Learn the easy way to start a money making mom blog! Learn how to start a mom blog from scratch. You can have a work from home job that helps you bring in extra income for your family while allowing you the flexibility to be there for your children.
I have been a mom blogger for 9 years and run a successful money making blog while also serving as the PTA president for my children’s school. It can be done!
Learn how to start a blog and starting working from home today!
Want to learn how to start a mom blog?
Do you enjoy reading blogs? Do you have great ideas, stories, recipes, crafts or just thoughts you want to share with a wider audience?
You should totally start a mom blog! Come on, all the cool kids are doing it 😉 .
Starting a blog is not all that difficult, but if you want to start it off right there are a few things you should do to set yourself up for success from the start!
First off, if you have any hopes and dreams of ever making money with your blog…you’ll want to be self hosted (you can scroll to the bottom of this post to find out why I don’t recommend starting your blog on a free blogging platform and YES this includes Blogger custom domains).
Even if you don’t care about making money with you blog, if you want your content to be safe and owned by YOU, you’ll want to be self hosted.
Click here to find out my 3 reasons why you do NOT want to start your blog on a free blogging platform.
Now that we’ve established that we don’t want to start our blogs on a free platform, let’s talk about what I DO recommend.
A self hosted WordPress blog with a premium theme.
Why?
√ Complete control.
√ SEO out of the box (search engine optimized)
√ Professional
√ Possibilities are ENDLESS! (this includes income potential! )
How Do You Start a Mom Blog?
It’s super easy. You can get started in just 4 quick and easy steps once you know what you want your domain to be named (I might do a post on domain naming one day if y’all want me to!)
1. Buy your domain
2. Purchase hosting and change your name servers to your host (not as scary as it sounds)
3. Install WordPress
4. Pick a theme
Step 1: Name That Blog!
I buy ALL of my domains from GoDaddy! Why? Because they always have good deals and coupon codes (just go Google “GoDaddy Coupon Code”, I’ll wait. Okay…got it? Let’s proceed!) and because it’s easy.
1. Go to GoDaddy via this link
2. Enter your desired domain
3. Follow the directions until you are registered! (you’ll have a choice to register your domain for a year or more. Totally up to you, but you’ll have to renew yearly or when your domain expires so just keep that in the back of your mind)
Step 2: Give your Blog a Home! Purchase Hosting.
You have a LOT of hosting choices! I’ll narrow the playing field for you though. I recommend either Bluehost or Host Gator for your new blog.
My blogs are currently hosted on Siteground . I love Siteground.
Siteground has a package for everyone. You can check them out here.
I originally used Host Gator though and it was very reasonably priced and was a good fit for my site (PLUS get a $9.94 discount when you use the promo code FamilyFriendlyFrugality).
Here’s how to sign up for Host Gator and how to switch your nameservers from GoDaddy to Host Gator (easy! Not as scary as it sounds!):
1. Click here to go to Host Gator
2. Sign up for whatever plan suits your needs. The smallest plan is fine, but if you have the slightest inkling you might ever want another blog (I’m telling you, domains are like potato chips…addicting!) I’d sign up for the baby plan. Remember to use the promo code FamilyFriendlyFrugality
3. After you sign up, you’ll get an email with your log in info. Go ahead and log into your Cpanel (the link will be in the email you receive).
4. Go back to your Go Daddy Control panel and pull up your domain information.
5. Take the nameserver info from Host Gator (on the left sidebar of your Cpanel) and paste it into the nameservers on Go Daddy. This might take about 24 hours to switch over so don’t be surprised if you don’t see your blog for a bit while everything switches over!
(if this is confusing, check out this helpful video I found on YouTube)
Step 3: Install the Most Powerful Content Management System EVER…for FREE!
Installing WordPress onto your domain is easy peasy with most hosts.
I’d walk you through the whole process, but Host Gator actually has a very detailed “How To” as well as a helpful video! So rather than reinvent the wheel…I’ll just link you to their instructions.
Plus here is their helpful video:
Step 4: Make ‘er Purty: Purchase Your Theme
First off, this step is optional. You can get plenty of free themes for your WordPress blog. In fact, a few come already packaged in with your WordPress Install. You can also try Atahualupa which is another good free theme.
You get what you pay for though and I really don’t think you’ll regret paying for a premium theme like Genesis or Thesis.
I’ve had both and they are both awesome. I’m generally on whichever theme my designer thinks will work best for my site from an aesthetic standpoint (which at the moment is Genesis for the majority of my sites).
You really can’t go wrong with either.
Installing a theme is simple.
