My Success Story- why I’m so passionate about showing you how to start a lifestyle blog.
Blogging began as a hobby and has transformed into so much more than that for me. For more than 13 years, I’ve been able to come here, share bits about my life and connect with so many others! I started out sharing mainly my life, then incorporated fashion, then pregnancy, motherhood and parenting. Essentially, the blog has grown with me!
That’s the biggest reason that I want to show others how to start a lifestyle blog. It has opened so many doors and presented many opportunities that wouldn’t have been there without this blog of mine. Blogging has allowed me to do what I love and to stay at home with my babies. It has allowed me to create my own schedule and express myself in ways I never knew were possible before.
I had no idea at the time, but blogging has now set me up to be able to homeschool my kids, which I am so thankful for!
I know what you’re thinking- “I don’t know how to start a lifestyle blog” and “it just seems so hard to do” or “it’s too late to start a blog”- well I’m here to show you that a blog can be created easily by just following a few steps! And starting is the KEY to blogging! I had no plan when I started, other than to just share my life.
How to Start a Lifestyle Blog
1: Choose Your Blog’s Topic
2: Choose Your Platform
3: Get URL and Domain
4: Get Hosting
5: Install WordPress
6: Install a Theme
7: Publish Your First Post
What is a lifestyle blog?
A lifestyle blog is simply a blog where you write about things going on in your life! It can be very general, or can focus on one aspect of your life (like motherhood or fashion) with some other content mixed in every now and then. It’s really a wide-open option, which is why I recommend it!
You can start a blog related to anything though! Some of the most popular blogging categories are: food, lifestyle, parenting, fitness and finance.
This step-by-step tutorial will show you how to launch your own blog.
I created this one-page PDF printable with an 8-week launch checklist. If you do everything on this checklist, you’ll be well on your way to your first profitable month!
Before We Begin: Why create a lifestyle blog?
There are so many great reasons to start a blog today! Let’s talk about the obvious one first – money. Yes, you can earn money blogging. Within just a couple of years, I was making a notable income from the blog, after about 5 years I was making a full-time income and was able to leave my job! The good news for you, is that it’s easier to build a blog FAST in today’s world. I didn’t have Instagram, or even really Facebook at the time I started. Now, you have so many avenues to build a blog audience quickly! The best part is that because I make a living from my blog, I am able to stay home with my babies and work from here!
Don’t let anyone try and tell you blogging is an easy, get rich quick thing. It takes a LOT of work, but I still believe it is one of the BEST businesses a stay-at-home-mom, student (or anyone!) can start because of the LOW startup cost and unlimited potential.
I’ve been able to live a life I only dreamt about when I was waiting tables at a restaurant 12 years ago. I am able to wake up every day and do exactly what I want to do!
So, are you ready to start your blogging journey?
Print this pdf checklist to help make sure you complete all of the steps!
Step 1: choose your blog topic
What are you interested in?
Blogging about what interests you is very important. If you like the topic, and are interested in what you’re writing about, your readers will pick up on that. You’ll also enjoy doing it more and that is especially important if you’re going to stick with it.
Even if you’re blogging as a business, it should still be fun and something that you enjoy. If you start out writing for the sole purpose of making money, people will see straight through that.
What are you good at?
If you have a particular skill that you think should be shared with the world, a blog is the perfect place to do it! Do you excel in the kitchen? Start a food blog! Are your friends always asking you for fashion advice? Perhaps fashion blogging is the way to go.
If you can offer tips and generally help people out, they will flock to your blog.
Step 2: choose the proper platform
WordPress all the way
I won’t even discuss other options because I am so passionate about WordPress as a blogging platform. Here are a few reasons why WordPress is the best platform for blogging:
- Great for beginners
- Tons of free themes available
- Easily customizable, even if you have no coding knowledge
- There are tons of free plugins that make just about everything easier
- WordPress is the most commonly used platform, and therefore there are tons of resources out there providing help, should you get stuck
Why not a free platform?
