Have you been wondering how to start a travel blog and become an influencer? Are you dreaming of sharing your passion with the world? Would you like to earn 6 figures by following your dreams? Carpe diem! Start your very own blog today and make money online! We will show you how to create your own travel blog (or any kind of blog) with 6 easy steps. Even if you are technologically-challenged like me, you can follow the simple steps below and start your own blog. Why should I start a blog, you may ask?
Beyond the joy of helping and inspiring people, blogging has many benefits and can be extremely lucrative. Successful bloggers earn thousands of dollars each month, some even millions annually. Even newbie bloggers can earn money and great perks quickly. Top travel bloggers get free stays at luxury resorts and even get paid to travel the world and share about their experiences. Foodie bloggers dine in the best restaurants on the house. Lifestyle bloggers get tons of free products to review. Does any of that sound good to you? You can be a successful blogger too, but you have to take that first step.
As travel bloggers we visit incredible destinations around the world. This is a glacier in Iceland. Amazing!
Maybe you’ve been toying with the idea of starting a blog for awhile but you are thinking that it’s really complicated and a long process. You might even think that you need an IT background or lots of technical skills. Perhaps you think that it’s going to be expensive to start a blog. Well you’re wrong!
Starting a blog is affordable and easy. You can start a blog for as little as $3.95 per month with Bluehost, one of the best web hosting providers. ****UPDATE– Bluehost is having its annual Black Friday sale so prices are as low as $2.65/month for 36 months through our link! Sale ends Monday Nov. 30th, 2020 so don’t miss out on these savings. Click here to get started.
We’re here to show you how to easily start a blog with simple steps that anyone (even someone with NO technical skills) can take. Starting a blog can be done in a matter of minutes with simple automatic WordPress installation. There’s no better time than today to make your dream a reality. Keep reading for the 6 easy steps to start a profitable blog. You can share your voice with the world and make money online while living your passion, whether that be travel, fashion, beauty, food, parenting, lifestyle, faith, or anything that inspires you.
But first, why should I pay for web hosting when I can start a blog for free?
If you’ve done some research you know that you can start a blog for free. This may be a good option for someone who just wants to share their blog with family and friends. However, if you are serious about blogging and want to monetize your blog, then we don’t recommend using a free (hosted) site. Readers will take your blog more seriously if it is under your own domain name with self-hosting. You have full control over your website because you own it. You can customize the look and feel of your site better. You can easily run ads and sell products, which is not always possible with free hosting. Furthermore, companies who are potential sources of income (think advertising, affiliate marketing, brand sponsorships) will find your blog more professional if it’s self-hosted (not free). By paying for your web hosting, you are making an investment in your business and have the potential to earn a lot of money (even six figures).
Another huge benefit of paying for web hosting is that search engines take your blog more seriously if you use paid web hosting. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the most important factor in drawing traffic to your blog. More traffic equates to more earning potential. So if you want to make money from your blog, then paying for your web hosting is essential. Now jump up and down and let me hear you scream “Show me the money!” Sorry but I love Jerry Maguire! 🤣
It is so affordable that it’s an easy choice. You can host your website for less than a grande latte at Starbucks. But how, you may be asking yourself? Follow these 6 simple steps below.
1. Sign up for web hosting
So now that you’re convinced to self-host your website rather than use a free site, you’re wondering which web hosting company to choose. We recommend starting your blog with Bluehost, which is who we’ve used since the beginning of our blog. We obviously wouldn’t be recommending it to you if we didn’t use it ourselves. Many of the top bloggers use and also recommend it.
One reason we chose Bluehost is for its excellent customer service. We love that Bluehost offers 24/7 customer service and technical support. Computer dummies like me (Alexis) can call for help any time of day or night, which is great since I often blog late at night when our kids are asleep. Bluehost also offers a 30-day money back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose!
Even more importantly, it’s super easy to set up your blog with their automatic installation of WordPress by default. WordPress is a web publishing software that you can use to create your website. It is the most commonly used software because it is so easy to use and can be customized to make your blog unique and perfectly tailored to your needs.
We also love a bargain and like Bluehost because it is so affordable. You can sign up for as little as $3.95 per month for the basic plan. (Or $2.65 for the Black Friday Sale!)
2. Decide on your niche
What is your passion? What topic do you love to talk about with your friends, family, coworkers, or anyone who will listen? What skills and expertise do you have that you can offer people and help out your readers? Our passion is luxury family travel but what is yours? There are excellent blogs about sports, parenting, fashion, food, photography, religion, you get the picture. The sky’s the limit. Figure out what you want to share with the world and go for it.
We specialize in luxury couples/family travel and often fly first class on premium airlines for free with points
3. Choose and register your domain name
Now that you have your niche figured out, you must decide on your website’s name. Since our blog is about our adventures traveling around the world, we named our site www.worldtraveladventurers.com. We recommend choosing a name that makes it clear what your blog is about right from the start. Ideally incorporate keywords that people will search to find your content. It’s also a good idea to have a name that’s simple enough for people to remember and spell so they can tell everyone about it.
