How To Start Blogging with Blogspot in 3 Simple Steps
One of the necessary evils for start-ups, digital publishers, authors and internet businesses right now is blogging. Well, the vogue is in for all the right reasons and you are here simply because you haven’t decided which one is right for you.
Forget interactions! Blogs are all about shouting out your opinions and what you want to convey to the world. The icing on the cake is that if people like what you say then it can be used to earn a recurring passive income.
I owe a large part of my success publishing on Amazon towards niche blogging.
There are tons of blogging platforms out there, which you can choose to create a blog. Having said that; it would be in your best interest if you choose to blog using your own domain name and hosting.
Other articles that may help you:
- Why you should start a blog
- How to start a WordPress blog
- 5 Proven ways to monetize a blog (#3 is my favorite)
The Best Things in Life are Free?
Trust me! There is no substitute for WordPress when it comes to starting your own blogs. The themes, the versatility and the ease of navigation are simply unmatched.
However, before you journey into the path of self-hosting blogs, I’d suggest that you get a fair share of experience by trying out free blogging platforms like BlogSpot.com and WordPress.com. These platforms also get you the exposure that you need in the world of blogging-especially if you are a newbie.
Do note, this article is specifically written assuming that you are new to the blogging arena. Experienced bloggers might find this session repetitive but you can always share your thoughts in our comments section.
In this post, I will take you through the details on how you can start your own blog using BlogSpot. More importantly with many free blogging platforms available, I would like to elaborate on them a bit and compare their features.
Step-by-step Guide to Creating a Free Blog on BlogSpot:
There are a couple of things that you should be aware of. BlogSpot is a Google-powered platform. So all the images that you insert would be hosted by Picasa.
In a way, BlogSpot can be best termed as a blogging platform that is simply Google-centric.
However, if you want to appear professional and gain the extra edge in terms of web functionalities, I would recommend that you create your own hosted blog using WordPress.
But trust me; BlogSpot is simply the easiest way to learn the intricacies and fundamentals of blogging.
Start with BlogSpot, then as you gain more confidence and stamina in writing, you can simply proceed to WordPress.
Related Reading: Why you should use WordPress for blogging
Registering with Google:
To begin, simply head over to BlogSpot.com and login with your Google account. If you don’t have one, start registering with your Google (Gmail) account and in case you have a Google Plus profile, simply link it.
Choosing your Display Name:
Once you are in, your first task would be to establish a display name. This is the name by which your blog/your views would be carried out to the world.
A word of advice – Never use a trademarked name. One of the major mistakes is starting a blog and growing it unknowingly using an already trademarked term.
You can search whether the term you plan to use infringes another trademark here.
Think of a generic name and select a name in which you feel people would be comfortable knowing what you are all about.
After you continue, the page would then take you to the main screen where you have to click on the “Create New Blog” option in it.
Choose a suitable title and you can select the blog template from the list.
NOTE: Remember that BlogSpot only has a limited set of theme variations. You can definitely start with some of these basic themes and once you get the hang of blogging, you can go for bigger and bolder themes on WordPress.
Go to your Dashboard and Select Posts – ALL. Once there select “New Post” to start blogging instantly.
There you go. Your blog is now within your domain. Feel free to shout your thoughts out loud. You don’t have to scream at rooftops like the old days.
You now have access to over 3 billion internet users.
Have fun while you are at it.
Before you write your first post, make sure that you create an ABOUT page by selecting the “Pages Section” in your Dashboard. This page is used to precisely describe who you are and what your blog is exactly about.
Bear in mind, this is where new visitors would click if they like your blog post. People are interested to read and find out more about your background. Just like meeting new people, you will normally be interested in finding out more.
It satisfies the nimble brain.
If you find that your templates are dull and boring. Doesn’t reflect your artistic personality or feast your eyes even a little , you can always consider installing free blogger templates.
The whole idea of creating a free blog on blogspot is to get yourself acquainted with writing. (You can always switch to wordpress and get better themes).
To change the preexisting layout of the current theme, simply click on the “Layout” option and this will take you to a canvas page with movable widgets. It will look something like this:
Now, let your imagination run wild or model after something you like.
Use this canvas to redesign your free blog inside and out. Use it as a test site.
Your first baby steps into Monetizing your blog:
Now, when everything is set and you have started writing some posts, the final aspect is probably the most important one – Monetizing your blog.
Click on “Earnings” and simply follow the instructions to apply for Adsense. It is easy to turn your passions into profit with Blogspot.
So now you are all set to begin your journey with blogging.
Remember that content is king always and context is God, choose which audience you are writing for, give them a taste of your unique personality.
While BlogSpot is the easiest and simplest way to begin your journey, it certainly has its limitations. If you are more than the average internet user, then you should certainly focus on your writing craft.
You have to treat it like your job. Fall in love with writing, then you will only see significant traffic.
While BlogSpot is good, there are other free blogging platforms that you should be aware of. Here’s a quick intro into some of them and as well as their limitations.
Comparison between Various other Blogging- Platforms:
1. WordPress.org (require hosting)
Undoubtedly it is the planet’s most popular blogging platform. It has tens of thousands of free and premium themes with a range of plugins to choose from.
It is genuinely search engine friendly and a huge community.
Cons:
Setting up will require some prior knowledge and could take hours just to suit your needs. It might look daunting at first but it grows on you.
Setting up will require some prior knowledge and could take hours just to suit your needs. It might look daunting at first but it grows on you.
Also, you need to buy your domain name and hosting before you even setup. There is a very low monthly cost.
