How to Start Blogging in 2020 | Free Step By Step Guide

Note: This is not a get rich quick scheme. It needs a lot of patience and a small investment of $50-$70. There’s no shortcut to blogging. If you’re impatient and not sure whether to spend so much money, I would recommend looking for other money-making options. Blogging is definitely not for you. 

I usually talk about money. How to save money, how to get out of debt etc. But in this article, I’m going to teach you how to make money and how to start blogging in India. When I was in college I was very keen on making money online. I failed multiple times. But those failures helped me in being a better Digital Marketer. After I started my job, I lost my touch with blogging.

When I was shutting down my startup in November 2019, I had not taken any salary for the last two months. That’s when it hit me and I relied upon online earning. Last month I earned approximately $985 (I obviously have multiple blogs). 

Before we start with the steps, let’s talk about myths about blogging especially in India :

1. Online money is fake.
2. You get only pennies.
3. You have to be a Digital Marketer.
4. You can earn 1000s of Dollars in the 1st Month itself.

While the reality is if you’re good with writing (I will share a tip if you’re not good at it) and know how the internet works, you can be a great blogger.

Before you Start:

You need to note a few of the points before starting:

1. Blogging needs an investment of $60-$70 for the domain, hosting, SSL Certificate. It may sound a big amount right now but we are focusing on earning potential here.
2. Though all the steps can be completed on your smartphone. But I strongly recommend viewing this in Laptop and follow the steps.

So let’s start with steps:

Step 1: Pick a Blog Name

Almost every industry has 100s of bloggers. You can start by writing whatever you like and then place the link as per your niche. But, in 2020 things have become really competitive and with more free information available online, it is difficult to get money by writing what you like.

Now, to gain success in blogging in 2020, we need to follow the strategy which works. To begin with, I suggest you start with something less competitive. For example, Mobile Reviews isn’t gonna work now as it used to work in 2010 but if someone would have written about Corona Virus on 15th January 2020 (When we first heard about it), he/she would have earned a lot more than the people struggling with Mobile Review Blogs.

Now coming back to the Step, a good blog name must be descriptive, people should understand what is the blog about just with the name.

If you’re writing about a specific topic. Let’s say cooking, you must add it to your blog name. You can also use related words like foods, recipes, meals in your blog name. Even this will give readers a fair idea that the blog is about food.

If you’re starting with a personal blog with your own hobby which is all about you, you can add your name too. For example, Nikhil Recipes or Make Money with Nikhil.

Or, you can start with something random like this one “Buynimo” which will help you to diversify your content. I bought this domain for my small eCommerce store but ended up making it one of my blogs about money.

If you can’t decide your Blog Name, you can contact me and I will help you personally for Free. 

Once you’ve decided on the blog name, we have to check if the domain name is available. You have to decide on the extension as well. Although .com is preferred. But, it really doesn’t make a lot of difference. You can try with .net .org too. Check with your blog name with .com extension first and see it if it is available. You can check here by writing your blog name without spaces and selecting the domain extension:

I found that both nikhilrecipes.com, as well as makemoneywithnikhil.com, are available. In case, your desired domain name isn’t available, you can add a dash or tweak the name by adding small words like my, the or a. For Example nikhil-recipes.com or thenikhilrecipes.com.

Step 2: Make your Blog Online

Here, you may come across some of the terms which you will find difficult to understand. But don’t worry I will be sharing screenshots and steps on how to do it.

Now that we have decided on the Blog Name and Domain name, we need a space where we can store our data in internet terms it is called Hosting. Basically, in real estate terms, a domain name is just a nameplate of your house. Whereas, Hosting is your house where you live.

Now, all we need is Hosting and a content management system (CMS) and the best part is they come together.

For hosting, I strongly recommend BlueHost to all the new bloggers for the following reasons:

1. Free Domain Name: Generally we buy the domain and hosting separately. But BlueHost gives domain name FREE along with the hosting. Making it sure that nobody else use your domain.
2. It comes with free and simple WordPress Installation. (WordPress is one of the best content management systems for Blogging).
3. They have been recommended by WordPress since 2005 and currently host 4+ Million Blogs and Websites.
4. They have 24X7 Customer Support Service via webchat and phone.
5. They have a money-back guarantee if you’re not satisfied with the service.
6. Free SSL. Unlike Godaddy and other Hosting Providers, BlueHost gives a free SSL certificate. Which means when people visit your blog, they will see a secure sign which will increase the trust on your website.

Click here and get the discounted hosting plans from BlueHost.

For other hosting providers, check this web hosting guide for WordPress.

Disclosure: BlueHost compensates Buynimo when you purchase through this link, so my services are free of charge to you! In fact, if you have any trouble at all setting up a blog with this tutorial, just contact me and I will do it for you (free!).

So let’s get started with the Setup:

1. Click here to get a special rate of $3.95 per month price on BlueHost and Click on Get Started.
2. Choose your Plan. I recommend starting with the Basic Plan for now.
3. Register your domain. Enter the domain name in the new domain box.
4. Enter registration details
5. Select Package and Options: Here, I recommend to change the Account Plan to 12 months as we are just starting. The price will substantially increase. But, I still find it worth for the service and free things being provided. Also, uncheck all the extra products. You will always have an option to use them in the future.
6. Complete the Payment. It asks for the Credit Card Number but you can enter your debit card details too and complete the payment. BlueHost also has the option of PayPal.
7. Create your account and install WordPress by choosing any design (We can always change it later).
8. Once you have installed the WordPress, click on “Start Building”.

Step 3: Customization of the Blog

You can log in to your BlueHost account and select “Login to WordPress option”. Or you can directly add /wp-admin to your domain name. Example – nikhilrecipes.com/wp-admin

This is how the admin panel of WordPress looks like:

All of us want that stylish look for our blog. The best thing about WordPress is that the whole layout can be changed in a few simple clicks.

In WordPress, we call layouts as “Themes”. You can select them in Appearances Section:

You will see some of the themes already installed in your WordPress. They are clean and minimal. But if you wish to have a separate design, you can always click on the “Add New” button and search for your type.

But you can always continue using pre-installed themes. They are used by a few best bloggers.

Now, we have to change permalink (Link Structure of your Blogs). For SEO (Search Engine Optimization) Purposes, it is better to have a permalink with post name. You will find permalink options in Settings. Refer to the image below:

Step 4: Writing your first Blog and Publishing it

As I mentioned earlier, for blogging you have to be good at writing. If you’re not, you can always contact someone at Fiverr and get them to write for you. (Never share your admin credentials to anyone).

So how do we write and publish the article?

Go to Posts, and move Hello Word post to Trash. Then click on Add New

WordPress has a really cool editor. Just enter your title and write your heart out and click on Publish!

Congratulations! Your Blog is Published!

Step 4: Sharing your Blog – Happy Blogging

Share your blog as much as you can. Share on your social media channels. Ask your friends to share. That how you promote your blog. You need to share a lot in the initial days. Don’t forget to ask your friend to add good comments on the blog.

You also need to research a lot about blogging and how to be successful in it. WordPress is itself a very vast subject to be learned.

Step 5: Making Money with your Blog

You have to start thinking about money only when your blog is loaded with content. The best way blogging generates money is through Google Adsense where Google will show ads on your website given by the advertiser and share a commission with you. Many bloggers earn 1000s of Dollars through AdSense including myself.

If your content is really good, advertisers will reach you themselves. But first, I highly recommend adding a few contents. Most of the people apply for AdSense just by writing 1 article and get rejected.

I will be writing more tips and lessons about making money with blogging. This was just the first step.

Need any help? Reach me out and I will personally help you.