1. Purchase your theme (Genesis or Thesis)
2. Once you receive the download zip file from the developer, log into your wordpress blog.
3. Go to Appearance—-> Themes—->Install Themes—->Upload and install the file to your site.
4. Activate your theme and have fun!
(Optional) Step 5: Get a Professional Design
You can make your blog look good just using a premium theme. Taking advantage of it’s out of the box features, googling tutorials for how to make it fancy, uploading your own pictures or purchasing ClipArt or iStockphotos to make it visually appealing…OR you can hire a professional designer and work on the part of blogging you started a blog for. To blog!
I recommend Laura from PixelMeDesigns. She does ALL of my web design. I seriously don’t touch it anymore, she takes care of all of it! The best part? Well, if you know me you know I am FRUGAL (um, cheap). Laura has great prices and is very reasonable. I highly recommend going with a professional web design from PixelMeDesigns!
Get To Blogging!
It’s time to get to work! Start writing and filling up that fun blog with all kinds of awesome. I can’t WAIT to read your blog so be sure to leave a link in the comments so I can add it to my Feedly Reader!
Have fun!
NOTE: Why you do not want to start your blog on a free blogging platform:
1. You are on someone else’s turf. Kind of like when you go to someone else’s house…they can kick you out at any time for any reason and when they say ya got to go…ya got to go! I’ve seen SO many bloggers have their free blogs taken away. Sometimes there is a valid reason, mostly (from what I can tell) there is not. There is rarely any recourse either.
2. Free platforms often have restrictions that might prevent you from taking your site to the level you might eventually want to take it one day. Design restrictions, structure restrictions and even terms of service restrictions.
3. Future advertisers and PR companies might not want to work with you if they know you are on a free platform like blogger, typepad, tumblr, etc. It shows you might not be as serious or as knowledgeable about blogging and it can seriously hold you back.
I also don’t recommend starting off on a free platform with the intention of moving to self hosted in the future. Now, that’s what I did with Family Friendly Frugality…but it did actually cost me more money in the long run. I don’t like to think about just how much 😉 .
Want to learn more about blogging? Check out the blogging resources I think all bloggers should have AND my blogging category.
Here are all of the Blogging Posts on FFF:
Blogging Resources All Bloggers Should Have
Monetizing Your Blog: Building Traffic
Bloggers: How Do You Monetize Your Blog?
How to Start a Successful Money Making Blog
Bloggers: Why Email Subscriptions Are Hugely Important (Plus a How To)
How to Link a Clickable Image to A Document or PDF?
How To Monetize A Blog Without Selling Out
3 Myths About Making Money With A Blog – Yes, You CAN Do it!
How to Set Up A Test Site for Your Blog (Self Hosted WordPress Blog)
Thank you so much for this article, I am starting a new blog and this will definitely help me out!
Glad to help!
Yes, thank you for this! I have started a blog…a free one…but really want to get serious with it. I am going to start using your tips, and I think having a little money invested in it will make me take it more serious and move forward with writing more posts. 😉
Awesome, let me know how it goes!
Im wondering how you are able to make money off a blog.
Tammie, be sure to read through the content I link to in this article. Here: http://www.familyfriendlyfrugality.com/category/blogging-2/
Specifically here though: http://www.familyfriendlyfrugality.com/how-to-monetize-a-blog-without-selling-out/
Thank you for the info. I am glad that I stared out being self hosted…although I kept everything at godaddy…I’ll take a look at the options that you offered.
Hey, if it works for you right now, it’s fine to keep it there! Have you experienced much downtime with them?
I haven’t experienced any downtime w godaddy!
Hola!
Thanks so much for sharing all these great tips! A lot of valuable info! I def need to get the Blogger book, as I am a newbie blogger since June!
Awesome! Once the mad rush dies down, I’ll be over to check out your blog!
Can you give a general price for each step/category, at the basic-serviceprice? It’s kinda hard to tell/add up with all the links. I’d like to start one, still trying to come up with a name, and if I were free-hosted, I’ll have to consider how much I’m getting in for for the baby plans (at least to start,) and figure out how much I’d have to prepare hubby for ponying up 🙂
If you get a good deal on the domain name ($5 or less) and go with a baby plan from host gator, you are looking at well under $20 a year.
Can I ask how you create/send your newsletters? What’s the process for that?
Can I ask how you create/send your newsletters? What’s the process for that?
Thanks very much! 🙂
I enjoy reading your blog!
