Today, you will learn all about easily creating a blog on your own and how to start a WordPress blog. Blogging is what changed my life and allowed me to make thousands of dollars a month, all by doing something that I love. Plus, you can start a money-making blog for just a few dollars a month! Below, I have included discounted pricing that I personally negotiated with Bluehost so that all of you can start a blog for cheap. You will also receive a free blog domain through my link too. Act quick though because I’m not sure how long these low prices will last!
Disclosure: I am an affiliate for Bluehost, and will receive a commission if you sign up through my referral link. This is at no additional cost to you, and you will get great pricing and a free domain name through my link.
Click here to start a blog on WordPress, then use the tutorial below for the easy directions.
If you’re looking to start a WordPress blog for cheap, then choosing Bluehost for your hosting needs may be your answer. Bluehost is a great web host and I personally have had a great experience with them.
Blogging has been one of the best things ever for me. As you can tell from my business income reports, I have made over $5,000,000 from my blogging-related services. I earned over $979,000 in one year through blogging, over $1,500,000 another year, for example.
I am able to work from home, I can travel whenever I want, I have a flexible schedule and more. I am absolutely loving life and I can’t believe how much my life has improved in just the past few years.
Anyone can make money with a blog, and I was able to make the money back that I paid for blog hosting very quickly. It is well worth it to pay for blog hosting and I’m sure you will be able to make your money back quickly as well.
Bluehost is one of the top web hosting companies this year and you can start your own blog with them for as low as $2.75 a month (this low price is through my link only)! Also, if you sign up using my link, then you will get your domain for free if you purchase a 12 month or longer hosting plan (a $15 value). I highly recommend signing up for the 12 month hosting plan through Bluehost. It’s affordable and you can save a lot of money by signing up for at least 12 months.
You may be thinking, “Well I can just start on Blogger for a little cheaper and learn how to make a blog that way” NOOOOO… Don’t do that. There are so many reasons for why a Blogger/Blogspot blog is a really bad idea, and why you should instead setup a WordPress blog on Bluehost.
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 (for the first year). You can run any of your own advertisements, affiliate links, direct advertising, etc. with a blog ran on Bluehost. Making money on Blogger or any other free blogging platform is very difficult, and in many cases never happens. Most advertisers and companies tend to run away from Blogger websites because they don’t view them as professional as self-hosted WordPress blogs, so that’s another big reason to use Bluehost.
Also, if you take a look at my past income reports, you can tell that my income through blogging didn’t take off until right at the exact moment I switched to WordPress. That’s a lot of proof right there that being self-hosted on WordPress is the way to go!
Read more about why you should pay for blog hosting here.
There are many reasons for why you may want to choose Bluehost for your WordPress blog and I honestly believe they are one of the best web hosting providers. These reasons include:
- It’s 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.
- Bluehost web hosting offers technical 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 $2.75 per month.
- You get a FREE blog domain.
- WordPress through Bluehost is FREE.
- Bluehost offers a guarantee in case you determine that it is 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. If you want to monetize your blog, then you will want to be self-hosted.
- You will appear much more professional to readers, companies, and so on if you are self-hosted on Bluehost than being on Blogspot.
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, continue below. 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. That’s what I’m here for 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. Register your domain name.
You can click here to purchase a domain name and create a blog, then continue to follow the easy steps below.
The very first thing you will need to do when starting a WordPress blog on Bluehost is to think about what you want your domain name to be. This can be tough, and I would give some serious thought to this.
I don’t even remember how I came up with my blog name. It’s a long one though and at times I regret it. Trying to spell out my blog name to people who don’t know about it can get frustrating because they don’t know if I’m saying “cents” or “sense!”
You can get your domain directly through Bluehost and make the whole process very easy. If you do this, you can get a FREE domain for the first year as long as you buy 12 months worth of Bluehost web hosting. This makes it well worth it to sign up for at least 12 months of hosting as you will be saving a good amount of money this way. You also get a cheaper monthly price when you buy at least 12 months of hosting, so the free domain just makes it even better. If you decide to get the free domain, just continue to the next step as you can buy your hosting and get the free domain all in one step.
