Last updated: May 9, 2022
Today, you will learn how to easily create a self-hosted WordPress blog on your own. It’s not that hard, I promise! I am excited that you want to learn how to start a blog! Blogging is changing my life in so many ways all by doing something that I love.
You can start a money-making blog for just a few dollars a month! How cool is that! Also, I have included a discounted price below so you can start your blog today on Bluehost for cheap.
You will also receive a FREE domain through my link as well!
It’s a good idea to act quickly because I don’t know when this offer will change and how long these low prices will last!
Click here to start a blog on Bluehost, after that, follow the steps below for easy setup.
If you are looking to start your own blog for cheap, then choosing Bluehost, may be the answer. Bluehost is an incredible hosting site and I personally have had a great experience with them.
There is a lot of information online about how to start a blog, and I know it can get overwhelming sometimes. I know it was for me when I first started. So I have created a tutorial below to help you start your blog.
Anyone can make money with a blog, and I was able to make my money back very quickly once I started. I am sure you will be able to make your money back quickly as well.
The one thing that all successful bloggers have in common, is that they started a blog. They chose to take that critical first step today, rather than wait until tomorrow. They know that the secret to getting ahead is getting started, and they believe in their idea of launching their own blog.
By starting a blog today, you’ll be ahead of everyone else who thought about launching a blog.
If you are looking to start a blog for cheap, Bluehost may be the perfect hosting site for you. Bluehost is an incredible hosting site and I personally have had a great experience with them.
I hear horror stories all the time from other online entrepreneurs dealing with massive hosting headaches. Thankfully, I never have had any with Bluehost. I highly recommend using Bluehost for your first website, and you can get started now at $3.95/month only through my link.
Bluehost is one of the top hosting companies in 2017 and will continue to be at the top in many years to come. The best part is that you can start with them for only $3.95 a month (this price is through my link only!) Also, if you sign up using my link, then you will get a blog domain for free if you purchase a 12 month plan or a longer hosting plan ($15 value).
I highly recommend signing up for the 12 month hosting plan through Bluehost. It is affordable and you can save a lot of money by signing up for at least 12 months. If you would like a better deal, the best would be purchasing a 36 month plan (that’s the plan I started with) because your monthly rate is much lower in the long run and you will save more money.
If you are interested in ever making money off your blog, freelancing, or turning it into a business, then paying for your hosting, such as through Bluehost, is a MUST. It’s extremely cheap as well to go through Bluehost AND you get a free domain. You can run any of your own advertisements, affiliate links, direct advertising, etc. with a blog ran on Bluehost.
It’s really difficult to make money from free Blogger websites and many advertisers don’t view them as professional as self-hosted blogs. This is why I always recommend Bluehost to anyone who wants to start their own blog.
When I started blogging, I knew that I might as well start off with Bluehost because it will help me get closer to my goals for my blog. I figured, if I’m going to spend the time and effort on it, might as well do it the right way!
I honestly believe that Bluehost is one of the best web hosting providers and there are many reasons why you should choose them. Here are some of the reasons why you should choose Bluehost:
- It is easy to use! yes, ANYONE can create a WordPress blog easily with my tutorial below.
- Bluehost makes it very easy to create a WordPress blog.
- WordPress through Bluehost is FREE.
- Bluehost web hosting offers technical support 24/7 and Bluehost is always willing to help, amazing customer support!
- Bluehost is extremely affordable and they offer cheap web hosting. You can have a blog of your own and the only real expense you need to pay is the cheap blog hosting which starts at just $3.95 per month.
- You get a FREE blog domain.
- Bluehost offers a guarantee in case you feel that it’s not for you. If you sign up for Bluehost, but you are confused for any reason, (such as how to set it up, picking a plan, pricing, etc.), you can always send me an email and I can help you out.
- You will be self hosted, so if you want to monetize or make money on your blog, it will be easy to do so.
- You will appear much more professional to readers and companies if you are self-hosted on Bluehost than being on Blogspot or any other free blogging platform.
- Most professional bloggers recommend and use Bluehost for their website as this creates the right technical foundation for a successful blog, which is very important.
As you can see, there are many benefits of using Bluehost to start your blog. Thanks to their 30 day money-back guarantee and amazing customer support, there is very little risk of starting a blog through Bluehost, and a lot of potential to make money blogging.
Note: If you are currently using a free blogging platform, you can easily transfer your blog to a self-hosted site. Just ask for technical support from Bluehost and they will help you migrate your existing blog to the Bluehost platform.
