If you’re looking to start your own niche website, or even if you just want to have your own blog, there are a few things you should do before you launch your site.
That way, you can kick off the first day of your new site with as much momentum as possible and get the best results right away!
In this article, we’ll take a look at 15 things you should do before you launch your blog or website to make sure that everything goes smoothly on day one.
Things to do before launching a Blog
Why Create A Niche Website?
Before You Launch A Website, Consider Why You Want To Do It In The First Place.
Let me tell you when I started Blogging in 2016 – I Knew nothing about it. I was simply blogging about things I love and what makes me happy. It was all about me me me…You got the point.
I made a hell lot of mistakes like getting on to a free WordPress domain, not going for worpress.org( This was a quite huge mistake), not doing keyword Research, Not getting on to Google Search Console & Analytics, and so on…
My First website was divzbeauty.worpress.com( Ah ! can you believe it). A few months later in 2017, I changed that to digitallydiv.com.au, AGAIN! another mistake of not going for self-hosted WP because this time I knew a lot more about WordPress and Blogging but was worried about losing all the SEO and the rankings.
As a matter of fact, we decided to redo this website and move it to another hosting last year in Oct 2021.
So, technically this website is as old as 2016 but newly hosted on-site ground. We lost most of the cool & white hat SEO we had done on this site.
Well, We have also created many sites along the way since 2017 and sold many of them over the years.
Also, we have been helping many Hobbyists and Solo Entrepreneurs to get in to the blogging business.
Many people want to start their own websites or Niche blogs because they think it will help them build an audience and authority status.
That may be true in some cases, but if that’s your sole reason for wanting a website, then I recommend considering something other than starting one yourself.
If your goal is just to have your own domain and write about what interests you, you should consider creating a niche website (and blogging) .
As Blogger, you always write for others, not for yourself. It’s not about your Journey but the readers.
If you wish to know the mistakes to avoid as a new blogger read this Blog 10 Beginner blogger mistakes you must avoid NO matter what
1. Choose A Design Niche
First things first..choose a Niche.
The first thing you need to do is choose your niche. This is one of those non-negotiable rules in blogging that’s often overlooked by newbies.
You have to have some passion for your topic, and no matter how popular it is, if it doesn’t interest you then you probably won’t be able to work on it for very long. For instance, you could be an Interior designer, Photographer, Graphic Designer, Architect, or Arts & Crafts, Expert…Whatever design & Art field You want to start your business in, make sure that you have a passion as well willingness to learn If you want.
So please—for your sake and ours—choose a topic that has some appeal for you and is happy to write about for quite a long time.
2. Start Keyword Research
First, pick a niche and start brainstorming keywords that fit your brand. If you’re unsure about which niche to choose, check out our post on How To Find The Right Website Niche.
Not sure how to do keyword research? We have a step-by-step guide: How To Do Keyword Research For Your Website Or Niche Site.
Most new Bloggers find Most advanced SEO Tools like SEMrush and AHREFs a bit hard. So, we recommend Keysearch. co which is an easy-to-use Keyword research tool.
3. Create A Domain Name
You will need a dedicated space for your niche website. Make sure that it has your target keywords in it.
This way, people looking for information on your topic will be more likely to find your website.
You can register domain names through providers like namecheap and use services like WordPress for blogging platforms.
Make sure the domain name is relevant to your niche. For Example, if you are an expert in boats.. boatfenzy.com or something like that.
Also, make sure you take up the .com domain to target bigger Audiences not just your country specific like.UK or .AU or . CA
4. Pick A Hosting Service
Learning how to pick a web host is like looking for Mr. Right for developers, bloggers, small business owners, and others. It’s a common query:
Which hosting company should I entrust my heart (er, websites) to?
If done correctly, you may have a lifetime of bliss with a dependable and high-performing host who is always there to answer your burning late-night inquiries through phone, chat, or email.
However, entering a hosting partnership without completing your homework might leave you feeling imprisoned, deceived, or extorted.
Choosing the incorrect host might result in hassles, a messy, expensive divorce, and you being left alone with all of the data you used to share.
We Recommend Hosting with these 2 Industry Leaders:
Hosting:
Sign up for a blog hosting account –
We have 2 Options for you depending on your Circumstances:
1. Bluehost is what we recommend as the best hosting to begin your blogs. As a beginner, you are not inclined to spend anything more for your Blog hosting.
Check out our latest Blue Host Honest Review
2. NexCess – Starts at $13.90 / for a Single site. It’s best suitable for Beginner and Intermediate Bloggers. Nexcess offers WordPress support with years of experience
Their expertise goes beyond WordPress hosting. When you need help, their WordPress experts — who include active contributors — are standing by to resolve your questions and concerns.
5.Install WordPress(It’s Free)
Setting up your WordPress site is crucial—it’s where most of your readers will go when they visit.
If you start by installing WordPress now, when it comes time to publish your first post, it’ll be ready to go.
Get started with our guide on how to install WordPress on your server. (Oh, and don’t worry about creating a whole new site for your new project: most domain names will allow you to add more sites for free.) 1.
