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
Hello Katie! Your post is great. I had already done most of these steps when I found it, but still helpful! I was actually looking for info about blog posts when I found your post. I’m getting ready to launch my blog, but one thing has been bothering me for a while. My blog will be about natural things (home, beauty, care, etc.), but part of it will also be more of a lifestyle/personal blog (you know, student life, girl advice, personal experiences, etc). So my question is: How the heck am I supposed to promote my ‘’lifestyle’’ posts? I mean, for the natural living part, it’s easy. But lifestyle… I never see posts on pinterest that go like ths: ‘’ this or that event of my life happened’’.How do you do it? I’m really intrigued! Thanks in advance!
Hi Millye!
Some posts just don’t fit for promotion everywhere and that’s okay. I don’t every single one of my posts, so don’t feel pressure to do that! I hope that helps!
For me one thing I have notice is sharing on social media also if it’s a lifestyle blog – some people (like me ) just search for random lifestyle blogs to read.
Hi Katie! I am finally starting my blog. Ive been wanting to do it for along time. Today is the day! right?
I have a question… how many posts should I have ready the day I launch, so it doesn’t look empty?
do I start with essays or should I add sections to it (mom hacks, recipes , tips etc)?
Thank you!
Yes! Today is the day! You don’t have to have a certain amount of posts ready when you launch. I launched with just one! It’s all up to you. If you don’t have an existing audience, you don’t necessarily need a lot of posts when you launch, because who will be reading them?
Very bold move, girl! Hahaha :) Good thing it worked out for you! I have 4 posts and I’m still stressing out about that fact. I’m supposed to launch tomorrow, but because I don’t have more, I think I’ll launch my blog on the 15th. Maybe by then I’ve written 2 more. I’m just struggling with USEFUL stuff to write about, ya know? My blog is also a lifestyle one. Anyway, it’d be cool if you checked it out, I’m liking how it’s turning out and I ENJOYED SO MUCH writing my first 4 posts. I really feel like this is for me and I wish I can make this my living, it’d be such a blessing.
Hi I’ve already started my blog on wordpress I have a premium account and i’m ready to move to hosting. Is it possible and easy to transfer over the site and domain name to hostagtor?
You should be able to do that by following the tutorial here: http://support.hostgator.com/articles/specialized-help/technical/wordpress/transfer-wordpress-from-wordpress-com-to-your-self-hosted-wordpress
Hi Katie. Love your approach to blogging. I need to find out how to post and be seen on Pinterest. I have a food blog (basically just getting started), and need to know more about Pinterest. Any thoughts?
My advice is to find articles like this: http://socialmarketingwriting.com/20-pinterest-tricks-and-tips-you-might-not-have-discovered/ and this: https://blog.bufferapp.com/pinterest-marketing-tips and really just dive in and put some of the advice you find into practice. Pinterest is not my strong point, so I don’t personally have a ton of tips on it.
Hi Katie, I just came across your blog a few weeks ago and I’m loving it! My question is about your hosting site – do you and your husband host your blogs from the same host account? If so, can you explain how to do this? My husband and I are in the contemplation phase of starting our own blogs and wondering if we can sign up for one hosting account and then run our individual blogs from that or if it would be better to have our own hosting accounts. Thanks for your help! I’m looking forward to getting it all set up so I can start on your 8 week guide
Hi Christine! You can absolutely host more than one website from the same hosting account. The HostGator Baby Plan at under $4/month is a great option to do this. You would simply install WordPress on both domains. This article has a bit more info on that: http://support.hostgator.com/articles/cpanel/i-already-own-a-hosting-package-and-want-to-add-a-2nd-domain
Very helpful. There is so much information out there on the internet, sometimes it can become very overwhelming! Thanks for explaining this in such an easy to understand format!
So I have been following directions for setting up a domain site on gatorhost. I didn’t realize Word Press was $100 just for basic. Are there similar things that dont cost a lot? I know I may never make money and certainly not much anytime soon. It word press absolutely necessary in your eyes and if so, just the basic will do?
WordPress is not necessary to blog, I just feel that it is the best way to start a blog that you want to be profitable as quickly as possible. It’s not a requirement though.
It’s not the wordpress that costs, it’s the hosting. Many hosting companies offer cpanel which can install wordpress free of charge. But all hosting companies require payment. Some are annual and some, like mine, are monthly. So it’s not really wordpress that you’re paying $100 for. It’s the hosting of your entire site. Having a site means traffic and traffic means bandwidth.
Do you have resources on how to for blogging.. I did all of the above but setting up my blog.. I hit a road block.. How to post pics..how and where do posts go.. Etc.
