Do you want to start your blog but don’t know how to go about it? Maybe you’ve seen people making a living through blogging and you will like to join others making passive income from blogging too.

Or maybe you just love the idea of being able to share your thoughts with people from around the globe or writing about your passion.

Regardless – starting a blog is a great idea!

The blog nowadays is regarded as one of the best tools for marketing products, and promotion of services, and it has also been serving as one of the online businesses that are been used to generating passive income online.

An affiliate marketing blog like Wirecutter within 5years of launch generated $150 million (N58200000000) which was later acquired by NYT company for $30 million (N11640000000).

Nigeria blogs such as Naijaloaded, Justnaija, Lindaikejiblog, Yabaleftonline — all with over 5000 daily visitors are also generating passive income from blogging — each of these Nigerian blogs is making more than N200,000 pay months.

Agencies like an Invoice.ng, Paystack, Wpbeginner, Kinsta, Flutterwave, and other agencies worldwide utilize the power of blog to drive traffic to their website and explain how their services and products work to targeted audiences which in turn increases their revenue.

And experience bloggers like Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income, Matthew Woodward of MatthewWoodward.co.uk, Michael Arrington of Huffington Post, and others are all making tonnes of money from their blog each month.

In this guide, we’ll walk you through the entire process of starting any blog you like to making money from it– step by step.

We give a simple process that’s easy to follow no matter what your experience level, whether you are in your a teen or you are above 60 years old.

However, if you need help, our expert team will help you purchase your domain, web hosting and also set up your blog for you so that you only focus on writing content and making money. → Click Here to Get Your Blog Setup for you quickly!

But if you wanna learn how to start and set up your blog by yourself, then let’s get started!

Step 1: Choosing a perfect niche for your blog

A blog niche is a specific topic you’ll write about. eg Fashion niche ~ you only write about fashion, Entertainment niche~ you will be writing about music, sports. etc

If your plan to blog is to document your professional journey or blog for fun, or product your product or services, you don’t need to read this section because you have already had something to discuss with your audience.

You don’t need to be brainstorming or searching for a niche or topic anymore, your professional journey, passion, or product and service is your niche and topic of discussion.

But if you want to be making passive income from your blog, then you need to take is section seriously as a lot of people have wasted their time and resources for years on their blog without making any money from it.

When it comes to picking a niche that will be generating passive income, sometimes what you like writing about the most isn’t necessarily something that’s going to make you money.

To make money from a blog has to do with the number of audiences that might need your articles and the monetization method you can use to be generating money before you build your blog.

If you have a million ideas bouncing around your head and you are struggling to come up with one that can be making you passive income, you just need to sit down and brainstorm some ideas to write about.

You can start by creating a cross table of the list of ideas by equating your passion or skills or knowledge or problems with profitability or monetization methods which will equate to a niche idea.

Niche Picking Checklist

Passion/skill/ knowledge	Likely blog Posts	Monetization (How you will likely be generating money from the blog)	Blog Niche (Type of blog)
I know how to bake	How to bake different type of cake, Reviewing baking utensils, baking books, Write how to become a successful baker	Organize online Masterclass, Google ads, sell new baking technique ebooks, video courses, Affiliate marketing of books & tools, etc.	Baking/cooking blog
I love drawing, designing	How to become a graphic designer, illustrator, Artist, Reviewing graphic tools etc.	Affiliate marketing of books & tools, organize online class, Google ads, sell ebooks, video courses etc.	Career blog
I have passion for fashion	You write about the fashion lifestyle of celebrities, write about the trending fashions, etc.	Sell ads space, affiliate marketing of fashion stuff such as bags, clothes, etc	Fashion blog

Some other good ways to come up with the equation is to just look at the objects you own and see if any of them spark an idea or think about what you do daily and see if anything pops out or what you read every day online, or take a look at the popular products, categories, or what you or most people order the most.

Before you chose a blog niche make sure it’s profitable in the long run.

Don’t worry if you’re still stuck on finding a profitable niche, here is a big list of 100+ blog niche ideas you can go through to get started.

After picking a niche, the next step is to choose a blogging platform you will use for your blog.

