How do I start a blog for free?
If you want to start a blog for free, you should know that there are virtually limitless resources available to you.
You don’t have to spend money to start blogging – not all blogs require startup costs or fees.
You can start a blog for free online without spending money and still build a website that receives traffic from all kinds of your target readers.
If you want to start a blog, don’t let the thought that you have to spend a bunch of money to do it hold you back.
It’s not only possible but easy to start a blog without shelling out a bunch of money upfront.
Don’t worry – there’s not a lot of tech that you need to know, and you don’t have to worry about learning how to code.
There are just a few major points we need to talk about if you want to start a blog for free, so let’s talk about what needs to be done to do that.
How to Start a Blog for Free
If you plan to start a blog, you probably have a topic in mind that you want to cover.
If not, one of the best places you can start is creating content on a topic on which you are knowledgeable and have a lot to say.
The best blog topics are specific enough to be unique but broad enough that you have room to create a variety of blog posts without running out of ideas.
You know better than anyone what interests you. Find a way to relate to others who are interested in the same topic, or who want to know more.
Then, choose a blog hosting website where you can begin your blog for free.
Seriously – there are so many options.
Start your blog by using medium.com (a very popular place to blog these days) or WordPress.com. Or you can choose one of these other alternatives to WordPress.
While there are plenty of paid blog hosting websites, many of these also offer free options for new blogs. Choose a web host that is reliable and speedy so anyone visiting your blog does not get bogged down with wait times or server crashes.
After you have your blog topic and your hosting website, decide how you will tailor your blog to your readers. Many free blog hosting websites allow for customization via images, layouts, and more. Choose elements that are pleasing to the eye, relevant to your blog topic, and easy to maneuver.
Write and publish your first blog post. You should come up with a few blog post ideas so that your blog has planned content beyond the first post. After you have created a post or two, begin sharing your blog to relevant outlets.
Your family and friends will check out your blog, of course, but you also want it to gain traction amongst strangers with similar interests.
Utilize social media platforms to advertise your blog for free. Also, be sure to keep SEO in mind so your blog appears on search results.
Choose Your Blog Topic
Your blog topic can be anything under the sun.
Literally.
There’s an audience and community for just about everything you can think of.
- Golfers
- Hair stylists
- Wrestlers
- Guitarists
- Gardeners
- Photographers
The best part about whatever topic you choose will be your own unique approach to the topic.
Do you have a unique take on a frequently covered topic?
Leverage it!
Maybe you’re an expert in a field that is mostly unknown to the public. Take advantage of your personal experiences and knowledge to create something widely accessible to the public.
Seriously.
Here’s an example:
One time I had a client who was an expert in a SUPER niche type of computer code.
It’s by no means one of the big ones like PHP, HTML, javascript, CSS, etc.
It is an obscure type of code that many would never even think about.
But he built a site around teaching people how to use this code that brought in hundreds of thousands of pageviews each month.
It was incredible to see!
So don’t be too concerned about your topic being too niche, or too small.
There are lots of opportunities out there, you just have to find the right one for you.
Here are couple broad areas to help you think through what you want to do:
- Advice
- Personal anecdotes
- How-to guides
- Recipe lists or foodie cooking blogs
- Relatable experiences like travel and wedding planning
Be careful about entering into a space that’s super competitive when you start.
It can be a lot of fun creating that content, but you want to be able to compete for traffic, so make sure you have your expectations set correctly when you begin.
The good thing is, like I said before, you can put your own spin on things to give these common topics a new and interesting approach.
Here’s a pro tip: Give yourself permission to put your knowledge out there as an expert.
I know people get weird about thinking of themselves as experts.
And generally people fall in to one of two categories:
1 – people who do NOT know what they’re talking about and should NOT put themselves out there as experts. These are the people who are really comfortable – like WAY too comfortable – with proclaiming their expertise.
2 – people who are intimidated and get slowed down by imposter syndrome. Despite their results and the things they’ve accomplished around the subject, they’re always worried that they don’t know enough, or that they can’t really teach anyone.
For those in the first group, slow down. Think of starting a blog as a way to give to your community. Document your own journey and embrace the heart of a teacher who is serving your students and audience.
For those in the second group, give yourself permission to show how awesome you are. There is always someone who knows more. That even goes for Bill Gates and Steve Jobs.
But you are unique.
You have unique life experiences that are part of your make-up that bring a unique approach to your content.
So share your expertise.
You’ve already got permission, so go do it.
Pick a Free Blog Hosting Platform
There are so many platforms where you can host your blog online.
However, not all blog hosting websites are created equally. When you choose a website to publish your blog, consider your own needs as well as the needs of your future readers.
Your blog should load quickly and stay online without crashing. Additionally, you should choose a host that offers intuitive, easy-to-use templates and responsive customer support.
Here are the best free blogging sites you can use to start your free blog today:
(Every one of these options is free to use, unlike many of the other lists you will see out there)
- Medium
- WordPress.com
- Blogger.com
- Google Sites
- Tumblr.com
When you start a blog for free, you are limited in regard to your blog’s domain and monetization potential.
But that comes with the territory of starting a free blog.
Besides, at this point, when you’re first getting started, no one will be reading your blog, so you don’t really even need to worry about those things if you don’t want to.
If you do want something more customizable, just remember that there are expenses that will come with that.
If you want to create a unique domain for your blog or to make money from blogging, you will need to spend a bit of money.
Fortunately, you can choose very affordable options as low as $2 a month.
Tailor Your Blog to a Target Audience
You can blog all day without considering your audience if your goal is to use your blog for an online journal without readers. However, if you want people to visit your blog and come back as regular readers, you need to make your blog appealing and easily accessible.
- Research the readers you want to attract.
- Reach out to readers and ask questions.
- Check out the competition to get ideas.
Is your blog about niche hobbies? Look at other blogs that have a lot of traction in that sphere. Use popular websites like BuzzFeed for inspiration on reaching millennial users, or look to TikTok for trends that attract Gen Z-ers.
Keep Your Blog Simple But Effective
Depending on what free blog hosting website you use, you will likely have the opportunity to customize and design your blog’s layout.
But before we get into that, can we have some real talk for a minute here?
Don’t get caught up in worrying too much about what your new free blog looks like.
Nothing will slow you down faster than obsessing over the look & feel when you’re getting started.
So choose a theme from the available free themes that you can live with.
The time will come where you will want and need something more customized.
Worry about look & feel then.
Not now.
So how do you find a free theme that you can live with?
Here are a couple ideas:
Avoid overloading your readers with busy elements all over the page.
Your readers should not have to wade through too many fonts and colors to get to the heart of your blog.
You do not want to overstimulate your audience or they will either forget the content or abandon your blog completely.
Still, this does not mean you have to have a boring, black-and-white blog.
Use elements that boost your blog’s content but do not overshadow it.
Research color schemes and layouts that receive lots of engagement. Include photos and backgrounds you enjoy. Your blog is still your own, after all.
Next Steps
If you want help implementing what you’ve learned or if you if have any questions about any of this, just leave me a comment below.
Or…
If you want to learn more about digital marketing and this whole online business thing I want you to come join me in my own free private Facebook group, Home Office Hacks. This is a new, small group of other digital nomads, business owners and entrepreneurs of all kinds, who are working hard to build their businesses online.
Join my brand new free private Facebook group, Home Office Hacks!
