{"id":40141,"date":"2018-07-09T16:22:23","date_gmt":"2018-07-09T20:22:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ahealthysliceoflife.com\/?page_id=40141"},"modified":"2018-07-11T17:19:54","modified_gmt":"2018-07-11T21:19:54","slug":"bluehost-guide","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.ahealthysliceoflife.com\/successfulblog\/bluehost-guide\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Start a Successful Blog: A Step-by-Step Bluehost Guide"},"content":{"rendered":"

I don\u2019t often write about blogging<\/a> or the technical aspects that come along with it, however, I’ve been receiving a lot of questions lately from our readers regarding \u201chow to start a blog\u201d.<\/p>\n

I hope my first-hand experience in starting and running a successful blog will help teach you my very own tried-and-true methods. I will walk you through, step-by-step, how to easily and quickly set up a Wordpress blog using Bluehost (one of the best hosts for starting out), and how to drive traffic to your blog and even make some money over time.<\/p>\n

As I take you through the process of setting up your blog, I will also provide you with answers to specific questions that you may have (ones that I\u2019ve had to find answers to when setting up my own blog).<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s dig into this\u2026and please note that some links in this post are referral links, which means I may get a small commission from your purchase. You won’t pay anymore and in some cases, get a special discount by using the links!<\/p>\n

How to Set Up Your Wordpress Website on Bluehost<\/h2>\n

STEPS:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Choose Hosting Service<\/a><\/li>\n
  2. Set up hosting + Registering Domain<\/li>\n
  3. Set up blogging platform<\/li>\n
  4. Get your blog ready (design + plugins + posts)<\/li>\n
  5. Monetization<\/li>\n
  6. Growth Plan<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    NOTE: this is a quick blog set up! Steps 1-3 shouldn\u2019t take more than 10 minutes**<\/p>\n

    STEP 1. CHOOSING A WEB HOST<\/h3>\n

    You might be wondering, what is a web host?<\/p>\n

    A web host puts your website on the Internet so everyone can see it. That\u2019s where everything for your site is saved and stored.<\/p>\n

    Which web host do I recommend for anyone getting started?<\/p>\n

    For simplicity, cost, and ease of getting started; Bluehost<\/span><\/a>.<\/p>\n

    Why do I prefer Bluehost? Here are the many reasons why I give Bluehost a 10\/10:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 It\u2019s easy to use! Literally, anyone can get a blog up and running within 15 minutes using Bluehost. The steps outlined in the article will show you how.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 You can\u2019t beat the price. You can have your blog sorted for as little as $2.75 per month (by using my link<\/a>). Although I am a Bluehost affiliate partner, which means I receive a commission for referring new customers, I’d recommend using Bluehost regardless and I used them when I first began this blog. I only affiliate with companies that I truly believe in.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 24\/7 customer support. Bluehost\u2019s customer support is the definition of unparalleled. If you don\u2019t believe it, just go to their site and find their support chat and ask some questions. Watch how quickly you get the answers you need.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 You get a free domain! When you sign up for hosting, Bluehost will give you a free domain name, which allows you to forgo the upfront and recurring fees that come with buying a domain on your own. If you already have a domain name, no worries, you can use your domain with Bluehost (it\u2019s just one extra step) – More on the free domain below.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Wordpress (blogging platform) through Bluehost is free. The One-click installer makes things super simple.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 30-day Money-back Guarantee! Don\u2019t sweat it; if things don\u2019t go well, you can always get your money back.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Reliability. Bluehost\u2019s data centers are top-notch. They have massive facilities and they build their own servers. Their headquarters has a custom-designed 20,000-square-foot data center, they have over 50,000 square feet of office space, and enough backup generators to power an entire city. Besides their US-based data-centers, they also have data-centers across the globe – UK, India, and China – to shorten the distance between target users and servers.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Free SSL certificate. This is used to add an extra layer of security to your website (it\u2019s also something Google and other search engines are prioritizing in 2018).<\/p>\n

    Overall, it\u2019s cost-effective, reliable for you and your users, and super simple to go from A to B. You can have a professional blog (with the intention to make money, or not) set up in under 15 minutes!<\/p>\n

    STEP 2. SET UP HOSTING + REGISTERING DOMAIN<\/h3>\n

    Setting up a Wordpress site via Bluehost is surprisingly easy.<\/p>\n

    I\u2019ll show you, step-by-step, how to start your blog now.<\/p>\n

    To get started, go to Bluehost<\/a><\/span> (use this link for my affiliate discount<\/a>) and click \u201cGet Started Now\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Bluehost provides different tiered plans depending on your needs. When starting out, just go for the lowest priced package, which is called \u201cBasic\u201d. The basic package is currently $3.95 per month ($2.75 using our link!). Now, select \u201cBasic\u201d.<\/p>\n

    Note:<\/p>\n

    – All plans include a FREE Domain.<\/p>\n

    – The basic plan is really all you need for now, and you can always upgrade at any time.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a> The next step is choosing a (FREE) domain name. Make sure you choose wisely as this will be your URL for your site. Make sure it matches your brand.<\/p>\n

