhelmed at the beginning when I was new to this but I promise things will become better and you’re going to learn so many great things in the blogging world!
When I was new, I spent more time writing blog posts so I can promote them on Pinterest. The key is getting your content out there and promoting it so you can drive traffic back to your blog.
Because I’m not a fast or good writer, I posted only once a week when I was a beginner especially when I was working a full-time job during that time. But if you can post more often, then great! Today, I post on my personal finance blog 2 times a month only, so it has been a lot less today. There isn’t a one-size-fits-all answer, but I have an article here that talks about how often you should post on your blog. You’ll find it helpful in creating your own schedule that fits your style:
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/how-often-should-i-post-on-my-blog/
The best part about blogging is you can work on it at your own pace and there’s no need to rush. Think of it as something you build little by little, and that will compound into something great in the future when you are consistent and nurture it. I know a lot of people who start blogs on the side to make extra money as a fun hobby including myself when I was learning how it all works.
Once you’ve started your blog and have some content, you can move on to the next stage and learn how to use Pinterest. This will allow you to publish your content on the platform so you can attract readers and get traffic. It’s what I use to earn a full-time income with my blogs!
I’m really excited for you and I’d love to see you start your blog soon! Let me know if this helps! 🙂
Thank you Ling, again very useful information. I definitely want to have a go with the blog and with all your valuable tips I feel more confident.
All the best 🤗
Anna.
Hi Ling,
Thank you for all this great information.
I had a question about taxes. Do you have a blog post about how you file? Are you able to write off things because you are making money off of your blog?
Hi Stephanie
I don’t give advice on taxes because I’m not a professional or expert in this field. Yes, there are things you can write off that are a part of your business, so I recommend consulting this with an account in your region. Everyone’s tax situation varies depending on the individual and where they live. I hope that helps you get started. 🙂
Good morning!
I am so happy I came across you on Pinterest and this blogging tutorial has been very helpful! I really appreciate your rawness and honesty by showing us your actual results and taking the time out to give us steps on how to achieve the blog. I have recently seen so many opportunities around making money from a blog. I will be going step by step to setup my Bluehost account very soon. But there are a few questions I have.
1. How many blogs should you already have before going live?
2. What should those blogs include?
3. If I didn’t start with any blogs, would this affect my chances of getting affiliate marketing?
4. What other strategies do you implement to get more earnings a month?
5. Is this the only platform (blogging) you use to generate an income?
Thank you in advance for answering my questions. I just want to do it right the first time as opposed to getting started and have to back track because there was something that I missed and wasn’t prepared for.
Hi Ja’Lyn – I’m glad you enjoy my blog content and my Pinterest story!
You’ve asked great questions and I know many beginners would love to know. Here are my answers for you:
1. I recommend beginners to start with only one blog (AKA one website), but I’m assuming you are probably asking how many blog POSTS that you should have before going live. I actually always tell my readers to start their blog immediately and publish even just one blog post. I had only one blog post published when I first started. The thing is no one will actually visit your site or even know about it unless you actively promote it on social media. The good thing about publishing that 1 post immediately is because you’ll want to “age” your blog or website. There are many benefits to “aging” your site and one of them is being able to apply for ads since most of them require your website to be at least 4-5 months old. During that 4-5 month period as your blog is “published” and your site is “aging”, you can prepare, add more content, and learn how to get traffic. By the time you know it, you’ll be able to apply for ads and make money as you get some traffic!
2. I have some blog post here that teaches beginners what they can blog about along with 100+ blog post ideas for beginners, so I recommend going through those:
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/what-to-blog-about/
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/blog-post-ideas/
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/first-blog-post/
3. I don’t recommend beginners to learn affiliate marketing immediately until they have their blogs set up and with content that is helpful for their readers. It’s also common to see new bloggers make money with ads before they learn how to make money with affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing isn’t something that beginners should look at right now because they are not at the stage just yet!
4. I diversify all my earnings with ads, affiliate marketing, and selling my own digital products such as my budget binder for my budgeting readers, blogging binder for bloggers who are looking for a planner or organizer to write things down, and my ebook The Treasure Map To Blogging Success in 30 Days here that teaches beginners how to start, set up and launch their blogs. My readers who have gone through it told me it was pretty much their “blogging bible” – haha!
5. Yes, I love blogging and it’s what I do to earn a full-time income online! I rely on Pinterest and Google to get my traffic and readers. 🙂
I hope these answers help you with starting your blog! Let me know how it goes!
Hello Ling! Thank you so much for doing this!
My name is Mariana, I am currently a student pursuing a bachelor on nutrition and I am super excited to start a health and recipe blog!
I just have some questions regarding what my posts have to be like, as I am not familiar with all the copyright laws etc. For example, If I want to post a recipe, does it have to be invented by myself as well as the picture taken by me? Or an article, can I repost an article from somewhere and give credit to the author or does it have to be written by me?
Sorry if my questions are kind of dumb or ignorant, I am super new at this.
Thanks,
Mariana.
Hi Mariana!
I am super excited for you to start your health and recipe blog too!
Those are legitimate and smart questions and many beginners don’t know this, so they’re not dumb questions. 🙂
Before I answer you, I just want to point out that I’m not a legal expert – you can always consult a lawyer for any legal advice.
So, always give credit to the blogger or chef you learned the recipe from. Just give them a shoutout by mentioning their name and giving a link back to their blog and/or the recipe page if you do decide to write a recipe. If you do decide to blog about the recipe, be sure that it’s in your own words and not copied from the blogger. They will not allow you to publish or post their recipe by copying and pasting it on your blog because not only may this impact their Google search rankings, but it’s also a copyright issue.
As for pictures, you can visit the blogger’s site to check out whether they allow you to use their photos on your blog. If they do allow you to, they usually want credit with at least a link or two back to their site (one to their home page and the other to their recipe post).
I hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions about starting your blog! 🙂
Hi Ling,
At this point I’m unsure of what really to ask but I feel like I’m leaning towards writing about self development. About time management. Is it okay to write something I’m actually bad at but wanna improve on?
Hey Sufiyan – absolutely! Self-development, time management hacks, productivity, etc. are great topics to write about. You don’t have to be an expert at what you blog about as long as you know a little something and are passionate about learning that topic. I am confident that you’ll make progress with your own journey as long as you are motivated to learn! I know many people who weren’t experts at what they blog about but by learning, writing, and keeping track of their progress, they improved in that specific topic/area. They always say the best form of learning is teaching it to someone. We all start from somewhere, so you have my support in starting a blog in this niche! 🙂
I also have a list of blog post ideas in time management, productivity, and self-development in this article here:
https://www.blogsavvypanda.com/blog-post-ideas/
You can go through this for some ideas on what you can learn and write about in that area. I hope this helps you with getting started!