How to Start a Blog, a jam-packed Resource for New Bloggers

I was listening to a podcast called How to Rock a Blog and they mentioned a resource with step-by-step instructions on how to start a blog. The podcast was produced by ChooseFI.com, an organization that promotes financial independence (FI). They encourage their W-2 income followers to set up a side hustle for additional income. However, anyone can have a side hustle, it’s the start to becoming an entrepreneur where you own your own business instead of working for someone else. Many of my clients are independent contractors or entrepreneurs who own their own business; therefore, this podcast has value for my clients too.

Here’s a link to the podcast I listened to that introduced me to Ashley Barnett and her role as the managing editor for the blog of the company she works for, the ChooseFI organization. https://www.choosefi.com/how-to-rock-a-blog.

You can listen to the podcast or just jump right into the blog post Ashley wrote called How To Start a Blog: https://www.choosefi.com/how-to-start-a-blog/.

It was posted May 26, 2020. It has an enormous amount of tips and suggestions for new or advanced bloggers.

Here are a few things I want to point out from the blog post.

Keep in mind, the content in this blog post is one perspective, from one professional blogger. I will say that I disagree with the website/blog hosting services recommendation. I strongly recommend using BlueHost.com and I do not pay anything extra for unlimited email addresses associated with my domains, and neither do any of my clients. You don’t need to pay for Office 365 for your email service, unless you require Outlook. I have a free solution for email management. See more about BlueHost on my Resources page. I also prefer to have my domain name and my hosting with the same company. I have not used SiteGround for website hosting, so I have no experience with their level of customer service, etc. BlueHost is awesome! They answer the phone and are ultra-knowledgeable and helpful.

As you read through this very thorough blog post about how to start a blog, try not to be overwhelmed. You should review what she recommends, then prioritize what’s important to you and start there. You don’t have to do everything on her list all at one time, ease into it. And if you are starting a blog as a hobby vs a business, much of the resources won’t apply to you. I do agree with her Canva recommendation for creating graphics and I use 123rf.com for images. (more about that too on my Resources page). I have a shortcut recommendation instead of Grammarly that’s free, ask me about it.

And if you want to learn even more from the author, Ashley Barnett, you can take her (paid) course called Hit Publish. There is a link to it at the beginning of the blog post and several times throughout the post. She also provides links to other paid courses for additional education on related topics.

Let me know what questions I can answer for you about how to start a blog or website. I highly recommend WordPress or Weebly platforms. You CAN have a Weebly website, with your own URL/Domain Name, when you host it with BlueHost. That’s one other thing I disagree with from this resource. Otherwise, I think you will find it extremely useful, it covers a lot of topics.

While I am a BlueHost Affiliate, there is no affiliate link with ChooseFI.com. I listen to a lot of their podcasts and find their information on personal finance to be very useful. You can ask me more about that too! I am a Learner and I love to share the things I have learned with others. Yes, Communication is another of my strengths, read about My Top 5 Strengths!