How to Create a Blog

There are many blogging software programs on the Internet for you to create a free blog (also called weblog). The two biggest names are wordpress.com and blogger.com.

You can build a free blog to make money online, help generate traffic to a website, affiliate marketing, help with link building campaigns and much more.

NOTE: Further down on this page I have the step-by-step tutorial on how to build a blog using GoDaddy web hosting plan or other web hosting company that uses cPanel.

Create Blog Free

Wordpress.com and Blogger.com are hosted by that company (3rd party hosting). Your blog name would look like myweblog.wordpress.com or myblog.blogger.com. If you are looking for a long term goal, these free blogs are not very professional to use for that purpose.

Using a 3rd party hosting plan does not give you much control over your blog. If you would decide to use wordpress.com, it is against the TOS (Terms of Service) to add Google Adsense or any affiliate links.

I have never used blogger.com because after I did research on which was better: wordpress vs blogger. I read to many reviews that said they were unhappy with using blogger.com and were switching over to wordpress as there was more plugins available and more control over it. But it may work for your needs.

Blogger.com does allow you to have use affiliate links and Google Adsense, but you are limited to what you can do with it.

How to Build Blog with Wordpress (using paid hosting)

1. Register a domain name and purchase a basic web hosting plan.

You can find web hosting plans for usually less than $5 a month. The cheapest hosting plan and domain registration I have found is with GoDaddy. If you will be using GoDaddy for your hosting company for your wordpress blog, you MUST purchase a Linux plan (usually no difference in price from a windows plan). Do not worry you can use Linux even if you run Windows on your computer.

When you start out with a basic hosting plan, you can upgrade at any time.

Many web hosting companies will have a quick installation of blogging software so before purchasing ANY program see if this is available.

2. Once your domain and web hosting has been set up.

Once your domain and hosting has been set up, you will recieve an e-mail. Log into your account and look for the quick installation.

Tips before you install

There are three places you can put your blog on your new domain.

Domain name: yourdomain.com

Sub-domain: blog.yourdomain.com

Add-on domain: yourdomain.com/blog

If you want your blog on a sub-domain, YOU MUST create a sub-domain FIRST.

Create a sub-domain: Click on Subdomain in your hosting account. If you want it blog.yourdomain.com, then type in blog in the box before your domain name. Click Add. You must wait until you are able to see it when you click on Subdomain (usually a few hours) before you can install your blogging software.

To install on add-on domain: When you get ready to install Wordpress, put the name you want for your add-on domain in the box for Install on Directory. Most people just use blog so it will look like yourdomain.com/blog

On the domain name, then leave "Install on Directory" blank during the installation process.

TIP: When you put in your admin access data in, make sure you write this down as this will be your login information.

GoDaddy Installation Information

a. If you are using Godaddy, go to My Account Hosting. Click on it

b. In the middle of the screen will show your domain and set-up. Click on set-up (or manage account). This will take you to your hosting account.

c. On the right side of the screen you will see a hyperlink for "Go Daddy Hosting Connection" (without quotes). Click on it.

d. On the left side, click on Blogs. This is the list of all the blogs that you could install on your hosting. Click on Wordpress.

e. As long as you signed up for Linux, it will show that it is compatible.

f. Click Install Now

g. Within a very short time (usually less than an hour or so), you are set up to blog.

cPanel Installation

a. Log into your cPanel (this info will be sent to you when your hosting has been set up. The login info will usually be the Server Username and Server Password from the e-mail)

b. Go to the bottom of the page. You will see "Fantastico De Luxe" (without quotes).

c. Click on Fantastico De Luxe.

d. On the left navigational menu. You will see Blogs (usually second one down)

e. Click on WordPress

f. Click on New Installation. You will need to tell it where to add your blog. On domain, sub-domain, or add-on domain.

If you have never used wordpress software. Look around in it. You can look at different themes and pick the one that is geared towards your theme.

Additional Resources

Many people wonder why they need to build a website when they can build a blog to get (most of the time) the same effect. Here is a great article of blog vs build a website.

If you have a free blog and want to move it to a paid hosting account. See my step-by-step tutorial on moving your wordpress.com blog to paid hosting