2. Buy hosting for your blog.
Setting up a WordPress blog on Bluehost is very easy. First, we will talk about the costs of blogging:
- To receive the cheapest price to start a blog, then choosing the “Basic” plan is really all you need. It’s only $2.75 per month through my link (due upfront in full) if you sign up for 12 months, which is a great price. If you are unsure about blogging, I would sign up for the 12 month plan as this is a great price and very affordable for one year of blogging. If you purchase a 12 month plan, your total price is only $33 a year, which is a great price. Plus, you still receive the free domain name when you sign up for 12 months or more which saves you money.
- The Basic plan is all you really need for now, so skip the Plus and Business Pro 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 extra that you do not need.
- The other item you may want to pay for when it comes to blogging is Domain Privacy Protection, which is only $0.99 per month. This is so that your contact information stays safe.
- Other than the above, 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.
I want to reiterate why you should purchase at least a 12 month hosting plan. Month-to-month is less effective, and I highly recommend signing up for a minimum of 12 months for many reasons. 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 hosting is not renewed or if the card expires, then your website is down and you risk losing business (visitors/traffic) when you pay on a month-to-month basis. It’s also exceptionally more expensive to pay month-by-month rather than in one lump sum. The more years you sign up for, the less you pay.
Blog hosting will most likely cost you around $50 a year on average, which is a great deal! If you purchase a 12 month plan, your price is only $33 a year, which is a great price.
When you are ready to create your blog, follow the steps below to buy hosting for your blog.
- Go to Bluehost and click the “Get Started Now” button.
- Click on the package you are interested in.
- Enter your domain name you registered with earlier, or sign up for a new domain name here.
- Enter your personal and payment information.
- Next you will be asked to enter a password. Make sure it’s secure as this information is very important.
If you have any problems, please send me an email at michelle@makingsenseofcents.com. I have a great person at Bluehost who can help solve any of your issues quickly and easily!
3. Connect your domain and your hosting.
Note: You can skip this section (Section 3) if you buy your domain directly through Bluehost.
If you buy your domain through Go Daddy, then you will need to connect your domain to your hosting account. Go Daddy has a full support page for setting nameservers for your domain names. Below is a snippet:
“When you register a domain name with us, we set it up on our parked nameservers so a temporary page displays when visitors go to your website. After you determine which hosting provider to use, you can change your domain name’s nameservers to remove the parked page and activate your domain name.
If you registered your domain name with another provider, you can still purchase a hosting account with us, use our Off-site DNS services, or use our CashParking® or Quick Content services. If you do any of those, you must view your nameservers in your account with us, and then set the nameservers with your domain name registrar.”
How to modify your DNS Nameservers when you are using Go Daddy for your domain and Bluehost for your hosting:
- Log into the GoDaddy.com Account Manager.
- Select Manage Domains from the Domain Names drop-down menu or the Manage Your Account list.
- Select the domain name you wish to modify using the checkboxes 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 add the domain you bought (such as through GoDaddy) as an addon domain to your Bluehost web hosting. You can do this by clicking on “Domains” when logged into your Bluehost web hosting account and then clicking on “assign.” Follow the steps and it is very easy!
4. Install WordPress on Bluehost.
Okay, this is probably the step that all of you have been waiting for. If you want to start a WordPress blog on Bluehost then continue reading.
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”
- On the next screen, you can choose “Business” or “Personal” – it’s up to you. Or, you can click the “I don’t need help.”
WOOHOO! You now have a WordPress blog. You will have to work on the design and producing high-quality content, of course. Good luck!
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 so don’t be afraid to send me an email at michelle@makingsenseofcents.com
Some general tips for how to navigate WordPress:
- 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 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 newsletters or emails to your readers, I recommend Convertkit.
- If you are looking into the actual design of your blog, Kadence and Astra seem to be the most popular right now. Or, there are free themes through WordPress you can use too. 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!
- Another option would be to buy a premade blog design, which you can find on Etsy or searching on Google. One premade blog design that you may be interested in is Bluchic. Need to build a website that is custom, professional, and budget-friendly? Bluchic has you covered! There is no need to code or stress over graphic design, either. These templates are easy to use. You can see the many different Bluchic designs here.
- I recommend checking out my online course for bloggers, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. I have earned over $1,000,000 through affiliate marketing and I share my exact strategy and tips in this very informative online course. If you’re a blogger (even if you’re a new blogger!), then you NEED this course.