6. Choose A Free Theme to start with
Your brand new blogging platform might look super sleek, but it’s not going to win any design awards if it doesn’t match your business branding. Choose a Theme like Generatepress Or Astra in the beginning.
Before you start writing, make sure that you have a theme that matches your site – otherwise, all of your hard work might be for nothing!
Also read: The 7+ best WordPress photography themes: Its not complicated as you think
7. Get Comfortable with WordPress
WordPress powers more than 33% of all websites in existence and WordPress does have a learning curve.
It took me more than a year to get to know most of WordPress stuff. But, you don’t need to Fret- My Team and I can help get going with the Blogging business smoothly.
Start your Blogging Business here.
If you’re going to build your empire on WordPress, it’s best to get comfortable with it early.
You can learn how to customize its look and feel, and perform key tasks like setting up SEO-friendly pages, Plugins, Theme Customization, and so on.
Some of my fave Top 10 Design Blog themes in the Market
Find out where to get WordPress themes for your blog here. When it comes to selecting a WordPress theme, you’ll have to choose between free and paid options.
I would suggest for a beginner like you, WordPress free Blog themes like
1. BlogPixie,
2.Skyandstars,
3.Brandingandabout ,
5.Blossom Pin pro ( for a more Pinterest friendly Blog site)
10. Femme theme
Although there is no fundamental difference between the two, premium themes tend to have more elaborate designs and functionality than free themes.
8. Set Up Analytics (Google Analytics-It’s FREE)
Make sure you have an analytics platform set up from day one. It will help track your key performance indicators (KPIs) and inform future decision-making for your business.
For instance, if Google Analytics tells you that there’s low traffic to a particular page on your site, then go ahead and tweak that page. That’s real data informing real change!
Use Google Analytics to keep tabs on keyword rankings
The first thing that springs to mind when people think about SEO performance is this. What are the most popular search terms on Google?
You don’t need a paid SEO tool to watch your term ranks in Google Analytics, yet many novices assume you do.
How? Through the integration of Google Search Console and Google Analytics.
Now you can see exactly how your search phrases are doing without having to rely on keyword data that isn’t included in Google Analytics reports.
The first step is to set up the connections between Search Console and Analytics.
Then, navigate to Acquisitions > Search Console > Queries in the Search Console. When someone searches for your name in Google, here are the keywords and phrases they used.
In our post, you’ll know how to use Google Analytics to analyze your site’s performance and track SEO rankings, so you can determine whether your techniques are working for your company or whether they need to be adjusted.
5 handy SEO Insights You Can gain from Google Analytics
9. Write Your Contact page, About Page, Privacy Policy & Disclaimer policy.
Your About page is where your readers will get their first impression of who you are, and that’s why it’s so important. It doesn’t have to be long; just enough information for people to know who they’re getting.
Many bloggers use their about page as an online resume—but we don’t recommend that because your resume already does that!
10. Setup Facebook Page, Instagram, Twitter & Pinterest Account
Get those social media handles!!
There’s no point in setting up your business if no one knows about it.
Setting up social media accounts is free and can dramatically increase traffic to your website, which is why every new business needs its own Facebook page, Twitter handles, and Pinterest boards.
Try for 20 likes on Facebook, 100 followers on Twitter, and 10 pins on Pinterest in a day.
More isn’t better so don’t worry if you fall short of these numbers – it’s just important that people know about your new venture.
11. Also get Friendly with these digital Marketing tools
Paid Tools for starting your Blog
Hosting:
Sign up for a blog hosting account – Bluehost is what we recommend as the best hosting to begin your blogs.
Canva pro:
You can start with Canva for free, However, To access many of the features that Canva Offers, you’ll need to have a Canva Pro subscription. To get your feet wet in the program and see how it can work for you, sign up for a free trial of Canva Pro here.
SEO Tool
Semrush Let me tell you a Secret, You don’t need this tool Until reach around 8-12 Months on your blogging Journey or you get 20K+ Traffic on your website.
Canva
Canva is a graphic design tool, as opposed to drawing tools such as Procreate.
This means that, unlike Procreate, you cannot draw with a stylus in Canva, but you can create designs using images, fonts, shapes, and elements.
Canva can do a LOT of things like a graphic design tool, but it can’t do everything. This is why I classified it as “basic” graphic design.
10 Reasons Canva Pro is Worth the Money
It’s also worth noting that Canva can’t do much photo editing. Canva does not support custom cropping, color adjustments, or adjusting objects within a scene.
For these more advanced techniques, you’ll need to use tools like Photoshop.
Even though Canva appears to be “basic,” many of us( Bloggers and Marketers) do not require the advanced techniques found in other programs, such as the Adobe suites (Photoshop Etc)
Personally, I don’t want to pay a high price for a program that includes features that I will never use.
Canva is the right price for my needs and does exactly what I need it to. That sounds good to me!
Canva also provides some unique features that you won’t find in other programs.
