We get it. You’re ready to start your very first blog but aren’t quite sure where or how to start. That’s okay though. We’ve got you covered! We’re going to run you through the basics of starting your very own blog (for the first time) and how to do so without dumping a big chunk of change into it. After all, it’s all about saving money or making money, right? Well, with your very own blog, you can do both at the same exact time. That is, if you follow the fail proof advice below. Anxious to get started? Good! Let’s do just that!

Buy A Domain

While this may seem like a simple process, it’s really not. You should definitely put some time into coming up with a good name. Keep as short as possible but sweet at the same time. For example, JohnDoesVeryFirstBlogOnline.com probably isn’t the best domain in the world but you could do something like TheJDBlog.com if it’s available. We’ll leave the creative part up to you. How much is a domain? Expect to pay around $10 a year or so.

You can buy your domain at places like GoDaddy.com or Yola.com

Get Hosting

Chances are, wherever you buy your domain will be the same place that you get hosting. We’ve seen hosting for as little as $2 or $3 a month but chances are, you’ll need to upgrade as your blog starts to get more readers. Blue Host is a good company to go with as they offer affordable “beginner packages” as well as VPS hosting and Dedicated Servers. Just make sure that they have cPanel (don’t worry, it’s extremely easy to figure out) installed.

Use WordPress

This is one of the most popular (if not the most popular) blogging platforms out there and it’s 100% free to use. Most hosting companies will give you the option to install it with the click of a button. Choose a free them (or find one). You can always buy one later if you stick to blogging or hire someone to make you a custom Word Press theme. It’s also easy!

Manage Your Own Content

Later on down the road, you may want to hire a writer or two (or a SEO guy) to help your blog make it to the next level. Until you’re making some decent money off of your blog, we recommend managing your own content. It requires more work on your end but will save you a ton of money and allow you to test the waters. In other words, pinch pennies!

Monetize It

Monetizing something basically means to set something up to make money. A place that most people start is with Google AdSense. You’ll basically get paid for every person that visits your blog and sees an advertisement. You also get “paid per click” but you should never click your own advertisements or advise anyone else to. That’s asking for trouble!

And that’s it! That’s all that you need to do. The rest of the blanks will fill themselves in and you’ll basically learn as you go. Just be prepared to update regularly (even just on a weekly basis is fine) and go through some trial and error. In a few months time, you may make enough money to pay for your hosting and to hire a guest writer from time to time.

You may even make enough money to pay your bills. Who knows? But let’s give it a shot!