Beginners Guide to Starting a Blog
We created a step by step guide (with pictures) that will teach you how to setup a blog in under 15 minutes. Regardless of whether you want to start a Mommy Blog or a Real Estate Website, this guide will teach you everything you need to know to get launched.
- Get a domain name & sign up for website hosting
- Install Wordpress with step by step instructions
- Start blogging and building your blog!
In this guide, we are going to teach you how to start a mom blog 🙂
- You will learn how to choose a domain name, install WordPress and setup your blog online
- You will learn how to get a great design for your site
- We will show you the top mom bloggers, so you can model your site based on their success
- We will show you how you can make money from your blog
Whew! That’s a lot, but don’t worry.
We will take this step by step and you should bookmark this page as a resource.
But first, why should you even start a mom blog?
Did you know that typical mommy bloggers make $100 – 500 per month?
How many times have you heard your friends or family talk about needing a career change? They feel stuck and unappreciated at work and they come home feeling drained and stressed out. For those who need to make a change, the internet allows anyone to turn a passion into a career.
There are even some bloggers who started a blog 10 years ago and are now making $100,000+ per year.
In our blog post, we analyzed the exact strategies they are using to make money blogging so you can copy them.
If you’re reading this, you have the time, and you can do it.
You can start a blog that will eventually earn revenue even if you have minimal time, little experience and practically no start-up capital. Unlike the offline world with its infinite number of obstacles that make starting a business difficult, the internet is a breeding ground for opportunity.
You may be the first of your friends to learn how to start a mom blog or one of the last.
Recently, more and more stay-at-home moms have been writing and wondering what they can do to harness the power of the internet and make money while their kids are at school or even just napping in the other room.
Either way, now is the time to start a mom blog, and we will help.
If you fall into this category, keep reading. This post is designed just for you. In the coming paragraphs, I will answer all your pressing questions and provide you with a comprehensive guide to help you start a mom blog and earn extra income.
How to Start a Mommy Blog: Step by Step Guide
So if you’re ready to get started, checkout our free guide that will show you how to launch a blog in under 15 minutes.
Starting a Mom Blog is Not Just for Stay-at-home-Moms
While the idea for this post came about because of inquiries from stay-at-home moms, anyone can use these guidelines to make a meaningful career change.
My own mother, who hasn’t had kids living at home in some years, was recently expressing her own job dissatisfaction. She often spent over an hour, each way, waiting in rush hour just to get to work. Once she arrived, she had to deal with an erratic boss who had no problem with yelling and belittling her workers.
You can launch a mom blog even if you have a full-time job.
All this has taken its toll on my mom’s health and happiness. The worst part is that she is an intelligent and creative individual who is fully capable of doing anything she wants, including running an online business.
That being said, starting and running an online business isn’t for everyone.
Some people simply don’t have the right mindset to turn an online business into a success. That is exactly why this article will help you figure out whether starting an online business is the right decision for you.
10 bloggers who prove that stay-at-home-moms can be successful business owners
Making Sense of Cents
Blog Description: This lifestyle and finance blog focuses primarily on saving money and travel. Michelle, a business savvy wife and fur mom, managed to pay off her student loans in just 7 months and purchased her first home at just 20 years old. She now travels the world while living in an RV with her husband, and blogs about ways her readers can save money just like she did.
Latest Known Monthly Income: $69,085 as of May 2016
How She Makes Money: Affiliate income with the vast majority coming from Bluehost.
Mom Resource
Blog Description: This mommy blog wants to be a growing community for moms to come together and share their trials and tribulations of life. The woman behind the blog is a wife and mother of 2 who created the blog in an attempt to form a unified bond with other mothers out there on the web. Her blog mainly focuses on how fellow mothers can earn money from blogging just like she did.
Latest Known Monthly Income: $3,231 as of December 2015
How She Makes Money: Twitter, sponsored posts.
Embracing Simple
Blog Description: This lifestyle blog is a one stop shop for anyone looking to get some help. The woman behind the blog, a mother of 2 named Christina, offers her readers advice on everything from household problems (decluttering, organization) to life changes that promote happiness. Her ultimate goal is to inspire and encourage those who wish to begin their own journey to living a simple yet fulfilling life.
