How to Start a Blog in 10 Minutes or Less

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guy blogging on his laptop

Over 7 years ago, I quit my full-time job to work for myself and it was one of the best things that I ever did. Having a blog that was making money was a key component to letting me quit my day job.

Although it took me several years, I now make a full-time living from blogging. It is a great income stream to help us achieve our financial goals.

You can make money blogging and the first step is to start a blog as I show you how.

Get Your Blog Started

The first step with anything is to not get overwhelmed in all the details. Take it step by step.

With so many platforms to choose from, I did the research and wanted to share all I know.

Avoid Free Blogging Platforms

One of my first word of advise for you is to remember nothing is free. While there are many free blogging platforms out there like Blogger and Tumblr, they have restrictions that you need to be aware of.

Free platforms allow you to select a sub-domain. However, you will never get to choose your own domain.

For instance, if I wanted a free site, it would be wellkeptwallet.tumblr.com. Instead, I own wellkeptwallet.com, therefore I want my subpages to follow my domain.

For those of you that have no idea what this means, that is OK. In a nutshell, you are building up Tumblr’s brand instead of your own.

You really want to have your own domain name so that you can build your own brand moving forward. I will talk more about domain names in step 2.

The other major drawback is that you have limitations of how you can make money from your blog. Because of this, we will steer away from the free blogging platforms for purposes of this article.

Start your blog today with Bluehost as low as $2.95 per month.

Choose A Solid Blogging Platform

I recommend using legit platform like WordPress for your blog. Simply because it’s one of the most widely-used, easy-to-operate and reliable blogging platforms available.

I personally use WordPress and love it.

WordPress also has a ton of plugins that you can use. These plugins make managing your blog easier. You can also customize your blog using plugins.

You will have to purchase hosting in order to install Wordpress. So make sure to pick the web hosting company that works best for your situation.

3 Simple Steps to Starting a Blog

Getting a blog up and running in minutes is extremely doable. To walk you through the process, here are three simple steps to start your blog quickly.

1. Determine Your Blog Purpose

The first and most important step in starting a blog is to determine its purpose.

It’s vital that your blog’s purpose fills a need in the eyes of readers and shares valuable information with them.

Your purpose might be one of your favorite hobbies that make money. You can help others with your expertise and also learns something new yourself.

Avoid Multiple Topics

Too wide of a focus can confuse readers. For example, a blog that focuses on finance, home decor, and sixteen other things all at once isn’t a good idea.

You give readers the impression that you are a “jack of all trades, master of none”, so to speak.

For instance, someone wanting to learn about hiking shoes probably won’t visit a blog that focuses on video games and indoor activities.

If you want to blog about multiple non-related topics, consider making several blogs. At first, choose one topic and build that blog.

Have a Specific Purpose

Readers, in general, go to blogs that centrally focus on what they want to learn about.

Some focused blog purposes include:

  • Make money online
  • Gluten-free recipes
  • Do-it-yourself instructions
  • How to eliminate debt and grow wealth (like Well Kept Wallet)

So, when you’re deciding on what you want your blog to be about, be sure to pick a subject or brand that fills a need and doesn’t have too wide a focus.

Write a List of Potential Articles

If you need help choosing a specific topic, I suggest this simple exercise.

Make a list of potential articles for each blog topic, you’re thinking about.

You might be able to quickly list 30 article prompts for baking but only five for fitness, starting a cooking blog can be a good move.

Being able to think of multiple article ideas means you are more likely to have a successful blog. It takes several months of writing to build an audience which means you need a lot to write about.

2. Register Your Domain

Step number two, which is equally important, is to pick and register a domain. Your domain is your web address, such as wellkeptwallet.com.

When deciding on a domain for your blog, Bluehost is awesome because they will give you the domain for FREE when you purchase hosting through them.

On top of that, by using Bluehost for both your domain registration and your website hosting. You have the ability to manage everything in one convenient place.

How to Choose Your Domain

When deciding on a domain, choose a domain that is easy to remember and that gives an immediate overview of what your blog is about.

If you decide to blog about healthy home-cooked meals, for example, make sure your name reflects the blog’s purpose. Don’t simply call it, “www.marysblog.com”.

A non-descript domain won’t help you rank in the search engines. This is because search engines use your domain name and blog content to determine what topics you write about.

Also, a generic domain name can confuse the readers.

Instead, consider a name that states your blog’s purpose, such as www.healthyhomecookedmeals.com.

How to Get Your Domain Name for Free

Once you’ve decided on your domain name, go to Bluehost and click on the green “Get Started” button.

From there, you’ll have the option of picking one of three programs for your hosting plan. Again, if you buy your hosting through Bluehost, you’ll get your domain name for free!

The Basic Plan is around $3 a month and offers hosting for one website.

You’ll get the best deal if you pay for an entire year upfront versus paying month-by-month.

