I can only assume you're here because a) you've decided you want to start your own blog, or b) you're thinking about starting your own blog. Or maybe you're just curious about how to start a blog. Either way, this is your guide for how to do it!
And even if you don't want to start a food blog, you can still use these same steps to start a blog for any subject area.
Getting your own little corner of the internet up and running is really easy to do. And so, so exciting!! Can I get a woot, woot?!
Okay, moving on... Without further ado, let's get into the steps!
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* Disclaimer: some of the below links are affiliate links, meaning I earn a small commission on any purchases made through them - at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products, services, and companies that I've used and wholeheartedly trust.
STEP #1: Pick a name and buy the domain.
You can't do much with a website without a name! SO it's time to come up with one (which is very much easier said than done)! You can name your blog after yourself or after any words you like. My best friend was the one who came up with the name Eats Delightful (still don't know how!) and it's been the name since day 1!
So pick a name you like, and then buy the domain (the www. address) associated with it. You can use name.com to check for free if the domain you'd like is available. For example, if you type in www.eatsdelightful.com in the search, it'll tell you it's taken.
How do you buy your domain?
You can buy your domain through your web host, or through a third party company (you can find a bunch by just doing a quick Google search). I personally opted to purchase my domain through my web host. It's less headache and shaves off an extra step.
Which leads me to step #2...
STEP #2: Pick your web host!
Your web host is where your blog "lives" pretty much.
The web host stores all of your website's files on its servers and makes your website available online to people all across the globe! (Here's an article that goes into way more detail on what web hosting is!) It is probably the single most important aspect to running a blog - so do your research and pick a host that you're comfortable with!!!
I've gone through 3 different hosts in the past 2 years: wordpress.com, Bluehost, and SiteGround. Based on my experience, I would 1000% recommend Siteground over anyone else.
WordPress.com was great because they took care of the hosting and the techy aspects of running a blog, but the problem is there's very little room for customization. You'd need to upgrade to a hella expensive plan to get more freedom for your blog.
My experience with Bluehost was horrible, and I ended up leaving them as my web host before my term was even up. So I lost out on the money I had paid, but it was honestly worth it to get a more reliable website.
I switched over to SiteGround last year, and I'm so so happy I did. I've barely had any problems with my site - and even when I do, the support team is the absolute best! Siteground is optimized to be fast, secure, and user friendly. ANNNND they're committed to carbon neutrality.
Click here to check out SiteGround's plans and features!
STEP #3: Install WordPress.
So once you have your host, you'll need to install WordPress (wordpress.org, not .com) before you can start customizing your site. Your web host should have step by step instructions with photos on how to do this - and support can usually help you if anything is confusing or unclear.
Here are the instructions I followed off of SiteGround. There are also these instructions from WordPress themselves, but it can vary slightly from host to host. So I'd recommend using your host's instructions as your main reference.
STEP #4: Install your theme & plugins.
FINALLY, YOU GET TO MAKE YOUR WEBSITE PRETTY!! Here's where you can customize your website's look and feel, and make it your own!
The theme is how your website looks - so the layout, the fonts, the colors, all of that jazz. Plugins are optional add-ons you can attach to your website to incorporate more functions. You can use plugins to do anything from monitor spam, protect your site (very important - no matter how new you are!), track your stats, and more.
Most themes and plugins are free, and they usually do the job just fine. I just recently upgraded our free theme to a premium theme - the Brunch Pro Theme by Feast Designs. You can pretty much find themes in every possible budget. So there are a lot of options! I've so far never purchased a plugin because you can usually find plugins for free that do basically everything you need.
But that's about it my friends!
After you go through these steps, you can officially start publishing to your new little corner of the internet!
If you've started a blog of your own, drop your website down below so I can check it out! And feel free to ask any additional questions you have!
I'm not a tech expert (not even close lol) but if you're having a problem or you're curious about something, I'll try my best to help or point you to some resources.
Cheers to your new blog!
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