First, you will need to head on over to Bluehost to do any of this. There are many web hosting companies out there, but Bluehost is honestly one of the best. There is a reason why many bloggers choose Bluehost for their web hosting needs.
If you plan on starting a blog on Bluehost and you are interested in learning how to start a blog on WordPress, then continue reading! Remember, if you sign up for Bluehost, but you are confused for any reason (such as how to set it up, picking a plan, pricing, etc.), you can always send me an email and I can help you out. I am here to help you out so don’t be afraid to send me an email.
Click here to start the process!
How to start a WordPress blog on Bluehost
1. Choose your hosting package.
Setting up a WordPress blog on Bluehost is very easy.
The first thing you will need to do is select a hosting package.
Choose the “Basic” plan to receive the cheapest price to start a blog. It is really all you need. It’s only $3.95 per month through my link (due upfront in full) if you sign up for 36 months, which is a great price. This is the plan I started with too! This is extremely affordable and it’s a great plan to choose, (especially since you get a free domain at this price still!). If you are unsure about blogging, I would sign up for the 12 month plan as this is still a great price and very affordable for one year of blogging. Plus, you still receive the free domain name when you sign up for 12 months or more which saves you money.
2. Register a domain name.
You can click here to purchase a domain name and create a blog, then continue to follow the easy steps below.
The next thing you will need to do when starting your WordPress blog on Bluehost is to think about what your domain name is going to be. I suggest putting some thought into the name you choose. It doesn’t have to be long or super catchy – in fact, a short and simple domain name is usually the best choice.
Note: You can always skip this step and create your domain later. Simply click, “I’ll create my domain later” at the bottom. If you don’t know what you want your domain to be, don’t worry! Continue the process so you lock in your best price now! You can always create your domain later with ease.
I know it’s easy to overthink your domain name, but remember that the value of your blog is in the content that you put into it.
I know for me, it was a bit tough choosing my blog name. While brainstorming, I made a list of the names I liked best. Then I came up with Fire and A Beer, because they are two things that I really enjoy!
Here’s a tip: Make a list of words that you want your blog to be about and even things that you enjoy. Then you can mix and match the words and brainstorm some more if you like. I found my blog name by making a list of things that I enjoy.
You can get your domain directly through Bluehost for FREE when you sign up for at least 12 months worth of Bluehost web hosting. Paying upfront for at least 12 months of hosting will save you a lot of money in the long run. If you want to save even more money and get the best value, I recommend purchasing a 36-month plan. This is what I did when I started my blog. If you want to get a free domain name, follow the instructions above which will allow you to purchase your hosting and get the free domain name all in one step.
Choose your hosting package continued…
The best value would be purchasing a 36 month plan, as your monthly rate is much lower over the long run.
The Basic plan is all you really need for now, so skip the “Plus” and “Prime” plans as they are more expensive.
You can always change it later to a different plan if you want to (and just pay the difference), so there is no need to sign up for extras that you do not need.
The other item you may want to pay for when it comes to blogging is Domain Privacy Protection. This is so that your contact information stays safe.
If you didn’t create your domain yet, then the option for Domain Privacy Protection may not show up. It’s perfectly fine and you can add it later whenever you do create your domain.
Other than that, you do not need the other items that Bluehost sells, so I would uncheck any of the extras that are listed.
Remember, if you sign up using my link, then you will get your domain for free if you purchase a 12 month or longer blog hosting plan.
If you are unsure about blogging, I highly recommend signing up for a minimum of 12 months for many reasons. Month-to-month is less effective and costs more. By signing up for a minimum of 12 months, you will receive a free domain name, lower pricing, and you won’t have to deal with an expired website after each month. For example, if the card expires or hosting is not renewed, then your website is down and you risk losing business (visitors/traffic) when you pay on a month-to-month basis. It’s also more expensive to pay month-by-month rather than all up front. The more years you sign up for, the less you pay.
The best value would be purchasing a 36 month plan, as your monthly rate is much lower over the long run.
3. Connect your domain name to your hosting.
Note: If you are registering your domain name through Bluehost, then skip this part and head straight to Step 4 to install WordPress.
ALREADY HAVE A PAID DOMAIN NAME?
If you already have a domain name that you bought from a website like GoDaddy, you will need to connect it to your web hosting account. It’s easy to connect your domain name to Bluehost, just choose the second option on the page instead of registering a new domain name.
Follow these instructions to connect your GoDaddy domain to Bluehost.
Remember, if you need help, you can contact Bluehost on their 24/7 chat and they will happily guide you.
How to modify, add or delete name servers (DNS) for your domain(s):
- Log into the GoDaddy.com Account Manager.
