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How To Start A WordPress Blog On Bluehost

Last Updated: January 1, 2023 BY Michelle Schroeder-Gardner - 754 Comments

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for more info.

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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

 

how to start a blog and make money

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.

 

how to start a WordPress blog on Bluehost

wordpress start a blog

 

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.

  1. Go to Bluehost and click the “Get Started Now” button.
  2. Click on the package you are interested in.
  3. Enter your domain name you registered with earlier, or sign up for a new domain name here.
  4. Enter your personal and payment information.
  5. 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:

  1. Log into the GoDaddy.com Account Manager.
  2. Select Manage Domains from the Domain Names drop-down menu or the Manage Your Account list.
  3. Select the domain name you wish to modify using the checkboxes and then click Set Name Servers.
  4. 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.
  • I recommend checking out my online course for bloggers, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing. I earn over $50,000 a month 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 Blog10 Best Things I Did To Build A $5 Million Dollar Blog
  • 75+ Ways To Make Extra Money75+ Ways To Make Extra Money
  • Should I Start A Blog? Here Are The Top Reasons You Will Love BloggingShould I Start A Blog? Here Are The Top Reasons You Will Love Blogging
  • The Free Blogging Planner WorkbookThe Free Blogging Planner Workbook
  • 8 Reasons Why I Absolutely Love Affiliate Marketing For Bloggers8 Reasons Why I Absolutely Love Affiliate Marketing For Bloggers
  • How To Earn Money Blogging: Your Top Questions AnsweredHow To Earn Money Blogging: Your Top Questions Answered
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754 Comments
Filed Under: Blog, Business Income, Extra Income, Review Tagged With: Blog, Extra Money

About Michelle Schroeder-Gardner

Michelle is the founder of Making Sense of Cents, a blog about personal finance and traveling. She discusses how her business has evolved in her side income series. She paid off $40,000 in student loans by the age of 24 mainly due to her freelancing side hustles. Click here to learn more about starting a blog!

Comments

  1. Christine says

    October 28, 2018 at 8:45 pm

    Hi Michelle,
    Thank your for the article. I am wondering why we would need Bluehost if we use WordPress.com.

    I thought the paid version of WP.com was hosting.

    Can you please clarify?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      October 28, 2018 at 9:19 pm

      No, that is not self-hosting.

      Reply
  2. Elvis says

    December 9, 2018 at 10:06 pm

    Hello,

    I found you on the Side Hustle Nation podcast…which, itself, I’d only found two days ago.

    Man, that’s a lot of money you earn! Probably more than some people in the U.S. will earn in their entire working career. And, for some of the lowest-earners in poverty-stricken countries, that would be something like 30 lifetimes.

    Does your current income feel weird to you? Or, because you’ve been so successful for so long, is $1.5M (or more) now “normal”? That *had* to feel like the Twilight Zone, at least in the beginning, right?

    I’m fascinating by the idea. I’m trying to imagine being able to do anything that I wanted or needed to do.

    Anyway, congratulations on your success!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 10, 2018 at 8:36 am

      It still feels weird to this day.

      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Elvis says

        December 10, 2018 at 2:51 pm

        I think that signifies you’re a reasonable and well-adjusted person! 🙂

        Happy Holidays!

        Reply
  3. Daryl Chapman says

    December 15, 2018 at 8:17 am

    Hi Michelle, I just found your website a few days ago and am planning on getting started with my blog and also am going to sign up for your affiliate marketing course soon. On the Bluehost site where it has the package extras you said all we needed was the domain privacy protection but the’s not listed anymore as it appears they’ve changed since you first posted this blog. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 15, 2018 at 10:01 am

      The pictures here are updated to this very day 🙂 They just change occasionally and go back and forth.

      You can add the domain privacy right after you purchase if you don’t see it – simply contact Bluehost.

      Reply
      • Daryl Chapman says

        December 16, 2018 at 4:41 am

        Okay thanks Michelle, I can’t wait to get started!