How To Start a Blog
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial on how to start a blog for beginners. I absolutely love running a blogging business, and it takes minimal equipment to get started. All you really need is a laptop/computer and an internet connection.
There are many different blog topics that you can write about on your blog, from food, finance, lifestyle, travel, family, house, news blogs, and more.
Have fun writing your first blog post and creating your own successful blog.
Here are more blogging-related posts you should take a look at after you learn how to start a WordPress blog:
- How To Earn Money Blogging: Your Top Questions Answered
- Should I Start A Blog? Here Are The Top Reasons You Will Love Blogging
- The Free Blogging Planner Workbook
- How 17 Bloggers Earned Their First Affiliate Income
- The Daily, Weekly and Monthly Habits for Building a $100,000 Blog
Do you have a blog? Do you use Bluehost for blogging? Share your blogging mistakes as well! Hope you enjoyed my tutorial on how to start a WordPress blog on Bluehost.
Related Posts
10 Best Things I Did To Build A $5 Million Dollar Blog- 75+ Ways To Make Extra Money
- Should I Start A Blog? Here Are The Top Reasons You Will Love Blogging
- The Free Blogging Planner Workbook
- 8 Reasons Why I Absolutely Love Affiliate Marketing For Bloggers
- How To Earn Money Blogging: Your Top Questions Answered
Rex Le says
Hey Michelle, thank you for posting this blog. I’m a newbie blogger and your content is helping me out tremendously.
Thank you again!
Fakaosilea Finau says
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for your advice and detail instructions on how to “Create a Successful Blog”. It certainly helps me as a newbie to blogging. The instructions you’re given are more user-friendly especially to a person like me as a novice and not a techie newbie.
I came across your blog through ‘Millennial Money’.
I’ll set-up my blog after completing your 7 Online Tutorial Course through the link and host you’re proposing (i.e. Bluehost and WordPress). Thanks again.
Cordially,
Fakaosilea Finau
Stacy Hoban says
Hey Michelle,
Wondering if you can shed some light on the “Office 365 Email Essentials” option. Do you have this option and if so, what are the benefits? It is worth the extra $2.99/mo?
Thanks for your help!
~Stacy~
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I do not have that option and I do not know what it entails. You probably don’t need it.
Corina says
Great article! I used it as my guide to start my first blog and I’m extremely happy. I always read you with pleasure. Great job!
Petersen says
Great! Great! Great!
I read this article back in 2018 and that’s when the idea to start my blog came in. By the end of 2018, I launched my blog and I never regret.
Blue host was my best option as you suggested and am so happy for your article. Cheers!
Mike Madison says
Still much too complicated…to even set up a blog, with pictures, and a place for visitors to leave comments, I have not been able to figure out, on any of the hosting services, Weebly, Wix, and Bluehost, touted to be easy, AREN’T….very frustrated,…
Frank says
I agree it can be overwhelming at first. I can go from buying a domain name to an active site in about 20 minutes or less now. That didn’t happen overnight though. There are a ton of how to articles and Youtube videos that can get you going. The nice thing is once your blog is setup you mainly just work on writing posts. Most of the real tech stuff is a one-time thing.
Maggy Lehmicke says
Hi Michelle – Love all these tips. I currently run a WordPress site (it’s more of a “digital magazine” than a blog) and use Bluehost. However, I’m looking to potentially switch to Squarespace since it’s simpler and I’ve used it a lot.
Are there any big reasons NOT to use Squarespace? I don’t believe they allow display advertising, but it appears that you can still do affiliate marketing with a Squarespace site. I’m just afraid I won’t have the time/motivation to maintain it on WordPress…
Looking forward to your thoughts. You’re also welcome to view the current site here: http://www.nwtennismag.com.
Thanks!
Maggy
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I actually don’t know much about Squarespace, so I can’t really give any advice. I do know of a few people who like it, so I’m sure it’s fine.
Frank says
According to Built With, Squarespace has about a 1% share of the blogging space while WordPress has close to 32%. WordPress also has over 54,000 plugins to enhance your site. I would stick with WordPress unless you have a good reason to move. Just my opinion.
abhy says
can I use siteground for hosting
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Of course!