Latest Known Monthly Income: $2,415 as of December 2015
How She Makes Money: Affiliate programs like Go Daddy, Amazon Associates, etc.
The Go-To Mom
Blog Description: Arguably the most widely known mom blog out there right now, Kimberly Clayton Blaine’s Go-To Mom blog has everything from advice on how to raise your children to blog posts about your pets. She has been featured on various television programs and has quite the dedicated following. Kimberly is candid in her writing, chronicling her life as a therapist as well as diving into more personal issues, like her son’s ADHD diagnosis. The blog is raw and real, and worth a read if you are looking for an expert’s take on parenting in this day and age.
Latest Known Monthly Income: N/A
How She Makes Money: Guest posts, television appearances.
Thriving Home
Blog Description: This food and lifestyle blog, run by Polly and Rachel, is a lifestyle blog that has everything from DIY projects, to weekly meal plans, to recipes. Their main goal, according to their About page, is to inspire people through their blog.
Latest Known Monthly Income: ~$4,000 as of October 2014
How They Make Money: Ad networks and sponsored posts.
Just A Girl And Her Blog
Blog Description: This DIY blogger started off in 2013 as DIY blogger. She now has several products for sale and has turned this blog into a successful business. Abby, the woman behind the blog, is a mother and wife who knows a thing or two about just how important it is to be and stay organized. She not only blogs about small DIY projects, but also organizational tips, recipes, and party planning.
Latest Known Monthly Income: $37,967 as of May 2016
How She Makes Money: Self made products like e-books, courses, and printables.
Sarah Titus
Blog Description: Sarah’s story unfortunately begins with heartache. After her husband of 14 years left her and her children, she was forced to step up to the plate and find some kind of extra income to pick up the pieces. Her blog is now dedicated to helping mothers all over the world find their own footing. With articles about saving money, family, faith, and DIY/organization, Sarah is proof that anything is possible if you put your mind to it.
Latest Known Monthly Income: > $10,000 as of her first year
How She Makes Money: Affiliate marketing and sponsored posts.
Pinch of Yum
Blog Description: This food blog should be a first stop for any parent looking for simple, great weeknight meals. The recipes are easy to follow, tasty, and helpful to any parent looking to provide their children with healthy, easy to make dinners. Run by a husband and wife duo (she is the creative mind and he handles the finances), Pinch of Yum is the food blog that most other food blogs aspire to be.
Latest Known Monthly Income: $57,685 as of April 2016
How They Make Money: Primarily from AdThrive and sponsored posts.
Sandy a la Mode
Blog Description: Sandy, a lifestyle and fashion blogger, has quite the following. Her blog focuses primarily on fashion — both for women and children. A dedicated wife and mother of two, Sandy often includes her children in her posts and proves once and for all that a woman can easily be creative, sassy, motherly, and still look fashion forward while doing so.
Latest Known Monthly Income: $3,650 as of July 2015
How They Make Money: Sponsored posts.
Single Moms Income
Blog Description: Alexa originally started this blog in 2012 as a way of chronicling her journey as a single mother. Since then, she has managed to take this blog to new heights. She mainly focuses on ways that parents can save money, whether it be through utility bills or grocery shopping. Knowing just how difficult it is to raise children on a single salary, Alexa learned these tricks of the trade out of necessity — and is now sharing them with other parents so they don’t have to suffer through the pain and confusion of uncertainty.
Latest Known Monthly Income: $5,367 as of April 2016
How They Make Money: Affiliate marketing.
Why stay-at-home-moms can be successful business owners
Being a stay-at-home mom is already an admirable occupation and for all those who want to take on the extra challenge of achieving financial freedom, I created this article just for you.
When I was growing up, my mom stayed home with me and my brother. She got us off to school in and morning and was waiting for us when we got off the bus. During the day she made extra money sewing curtains, doing upholstery and putting her crafting skills to work. On the weekends, she would clean houses for extra money. If we want to join a sports team or try a new hobby, she always found the money.
My own mom serves as the perfect example of why stay-at-home moms are great candidates for starting an online business: they have seemingly limitless discipline.
