In this post, we’ve covered
- What you need to start a blog
- How much they cost [Cost Breakdown]
- How to start a blog in 6 steps with
What You Need To Start A Blog
Here are the things you need to set up a standard blog and get it ready for publishing your first blog post;
- A desktop – you need a laptop or computer. This will make it easy for you to manage your site entirely and write blog posts more effectively.
- A domain name – This is the name of your blog. You can decide to call your blog something interesting to you or something related to your blog niche.
- Blogging platform – Also known as Content management platform this is where you manage your blog and its entire affairs from customizing pages to writing blog posts. WordPress is the most efficient and most used blogging platform which doesn’t require coding, you can use a pre-built blog and customize it pages and blog posts the way you want.
- Web hosting – A web hosting service is what keeps your content management platform online [Blogging platform]. It makes your website available and accessible to every visitor on the web.
They are the required things you need to start your blog and get it ready.
How Much Do You Need To Start A Blog?
The cost of starting a blog depends on the web hosting you decide to use. Your web hosting service will give you easy access to WordPress your blogging platform and offer a free domain when signing up while its job is to host your entire site online. All web hosting services don’t come with a free domain and easy access to WordPress whereas very few web hosting services do e.g. HostGator.
Using a standard web hosting like HostGator you can get your web hosting including a free domain for $3.75/month whereas if you want a higher web hosting service that could get up to $20/month including an additional domain cost.
Cost Break Down
- Required cost
- Optional cost
Required Cost
- Domain name
- Web hosting
- Blogging platform or CMS [Usually Free]
[1]. Domain Name ($3 – $12/year)
- This is your blog’s web address (e.g., www.yourblog.com).
- Domain prices depend on the registrar you choose and the type of domain (e.g., .com, .net).
Note: If you buy a domain name separately, it typically costs $3 – $12/year which also is a bit technical connecting it with your web hosting service later on.
However, if you start with HostGator, you can get both web hosting and a domain for less than $3.80/month.
Many prefer this option to avoid extra costs for a domain.
[2]. Web Hosting ($3 – $15/month)
- Hosting is what enables your blogging platform to remain on the web. Prices vary depending on the hosting provider and the plan you choose.
- A good standard web hosting like HostGator costs $3.75/month to get you all started without any other upfront payment.
[3]. Blogging Platform or CMS (Usually free)
- Using WordPress.org (self-hosted) is ideal for many reasons you may not understand yet. The platform itself is free, but you’ll need hosting payment as I previously mentioned.
Note: If you wish to use other website builders platforms like Squarespace or Wix they will charge you around $12-$18/month, which is far more expensive compared to when using WordPress.
Rough Estimation of essential costs
- Domain name = Free
- Web hosting = $3.75/month
- Your blogging platform = Free
You will get your desired domain free using HostGator.
Your total required cost depends on the hosting option and the plan duration you choose.
- Monthly = $12.95 Total = $12.95/month
- Yearly = $4.95/month Total = $59.40/year
- 3 years = $3.75/month Total = $135/3 years
The longer the duration the cheaper it gets.
Note: If you are using HostGator you will get a free domain using our discount link instead of having to pay for it separately.
Optional Cost
These are optional, they are things you can get for free but if you have the budget to go premium.
These include;
- WordPress Themes (Free or Premium) [$30 to $100]
- Plugins and Tools (Free to $100+)
- Logo Design ($0 – $100+)
- Email Marketing Tools (Free to $50+/month)
[1]. WordPress Themes [Free or Premium ($30 to $100)]
What is a wordpress theme – A WordPress theme is a pre-designed example of a site that you can install and use instead of building everything from scratch. It determines your website layout, design, and overall appearance of your website. It defines how your content is displayed, including fonts, colors, and page structures. You can customize your theme to fit your blog and there are free and premium versions.
- Free themes are available for those just starting.
- Premium themes can cost anywhere from $30 to $100 (one-time payment). Premium themes offer better customization and design options.
[2]. Plugins and Tools (Free to $100+)
A plugin is a tool that adds additional functionality to your blog. It allows you to do things like improve your site’s SEO, add contact forms, or boost security without coding.
There are many types of plugins you can install in your wordpress admin area and they are very easy to install and use.
For example, “Google Analytics” is a free WordPress plugin that you can install in your WordPress admin area to extensively track your blog site visitors.
There are many free and premium wordpress plugins to add additional features or functionality to your blog.
- Essential plugins for SEO, security, traffic analytics, backups, etc., are usually free (e.g., Yoast SEO, WP Rocket, etc.).
- Premium plugins can range from $20 to $100 depending on their features.
[3]. Logo Design ($0 – $100+)
- You can create your own logo for free using tools like Canva, LogoMaker, and Placeit which anyone can do, but if you have the budget and want something more professional you can hire a designer from Fiverr or Upwork to design one for you.
[4]. Email Marketing Tools (Free to $50+/month)
- A popular tool like Getresponse offers a free plan, but as your email list grows to up to 1k subscribers, you will then need to upgrade.
Rough Estimation
- Premium wordpress theme $30 one-time payment = $30
- Any other essential plugin or tool $30 = $30
- Premium Logo design = $20
- Email management tool [$15/month * 12] = $180/year
The Total Optional Cost Required Is = $260/year
Note: This will be lower in the upper year since you will only need to pay for your email management tool $180/year excluding previous essential costs we calculated initially.
How To Start A Blog In 6 Steps
You can follow these 6 steps to start a standard and get going.
- Step 1: Click on “HostGator” to host your blog
- Step 2: Choose your preferred HostGator plan
- Step 3: Choose your preferred domain & complete your sign-up
- Step 4: Within your HostGator account “Install WordPress” your blogging platform
- Step 5: Within WordPress choose your blog theme [A Pre-built Site]
- Step 6: Customize your blog default pages and start writing and publishing blog posts.
Note: At the end of your sign-up with your web hosting [e.g. HostGator], you can install the generally used web version of WordPress within your HostGator admin area after you’ve logged in. This is easy for anyone to do. Detailed step to start a profitable blog