The FREE version of WordPress.
This is not to be confused with WordPress.Org which I stated above. WordPress.com is a blog hosting service. It is known for its ease of use.
Cons:
The drawbacks are its limitations but you can always upgrade to utilize better features. You do not have control over your site and the ads.
The drawbacks are its limitations but you can always upgrade to utilize better features. You do not have control over your site and the ads.
3. Blogger
Well, I thought that I should talk about Blogger as well.
Owned by Google, blogger can be used independently. It’s FREE and does all the heavy technical lifting for you so that you can just focus on writing.
Cons:
Blogger gives you a subdomain like this: example.blogspot.com.- Hence, its limitations. You can never add new features if your blog starts to gain traction. There are no external plugins available for you to play with.
Blogger gives you a subdomain like this: example.blogspot.com.- Hence, its limitations. You can never add new features if your blog starts to gain traction. There are no external plugins available for you to play with.
Remember, Blogger is perfect if you’re trying to hone your writing skills till you grasp the power of blogging. Once you achieve this, we strongly recommend that you move on to WordPress.
4. Weebly
Weebly’s free website builder just made it super easy to create a blog, website or online store.
With the user-friendly interface, customizable free templates, and drag-and-drop builder, you can easily create your own personal blog or online store without any coding knowledge at all. If you can drag and drop, you can use Weebly! Simple and easy.
But that’s not all.
There’s a mobile version of Weebly, allowing you to build, manage and grow your blog directly from your phone, wherever, whenever.
If you’re looking to build a professional website or making money selling products, I highly recommend Weebly. You can opt to upgrade to their paid plans, start at $5 per month (+ a free domain). This way, you can focus more on your core business or blog, less time worrying about the technicalities.
Cons:
Just like Blogspot, there are some limitation on how you can construct each blog post if you’re using the free version. For example, the format is fixed, as in title and content.
5. Tumblr
Surprised to see Tumblr in this lot? Well, in a way Tumblr is also a microblogging platform and it has robust social networking feature inbuilt within it.
Registering with Tumblr is free and is extremely easy to use. You do not need to have specific technical know-how to use.
With its integrated social media platform, your writing will get instant access to your friends and family. That will give you much-needed feedback and grow your following.
Cons:
Tumblr’s main disadvantage is its closed-simplicity. You will find it difficult to extend your reach to bigger audiences. The features offered by Tumblr may look good initially but as you become experienced, you would need more than just a Tumblr.
Tumblr’s main disadvantage is its closed-simplicity. You will find it difficult to extend your reach to bigger audiences. The features offered by Tumblr may look good initially but as you become experienced, you would need more than just a Tumblr.
Beyond its tightly knitted community of flashy Gifs, quotes and images; you will find the lack of extensions troubling for professional users.
6. Medium
Medium is a well-known community dedicated to bloggers and writers. Journalists and experts from various fields form a huge part of the community as well.
A simple clap gives you instant exposure and recognition.
The best part about Medium is its minimalist, white-background design. Like-minded individuals can come together, share a very personal insight or give their viewpoints on a subject.
Since this is an editorial curated platform, you stand a chance to really get huge exposure if your content sings a tune. This gives you more focus and spotlight on your experience.
Cons:
The biggest disadvantage of Medium is that it does not allow you to run ads. There are no custom features or design.
The biggest disadvantage of Medium is that it does not allow you to run ads. There are no custom features or design.
7. Squarespace
If design is what you are after then head to” Squarespace”. It is a user-friendly service that lets you build beautiful websites with simple drag and drop options.
If you are not tech-savvy or if you have a tight budget, then Squarespace provides hosting at around $8 – $24 / month. You get a custom domain with your subscription.
You are getting 24/7 support although i’m not sure about their reliability.
It has many professional looking templates and is especially beneficial for beginners to start an online presence. It is one of the great ways to showcase your personality and flair to your future employers or customers.
Cons:
The drawback with Squarespace is that it can get expensive over time. So you have to ensure you’re making good money to cover the cost of your subscription.
The drawback with Squarespace is that it can get expensive over time. So you have to ensure you’re making good money to cover the cost of your subscription.
Squarespace is preferred by first-time entrepreneurs and small-time business owners rather than bloggers as the themes are more suited for professional people.
However, if you are looking for a classy feel and touch to your blogs, then you can try “Squarespace” out.
8. Wix
A user-friendly website builder for newbies who are looking for an all-in-one approach.
Cons:
If all you want is a blog, then you’re better off with other platforms because Wix’s free plan limits your blog modules severely.
If all you want is a blog, then you’re better off with other platforms because Wix’s free plan limits your blog modules severely.
It is not a dedicated blogging platform, and the advertising it does only appeals to TV-audiences who do not have a clue about WordPress.
Conclusion
I started my personal blogging journey with WordPress and built niche blogs around Blogspot for my other niches.
If you’re an author, or business owner who simply doesn’t have the time to juggle between work and writing, you need a simple place to start.
Blogspot is the way to go for you.
It is by far the easiest to start, maintain and focus on writing.
However, if you want to take a more serious approach right from the get-go, then WordPress is your best bet.
Check out this Top 6 reasons why you should use WordPress for blogging
- Also Read Why 9 Out Of 10 Bloggers Fail Miserably.
If you’re interested in starting your own self-hosted blog, take a look at my step-by-step guide. I’ll show you everything you need to do to start a successful money-making blog.
Here’s a list of best resources and tools for your blog! I use them to manage, optimize and grow my blog. I’m sure they’ll help you as much as they’ve helped me.