There are many reasons why you should avoid using a free platform for your blog. Among them are:
- Some free platforms put their own ads on your site
- Most free platforms restrict your ability to put ads on your site or make any money at all
- There is virtually no support available and even something as simple as a design change warrants a cost (thus becoming not free)
- You will have an ugly URL, such as www.yourblog.blogspot.com
- Most importantly, you don’t own your blog when it’s on a free platform – it’s literally like building your house on land that you don’t own
Let me address that last point again. If your blog is on a free platform, you do not own the blog, or the URL. This means (and it has happened before) that your blog could be shut down at the drop of a hat, for any reason they see fit. Some blogs have been shut down because the blogger was working with a company that the platform owners don’t like. You don’t want to put your blog in someone else’s hands just to save five bucks a month.
Step 3: snag your URL or domain name
If you already have a domain name, click this page to see how to get HostGator hosting set up for your existing domain.
Ok, now that you’ve got your blog topic and are ready to set up your WordPress blog, it’s time to get a domain name. This will be your website’s address, or what goes here: www.YOURSITE.com.
Tips on choosing a domain name:
- Make it as short as you can. The shorter it is, the easier it is for people to remember and type.
- Make sure it conveys your blog’s message. While trying to keep it short, be sure to include something about yourself or your blog’s message in the URL.
- Don’t steal. It’s best not to copy someone else’s idea when it comes to your blog. I also don’t recommend using brand names in your URL.
Step 4: Get hosting
It’s time to click right here to head over to HostGator to get your domain and hosting.
I am a HostGator affiliate and get a commission when you use my links to save up to an extra 60% off your plan. I could be an affiliate for any company, but I choose HostGator due to their incredibly low costs and awesome 24/7 customer support. Their one-click WordPress install is perfect for people who are starting new blogs.
When you use the exclusive links on this post, plans start at under $5/month $3/month!
Note – I have an exclusive 40% off code up to 60% off deal for HostGator plans. Normal affiliates get a 25% off code to offer their readers, but I asked for more and you get to reap the benefits!
Choose a plan and you’ll be at this screen:
Next, you’ll enter the domain name aka your blog’s web address. The first couple you enter might already be taken. Don’t get discouraged! There are still great, unclaimed domain names out there!
Upon entering an available domain, you will see that it is available and it will be automatically added to your cart (as shown above).
You will then be given the option to add the .net and .org versions of your domain. I generally do not do this and only buy the .com domain.
You’ll also see a checkbox for “Domain Privacy Protection”. You want to keep this checked. It’s $10/year, but it prevents your registration information from being public information. This keeps your email address, phone number and even physical address from being public information. Instead, they will see HostGator’s company information.
Scroll down a bit to see this screen:
Confirm your hosting package and billing cycle length and then create an account username and password.
After that, scroll down and enter your billing info. Their site is 100% secure.
Note: if at any point during this process you get stuck, feel free to contact me (info at the bottom of post) or jump on the phone and call HostGator at 1-866-96-GATOR or click the “live chat” button in the top right portion of their page and they’ll be happy to help you out.
Scroll down a bit more for some extra options. You don’t NEED any of these, as they can all be achieved outside of HostGator. For example, there are plugins to back up your blog and to improve security. Basically, I’d take note as to what these add-ons do and look for ways to do them yourself. It’s cheaper and more effective.
If you used any of the links in this post, the next section will have code KDW60 already entered to get your 60% discount!
Underneath of that, you’ll be able to review your order. It will look something like this:
Check the box that you agree to their terms, move forward and complete your payment.
Whew!
Step 5: install WordPress
Once payment is complete, you’ll receive an email within a few minutes confirming your purchase and containing important information. I recommend forwarding this email to another email address that you own so it is in two places just in case.
Note: check your spam folder for the next couple of days to make sure nothing lands there. I am hearing that the email from LaunchPad (who HostGator uses to register your domain name) is ending up in spam folders. You’ll want that email to finalize your registration!
In the email will be a link to your control panel aka cpanel. You’re going to want to click that. You’ll have to login. The login and password will be in the email as well.
Now that you’re past that screen, you should get to your cPanel. This is the “back end” of your site and where all of the key technical matters will take place. It will look like this:
DON’T click the Build a New WordPress Site icon! We’re going to Install WordPress from a different location.