        Reply
  4. Katherine Bourque says

    December 26, 2018 at 5:29 am

    Michelle,

    This seems to be the answer to my situation. I’m getting older and am ready to work from home. You said you made over $1M? Is it really possible to do this? It almost seems to good to be true though I know that you have worked very hard to get to this point. You are an inspiration to me and have convinced me to give this a try. I will admit I’m a little nervous. I’m not the best writer and my vocabulary needs improvement but I feel confident I can do this. Thank you for your guidance.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 26, 2018 at 6:37 pm

      Blogging is a lot of work, so it’s not “too good to be true.”

      🙂

      Reply
  5. Anita says

    January 2, 2019 at 11:17 am

    Hi Michelle, thanks for the great advice and a well-written blog to make this easier for newbies such as myself. I’ve followed your instructions to set up with Bluehost/Wordpress – I’m just wondering do you think it’s wise to apply for a trademark for the domain name/name/site? And is it worth it to create an LLC? Thank you!

    Reply
  6. Ali Hassan says

    January 3, 2019 at 1:41 am

    nice post so informative keep sharing like this post i will be so helpful for me

    Reply
  7. Saad says

    January 5, 2019 at 4:03 am

    I honestly agree that starting a blog is extremely easy! But, in order to stay drive organic traffic from search engines is the hardest part of online marketing. Can you please share any good tips to drive traffic for free? No paid advertising etc.

    Reply
  8. Kelly says

    January 15, 2019 at 12:16 pm

    I followed your advice but can’t seem to find my blog anywhere. I set it up with bluenote and made a wordpress blog. I tried to type in my address in the url, but it says it doesn’t exist. I feel I missed a step here. When I go into the generator, my blog is there and it’s glorious. I’m afraid that I will be the only who can see it, though. Does it take more than a day for the blog to appear?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 15, 2019 at 3:03 pm

      Have you contacted Bluehost? Usually, there’s a launch button that you have to press.

      Reply
  9. DNN says

    January 18, 2019 at 7:04 am

    just like Kyle Taylor from ThePennyHoarder.com , I too started out on blogspot back in the day before I even knew what a web hosting plan was and how to install WordPress. I would never go back to a free blogging platform because a person doesn’t have complete functionality and control over their blog nor the administrative backend. I recommend to everyone to start a self hosted WordPress blog on their own dedicated web hosting plan and make sure you pay a few years up front for your web hosting bill so that your online business goals uninterrupted. Take Michelle’s blue host web hosting plan and run with it 🙂

    Reply
  10. Christy says

    January 29, 2019 at 12:56 pm

    Hi Michelle! I’m planning on starting a blog that would also include a companion package of digital documents that readers could purchase and download (or preferably get access to via Google Docs). I was looking at WordPress and it looks like I’d need a business account for that. Am I correct? It doesn’t seem like I can sell anything on a site that I’d get through your affiliate links here.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 29, 2019 at 1:02 pm

      Hey Christy!

      Not sure if I understand your question. If you are self-hosted on WordPress, then you can do whatever you want on it.

      Reply
  11. Luisa says

    January 31, 2019 at 11:57 am

    Hello:

    I’m really liking all your posts, they help a lot when you know nothing about starting a blog.

    I have a question: When signing with Bluehost, you get to install WordPress for free. But I looked into WordPress packages and I was wondering which is the one you obtain through Bluehost (Basic, Premium or Business).

    Thank you so much and keep up with your great work.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 31, 2019 at 4:12 pm

      I recommend just getting the cheapest one.

      Reply
  12. Dawn says

    February 10, 2019 at 9:28 am

    Hi Michelle, Great article…I’ve been a blogger for years but recently have been looking into switching over to WordPress. Probably should’ve done that awhile back. Anywhoooo, I bought my .com domain through godaddy. Do you suggest just switching everything over, I’m trying to make this as easy as possible but I’ve got a bunch of content I’ll have to go through on my current blog first…thoughts?

