(This post was originally published on the 06th July 2017 and updated on the 29th May 2018)

Starting a blog is going to be one of THE most important steps that you take in your business.

Everybody these days are blogging about something. The good thing is, if you have a topic that you want to share with the world, then you can make your voice be heard via a blog.

If you are in business for yourself and you provide a product or service, then starting a blog will help you to actually share your thoughts, ideas and creativity with people that matter the most, whilst in turn building an audience.

It also helps you to become an authority in your niche if you use your blog as a resource to help others solve a problem.

When I started this blog, I had no real reason but to share my daily thoughts with people who might just want to read my life experiences.

I suppose I was treating it like a journal.

But it was only until I realised that I could monetise my blog did I become serious in transforming it from a daily journal to a business.

You may be wondering whether you should start your own blog and whether there is any sense to having one.

There is absolute sense to having one and here is why:

• You get treated with greater respect because you can easily build authority and credibility with a blog. People automatically think you are successful.
• You can automate any business right from your blog so that you can spend more time doing what you love and less time stressing about the bad.
• You have a great platform to market yourself, any product or service by giving a lot more information on your blog.
• You can add value to people’s lives by sharing content that will help them.
• You can build connections with more people in your field thereby expanding your knowledge and know-how and helping you grow.
• You can talk about literally any topic on a blog and share your thoughts and opinions.
• It helps you to stand out and get more results because most people are too lazy or impatient to create a blog. When you work hard and create something spectacular people tend to trust you more and buy from you as opposed to “some other marketer”.
• On a lighter note, it helps you to be creative and just have fun.

Do you like my blog? Do you have a blog yet?

Well I am going to teach you exactly how I started this blog and how you can do the same.

When I started this blog, I had many resources to turn to. I mainly used You Tube tutorials and had to dig my way around.

For some people they may not have the patience and so I thought it would be beneficial, to have everything in one place right here on this page.

When starting a successful blog I am going to teach you the ONLY way that you should start and that is through WordPress.org. Not WordPress.com (and there is a difference).

The Difference Between WordPress.org And WordPress.com

WordPress.org is a self-hosted platform which means that you get to choose your own hosting and domain. You also own all the content on WordPress.org.

With WordPress.com however you will get a sub-domain and your content is not yours. Essentially if you are building a blog on WordPress.com, that blog does not belong to you and can be taken away from you at anytime.

Also if you intend to monetise your blog, you are taken more seriously when you have a WordPress.org self-hosted blog as opposed to a WordPress.com blog.

Reason being, when you apply to affiliate networks, you have a higher chance of being accepted with a WordPress.org blog rather than a WordPress.com blog.

With a WordPress.org blog you pay for your hosting and a WordPress.com blog is free.

If you want to start a successful blog then I urge you to invest in yourself  and DO NOT get a free blog. It will harm you later on.

Start a Successful Blog

What Is WordPress?

You may be familiar with other blogging sites such as Tumblr, Wix, Weebly or Blogger.com.

So I would like to tell you why you should choose WordPress.

WordPress is a content management site.  You can use it to build a website or blog.

It is very user friendly and you can upload any content that you want and customise the themes how you wish.

There are also many plugins available that help you to manage your website so that it looks sexy and attractive!

After all you want a site that people enjoy looking at right?!

I think that WordPress is the best tool that you can use to build your blog. I am sure that famous brands like Jay Z, Justin Timberlake, Usain Bolt, etc agree with me. They all use WordPress. 😉

Build Your Blog

Let’s get started.

In this tutorial I am going to teach you the following. You can click on any of the links below to go straight to the topic:

1. Choose a domain name
2. Choose a domain extension
3. Set up web hosting
4. Check the availability of your domain name
5. Purchase your domain name
6. Install WordPress
7. Choose your theme
8. Build and launch your blog
9. What’s next?

 1. Choose a domain name

What is a domain name?

Simply put, it is your website name.

So my website name is www.iamdawn-marie.com.

Truthfully your domain name does not matter but here are a few things that you should consider when choosing a name.

• It should not be too long
• It should be something that people can remember
• It should be easy to spell and type
• It should represent you and the brand you want to build
• Using Namecheckr make sure that the name you choose is available on social media platforms just in case you want to create an audience using social media as well.

If you are having a hard time and you want some inspiration for a domain name then you can also try the following cool domain name generators like:

• Namemesh
• Lean Domain Search
• Nameboy

2. Choose A Domain Extension

There are now many other extensions besides the .com extension.

Some other extensions available include,

• .net
• .online
• .xyz
• .blog
• .info
• .tv
• .co

These extensions are rising in popularity and there is no rule as to whether you should go with these alternatives or stick to the old fashioned .com extension.

