How to Start a Blog in 2024 and Make Money Online -Adsense Proof

Are you planning to step into the world of blogging in 2024 but feeling overwhelmed? Don’t worry. This guide will assist you in creating a successful blog without requiring any technical knowledge.

Introduction:

The first question that might cross your mind when considering starting a blog is, “Is blogging profitable in 2024?” Absolutely! Blogging remains more profitable than YouTube and is also more cost-effective.

While there are numerous blogs discussing blogging on the internet, I want to share my experiences and insights with you. This blog is not just about making money online; it’s also a platform for me to connect with you and share valuable information.

How to Start a Blog in 15 Simple Steps:

When you’re contemplating creating a blog, ensure you possess the following qualities:

1. Passion: Choose a topic you are passionate about.
2. Time Commitment: Dedicate 1 to 2 hours daily.
3. Focus on Content, Not Money: Don’t prioritize money initially.
4. Patience: Success in blogging requires patience.

Now, let’s dive into the 15 steps for beginners to start a successful blog in just 30 minutes. Assuming you already have the passion and commitment, let’s get started.

1. Select Your Niche
2. Select the Blogging Platform
3. Pick a Domain Name
4. Host Your Website with BlueHost
5. Set Up Your Blog
6. Website Configuration
7. Write Your First Post
8. Add Important Pages to Your Website
9. Link Your Website to Google Search Console
10. Link Your Website to Google Analytics
11. Add Sitemap to Google Search Console
12. Start Monetizing Your Website
13. How to Become a Successful Blogger
14. Conclusion

Selecting the Blogging Platform

Select the blogging platform where you will manage all your content. While there are many blogging platforms available, WordPress stands out as an easy-to-use Content Management System.

If you ask any Digital Marketer, they will recommend WordPress as your blogging platform. This is because it’s straightforward and has a user-friendly interface.

A total of 37 percent of digital marketers choose WordPress as their blogging platform.

It’s essential to note that there are two types of WordPress available: WordPress.Com and WordPress.Org. Opt for WordPress.org as your blogging platform because it’s completely free and does not require any additional costs, whereas WordPress.com is a paid service.

Find Your Niche

The initial step in creating a blog is to identify your niche or the topic you are going to write about.

Selecting a niche for your blog should be based entirely on your interests. Never choose a topic that you are not passionate about. You might be wondering how to pick the perfect niche for your blog or how to choose a profitable one.

How to Choose a Perfect Niche or Topic

1. A topic that you are interested in: Select a topic that genuinely interests you, one that you would enjoy writing about and could dedicate 1 to 2 hours daily to.
2. A topic that you read daily: It’s a good idea to choose a topic you enjoy reading about regularly, ensuring you won’t get bored. Examples include Sports, Cinema News.
3. Choose a topic that you’re willing to learn: Consider picking a topic for your blog based on your willingness to learn. For instance, my interests include Make Money Online Business, Cinema News, Mobile Gadgets, and PC Gaming hardware and games. I already run a blog covering cinema news, and this blog also delves into blogging and digital marketing trends.
4. Choose a Highest-Paid Adsense Topic: Opt for a topic that genuinely interests you, especially if you plan to monetize with Adsense.

Here are the top 10 highest-paid Adsense keywords in 2023. You can choose any related topic to start a blog in 2023. [For beginners, think twice before finalizing a topic because it’s not as easy as you may think]. Making money requires time and patience.

• Insurance $61 CPC
• Gas/Electricity $58 CPC
• Loans $50 CPC
• Mortgage $46 CPC
• Attorney $48 CPC
• Lawyer $42 CPC
• Donate $42 CPC
• Conference Call $42 CPC
• Degree $40 CPC
• Credit $38 CPC

How You Should Not Choose a Topic or Niche

One important thing to keep in mind is never to choose a topic you are not interested in, even if it has the potential to generate more money.

Pick a Domain Name

Selecting your domain name is a crucial step in setting up a blog. Finding a suitable name can be challenging due to the multitude of already registered names.

Here’s a quick guide to help you find a good name for your blog:

1. Always choose a Top-Level Domain (TLD), e.g., .com or .org. (I personally prefer .com as it tends to rank higher in search engines compared to other extensions.)
2. Ensure your domain is unique.
3. Make it easy to read.
4. Ensure it’s easy to remember.
5. Make it easy to brand.