Step 2: Choosing Blogging Platform

As a beginner, you need a blogging platform that’s easy to set up, use by majorities, and doesn’t require any coding skills.

There are several different blogging platforms out there, so it’s important to choose a flexible blogging platform, with room to grow. Starting with the wrong platform can make it very difficult to switch later on.

With all that in mind, let’s compare the most used blogging platforms that you can also start with even as a beginner.

1. Blogger

Blogger is one of the earliest blogging platforms in existence. Blogger is a free blogging service by Google. It offers a quick and easy way to create a blog for non-tech-savvy users.

All you need is a Google account to start a free blog on Blogger, but the downside is that you’re limited to basic blogging tools and monetization methods as you can’t add new extra features like online store, forum, etc.

Also, Google can suspend your blog at any time if you violate any policy.

Despite the odds, a lot of people started with Blogspot and some are still using it today.

Blogger platform is actually the best way to get get your blog started if you don’t have any money.

2. WordPress.com

This is a free blog hosting service created by Automatic for users who don’t want the advanced features of self-hosted WordPress (wordpress.org).

The free WordPress.com platform is a good choice for hobby bloggers and those starting a blog for their passion or to document their professional journeys.

WordPress.com offers you a free wordpress.com subdomain I.e www. yourwebsitename.wordpress.com and it is easy to set up and manage without been a techie.

The major downside of using WordPress.com is that you cannot run advertisements on your blog. Instead, WordPress.com will show its ads on your free website without you getting paid for it.

Also, you are not allowed to monetize your blog with Google ads, but you can make money from affiliate making and selling your own digital products such s]as ebooks.

3. Medium

Medium is a free community of writers, bloggers, and professionals in different fields.

Medium is an easy-to-use blogging platform that works much like a social networking site where you can create an account and start publishing your articles with no need to set up a website.

With Medium, you can easily reach out to an existing online community of people of similar interests with you solely on writing, instead of designing a website at a cost.

The downside of using Medium is that you cannot use your own domain name. You’ll simply get a profile page like on Facebook after sign up, e.g. https://medium.com/@yourname.

Another downside of using Medium is that your monetization method is majorly limited to promoting your digital products or affiliate products and services. You cannot run your own ads to make money.

Medium is not the best place to build your brand but is another best place to get started if you don’t have money.

4. WordPress.org

WordPress.org is the world’s most popular blogging software that now powers more than 39% of all websites on the internet as it gives you total control over every aspect of your website.

You can add other extra features like service pages, forums, online stores, and paid membership, etc, making it the best blogging platform to make money.

The downside of using Wrdpress.org is that you have to purchase hosting (storage) and domain( blog name) and annually renew both.

WordPress.com is most time confused with WordPress.org, which leads them to choose the wrong blogging platform for their needs, but you need to know that they are both different.

Among the platforms listed above, we recommend WordPress.org as it gives bloggers or website owners total control over their website, and most importantly bloggers and website owners can make money from on the platform without any restrictions.

WordPress is also the number one website platform used by all successful bloggers. Our blog, Setuphub.com.ng including our clients’ website and blogs are also built with WordPress.org.

We can pretty much guarantee that it is the best platform you can use for blogging even as a beginner or non-techie.

Now that we’ve covered how to choose a topic and blogging platform, it’s time to start moving on to the technical details on how to create a blog.

In this guide, we are going to be using wordpress.org to build an amazing blog that you can use to write about your passion or professional journey or blog for passive income.

Step 3: Creating a WordPress blog (Simple step to build any blog you like)

To get started with creating a WordPress blog, you only need the following three things:

A domain name idea (this will be the name of your blog i.e setuphub.com.ng)
A web hosting account (where your blog is live on the internet and also store your content )
45 minutes of your time to set the blog up and running.

We have a complete guide that’s will show you step by step how to create a WordPress blog like a professional. See the full guide here.

Now let’s discuss how to simply create a WordPress blog.

To get started, you first need to purchase a domain name (the blog name)and web hosting for your blog (storage).

A domain name which is also your blog name is what people type to get to your website. It’s your website’s address on the internet such as Jumia.com.ng, Naijaloaded.com, Setuphub.com.ng, 9jafoodie, Bellanaija, etc.

