How To Start A Blog?

Anyone can start a blog. It may be for business or personal. It is up to you. And to be honest, starting a blog is not that hard. You just have to know the basics about blogging and you'll grow eventually. You have to be patient and passionate with all the editing of your photos, writing your content, modifying your theme and so much more.

Just a disclaimer, I am not a professional blogger but I would just like to share with you the things that I have learned since I started blogging.

Know Your Niche

Before you make your own blog, you need to now if you want to be on beauty, makeup, fashion, lifestyle, arts & crafts, DIY, or just for personal. Again, it is up to you. I prefer you choose the things that you are passionate about and the things that you know you could share with other people.

Choose A Blogging Platform

This is the confusing part in making a blog. Not everyone is aware of the differences of each blogging platforms and what it is actually for. Each platforms has its pro and cons. So let me give you a short details or comparison of some of the platforms that I know.

But before that, here are some terms that you need to know:

"Self-hosting is the act of having your website totally under your control. This can include you managing all whole aspects of it, from setting up the web server to installing software, to simply managing your weblog software like WordPress". (Meaning from Google)

"Blog Hosting is one type of web hosting. Blogs, also known as weblogs are websites that feature regular updates in the form of individual entries, or posts. With the many different blog hosting options available nowadays, getting your blog set up can often seem like an overwhelming task". (www.doteasy.com)

Wordpress.com

This is the free version of Wordpress. I used this way back 2011 to 2016. It is very user-friendly and perfect for beginners. You can easily follow and comment on other blogs. They have a mobile app and it is very convenient to use. I used that app to update my blog when my laptop was broken. But since it is free, there are also some limitations with it. You cannot customize your theme the way you want it to be and you also cannot put ads. Why is that? Wordpress.com doesn't allow JavaScript and CSS. That is the reason why I transferred to another platform early this year.

Blogger

I am using Blogger with this blog. It is owned by Google by the way. To me, this is the best free blogging platform I have ever tried. It lets you customize your blog the way you want it to be. It is also easy to put ads and connect it to AdSense, etc. It is also easy to use but if you're from Wordpress like me (transfer), you'll get confused because they are really different from each other. My tip is to make an account first and explore it before you decide which platform to use. I would definitely recommend this for beginners who don't like to spend money on hosting and if you want to earn money thru ads.

Tumblr

I think everyone used Tumblr back in high school or college. This is where I started blogging. That was in 2009 I think. My blog served as my journal before and I just love to reblog the stuff that I can relate to. One thing that I love about Tumblr is their ask/message. Like in Wordpress.com, you can also follow other blogs easily. You can also put ads if you want. What I don't like about Tumblr is I find it hard to edit my layout/theme. You can buy themes though, I think.

Wordpress.org (Self-host)

For this platform, you will be needing a host/a third party server. Your uploads/posts will be saved there. Most bloggers use this one because they say that you can manage and customize your blog the way you really want it to be. There are also lots of widgets that you can use in Wordpress. Hosting costs 100 pesos (Basic) to 500 pesos (For entrepreneur & heavy traffic) per month depending on the plan but you have to pay it for like 3 months, 6 months or 12 months. It will cost you 1,400 pesos to 2,900 pesos a year or even more expensive than that. I haven't tried using this platform ('cause I don't like to spend money yet, lol) but most of the bloggers I know use this. This is also the perfect platform for SEO, so if you are after that, I'd recommend this one.

Squarespace (Paid)

I wanted to transfer here when I saw Camie Juan's new blog. It looks clean and very organized. That was the first time that I heard Squarespace too. But the sad part is it is not free and the plan is kinda pricey (for people like me, lol). It is costly compared to Wordpress.org (self-host). I guess, if you are already a professional blogger or if you really want to step up your blogging game and willing to spend money, choose Squarespace. I really think it's worth it. You might want to check out Camie's 5 Reasons Why I Love Squarespace. Update: It is pricey but I learned that it has unlimited bandwidth.

UPDATE ⚠

Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms are now part of micro-blogging. You can also use that but if you aim for SEO and technical stuff, I'd still recommend that you choose the platforms above. 

Choose A Domain Name

After you choose your desired platform, now it's time to sign up and choose a domain name for your blog. Choose the domain that you really want and be sure that you would stick to it. Free blogging platforms can give you domains but it is not customized. Example: wildandsassy.blogspot.com

If you want to buy a domain, I recommend godaddy.com. This is where I bought my domain. You can get a promo for the first two years if you are a first time customer. No promo code needed. The promo is based on your account. I bought mine for less than 900 pesos for the first two years. The customer service is also good. I had a problem one time and it was resolved easily.

Update: I renewed mine for this year and I paid 800+ pesos.

Customizing Your Theme

This is the fun part. Choose a theme that you like. Customize it. You can search for free themes for Wordpress and Blogger or you can also buy themes online. You can also hire a web designer if you want or if you have an extra budget for that. If you are not aware of html, css, javascript and other technical stuff, it will definitely not be easy. Hehe! But don't worry, you can search on google. Hehe! That's where I learned everything 😅

Be sure to include your About Me and Contact Page. Those pages will tell your readers more about you and if you want to be contacted by your followers or for sponsorship, etc. Also, be sure to categorize your posts so it will be easy for your readers to explore your page. Lastly, you might want to add your social media accounts so your readers can follow you. 😉

Write Your Very First Post

You're almost done! One of the hardest parts of being a blogger is being consistent in posting and thinking of new & unique ideas but if you are really passionate about blogging, kaya mo yan! You don't need to have a DSLR or a camera to be a blogger. You can just use your smartphone or iPhone (like me). What matters is the content of your blog. Post whatever you like to post. Express yourself. Show your skills. Show what you got. Just make sure you won't destroy a person or just don't do anything that can hurt other people.

For photo editing apps, if you don't have Photoshop or Lightroom, you might want to check out Photoscape or mobile apps (like Snapseed, VSCO, Photogrid, or PicsArt). I use Photoscape, VSCO, and Snapseed to edit my photos here on my blog. To be honest, it is all about diskarte (strategy) lang.

Update: I now use Lightroom CC mobile to edit my photos. There are also a lot of mobile apps for editing photos nowadays.

Just a reminder/tip for everyone, please do respect each other's preferences. Support other blogs. Be patient and passionate. Don't mind the haters. If you really love blogging, no one can stop you in doing what you love. ♥

So that's it! I hope this post helps you in starting your own blog. If you have some questions, please don't hesitate to ask.

Question for my fellow bloggers: What platforms have you tried and what is your current blogging platform? Any advice for people who wants to start their own blog?