Cara Berkeley says
Great post! I also used Blue Host and WordPress and have found the setup to be pretty easy. Writing the blog posts and finding ways to promote them is the hard part!
Julius says
Yes i agree with you, starting your blog on a Blogger/Blogspot blog is a really bad idea, i made this same mistake when i was starting.
Sammy Jean says
Hi there. I purchased BlueHost and am using WordPress but I cannot figure out how to switch my domain to Bluehost through GoDaddy. I just purchased it and it says I cannot transfer it for 60 days. It that true?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Hey Sammy Jean! Have you contacted Bluehost? Or, send me an email 🙂
Frank says
I’d leave your domain with GoDaddy. I never recommend using your web host for domain registration. If you two have an ugly split they can make it hard to get your domain switched. With GoDaddy or any other registrar, you point to your new web host and move on.
Bailey says
Hey Frank,
I’m new to this and wonder if you can explain your answer a little more.
I have a domain through GoDaddy as well.
If I keep GoDaddy as my domain, it sounds like you’re suggesting getting a separate host company Is that correct?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Yes, you can use Bluehost as your host.
Moheb says
Hi Michelle,
Thanks so much for this great post. It was really easy to follow. I’m so excited to get started. So now that I signed up on Bluehost and got my domain, what would you recommend for someone that is just starting to blog?
Thanks,
Moheb
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I actually have a blog post on the steps in more detail coming out next week 🙂 Stay tuned!
Diana F. says
Hi Michelle!
I’ve been following you for a long time and have been thinking about a personal finance blog for even longer. I’m finally going to take the plunge since I’m finishing up my MBA next month (yassss!). Anyhow, do you perhaps have any other recommendations for purchasing pre-made wordpress themes? I checked out your recommended page in the post but wondered if you had any other recommendations. If there’s another post, feel free to just point me to it!
Thank you!
Diana
R says
I currently have a wordpress blog hosted by wordpress. I have had this blog for almost a decade. Does hosting with Bluehost mean I loose all the subscribers, and would I need a new blog name?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
You should be able to simply transfer it.
Betsy says
Hi Michelle,
I want to start an anonymous blog about some personal things. I think I goofed when I started a blog through Word Press last night. It is connected to my email and when I “preview” my post, it has my whole name at the top as the author. Since I purchased the domain name and set it up with Word Press, can I still move hosting over to Bluehost and do you have any suggestions to help me with anonymously blogging?
thank you!
Anonymous 😉
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Hello!
You should be able to change it in the “User” settings. Can you try that?
Kasey says
Hi Michelle upon using your link to begin my bluhost purchase you say it starts at $2 something but the lowest price it offers thru following you link is $4 something am I doing something wrong? Plz help
Thanking you kindly
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Can you send me an email at michelle@makingsenseofcents.com with a screenshot of the pricing you are seeing?
Romenath Thapa says
HI, making sense, I want to create blog but how to pay money for you or there?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I recommend reading this to learn more – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/04/how-to-earn-money-blogging.html
Daryl Chapman says
Hi Michelle, getting ready to get started with my blog and noticed in the package extras on the Bluehost site now it has Sitelock Security instead of the previous Domain Site Protection. That’s basically the same thing right?
Daryl Chapman says
Actually now that I look again Sitelock Security was there before but now it appears that Domain Site Protection is gone.
Daryl Chapman says
Now on my computer at work it’s there again lol, so nevermind.
Jen Willoughby says
Hi Michelle. I have a few questions?The first question is what is the difference when you say business or personal? Do you have to have a business set up if you choose business? Also, are there tax benefits for bloggers? Last but not least, can you blog on an iPad or do you need a laptop? Thank you in advance for answering these questions. Jen
Lauren McGee says
Hi Michelle!
Do you have a checklist that you recommend for daily blogging to dos?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I don’t have a checklist but you may find this helpful – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/06/how-to-start-a-successful-blog.html
Doug says
By using your directions is it installing (from) WordPress.org or WordPress.com?
Anthony says
It should be .org. I don’t believe you need separate hosting with WordPress.com.
Chantelle says
Hi there.. tx so much for the info. I also subscribed to your course.