    Reply
  13. Tara @ TheBlessedAndBusyFamily says

    February 11, 2019 at 3:29 pm

    Michelle, this is the most detailed post I’ve seen on setting up a blog. I wrote one on using Site ground since it’s who I currently use but it looks like it would benefit me to switch to Blue Host. Wow. Definitely a drastic price difference. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  14. Kate Ross says

    February 17, 2019 at 9:18 pm

    So it may be important to note that if you register a domain with GoDaddy, you must wait 60 days to transfer this domaine to WordPress. This is a huge headache and I wish I had been aware of this issue.

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      February 18, 2019 at 10:48 am

      Why are you transferring the domain to WordPress? Shouldn’t you just be pointing it?

      Reply
      • Sammy Jean says

        June 10, 2019 at 9:24 am

        What does pointing it mean? Because I am having the same 60-day issue.

        Reply
  15. Sherifah says

    February 19, 2019 at 4:57 am

    What is “self-hosted”? How much does that cost?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      February 19, 2019 at 8:56 am

      It’s what is talked about in this blog post.

      Reply
  16. Rex Le says

    February 23, 2019 at 7:44 pm

    Hey Michelle, thank you for posting this blog. I’m a newbie blogger and your content is helping me out tremendously.

    Thank you again!

    Reply
  17. Fakaosilea Finau says

    February 24, 2019 at 4:18 am

    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

    Reply
  18. Stacy Hoban says

    March 7, 2019 at 1:11 pm

    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~

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      March 7, 2019 at 2:09 pm

      I do not have that option and I do not know what it entails. You probably don’t need it.

      Reply
  19. Corina says

    March 10, 2019 at 5:25 am

    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!

    Reply
  20. Petersen says

    March 11, 2019 at 10:15 pm

    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!

    Reply
  21. Mike Madison says

    May 2, 2019 at 1:28 am

    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,…

    Reply
    • Frank says

      June 20, 2019 at 2:17 pm

      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.

      Reply
  22. Maggy Lehmicke says

    May 2, 2019 at 4:54 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      May 2, 2019 at 7:50 pm

      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.

      Reply
    • Frank says

      June 20, 2019 at 2:08 pm

      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.

      Reply
  23. abhy says

    May 5, 2019 at 2:02 pm

    can I use siteground for hosting

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      May 5, 2019 at 6:09 pm

      Of course!

      Reply
  24. Cara Berkeley says

    May 11, 2019 at 4:52 pm

    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!

    Reply
  25. Julius says

    May 24, 2019 at 1:34 pm

    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.

    Reply
  26. Sammy Jean says

    June 10, 2019 at 9:23 am

    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?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      June 10, 2019 at 5:30 pm

      Hey Sammy Jean! Have you contacted Bluehost? Or, send me an email 🙂

      Reply
    • Frank says

      June 20, 2019 at 1:54 pm

      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.

      Reply
      • Bailey says

        July 3, 2019 at 3:56 pm

        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?

        Reply
        • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

          July 4, 2019 at 8:57 am

          Yes, you can use Bluehost as your host.

          Reply
  27. Moheb says

    June 21, 2019 at 10:06 am

    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

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      June 21, 2019 at 12:09 pm

      I actually have a blog post on the steps in more detail coming out next week 🙂 Stay tuned!

      Reply
  28. Diana F. says

    July 1, 2019 at 6:51 pm

    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

    Reply
  29. R says

    July 2, 2019 at 12:28 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      July 2, 2019 at 2:09 pm

      You should be able to simply transfer it.

      Reply
  30. Betsy says

    July 10, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    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 😉

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      July 10, 2019 at 8:07 pm

      Hello!

      You should be able to change it in the “User” settings. Can you try that?

      Reply
      • Kasey says

        April 20, 2020 at 7:48 pm

        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

        Reply
        • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

          April 21, 2020 at 11:18 am

          Can you send me an email at michelle@makingsenseofcents.com with a screenshot of the pricing you are seeing?

