Want to know about how to start a blog in 2020?
You are at the right place. This guide will help you start a blog in 2020. It contains all the essential guidelines to help you start a blog. Here are the seven steps which you need to follow religiously to start a profitable blog.
How To Start A Blog In 2020 From Scratch
Step 1: Choose a Right Niche for Your Blog
This is the most important step to start a blog in 2020. Many newbies are confused about which niche they should choose.
Currently, there are various niches on which you can start a blog. However, I suggest you go with the niche which you are passionate about and which gives you profit.
Step 2: Choose a Domain for Your Blog
Selecting the website domain is nit that tough and you can easily choose a domain for your blog.
If you have not selected a domain your blog then follow these tips before selecting the right domain:-
- Keep it Short & Crisp – Keep your domain name as short as possible. It should be easy to pronounce so that it is easy to remember.
- Use Keyword – Use the main keyword of your niche in the domain name as it helps in SEO.
- Avoid Using Numbers – Refrain from using numbers in the domain name as they are difficult to remember.
- I recommend you to use a .com extension for your domain because it is not restricted to a particular country.
Step 3: Choose a Hosting for Your Blog
Web Hosting – It is a place where all files of the blog are stored. Hosting is the one that stores all the posts, pages, images and all the other files of your blog and keeps them safe.
There are many inexpensive hosting providers but I don’t recommend using them as in the end, they will waste your money.
I recommend you to use Siteground which is very fast, reliable and has excellent customer support. See the complete tutorial of Setting Up Hosting With SiteGround here.
Step 4: Select a Blogging Platform or CMS
There are many blogging platforms like WordPress.org, Wordpress.com, Blogger, Wix, etc.
However, I recommend you to choose WordPress.org. To see the full tutorial to Install WordPress Blog On SiteGround, click here.
Step 5: Choose an Attention-Grabbing Theme
After installing WordPress, you will need to install a theme. The theme of your blog gives design to it.
In blogging, the design of your blog matters a lot. Good design attracts visitors.
There are plenty of themes in WordPress inventory. Here are a few things you can keep in mind while choosing a theme:-
- Make sure that the themes are lightweight and user compatible.
- Check that the theme is responsive.
- See that your theme should be compatible with the latest WordPress version.
- If you are purchasing a theme, then see that it has good contact support (like MyThemeShop and GeneratePress)
Some of the recommended themes are:-
- GeneratePress – This is the theme that I am currently using. I like this theme because it is super lightweight and makes my website load fast. It is also very easy to customize which makes it useful to newbies.
- Astra – This theme is also lightweight and easy to customize.
- Schema – This theme is built by MyThemeShop. The best feature of this theme is that it is search engine optimized.
You can also go for the premium versions of GeneratePress and Astra.
After you have picked a theme, you will need to install it on your blog. Steps to install a theme on your blog are:-
- Log in to your WordPress Dashboard.
- Go to Appearance > Themes.
- Click on Upload Theme and upload your theme’s .zip file.
- Then, activate the theme.
You can customize your theme by clicking on Appearance > Customize.
Step 6: Add some Plugins
Here are some criteria on the basis of which you can add some plugins to your site:-
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – These plugins will help your blog get a good rank in Google, Bing and various other search engines by guiding you on what search engines require. Some of the plugins are Yoast SEO and Rank Math SEO.
Speed – Speed is an essential factor to gain more traffic for your site. These plugins will help you optimize website speed. For example – PageSpeed Ninja.
Site Performance – As the name suggests, these plugins will enhance your site’s performance and help you in fixing your website structure. For example – WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, SG Optimizer (If you have SiteGround), etc.
Page Building – Page builders will help you design any page. These plugins allow you to create a landing page by just drag and drop function. For instance – Elementor, Thrive Architect, etc.
Image Optimizers – Image optimizers will reduce your images’ size thereby making your blog load fast. Some of the image optimizing plugins are Smush, EWWW Image Optimizer, etc.
Preventing Spam – Many people might post spam comments on your blog which might be hazardous for your website as well as the readers. Therefore, it is necessary to install a plugin that will prevent these spam comments. For example – Akismet.
These are the top plugins that I use on my website currently.
To install a plugin:-
- Login to your WordPress Admin or Dashboard.
- Go to Plugins > Add New.
- You can search for the plugin in the Popular section and install and activate it.
- If you have a .zip file of the plugin, click on Upload Plugin and install and activate it.
Step 7: Add some essential Pages
Add a Privacy Policy and Disclaimer page complying with the GDPR Policy. You can also add an About page to tell your readers more about you.
Step 8: Write and Publish Your Post
For creating a blog post, go to WordPress Admin > Post > Add New.
After that, you will land on a page where you can write your post. Then write your post by doing some keyword research and I recommend you to use only copyright-free images in your post.
Congrats! You have successfully published your first blog post.
Step 9: Get Live on Search Engines
If you want search engines to include your blog in their search results then you will need to submit your blog.
First, create an XML Sitemap for your blog.
Google: Sign up for Google Webmaster and open Google Search Console. Then, click Add Property and follow the steps to add your blog.
Bing: Sign up for Bing Webmaster and add your website.
Then, in any case, add your website’s XML Sitemap.
Congratulations!! You have started your blog successfully.
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