So, if you’re truly committed to starting and running a blog, an annual subscription is the most cost-effective way to go.

Committing for an entire year can also motivate you to keep blogging regularly. If you only pay month-to-month, you may decide to cancel and give up too soon.

Next, type the domain name you want into the box on the left labeled “new domain”. This will help you check to see if it’s available or if someone else is already using it.

bluehost sign up page

3. Pay for Your Plan

After entering your domain name and make sure it’s available, you pay for your hosting plan.

Make sure to review all of the plan information before putting in your payment info. The longer-term plan you choose, the cheaper it will be per month.

4. Choose a Password

Make sure you choose a strong password for your account.

It should be different than anything else you use on other sites.

A strong password is especially important if you turn your blog into a business. As it grows, security will be more important as your website may be your family’s source of income.

You’ll also have to check the box to agree to Bluehost’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Service.

create password bluehost

5. Install Wordpress

One of the things I love about Bluehost is that they make WordPress installation and starting a blog super easy.

Even those who aren’t familiar with starting and running a blog can easily use Bluehost to create a blog. The instructions below are easy-to-follow, I assure you.

How to install Wordpress using Bluehost:

  1. From your cPanel (look at the toolbar near the top of your screen to find it)
  2. Scroll down and find the section called “MOJO Marketplace”
  3. Then click the “One Click Install” button
  4. Click on the WordPress icon on the next page located under “Blogs”
  5. Next click on the “Start” button. This will begin the installation.
  6. Click the drop-down menu to pick the domain you plan on using for your site. If this is your first time using Bluehost, you’ll only have one option.
  7. You’ll see a tab titled “Advanced Options.” Head to this menu.
  8. Choose your username and password for your WordPress blog.
  9. Also, remember to check “Automatically create a new database for this installation” as well, which is a must for a brand new blogger.
  10. Next, click “Install Now.”

Also, be sure to remember to save your username and password.

That’s it! You officially own a blog.

Choosing a WordPress Username

Make sure not to use a default username such as “admin.”

Hackers usually try “admin” first when trying to hack a site.

To avoid this headache of a mistake, consider picking a username using a combination of different letters, numbers and symbols

WordPress will also have you choose a difficult password that will contain numbers and symbols.

Make sure this password is different than your non-WordPress account to prevent hacking.

After installing WordPress, it is time to choose your theme. Your theme will determine the look and feel of your website.

6. Choosing a Theme

There are plenty of free themes to choose from and these are a good place to start when you first begin your blog. Until you start to make money blogging, you can use a free theme to keep your costs down.

7. Start Writing

Now it’s time to write your first blog post! This is one of the first steps to getting your message out there as well as it is a great way to make some extra money online.

Your first articles do not have to be perfect. You can always update and expand your articles in the future by using the skills you learn in an online course like Hit Publish.

Writing something and hitting publish is important to reach readers seeking your knowledge.

After you write several articles, the search engines can start ranking your articles in search engine results.

Once your blog starts gaining traffic, you can earn money with affiliate marketing.

welcome to wordpress screenshot

FAQs

How much does it cost to start a blog?

Using a hosting company like Bluehost costs as little as $2.95 per month. This monthly plan includes hosting services and a free domain name.

If you choose to purchase a domain name separately, you may up to $20 per year plus hosting fees. Hosting fees vary by web hosting provider.

Is it worth starting a blog?

Blogging can be worth it if you love to write regularly and want to earn passive income. It can take several months to begin earning income.

Writing about a specific topic, producing content on a weekly basis and networking with similar blogs can help you build traffic. You can also have fun blogging too.

Is it too late to start a blog?

It’s not too late to start a blog. Admittedly, blogging requires effort and doesn’t earn instant income like other online side hustles.

But if you can start a blog on a topic that readers are interested in, you can get regular traffic and make money blogging.

Summary

Starting a blog only takes a few minutes and can be an exciting hobby that can make money. If you love to write, your blog can also be a great way to invest in yourself.

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30 Comments

  1. I was thinking to become a blogger many times and would like to share this mental passion. Unfortunately I know nothing about it and how I create a blog and it seems that I need a real user guide for this.
    Is it possible to become a blogger from nothing?

    1. Yes, of course you can! Blogging has a lot to do with finding something you’re passionate about or you think could benefit someone else and just writing about it. That’s almost all you need to get started! There’s lots of other ways you can start a blog and even make some money from it! Best of luck!

  2. I’ve been looking for a program that
    works. Thanks, I am going to try it.

  3. MATUU V SALU says:

    I’ve been looking for a program that works. Thanks, I am going to try it. Wish me luck.

