This page will go over exactly how I set up my blog and the most asked questions I receive about blogging!
1. Pick a Host.
2. Choose a Domain name.
3. One-click WordPress Installation.
4. Design your Blog.
5. Get Blogging.
Why should you start a blog?
There are so many great reasons to start a blog. Imagine being able to work when you want and feeling financially secure. Blogging gave me that freedom, and it can do the same for you. If you’re looking for a way to gain independence and control over your life, starting a blog might be just the thing for you too!
My blog has allowed me to……
- Pay off my $25,000 dollar Jeep (woohoo, GOODBYE bi-weekly payments!)
- Quit my job
- Pay off $100K + of debt and still have money to do stuff with my kids that will create lasting memories, pay for my house, and “occasionally” shop online;)
- Flexibility to Work Anywhere: Blogging allows you to work from wherever you want. As a college student, finding a job with a constantly changing schedule was challenging. A blog lets you make money no matter where you are and even earns you income when you’re not actively working on it.
- Enhances Your Resume: A strong resume is crucial for landing a great job, both out of college and throughout your career. Starting a blog demonstrates to employers that you have the initiative and capability to run a business—yes, your blog is your business! This showcases your accomplishments and drive for success.
- It’s Fun and Rewarding: You get to write about topics you’re passionate about and get paid for it. It really doesn’t get much better!
Additionally, blogging allows you to make money on your own schedule. Life’s demands can make it difficult to find a job that fits perfectly, but a blog adapts to your availability.
Can you see yourself starting a blog? Follow these next steps to create a successful blog in just 30 minutes.
When I was researching (basically stalking) successful blogs making thousands of dollars each month, they all agreed on one thing: you need a self-hosted WordPress website.
I didn’t know what that meant at first, but since all the top bloggers said it was important, I decided to go for it.
Why you Should NOT (ever!) Start a free Blog
- Limited Earnings: Free blogging services control how much money you can make. They do this to push you into paying for upgrades. Plus, they offer little support because you’re not paying them. We all know the saying “you get what you pay for” – and it’s just so true!
- Few Features: Free blogs only offer basic features. You can’t customize much, and you often have to use their name in your URL, like: http://mayawaters.blogspot.com. It just doesn’t look professional.
- Risk of Losing Your Content: If you upgrade from a free blog to a paid one, you might lose your old posts, face broken links, or have formatting issues. This happened to me, and it cost me a lot to fix everything.
- Commitment: When you pay for your blog, you’re more likely to stick with it. Investing money makes you take it more seriously, unlike free blogs where it’s easy to give up when things get tough.
Think of it like this: “If you want to cook, you need a kitchen. If you want to blog, you need a blogging platform.” A self-hosted blog costs just $2.95 a month, and it’s definitely worth it.
It’s one of those things that should be an absolute no-brainer!
How to Set-up a Successful Blog
1. Pick a Host.
ChemiCloud is considered one of the best web hosting providers for bloggers due to several key features and benefits that cater specifically to blogger needs. Here are some reasons why ChemiCloud stands out for blogger.
Their performance and reliability are second to none; 99.99% uptime guarantee & lightning-fast page loading, which is crucial for user experience and SEO.
Along with a one-click WordPress installation, a free domain name and automatic daily back-ups, Chemicloud offers the most competitive pricing around.
In addition to this, Chemicloud’s 24/7 support through chat, phone, and email is highly praised for being friendly, reliable, and extremely helpful. From my own experience, I can attest to this! If I could tip them, I would—they’re that good. Their support truly stands out.
Go to Chemicloud’s official website.
Choose your Hosting Plan:
- Navigate to the “View Plans” section.
- Select plan that best fits your needs.
Chemicloud’s “WordPress Hosting” plan is the BEST CHOICE for Bloggers!
Why, you ask?
Because WordPress hosting is specifically optimized for WordPress websites, offering some advantages that the generic Shared hosting plans do not provide:
- WordPress hosting servers are set up just for WordPress sites, with optimized settings and features like caching to make them load faster and perform better overall.
- WordPress hosting companies have teams that know WordPress inside out. They can help you with anything related to WordPress, like fixing problems with plugins, solving issues, and help make your site run better.
- WordPress hosting plans make sure your site can handle more visitors without slowing down. They manage resources smartly, so even if lots of people visit your site at once, it stays fast and won’t crash!
- WordPress hosting has extra protection to keep your site safe from hackers and viruses. It scans for viruses, uses firewalls, updates regularly, and backs up your site automatically. It’s safer than regular shared hosting.
- WordPress hosting has special tools to help manage your WordPress site easily. You can install WordPress with just one click, test updates safely with staging areas, and use control panels that are made just for WordPress.
It offers everything you need to get started, and you can always upgrade later if need be. Opting for a more expensive plan now would just be an unnecessary expense.
2. Select a Domain
If you need a new domain, Chemicloud offers a free domain name with the purchase of any hosting plan.