In the cpanel, you’ll see a LOT of icons. Ignore them all for now. You don’t want to spend a lot of time here unless you really know what you are doing. What we will do here is install WordPress. With HostGator, it is actually very easy to install WordPress on a domain. In your cPanel, scroll down and look for a “Software/Services” section. It’ll look like this:
Click QuickInstall to move forward.
Then choose WordPress:
Choose your domain from the dropdown and leave the directory box blank:
Next, you’ll be at the WordPress install screen.
Fill out the boxes on that next screen and click install. Install will take a couple of minutes and then you’ll see this screen:
From there, copy your password and click “login” use your username and password from the previous screen and login!
Note: While most blogs will be able to be accessed right away, this process could take up to 48 hours. A very few amount of blogs will have to wait up to 48 hours, due to their location in comparison to the HostGator data servers. Feel free to use the HostGator chat support found right on their site to ask them for updates on this process.
This is what your WordPress dashboard will look like:
Aaaaaaand that is how to start a lifestyle blog that is self-hosted on WordPress.
Whew! We made it! Was it easy? Do you have questions? Leave a comment below, email me [email protected] or catch me on Twitter @RealZackReyes. I’m happy to walk you through this process!
Step 6: find a theme that you like
At this point, you might want to take a look at our How to Set Up a WordPress Blog course here.
Hold your mouse over “Appearance” and click “Themes” to browse the hundreds of free WordPress themes available.
Look for a theme toward the top (probably the top 20 or so) of the “popular” themes section. You’ll find that by hovering on “appearance” then clicking “themes” then click “add new” and you’ll see the top themes.
The free themes have gotten really good and you should be comfortable picking one of those to get you started.
Step 7: publish your first post
When you’re ready to post, hover over the “Posts” option and a new dropdown menu will appear. Click New Post and you’re off and running! Congratulations- you have just started your own lifestyle blog!
To delete the original post that they put there, click all posts and you’ll see an option to trash that “Hello World” post.
Visit MoreFromYourBlog.com for tips on gaining traffic, increasing your social media following, making money from your blog and much, much more.
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Tips for Blogging Success
-Write about what you love. What are you passionate about? What makes you excited and really makes you you? If you write about things that you truly love, chances are your writing will be better and others will love reading it!
-Be consistent. Whether you’re blogging once a day or once a week, consistency is key!
-Be ethical. Disclose properly for products and payments received in return for posts, and also don’t plagiarize or steal ideas and images.
-Make your blog beautiful! Spend time (or money) making the small design details of your blog perfect for you!
-Be active on social media. Don’t automate all of your accounts. Rather, be present on each platform that you’re trying to build. People like you for you and your personality should sine through!
-Take pride in the pictures that you put on your blog. This is all yours- own it!
-Steer clear of any blog drama! It is not worth your time. If you don’t have anything nice to say, just don’t say anything at all!
-Most importantly: HAVE FUN! If you’re not enjoying what you are doing, you are more likely to give up. Plus, it will come through in your content, and others will be able to tell that you aren’t enjoying it, too.
To give you an idea of lifestyle blog content, some of my favorite posts are about my daughter turning one, what I did on a recent weekend and a list of things that make me happy. You see, lifestyle blogging truly can simply be all about you and your life! Document it all on a blog and see where it takes you!
Now go on with your blog self! ;)
Did you have any questions on how to start a lifestyle blog? Comment below and I’ll try and answer!
xo
Lexie
I love this post! Thanks so much for sharing! Such a detailed and helpful post. And you are simply adorable! :) Thanks again!
Katie
Thanks so much, Lexie! Glad you found it helpful!
xo
Mustang Sally
Thank you for sharing these tips! I wish I would have read this before starting my current blog but it is never too late to change it up. It has been a huge help for the technical parts of a blog. Thank you!
Sarah
What is your blog post schedule (how often do you post)?
Which are your favorite affiliate programs?
What photo editor program do you use?
Thanks! Great post.