    Best practices for choosing a domain name:<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Go branded name over a keyword friendly name as it doesn\u2019t matter for SEO like it use to.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Avoid any tricky spellings, underscores or any symbols.<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Try to keep it as short as possible<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Always go .com (there are some exceptions)<\/p>\n

    \u2022 Keep it simple and concise, don\u2019t over think this!<\/p>\n

    A good tool for choosing a domain name:<\/p>\n

    I like to use leandomainsearch.com<\/a>; enter a word that you want your domain name to include and see what\u2019s available!<\/p>\n

    A few quick points to note regarding the free domain:<\/p>\n

    – If you cancel your account within 30 days from the signup date, you will get a full refund of the hosting account costs but they will deduct the money for domain registration because it is not possible to cancel the domain name. However, you can use that domain name for 1 year and from there you can either transfer it to any 3rd party register, like Google Domains, or keep it with Bluehost at $15.99\/year.<\/p>\n

    – If you cancel your Bluehost account at any time after 30 days, the same options apply for your domain; you just won\u2019t get your refund for the hosting.<\/p>\n

    Already have a domain name?<\/p>\n

    No worries, type it into the box on the right. After you complete your sign up, all you have to do is change the DNS in your domain registrar (Google Domains or Godaddy, etc.) to ns1.bluehost.com and ns2.bluehost.com.<\/p>\n

    Next, fill in your personal details in order to create your account. Your personal information is absolutely safe and secure. Bluehost won\u2019t spam you or sell any of your information either.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    Then below that choose the package details you want.<\/p>\n

    Note:<\/p>\n

    – The longer you account plan you choose, the greater your savings will be.<\/p>\n

    – If you are signing up for a 36-month plan, the price is $2.75 per month; 24-month plan, the price is $3.95 per month; 12-month plan, the price is $4.95 per month<\/p>\n

    – Don\u2019t go month-by-month; that way you won’t have to deal with an expired website after each month. For example, if hosting is not renewed or if the card expires, then your website will be down and you risk losing visitors\/loyal readers.<\/p>\n

    – All the plans come with a FREE domain.<\/p>\n

    – I suggest selecting the Domain Privacy Protection. This hides your personal information from anyone who might search for it. This is important for your privacy and safety. You do not need the other add-ons that Bluehost sells, so I suggest unchecking any of the extras that are listed.<\/p>\n

    Here\u2019s what the other add-ons provide:<\/p>\n

    – Site Backup Pro: This gives you extra security for your website. Although WordPress is very secure, this extra feature allows you to backup your site regularly. If you think you\u2019ll use this feature, it\u2019s could be worth the extra $2.99 per month or $35.88 per year.<\/p>\n

    – Search Engine Jumpstart: Bluehost claims that this tool can help you in search engine rankings. This feature is also $2.99 per month or $35.88 per year.<\/p>\n

    – SiteLock Security: \u00a0This add-on verifies your email address, physical address, and phone number. If you plan to sell a product or service on your site, this feature might be helpful for proving your credibility to customers. This service is an extra $1.99 per month or $23.88 per year.<\/p>\n

    You can always purchase these add-ons in the future.\"\"<\/a>Finish your purchase by filling in your credit card details.<\/p>\n

    Lastly, you will create your password and then log in into Bluehost using the password you selected.
    \n    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    STEP 3. SET UP YOUR BLOGGING PLATFORM (WORDPRESS)<\/h3>\n

    Bluehost has optimized the installing of Wordpress. With the one-click-installer (also, FREE) you can install a new theme and Wordpress with, well, one click! This is one of the best features of Bluehost in my opinion.<\/p>\n

    Pick your theme, and don\u2019t worry, you can easily change themes at any point from your WordPress Dashboard.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    When you have selected a theme, you will be taken to an \u201call done\u201d page.<\/p>\n

    Click on the blue \u2018Start Building\u2019 button to be directed immediately to WordPress. This is where you will start building your site.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    This is when you are given the option to select the kind of website you are building. A business site is used if you are building a website where you will take payments, sell a product (physical or digital), and\/or advertising. If you are simply starting a blog and you aren\u2019t sure yet if you want to make it a business, you can choose “personal”. Even with a personal blog, you can monetize it to make money, so don\u2019t worry about this too much. Also, you can always change the function(s) of your site as you move forward with growing your site (i.e. if you decide to sell an e-book in the future, you can always add the functions\/plug-ins that are necessary for taking payment and automating the delivery of the digital product).<\/p>\n

    Follow all the prompts to install WordPress.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    BOOM, now your website is ready to go.<\/p>\n

    Your site will start with a Coming Soon message before you \u201cLaunch\u201d it.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    STEP 4. GET YOUR BLOG READY (DESIGN + PLUG-INS + POSTS)<\/h3>\n

    Now you can change your theme (remember, you can also do this at any time, even after \u201claunching\u201d your site), install a logo, choose your colors for your site (branding is essential), set up the pages you want, and add any blog posts that you already have before it is live (if you want you can even start with just one blog post!).<\/p>\n

    Best design practices:<\/p>\n