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Domains & Hosting

What features do I need to create a blog?

There's a lot of blog software out there – make sure it covers all of these points.

  • Simple editing: Blog software is designed so you can start a blogging website and publish your content easily. It should have an intuitive editor to help you to format your texts and images, even if you don't have any tech or design experience.
  • Customisable designs: Choose a platform with a wide range of design templates so you can pick one that matches your brand or topic. Using a pre-built template speeds up setup, and leaves you free to focus on your content.
  • Structure: You'll be writing numerous blog posts, so you need to make sure they're well organised. Good blog software will display your posts clearly so you – and your followers – can always find them again.
  • Easy navigation: Visitors should be able to find their way around your blogging website easily, otherwise they’ll give up and leave.
  • Search engine optimisation: It's obvious – when you create a blog, you also want people to read it. Make sure you choose a blogging platform with integrated SEO so people can find your posts.

A man and a woman looking at a laptop

How to start a blog

Planning is key – start off organised and you'll be set for success.
01

Think of a catchy name

Your blog is part of your brand, so take the time you need to create a unique, memorable name. Finding a great name will also make it easy for readers to find you.
02

Get the design right

Think about your blog’s content when deciding on the design and make sure the structure is easy to understand and navigate. This is where the pre-made templates come in handy. They can be tailored to your blog’s needs.
03

Collect ideas for content

Put together a list of topics you’d like to cover on your blog. This will help you start to fill up your blog with interesting content and plan where you want to take it further down the line.
04

Write your first blog post

Don’t neglect the formatting of your blog. Once you've published your first blog post, it makes sense to follow the same format for future blog posts so that you blog is consistent.
05

Create categories

Assign a category to each post and then select meaningful tags that describe each post. These will help you find particular blog posts later on.
06

Share your content

To get as many people as possible to visit your blog, it makes sense to share links to it wherever you can. Social media and forums are great places to do this. Working together with other bloggers is also an option.

Choose your managed WordPress package

New & improved Now faster, with more features, and customisable managed update settings.

Start

Suitable for a small website or blog


6 months £3/monthexcl. VAT then £5/monthexcl. VAT
Continue

1 website

25 GB SSD storage

Automatic updates Get convenient, automatic WordPress core, plugin, theme and PHP version updates for your WordPress website.

1 email address

Free domain Get a free domain for 12 months with the initial purchase of a 12-month contract. Choose from these domain extensions: .co.uk, .uk, .com, .net, .org, .info, .me, .biz, .online.

Free SSL One regular SSL certificate with Domain Validation (DV) to protect data transferred to your site. It's free for the life of your package.

SiteAnalytics SiteAnalytics helps you monitor site basic site performance metrics.

Malware scanning

20% Fiverr discount code You’ll receive a 20% discount code for Fiverr. Simply enter your code on the Fiverr checkout page. Discount codes are valid for 2 months and limited to 1 use per user.

Grow

Good for a site with more content


6 months £1/monthexcl. VAT then £10/monthexcl. VAT
Continue

1 website

50 GB SSD storage

Automatic updates Get convenient, automatic WordPress core, plugin, theme and PHP version updates for your WordPress website.

5 email addresses

Free domain Get a free domain for 12 months with the initial purchase of a 12-month contract. Choose from these domain extensions: .co.uk, .uk, .com, .net, .org, .info, .me, .biz, .online.

Free SSL One regular SSL certificate with Domain Validation (DV) to protect data transferred to your site. It's free for the life of your package.

SiteAnalytics SiteAnalytics helps you monitor site basic site performance metrics.

Malware scanning

Caching plugin Boost page loading speeds considerably with this smart caching plugin.

Jetpack Backup Get 12 months of free daily backups and one-click restores for one website from our partner Jetpack. You'll receive a voucher code via your product dashboard after purchase. There's no obligation to buy at any time, but you must have a wordpress.com account and the Jetpack plugin to claim this offer.

20% Fiverr discount code You’ll receive a 20% discount code for Fiverr. Simply enter your code on the Fiverr checkout page. Discount codes are valid for 2 months and limited to 1 use per user.

Boost

Great for a larger site with higher traffic


6 months £7/monthexcl. VAT then £15/monthexcl. VAT
Continue

1 website

75 GB SSD storage

Automatic updates Get convenient, automatic WordPress core, plugin, theme and PHP version updates for your WordPress website.

10 email addresses

Free domain Get a free domain for 12 months with the initial purchase of a 12-month contract. Choose from these domain extensions: .co.uk, .uk, .com, .net, .org, .info, .me, .biz, .online.

Free SSL One regular SSL certificate with Domain Validation (DV) to protect data transferred to your site. It's free for the life of your package.

SiteAnalytics Plus SiteAnalytics Plus helps you monitor site performance. Activate it to track visit length, location, browser type, dwell time and more. Or use it to generate and export reports of key metrics.

Malware scanning & repair

Caching plugin Boost page loading speeds considerably with this smart caching plugin.

Jetpack Backup Get 12 months of free daily backups and one-click restores for one website from our partner Jetpack. You'll receive a voucher code via your product dashboard after purchase. There's no obligation to buy at any time, but you must have a wordpress.com account and the Jetpack plugin to claim this offer.

20% Fiverr discount code You’ll receive a 20% discount code for Fiverr. Simply enter your code on the Fiverr checkout page. Discount codes are valid for 2 months and limited to 1 use per user.

All prices exclude VAT charged at 20%. VAT may be subject to change depending on your country of residence. Terms and conditions apply.

Start your own blog

FAQ – Frequently asked questions

When starting a blog website, remember that your content should deliver value to visitors. So put yourself in the readers’ shoes when you write your posts. Do this when coming up with topic ideas as well as when deciding on the presentation. Break up your blog posts with images, lists, and subheadings so they're easier to read.

Another important aspect when writing a personal blog is that you need to post new content regularly. If you publish a couple of posts per week, readers will want to come back to check out the latest. This is the perfect way to gradually build up readership and gain regular followers.

Yes, a blog has great added value for a business as long as you cover relevant topics. A successful business blog shows your clients how knowledgeable your company is and helps to gain their trust. It’s also a way to create customer engagement. Ask questions so that readers can get in touch with you either by commenting, by emailing, or by using their own blog. This way of conversing also enables you to collect important information from your clients and potential clients. You'll also pick up learnings and SEO-boosting links that can bring in more visitors. A new reader could be your next customer!

As long as you have good ideas, passion, and the basic technical framework, you can make it as a blogger. You don’t have to worry about not having much (or any) technical knowledge since most software options for starting your own blog are beginner-friendly. However, building up a following takes time so you need to be patient – don’t expect success overnight. You might only have a few readers at the beginning and then notice your community growing as you share more posts. Being active on social media can also help promote your blog.

You can write a blog about any topic you want. Whether it’s cooking, crafting, baking, cycling – the important thing is that you are passionate and knowledgeable. In addition, it’s important to find your own style when writing the blog so you stand out from other bloggers and catch readers’ attention. Whatever you do, don’t copy what other bloggers have written or pretend to have an interest in something you don’t. Readers will quickly notice and lose interest in you and your blog.

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