I have not created much content on the specific how-to of blogging, but this video provides a lot of great info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IyJ_LQoCFMQ
So I’m confused… how do you actually make money doing blogs? Who pays? I’m such a noob at this lol
Basically, you make money by leveraging your audience. Just about any company that understands business will want to pay to reach their target audience. Your blog and social channels have an audience that companies are willing to pay to reach. I have a ton of other blogging resources, and I linked them below:
Step-by-step guide to starting- https://www.katiedidwhat.com/how-to-start-a-lifestyle-blog/
Email series full of blogging tips- https://www.katiedidwhat.com/free-social-media-course-and-blogging-email-series/
YouTube videos on blogging- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0c2cePisNg&list=PLRmiUZlMOZ_Uo4lsF9_wnrowaRzvwsqNv
And a course on WordPress setup- https://how-to-set-up-a-wordpress-blog.teachable.com/
Blog about blogging- http://morefromyourblog.com
Hey!!! So I’m trying to get back into blogging. However, I am a full-time student who is focusing on school rather than working during school. Therefore, I do not have the funds. I have a “free” blog. I do not really agree with having a free blog is not effective. How do you deal with this?
Hey! I definitely think a free blog is a great way to start, but a WordPress.com blog is limiting in the functionality, as they don’t offer the same selection of plugins. Additionally, many advertisers will require you to be a self-hosted blog to work with them. Again, you can absolutely start and make some money on a free platform, it’s just more difficult and limiting.
Hi Katie! Do we need to create the wordpress blog first and THEN purchase through HostGator? I am a little confused about whether to create the wordpress blog first or to purchase the domain first…. Thanks so much! :)
Definitely don’t start WordPress first! If might help if you jump right to step 3 in the post. I hope that helps!
Hi Katie,
I’m looking to start my own blog ASAP, but I’m wondering why you are recommending using HostGator instead of creating my domain through WordPress directly? I am completely new to the blogging world, so I apologize if this is a silly question.
Thank you.
Hi Danielle,
If you create your domain through WordPress directly, you are using the free WordPress.com hosting, which is very limiting in functionality. Because of that reason and because of the very low cost of HostGator, I don’t recommend it.
Hello Katie,
Great post and easy to follow. I have been blogging since June but I am still new to it and I am still learning. I have the Personal Plan through WordPress, I will be moving to the Premium Plan here soon. In setting up my blog I did miss the Hosting step, can you explain what the purpose of this is and is it too late for me to host my WordPress blog now? Thank you for your help.
Hi! You definitely did not miss your chance to get hosting. The main benefit is the functionality that a self-hosted WordPress blog offers. The plugins that are available can save you a ton of time and money down the road. This page shows you how to transfer your current site to a self-hosted WordPress blog. Be sure to use code KDW60 to save on your purchase! http://support.hostgator.com/articles/specialized-help/technical/wordpress/transfer-wordpress-from-wordpress-com-to-your-self-hosted-wordpress
Hi Katie!
Great post. I have been doing researching and have been wanting to start a blog for about a year. I don’t really have a ‘niche’ though…? I was thinking probably lifestyle would be my best option since I like writing about my own experiences (beauty, cooking, just simply life stuff) and then integrate faith based stuff into it. Do you think it’s even worth a try? Or should I keep waiting until I find a niche?
Thanks so much!
I always tell people to just go for it! Just start! That’s what I did 8 years ago! As you write more and more posts, you’ll figure out what you enjoy writing about the most and what your audience is most interested in. You can react to those things and shape your content that way. I hope that helps!
Thanks for your this helpful information. In this post you provide screenshot step by step that is amazing and easy to understand .
Hello, Thank you so much for posting this article. It has helped me out so much in transferring my blog to a professional looking sight. I am loving this self-hosting thing so far. There seem to be a lot of hidden (or rather unbeknownst until you realize you need a specific plugin or widget that is not free) costs to self-hosting. I also now have a “will be funny in the future when I look back on it all” story about transferring my domain from my previous host to my new one. Thank you once again for giving me the place to start on my own website which is a advice blog for young adults who are trying to figure out how to be adults. I am so excited to get this journey started!
All the best,
lavenderbug
Thank you for your comment! So glad you found my info helpful and I’m so happy for you that you’re taking your blog to the next level!
Thank you for this detailed and insightful information! I’ve been working on my blog for a while now and am excited/scared to take it to the next level. Thank you for your constant uplifting posts! You are a joy to follow! :)
You’re welcome! Thank you for this sweet comment! My advice: put the fear aside and just go for it! :)
Hi thank you for all detailed explanation! It was very helpful and insightful for me who is in the process of starting my own blog. I have on equestion: what is the difference between the host and the platform?
The host is who stores all of your website data on their server and the platform is the service that you use to run your blog, create posts, upload images and design your site. So, WordPress is a platform and HostGator is the host. I hope that helps!