Rachelle
This post was so helpful to me! You walked me straight through the entire process. Thank you! Definitely sharing this! On a side note, you are my new hair idol. :)
Katie
Aww thank you so much, Rachelle!! You are the sweetest. :) And I’m so glad it was helpful! That is awesome!!
xo
Sara Montoya
Hi ! My Name is Sara and I’m finally embarking on starting up my own blog which I’ve been wanting to do for years ! I’m terrified but so excited !! Thank yo so much for the helpful tips and inspiration. You’re awesome ! I believe we went to the same high school although I became a Husky after you graduated and I just wanted to say you are a huge inspiration. Thank you ~
Sara Montoya
I believe I’m mistaken about the school, but very inspirational none the less lol
Katie
Aww Sara! You are the sweetest!! I’m so so glad that I could help! You will do so great :) Thank you for your kind words! <3
xo
Sarah Louise
Hi Katie! Just wanted to say thanks for the great tips. I found your site when researching lifestyle blogs and yours is very fun and relatable!
Just getting started, but there it is: http://www.sugarmaplenotes.com
Katie
Aww thanks so much, Sarah! I’m so glad you found my blog! :) You and your little one are adorable!
xo
Sarah Louise
Thank you Katie :)
shoes
Good info. Lucky me I ran across your site by chance (stumbleupon).
I have book-marked it for later!
Sierra
I wish I would have read this blog before starting the one I had created, these are all so helpful tips for starting a blog, this is great.
Myra
I creared one too with Blogger.com.. I’m not sure if I should re-do it with word press
Kayla
Wow, I wish I would have read this before a blogging assignment was assigned to me! I love the easy step by steps! I think it is great that you have found a way to be a stay at home mom through blogging. Thank you!
Brittany
Hi, quick question regarding the process on creating a blog. Do you create the domain on WordPress first or on Host Gator?
Thank you!
xoxo Britt
Katie
Hi Brittany!
You create the domain on HostGator as part of the signup. Once you choose a hosting plan from here: http://secure.hostgator.com/~affiliat/cgi-bin/affiliates/clickthru.cgi?id=zrmediagroup&page=http://www.hostgator.com/shared the next screen will have you choose a domain and finish the signup process.
Hope that helps and happy blogging!
xo
Brittany
Awesome, thank you!
What’s the difference between creating a domain on HostGator vs. directly on Word press?
Katie
Hi Brittany, the domain on WordPress does not come with hosting, and therefore you would not own any of the content on the site and would be at the mercy of WordPress. When you buy a domain on Hostgator, the domain and all of the content found on your website are yours. Good luck! :)
xo
Giovanna
Hi, How do I do this if I already have a wordpress blog. Can I buy the domain and just add it to my wordpress blog?
Katie
You would follow the steps on this post and get your “.com” domain and hosting, then follow the steps here: http://support.hostgator.com/articles/specialized-help/technical/wordpress/transfer-wordpress-from-wordpress-com-to-your-self-hosted-wordpress to transfer all of your existing blog’s content to your new self-hosted wordpress blog. Best of luck! Let me know if you have any other questions! :)
xo
Kaylee
Hi Katie!
I’m trying to start my own blog, and I’m still kind of confused. Did you do buy hosting from Hostgator AND purchase a plan on WordPress? If I just get a Hostgator account, does that include all of the options on WordPress?
Thanks,
Kaylee
Katie
Hey, when you purchase your domain and hosting through hostgator, wordpress is included in that. You simply follow the steps in this post to install it, and that’s it! Best of luck! :)
xo
Khrinda
Love the article!! Looks like I’ve got some work to do, as I’m just getting going on my blog! Thank you for the insight!!! Merry Christmas!!
Turn Neon
I agree with you. Thanks for your suggestion. You mentioned some really great ways to start a lifestyle blog successfully. Really helpful tips.
Jessica Fancy
I think the best part of this post is that you get to stay home with the little one. Congrats!
Kaylee
Hi Katie!
Thank you for your help up above! I have a couple more questions if that’s ok :)
-Do the themes that cost money come with the option to have more pages? (i.e. About, Home, Contact)
-How long did it take you to gain an audience?
-Do you use a phone camera or a professional camera?
I’m sorry for all of the questions, I’m just trying to get going with my own blog :)
Thanks again,
Kaylee
Vanessa Torres
Katie,
I’m so glad I ran into your blog. I love it!
