Do you want to start a blog to promote your brand, or just share your thoughts on a subject that you love? Blogging is an inexpensive way to share your thoughts with the world. Learn how to develop your concept,  how to create a free profitable and professional blog,   launch your blog and market your contents, this article will show you everything you need to get started.

In this article, I’m going to focus on two major blogging platforms, which are;
a) WordPress
b) Blogspot

 

WordPress

With WordPress, getting started will take more time. However, you’ll find that WordPress has a wide variety of more sophisticated tools for enhancing and promoting your blog.

You can purchase a custom domain name on WordPress for $18 per year or map an existing domain name to WordPress for $13 per year. If you want a free domain, you can use something like
yourname.wordpress.com.

 

But thanks to Namecheap, as the name implies,  they offer cheap domain names for as low as $10

 

It is also important to note that there is a difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org.

 

Meanwhile, with WordPress.com, it is hosted by the WordPress organization so your domain will be on a subdomain of WordPress.com.

 

Meanwhile, with WordPress.org, you are self-hosting it so your domain will be on your selected name like Abtechblog.com

The former restricts bloggers from making an income and while the latter does require set up on your own host, it then allows full access to your blog’s backend, a full suite of features and improved SEO performance.

I believe you’ve simply seen the merits and demerits of using either a WordPress.org or WordPress.com, but I’ll analyze it again.

 

Merits of WordPress.com

  1. It’s free to setup
  2. You can start with a free domain name (yourname.wordpress.com)
  3. It’s easy to create
  4. You can add a custom domain name (like .com, .co.uk, .org etc) to your blog

 

Demerits of Using WordPress.com

  1. It has a lot of limitations
  2. You wouldn’t be able to monetize your blog
  3. Poor Search Engine Optimization (SEO) support
  4. Childish themes and design
  5. Unprofessional
  6. You don’t gain full access to your site.
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Merits of WordPress.Org

  1. You gain full access to your CPanel
  2. You can Customize Your Blog anyhow you want
  3. You can monetize your blog
  4. You start with a custom domain

 

Demerits of WordPress.org

  1. It’s pretty expensive
  2. You have to start with your own custom domain

 

Launching a Free Blog on WordPress

  1. Point your browser to WordPress at wordpress.com

  2. Click on the “Get Started” link or if you’re using mobile tab the Sign-Up button as seen in the image below.

How to start a blog on WordPress

 

You can even sign up with your Google account and continue.

3. Fill out the online form. In the last field, type the proposed web address for your blog.

How to start a blog

 

The web hosting will do a quick lookup to see if the name appears on their system already. If your desired name is taken, WordPress will display a series of available alternatives.

You can choose 1 of those options or try a different domain name until you find something that works.

 

4. Scroll to the bottom of the page and click “Continue.”

How to start a blog

 

Proceed all the 4 steps till you see “Create Blog”

Wait for your confirmation email.

 

5. When it arrives, click the link and then sign into WordPress with your username and password.

 

6. Choose a Theme for your blog.

Your Theme determines the layout and appearance of your blog. You can either search for themes after clicking on the “Find a Theme” button or you can browse Themes based on criteria like what’s trending or what’s most popular.

Click on the Theme you want and fill in the fields on the General Settings screen. If you want to, you can upload a photo of yourself by clicking the “Choose File” button in the gray “Blog Picture/Icon” box.

Decide whether you want your blog to be private or public. Do you want any Internet visitor to be able to read your blog, or do you just want your friends and family to be able to read it? Pick the appropriate setting by clicking on the “Reading” link beneath the “Settings” tab.

 

Start a Self-hosted WordPress blog

Step 1: Choose a domain name

After choosing your blogging niche, you’ll have to choose a nice domain name that suits your blogging niche.

Your blog domain name must be short, easy to remember and professional.

 

Once you’ve decided on a domain name, type it into the search box at Namecheap or any hosting company of your choice, and click next to see if it is available.

When you find your domain name, you’ll need to create your Namecheap account which includes name, address, phone number, and email address.

 

Step 2: Setup Your Web Hosting Account

Once you have chosen your blog name, go to Namecheap and purchase a Reseller web hosting plan. I’ll advise you to pick the stellar plus plan or the business plan.

But don’t buy the first plan, which is the stellar plan. To avoid technical issues.

 

Step 3: Pay for Your Hosting Package and domain

After you have your account created, you’ll be directed to a page where you need to select your hosting package.

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You can choose to pay for your hosting in a 12 month period, 24 month period, or a 36 month period — the longer the plan, the cheaper your price. Next, add your payment info and wait for an email confirmation of registration – this only takes a minute or two.

On Namecheap, you can pay with Paypal to less the cost (you can create a valid PayPal account, buy funds at the rate of 320/$) or pay with your card.

 

Step 4: Install WordPress

Once you’ve paid for your web hosting, Namecheap will send you a mail that contains your C-panel login details.

Login to your Cpanel and install WordPress.