I went to graduate school and immediately began teaching after graduation. It was years before I knew what it took to work a 9-5 job. Looking back though, it seemed like a superior level of work ethic just came naturally to my mom.
I believe that this is true of both moms. They know how to run a household, organize tasks and delegate. Moms are masters of efficiency. They are constantly inventing new ways to solve problems and make their days just a little bit easier.
How to set yourself up for success to start a mommy blog
The vast majority of moms have both the qualities and ability to run an online business, but that still doesn’t equal a surefire recipe for success. Deciding whether you have the right stuff is a vital first step.
Can you:
- Spend a certain amount of time every single day working on your business?
Successful business owners are consistent. Even 30 minutes before bed each day may be enough to achieve your goals. - Deal with failure?
No matter how much work you put into planning, small failures are almost inevitable along the way. You have to be mentally prepared to bounce back from failures, learn from mistakes and forge ahead. - Generate concepts and seem them through?
Business owners have to come up with new ideas and be committed to seeing them come to fruition. There are going to be plenty of distractions, but you have to have follow through. - Reinvest a portion of the money you make?
This is an important point to consider. Are you willing and able to put 20% to 40% of the revenue you earn back in the business. Investing in growth often determines whether you enjoy minor success or your business really takes off.
If you feel capable of doing all these things, then you are ahead of the game. You already have the qualities and discipline necessary to make a business work. Click here to take the step to launch your blog.
Where do I start?
Sometimes taking that first step and knowing where to start is the hardest part of tackling a new challenge. That is exactly why I am here to help. All you need is a nudge in the right direction to take off.
- Start at the End
I receive emails from people asking how they can monetize their blog on an almost daily basis. In most cases, a quick glance at their site leaves me wondering why they weren’t thinking about monetizing strategies from the beginning.
Before you start building a site, take the time to visualize and plan for the end product. Take these factors into consideration:
- What will I sell?
Will you be selling your own product or someone else’s? What is the final product? - Who am I targeting?
Identify your target audience. Who are they? What are their likes? How big is your audience? - Do you have the right material?
How are you going to get people to your website in the first place? If you are going to use blog posts, do you have enough material create engaging articles?
Don’t jump in head first and hope that things eventually come together and the money starts rolling in. Set yourself up for success by making sure that you know what you will be selling and who you will be selling to.
- Stick to Your Passions
It is vital that you stick to you passions when it comes to starting your online business. Whether you decide to write a blog or sell a product, you need to make sure that you are doing something you love.
While this advice may sound a little touchy-feely, it is one of the most important factors that will determine your success.
If you aren’t pursuing your passion, it will be all too easy to quit when the going gets tough.
Let’s be real. Running an online business can be challenging and frustrating. You might wake up ready to get to work only to discover that your servers have been down for hours.
Running a blog will be tough if you don’t educate yourself first.
Or you might check on your email campaign only to discover that everything has been suspended. If you are already tired from taking care of the kids and running your household, throwing in the towel will seem like an enticing option.
First and foremost, remember to start at the end, but don’t even bother to start if you aren’t passionate about your business.
What motivates me is being my own boss.
I don’t have to listen to someone who I’m smarter than order me around.
I work my butt off, but I do it for myself.
Spend time asking yourself about what motivates you and gets you excited. Is it something that you can imagine doing every day? Sticking to your passions will help you get through trying times without wanting to quit.
- Are My Passions Popular Enough to Build a Business?
It is all too common for new website owners to wonder whether there is an audience that will even be interested in their blog or their business. The answer is almost always yes. Just think about it – major search engines all people from every corner of the world to find information on the most obscure topics.
If it is something that interests you, even if it means lobbying for a Spice Girls reunion or collection potato chips that look like celebrities, you better believe that there are more people out there with the same interest.
That being said, it is always a good idea to start by conducting some comprehensive research that will allow you to get to know your market. The key is to turn your passion into a business and not try to generate passion for a boring business.
So I hope you’ve made it this far with me, and you’re ready to take the next step to launch your blog.
If you’re not, don’t worry, keep reading, we have more to teach you.