Hey Katie! I love this post, it’s everything I was looking for, I’m going to get my blog up and going soon I just had a question about how you edit your photos on your Instagram account to make it flow together? AlsI do you reach out to companies you want to work with or do they reach out to you?
Hi Katie,
I use VSCO and Afterlight to edit most of my Instagram photos. I try and keep a similar look and feel to most of my photos while still posting a good variety of content there.
As far as question #2, I do both reaching out and getting pitched. After a while, pitches will come your way more often, but if there’s a particular brand I really want to work with, I’ll reach out to them. I hope that helps!
Hi! I hope this makes sense- but how do you build your traffic on your blog? How do new people find your blog? Your Instagram followers may read it, but how do you become more popular so that you could start to make money? Thank you!
Hi Lindsey, I have linked all of my best info on building a blog below. I hope it’s helpful!
Step-by-step guide to starting- https://www.katiedidwhat.com/how-to-start-a-lifestyle-blog/
Email series full of blogging tips- https://www.katiedidwhat.com/free-social-media-course-and-blogging-email-series/
YouTube videos on blogging- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0c2cePisNg&list=PLRmiUZlMOZ_Uo4lsF9_wnrowaRzvwsqNv
And a course on WordPress setup- https://how-to-set-up-a-wordpress-blog.teachable.com/
Blog about blogging- http://morefromyourblog.com
Hi Katie!
A friend and I have been talking about blogging together.
I’m wondering if the blog becomes profitable, would it be difficult to figure out how to share the profit/expenses/taxes, figure out filing taxes, etc? Is it better to blog on my own for these reasons to avoid complications, or do you think it’s doable? Thanks for Amy advice!
Sorry *any advice ????
Hi Emily,
While I don’t think it would be difficult to split things and there are certainly people who do that, I would do it on your own. Maybe that’s just because that’s the way I found my own success though. Having a partner would probably help it get off the ground faster with two people doing the foundational work.
Katie,
Pretty much everything you said has been Greek to me but that is why I am here I want to learn. I wish they had people who set it all up for you and then you just start!
Hi Katie,
I am currently researching the possibility of starting a homesteading blog. The initial setup seems straight forward enough, very similar to setting up my website ( which I no longer have). But could you please tell me what plug-ins and widgets are used for ona blog?
Thank you!
Maralee
Hi Maralee,
The plugins and widgets vary based on your blog’s needs, but here’s a pretty good list of some of the best: http://www.wpbeginner.com/showcase/24-must-have-wordpress-plugins-for-business-websites/
I already have a free wordpress blog and I chose the option to pay extra to purchase my domain name so that I don’t have the extra .wordpress in my blog name. My question is if I already have a blog and want to transfer it – how does that work and will I be able to keep my domain name, or will wordpress hold it? My domain name is my name so I’d like to keep it.
Hi Teresa,
This page should help, but if not their chat support is very responsive: http://support.hostgator.com/articles/specialized-help/technical/wordpress/transfer-wordpress-from-wordpress-com-to-your-self-hosted-wordpress
Hi! Its so great you are helping so many ppl. I have been following your steps but I dont know how to add the read morefesture on my home page so they will be directed to the particular category.
Hmm. It sounds like that is a specific design issue, which I am unable to help much on. Maybe try contacting the theme developer or a find someone on fiverr who might be able to do it?
Hi Katie! I’m looking at hostgator right now, is the $144.02 good for 36 months?
Do you think it’s possible to build a site for 36 months and earn? how much did you earn and how did you start getting big?
Thank you!
Hi, that is a great price for 36 months. You can always start with 12 months and continue from there- it’s up to you. The more you commit to up front, the less money per month it costs though. As far as the other questions, I recommend looking at all of the resources I’ve created on blogging, which can help with just about every part of blogging. I’ve linked them below:
Step-by-step guide to starting- https://www.katiedidwhat.com/how-to-start-a-lifestyle-blog/
Email series full of blogging tips- https://www.katiedidwhat.com/free-social-media-course-and-blogging-email-series/
YouTube videos on blogging- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0c2cePisNg&list=PLRmiUZlMOZ_Uo4lsF9_wnrowaRzvwsqNv
And a course on WordPress setup- https://how-to-set-up-a-wordpress-blog.teachable.com/
Blog about blogging- http://morefromyourblog.com
Thanks so much for this post. It is exactly what I need and I love your vlogs on youtube too. You and your hubby are the cutest and obviously make a great team. I’m so excited to get my blog started and start posting. Thanks love! :)
Thank you for the sweet words! So glad you’ve found the content helpful! :)
I got it up and running. Thanks again for the great post! You are awesome!
Okay I have a question, and I’m sorry it’s already been answered. I signed up for wordpress and made a website. But, I’m not clear what webhosting is. If my site is live, why do I need that? Thanks!
