So You Wanna Start a Blog? Here’s the Honest, No-Fluff Beginner’s Guide
If you’ve ever stared at a blinking cursor thinking, “I should start a blog,” but then immediately spiraled into Google’s black hole of tutorials, tools, and tech gibberish… same.
Blogging sounds easy enough, right? Write a few posts. Stick up a couple of affiliate links. Bask in passive income glory.
Yeah, no.
But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be overwhelming—especially if you start with the right expectations and a little help from someone who’s been exactly where you are (that’s me).
So let’s strip away the fluff and walk through what it really takes to start a blog—and actually enjoy it.
What You’ll Learn in This Post:
- How to choose a blog topic (without overthinking)
- The 3 tools you need to start
- What to skip so you don’t waste time
Ready to get started? Scroll down for the step-by-step setup guide — or grab the free Blogging Starter Checklist at the end of this post.
First: Know Why You’re Starting
A blog is more than a digital diary—it’s a platform. You can use it to:
- Share your expertise or experience
- Create a community around a topic you care about
- Monetize with affiliate products, your own offers, or ads
- Boost your visibility if you sell something already
Whatever your reason, write it down. That “why” will get you through the “ugh-I-can’t” moments.
Step 1: Pick a Niche (and Chill About It)
People make choosing a niche sound like choosing a life partner. It’s not that serious.
Start with something you’re curious about and can see yourself writing 10+ blog posts on. That’s enough to start with.
Helpful Tip: If you’re stuck, think less about “the perfect niche” and more about a starting point. Your niche can evolve. Pick a topic that sparks your interest — Whether that’s tech, travel, mindset, gardening, or digital marketing — pick a starting point. something you’d enjoy learning and talking about — and let yourself grow into it. You can shift or narrow down later as you find your groove.
Step 2: Don’t Fear the Tech Setup
You do not need to be a web developer or WordPress wizard. All you need is:
- A domain (yourblogname.com)
- Hosting (I personally use D9 Hosting – they are super helpful with any tech stuff if ever needed)
- WordPress (free & easy once it’s installed)
Then choose a clean, mobile-friendly theme (Astra or Kadence are fab for newbies). Keep it simple—you can always rebrand later when you’ve figured out your groove. The blog theme I’m using here is BlogHash, and I love it!
Step 3: Plan Your First Posts
Start with these easy post ideas:
- A list of tools you love and have found useful
- A how-to post based on something you’ve learned
- A product review (especially if it’s something you’re already using)
- A “why I started this blog” intro post
If writing feels hard or you just don’t have the brain bandwidth today, try this → Use my fave AI content helper — it’s a lifesaver for outlining, writing drafts, and even social captions.
Helpful Note – Using AI to help with outlines , blog drafts and social captions is absolutely fine, there’s no “cheating” involved. What is very important is to put your voice and style to the posts. And always fact-check — giving out false info kills trust with your audience, fast.
Step 4: Share Like You’re Talking to a Friend
You don’t need a massive following to grow a blog. You just need consistency and a bit of heart.
- Share your posts on social media
- Join Facebook groups and offer value (without being spammy)
- Start an email list from day one—even if it only has 3 people on it. They matter.
Step 5: Don’t Skip Tracking & Learning
Install Google Site Kit if you’re on WordPress (super beginner-friendly) or manually log into Google Analytics once a week.
Look at:
- Which blog posts are getting traffic
- What people are clicking on
- Where they’re coming from
Then… do more of what works. And tweak what doesn’t. That’s how we grow around here.
Tip: I’m not a whizz with analytics, so I often ask ChatGPT to help me make sense of my reports. No shame in that.
Final Thoughts: You’re More Ready Than You Think
Blogging isn’t reserved for techies, extroverts, or 20-somethings living in Bali. (Though, hey, if that’s you—send pics.) It’s for real people with real things to say.
You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to start. And guess what? I’m cheering you on.
Now go grab that domain name. Write that first post. Link that affiliate product you actually use and swear by.
And if you need help? I’ve got free resources, affordable tools, and beginner training all lined up for you.
Honestly. You’ve got this.
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Over to You:
What’s one thing you wish someone had told you before starting your online business?
Drop it in the comments — I’d love to hear it.
Loved how you emphasized starting with your ‘why’—it’s such an underrated step that really helps when motivation dips. I also appreciated the reminder to not overthink the niche; analysis paralysis is real and that advice was grounding.
Thanks so much for your lovely comment!
Totally agree—figuring out your ‘why’ is the secret sauce when things get tough or when that sneaky procrastination kicks in. And yep, niche overload is definitely real! Glad the advice resonated with you.
This was such aBlog Comment Writing Guide refreshing take—especially the part about not overthinking your niche. I totally agree that starting with curiosity and a few post ideas is more realistic (and way less paralyzing) than waiting for the ‘perfect’ niche. That mindset shift alone can save new bloggers weeks of spinning their wheels.
Ahh thank you! I’m so glad that part landed with you — the “perfect niche” trap had me stuck for ages. You’re right, just starting with curiosity (and maybe a half-decent caffeine supply
) can be such a game-changer. Progress over perfection any day!
Thanks for taking the time to comment — means a lot!
P.S. If you’re just getting started, I’ve put together a free beginner’s checklist to make the whole blogging thing a bit less brain-melting — it’s in my bio or here if helpful: https://tracyjmann.com/subscribe
I love how you emphasized not overthinking the niche part—analysis paralysis is real! Starting with a broader topic and letting it evolve feels so much more manageable for beginners.
The tip about focusing on sharing content like you’re talking to a friend is gold. I’ve found that when I let go of the pressure to sound ‘professional,’ my blog posts flow so much better!
Ahh yes, that bit took me ages to learn! Honestly, the second I binned the “professional voice” and just wrote like I was chatting to a friend over coffee, it all felt way easier and way less cringey too. Glad it hit home for you too — cheers for dropping a comment.