- From the Domain Name drop-down menu or the Manage Your Account list, select Manage Domains.
- Using the checkboxes, select the domain name you wish to modify and then click Set Name Servers.
- Enter your updated name server information in the spaces provided under the blue Name Servers heading on the right side of your page and click Save Changes at the bottom. Your entries should look like this: ns1.bluehost.com; ns2.bluehost.com
You will then need to select the domain name you bought (such as through GoDaddy) as an Add On Domain through your Bluehost cpanel. Click on Domain Manager, then select “Assign a Domain to Your cPanel Account”. Follow these steps and it is very easy!
4. Install WordPress on Bluehost
Now that you have chosen your hosting package and registered your domain name, it is now time to install WordPress on Bluehost!
This part isn’t hard at all. Bluehost makes it very easy to create a WordPress blog and it is FREE.
- After you create your password, Bluehost guides you through exactly what you need to do in order to start a blog.
- First, Bluehost will ask you to pick a theme. You can just pick a random one here or find one that you actually like. You can change it later so it’s not a big deal or just scroll to the bottom and skip this step. Remember, there are many free ones too!
- Click on “Start Building”
- The next screen will ask what kind of site you would like to set up: “Business” or “Personal” — it’s really up to you. Or you can click on “I don’t need help”.
CONGRATULATIONS! YOU DID IT!
You now have a WordPress blog! You can log into your dashboard and start blogging. You will have to work on the design and producing high-quality content, of course. Good luck and have fun!
If you sign up for Bluehost, but you are confused for any reason (such as how to set it up, picking a plan, pricing, etc.), you can always send me an email and I can help you out. That’s what I’m here for!
Here are some tips to help you navigate your way through WordPress:
- To sign into your WordPress account, you will want to save the WordPress login information that you receive in a separate email. You will receive this email after you complete the steps in #4 above. This email will include your WordPress login URL (your URL is separate from everyone else’s and it’s the only way you can access your WordPress account), your username, and your password. You want to keep this email safe.
- You can add and create new posts by clicking on “Posts” on the left-hand side when you are logged in. If you want to add a page, simply click on “Page.”
- If you want to add an image, click on “Media” on the left-hand side.
- You can go to “Appearance,” then “Widgets” in order to add items to your sidebar, footer, and so on.
If you are looking for a way to send out emails and newsletters to your readers, then I highly recommend Convertkit. It’s the top emailing system for bloggers and it’s really easy to use!
If you are looking to customize the actual design of your blog, then I recommend the Genesis theme. Genesis is used on my blog and I really love it. It seems to be the most popular. There are free themes through WordPress you can use to design your blog. Just go to “Appearance” on the left-hand side when you are logged into your WordPress website and click on “Themes,” then activate whichever one you are interested in testing out. By doing this, you can start designing your website easily!
Like I mentioned before, the one thing that all successful bloggers have in common, is that they started a blog. They chose to take that critical first step today, rather than wait until tomorrow. They know that the secret to getting ahead is getting started, and they believe in their idea of launching their own blog.
By starting a blog today, you’ll be ahead of everyone else who thought about launching a blog, but have not taken that essential first step of starting a blog.
I believe that everyone should start a blog. We all have something to say or want to spread awareness about a cause that is important to us.
One of the common misconceptions about starting a blog is that you need to be an expert on a topic or have an amazing life. This is so NOT true!
Your blog can be about anything you want it to be – it is your slice of the internet that you can call your very own. Plus, anyone can make money blogging. I never even heard of WordPress before I started my blog. I didn’t even know what blogging was! I learned absolutely everything from scratch and I’m making money, and I haven’t even scratched the surface!
To me that is the best part! It’s an adventure. We live in a world where we can create anything we want if we believe it hard enough.
Being passionate about a topic will help you prevail as a blogger and be successful. If you enjoy what you’re writing about, your passion will shine through and you’ll naturally create valuable content. Trust me, your readers will notice!
There has never been a better time to start a blog and the best part is – your blog can be about anything you like!
Starting a blog will help you become a better writer, you’ll live more with intention, you’ll inspire others, it’s affordable and requires no prior tech-knowledge, you’ll build a community, you’ll be more confident, you’ll get to connect with brands/people you admire, you can make money, you’ll boost your creativity, and more!
I hope you enjoyed my tutorial on how to start a blog on Bluehost! If you know someone who wants to start a blog or website, please share this tutorial with them!
Great article! Never had much luck with blogging, might have to give it another shot!
Keep up the great content! 🙂
Awesome! Thanks Ryan 🙂 You should definitely give blogging another shot. It’s a ton of fun! 🙂