 

Step 5: Design and customize your new blog

Now, you may be wondering if it’s difficult to navigate WordPress and I can tell you from experience it’s not. If you can navigate around a Word Document — you’ll be just fine.

When you log in to WordPress, there are some free design themes (on the left-hand side under, appearance) that you can use to customize your site.

However, if you’re willing to spend $59 – $200 you can get a stylish, professional-looking theme that will make you stand out from the crowd. You can either purchase a theme from the Marketplace (located on the left-hand sidebar in WordPress), or you can purchase a theme through Themeforest or StudioPress (they have a much larger design selection than other Marketplace).

The process of customizing your blog will take some time (probably a few days), but it’s super easy and fun, and no professional designer is needed.

You can use basic plugins like Jetpack, Yoast, Contact form, etc to customize your blog.

 

Publish your first post

Click the “New Post” tab and enter your title and the body of your blog. You can also add photos, videos or links by using the appropriate buttons. When you’re done, click “Publish Post.”

 

Promoting Your Blog

Use social media to connect people to your blog. You can promote your blog on your personal social media accounts or on your business accounts.

Most blog hosting sites will automatically publish a link to your newest blog post on Facebook or Twitter. Look for sharing settings or buttons when you publish your post.

For instance, WordPress lets you control sharing by going to your Dashboard and clicking “Sharing” under the “Settings” tab. Blogger has social media buttons on the bottom of your post for sharing.

Add buttons to your posts. Your readers can click these ready-made buttons to share your blog on their Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr or other accounts.

Another wat to promote your new blog is to build an email list.

 

Write something about yourself. Add an “About Me” page on WordPress or click “Layout” and then “Edit” under “About Me” on Blogger. Promote your expertise related to your topic as well as including any personal information or background information that you want to share.

Starting a Blog on Blogger.com

Google owns Blogger and has set it up for ease of use. Your blog will be extremely easy to set up and maintain, and you’ll have Google’s traffic management tools at your disposal.

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You can purchase a custom domain name for $12 per year or you can get a free BlogSpot domain name such as yourname.blogspot.com. If you already own another domain name, you can use it for no cost.

 

Pros and Cons of Blogger (Blogspot)
1. It’s easy to create
2. It’s totally free
3. They offer free domain
4. You can make money from your blog unlike WordPress.com
5. It has a lot of limitations
6. Your blog can be deleted anytime

 

How to start a free blog on Blogspot

Navigate to Blogger.com If you have a Google account, then log in.

If you don’t have a Google account, click on the red “Sign Up” button in the top right corner and register for a Google account.

Click the “Create New Blog” button.

Create a professional blog on blogger

Fill in your blog name and your desired blog address.

Blogger blog

 

You can choose a template from the options on the screen, or you can choose a template later if you want to see more options.

Click the orange “Create Blog!” button.

Create a blogger blog

  1. Select the “Start blogging” link.
  2. Enter your title and your text. When you’re done, click “Publish.”

 

Tips For Newbie Bloggers

  • List your blog to draw traffic. You can add a Blogger site to Blogger’s listings.
  • You can also list your blog with directories like Technorati or Blogdex.
  • Interact with other bloggers. If another blogger “Likes” your site, then go to his or her site and either “Like” a post or follow the blog.
  • Also, comment regularly on other people’s blogs. People will get to know you from your comments and will come to appreciate your expertise.
  • Add your blog address to your email signature. You can also add the address to your business cards.
  • Produce stellar content. If your blog is full of grammatical errors or looks unattractive, you aren’t going to draw regular visitors.
  • You also need to make sure that you publish regularly so that your content is up-to-date and fresh for your readers.

 

What Next!

If you’ve successfully created your new blog, monetizing it is always a major problem for most newbie bloggers.

Gone are those days when people blog for passion. Today most people go into blogging in order to make money from it.

And if that’s your aim, you’re doing nothing wrong.

Therefore,  you need a blogging coach!

 

Let Me Be Your Blogging coach

I can help you choose a profitable blogging niche and train you on how to set up and also customize your blog for SEO.

Blogging business may be a  lucrative one if you have the basic and necessary knowledge it requires to excel.

I’ll teach you how to make at least $700 or more monthly from Google AdSense and Facebook ads on autopilot.

To get in touch with, Tab the WhatsApp or Messenger button below or Call or WhatsApp me with +2348163636696.

 

You can also mail me with hello@abtechblog.com or send a quick message in the message box below. Use the Subject “Blogging Coach”.

Please note: good things doesn’t come free! Only call or message me if you’re ready to pay for my service.

More topics on Blogging You Should Read:

 

Conclusion

Here you get it, how to create a free profitable and professional blog. Feel free to drop your questions and suggestions in the comment area.

#Happy blogging!

Abass

Abass

A passionate web developer, tech blogger and Blockchain enthusiast... I love giving solutions through my writings on my leisure time. Feel free to reach me via email for collaboration etc.
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