You can choose a domain name based on your personal name or your business name. However, I recommend opting for a generic name for your blog, like I… (continue with the next sentence).

My Domain Suggestion

1. Godaddy
2. Domain.com
3. Namecheap

Read More: 5 Best & Cheap Domain Provider In India 2023 (.com – INR 662) with Offers

Common Mistakes You Should Avoid When Choosing a Domain Name

When selecting a domain name, be cautious not to make these common mistakes:

1. Avoid using organization or government names: Refrain from incorporating names of organizations or government entities in your domain. Using government domains for purposes other than their intended use could lead to severe consequences with respect to Google updates and online visibility. Be cautious and choose a name that is distinct and unrelated to official entities to ensure a smooth online presence.
2. Avoid trademarked names: Ensure that you are not using any trademarked name. For instance, “Android” is a trademark of Google. Therefore, refrain from selecting a domain that starts with Android. Utilize the Trademark search tool to check whether your chosen name has been trademarked by someone.
3. Avoid hyphens between words: For example, avoid a structure like Trends-learner.
4. Keep your blog name short: Make your blog name as concise as possible, ensuring it does not exceed 12 characters.
5. Utilize an instant domain search website: Use an Instant Domain Search website to find a name for your blog. Here, you can discover various domain name suggestions based on your keywords.

Note: The cost of a domain is typically around 899 Rs (12$) per year.

Buy Domain and Host your website with BlueHost

Now is the time to choose the best hosting service for your blog, and I recommend using Bluehost as your hosting provider. Bluehost is widely recognized as one of the top hosting service providers in the market. Furthermore, it comes highly recommended by the official WordPress website.

For better understanding, web hosting functions like a computer with built-in RAM, processor, etc. It serves as the space where WordPress will be installed, and all your website data, images, and content you upload will be stored.

Bluehost.com offers services worldwide, while Bluehost.in is specifically tailored for users in India. You can refer to my detailed guide on Bluehost.com vs Bluehost.in for more information.

But don’t get confused; as an Indian user, you can use Bluehost.com as well, especially if you receive traffic from the USA and other foreign countries.

Bluehost is the ideal choice, providing everything beginners need to create a new blog, including features like:

• Free SSL
• Unlimited bandwidth
• Unlimited storage
• Free domain name (saving of $12/year)
• Easy-to-use cPanel
• Live chat support
• 30 days money-back guarantee

Create your own blog guide [Steps with Bluehost]

Get started with Bluehost by visiting the Bluehost website and clicking the ‘Get Started’ button.

Select Basic Plan

Choose the Basic plan if you’re starting with one blog, or opt for the Plus plan if you intend to start more than one blog. Bluehost offers various plans, including Basic, Plus, Choice Plus, and Pro. Assuming you are new to blogging, the Basic plan is sufficient to host one website.

Set up Your Domain

In this section, you will encounter two options to set up your domain. One option allows you to find a name for your blog, where you can enter your chosen domain name for registration. Alternatively, you can skip this step and create a domain later, and this option is completely free. Keep in mind that you will need to renew your domain after one year at the regular price.

Another option is to use a domain you already own. Select ‘Use an existing domain’ and click Next.

Account Information

On this page, you will find an option to enter your personal information to complete the Bluehost account. Fill in your details without any mistakes; this information will be crucial for accessing your account in the near future.

Package Information

While choosing the package, keep in mind one crucial aspect: never opt for a package that spans more than 1 year. This guideline applies to all hosting providers. Select the 12-month option and proceed to the next step.

Package Extras

Apart from Domain Privacy + Protection, uncheck everything. Domain privacy protection is crucial to shield yourself from receiving unwanted emails. If you don’t have privacy protection enabled, your personal information will be visible to everyone. If you want to view someone’s domain owner name, visit the Whois website and enter the domain name you want to know.

Other features are not as important as domain privacy + protection, don’t be worried.

Payment Information

Now, you’re on the final steps to start your successful blog on your own. You can use any of your credit cards or Paypal to make the payment. Enter your card information and click submit.

Create a Password

The next step, after completing the payment, is to create a password for your account. The best thing about Bluehost is that it will automatically install WordPress for you.

Here what you need to do is just enter the strong password and click next.

Next, you will see a congratulatory message. That’s it; you have now completed 70 percent of the ‘How to Start a Successful Blog’ tutorial. The next step is to log in to your WordPress account with your credentials. Click ‘Login’ and enter the password you used to create the account.