  4. Lois Smith says:

    I am a late bloomer in everything: a laptop, becoming an affiliate, and blogging. I am only 81 and don’t even have a doctor. So I am going kicking and screaming all the way. I kind of liked your instruction. But, at the end you wanted me to write stuff. I said, WHAT!? Then I calmed down. My nitch is natural health products and I have a lot of information that very few people know anything about. So, I will knock their socks off. How many words do I do? I just don’t know how to get the affiliate stuff on my blog? My email is Loanne73 at gmail.com.

    1. We have a post that might help you called, “How to Make Money as a Beginning Blogger.” Check it out. It might help you with some of these questions. I hope you have success with your blog!

  5. Hello Sir,
    I hope you are doing well. I need a sponsored post on wellkeptwallet.com. Kindly tell me your cheap price. Waiting your good response. Thanks a lot!

    1. Please send your request by email to: info at wellkeptwallet.com.

  6. Yeah. WordPress is the right platform to start a blogging website. It has many plugins which helps you to run a blog smoothly and easily to get ranked in search engines. This is a very informative post. Keep posting.

    1. Thanks for your response and your opinions! We appreciate you dropping by. 🙂

  7. It’s been a long time since I’ve read something comprehensive about blogging. Thank you, Deacon. All of your instructions are noted.

    1. Your welcome. I’m glad you found it helpful!

  8. Deacon, this is an inspiring article. I wish I had read your article years ago. I still vividly remember the days I paid $750 for a not-so-great web design. I could have designed it much better than that using Wordpress as you mentioned. However, after several years, I have been running a successful blog and co-founder of a successful company. I like the way you are generously giving out information without expecting anything in return. I would love to interview you for our new blog post titled Successful bloggers list. Please let me know if you could spare a few minutes? Thanks.

    1. Thank you for the kind words! As far as an interview, please forward a request to: info at wellkeptwallet.com. I wish you continued success on your blog!

  9. This is an awesome post, Deacon. I contemplate anybody can begin their own particular blog and profit from it. I began one almost 5 years back, and have made a huge number of dollars up until this point!

    1. I think you are right – anyone can do it if they decide to do it. They just have to put their mind to it as well as some effort.

  10. I got a “for dummies” book on blogging from the library but it wasn’t “dummy” enough! (The author didn’t teach me like I was in kindergarten). Your article was concise and infinitely more helpful! I didn’t take the “in 10 minutes” literally (as some did). I understood you to mean it isn’t time consuming or difficult. I have a lot to write about, but I also want to earn an income. I will peruse the link you sent to Ann; I’m sure it will be as helpful as this article.
    Thanks so much!

    1. I’m glad the article helped!

  11. I understand how to start the blog, but how is money made by the blogger? Every blog I read is free. Please explain!

    1. One way is by using affiliate marketing in your blog. We have some posts about how to start your own blog as well as how to use a blog to make money, such as becoming a virtual assistant. You can start out doing it on the side to make extra money and turn it into your full time job if it grows enough. Check out some of our posts about this and good luck! 🙂

  12. Well, it took me a bit more than 10 minutes, but I did get my first blog setup on Wordpress! I’m not at all technical. If I can do it, anyone can.

    1. Deacon Hayes says:

      Haha. Yeah, it will differ from person to person as far as how long it would take. I’m glad you got it set up and I appreciate the encouragement to others looking to start a blog!

  13. What a great post, Deacon. I think just about anyone can start their own blog and make some nice money. I started one nearly 4 years ago, and have made tens of thousands of dollars so far!

    1. Deacon Hayes says:

      That is awesome to hear. It is amazing to see so many people that are making money with their blog. Thanks for stopping by, Derek!

  14. In my opinion, Word Press is the best CMS for bloggers. WP is simple for users and has pretty outfits for readers!

  15. 😀 I’ve never been able to pull that off in 10 minutes [ARGGHHHHHHH! Please get rid of the annoying GD green pop-up!!!!!).

    Bluehost was great while I was there, though I did have a back-end tech riding herd on the site. One thing to be aware of, though, is that when your site reaches a certain size, you start to experience a lot of down time. Then they put on the pressure to get you to move to a more expensive plan. That’s the time to look for other hosting servers.

    1. Deacon Hayes says:

      Hi, Vicky! I have considered taking down the pop-up, but I get 10 or so sign ups per day, so it seems to be effective. Bluehost does have some higher tier packages once you outgrow the base package, so that’s a great point to make others aware of.

  16. Abhilash @Money Transfer says:

    What a wonderful post!!! It’s easy to say “start in 10 minutes” but it’ll take more than that. A blog is the place we can express ourselves. This post is really informative and can be used as a tutorial for new bloggers. Well Done!! Bluehost is a reliable player in the hosting business. They have a responsive customer supporting team which works all the time (round the clock).

    1. Deacon Hayes says:

      I agree! Bluehost has been a life saver when it comes to tech support. As far as the time it takes, blogging will definitely take longer than 10 minutes, however, setting up the blog initially should take less than that. Thanks for stopping by!