- Unlike other web hosts, Chemicloud allows you to choose from all extensions, including the popular .com!
Other hosts don’t usually give away free .com domains, so this is really cool in itself.
If you already have a domain name, just choose the option to use your existing domain.
3. Configure Your Plan
- Choose your billing cycle (monthly, annually, etc.).
- Review any additional services or add-ons you might want
If you want to save the most money, choose the 3 yr. plan! Personally, I avoid all the upsells (WHOIS privacy, etc.). It’s not needed, but it’s completely up to you.
4. Create an Account
- Enter your personal information (name, email, address).
- Create a username and password for your Chemicloud account.
5. Review & Complete Payment
- Enter your payment information.
- Review your order summary to ensure all details are correct.
Purchasing through my link will automatically apply the discount; therefore, there is no “promo code” required.
6. Set up Your Hosting
- After payment, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your new account info.
- Log in to your new Chemicloud account using the credentials you created.
- Follow the prompts below to setup your hosting.
I’ve laid out the steps below to be a quick and easy process.
If you encounter any difficulties during the sign-up process, Chemicloud’s customer support team is available to assist you via live chat, phone, or email.
I. Click here to go to the Chemicloud website and receive 75% off.
You’ll be shown four options. When I started, I got the Shared Hosting, but later learned that the WordPress Hosting would have been much more beneficial for me as a blogger – and for the same price!
II. Choose your Plan
The WordPress Starter package from ChemiCloud is perfect for new bloggers. It gives you everything you need to start your blog easily with WordPress. You get hosting, enough space for your blog, and help if you need it. It’s simple and an excellent choice for beginners!
Don’t forget, you can upgrade anytime. Choosing this plan (or any other) doesn’t mean you can’t switch to a different one whenever you want!
III. Pick a blog name/domain
This is where you choose your blogs name!
Your domain name is what people type in to find your website, like mine, mayawaters.com (don’t include “.com” when searching for domains).
Here are some tips for choosing your domain:
• Keep it simple.
• Make it easy for people to remember.
• Make sure it ends in “.com” if possible!
Sometimes the domain name you want will be unavailable. Don’t worry if you get frustrated – just keep trying! You’ll find the perfect name eventually.
Already have a domain name? Click on the “I already have a domain” tab and follow the same instructions. It’s almost the same process!
I didn’t add on any extras so I wouldn’t recommend you too either. I never noticed a difference.
IV. Finalize Your Order
My advice is to go with the 3-year plan. You won’t be able to get this amazing discount a second time, so make the most of it by choosing the longest plan available.
The 1-year discount is $59.40, while the 3-year discount is $106.20! You don’t need to be a math whiz to see which plan gives you the best deal by far!
It’s a bit annoying not having the choice of paying $2.95 monthly instead of upfront for 3 years, but the upside is you won’t have to think about it for a while. Plus, websites that offer monthly payments for hosting usually end up costing way more.
V. Set up your Password
After you submit your account and payment information you will might be prompted for “upgrades” and “special deals”. Just say no, you don’t need it.
Once your purchase is complete, you will be asked to choose a password. Add a password that you will remember. This password will allow you to log in.
VI. Install WordPress
Install WordPress on your ChemiCloud WordPress Hosting Starter plan.
Follow these quick steps:
- Log in to your ChemiCloud account.
- Access your hosting control panel (usually cPanel).
- Find and launch Softaculous.
- Search for WordPress and click to install.
- Fill out basic information for the installation.
- Click “Install” and wait for the process to finish.
VII. Choose your Blog Theme
This was my favorite part of setting up my website. After logging in, you’ll pick a theme, which decides how your site looks. I avoided the free default themes because they looked unprofessional. Your theme is crucial for making a good first impression.
Choose a fast, search engine-optimized theme. If you want quick setup, you can hire someone from Fiverr to help. One of the best things about WordPress is that you don’t need to design your site yourself. You can buy a pre-designed template, called a theme, and install it easily.
I recommend Kadence especially for beginners. Because it looks great, is light and fast, and is easy to customize. It gives you a professional and unique website. Unlike other themes, Kadence is simple and super-fast, which is very important for your site’s success.
The Kadence WordPress theme is fantastic because it is highly customizable. If you’re find yourself in a situation where you choose another theme, create a great website, and then discover a year later that you can’t customize it to do that thing you really, really wanted to do! Been there, done that……learn from my mistakes!
With Kadence, you have the flexibility to make changes and add features whenever you need, ensuring your website can grow and evolve with your needs. Save your future self the headache and avoid future frustration and limitations.
VIII. Get Blogging!
THAT’S IT FOR SETTING UP YOUR BLOG!
Congratulations!
Your blog is now live and running!
My top tip for you: Start writing.
The key to being a successful blogger who earns money is to publish content. Even if it’s not perfect, it’s a start! 