Set up Your Blog

Now you are almost ready to create a blog. After logging in with your credentials, the first screen will prompt you to choose a theme for your blog. Simply click the skip button, as you can do this later in the tutorial

Upon completing the step, Just click start building.

Now, a ‘Welcome to WordPress’ message will appear on your blog. It will then ask you to choose between Business or Personal, but simply click ‘I don’t need any help.’ After completing the above step, your website will look like this:

The next step is to click the ‘Launch’ button. As soon as you click the launch button, two options will appear on the page, asking you to enter the website name and tagline.

The site title is your domain name; enter your domain name without any prefix or suffix. For example, Trendslearner. The site description is the tagline for your website, so keep it short and sweet.

Website Confguration

Now, you are in the final step to create the first content for your website. Before doing this, you need to complete some basic setup, including theme installation, plugin installation, and menu creation. These are essential steps when planning to create a new blog.

1. Change Default Theme: The theme is a crucial aspect of your blog as it attracts visitors with its quality design. Always try to choose a premium theme for your blog, offering premium quality and multiple features. As you are new to blogging, consider using free themes like Astra or GeneratePress.
   • Go to > Appearance > Themes > Click ‘Add New’ > Search for the theme name.
   • Choose the theme you would like to use for your blog.
2. Change Permalink Structure: Adjusting the permalink structure is an important step in configuring your website.
   • Go to WordPress Dashboard > Settings > Permalinks.
   • Choose ‘Post Name’ and click ‘Submit.’ Ensure your permalink structure is like this: https://trendslearner.com/how-to-start-a-blog-in-2022-30-minutes-guide-for-beginners/
3. Install Important Plugins: Install plugins only if required to avoid slowing down your website. Install the following essential plugins:
   • Go to > Plugin > Add New > Install the below Plugins:
     • Yoast SEO
     • Anti-Spam Plugin Akismet
     • Insert Headers and Footer
     • Image Optimization Plugin (Your choice)
     • Install WP Fastest Cache (Cache Plugin)
4. Delete Unnecessary Plugins and Theme: Remove all unnecessary and unused plugins, as they can slow down your website.
5. Change Reading Section: This section helps you choose the page you want as your homepage. Decide whether you want a static or dynamic page based on your interest and click ‘Submit.’
   • Go to Settings > Reading > Choose ‘Homepage display’ and Submit.

Remember, these steps are crucial to setting up your blog for success.

• Astra
• GeneratePress Premium – I am currently using the GeneratePress theme on my website.

Here is how to change the default theme

Go to > Appearance > Themes > Click Add New > Search the theme Name

Then choose the theme you would like to use on your blog. In case if you like to purchase a premium theme, Then visit the below website to purchase

• Themeforest – Here you can find a lot of premium themes. I bought the NewsPaper theme one year ago from this website.

Change Permalinks Structure

It is one of the important steps you must do while configuring your website.

Note: Never choose any other permalinks except the Post Name

Go To WordPress Dashboard > Settings > Permalinks > Choose Post Name and Click Submit. Simply Permalinks is your post URL, So it must look this only

https://trendslearner.com/how-to-start-a-blog-in-2022-30-minutes-guide-for-beginners/

The basic permalinks structure should contain only your website name and your post name. That’s it about permalinks.

Install Important Plugins:

Only install a plugin if it is necessary. Avoid installing unnecessary plugins as they can slow down your website. Below, I have listed the essential plugins that every website must have.

1. Go to > Plugin > Add New > Install the following Plugins:
   • Yoast SEO
   • Anti-Spam Plugin Akismet
   • Insert Headers and Footer
   • Image Optimization Plugin (Your choice)
   • Install WP Fastest Cache – Cache Plugin

These are the basic plugins every website needs to start a blog.

Delete Unnecessary Plugins and Themes:

Remove all unnecessary and unused plugins, as they can slow down your website.

Change Reading Section:

This section will help you choose the page you want as your homepage. It’s all about your interest—whether you want a static or dynamic page. Choose according to your preference and click ‘Submit.’

To change the reading section, go to Settings > Reading.

If you don’t want your site to be indexed, follow these steps:

Click the search engine visibility button. Now, your site will not be indexed by Google until you uncheck the search engine visibility button.

