Got a passion that you love talk about, write about, tell people about, or just generally spend your time doing? Do you read blogs on those subjects and think to yourself “I could totally do this…   if only I knew how to get a website up and going”…

Well today is your day my friend, Carpe Diem!   I’ll show you how easy the website stuff can be, so you can show YOUR love for _{insert whatever you are passionate about)__ with the world!

Blogs are a super easy way to share your interests & talents, and connect with other people who share the same passions.

And believe it or not, blogs can actually make money as well…  you might be one of the millions online, whose hobby turns into a full time income!

 

So what d’ya say, ready to give it a shot?

 

Let’s Get Started!

 

1.  Domain Name & Web Hosting

Every blog needs to have a webhost, basically a virtual place to “live”, where you can store all your blog’s “stuff” – images, content, videos, etc.  You will register your website’s domain name at the same time that you set up your webhost account.

• So head on over to Bluehost and click the “Get Started!” button on the homepage.

• Now is the fun part, you get to pick a name for your new blog!  You want to pick something that is relevant, but brandable.   Meaning, you want people to remember the name – something catchy, something memorable.  Use the box on the left, to type in some ideas and see whats available.   Keep a list of all your favorite names that you find are available, and then pick one from your list.

 

• On the next step, you’ll choose your hosting package.   To start with, you can pick the most basic package.   The great thing about BlueHost is that they have very affordable rates, plus you get your domain registered for free.   Here are my recommended settins/options:

 

 

2.  Install WordPress

Now that your domain name is registered and your hosting is set up, you need to install WordPress – a pretty darn awesome and easy to use blogging platform (its what we use at GiddyUpcycled!).   It also installs flawlessly, with just a few clicks – now thats my kind of easy!

Grab the email that you got from BlueHost and log into your new hosting account.

Once you log in, there is a search field in the top left column.   Search for “WordPress” and then click the WordPress icon that comes up.

• Click the green install button

 

 

Here is a screenshot of what the install settings should look like:

 

 

Once that is filled out, click “Complete” and in about 10 seconds, your blog is installed!   Make sure you keep track of your log in credentials so you can log into WordPress and set things up.

Thats it, your blog software is installed and you now officially have your own blog!!!

Your new blog’s admin panel will be located at http://www.YourDomainName.com/wp-admin

Using the username and password that you set up during hte software installation, go ahead and log into the admin panel of WordPress.

 

3.  Customizing WordPress and Publishing Content

Log into WordPress, and take a tour around.   The awesome thing about WordPress, is that its damn near impossible to screw up.   You can change settings, tweak things, and they are pushed live onto your site immediately – but they can always be changed, or reset.

Before you start publishing your favorite DIY projects, or whatever you want the blog to be about, you’ll want to get a “theme” for your blog, to make it look MAHvelous.  A theme is basically the front end layout of the site, that your readers will see.   The color scheme, the menus, the fonts used, etc.   You can use a free WordPress theme (click here to check some of them out), or if you want to go with a style that is totally customized for the niche you will be blogging about, here are our top 3 recommended WordPress Theme providers:

1. Elegant Themes – their themes are beautiful, and are coded very well for excellent user experience.   You get 89+ different themes to choose from, for one low price.
2. Themify.me – gorgeous themes – you can buy one at a time, or in their theme club with acesss to 80+ themes

Install your theme, get it set up and then head on over to the “Posts” tab in the left side of WordPress, and start publishing your blog posts!

 

4.  Set Up An Email Capture Form

The most important thing you’ll want to add to your blog once everything is up and running, is an opt in form so that you can capture the emails of readers who come to your site.   This is critical for the long-term success of your blog.

You’ll need an email marketing service to collect your emails – I highly recommend Get Response for their deliverability and ease of use.

Once you set up an account with them, you can create a web form and easily install it on your blog through the Get Response plugin.

This will allow you to build a subscriber list of people who love to read your blog and who trust your expertise and recommendations. This list is one of the biggest income opportunities for your blog and business, as your blog grows, as you will be able to promote products that will resonate with your readers with much more success.