Different Ways Stay-at-Home Moms Can Make Money Online
There are a variety of different ways that moms can make money at home. I am going to provide a list that includes the most efficient approaches so that you can begin exploring your options. Ultimately, the goals is to be able to invest 30-60 minutes per day and be able to earn substantial money after a few months.
I started promoting Aweber (a site that helps you send out newsletters) on Wise Startup Blog 5 years ago, and I’ve been receiving checks for $50 for 5 years without doing anything.
That’s $3,000 in free cash from a couple hours of effort 5 years ago.
The first three tip focus mostly on how to monetize blogging. If you want more information on how to start a blog, be sure to check out my comprehensive guide to getting started.
Product Review Sites and Blogs
Writing product reviews is a great way to build revenue over time. In fact, a good chunk of my own income comes from employing this method.
How does it work?
The idea is simple: all you are doing is setting up small sites of blogs that provide reviews of a certain type of product. For moms, you might consider reviewing products that you use on a daily basis. Plenty of other moms would love to hear you thoughts on the latest stroller of highchair to hit the market. When you write a review, look at common features such as:
- Design and feel
- Materials
- Safety
- Price
You don’t even necessarily have to try out the product in order to write a review. Instead of personally test driving every product, you can visit sites like Amazon and get a general feel for who people feel about the product. Your review can be more of a summary of what other people are saying.
How does that translate into money?
After you have been posting reviews for a while, Google will index your posts and you will start to build a following of loyal readers. Since you are writing product reviews, it is safe to assume that your readers are interested in making a purchase.
My best piece of advice is to use affiliate networks to make money.
What is an affiliate network?
It’s essentially a middleman between your blog and major companies.
Affiliate networks work with 1000s of blogs, and make it easy for large brands like Target to work with tiny bloggers.
So take Target, they work with an affiliate network to promote a $1 off coupon for Tide.
You then promote that coupon on your mommy blog, and get paid by the affiliate network.
Best Affiliate Networks for Mommy Bloggers
These are affiliate networks we personally use, and highly recommend.
This network in works CPG brands (Campbells’, Pillsbury, Honest Co, etc.). They have some of the best quality offers around, and also send out a daily newsletter to make it easy to post the newest offers.
ShopHer Media (formerly Mysavings)
The system is a little dated, but ShopHer Media also has top offers.
Glitter is similar to Escalate and ShopHer, but they tend to have less offers overall. They do sometimes get offers the other two don’t so it’s important to join them and always check the list.
How to make money by selling stuff on your blog
However, not all blogs make sense to promote coupons directly. If you you have a shoppers focus on your site, you can take advantage of their shopping mentality and make money with:
- Amazon.com links and stores
Amazon will actually pay you a commission for every customer that is directed to their site and makes a purchase. You will make money even if they don’t buy the item you were reviewing. For example, if you write a review of a stroller and provide a link to that product on Amazon, you will earn a commission even if the visitor ends up buying a bunch of baby bottles instead.
- Adsense
Product sites are one type of website that lends itself well to Adsense. When you place Adsense ads around each product you review, you can increase your chance of displaying relevant ads that can pay $1 to $5 per click. While it isn’t a surefire money maker, it can add up to several thousand dollars per month. The more reviews you publish, the more chance you have of getting clicks and earning money.
- Advertising
Once your review site gains traction, you could start attracting big name advertisers who want to appear on your site. Companies will pay thousands of dollars per month to place a small advertisement on your page that will allow them to gain exposure with their target audience.
Just remember that it can be slow going at first. The more content you create and the more you appear in Google searches, more income you will see. Once you start earning money, you will notice that a little momentum will help things build quickly.
Expert Sites and Blogs
This second type of approach is very similar to the Wise StartUp Blog model. It is an ideal way to create a continuous source of income by doing just a little work each day.
How does it work?
Choose a topic that you feel like you are an expert in. Let’s say that you are famous for your dinner parties that are filled with innovative and delicious dishes. Why not start sharing your tips and tricks? You can take picture of the food and post recipes.
This blog is an example of an expert site that teaches people how to start a blog.
