Starting a blog is still one of the best ways to build visibility, a reputation as an expert or even a side income. The technical side takes just an evening, and in this guide we walk through it step by step.
1. Choose a topic and an angle
The best blogs are focused. One subject area, a recognisable point of view and a reader you are writing for. A narrow topic beats a general blog in the eyes of both readers and search engines.
2. Choose a platform, your own WordPress or a free platform?
Free platforms (Blogger, WordPress.com, Medium) are quick to start with, but the blog is not yours. The address is a subdomain of the platform, the ads and the rules belong to the platform, and moving away is laborious.
Your own WordPress on your own domain is the gold standard of owning a blog. The address is yours (for example yourblog.fi), the content is yours and you can monetise the blog in any way you like. The costs are a domain and web hosting, in other words a few euros a month.
3. Get a domain and web hosting
- Check and register an available domain name. A short, easy to remember name will serve you well for a long time.
- Order WordPress web hosting. WordPress installs from the control panel with a single click, and the SSL certificate comes automatically.
- Choose a lightweight theme and write your first article. There is time to polish the look later; content is what matters.
4. Write for the reader and for the search engine
A good blog article answers a question that your readers are actually searching for. Use descriptive headings, subheadings and clear paragraphs. One topic per article. Your publishing pace can be relaxed, as long as it is regular. A steady article a month beats a burst of ten articles followed by six months of silence.
5. Share and measure
Share your articles on the channels where your readers are, and install analytics from the very start. Search engine traffic grows slowly but accumulates. A blog that is six months old with good articles starts to gather visitors on its own.
Start today
The whole package, meaning a domain, web hosting and WordPress, is up and running in under an hour. Reserve a name for your blog and choose WordPress web hosting, and your first article could be live today.