So, you want to start a blog? There are several reasons for starting a WordPress blog, including promoting a product, promoting a service, providing information on a topic, creating awareness of a social issue or just having a passion for writing. But…how do you set up a blog? Setting up a WordPress blog is easy and takes less than 30 minutes of your time.

Here is how to set up your blog

Choose a Web Hosting Service

When you are starting your blog, the first thing you need to do is choose a web hosting service. This service is responsible for making sure your blog can be seen by everyone. When it comes to web hosting, you have two choices- free or self-hosted. It is not recommended that you choose a free service because there are numerous limits and you don’t really own your blog. So, with that said, for a self-hosted service, I recommend Bluehost. So, why Bluehost? It is easy to get your blog set up, they are recommended by WordPress, they offer affordable hosting plans and you’ll get a free domain name.

It’s important to note that all hosting is not created equal, and hosts change over time. What was once a great host two or three years ago could be terrible now, and what was once terrible could be great. It pays to do your homework. See what happened when WP Dev Shed reviewed Site5, a popular hosting service once known as one of the best. You’ll see that things can change over time, which is why research is so vital.

Choose a Blogging Platform

Next, you will need to choose a blogging platform. A blogging platform is where you will be building your blog. The choice for a blogging platform is simple- WordPress. Why? Well, WordPress is easy to set up, it is very secure and it is highly customizable. Oh, and then there is the fact that it is the most popular site to use online.

1. Start Building Your Blog: Pick your hosting plan

Now, it is time to set up your blog. Head over to Bluehost and click on the button that says- “Get started now.” Next, select a hosting plan. Bluehost offers four different plans- Basic, Plus, Prime, and Go Pro. The plan you select will be based on your needs for things like bandwidth and website space. You can always start with the Basic plan and then upgrade later.

2. Pick your domain and complete the signup process.

Next, you’ll want to select your free domain name. The domain name you choose should be relevant to the topic of your blog. Create your Bluehost account, select any package extras you may want, and then enter your payment information.

3.  Choose a WordPress theme and start writing.

Lastly, you’ll need to install WordPress. This is easy to do since Bluehost offers a one-click installation. Just head over to your Bluehost control panel and click the button that says- “Install WordPress.” Once you have WordPress installed, just log into your admin panel and start customizing your blog. Don’t forget to create a beautiful unique text logo to distinguish your blog from all of the others. Good luck!