          Reply
    • Romenath Thapa says

      October 28, 2020 at 9:53 pm

      HI, making sense, I want to create blog but how to pay money for you or there?

      Reply
      • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

        October 29, 2020 at 11:08 am

        I recommend reading this to learn more – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/04/how-to-earn-money-blogging.html

        Reply
  31. Daryl Chapman says

    July 12, 2019 at 4:55 am

    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?

    Reply
  32. Daryl Chapman says

    July 12, 2019 at 8:18 am

    Actually now that I look again Sitelock Security was there before but now it appears that Domain Site Protection is gone.

    Reply
  33. Daryl Chapman says

    July 12, 2019 at 8:33 am

    Now on my computer at work it’s there again lol, so nevermind.

    Reply
    • Jen Willoughby says

      August 2, 2020 at 5:00 pm

      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

      Reply
  34. Lauren McGee says

    July 15, 2019 at 12:24 pm

    Hi Michelle!

    Do you have a checklist that you recommend for daily blogging to dos?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      July 15, 2019 at 1:32 pm

      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

      Reply
  35. Doug says

    July 28, 2019 at 4:36 am

    By using your directions is it installing (from) WordPress.org or WordPress.com?

    Reply
    • Anthony says

      August 28, 2019 at 5:43 pm

      It should be .org. I don’t believe you need separate hosting with WordPress.com.

      Reply
  36. Chantelle says

    August 5, 2019 at 6:01 am

    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?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      August 5, 2019 at 11:22 am

      I recommend reading this – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/04/how-to-earn-money-blogging.html

      Reply
  37. sugargurl says

    August 20, 2019 at 8:35 am

    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

    Reply
  38. Alana SantaBarbara says

    August 20, 2019 at 12:17 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      August 20, 2019 at 12:21 pm

      I recommend reading this – https://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2019/04/how-to-earn-money-blogging.html 🙂

      Reply
      • Osia james says

        March 29, 2020 at 5:05 am

        I thank you for letting me know that am capable of doing what I purpose to do

        Reply
  39. Anna says

    August 26, 2019 at 6:37 pm

    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?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      August 26, 2019 at 7:31 pm

      WordPress is free. Are you sure it’s asking you to pay for WordPress?

      Reply
  40. Shele says

    September 14, 2019 at 1:51 am

    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

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      September 14, 2019 at 10:23 am

      Can you clarify your question?

      Reply
  41. Otobong says

    October 24, 2019 at 1:39 pm

    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.

    Reply
  42. Shawn says

    October 24, 2019 at 11:45 pm

    what blog plugins you suggest?

    Reply
  43. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

    November 26, 2019 at 8:11 pm

    Have fun blogging!

    Reply
  44. Jannet Liang says

    December 5, 2019 at 2:56 pm

    I have used your link for bluehost, but now it wants me to pay for a domain…..

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 5, 2019 at 5:15 pm

      Can you send me an email? The domain is free.

      Reply
  45. Gharelu totke says

    December 21, 2019 at 1:49 pm

    Thanks for all the info.
    I do have a question- is there a separate payment for wordpress

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 21, 2019 at 3:02 pm

      WordPress is free if you buy self hosting.

      Reply
  46. Andy Marsh says

    January 7, 2020 at 1:10 pm

    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.

    Reply
  47. Melissa Moser says

    January 8, 2020 at 1:43 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Melissa Moser says

      January 8, 2020 at 2:03 pm

      Never Mind… all figured out. If you could mention my new blog in the future. That would be wonderful 🙂 Thanks Michelle!

      Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 8, 2020 at 2:18 pm

      Glad you figured it out.

      Have fun blogging!

      Reply
  48. Mike says

    January 10, 2020 at 1:12 am

    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?

    Reply
  49. Zoe says

    January 19, 2020 at 6:07 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 20, 2020 at 5:59 pm

      Aww thanks! 🙂

      Reply
  50. Jay says

    January 19, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 20, 2020 at 6:00 pm

      Congrats on starting a blog!