I’m trying to come up with a name for a new lifestyle blog I want to create. I’m starting a new business and want a blog as well. Keep up the good work! I wish you and your family a prosperous new year. God bless.
Kindest Regards,
Vanessa Torres
Dawn
Really enjoyed this post!! I am so sad I didn’t find it earlier! I just started re-blogging this year! I am using weebly…. you speak so highly of wordpress and maybe I should have started there? Will using weebly hurt me in the long run? I tried using wordpress but found it much more difficult when trying to personalize my blog. Maybe I was just doing it wrong. Again, great post! Really enjoyed it! :)
Adam
Thanks so much loved the advice!
Iwalani
Aloha Katie!
Your blog was so informative and helpful! I’ve always loved writing journals and photography, but I’ve never had that much confidence in technology. I’m so horrible with computers. I found your entry while researching how to start one. Thank you so much for your advice. I really love reading your other stories, as well. You have a very beautiful family :)
Devyani Rao
Hey Katie..
I am also starting my blogging journey..your blog is really nice & has inspired me a lot.. i like the fact that you interact with your audience..
Grace Ashline
I really appreciate your outreach in sharing your knowledge with us! I have been a creative writer for years and since having my three children, it’s one of many parts of my identity that has taken a back-seat. I’m determined and motivated to start a blog to help record moments for my family, but have felt so overwhelmed with the information out there that is often confusing and too intimidating to pursue. This has been so helpful, thank you!
I do have a question I was hoping you could help with? How do we pursue copyright protection for our blog and writing pieces? That is something I don’t seem to understand or know how to navigate.
Gratefully!
Angel
Aww sweet post for startup bloggers :) nice post
http://www.angelmstyle.com/luscious-lipstick/
Dawn
I followed your instruction to the “T” and I’m really happy with how my blog turned out. Thank you so much for making this post! It’s been so extremely helpful!
Katie
Awesome!! I’m so glad that I could help! :) Welcome to blogging!
xo
KitKat
I’ve recently just started research on blogging and found the biggest highlight of your blogs to seem very ethical which I find the most valuable and it’s greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!
Lindsay
This post was so helpful! I am thinking about starting my own blog and the honest opinions and instruction available through this post are so appreciated!
Katie
Glad you liked it! Hope to see you in the blog-o-sphere soon!
xo
Alicia
Thank you! This is very helpful. I’m having a little trouble setting up my blog. I’m trying to create categories like you have on the top of your page (baby, fitness, etc) and WordPress isn’t letting me add blog posts to those categories. Did you have the same problem? How did add posts to your specific categories?
Thank you!
Taisiya
Love this post! It really got me going on my site as I’ve reached a point in my life where I need to be doing something I love on a daily basis instead of hating my 9-5 Monday through Friday. Although i’m still working full time, I have started to take my blog, http://www.lovinlivinlearnin.com, seriously and have committed to it 100 percent. I’d love for you to check it out if you get the chance and feedback is always appreciated at this starting point!
Kawaii
Hi Katie
I’ve just started my blog and I never knew they was this much to it lol
Kaycee Rose
Thank you so much for sharing this information! I was able to easily set up my blog using these steps. I appreciate the fact that you both are so open and willing to help others dive into the world of blogging. It’s a lot to learn and sort through but I know it will be worth it in the long run.
Blessings,
Kaycee
Jade & Rikki
This was amazing advice :) I’m loving WordPress over Blogger. I just started so I’m absorbing all information!
Carolina
Love this! Thanks so much :)
Lina @ thelovelylina.com
Faith
Can’t say thank you enough for such a helpful blog post! I’ve been wanting to write a blog for so long and this post gave me the push I needed. I followed you step for step and it was so much easier than what I was trying to do. The best part is not having a website with a funky name.
Faithineverything.com just launched and I’ve had such great feedback! Thanks again! :)
Katie
Awesome!! I’m so happy to hear it! Best of luck with everything- blogging is truly SO fun!
xo
Johanna winter
Hi Katie.
This was a great post, thank you! I’m trying to navigate through this internet jungle and create my own blog. One of the things i’ve been wondering about is how to start an email list and you really cleared that one up for me, so thanks! And your high spirit got me even more exited and motivated to get started!