I do believe that these other extensions allow you to be creative with your domain name. For example, I own the domain iamdawn-marie.online because I am an online entrepreneur.

If your niche has an appropriate extension then go for it! However .com continues to be the popular choice but truthfully I do not believe it matters, in my opinion.

Ready to check if your domain name is available? Check here now.

3. Set Up Web Hosting

If you are serious about your blog and starting a successful business from it then paying for a domain name and hosting is a must.

Hosting is just the power behind your website or blog.

Think of it like the foundation on which your home lies. Without a proper foundation you will have just a stack of bricks that can topple over at any time right?!

For your web hosting I recommend Bluehost. This is the web host that use for I Am Dawn-Marie. Their customer service is really helpful and they were very patient with me when I first got started.

I arranged a super deal for you with Bluehost where you get a FREE domain, 1-click WordPress install, site builders and 24/7 support.

NB. This deal is ONLY available through my website as the Bluehost staff were really nice in extending their awesome courtesy to me and my readers. To get this deal make sure that you use any of the links on my page to get this special pricing. 

Click here to open up the Bluehost window. 

Then click the green “Get Started Now” button.

You will then come to a page like this:

Select the price plan that you want but I would strongly recommend that you go with the Prime plan and here is why:

You will see that the prime plan offers domain privacy.

When I started online marketing and purchased my domain I made the HUGE mistake of not protecting my domain. What that meant was that ANYONE on the internet had access to my personal details which included my name and email address. 

Essentially anyone can  find out who owns your domain and you can therefore be subject to A LOT of spam. Trust me, you do not want that because you will be receiving a lot of emails from people offering you SEO services.

Learn from my mistake guys!

The prime plan also comes with a lot of unlimited features and is cheaper and more value for money over a period of time.

To get the price of $5.95, the prime plan must be purchased over a 36 month period and must be paid in full so it works out to be just about $214.20.

I strongly recommend that you start on the 36 month price plan for three good reasons:

• It works out to be cheaper.
• You do not have to worry about your hosting needs for three years!
• It shows that you are committed to yourself and your blog. This is going to be the best investment you ever made in yourself and the rewards you get from it are going to be PHENOMENAL!  

4. Check The Availability Of Your Domain Name

Whatever domain name provider you are going with, they will always tell you whether your chosen name is available or not.

Enter your domain into the new domain box and click Next. If you already have a purchased domain then enter it into the box marked I have a domain name and click next.

5. Purchase Your Domain Name

You will come to the page where you can enter your contact information and select your price plan duration.

If you decide to go with the basic plan then you should at least choose the Domain Privacy at minimum.

If you do not you will regret it!

Finally all you have to do is enter your payment details, read the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy and click Submit!

Once you have completed your purchase, watch out for an email from Bluehost with your billing and account information.

That’s it! It’s that simple right??!! You are now the very proud owner of your first ever website and hosting.   

6. Install WordPress

Ok! So you have your website.

Now for the exciting part! Installing your WordPress blog.

It really is simple. Let’s go.

Once you have purchased your domain and web hosting you will be asked to choose a password for your WordPress account before you can log in.

Once the password is created Log in.

7. Choose Your Theme

When you log in you’ll be taken to a page that looks like this where you can select a theme. Don’t spend too much time thinking about this part as you can always change your theme later on once you’ve been inspired.

With your theme selected click on the box that says start building which will allow you to log into WordPress.

When you’re logged into WordPress, you will be asked whether you want your site to be personal or a business.

Well I guess you want to make money from your blog and have a blog business so yea, go on and choose business!

Because this is new to you, everything may be overwhelming but clear your mind and slowly take a look around.

Get familiar with it. Do not be afraid to click on links to see what it takes you to.

Now the fun part!

Let’s add some sassiness to your blog by installing a theme.

To start installing your themes hover over “Appearance” then select Themes.

WordPress has a few free themes so check them out and decide which one is good for you.

Once you select your theme, make sure that you are happy with it because if you decide to change it after you have done a bit of work, it can be somewhat difficult.

Whatever theme you choose there will be instructions on how to install and customise it.

You can also refer to YouTube that has tons of videos on how to install your perfect theme.

Be sure to check them out!

8. Build And Launch Your Blog

So once your blog is set up the way you want it, make sure to launch it so that people can see what you’re up to!

9. What’s Next?

Now that your blog is up and running you may be thinking what next?

This is where you build your blog with content based on topics that interest you and learn how to monetise it.

I created a super duper 5 Days To Building A Successful Blog where I teach you in a step by step format, how to grow and monetise your blog so you can create a successful blog.

Happy blogging!

P.S How did you get on with creating your blog? Let me know in the comments section below.