Many of the "websites" that you view via Social Media or through a Google search are infact blogs. Every day there are more people creating web presences via blogging for fun or for profit. Through this guide, it's never been easier to start a professional blog.
My name is Kaumil Patel, and I am an Internet marketing & web hosting veteran since 2001. I have created this step-by-step guide to help individuals and small businesses take advantage of what a blog can do for them.
Having been in the industry for a very long time, I have had the opportunity to discuss with many successful bloggers & webmasters on what it takes to start a blog that can be successful.
I've come to the conclusion that there are three things when it comes to successful blogging: Passion, A Strong Foundation & Access to Knowledgeable People. In this guide, I'll walk you through what you need to start a blog and have it flourish!
Kaumil Patel, COO -- GreenGeeks.com
Have Questions or Concerns About the Process?
Give us a call at 1-877-326-7483 and speak to one of our hosting specialists who will answer any questions you have about starting your blog with GreenGeeks.
#1. Selecting a Domain for your Blog
If you aren't familiar with the term, a domain name is a unique identifier for a website. It tells the browser where to specifically connect to, similar to a phone number connecting to a specific person. For example, Google.com, Yahoo.com and GreenGeeks.com are all domain names.
When selecting a domain name for your blog, you're going to want to keep these things in mind:
- Relation to Content: You will want to make sure that the domain name is somewhat related to the content that you will be blogging about. Let's say you are starting a blog about your fitness journey, a potential domain name could be Johns20kJourney.com. This will tell potential visitors what your blog is about. Keep in mind that domain names are alpha-numeric. You will also be able to use hyphens (-) in the domain to create domain names such as johns-20k-journey.com. Be as creative as you can be.
- Short & Sweet: This one is self explanatory. For the sake of people being able to remember your domain name, make it as short as possible. Try to stay within three syllables max.
If the blog is a personal blog, it may make sense to simply register your domain name as your full name, for example JohnSmith.com. You can always change this or park additional domains in the future.
In step two, I will tell you how to get a FREE domain registration or domain transfer (if you have one already registered). That's a $28.95 a year value.
#2. Getting a Web Hosting Package
A web hosting provider, such as GreenGeeks, is a Internet service provider that will store your blog content and make it available on the Internet for visitors to access. There are thousands of web hosting providers, most disappear after days of being in business due to the low cost of entry and that is why being smart about your web hosting decision will save you from major headaches down the road.
This is why GreenGeeks is the best web hosting provider for your blog. We have been in the business since 2008, independently owned, are an A+ Rated BBB Accredited Business & have ranked on INC 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America list two years in a row.
We are also the greenest web hosting provider on the planet. By 2020, the Internet will be as big a polluter as the airline industry. GreenGeeks will replace 3 times in the form of renewable energy for every 1 amp we use to power your blog. By hosting with GreenGeeks, you will be actually helping to make a positive difference for the environment.
GreenGeeks is a top-tier web hosting provider which normally costs $9.95/mo, but through a special introductory offer for those looking to start a blog, we are offering our web hosting service for $2.95 per month. You will also get a FREE domain name registration or domain transfer (if you already have a domain registered) a $28.95 per year value. Our service also comes with an unconditional 30-day money back guarantee -- so there is no risk to you.
GreenGeeks offers powerful blog web hosting services, here are some of the things you can expect:
- Blog Powered by WordPress
- 1-Click Install & Update of WordPress Blogging Software
- 24/7/365 Technical Support via Live Chat, Email & Phone
- Unlimited Web Space & Bandwidth Transfer
- Blogging Optimized Web & Database Servers
- Enhanced Pro-Active Blog Security
- Super Fast & Reliable Page Loads
- SEO & Marketing Tools
So let's begin. In the next step, I will walk you through each step on setting up your blog.
#3. Install WordPress to Power Your Blog
Now that you've got your web hosting account, let's work on actually setting up your new blog.
You may or may have not heard about the wonderful blogging tool / CMS called WordPress, but this tool will be the foundation of your website. WordPress is a content management system (CMS) that is used by over 60 million websites worldwide. The best part? It's completely free to install and use. I've made it easy for my customers to obtain, install and start using WordPress on our hosting platform. Lawrence from our technical support team will walk you through on how to install WordPress.
Congratulations, you've just started your very own blog!
You've now started your first blog. The possibilities from this point forward are endless. Included as part of your service are tools to allow you to submit your blog to the search engines, receive free marketing credits, access to WordPress themes along with many other tools that will help your website to flourish.
You'll never be alone...
If you ever need help, my very experienced support team is a click, call or e-mail away. I've also created a team specifically to follow up with you from time to time to make sure that you've got everything you need to make sure you're successful online. You'll never be alone in your journey, that's my promise.