      Reply
      • Bernard says

        November 13, 2021 at 6:18 am

        Thanks

        Reply
      • Mandilee A Hecht says

        July 15, 2022 at 5:18 am

        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. 😬

        Reply
  51. Jay says

    January 21, 2020 at 10:55 pm

    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.

    Reply
  52. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

    January 25, 2020 at 3:22 pm

    Have fun blogging!

    Reply
  53. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

    March 16, 2020 at 11:02 am

    I recommend .com

    Reply
  54. Piyush Jain says

    April 27, 2020 at 9:05 am

    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?

    Reply
  55. Michael McGuire says

    May 2, 2020 at 11:46 am

    Thank you so much for your help! I was able to launch my new blog, mikesmoneyhelp.com within a week.

    Reply
  56. Solomon Marsh says

    May 12, 2020 at 9:01 pm

    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.

    Reply
  57. Suz Priestas says

    May 16, 2020 at 8:43 am

    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

    Reply
  58. Jason says

    June 13, 2020 at 1:48 pm

    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!

    Reply
  59. Virginia says

    June 17, 2020 at 4:49 am

    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!

    Reply
  60. Julia says

    June 18, 2020 at 11:58 pm

    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!

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      June 19, 2020 at 9:01 am

      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.

      Reply
  61. Henry Justin says

    June 23, 2020 at 4:37 am

    Hi!
    I do not have a laptop or pc, how can i make a blog using android phone?

    Reply
    • ashley says

      June 16, 2021 at 3:31 am

      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.

      Reply
  62. Pamela says

    June 23, 2020 at 2:15 pm

    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.

    Reply
  63. Murray Hough says

    June 24, 2020 at 9:43 pm

    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?

    Reply
  64. Ummi Lawan says

    July 26, 2020 at 11:29 am

    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!

    Reply
  65. Shawn Pitner says

    September 21, 2020 at 12:35 am

    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

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      September 21, 2020 at 8:55 am

      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

      Reply
  66. Ritz says

    October 2, 2020 at 9:26 pm

    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

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      October 2, 2020 at 10:05 pm

      I don’t think you need that feature. I don’t know of any blogs who use this.

      Reply
  67. Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

    November 15, 2020 at 6:43 pm

    Hey Helen!

    Can you send me an email at michelle@makingsenseofcents.com?

    Reply
  68. Michelle R says

    December 3, 2020 at 11:30 am

    Hello Michelle, what’s the difference is getting a free blog through Wix vs paying for one through Bluehost?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      December 3, 2020 at 1:51 pm

      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.

      Reply
  69. Angela Bronson says

    December 19, 2020 at 4:31 pm

    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

    Reply
  70. Sarah says

    January 18, 2021 at 1:43 pm

    I’ve tried subscribing to your course with my email a few times, but haven’t received anything! Is the blogging course still active?

    Reply
    • Michelle Schroeder-Gardner says

      January 18, 2021 at 2:31 pm

      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.

      Reply
  71. Kendra says

    January 30, 2021 at 5:12 pm

    I have a wix website any ideas or tips on starting with this.

    Reply
  72. Fran L Cone says

    March 14, 2021 at 5:14 pm

    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

    Reply
  73. Abigail Harper says

    April 11, 2021 at 10:49 pm

    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?

    Reply
  74. Sharon C. says

    April 12, 2021 at 10:46 am

    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

    Reply
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    […] How to Start a Blog – Michelle Schroeder-Gardner is the self-made millionaire behind MakingSenseOfCents.com who credits finding her purpose and sharing her story through blog writing for her personal and financial success. With her easy-to-follow course, you can be up and running a blog in less than a day! […]

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My name is Michelle and I'm the author/owner of Making Sense of Cents. Learning how to save money and make more money changed my life. It allowed me to pay off $40,000 in student loans, start my own business, and I now travel full-time.

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