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<p style=”text-align: center;”>Ever wondered how to start a blog and make enough money to quit your job?</p>
You can do it. Tons of people already have.
Want definitive proof?
The blog you’re reading right now gets over 2,436,100 unique visitors a year and generates well over a million dollars in annual revenue.
Just look at my revenue stats for a 30 day period:
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$381,772 a month is a lot of money… especially for a blog. Now you aren’t going to generate that much money, but it is realistic for you to make 1/100th of what I am making.
That’s why I’m going to show you how to make $3817 a month.
Making $300,000 per month is REALLY hard. Making $3000 per month is a lot easier.
And for most folks, an extra $3000 per month would change their life.
So, yes. Blocks of text and a handful of images can generate life-changing amounts of money.
Want to know something else?
I started from the same place you’re at right now. The only difference between you and me is that I’ve already been doing this for a decade.
Look, I stumbled a LOT along the way. Fell flat on my face. Had tons of terrible ideas.
This guide shows you how to avoid the same mistakes I did. Not only will your path be easier, you’ll get there a lot quicker.
Let’s dive in.
<h2>Your 2-minute quickstart cheat sheet</h2>
Looking for a barebones, quickstart guide to get started as fast as possible? In this section, we won’t cover everything, only the essential steps.
First, you need an idea and a name for your blog.
From there, head to Bluehost and sign up for the Basic Plan. It’s $2.95 per month if you sign up for three years in advance—I highly recommend it to get the best deal.
Next, follow the instructions to set up your account. Skip all the package extras except for domain privacy + protection. The extra privacy is worth the investment.
Finish setting up your account, and now you officially have your own little piece of the internet. Congrats!
But, don’t celebrate too hard just yet—we’re not quite finished. From there, you need to:
- Install WordPress (your blogging platform)
- Choose and install a cheap/affordable theme
- Customize your new theme
- Write and publish your first blog post
- Stick to a regular publishing schedule
After you have your first few posts under your belt and traffic starts to flow in, you can start thinking about how you want to make your first $1.
From selling ad space to digital/physical product offerings and affiliate marketing, there are dozens of monetization methods you can explore.
Now let’s go through the whole process in detail.
<h2 id=”step-1″>Step 1. Unleash ideas within you</h2>
If you want to create a blog, you don’t need a revolutionary idea. But, your blog should be focused on something specific.
Remember that no idea, no matter how good, is truly unique.
But, you have unique experiences. You have a distinct voice. And, you probably have a vibrant personality that will attract others, like your family and friends.
When it comes to choosing your blog’s niche, there are two key questions to ask yourself.
<h3>1. Do I Enjoy Learning About This Topic?</h3>
If you don’t love the topic, it’ll show in your writing. You shouldn’t even start a blog if you don’t love what you’re blogging about.
Whatever topic you pick, you need to love it, and naturally curious about it.
If not, you’ll run out of ideas quickly. Most importantly, you won’t be able to consistently create content that will build your audience.
If you are still lost, think about what your family and friends come to you for when seeking advice? It might be fitness, recipes, or relationship advice. You know best.
<h3>2. Are There Others Interested in The Same Things?</h3>
You might feel like the only 23-year-old who’s obsessed with knitting. But, there are others out there.
Do a quick Google search and you’ll find 539,000 results aimed at people just like you.
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You might be wondering if your idea is too quirky. Or, maybe it’s too broad?
If you want to start a travel blog, stay away from generic words like “travel.” Choose a more specific topic, like “backpacking.”
<h2>Step 2. Choose a name for your new blog</h2>
Now for the fun part: naming your blog.
This is your brand. It’s how people will remember you.
But don’t overthink it. The magic of a brand gets built over time. Even if you feel stuck, keep moving forward.
The best way to land on the perfect name is to start with brainstorming. In the last step, we talked about unleashing all of your ideas and nailing down your niche.
Now, it’s time to take those ideas and turn them into a name.
So, open up a new spreadsheet or grab a pen and paper. Then spend about ten minutes writing down every word that comes to mind.
From there, start combining words and phrases until something stands out to you. Aim for 5 – 10 potential names and write them down.
Now, it’s time to see if those names are available as domains. A domain is where your blog lives on the internet.
As an example, neilpatel.com is my domain.
Neil Patel is who I am, but it’s also my brand and what you type into the address bar to find me. But that also means you can’t use the domain because I already own it.
You could do what I did and use your personal name as your domain.
But in most cases, I recommend choosing a different name for your blog. That’ll make it a lot easier to sell the site if you ever want to.
How do we see if domains are available?
I prefer to use Bluehost’s domain name checker. Type each potential name in one at a time to see what’s available.
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After you click the check availability button, you’ll see whether or not the name you chose is in use.
Keep trying your potential names until an option you like is available. If none of your potential names are available as a .com, head back to the beginning and keep brainstorming.
Here are some extra tips for choosing an excellent domain name:
- Always choose a .com when possible
- Avoid using numbers, hyphens, and homophones (words that sounds the same but are spelled differently)
- Keep it as short and concise as possible
- Should be easy to say and understand
- Avoid complicated and commonly misspelled words
When you land on an available name, click next to automatically add it to your cart.
Don’t buy it yet. I’ll show you how to get your domain for free in the next step.
<h2>Step 3. Get Web Hosting with Bluehost</h2>
Now it’s time to get your blog live.
It may seem complicated at first, but don’t worry. It’s much easier than it sounds.
To get started, you need web hosting (where your blog lives) and a domain name (your blog’s address). The good news is that Bluehost, my favorite web hosting company, offers both as a package deal.
</figure><h4 class=”d951d4b10″>Best Shared Web Hosting</h4>
<p class=”_4ccf1904″>Get 63% off the best web hosting plans on the market. Plus, get a free domain name and everything you need to manage + run your new blog in just a few clicks.</p>
Plus, it’s incredibly affordable. You also get an awesome discount as a NeilPatel.com reader. And your domain name is free for the first year.
So, head over to Bluehost.com and click “Get Started Now.”
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