Includes Free & Affiliate
favorite
resources
I’ve been at this blogging thing for a while now and I have a few favorites to keep me up and running. Keep in mind that some companies are hosted and others are self-hosted. The difference? Hosted is basically an all in one type of service. You might not have as many options or services but they could be exactly what you need for YOUR business. There are also self-hosted which is what I use. I basically have my blog on WordPress but it’s hosted by Blue Host.
How to get your website Up and Running
- Pick a domain {this is your business name}, and get it registered. I’ve used Go Daddy for grabbing various names over the years.
- Pick a host. I use Blue Host. There are many options out here and of course, you should do some research to see what works best for you. I like that Blue Host and WordPress are very compatible with each other.
- Pick a website platform. I have only used WordPress and it’s easy for me to navigate plus it’s a popular platform that a lot of people are familiar with.
- Pick a theme. There are several free themes on Word Press but I bought a theme via Restored 316 as the template is appropriate for the online business that I was creating. Restored 316 makes it easy to customize your blog using their friendly pre-designed templates. You can also pay to have them set up your theme for you. I decided to save money and set up my own theme. The upside of this is that it challenged me to be techy which also gave me more skills to navigate my blog and set things up as time has gone on. I also love that they have a support page on Facebook that allows me to ask questions when I am feeling stuck on something. If you are wondering which theme I use, it’s called Market. I added my own logo and switched things up to make it look original.
- I head to Fivver for tech help. They have pros that handle everything from creating a website to SEO optimization. You can even find people to create logos for you. The prices vary on the seller and you can find different skill levels that will fit your needs.
- Etsy is one of my favorite places for all things creative – branding, logos, signatures, etc.
One of the best bits of advice I have in creating a blog is to start slow. Stay in your lane. Don’t try to sign up for too much. You will quickly become overwhelmed and feel like it’s hard to find focus if you sign up for all the ‘best ways to blog’ resources {and there are MANY of them out there} so start small and focus on one thing at a time. Once you get your blog ready to launch, Pinterest is a wealth of tools and knowledge if you get stuck or need a specific type of help. I have a board dedicated to blog business. Feel free to check it out here.
Best of luck! Blogging is a fun world full of possibilities.