Best wishes for you and your growing family.
xx Johanna
Katie
Thanks for the kind words! Glad you found the page helpful and decided to get started! Have fun blogging!
xo
Wyatt
I liked the tips you had for blogging success. I have a question… I’ve seen some blogs use only pinterest pictures on their blogs, and I was wondering if this was to drive more traffic to their blog from pinterest or if it is to save space on their server? Thanks!
Katie
That is a strategy that might work for some bloggers. It could be to save server space, or it just might be personal preference. I can’t speak to whether it’s beneficial or not since I don’t do that.
Katie
Hi! I’m trying to do this right now, I signed up with host gator and received an email with the link to my c panel but it never gave me a username or password to use. How do I log in?
Katie
Hmm, I believe that comes in a 2nd email. Have you received it yet? If not, contact HostGator support. Their chat help is quick and helpful!
Bridget
Thanks so much for writing this post! Amazingly helpful. I’m just starting up my own blog and am looking for anything&everything blog related! :) Glad I stumbled onto your blog. I must say, as well, that your page is very inviting right from the start.
-Bridget@ http://www.coffeethenjesus.com
Bridget
Oh my goodness! So I totally put the wrong url for my site!
-Bridget@ jesusthencoffee.com
Jenna Weaver
Hello!
This post has been SO helpful!! I love the tips! It made the process so easy for me. I have run into a wall, and thought maybe you could help! I have search for hours on the internet and within the wordpress forums and im just not finding what I need.
What I am wanting to do, is set up my Pages with the “blog page” template. I cannot find a theme with this option and I do not feel “technically advanced” enough to create my own template. Would you know of any free themes that have this option or how to easily find one? Or just any advice at all :) Thank you!!
Katie
Hi Jenna! Thank you for your kind words!
I had no idea themes lacked that feature. I can’t be of much help with regard to the free themes because I simply don’t know much about them. I use the Foodie Pro theme, which you can see here (affiliate link) and love it. I believe all Genesis themes have that option and they’re all we use, so I had no idea themes didn’t have the blog template option.
I hope that helps!
xo
Jennifer
I have been thinking about a name a lot and coming back to your post. I think i found a name but I don’t see anything about what you recommend for add on’s. You can let us know what you chose and recommend. I need to decide before paying. Host Gator automatically checks “Secure and accelerate your site” and “Site back up” which is an extra $36 a year. Please let me know. Thank you for all the advice!
Katie
Hi Jennifer! There’s a little blurb in the post about the add ons. Here’s what it says:
“Scroll down a bit more for some extra options. I only recommend getting the privacy protection here. The others are not necessary. Domain Privacy Protection is a big deal. If you don’t choose this, anyone can look up who owns your site and your registration information will be public. This includes your email address, physical address and phone number. You want domain privacy protection.”
I just looked and now “Domain Privacy Protection” is listed right underneath where you select your URL/Domain Name. Just make sure the box is checked and you’re good to go! You don’t need any of the other services. You do need to back up your site, but can do it in other ways, although their price is not bad. That’s the only other one I’d recommend if you wanted to make things a bit easier for yourself.
I hope that helps!
xo
Breanna Auton
If we can’t afford to start a blog with a hosting site, what would you recommend be our best way to go?
Katie
I would recommend starting with a free WordPress site if you plan on switching over later. If you start with Blogger, you’ll have to learn WordPress once you switch. However, I as I mentioned above, I don’t recommend starting with a free platform if you have visions of making money with a blog.
kali
hey there, I was wondering how to change fonts in wordpress? I switched to wordpress from blogger after hearing it was simple but it seems complicated. i’m wondering if there’s something i’m doing wrong? thanks for any input! :)
Katie
Hi! You can read this thread to see how to change the font. It’s fairly simple, although it does involve changing code. https://wordpress.org/support/topic/how-to-change-the-fonts-in-wordpress
Dominique Finn
Wow, such a detailed post! Thank you for your advices. I’ve tried to start blogging a several times but sometimes I feel just so out of energy :D And then I write xyz posts a day. I should do some better planning haha. Have a nice day and wishing you all the best with your baby! You are such a cuties.