Why Should You Use This Guide?
My name is Scott Chow, and I am going to be your guide on this journey to building a successful blog. I have been building blogs and websites since 2002. In that time I have launched several of my own blogs, and helped hundreds of others do the same.
During this time, I have discovered that becoming a successful blogger comes down to 3 things:
1. Setting up your blog correctly
I am going to show you exactly how to start a blog with the WordPress blog platform, which can be used from any computer, tablet, or smartphone. WordPress is the most popular blog platform in the world, and with good reason. In this step-by-step guide I am going to show you EXACTLY how to create a blog and configure WordPress so that you get the most out of it.
2. Having a passion for your topic
What is a blog? At its heart, blogging is about sharing your knowledge with the world. Choosing a topic that you are passionate about makes the process of starting a successful blog so much easier.
3. Learning from others
I am not ashamed to admit that when I was first learning how to build a blog I made a ton of mistakes. You can benefit from more than a decade of my experience so that you don’t repeat these same mistakes.
Skip the rest of this introduction and start building your blog!
Why Should You Start a Blog Today?
The internet is exploding with growth right now. More people than ever are online. This explosion in growth means more potential readers for your blog. In short, there is no better time than today to start your blog.
By starting a blog you can expect the following benefits:
1. Income
Blogging can be quite lucrative if done correctly. The top bloggers in the world obviously earn quite a bit, but even a part-time blogger can expect to make a nice profit if things are done correctly.
2. Recognition
No, you probably won’t have paparazzi following you around because of your latest blog post. But a successful blog can gain you a ton of recognition in your respective field. Many bloggers are known as experts just because of their blogs.
3. It’s Fun!
Aside from the more tangible benefits like resume-building and income, blogging is a great way to share your ideas with like-minded people.
The Problems with Free Blogs
As a blogger, you have the option of setting up a blog for free on a variety of websites. This sounds like a great idea in theory, but there are some huge downsides to using a free blog site:
Problem #1: “Free” is not free
Although it may seem strange, free blog sites exist to make money for the company offering you the “free” blog. They don’t give you a blog space because they like you. Instead, they make money off of the time and hard work you invest in writing your blog. This is done in a couple of ways:
They sell your ad space
Free blog sites will put advertisements on your blog. You have absolutely no control over what is being advertised on your blog and you will not see a single penny of the money they receive from selling this ad space.
They sell you “upgrades”
Signing-up for one of these services may be free, but you will quickly realize that to make any significant changes to your blog you will have to pay. Want to change your blog design? $50. Want your own domain name? $20 per year.
Problem #2: No profit
The goal of free blog sites is to make money for the company offering the blog space, not for you. This means that you are not allowed to sell products or services through your free blog.
In addition, the company offering you the free blog makes all the profit from selling ad space on your blog. As you will see in the step-by-step tutorial, selling ad space is a major source of revenue for most blogs, and it is something that is just not possible with a free blog.
Problem #3: No control
When you start your blog on a free website you are essentially renting your blog space. Because of this, the landlord is the one who has all the power. If they decide to close their doors on you for any reason, then there is absolutely nothing you can do about it since you don’t actually own the blog.
To make matters worse, free blog sites don’t give you access to the full range of features that you need in order to become a successful blogger. In the step-by-step guide on this site I show you some cool tips and tricks you can use to optimize your blog. Unfortunately, many of these things simply can’t be done on a free blog site.
Problem #4: Poor security
The reality of the internet is that sometimes sites get hacked. Yes, this even happens to new, smaller blogs. If this happens to you, and you are using a free blog provider, the hacker can steal your domain name, which means that you will lose your entire site and may never get it back.
In short, I recommend that you stay far, far away from free blogging sites. It just isn’t worth the headache or risk, no matter what type of blog you are starting.
The good news is that paying for your own blog can prevent all of these issues, and it isn’t expensive. In fact, it is cheaper than a “free” blog because there aren’t any hidden fees. In the tutorial on this site I will show you my method which costs less than a Starbucks coffee – $4 per month.
The No-Fail Method for Starting Your Blog
Starting a blog doesn’t need to be expensive or complicated. In fact, the entire process comes down to just these two things:
1. Follow the step-by-step tutorials on this site.
I am going to walk you through the process of starting a blog, from finding a good domain name to growing your blog into an income-producing machine. Start with Step 1 of the tutorial now.
2. Contact me if you have any issues at all and I will personally respond to your email.
The step-by-step guide on this site should give you everything you need, but if you run into some issues, or just want some personalized advice, please do not hesitate to contact me at any time. Blogging is my passion, and I would love to talk with you about it!