Write Your First Post

Now that you’ve completed your “how to start a blog” tutorial, it’s time to write your first post. Here’s a step-by-step guide:

1. Go to Post > Add New.
2. Write the heading for your post and start creating your content. Aim for a minimum of 500 words.
3. Try to write an article targeting long-tail keywords to improve your post’s chances of ranking on Google.

Here’s a more detailed guide to writing a perfect post:

• Brainstorm Keyword Ideas: Generate a list of relevant keywords related to your post.
• Use a Keyword Research Tool (I prefer Ahrefs): Utilize tools like Ahrefs to identify high-volume and low-competition keywords.
• Choose a High-Volume, Low-Competitive Keyword: Select a keyword that has a good search volume but isn’t overly competitive.
• Start Writing Your First Post: Craft your post, incorporating the chosen keyword naturally for better SEO.

Note: Write an article for the audience and never write an article for bot and never do keyword stuffing in your post

After completing your post will be like this,

If you want to know a depth guide about how to write a perfect post, please let me know in the comment box.

Add important pages to your website

As soon as you complete your post start adding the page to your website as I mentioned below

• About Us
• Privacy Policy
• Terms and Condition
• Affiliate disclosure
• Contact Us

After that add all these pages to the menu.

Link Your Website to Google Search Console

The next thing you need to do is to link your website to the Google search console. Now you may ask me why do I need to add my website to the google search console. The truth is your website will be get indexed only after your linked your website to the google search console.

There are many ways your can link your website to a google search console but I will tell you the simplest way to link your website to a google search console. To link the website you need do is, just install the Yoast SEO Plugin. Hope you have installed the SEO plugin already

To do website integration Go-To SEO > CLick > Click Webmaster Tools > Click Google Search Console, As you can see in the below image

The link will be directed to the google webmaster page, Now you just click the HTML tag and copy the tag and insert the code into the place as shown in the image below.

As soon as enter the code into the header, your website will be successfully linked to Google Search Console.

Link Your Website to Google Analytics

There are plenty of tutorials available on google as you can follow any of the tutorials to link your website to google analytics.

How to Set Up Google Analytics to Track Your Website

Add Sitemap To Google Search Console

Adding a sitemap to the Google search console is one of the important steps you must do to start index your website by Googlebot as soon as publish your content. Here I going to reveal the simplest way to do it by using the Yoast SEO Plugin

To do, Go to your WordPress Dashboard > Click SEO > Features > XML Sitemap > See the XML Sitemap

You can successfully add the sitemap to the google search console by following the above step.

Start Monetize Your Website

Finally, Do you know why you started reading this” How to Start a Successful Blog ” to earn money right? Here I am going to tell you the best way to earn money from the blog. Here are some best two ways you can earn money online

• Google Adsense – Monetize you content with google Adsense, One of the best way to earn money from online- Why I am telling you to monetize your website with Google Adsense purely because of its high CPM and CPC whereas other Ad networks provide only less CPC and CPM

I have made 320$ in one month using Google Adsense. But I also tried other Ad networks available in the market but it seems to be not as good as Google Adsense.

Sorry for not showing the Adsense account, I can’t show it to you. But I can show you the other ad networks

The second way you can earn money online is by doing affiliate marketing. Its very simple when you write an article about any product just add a link to the product at the end of the article

How to become a successful blogger

If you want to become a successful blogger then you need to learn about the Search Engine Optimization technique. You cannot earn money by just starting the blog, what you need to do is just understanding the Search Engine Optimization technique.

You Just need to do understand only three things that will let you become a successful blogger

• On-Page SEO
• Off-Page SEO
• Backlinks Generation

If you want to read, I will give you the best link to learn about SEO

Beginner’s Guide to SEO [Search Engine Optimization]

Conclusion

Hope you have liked my “How to Start a Blog in 2023 – 30 Minutes Guide for Beginners” article and we finally come to the end of this article.

We all know that how it’s hard to go to work in an office during this time. I think I don’t want to tell you what is happening right now in the world. Stay safe and be positive. With the help of this guide, you will know how to start a blog and make money online.

In this guide, I have added all the necessary information to start a blog and if you have any problem please let me know in the comment box.

Thanks for reading my article

If you still don’t know how to create a blog or If you need me to create a blog for you please let me know in the comment box or Just send me a mail at [email protected]