Blogs are a lot of fun. You get to write about what interests you and you get to connect with other people interested in the same things. You can start a blog on just about anything but the wider your topic, the wider your audience.

There are four things to consider before you start a blog:

#1 – What to blog about

Your first step will be to decide what to blog about. You should give this a lot of thought because it will decide what your domain name is and what your first few blog posts will be about. Read What to blog about to help you get started.

#2 – Buy a domain name and hosting account

There are a lot of free blog hosting options to choose from like blogger, tumblr or weebly. Free hosting is fine if you aren’t looking to be serious about your blog. The top bloggers own their own domain name and hosting account and purchase it through a site like dreamhost. If some day you want to sell your blog you will actually own your website and be able to sell it.

Your domain name should be related to your blog topic. Most two word combinations are taken so you’ll have to be created to come up with a short domain name that you like. This name will be the brand name of your blog so choose wisely.

I’ve put together a instructional video to show people how to get set up with Dreamhost here: How to buy a domain name & web hosting

#3 – Install WordPress

WordPress.org has free blogging software that you can install in your hosting account. WordPress is the most popular blog software because it’s fast and easy to use. I put together a short video on how to install wordpress here: How to install WordPress

You can also easily add a customized WordPress theme using these instructions: How to add a premium WordPress Theme

#4 – Make Money Blogging

You can make money from your blog by selling ads, promoting affiliate products, selling your own product or membership and by reviewing other people’s blogs and products. When you first start it’s important to focus on making quality content. Think of your content as a product. Learn more here: How to make money blogging

Going Forward

Once your blog is set up and ready to go you should try to blog often and consistently. Most of the top bloggers post at least once a day, sometimes more. When you run out of ideas for blog posts find forums related to your topic and research the questions people are asking. It will also be helpful to find and read blogs that are similar to yours. Comment on their blog posts and get connected with the blogging community.