The great thing about writing an expert blog is that you can make even a narrow topic work as long as you add your own personal touch. For example, there are popular blogs on the web that focus solely on walking. They cover what shoes to wear, the best iPod playlists and interesting stories. If you are really interested in the topic, then you can make it work.
How does it make money?
Expert sites and blogs work in the same way product review sites do. You can use the same methods with the additional bonus of email marketing. This powerful tool will allow you to promote your site and connect with interested readers in a way that will significantly increase your income.
Here’s how it works:
- Start an expert blog
- Purchase a domain name and setup a web hosting account.
Start an expert blog that will serve as your home base for earning income. - Sign up for Aweber and install it on your blog
Aweber is a simple email service that collects email addresses. It will then automatically email those contact when you publish new posts. The goal is to continuously expand your contact list. - Grow a Community
Fundamentally, a blog is meant to build relationships with like-minded people who enjoy reading your work. This creates a community that views you as an authority. Once you have earned that type of trust, you will be able to use your blog to earn long term income. - Connect with other bloggers
A great way to expand your reach and attract new visitors is to submit guest posts to other bloggers in your community. - Launch a product
The final step is use your authority to launch a product. Your loyal readers will be open to trying out a product or service that you are promoting. Harness the power of your email list to earn a profit.
This approach to creating a blog is great because it tends to pick up momentum quickly. Once you get the ball rolling, you may find that you are able to delegate daily tasks to guest bloggers. Many large, successful blogs rely on an existing community to promote content, which means that eventually, you will be able to take a step back and work on other projects while still earning money.
A Journey Blog
The idea is that your blog is dedicated to sharing your journey with the world. Maybe you aren’t an expert in a certain field, but readers can still find value in watching along as you face challenges. This type of blog offers some clear advantages:
- It is easy to write
There is no need to worry about research or making sure that your posts are accurate and correct. All you have to do is detail your journey. - You can be yourself
It is your story, so there is no need to put on a certain voice. You can let your personality shine through and be as genuine as possible. Readers will come on board because they like your brand, which makes this a very organic platform for expression and earning money. - It is easier to build a community
Since your journey blog will be focused on a specific topic, you will quickly find that other people who are interested in that same topic become loyal readers. For example, if you are tackling the challenges of dealing with your firstborn, there are plenty of other mothers out there who will want to read about your experience.
How does it make money?
Typically, journey blogs make money through something known as vertical marketing. Basically, you work to build an email list and then use it to market products to your audience.
For example, if you choose to write about your weight loss journey, you can promote exercise equipment, active wear clothing or even certain brands of healthy foods. The goal is to provide something of value for your readers, which will encourage them to be active buyers.
Some Simple Math to Leave You Inspired
While this post didn’t cover every step necessary in starting a blog and earning some money, hopefully it did give you some great ideas about where to start. If you still aren’t sure that blogging is the right choice for you consider these numbers:
- Set up costs
There is practically zero risk involved in setting up an online business because you don’t have to worry about overhead costs.
- A domain name through iPage costs just $1.99 per month and the first year is free.
- Total yearly cost: $23.88
- For just $24, you can start your own business and begin earning money after just a few months. The offline world simply doesn’t offer any similar opportunities.
- Click here for step by step instructions for iPage
Why iPage to Start a Mommy Blog?
iPage is a great partner for new bloggers who may not be familiar with how to setup a WordPress site. You can take advantage of their 24/7 live support team to help you troubleshoot problems and answer questions so that you don’t have to experience any unnecessary stress.
For a step-by-step guide on how to get started with iPage, click here.
- Potential Earnings
Consider these conservative estimates for an expert style blog like this one:
After two to three months, you can easily have 100 new visitors a day.
If you convert just 5% of those visitors into email subscribers, that equals 1,825 subscribers every year.
If you sell an eBook for $37 to 20% of your list you can make $13,505 in your first year.
The good news is that the more consistent you are with publishing posts, the subscribers you can get on board and the more money you can make.
Do you know someone who should start a mommy blog?
If so, please pass this article along. Also, be sure to take a moment and share your thoughts. Have you been able to start your own successful blog? What tips can you pass along to new bloggers? Do you have any questions that weren’t covered in the article? Don’t hesitate to comment, share and ask for advice.
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