Hello there & welcome to my first post! Below I included some simple tips and resources that I recommend for starting a blog on a budget.
Although new to this blogging world, I learned website development, several years ago when I started a company with some of my best girl friends. I built our entire site using web coding and free plug-ins. It was a STEEP learning curve, but I learned so much! After a year of working together, we all had babies within 6 weeks of each other and decided to take a step back from everything.
All these years later, I’m back, but sharing much different content. My blog includes lifestyle topics including: home organization and management, everyday style, favorite products and recipes, and so much more. As an intro to my blog, I thought it might be useful to share how I got here and how you can too, if it’s something you’ve thought about and feel interested in trying.
Below are the resources I recommend, for how to start a blog on a budget.
- I loved the straightforward article that Amy Lynn Andrews wrote. Check it out here. She goes through each step and shares excellent screen shots to help clarify how to get started through 7 simple steps. All her info is FREE, so you’re not going to have any issues with keeping on budget using this resource.
- You’ll need to choose a blogging platform and web hosting. I recommend WordPress (blogging platform) & Bluehost (web hosting). In simple terms, the blog is your website that you manage/post on. You have to pay a hosting company for a spot on a web server to store what you’ve created, though.
Q: What blog hosting should I choose?
I did some research to make the most educated choice about which hosting company to choose. With so many choices and you might find it overwhelming too. I linked an awesome article that lays out some basic hosting stats. Quickly browse their infographics, charts, and summaries to make a more educated decision.
By using Bluehost, it streamlines everything. You can sign up, create a WordPress.org blog, and buy your domain name, all at once. The process is straightforward and simple, and costs less than buying a domain name separately.
*If you do sign up with Bluehost using my links, I will earn a commission. Click the link below to get started!
Other online and social media tools to help you create a successful blog
- To create a beautiful and clean blog, I also recommend buying a basic blog design, you can find amazing ones here on Etsy (even $20 or less). Unless you’re REALLY good at web coding and want to build every piece of your blog by yourself, which I did the first time, and learned my lesson. Buy a design for faster and prettier results.
- I also recommend starting a Facebook, Instagram, & Pinterest account for your blog. For Instagram, I love using Lynx in bio because it allows your followers to click on your link and then be re-directed to several more links. You won’t be limited to just ONE link to your blog. You can sign up here, for a FREE plan! Below I included a list of what you can get with a Lynx Pro membership (a little over $3 a month).
Eventually, I plan to write a separate post about social media tools, and will share that link, once it’s finished. Hopefully, you find this a little bit helpful in your pursuit of how to start a blog. I wish you the best of luck! Let me know if you have any questions about the basics of how to start a blog in the comments below.
Sincerely,
We did everything the hard way the first time around but I’m so glad that we learned so much and that you can apply it to this new endeavor. I’m excited for you! Xoxoxo
Yes, we totally did, but it was also our first time. The key difference this time around was buying a pre-designed theme. There are still little things I want to change, but the setup, by comparison, was a breeze! I’m glad we were able to learn so much together last time around too. It has given me a lot more confidence in doing this now. Love you!