Tag: how to start a lifestyle blog

Blogging is a very rewarding side hustle that can quickly turn into a full-time business.

You can succeed by researching keywords, creating great content, and waiting for Google to find your great content.

Before creating Blackandise, I was selling t-shirts on Amazon. But I got tired of playing the damn Amazon game (rat race to the bottom with undercutting prices), so I decided to start a blog about topics that I love.

This article will go through the process of creating a new blog on Bluehost.

How to Start a Blog?

Your blog will need web hosting services and I like Bluehost web hosting.

Bluehost is a great web host and I have had a great experience with them personally and while helping clients get online. Last year I decided to start a blog as well. It was the best decision I made because I feel like I’m no longer being bullied by Amazon.

Why Use Bluehost?

Bluehost is affordable and reliable. The company has been around for many years while maintaining great customer service.

What Do You Get With Bluehost?

⭐️ Ready to Create Your Blog? ⭐️

1. Register Your New Domain Name

The first step to getting started is heading over to Bluehost to get your domain name and web hosting. You can then click here to purchase a domain and web host for your new WordPress blog, then continue to follow the easy steps below.

The very first thing you will need to do to get started is to think about what you want your domain name to be. This is quite important as you won’t have the option to rename the free one.

You can get your domain name directly through Bluehost.com and make the whole process very easy. Remember to sign up for at least 12-months of hosting to get the FREE domain name.

I came up with this blog title Blackandise by combining the words Black and Merchandise, as I was going to create a store with only black products but decided not to go with such a bad idea. At first, I was against it since it’s not a real word but many brands are just made up words. My only advice is to not date your domain name with the year (so please no newsite2017.com or mysite2018.com).

2. Select A Web Hosting Plan

To get the lowest price of $3.95 per month, you have to sign up for the 36-months plan, which is a great price. If you sign up for a 24-month plan, then the price is $4.95 per month. If you sign up for a 12-month plan, then the price is $5.95 per month. If you are unsure about starting your blog, then test it out with a 12-month plan as it is still affordable and worth the price. If you purchase a 12-month plan, your total price is only $66 a year, which is still a great price. Plus, you’ll still get the free domain name. Just remember that the best value is the 36-month plan.

I know you want to learn how to start a blog but you’ll want to take your time with this section. There are a few options under the Package Information area that you may or may not want to add.

❌ GO TO STEP 3 & SKIP THIS SECTION IF YOU ARE NOT INTERESTED IN ADD-ON SERVICES

• Domain Privacy Protection
  • 👍 You may want this domain privacy protection if you are new to buying your own domain. The protection service will hide your domain registration information so it isn’t visible in the domain database.
• Site Backup Pro
  • 👎 Bluehost already does complimentary backups, this is just an extra charge. You can skip this and find a better solution.
• Search Engine Jumpstart
  • 👎 Automated services to do basic SEO work for your website. Skip, the jumpstart service is terrible.
• SiteLock Security
  • 👎 It basically scans your web host files daily for viruses, malware, etc. Skip, there are better security solutions.
• Comodo PositiveSSL Bundle
  • 👍 You need to get SSL these days (you know that little lock you see in the browser). Having SSL installed means you are doing your part to protect your readers.

If you must do a month-to-month plan, please know that you won’t get the free domain name. By signing up for a minimum of 12 months, you will receive a free domain name and the best price.

So after paying for your web hosting, you will have to wait for an email to log in to your new web host. When you are ready to create your blog, follow the steps below to buy hosting for your blog.

3. Connect Your Domain to Bluehost

❌ GO TO STEP 4 & SKIP THIS SECTION IF YOU BOUGHT A NEW BLUEHOST DOMAIN: Bluehost will automatically connect your new domain to your web hosting, saving you a few hours.

IF YOU DID NOT SIGN UP FOR A NEW BLUEHOST DOMAIN: You’ll have to update the nameservers of your previously owned domain name to point to your new Bluehost web hosting. Usually, the nameservers are ns1.bluehost.com & ns2.bluehost.com.

Depending on where you bought your domain name from, you’ll need to get into their domain management system and update the nameservers to ns1.bluehost.com; ns2.bluehost.com (or whatever your personalized email has for nameservers)

You will need to check with your current domain registrar for detailed instructions on pointing nameservers to another web host.

4. Install WordPress on Bluehost

This is an important step of your initial question of how to start a blog. Luckily, this is one of the easiest steps thanks to Bluehost. After creating your account password, Bluehost will guide you through the blog installation process.

Using your Bluehost cPanel account to install WordPress.

• First, log into your Bluehost cPanel account.
• Find the Website section and click Install WordPress.
• Click the Install button.
• Choose the domain name to install it to. In the field next to the domain, you can enter a subfolder such as ‘blog’ or leave it blank if you want the website’s main page to be the blog (blank: will look like this http://yoursite.com instead of this http://yoursite.com/blog). I always leave it blank.
• If necessary, you can edit the email address, username, and password for the new WordPress installation. Click “advanced options” and you can change those settings.
• Read through the license and service agreements and check the boxes.
• And finally, click the Install Now button.

⭐️ You Have Created a Blog! ⭐️

Congratulations, you now know how to start a blog. You now have a WordPress blog. Now that you have a blog, you’ll want to work on designing the look and creating quality content. Good luck!

If you sign up for Bluehost, but you are confused for any reason, please send me an email and I will help you out. I’m here to help you so don’t be afraid to send me an email.