I am a designer so Word press is easy for me.. I just need to know how to make money from blogging etc.. just want to ask, I do have a reliable company I do all my hosting from. Do I need to do it on Bluehost?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I recommend reading this – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/04/how-to-earn-money-blogging.html
sugargurl says
Hi Michelle
This information has really be of help to me.
please I want to know if there’s any possibility for me to navigate from blogspot to blue host since I already started on blogspot. com few days back?? thank u so very much and I anticipate your reply
Alana SantaBarbara says
Hi Michelle
I really want to start a blog but a little bit afraid of not writing like a pro and what about if I run out of ideas. I been thinking about a making a blog for over a year. How do you come up with everyday ideas.
Thanks
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I recommend reading this – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/04/how-to-earn-money-blogging.html 🙂
Osia james says
I thank you for letting me know that am capable of doing what I purpose to do
Anna says
Hi there,
I really appreciate your post. Thanks for all the info.
I do have a question- is there a separate payment for wordpress?
I paid the 36 months for Bluehost and now its prompting me to add on wordpress for 60$ a year. Is that right?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
WordPress is free. Are you sure it’s asking you to pay for WordPress?
Shele says
Hi Michelle…
I also want to star an blog.
But I have an question,
This is really earning side?
I really want to know.
Thanks
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Can you clarify your question?
Otobong says
Michelle, is it possible to incorporate a blog on eCommerce websites as well as run an affiliate program on it. The reason am asking is that am just setting up an online store on beauty niche. Please i will gladly appreciate your response. Thank you.
Shawn says
what blog plugins you suggest?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Have fun blogging!
Jannet Liang says
I have used your link for bluehost, but now it wants me to pay for a domain…..
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Can you send me an email? The domain is free.
Gharelu totke says
Thanks for all the info.
I do have a question- is there a separate payment for wordpress
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
WordPress is free if you buy self hosting.
Andy Marsh says
Thanks for sharing. I have to say I have always used wordpress and have built several websites on it. Blue Host is also an excellent hosting provider. I have always hired in a wordpress developer to assist me as I’m not great at coding. It saves a lot of time.
Melissa Moser says
Hello Michelle, I have Bluehost through you, and bought Genesis through you. I have no idea how to merge the two so that the theme of Genesis is uploaded to my site.
It’s tuningmindandbody.com
is there a source I should go to to help me with this? I don’t have any idea where to begin with the technical stuff.
Thanks for all you do!
Melissa Moser says
Never Mind… all figured out. If you could mention my new blog in the future. That would be wonderful 🙂 Thanks Michelle!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Glad you figured it out.
Have fun blogging!
Mike says
Hi Michelle,
I started a blog in the outdoors niche. I have 50 total articles so far, but I’m starting to wonder if I should have focused on a sub-section of the outdoors such as fishing. Do you think that I would have better success by doing this, or is it okay to go broad?
Zoe says
Hello!
I just wanted to stop by and say, “THANK YOU!!” I have been wanting to start a blog for years now, but I have never known where to even begin. So many people give so many different recommendations, and guides are never thorough enough for me, someone who knows practically nothing about computers, but with your help, I finally took the plunge! This made getting started easy and stress-free. And, I very much appreciate the discounted hosting!
Keep doing what you’re doing, and thanks again!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Aww thanks! 🙂
Jay says
I recently started a blog with my wife and we follow your instructions to the T. Your site is our blogger bible and we wouldn’t have even started if I didn’t stumble upon your blog. Thanks for the inspiration and information!
Is our site where we will share all our tips on staying healthy, improving our marriage, buying and updating a lake house, raising kids, and all the projects we do on ONE SALARY.
Thanks again Michelle!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Congrats on starting a blog!
Bernard says
Thanks
Mandilee A Hecht says
Michelle the link posted above is actually a corn link rhymes with corn. Not sure if you wanted to know that or not but…. just thought I’d give you an fyi. 😬
Jay says
Hi Michelle
Thank you for writing such a great tutorial. I just started a blog myself literally a couple weeks ago after pondering over the idea for several years. I hope to learn from professional bloggers like you.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Have fun blogging!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I recommend .com
Piyush Jain says
Hi, I already have a domain in GoDaddy and already purchased a space to host my website. I upload my weekly work there. Is it not a good idea? How can I make money from that? What is your opinion, is it imp to use Bluehost for services?