Domain names are available in many different extensions. The most popular ones are .com, and .com.ng. There are many other options like .org, .net, .tv, .info, .io, and more.

However, we always recommend using .com, and .com.ng domain extensions.

If you don’t know how to come up with or choose a blog name or domain for your blog? See our guide on how to choose a blog name or domain for your new blog.

Web hosting is where your website files live. It’s your website’s house on the internet. Every website needs web hosting.

A domain name typically costs around $14.99 / year (N5900), and web hosting normally costs $38.99 / month (N15000).

That’s a lot of money for beginners who are just starting.

Thankfully, Namecheap, our official WordPress hosting provider, provides our users over 60% off on web hosting.

Step 4: Buying domain and hosting for your blog

To get started with a self-hosted WordPress blog, you’ll be going to need to buy a domain name and choose a WordPress web hosting.

We’ve been recommending Namecheap as a blog/web hosting and domain registrar for years.

From Namecheap, you will get (account gets activated instantly):

Free SSL certificate for a year.
Website hosting ($1.75/mo+)
Simple, one-click install for WordPress
Free email accounts, like [email protected]

Let’s go ahead and purchase your domain and hosting.

Open up this link Namecheap in a new window and follow along. It’s a special referral link that will get you started with buying your domain and hosting.

After clicking the above link, on the page, you’ll found three shared hosting packages: Stellar, Stellar Plus, and Stellar Business. Choose the options according to your needs.

However, I would recommend you go with Steller plus plans which cost you $31.84/ year (N12360) with Auto Backup Tools, this plan is actually best for a music blog, News blog because of traffic coming to it.

But if you’re tight on budget, then the Stellar option at just $18.44 years (N7154.72) will work just fine and also offers best value.

Next up, you’ll enter your primary domain name which will connect to your hosting. Choose the preferable domain name you have in your mind.

If you don’t know how to find a great blog name then read this guide, How to come up with a great blog name within 10 minutes.

Once you choose then click on connect to host. Now, all set move on to the next step! Confirm your package to proceed with your selected package, add both to your shopping cart. Now click on the Add to Cart Button.

Now check your order summary box to proceed to your Subtotals page. On this page, make sure you have chosen the domain name and hosting are present on this page. Then confirm it.

After confirming your order, lastly, you will need to add your account information and finalize the package info to complete the process.

Once you’ve completed the steps, an email will be sent to your inbox with login instructions for a control panel (cPanel) where you can manage all aspects of hosting and install WordPress.

If this is new territory for you, don’t worry! The guide has great illustrations that walk through each step so it’s easy even if it’s on unfamiliar ground.

The next step is to install WordPress on the hosting package you just purchased.

Step 5: WordPress Setup

You can easily install WordPress via Namecheap hosting. With NameCheap, it is easier to do than you think. Just follow the steps below.

After purchasing your domain and hosting, click on the “Manage” button to login into the site Cpanel.

In the Cpanel dashboard, find the Softaculous apps installer, select it. After that select WordPress and install it.

Next, you will be redirected to the site setting page where you will need to set up SSL for your site by changing your site address to use https instead of http.

You also need to change the site name and description to yours, Then enter a username and strong password for the site. The username and password is the administrator login detail for the site, save both somewhere save.

Click install now. Well done! that’s it, you successfully installed WordPress.

You can now start customizing the site the way you like.

Here is a complete guide on blog setup including the creation of blog posts, pages.
See our guide 40 bets WordPress Theme well design and easy to customize for any blog.
Also, we have a guide on essential plugins you can install on your blog that can optimize your blog for traffic, speed, and monetization.

After customizing your blog to your liking, you can now start writing content on your blog consistently because the more you publish the more google recognizes your blog and rank the post for people to visit your blog.

After writing, the next thing you will also need to know is how to promote your content i.e how to get people to visit your blog to read your content.

Step 9: Blog Promotion

Creating a well-designed blog and writing great content is just the start. To get visitors to your blog you will need to spend some time promoting it, especially when you first start.

The strategies below will help get your blog in front of more readers. You don’t need to use every strategy – try out a few and see what works well for you.

