Last Updated on November 17, 2021 by Hollie Giglietti
Let’s Start a Blog!
If you’ve landed on this post, that means you’re ready to start a blog as a new Creative Entrepreneur! Maybe you’re a Creative who has made something from nothing, a million times and thought to your self, “if I can do that, then maybe I can actually create a real, profitable, fulfilling creative business.”
Welcome! *high five* (This is SO exciting!)
Your very own blog and website can be the foundation of an incredible, thriving, profitable business with far reaching impact, that lights your soul up!
If you’re just getting started on this (very exciting) journey, this blog post will give you the simple step by step instructions to start your blog as a beginner.
Follow the steps below and you can get this part of the journey completed in less than a few hours. Use the table of contents if you want to skip around.
Why do I need a blog as a new creative entrepreneur?
A blog is a unique platform that allows you to share your creative work, gain new customers, create easily shareable content and grow an audience and a community.
It can act as a main hub that promotes you and your work, while also allowing people to interact and build relationships with you and the products you create.
Your new blog and website will be the foundation that you build your entire creative business from.
When you launch your blog, and your foundation is set, the possibilities are endless when coming up with ways to make money from your blog.
I’m not a designer or an expert in technology, what should I do?
When I first started this blog my only experience with any online tech was reworking my Myspace page a million times… but I was still able to figure out how to create my website in a weekend, five years ago.
Luckily for you, in 2021, building your website and blog is easier than ever! You don’t need complex design or coding skills and you should be able to get your website up in less than an hour. Just take one step at a time.
What will I blog about?
There are so many things you could actually blog about! But the more focus your blog has, the more profitable your blog and website will be. To create a focus for your blog you’ll want to come up with what’s called a “Niche.”
What is a Niche?
A niche is a specific area you specialize in, what you want to be known for or a specific audience you’re speaking to.
Finding a profitable niche is very important if you’re wanting to build a true business and not just a hobby blog. A profitable niche is found in the middle of 1.) something you’re good at 2.) something you’re passionate about and 3.) something people want to buy.
The more you can narrow down your niche, the more profitable and streamlined your business can become.
If you’re a multipassionate creative like myself, this may cause you to panic… I still struggle with this.
DON’T let this stop you! And don’t let this box you in. Gather a few ideas and just get started. You can figure out what your audience wants from you along the way.
You can also start with one thing and as you become known for that one thing, you can start adding additional related topics or ideas. Keep this in mind so you don’t feel constricted in the beginning.
How to pick a Niche for your new blog
Here are some tips to help you pick a unique and profitable niche for your blog:
- Consider your competition
Find out what other bloggers are doing in your niche and notice what they’re talking about, what they’re selling, how they’re selling it and what kind of community they are building. You’re only using this for research, never copy!
With this research, what could you add to your platform, that’s only unique to you? What are some things they aren’t talking about that you could add to your products and services?
- Consider your skills
What do you have experience in? What do you enjoy doing the most in your current or previous employment? What did you study in college?
- Consider the things you love
Do you love a particular subject, craft or field? Do you love the process of a particular type of creative work? What do you love doing in your free time? What are your favorite magazines or non-fiction books about? What can you not stop talking about to family and friends?
Consider your audience as a Creative Entrepreneur
What might your customers want? What are their challenges? What are their biggest problems?
When you identify your customers, you can tailor your website to help solve their problems.
A customer’s problem + your creative solution to the problem = a very profitable business
Choose your Domain Name
Now that you’ve picked a niche or have a general idea of the direction you’re going in, it’s time to pick a name for your blog, also called your domain name.The name of your blog should be creative, catchy, and unique.
You might also want to pick something that represents your niche, so that your website will be easier for your ideal customer to find.
You can use the search box below to discover if your domain name idea is available.
When selecting your domain name, it’s also important to make sure no one has trademarked the name. You can check that out here, on the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)
You will also want to check if the name is available on all social media platforms.
You can search “name generator” in Google and use a name generator to help you brainstorm ideas. You can also research keywords in your niche to get some ideas.
Register your domain name
Once you’ve found the perfect domain name it’s time to register your domain and set up web hosting.
Web hosting is where your blog is going to live on the internet and just like a real home, you’re either going to rent your plot of land on the internet or you’re going to buy it.
Having a self hosted blog is like owning your own land.
There are many options to get your blog set up. You may have heard of Squarespace, Wix or WordPress.com – don’t set your blog up on these websites.
You may have heard how they are free, easy to use and easy to get set up, but using our home analogy… if you set your blog up on one of these platforms, you are only renting the land and will have less control over your website.