Also, choose an evergreen name, meaning one that you won’t grow out of in a few years. For example, if you have toddlers, don’t call it “Traveling Toddlers” because they will no longer be toddlers in a few years. Once you have your name chosen, you must register it, which you can do directly through Bluehost. They give you your domain name for free when you sign up for web hosting.
4. Select your web hosting package and add-ons
Bluehost offers a Basic, Plus, Choice Plus, or Pro plan depending on your needs and budget. You can also choose a 12, 24 or 36 month plan, with the best price for the 3 year plan. The basic plan is normally $7.99 per month ($3.95 on sale or just $2.65 for the Black Friday Sale) and includes one website. This will do the trick for most bloggers.
If you plan on starting more than one website, upgrade to the Plus package so that you can have unlimited websites for one low monthly price. The next upgrade is the Choice Plus package includes unlimited websites plus these add-ons- 1 Spam Experts, 1 Domain Privacy, and Site Backup. The Pro package includes all the features of the Choice Plus plus a dedicated IP and an additional Spam Experts.
Speaking of add-ons, make sure to get Domain Privacy Protection so people can’t look up your name and mailing address. We also recommend Site Backup to back up your website. You don’t want to put all that hard work into your blog and then lose it because you forgot to back up your website.
5. Choose a Theme for your Website’s Design
This is where you get to show your creative side. WordPress offers many free themes and paid themes that provide a design for your website. Find one that fits your niche and personality. Decide what’s best for your needs, but the paid themes offer more customization. Some bloggers begin with a free theme and then switch to a paid theme later on.
Bloggers with web design experience can create something entirely unique. Bertaut had a class in college on web design 15 years ago and remembered enough to design our website on his own. We’ve since upgraded to a more professional and dynamic website based on the feedback we’ve received from our readers. Whatever your skill level, WordPress makes it easy to create a beautiful and customized website.
See below for how our home page looks on our website. It’s also a good idea to create a logo that is unique to your blog and incorporate that into your webpage. Our logo also has our slogan incorporated into it- Travel Like a Millionaire. Have fun designing your website!
5. Install WordPress
We already mentioned that Bluehost offers automatic installation of WordPress by default, which is wonderful for new bloggers who don’t have technical savvy like me (Alexis). WordPress is one of the best and most popular publishing platforms, and most blogs use it. Even big brands like CNN, MTV News and Mercedes Benz use WordPress.
Once you’ve picked a specific package, filled out your information, decided on a website name and type and selected a theme, WordPress is auto installed.
After it installs, you are ready to start building your website and be on your way to generate informational blog posts and share your experiences about any topics you think will provide value to your readers.
That’s a Wrap!
Congratulations! You have your very own blog now and can start writing great content to put into the blogosphere. Make sure to do research on SEO (Search Engine Optimization) right from the beginning as this probably the most important factor in having a successful blog. I was 2 years into blogging before I learned anything about SEO and I wish I had known more from the start.
As your blog builds traffic, incorporate affiliate links into your blog posts to start earning passive income. Amazon’s affiliate program is a great place to start and you can sign up easily from their website. Advertising is another way to make money, and many people get started with Google Adsense and then switch to MediaVine once they have enough traffic. Another great way to make money from your blog is by selling products. Get creative and brainstorm what you’ve got to offer to your readers. E-books and online courses are very popular among bloggers in the areas of their expertise. We created a travel hacking course that we’re launching soon!
If you’re still not sure if now’s the right time to get started with your own blog, consider some famous words. Mark Twain said ‘The secret to getting ahead is getting started.” Seize the day because if you keep waiting for the perfect moment, life will pass you by. Now is a great time to start your own blog.
Blogging allows you the flexibility to be your own boss, create your own schedule, and live the life you always wanted. Don’t get me wrong- even though it is easy to start your blog it does take hard work to maintain a successful blog. Hard work pays off though. Tons of successful bloggers have quit their day jobs to follow their dreams, making money along the way.
It feels so wonderful to share your passion with the world and know that you are helping, teaching and inspiring your readers. I’m not gonna lie, the perks are great too. Free luxury hotel stays, flights, experiences, products, meals and more could be in your future if you take that first step. You will have to work for it though- meaning you provide content for the brand in exchange for a free product/experience. But it’s absolutely worth it. Good luck with your starting your very own blog! Please reach out to us and let us know once you’ve started your blog so we can check it out!
Explore the globe, discover other cultures, and open your mind by traveling the world with us!
For a look at some of our free (sponsored) travel experiences and brand collaborations, check out our reviews of The Springs Resort & Spa, Glamping in the desert, Grand Hyatt Muscat, Peace Lodge, WOW Airlines, Hotel Ranga, Iceland Game of Thrones Tour, AYO wearables, Couples Spa Treatment & Romantic Private Dinner at Park Hyatt Maldives & more! If you found this blog post helpful, please share it and pin it for later. Sign up for our email newsletter for travel tips and inspiration to travel the world.
Disclosure: Affiliate links are used in this post, which means we will earn a small commission if you purchase the product we recommend. This does not cost you anything extra. Thank you! We do not promote any products or services that we do not use and recommend.
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