Cheap ways to start a blog
How do I start a blog for cheap?
This is a common question asked by those that want to start blogging.
You should resist the urge to just throw money at a bunch of paid themes or plugins, though.
Starting a blog doesn’t need to be complicated. You just need to start!
Here are the cheap ways to start a blog
Best free blogging platform
Yes, you don’t need to spend any money on your blog and can start blogging for free.
A lot of people starting a blog want to know the best free blogging platform
Tumblr
Tumblr is a microblogging platform that focuses on short-form content. It’s a great place to share photos, quotes, and links.
Users can follow your Tumblr, and you can post updates through the browser or mobile app
Medium
Medium is a publishing platform created by Twitter co-founder Evan Williams. It’s easy to use and it’s a great place to practice, share your writing with others, and get feedback. There is an active community of readers and writers who interact with each other through comments, which also makes it a good place to try out ideas and see what gets attention.
You can have as many accounts as you want, so you could make one for business purposes, another for personal stuff, or even one that has nothing to do with writing at all–you decide!
Best of all: It’s totally free!
WordPress.com
WordPress.com is one of the most popular blogging platforms for beginners, and it’s probably the easiest to use. In fact, WordPress.com is so user-friendly that you can set up a blog in two minutes without any technical knowledge! You even get your own domain name and can add on premium services like advanced statistics.
The only downside? You won’t be able to use plugins or themes from third-party developers, which means you’re limited to what WordPress offers by default. That said, there are still hundreds of free themes and design options to choose from.
WordPress has another advantage in its large community of users who share tips, tricks and advice via blogs and forums making it easy for a beginner blogger to find answers if they have any problems or questions about their account or website.
Blogger
I am writing a revolutionary guide on the best free blogging platform when I realize that it’s tedious to go into that much detail.
There are a few factors to consider—free, easy to use, can you create custom themes and plugins, can you use your own domain name—and these things may be of interest to some people.
Google owns Blogger. It was bought by them and they offer the service for free (affiliate link) because their biggest value is not in creating a great product experience for users but in collecting user data for targeted advertising and for targeting ads on other Google products like search results, Gmail, YouTube and Google+.
Weebly
Weebly is a free blogging platform that you can use to create your own website. It’s easy to understand and simple to use, which makes it an ideal option for beginners who are just starting their own blog.
Weebly is a drag-and-drop website builder and is available on mobile devices. You don’t need any technical knowledge or coding skills, so it’s quite accessible for just about anyone.
There are a variety of templates to choose from, and a simple blog setup that makes it easy to get started with writing blog posts right away.
Social media
If you just want to share your idea, your best bet is to publish on social media where it is 100% free.
You can post your writing on social media, and you can share videos, photos, and text or voice notes on all social media platforms.
Social media is a great place for people to come together and discuss ideas. You can create groups on Facebook for people with similar interests who want to chat in private, or you can just post a thought on your public profile to talk with your friends and acquaintances about what you’re thinking.
And the best part? It’s completely free!
Own your Blog
Self-hosted blogs give you more control over the look and feel of your blog and its content. You can edit the site’s design with custom themes (or use a free one if you’re on a tight budget), upload any content you create yourself (like images or videos), add pages, plugins and apps, write long posts with different formatting styles and so much more.
Self-hosted blogs also allow you to monetize your blog if that’s something you’re interested in doing—you could add Google AdSense to your blog or receive payment for writing sponsored posts down the road.
A cheapest self-host platform for a blog
Congratulations! You have decided to start your own blog.
So now you are on the hunt for the cheapest self-host platform, right?
I know it is tough when you are starting out and don’t have a lot of money to spend on your blog. I get that, but you really need to break down where you should be spending your money at first.
We recommend going with Hostinger as a great Website hosting to start. The pricing is affordable. You will not break the bank with it.
If you want to make money blogging you need to invest at the start and have a solid setup.
Ways to save money to start your blog
#1 Find a cheap domain name.
Namecheap, GoDaddy, and Porkbun are 3 popular options.
Choose a domain name. This is your website’s address on the internet. While you can’t purchase one for free, it doesn’t need to cost you much either. Domain names range from $10-$15 a year, depending on where you buy it and which extension you choose (like .com or .net).
If you’re just starting out, I recommend getting the cheapest domain possible through Namecheap. You can always upgrade later if needed, and it will be a lot easier to do so with the same provider that manages your hosting.
2# Find free themes
Go out and find a good-looking free theme. There’s no need to reinvent the wheel here—you can use a free theme that someone else has created.
Pick a theme that will be easy to customize and that appears to work well on mobile devices. Some themes require that you buy them before you can use them, so be sure to look for something that includes permissions for personal or non-profit use.
3# Create your own images
There are some great tools out there that allow you to create stunning images for your blog. Using a combination of photos, text, and icons you can create the perfect image for your blog post. Go to unplash.com, there you can download images for free.
A site like Canva is an easy-to-use option that offers various templates to get you started.
4# Save money on logo and graphics
- The first step is to use free online design tools to create your site and logo. A great example of this is Canva and Fiverr. If you don’t know how to use these tools, browse YouTube and Google for tutorials on how to get started. You will find everything you need in just a few minutes and learn how to do everything from creating your own logo design, website mockup, business card, and more!
- Use free logo maker: If you don’t want to spend time learning how to use online design tools such as Canva.
5# Make your own videos
You can build on your blog by adding videos. Creating and embedding videos is a great way to engage with your readers, provide lots of information, showcase yourself and bring some creativity to your blog.
You don’t need anything fancy to get started with video—you can use the camera on your smartphone (if it does HD) or even a digital camera.
Write your content
When you’re starting a blog, it can be tempting to hire a copywriter to help you.
There are lots of good blogs out there, but if you want your blog to be unique and stand out from the crowd, then it’s important that your web copy is written in your own voice.
Start by thinking about who you want to read your blog posts. Talk to those people in their language by using simple words, short sentences, and avoiding jargon.
Content creation can be difficult that so you can be helped by writing AI tools like Copy.ai or Jasper.ai. You will write faster.
If you want to save money then starting is going to cost you some time, maybe a little money, and a lot of effort. But if you stay persistent, it will be worth it!
The more time you put in, the more you will get out of your blog. It is not just about writing good content.
Don’t be afraid to experiment, try different ways of doing things until they work for your website. Don’t be afraid to fail if something doesn’t work don’t give up, keep trying until it does!
This is where persistence comes into play; stay focused on your goals and continue working towards them every day even if it feels like nothing is happening. And just start 🚀