Michael McGuire says
Thank you so much for your help! I was able to launch my new blog, mikesmoneyhelp.com within a week.
Solomon Marsh says
I started working on my blog mid last year, and I lost focus along the way. By then I had only written like 13 blog posts. By the end of march this year I came across this blog and I got the needed motivation to keep moving.
I started looking for materials to read more about blogging and other related aspects. Right now I am motivated, and I think I am moving in the right direction since I know what I am doing now.
I came to realize it is more about passion; finding that niche that you like, and you are comfortable providing information.
As from mid April, I started putting in the work. I made my first conversion this week. It feels so good. I am looking forward to the journey ahead as a blogger.
Suz Priestas says
Hi Michelle,
I have a question about starting a new blog. I am in the process of opening an ecommerce store, and I want to start a blog with it. Can I incorporate your system for affiliate blogging with this set up??? Please advise & Thank you!
~Suz
Jason says
Your story inspired me to start my own blog. JustHustling.com
I frequently provide advice to others and blogging helps me reach a wider audience.
Thanks Michelle!
Virginia says
Hi Michelle,
I’ll start by saying thank you for always putting out great content, I’ve been reading your blog since 2018 and it’s one of the reasons I decided to start my very own blog. I always keep coming back to learn something new and hopefully one of this days I’ll share my success story with you 🙂
Anyways, thanks again and God bless!
Julia says
Dearest Michelle,
A few weeks ago I was inspired to start blogging after much thought. I even purchased one of your courses which has been amazing! A treasure of great information. However, I’m simultaneously, creating my blog site and the technical side has been very challenging for me. All the information as to how to start a blog and where to go and downloading a theme, etc., has been great, but again the small details is what’s holding me back from starting to write my blog. I spent three days just trying to create a contact page! LOL!!! Any chance you might know or can recommend a crash course on WordPress? Maybe a course that walks you through the creation of a website/blog from start to finish…? I’m feeling a bit over my head. Thanks!
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Hey Julia!
One course I recommend is mentioned here – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2018/05/how-we-went-from-0-10000-month-blogging-in-less-than-a-year.html. I don’t think it’ll teach you how to design your blog, but if that’s what you’re wondering about then I would recommend either hiring a designer or purchasing a premade design.
Henry Justin says
Hi!
I do not have a laptop or pc, how can i make a blog using android phone?
ashley says
You can download the WordPress app for your phone. I have it on my phone and I use it to work on my blog when I don’t have my computer handy.
Pamela says
Hello Michelle.
I want to direct my blog to a certain age group. I’ve never bloged before. Do you have any suggestions on how to do that?
Thank you so much in advance.
Murray Hough says
Years ago I purchased a domain (currently parked) and hosting through Go Daddy, but have not been happy with how difficult it has been to design my website. What do I have to do to change everything over to Bluehost and WordPress?
Ummi Lawan says
Hi Michelle,
Thank you for this post. This has finally given me the strength and confidence I needed to start my own blog. I have always thought that I can’t do it because I am not a natural writer. But I really want to share my experiences with others so that they can benefit from my mistakes and my achievements. I admire you and hope to meet you one day! Thank you!
Shawn Pitner says
Hello Michelle, I recently signed up for your email list and I was wondering if you had an article that covered the legal side of your blog? For example, did you register a business license with your county or state? Are you considered a sole proprietor or did you create an LLC? Did you open a business bank account to keep all of your business transactions separate from your personal account? You may have already covered this somewhere but I wasn’t able to find it. Thank You,
Shawn
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Hey Shawn!
These two may be helpful:
1) https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2018/10/tax-questions-for-bloggers-and-digital-nomads.html
2) https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/07/3-super-common-legal-mistakes-bloggers-make-and-how-to-fix-them.html
Ritz says
Dear Michelle,
I stumbled through and finally got a blog up and running (bluehost domain and WordPress blog). However, wrote a bunch of stuff AND published the posts, but, the visitors can’t like my posts. Is it true that all visitors need to be registered users of WordPress to hit the “like” button? How does on then generate traffic
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I don’t think you need that feature. I don’t know of any blogs who use this.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Hey Helen!
Can you send me an email at michelle@makingsenseofcents.com?
