How to Blog for Beginners | Step-by-Step Tutorial

Learning how to blog as a beginner? Let’s go step by step as you start a WordPress blog and monetize it with a FREE DOMAIN. Note: I’m an affiliate for Bluehost, which means you’ll get 60% off your web hosting (paying only $2.95 per month) and I’ll receive a commission at no additional cost to you! Thank you for your support, it helps me continue to create more resources for your blogging journey.

👇 USE MY AFFILIATE LINK FOR 60% OFF BLUEHOST WEB HOSTING

blogwithben.com/bluehost

YOAST SEO PLUGIN UPDATE

Yoast recently deployed an update to their plugin on 12/1/21 that changed some of the steps of the plugin configuration portion of this video. So, I created a separate video that walks you through the new steps. Please visit the link below to see the updated Yoast configuration walkthrough.

WANT TO EARN INCOME WITH YOUR BLOG?

blogwithben.com/courses

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IN A NUTSHELL

By the end of this video, your self-hosted blog will be:

✅ Innovative & mobile responsive
✅ Built on a professional foundation (Bluehost & WordPress)
✅ Optimized for leads
✅ Ready for affiliate marketing

And, when you want to dig even deeper into blogging essentials + monetization, grab my FREE eBook, the Blog Starter Kit. It's packed with tons of tips & tools for your success:

blogwithben.com/free-ebook

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TOPICS + TIMESTAMPS

0:00 Intro
2:31 Video outline
8:01 How to start a WordPress blog (web hosting and WordPress installation)
25:58 How to set up a WordPress blog
55:42 How to install a free WordPress theme (Shapely) *
1:01:12 How to configure WordPress plugins and create a child theme
1:37:51 How to design your blog and create a truly unique experience for your users
3:24:29 How to monetize a WordPress blog
3:34:00 How to create an opt-in form and landing page**
3:56:25 How to create an About Me and Contact page
4:20:11 How to publish an awesome blog post (Gutenberg tutorial)!
4:58:55 How to set up a Privacy Policy page
5:06:32 How to create an XML sitemap and submit it to Google
5:11:20 How to launch your blog!

* Shapely can be used for any industry or niche. However, for this video, I’ll be showing you how to create a photography blog.

** Please watch the video below when it comes time to set up your opt-in form. MailChimp has made some changes to its backend since this video was recorded. The video below is an updated version of the new MailChimp interface.

youtu.be/MgyzY4RKHE4?t=6351

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IMPORTANT LINKS FOR THIS VIDEO

1. Code Cheat Sheet

blogwithben.com/shapely-code-cheat-sheet

2. Access to Bluehost's Exclusive Offer for WordPress Bloggers - ONLY $2.95 per month (affiliate link)

blogwithben.com/bluehost

3. How to Transfer a Domain Step-by-Step Video

youtu.be/7lbCS1Gd4lQ

4. Download the Shapely WordPress Theme for Free

wordpress.org/themes/shapely/

5. Child Theme Configurator PHP Debug Fix

youtu.be/Nak5MDsJNUc

6. Pixelmator

pixelmator.com/pro/

7. Canva

canva.com

8. PNG Images

kisspng.com

9. Hex Color Picker

color-hex.com/

10. HTML Copyright Symbol

w3schools.com/html/html_symbols.asp

11. Privacy Policy Guidance

developers.google.com/actions/policies/privacy-…

12. Affiliate Disclaimer Template

termsfeed.com/blog/affiliate-disclosure/

13. GIFS

giphy.com/

14. GDPR Sassy Social Share Privacy Policy Guidance

support.heateor.com/gdpr-and-our-plugins/

15. Validate XML Sitemap

xml-sitemaps.com/validate-xml-sitemap.html

16. Google Search Console

search.google.com/search-console/about

17. Free Site MIgration (affiliate link)

bluehost.com/track/bennyc23?page=/wordpress-sit…

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YOUR FREE BLOG STARTER KIT

Remember to grab your FREE copy of the Blog Starter Kit and learn even more tips & tools to build, grow, and monetize your blog. Inside, I'll show you how to turn any blog into a thriving business:

blogwithben.com/free-ebook/

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Thanks for watching!

#howtostartablog #howtocreateablog #wordpress