Steps: How to Start a Blog on the Side and Make Money in 2019

I created my first blog in 2004 with zero computer experience. It took me forever because I had to google my way through. This how-to guide contains what I’ve learned, and is for those who want step-by-step instructions in a simple format.

The 7 steps to start a blog

1. Set up your blog.
2. Get started with WordPress.
3. Decide what to blog about.
4. Publish your main pages.
5. Write your first post.
6. Customize your blog design.
7. Get traffic & make money!

Don’t worry, I’ll walk you right through. Follow along and your new blog will be up and running in less than 15 minutes

Want to skip the introduction? Click here to jump to Step 1.

What is a blog?

A blog is a type of website with posts (articles or entries) displayed in reverse chronological order. That is, the most recent posts are at the top.

Why start a blog?

There are many reasons to start a blog. Here are a few popular ones:

• Make money while working from home. I make a full-time i
• ncome blogging. Many others do the same. Making money as a blogger is hardwork, but it’s low risk, low overhead and low barrier to entry.
• Become a published author. It’s no secret, these days publishers rarely work with authors who don’t have an online presence. The reason is simple: it’s a lot easier to sell books to people who already know you. A blog is one of the easiest and most effective places to start.
• Get more exposure for your existing business or organization. A blog gives anyone, from individuals to large companies, the ability to reach a large number of people at very little cost.
• Just write. If you want to write, share your story, encourage others and build a community, a blog is a great place to do that.
Simply put, a blog is an online home you own and control. Use it to develop the brand or reputation you desire, establish yourself as an authority in your field, connect with customers or find other like-minded people.

I’m not very tech savvy. Can I do this?

Absolutely! I specialize in simple. Thousands of people follow this guide every year — of all ages and walks of life, many of whom have no prior web building knowledge. I like non-tech-savvy types. After all, I started with no computer background myself.

How much does a blog cost?

The method I outline below is budget friendly. It works out to less than $10 a month. I blogged for years on this budget. As my blog and income grew, I eventually started paying for more premium tools and services, but they are not required to start.

Can I start a blog for free?

Yes, but…

After doing this a long time, here’s my advice: a free blog is fine if it’s a hobby, but if you want to make money from your blog I don’t recommend starting a free blog.

Why? A few reasons:

• Some free services limit monetization (i.e. making money) unless you “upgrade” to a higher level. You’ll have to pay for that upgrade of course, so it defeats the purpose of having a free blog in the first place.
• Companies don’t offer free blogs out of the goodness of their hearts. They still want to make money somehow. If you’re only using their free service, they’re not making money from you. Therefore, they don’t have a lot of incentive to keep you happy. Sometimes this means you’ll have little to no support. Other times it means you’ll be badgered with offers for their paid-for products.
• Most free services have only basic features. This might not be a problem at first, but as you grow, you will almost certainly feel the pinch. Expandability and flexibility are key, both of which are limited with free blogging services.
• If you ever want to switch to a better service (very common among those who start a free blog), it’s a hassle and can be costly. Doing it yourself takes a lot of time and know-how. Hiring someone to do it correctly costs hundreds of dollars.
• You might not be able to do what your favorite bloggers are doing. This happens to new bloggers all the time. They start a blog for free. Soon they notice cool features on other blogs which they want too. The problem is, it’s not possible on their free service.
• Accountability. In general, we value things we pay for. Blogging is hard work. One way to keep yourself accountable is to pay just a little bit for it.

If those common pitfalls don’t convince you, or a free blog is truly your only choice, I would go with Blogger.


Here are my easy-to-follow steps to start a self-hosted WordPress blog, no technical experience required.

Step 1: Set up your blog

To start your own blog, you’ll need two things: a blogging platform (to get your words in blog form) and a host (to get your words live online).
Fortunately, you can get both quickly, inexpensively and at the same time. I’ll show you exactly how.
There is a dizzying array of choices for blogging platforms (WordPress, Squarespace, Blogger, Wix, Weebly, etc.) and hosts (Bluehost, WPEngine, GoDaddy, SiteGround, HostGator or hundreds of others).
In my 15 years of blogging, I’ve tried many of the above. All have pros and cons. I recommend a WordPress blog hosted by Bluehost.
This is the combination I paid for and used for over 10 years. (To be clear, as a paying customer, the links in this post are my referral links. This means, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you use them too.)
Ready to get your own blog?