Claudia, I use Feedblitz for my newsletter. It’s actually one of my bigger blog expenses, but I have over 12,000 subscribers. The pricing is based on tiers. You can check it out here: http://www.feedblitz.com?partner=24163848&pcode=eff98753d4428608e0bead277eebd001
Hi. Do you have any posts explaining “SEO out of the box”? I feel like I’m missing something. . . we have a genesis themed studiopress blog, but I just can’t quite understand what to do with the SEO stuff!
Honestly SEO is one of the areas I personally struggle. My site gets very little search engine traffic in comparison to my other traffic sources. I do use WordPress SEO plugin though. I’m sorry I can’t be of more help though! I just don’t feel qualified to give advice since it’s kind of my weak point!
Well, thanks anyway. I guess I’ll keep looking. 🙂 Our little homeschool family blog has lots of science experiments and book reviews (and other things that people who see it love) but I haven’t figured out how to reach more people yet. Slowly but surely . . .
Thanks for the great info. I am ready to start my own blog but I am struggling with a great name. I want the name to encompass me being a mom and smart with money. I want to give financial advice and tell what has worked for my family. Right now, I am thinking Mom Knows Money but my friends do not like it. I have been trying to find a name available on FB, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram in case it grows.
I’ve been thinking of writing a blog for a couple years now and then came across your article. I still have a few questions. I want my blog to be on general family life, is that too broad? Also your name says exactly what your blog is, which is more important a catchy name that’s memorable or one that says what you do? What about taxes, at what point do you need to start worrying about those? You do a terrific blog and are an inspiration to so many. Thank you!
It definitely isn’t too broad. That said, you’ll want to find your “hook” that makes you a bit unique from everyone else. If you are yourself and let your personality shine through, that should set you apart from the rest, but it is easy to fall into the trap of just having the “voice” that everyone else has. Commit to being yourself and some will love it and some will hate it.
As far as blog names…take it from someone with 23 letters in her blog name…SHORTER is better, LOL. Short, memorable and descriptive is what I would shoot for. That can be a tough balance, so above all else I would go with short and descriptive.
Taxes…well you have to worry about those as soon as you start making money! I have a DBA but I don’t file as a business. Basically my income minus expenses (which are detailed out on a tax form) is just added to my husband’s income and we have to pay taxes on it each year. I use Turbo Tax home and business, but I think next year I am going to need to use an accountant.
WOW ~ Thank you. Your article has been more helpful than you could ever imagine. I’ve just started the above blog to use as a platform for when my husband’s ebook comes out (later this month on Amazon). If you look at my blog today you can tell I need some MAJOR help. I’ve followed your steps and it was SOOO easy (THANK YOU AGAIN!). Now, I’m waiting on a call back from Laura. Thanks again for helping an ol’ grandma get her blog started. Sandy
Good luck on your husband’s ebook!!!
I have a question about buying a domain. Wouldn’t I get a domain through bluehost or do I still need to buy one from go daddy?
I just prefer to buy through GoDaddy personally. I prefer my hosting/domain separate because I have had to move hosting in the past. You can buy through Bluehost though!
Plus I find GoDaddy has better deals 😉
I’m curious to know more about your experience with going from a free hosting to a paid hosting platform.
I went directly with a paid platform and in hindsight I believe I would have been better off starting with the free hosted version of WordPress and later migrating it.
My wife is interested in starting her own blog and I recommended that she start off on WordPress (free) and migrate it to a self-hosted version of WordPress once her traffic grows.
Did you migrate from WordPress to a self-hosted WordPress, or did you use other platforms? I’m curious if this is why migration was so costly for you.
I started on Blogger, so yes…a free platform. It cost about $150 I think? It’s been years so I don’t remember for sure. I know you can DIY it, but at the time I just didn’t feel comfortable doing that.
Here’s my thing though…if she is serious about starting a new blog, I would encourage her to start on self hosted wordpress (you can probably just add her site to your existing plan btw…I have several sites on my server). I think some of that is mindset. If you are investing in something, you take it more seriously. I also think that there is much uncertainty when it comes time to switch. Some people have no problems at all…for some the process doesn’t go as smoothly. Why risk it?
Since you can likely just add her domain to your hosting plan, and you can grab a free theme/tweak the design a bit…it doesn’t actually seem like it would be much of an investment for her to start on self hosted wordpress.
Great post Heather, I’m not tech savvy and find that your manner of breaking things down is making things look quite simple and straight forward.
Thanks Hawra!
Thank you for this article. I just started my blog (only two posts in so it is very early days). I’ve figured out (by trial and error) how to register my domain name and have gone for blue host as my hosting provider. The step I need to work on is getting the blog to look like I want it to. I installed a free theme but it’s looking very basic, just the out of the box fonts and layout. I get the impression from your post that it might be worth installing a premium theme.