Michelle R says
Hello Michelle, what’s the difference is getting a free blog through Wix vs paying for one through Bluehost?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Hello,
I recommend reading this – Should my blog be self-hosted? https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/04/how-to-earn-money-blogging.html
I do not recommend Wix at all. WordPress is much, much better.
Angela Bronson says
Michelle,
I just want to say thank you for being so generous with your knowledge, experience and expertise! I have been following you for over a year, been on your mailing list, purchased a course, etc.
There were many times when I wanted to quit during the early stages of launching my blog, but your advice and encouraging content kept me from giving up! Thanks again!
(Angie from createwithcodedragon.com)
PS
will soon be purchasing your Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing course and can’t wait
Sarah says
I’ve tried subscribing to your course with my email a few times, but haven’t received anything! Is the blogging course still active?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Hello!
I looked at your email address in the system and it says you first signed up for the course in 2016 and read all the emails from that. Due to that, the email platform won’t send the same emails twice due to spam reasons.
If you’d like, you can sign up under a different email address, or send me an email at michelle@makingsenseofcents.com and I can send you the email manually.
Kendra says
I have a wix website any ideas or tips on starting with this.
Fran L Cone says
Hi Michelle, I have a fledgling home stager / redesign business. I have a website through Wix, and possibly through Squarespace (I say possibly because my son designed something for me there, for me to edit, but I haven’t really done that yet.) I purchased a domain name and have worked MANY hours on my Wix site. I need to know if my blog should be in the same name or a slightly different one and hosted on Bluehost? If yes, to the Bluehost answer, do you know if it’s then shareable somehow on my Wix or Squarespace site? Also, my business name is A Certain Charm Interiors. I would like to blog about a wider variety of things than just interiors, and thus wonder if a name for my blog that includes the word “charm” would be enough of a link? For example, “Third Time’s The Charm”? Thanks so much! Fran
Abigail Harper says
Thanks for sharing such a great piece of content. Your post is a big help to clear things out especially for a beginner like me. Could you please suggest to me which hosting will be best for the HD graphic with a larger images portfolio site?
Sharon C. says
Hello Michelle,
I am a semi-retired teacher consultant. I have been working at learning the skill of blogging since August. My initial goal was to do affiliate marketing with Amazon. I read a lot of material, but sometimes I feel more confused than directed about what to do next.
I see that you offer a course on affiliate marketing. I have a few questions/comments that make me think I might be too old for blogging.
QC 1: I think I know that I must have some type of audience in order to make any money at affiliate marketing. I ask b/c your article says that I do not need a lot of followers which is a good thing b/c I don’t have them.
QC 2: My site is on WordPress and it includes Bluehost some kind of way. I have what is called a beginner website. I am not sure what will happen if I try to make it a pro-site. Any suggestions on how I can fix that problem.
QC 3: I want my writing to be about saving money. My site is moneygrowinggranny.com. I began it because I want grandparents to see the importance of teaching their grand children how to save. I see far too many individuals get caught up in debt with credit cards before they understand what is happening. The problem, not many older people read finance articles or maybe just my articles.
Any suggestions you have are appreciated.
Sharon
Lisa says
Thank you!!! You inspired me to start a blog in my free time! I started it in December, but started taking it seriously in January and within 3 months, I now have my first $750 month! I am getting messages daily now about how I’m helping people and changing their lives. It’s been very exciting and rewarding! Thank you for the inspiration! =)
Cindy says
I am going to start a blog as well but struggling with a name. I do not want to name it for just one niche so thought I may make up a name where I could then write articles and bring information about a few subjects and not just one. Michelle is right–choosing a name is the toughest!!! Good to hear someone made some money :o)
Clem says
Hi, do you happen to have an article like this but for websites instead of a blog? thanks
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Starting a website would be similar, since all blogs are websites.
Ron says
Took some advice from your blog and made some $$ last night while I slept. You are now my #1 source of information for blogging and making money.
Thanks for sharing!
Lisa says
Thank you! This article is what helped me start my blog. I’ve now made my first $750 in 1 month. Thank you for your inspiration!
