The Ultimate Guide to Start a Profitable Blog As a Beginner

Are you looking to start a blog and turn it into a money making machine? You’re in the right place.

I was in the same spot a few years ago.

At the time, I was a stay at home mom working part time hours as a freelancer. I was making a decent amount of money. But trying to juggle house work, parenting two kids under the age of 5 and trying to meet deadlines set by the companies I was working for was starting to get difficult for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved freelancing. If interested, you can read a more detailed post here on becoming a successful freelancer.

However I wanted something that brought in passive income ( meaning the money I earned was not linked to the time I was putting in) and allowed me the freedom to choose my own timings and work load. As I researched my options, I came across the term blogging.

At that time I was pretty clueless about blogging and even more confused on how I could turn it into a profitable side hustle.

I started reading income reports of mommy bloggers and I was astounded at the numbers.

I decided to take the plunge.

I was reading a blog post similar to the one you’re reading right now and I decided to go for it.

Looking back, starting a blog was probably the best decision I’ve ever taken in my life.

My only regret? WHY DIDN’T I START SOONER?

Not only do I love blogging and look forward so much to Monday mornings, it’s also brought me thousands of dollars in passive income.

In this blog post I want to take your hand and walk you through the EXACT steps I took to turn my tiny, anonymous, unknown blog into an asset that makes me $1000/month.

If making an extra $1000/month from a tiny blog sounds like something that you’re interested in, then read on for some epic blogging tips.

The good news is that you DON’T need to be a techy person or spend crazy amounts of money to get started!

If you’re interested in getting additional guidance and someone to hold your hold while you start a blog, you can sign up to my FREE email course.

For 5 days, I’ll send you an email every day where I’ll get you from point A (starting your blog) to point B (making money from your blog). You’ve got nothing to lose. So sign up 🙂

Before we talk about HOW to start a blog, I want to address the question of WHY to start a blog.

Why should you start a blog and how can it change your life?

Why Should You Start a Blog?

Starting a blog can be incredibly rewarding.

It offers a creative outlet, financial freedom, and the flexibility to work around your family’s schedule.

For moms with little kids, it can be a great way to document memories, share experiences, and connect with a like-minded community.

Unlike other jobs that require strict hours or a physical presence, blogging lets you earn from anywhere, working in your pajamas if you like!

Plus, the skills you develop while blogging—from writing to digital marketing—are valuable and versatile for future opportunities.

Blogging has another awesome benefit: income potential.

There is literally no upper limit to the amount of money you can make blogging.

You might start off making $10/month, proceed to $100/month, then $1000/month and then 10,000/month. Some of the bloggers that I regularly follow make 150-200,000/month from their blog!!

With the right strategies and tools, you can grow your blog from a simple side project to a source of real income.

STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO START A BLOG FROM SCRATCH

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links, meaning if you decide to make a purchase via my links, I may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

1. Think About What You Want to Blog About

The first step in starting a blog is deciding on a topic, also known as your niche. This is what your blog will be all about.

It’s important to pick something you love because you’ll be writing about it often.

But it’s also smart to pick a niche that can be profitable. For example, topics like personal finance, parenting, pets, health and fitness or food are popular and have lots of opportunities to make money.

Ask yourself:

What am I passionate about?
What can I write about for months or even years?
Is this niche something people would pay for or be interested in?
Is it an evergreen topic (meaning it won’t get outdated in a few years)

Once you’ve nailed down your niche, you’re ready for the next step!

Read my detailed blog post on blog niche ideas: 20 Blog Niches to Make Money: How to Pick the Right One and Why It Matters

2. Think of a Name for Your Blog

Your blog name is the first thing people will notice, so you want it to be catchy but also easy to remember. It should also give people an idea of what your blog is about.

Tips for picking a blog name:

Keep it short and simple.
Make sure it’s easy to spell and pronounce.
Try to incorporate your niche into the name, but keep it broad enough in case you want to expand your topics later.
Check if the domain (the website address) is available for the name you pick!

Once you’ve found the perfect name, it’s time to set up your blog.

Read my detailed blog post on naming your blog: How to Choose a Memorable Blog Name Without Wasting Time

3. Set Up Web Hosting and Domain

A LOT of new bloggers mess up here.

They don’t set up their blog correctly and then later sit there crying about it.

I was one of them.

Let me save you months of agony and share my biggest blogging blunder (so you don’t make the same mistake!)

When I started blogging, I kept hearing that “WordPress” was the key to a successful blog.

So, I jumped in and created a site on WordPress.com, assuming that was the right path.

But it took me forever to realize the “WordPress” everyone recommended was actually WordPress.org, not WordPress.com.

Here’s the difference:

WordPress.com lets you create a free blog, but it comes with major limitations.

Without a self-hosted site, it’s challenging to make any money from your blog.

For example, on a free WordPress.com blog, you cannot:

Install plugins to expand your site’s features.
Monetize with ads.
Open an online store directly on your blog.
Fully customize or upload your own themes.
Create membership sites for exclusive content.

If you want a blog that can make money, you need to be self-hosted—and that means using WordPress.org.

Here’s what I WISH someone had explained back then to me when I had no knowledge of technical blogging terms.

To start a successful blog, you need three main things:

Hosting (where your blog lives online)
A domain name (your blog’s unique web address such as www.yourblogname.com)
A content management system (where you’ll create and manage your content)

What is the most affordable and effective way to get all 3?

My top recommendation is Bluehost .

Bluehos t is the platform I’ve trusted for years and have no plans to ever go to another hosting company.

Here’s why Bluehost is ideal:

It’s incredibly affordable, starting at just $1.99/month (it can’t get cheaper than that!)
You get a free domain name, saving you the cost of registering it separately.
With one-click installation, you can easily set up WordPress.org for free
It includes a free SSL certificate, ensuring your site’s security.
You’ll also have 24/7 support available.