Use Social Media

Using social media to drive traffic to a blog is one of the most bloggers’ favorite ways of getting visitors to their blog.

They will always post links of their content on social media such as Facebook, Instagram, Linkedin, and Twitter.

This is great if you have created high-quality content on your blog then social media is a way for your blog to go viral.

Optimizing your blog for search engines

When you want your blog to appear in search results as soon as possible, the first step is a process called Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

Keep in mind that with a brand new blog your traffic will be minimal. However, this will change over time if you continue providing informative and relevant content regularly.

To ensure your blog is searchable on the web, submitting it for indexing in Google Search will be a key step.

The process of optimizing SEO can sometimes take time and effort but with regular updates, you should see an increase in viewership over time!

You don’t need to be a search engine expert, but it’s important if you’re serious about growing your blog. Learn these basics so when people land on the site – whether from organic or paid traffic – they can find your content.

Comment on Other Blogs

Find other blogs in your community and engage with them. Comment on their blog posts, introduce yourself to the blogger or ask a question about something you read that piqued your interest.

After creating relationships with prominent bloggers in your area of expertise, you will find yourself within their ranks quickly–leave thoughtful comments as well as links back to any content they might not be aware of yet from people like YOU!

Engage with Your Visitors

Instead of simply replying to comments, find ways in which you can create a dialogue between your readers and yourself. Find out what they like about the site or post that needs improvement or change based on their input.

You may also want to ask them for general feedback if there is not anything specific written down by way of comment; this could help make future posts more interactive with visitors who might enjoy it because it feels personal rather than just another article from an anonymous author.

It is important to always engage with your readers. It shows that you are listening and interested in what they have to say, which can lead them back on the site again for future posts!

Collaborate with other bloggers

Become enmeshed in your blogging community by collaborating with respected members of your field. Collaborating includes guest posting, promoting each other’s blogs and products, and regularly interacting through comments or social media to build a more rewarding experience for readers and followers alike.

Post Regularly

Creating a schedule for your posts is an important part of being successful.

You need to post consistently and often, otherwise, people will forget about you or lose interest in following your blog because they have nothing new to read from it.

Create an Email List

Blogging is about more than just getting new visitors. You need to make sure that your current followers are coming back, too. Why not send them emails when you post a new article? When people sign up for your newsletter or subscribe to an RSS feed, they’re permitting you and expect these notifications from time to time!

The more readers you have, the better your chances of becoming a success. It’s not just about getting people to come back and read again later; it’s also about building stronger relationships with them!

Step 10: Monetizing your blog

There are a lot of ways to make money off your blog, but you might be fooled into thinking that they’re all get-rich schemes. The truth is: there’s no such thing!

As a blogger, you need to work hard and have some strategies to making money up your sleeve if you want those big bucks!

Here are few ways you can start making money from your blog even as a beginner:

Google AdSense is the most popular monetization option for bloggers. It is free to use and offers a wide range of ad types. To make money using Google AdSense, you need traffic on your blog (visitors), the more visitor you have on your blog, the more money you get paid for.
Affiliate Marketing is the second most popular monetization option. To make money with Affiliate Marketing, you need traffic on your blog and a referral link (that is the affiliate link).
Offering services to blog visitors can also be a source of revenue for your blog. Many bloggers offer services such as web designing, copywriting, and SEO to their visitors when they are in need of it.
Selling digital products on your blog can be a great way to monetize them and bring in extra money. You can include a store where you can offer one-time purchase items for downloads like ebooks, courses, and videos to start making money online.

Beyond those four methods, there are also tons of other creative ways to make money from your blog.

Congratulations, that’s all you needed to get started blogging like a profession.

Conclusion

Blogging is hard work, but if you know what to do it can be an extremely rewarding experience. It takes a lot of time and effort, but the payoff is having your blog that makes money.

If you want to run a successful blog, you must talk about important issues. If people feel like they can relate to what you’re writing about, then your blog will be very popular.

Note! To escape the stress of building the online store you desire, you can hire us to build the blog for you, don’t hesitate to contact us today.

That’s it. we hope this guide helped you learn how to create a blog for any kind of niche easily.