I have been blogging on and off for many years now. I have blogged professionally for companies during my career as well as personally with my own blogs. I LOVE blogging!
The best part about blogging is the fact that not only can you share your knowledge with the world but you can also make money blogging. Yes, that’s correct. There are bloggers out there who blog part-time while making a full-time income.
When I first started Mommy in Waiting, my goal was to tell our infertility story as well as share my knowledge of fertility-related topics, how to blog, and more.
Eventually this became a part-time gig where I make money on the side. I have helped many friends start blogs and I wanted to share how to start a mom blog in 2020.
How to Start a Mommy Blog in 2020
How to start a blog for beginners! If you’re new to blogging and have no idea where to start: fear not! I have started countless blogs for myself and for friends. Today I’m going to share the easy guide to starting a blog.
Step 1. Pick Your Blog Topic
The most important thing is to find your niche (aka: the topic you want to talk about on your blog).
Keeping your content useful and interesting to readers is key to having a successful blog. Gone are the days where people want to know what you had for breakfast that morning or why you and your boyfriend broke up last summer (Instagram is good for that stuff, though!).
The best blogs are the ones with topics that readers can relate to, get a solution to a problem, or benefit from with a freebie of some kind.
Example: most mommy blogs talk about useful toddler hacks or newborn baby essentials. These are topics that are useful to the reader.
Step 2. Choose a Blog Name
I always say to pick a blog name that’s easy to remember and catchy.
No one wants to read SusiesGreatestBlog123 (Sorry if your name is Susie).
Try to incorporate your niche topic within the name. Short and sweet is key.
I chose my blog name, Mommy in Waiting, because I started documenting our fertility journey with IVF and eventually will document my pregnancy(s) and motherhood.
Step 3. Blog Hosting and Domain Name
Your domain name is your (.com) so you will want to secure your blog name as your domain.
Thankfully, a lot of providers include domain names with purchase of hosting. I highly recommend having a self-hosted blog with WordPress because you will OWN your content. The site will be yours and owned by you.
When you use free service providers like Wix or Squarespace, you’re bound to their rules and regulations – plus they can claim your content. Not good if you are serious about making your blog a side hustle or career.
Personally, with all my blogs, I use SiteGround for my hosting. I’ve used many hosts before like GoDaddy, Host Gator, and BlueHost – but SiteGround is my absolute #1 choice of hosting service.
Why Use SiteGround for Hosting?
Out of all the hosting services I have used, SiteGround has been my #1 choice. My website is constantly up and running and loads at lightning fast speeds.
The best part? They’ll install WordPress for you on your website for FREE.
You don’t need to having coding knowledge or website set-up knowledge to start your mom blog. SiteGround will do that for you for FREE.
Step 4. Signing up for Hosting
Signing up for hosting with Siteground is quick and easy.
The StartUp plan is affordable and perfect for new bloggers in 2020.
- Select the plan you wish to use
- Fill out the form and select your domain name
- Complete checkout
- Congrats! You have a blog!
Step 5. Pick a WordPress Theme
Now the best part… your branding! There are tons of places to find free and premium WordPress themes to make your blog look beautiful.
Having a beautiful, organized, and branded website keeps your readers coming back for more. Choose a theme that’s clean, easy-to-read, and is customizable for you to change your logo, colors, and other fun things.
I recommend using sites like ThemeForest to find a beautiful theme to make your blog look professional!
How to Install a WordPress Theme
When you download a WordPress theme, it’ll download as a ZIP folder. DO NOT EXTRACT this folder!
- Login to your WordPress Dashboard
- Go to Appearance > Themes
- Near the top of the page, click on “Add New Theme”
- Select the ZIP folder file and upload it to your dashboard
- Your new theme will appear under the “Themes” section
- Preview your theme or click “Activate” to make it active
- Go to Appearance > Customize to customize theme colors and more
Step 6. Write Useful and Meaningful Content
As stated earlier, writing useful and meaningful content on your blog is key for a successful blog.
There’s much debate on how many articles you should have written before you “launch” your blog… however, I think setting up your blog is the hardest part.
There is no right or wrong answer as to how much content you should have ready for your launch. Set up your blog and start writing! Whether you have one article or ten, the important part is having your blog set up!
Step 7. How to Make Money Blogging
The great thing about owning your blog with self-hosted WordPress is that you can start making money RIGHT AWAY.
Monetizing your blog is simple and it’s never too early to start making money with your blog.
If you’re writing meaningful and useful content for your readers, you can even start pitching your blog to companies for sponsored posts.
Display ads with Google Adsense can also make you some money with your blog.
Step 8. Utilize Pinterest To Get Blog Views
Majority of bloggers get their views from Pinterest. It’s important to utilize this search engine to get your blog posts seen.
Pinterest is extremely important for bloggers because it’s a visual search engine and not social media. Creating beautiful pins for your blog posts is important!
How do I make Pinterest Pins that get clicks? I recommend using sites like Canva to create pins for free. There are several templates you can use to create click-worthy pins that bring massive traffic to your blog.
Get Blogging!
I hope this post was helpful to you. Please stay tuned for my blogging series to come. I plan to share my most useful WordPress plugins, How to make money blogging, How to gain massive traffic to your blog, and how to master social media marketing.