So basically with Bluehost, you’ll get hosting, a domain name, a content management system, and an SSL certificate for less than $2/month!

If that’s not crazy affordable I don’t know what is.

How to Set Up Web Hosting with Bluehost

Follow these simple steps to get your blog up and running with Bluehost:

1. Cli ck Here and Then Click the “Get Started” Button

Head over to Bluehost using this link and hit the “Get Started” button to begin.

2. Select Your Hosting Plan

You’ll see a few different plan options. I recommend the Basic plan for new bloggers. It’s crazy affordable and has everything you need.

3. Choose Your Domain Name

Enter the domain name (what your blog is going to be called) that you’ve already decided on.

If you haven’t picked one yet, don’t worry!

You can choose “I’ll create my domain later”, and use the free credit to grab a domain once you’re ready.

4. Create Your Hosting Account

Fill in your details to create your Bluehost account.

5. Select Your Package and Pay

Choose a hosting plan. I strongly suggest going with the 12-month plan to get the best deal. You can also pick the 24-month or 36-month plans for even more savings.

What about extras? Bluehost offers extra services like backups, SEO tools, and security. However, I don’t recommend paying for these because there are plenty of free plugins that do the same thing.

6. Congrats, You’re Done!

Bluehost will automatically install WordPress.org for you, which is the platform where you’ll manage your blog.

What is WordPress.org?
WordPress is the tool you’ll use to write blog posts, upload images, and customize your blog’s look. It’s super beginner-friendly, so you’ll have no problem getting started!

4. Design Your Blog

Now that your blog is set up, it’s time to make it look amazing!

You can choose to:

Design it yourself: WordPress comes with free themes that you can customize.
Buy a premium theme: This option gives your blog a professional look right away, and you often get extra features like more customization options and better support.

Why buy a premium theme?

It looks more professional.
It’s easier to customize.
It can make your blog stand out and be more user-friendly.

I personally love 17th Avenue. They have the most gorgeous website designs and you literally feel like buying all of them cuz they’re so darn pretty.

I use the Mia theme by 17th Avenue and I love it.

If you’re on a tight budget, you can start with a free theme and upgrade to a premium one later.

How to Install Your Theme

Once you’ve chosen and purchased your theme, it’s time to install it:

In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes in the left-hand menu.
Upload your theme file and click Activate.

That’s it! You’re now ready to go.

5. Start Posting Content

With your blog set up and designed, you’re ready to start writing content! This is the heart of your blog, so focus on creating helpful and engaging posts around your niche.

How to decide what to write about:

Search for keywords on Google and Pinterest. Look at what people are searching for in your niche and use that to guide your blog topics.
Think about what your audience needs help with. Are there common questions or problems you can solve?

Remember, your posts should be:

Helpful: Teach or inform your readers.
Engaging: Use an easy-to-read style with subheadings, bullet points, and images.

6. Use Pinterest to Drive Massive Traffic to Your Blog

One of the best ways to get people to visit your blog is by using Pinterest. Pinterest works like a visual search engine, and it’s a great platform to drive traffic to your blog.

How to use Pinterest for traffic:

Create compelling pins for each blog post. Make sure the pin image is eye-catching and includes your post title.
Use keywords in your pin descriptions so people can find your content. For example, if your post is about healthy recipes, use keywords like “healthy recipes” or “easy meals.”
Pin your content regularly to keep it in front of your audience.

7. Make Money From Your Blog

Once you start getting traffic, there are several ways you can begin to make money from your blog.

Here are four of the most profitable ways to make money as a blogger:

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways for new bloggers to start making money, regardless of your niche. Here’s how it works: you promote a product on your blog, and when someone makes a purchase through your unique affiliate link, you earn a commission.

Here are some popular affiliate programs that I am a part of:

Amazon Associates

Clickbank

Shareasale

Impact Radius

Advertising

Once your blog gets more traffic, you can make money by displaying ads on your blog. Ad networks like Google AdSense or Mediavine will pay you based on how many people see the ads.

Digital Products

Creating and selling your own digital products—like printables or ebooks —is one of my favorite ways to earn an income from blogging. It gives you full control and can be very profitable.

The key is to know your audience very well.

For example, because my blog is for parents to little ones, I create printables that will help make their lives as parents easier. So I sell printables like Busy books (to keep kids engaged), Potty training resources (to help parents toilet train their kids with ease) and Bedtime Charts (to put an end to bedtime battles).

Selling digital products is a very lucrative way to monetize your blog.

Conclusion and Recap

Starting a blog may seem overwhelming at first, but by following these steps, you can have your blog up and running in no time! Let’s quickly recap:

Choose a niche you love and that can be profitable.
Pick a catchy, memorable blog name.
Set up hosting with Bluehost and get your domain.
Design your blog with a free or premium theme.
Start posting helpful, keyword-rich content.
Use Pinterest to drive traffic.
Monetize your blog through affiliate marketing, ads, sponsorships, or selling digital products.

Now that you know how to start a blog from scratch, it’s time to take action and turn your blogging dreams into reality.

Take out a few minutes and get your blog set up!

set up blog on bluehost

Still confused on how to get started with blogging? Sign up below to get a free training. I’ll teach you how to get your blog set up, drive traffic to it and start making money with it.

MORE IDEAS TO MAKE MONEY:

20 Blog Niches to Make Money: How to Pick the Right One and Why It Matters

How to Choose a Memorable Blog Name Without Wasting Time

15 Insanely Profitable & Flexible Side Hustle Ideas For Moms

Mastering Fiverr: How to Earn Like a Pro

Become a Successful Freelancer in 2024: A Beginner’s Guide for Stay At Home Moms

Hello! I'm Mia.