Nenso says
hola como empezo para ganar tus primeros 750$?
gracias
Arlyne Draper says
I am using.my.husband’s blog. It is on WordPress. He passed away October.18, 2018. I promised I would. It is my goal to continue his blog about our travels and adventures. We retired in 2005 and even with our two children growing up we traveled within the US extensively. The blog has a name already. Arlyne Draper
Larry Prehm says
I’m not sure anyone would be interested in reading my blog, should I decide to have one. I’m 80 years old and have a tendency to tell my experiences at “get-to-gathers”…(I don’t call them parties anymore). I’ve been told I should have a blog. Samples: I hitchhiked from IA to NY as a teen to peddle my cartoons…and sold a few. In the Air Force I was flying over Cuba during the Cuban Crisis. In the 60’s I sailed to over 30 countries as a ship’s photographer. Married…and traveled in US & Canada in 3 campers and England and New Zealand in rented campers. Too many pleasure cruises to list here. When I retired in 2006 I wrote a POD book. I thought I might serialize it…Or just do a “Then&Now” blog. Anything of interest here?
Sundus says
This sounds amazing! I would definitely be a frequent reader if you do make a blog of your adventures!
A Bowen says
You have all you need for a fantastic blog – wow what a life you have led – you could name it “What a life” – with all those adventures people would be sure to read
Jim says
This is very inspiring Michelle. Thanks for sharing. Definitely ony of the reasons I started my blog! Thanks a lot!
Brianna says
Such a helpful blog post 🙂
May says
Hi, I’ve just recently started my own blog, My Jammy Life (jammiesinmylife.com). I will be sharing my stories of my life journey. Hope I’ll get readers and eventually subscribers!
Elizabeth Hollingsworth says
i signed up for your free blogging course. it sent me to convertKit & no email for the free course. what is convertKit? is that to be used in addition to Bluehost?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Hello,
This is because you signed up for the free course back in July. Due to spam reasons, it won’t send the same set of emails twice unless I go in and override it. I have done so and now you should be getting the emails.
Leonard says
How to start?
Tyra N. Garcia-Rhodes says
It’s always great to know that blogging is possible and people can make a living from blogging. Making Sense of Cents is one of my favorite blogs to look up to for inspiration!
Cindy says
Hi Michelle,
Some folks are saying that Blue Host is not as reliable as some others. Do you have any suggestions on this? Thanks!
Mike Bowen says
Most people who are negative about a hosting company probably had a bad experience. I was with Bluehost for 6 years and found they got more and more expensive, as they upgraded their infrastructure, which I guess is a valid reason, but at the same time one would think with all the better hardware and technology available and members signing up, it would get cheaper. Alas! I switched hosting companies to FastComet who were head and shoulders better then blue host, however after 6 years with them I feel they are doing the same thing as Bluehost were doing. Overcharging me while giving new members better deals. This is how it goes. Time to switch. For the price though, Bluehost or fast comet are very competitive and they both have excellent customer service, which is key if one is in a pickle. Both support and have tons on knowledge on WordPress, which is also important. Good luck!
Wendy says
I am very confused. I signed on to start a blog through Bluehost…and am not sure if WordPress is a part of it. I tried setting of a theme with WordPress and Bluehost websites are totally different. Which is better? Using Bluehost or WordPress. I want to eventually e-commerce…once I am comfortable with the platform I’m using.
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
Did you follow this tutorial? If so, then you will use the login link that you were given.
Bruce says
Hi, Michelle is your website both business/personal?
That question is asked as to how to register.
Must my blog be a LLC or sole proprietorship?
Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says
I don’t think it matters which one you choose when you’re answering that question. I think they may just ask that more-so as a survey.
I can’t answer your last question as it’s a legal question. I recommend doing your research. Some people are sole proprietorship and others are LLCs. My blog is an LLC.
Belle says
Were you an LLC from the very start of your blog or did you become an LLC someone down the line? If it occurred later, what prompted you to become an LLC? Thanks for all your advice and helpful tips!
Francis TCHIOUNDRO says
Salut Michelle.
J’ai lu avec attention tes écris. Je suis Africains. Je vis au Bénin.
J’ai envi d’acheté ta formation mais je ne maitrise pas bien l’Anglais. J’aimerais savoir si toute la formation est en vidéo ou si je peux avoir la formation en version PDF en ligne. Comme cela, je pourrai faire la traduction anglais français.
Merci de m’aider