You need to know that there are two WordPress sites. There is WordPress.com and WordPress.org. We want WordPress.org!
If you build your website using the free platform WordPress.org and purchase monthly web hosting from a company like Bluehost or Siteground, it will cost you a few dollars a month in web hosting but you will actually own your land.
The biggest benefit of this is to have more options in design, more control of your website and (the most important) the most opportunity to make money.
When choosing a web hosting service, there are many options. My favorite option and what I use here at Bohemian Embers is Bluehost.
Setting Up Your Bluehost Account
This blog post contains my Bluehost affiliate link which, when you click the link and purchase, will provide a small commission to me at no cost to you. However, Bluehost is the web host provider I absolutely recommend to anyone looking to start and monetize (make money with) a blog or website. You can read my full affiliate disclosure here.
Bluehost is one of the most popular and reliable web hosting providers in the world. It’s extremely affordable for your first year and when you’re just starting out you definitely want affordable!
Bluehost also offers one of the best customer service support teams for all kinds of questions and issues you might be facing with your website.
You can set up your account quickly and easily by following the steps below.
The first step is to create an account with Bluehost by clicking the green “Get Started” button below. and then choose the blue button “Host Your Site”.
Once you have clicked on the “Host Your Site” button, you will see all of the different plans.
Above the plans chart you will see that you can choose “12 months” or “36 months” and it will change the plans pricing. If you chose the “36 months” option you will pay a bit more each month but you’ll get a discounted rate for 36 months instead of only 12 months.
The choice is up to you! Once you’ve decided click on the option you’ve decided no as shown below – “Basic”, “Plus”, “Choice Plus” and “Pro.” I would suggest going with the “Basic” plan just starting out. You can always upgrade in the future if you want to.
Click the “Select” button for which ever plan you have decided on.
Next you’ll set up your domain. You can also skip this part and complete it later if you haven’t decided on a domain name yet.
The next step is to enter your account information, select your package information, chose any extras you may want to add or take off and then add your payment information.
Make sure all of the information is correct on the page before clicking the “Submit” button.
After completing your order, you will be taken to a page where you can configure your account settings like your email address, password, etc..
How to Install WordPress on your Bluehost Account
Now that you have a Bluehost Account, it’s time to install WordPress on your website.
Begin by logging into your Bluehost Account. The Hosting Area (bluehost.com) is where you’ll find everything you need to know.
Click the “My Sites” button from the menu on the left of the page and then click on “Create Site.”
Alternatively you can use the wizard provided and let Bluehost help you with the step by step instructions.
How to Choose Your Theme
The last step in this guide is to choose a theme for your new blog.
A “theme” for your blog is the template that is used to create the layout and look of your website. The right WordPress theme for you depends on your audience and what kind of digital business you want to have.
You have options when it comes to choosing a theme for your blog – you can either choose a free theme or purchase a theme at an online theme marketplace like Theme Forest or Restored 316 Designs.
When I first started this blog I went to Theme Forest and purchased a theme called “Total – Responsive Multi-Purpose WordPress Theme” from WP Explorer.
I chose it because it was a responsive theme, meaning the layout easily transitions from how people view it on their computer to how they view it on their phone (this is a must have in my opinion!) I also chose the theme because it was a “drag and drop” theme, meaning I could customize it any way I wanted to without needing to know any coding. This has been awesome!
It has also not been awesome 🙁
If I were to go back to when I started, I’d probably go for a theme that was more structured. Having customization is nice but it can cause you to overthink everything, make you stuck and ruin your momentum towards actually building your business!
With a customized theme template, you can get your blog up and running, start your business and start doing the things that will be the most profitable. (pro tip – changing your colors, layout, and font size within your blog, a million times is NOT profitable, I repeat, it is NOT the most profitable 🙂 )
And that’s it! You’ve just started your first blog!
I hope this simple guide to starting a blog for Creative Entrepreneurs was helpful to you and you were able to set up your blog quickly and easily.
Building your creative business from your blog is going to take some work, but we’re in this together! Our mission is to bring together a community of other creative people who are longing for more of what sets their soul on fire.
We want to build a community of Creatives that can support and encourage each other. If you’re anything like my husband or myself, as a Creative you can feel lonely, disorganized, struggle with focus or even let perfectionism get in the way of moving forward in your business.
We want to work together to stop making excuses and start creating an exciting, life giving, free spirited creative business.
If that’s you too, stick around for what’s next here on the blog and on Instagram at @Bohemian_Embers!
I’d love to hear about the specific Niche you’ve decided to go with or what your creative business dreams are. Leave a comment below!
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