Hi! Thank you for writing such a helpful blog post. I do have a question– if I already have a domain through blogger, can I just switch over to wordpress? I’m not sure how that works so I thought you might know.
Thank you for the help!
Hi! You can absolutely do that- it’s exactly what I did! Here’s a page with more info on that: https://www.hostgator.com/blog/transfer-blogger-wordpress/ also the HostGator chat support is really good at helping with this.
Hi! I already set up my blog through wordpress, not really knowing about hosting. I set it up under Premium. What do I need to do now? Do I need to put it on HostGator too. I’m a little confused on the whole web hosting thing.
mexicanvanillamom.com
Thank you!
Hi! It appears that you bought a premium domain through WordPress, but you are still using free hosting. To take advantage of all of the plugins and features WordPress offers, you’ll have to get your own hosting through someone like HostGator. The process to do this is simple, and you can read about it here – http://support.hostgator.com/articles/specialized-help/technical/wordpress/transfer-wordpress-from-wordpress-com-to-your-self-hosted-wordpress
Awesome! Thank you so much for your help!
Hey Katie!
Your post is so helpful in easing my anxieties as far as “I have I crossed all my t’s and dotted all of my i’s” for the actual “starting a blog” part. I am DEFINTELY going to check out convertkit before I start promoting my blog and officially publishing my first post. My biggest dilemma right now is whether to make social media now. I’m from a small town and don’t know if sharing on my personal accounts is beneficial. What social media do you post most on and did you start advertising right off the bat?
Hi Laken,
So when I started, the only social media out there was Facebook and Twitter and I didn’t do much with them. I definitely recommend anyone starting out now goes all in on social media. It’s the best and fastest way to grow an audience quickly. Definitely an email list from day one is a great idea as well. You can also create different social accounts for your blog if you don’t want to share your personal accounts.
Hello Katie :) I am following your 8 week set up…thank you for this outline. I am wondering in week 4 you have “create a shop page with affiate links” and on week 5 you have “create resources page with affilate links”. Is that the same thing or am I thinking about this wrong? I have a shop page that I created with prodcuts that I have listed in my blog posts such as, shoes, etc. They also are linked with my affilate links. Thanks so much. Really enjoy following you all over social media.
This is some great information. I am about to start my first lifestyle blog and this post will be super useful!
I started a blog a few years ago, and got busy with life, so now i want to pick it back up again. I left off trying to figure out how to use mailchimp but it was so confusing, i think it is linked to my blog, do you think convertkit is easier? and how to unhook my blog from mail chimp?
I’m not sure about how to unhook a blog from MailChimp. ConvertKit might not be easier, it’s a bit of an advanced service, but you can try a free trial before committing.
Hi! Thank you so much for your incredibly descriptive tips! I’ve been visiting your page the past few days, trying to start a lifestyle blog. I really want to do your step by step guide using both Hostgator and WordPress. I won’t have the funds until next week though. From my understanding, I think I could, but just want to be sure, I can create a blog using a domain name I purchase and be hosted through Hostgator all for $150.00? With wanting it to be a potentially profitable blog, I’d like to take all the right steps now, and definitely want to set it up with all of your above recommendations. TIA
Yes, you could do that all with a year of hosting for under $150 with my code. You can also lower the commitment length to bring the price down, but the per-month price increases as you do that. We recommend at least a year, but it’s up to you!
This post helped me start my blog!
Thank you so much for the detailed information and step-by-step instructions!
Hi Katie,
I am a health care professional and a mom. I would love to start a blog that I could share things that I am passionate about in relation to healthcare and being mom. I am very unfamiliar with how blogs works as far getting a following and an audience when working from ground up.? Would you be able to share your knowledge on that?
Thank you!!
Hi! I have a lot of content about building a following on two of my other sites: morefromyourblog.com and startagreatblog.com
I hope you find it helpful!
Hi Katie,
Just wanted to share how much I have enjoyed your blog; actually both of them! I am a new blogger and your step-by-step explanation was super helpful. While there are lots of sites out there with similar information, I preferred the way your organized your content and visually mapped out the approach. We help those we like, so I used all of your links too. ;) Gotta support fellow moms out there! Keep up the great work and I know I’ll be stopping by regularly as I continue to develop my site and content.
Thanks!
Tanja
Thank you so much for this post! I have one question though, is it possible to go in-depth of items listed in the 8-week launch list? Or is there a blog post about it that I am missing? I would really want to learn more about every tiny detail on that list! For example, what is an evergreen post and what should it look like? Thanks again~~
Hi! I’m working on a premium product (a paid course) that goes in depth on the items in the 8-week course. If you signed up for the email list using the box that popped up on this page, you’ll be notified when the course is available! It should be within 2-3 weeks.