Looking to get into Amateur Blogging, either as a hobby or to make money? Amateur blogs are becoming increasingly popular. Learn how to start one today with this ultimate post.
As a blogger for over 13 years now, I’ve learned a thing or two along the way!
If you are looking to get into amateur blogging, then this post is for you.
I am sharing the best blogging coaching tips and tricks I’ve learned through the years, as well as amateur blogging mistakes to avoid.
It’s never been a better time to get into blogging!
What Is Amateur Blogging?
Simply put, amateur blogging is blogging done by a beginner.
Amateur blogging and beginning blogging are fairly synonymous. It just means you haven’t reached the professional level.
It’s worth noting, of course, that some bloggers want to stay at the amateur level, and others want to eventually advance to a more advanced level.
Amateur blogs can be across any topic or niche and, in fact, in every niche there are usually a mix of professional and amateur blogs.
We all start off as amateur blogging, and there’s definitely no shame for being a beginner! With a willingness to learn and try new things, any blog can become successful.
Amateur blogs can absolutely make money. I’ll share how later in this post.
How to Start Amateur Blogging
Blogging has come so far and changed so much since I started blogging over 13 years ago!
I started with one blog, and now have three. Between the three blogs, I am now making a full-time income, which I am so grateful for.
I will take you through the process of starting your own amateur blog in this post.
Let’s get started.
Choose What You Want to Blog About
This is the first step to getting started blogging.
Think about things that you are knowledgeable about, as well as topics where you have a particular passion. For example, this blog is all about DIY Crafts.
When thinking about your topic, consider staying away from wellness and health related topics unless you are a certified expert in those areas.
Google, which is by far the largest search engine, is becoming increasingly distrustful of blogs that talk about topics where they don’t have EAT (which stands for “expertise, authority, and trustworthiness”).
In short, if you are looking to make money from your blog in the future, the more you demonstrate EAT in your chosen area, the higher you will probably rank in search results. Higher rankings usually mean more traffic and income!
In short, EAT is one of the ways Google is trying to ensure that it gives users the most accurate and useful information possible.
Choose a Blog Name
Now that you know what you want to blog about, start thinking about your blog names.
Try to make it something memorable, and not too long.
Next, you’ll want to make sure the blog name is available. I prefer .com for my blogs.
What is a Domain Name?
This is a great question!
A domain name is a unique address used to access websites.
For example for this blog, www.burlapandblue.com, the domain name is burlapandblue.com. It’s the unique address that comes after the “www.”
Visitors to your blog can connect to your site using your domain name.
For example, you can type “burlapandblue.com” in your browser and be connected directly to this blog’s homepage.
How to Register a Domain Name
Congratulations, you’ve chosen a blog name! The hard work is done.
The next step is to register your domain name.
One of the most popular sites for registering domain names is GoDaddy, they have inexpensive rates and the process is easy to navigate.
For my newest blog, though, I chose to register it’s domain through BigScoots (BigScoots is also where I host all three of my blogs).
How to Get Your Blog Hosted
Every blog needs a host. Without a host, no one will be able to see your posts.
In the simplest terms, a blog’s host provides server space for your blog to live online.
This important service stores all of your blog’s files, data, and code in a server. This then allows your site to be accessed by your readers from anywhere in the world.
As I mentioned before, I have all three of my blogs hosted with BigScoots.
The process was super simple and fairly hands off. They did most of the work for me so I could concentrate on what’s most important–creating content!
If interested in starting your blog with BigScoots, simply start a chat with them and they will walk you through the process.
How to Choose a Blog Theme
I am a member of Mediavine (you can see an honest, unpaid Mediavine review on my other blog), so, when they created their own theme I was so excited to try it out!
I use Mediavine’s Trellis (Trellis is the name of the theme) on all three of my blogs now, and it’s been a so great for me in terms of customer service, site speed, and Page Experience (a set of signals indicating how healthy user experience is on your site).
If you’re just starting out with blogging as a hobby and don’t want to invest in Trellis there are definitely other options for you.
You can purchase themes from various places online (including Etsy) and then upgrade your theme if you decide you want to take your blog to the next level.
What Do You Need to Start a Blog?
Different types of blogging require different equipment!
Whether it’s a ring light to help with video lighting (see our list of YouTube video ideas for kids), a camera (see our picks for the best cameras for fashion blogging), a basic laptop, or even just a planner so you can plan your blog posts, the right equipment will help you get off on the right foot.
Now, your blog is basically all set and ready to go! Before you hit “publish” on your first blog post, check out this list of common amateur blogging mistakes.
Amateur Blogging Mistakes
While I wouldn’t consider blogging hard, there are lots of pitfalls and mistakes you’ll want to avoid.
Some of these mistakes can potentially impact your reader experience, and some of these mistakes can impact your Google rankings (which are important if you are looking to monetize your blog-see how we monetize our blog through mediavine).
Here are some top amateur blogging mistakes you will want to avoid:
Blogging Mistake #1: Using other people’s photos without permission. This is a big one, especially for newer bloggers.
Always get permission before using a photo that you did not take yourself. This is a mistake I made early on in my blogging years! If you do this, it’s considered copyright infringement and you could be made to pay damages.
Need an image that you did not take yourself? Use sites that offer free stock photos, such as Pexels. Always check terms before using, and retain proof that your image is, indeed, free to use.
Blogging Mistake #2: Having too many grammatical and spelling mistakes.
I know it may seem innocuous, but spelling and/or grammar mistakes can make your blog look unprofessional. This can be especially important once you begin to monetize your blog and work with brands on sponsored posts.
Blogging Mistake #3: Using blurry photos.
Blogging is very visual, and using blurry and unclear photos will make an impression on your readers (and not a favorable one). Learn to take clear, visually appealing images.
Blogging Mistake #4: Making unfounded claims.
This is important! Do not make unfounded claims, especially around health, medical and wellness topics.
Unless you have the appropriate credentials and training, it is probably smart to stay away from health and wellness related claims and topics altogether.
Blogging Mistake #5: Not sticking to a consistent posting schedule.
This is another one I’ve been guilty of at one time or another during my blogging career.
A consistent posting schedule will add to your professionalism and will give your readers an idea of how often to look for your content.
Blogging Mistake #6: Writing your blog posts in long paragraphs.
Huge blocks of text can be intimidating to read. Take a look at this post you’re reading and notice how I’ve hit the return key after every couple of sentences.
This can help you not have a huge block of text, which can be overwhelming to the eye and hard to read. More smaller paragraphs feel more manageable and visually look better.
Blogging Resources
We have lots of blogging resources to consider!
Getting Press for your Blog: Getting press for your Etsy shop, blog, or other small business can be daunting, but with the right mindset and a few easy tips, anyone can do it.
Best Blogging Tips: In this post, we are sharing the best blogging tips and tricks from my favorite bloggers. From social media to monetization and everything in between, these tips will help you create and grow a successful blog!
Computer Hobbies: Blogging isn’t the only computer-based hobby out there! See this post for others to consider, in case blogging isn’t your thing.
How to Make Money as an Amateur Blogger
Amateur bloggers can definitely make money, how much is a tricky question to answer.
If you post consistently and put in the time, bloggers can make anywhere from a few dollars to thousands of dollars a month.
There are so many factors that go into how much you make, from luck to skill and so many things in between.
Do realize that, for most bloggers, it can take years before your blog starts making a profit. Blogging looks easy, but there is so much that goes into making a blog successful.
Did this post help you on your amateur blogging journey? We hope so!
Thanks so much for reading all about Amateur Blogging – How to Start an Amateur Blog and Become a Blogger.
Have a great day!