Some of these features distinguish Canva from the competition and may be worth the subscription fee alone.
To access many of the features like many stock Pics, image background removal, social scheduling, Templates, transparent Images, stay on Brand, and many more you’ll need to have a Canva Pro subscription.
If you are just starting, to get your feet wet in the tool and see how it can work for you, sign up for a free trial of Canva Pro here.
Get your simple Logo done using Canva:
Yes! There is no need for a Flashy logo when it comes to Blogging. Just a simple, relevant Logo using Canva will be as fantastic. So, you need to hire a Flashy logo designer or the Graphic designer…Trust me using just canva to create a logo will do all tricks.
I don’t spend much time on logos for any of my websites. Just make sure that they are relevant and consistent with your website color code. Or you can create your logo first and then take on your website theme color from your logo.
It can be done either way. Most of the time we create websites with some color in mind and develop a Logo using Canva based on those colors. makes sense? huh!
12. Google Search Console & Google Analytics
No other marketer will tell you this! The Only SEO Analytics Tool You Need Is Google Analytics to start your blogging Business.
A wealth of SEO insights can be learned from analyzing Google Analytics.
Analyzing data on a regular basis can aid in identifying both performance concerns and improvement opportunities.
Do you want to know if your investment in search engine optimization (SEO) is paying off? Many tools for tracking SEO rankings might assist you in measuring your efforts, but they can be costly to use.
This is where Google Analytics can help. It doesn’t have all of the functionality of the other tools, but it’s free! It just takes a little practice to use it to its best potential for tracking SEO rankings.
13. SEO Tools
For Beginner & Intermediate Bloggers use Keysearch.co( paid) and for pros use SEMRUSH – SEO & keyword search tools (Paid)
I would strongly recommend Keysearch.co for Beginner and Intermediate Bloggers.
Well, You don’t need heavy-duty SEO tools like SEMRUSH till you reach 8-10 Months of your Blogging journey .
Before writing your niche blogs, do the Keyword Research using just a simple google search or Keysearch.co( for just $17 per month). Nothing else to start with ( NO AHREFs and SEMRUSHs). However, You can get friendly with Semrush (Affiliate)once you have reached 10k-15k Monthly views.
Google is a GIANT data storage and there are numerous Questions that people search on Google Search.
Check out for your Niche relevant Questions people are asking on Google, and check the Competition.
If not much competition( Like There is Forum coming up for the search Result or there is really Old Content) exists for the particular Query, VOILA!! You have your Blog Posts idea ready.
Pro-Tip: Make sure that your First 5-10 Blogs are based on the queries that are Low hanging Fruits( Keywords/Long tail keywords, I mean!).
You can start targeting Competitive keywords once you have published your 5-10 Blogs.
Check out our blog on to how to come up with content for your blogs
14. Setup Email Newsletter (GetResponse),
Keeping your audience up-to-date is one of the best ways to stay top of mind.
Don’t lose them just because you’re too busy writing or speaking to connect with them regularly.
Not all email marketing services are created equal, so take some time and research which one works best for your audience and how often they’ll want to hear from you.
15. Build An Email List (Yes, Start Collect Emails from the day you launch your Blog!)
By building an email list of early adopters who like your content and trust your brand, you’ll be setting yourself up for success.
Not only will you have thousands of eager subscribers when you finally do open shop, but they’ll also get a notification whenever something new lands in your store.
Start Blogging, Today!
Start a blog today.
Well, Customizing your blog and being accustomed to your theme may take some time to get used to, so be patient.
Due to the fact that each theme is unique, I am unable to give a step-by-step explanation here.
Nonetheless, WordPress.org contains several useful resources, including tutorials that will teach you all you need to know about blogging with WordPress (again, for free! ).
Before writing your niche blogs, do the Keyword Research using just a simple google search. Nothing else to start with ( NO AHREFs and SEMRUSHs to begin).
Indeed, you can use these Tools once your website is Indexed by Google and start getting traffic.
Google is a GIANT data storage and there are numerous Questions that people search on Google Search.
Check out for your Niche relevant Questions people are asking on Google, check the Competition.
If not much competition( Like There is Forum coming up for the search Result or there is really Old Content) exists for the particular Query, VOILA!! You have your Blog Posts idea ready.
Pro-Tip: Make sure that your First 5-10 Blogs are based on the queries that are Low hanging Fruits( Keywords/Long tail keywords, I mean!). You can start targeting Competitive keywords once you have published your 5-10 Blogs.
Don’t forget to market your Blogs
So, you’ve created a fantastic blog article that is packed with useful information…now what?
Is it feasible to get it in front of the proper set of eyes while also presenting it to as many pairs of eyes as possible?
It is just as vital to promoting your blog entries in the proper manner as it is to provide excellent material. Having said that, if no one views your material, then it’s all for naught.
Our recent Blog effective ways to promote your blog for free will demonstrate how to effectively market a blog article in order to increase traffic for your website.
If you are looking at Blogging and making money with your fave Hobby, we can help you get going. As a Marketing Agency, We have helped many Individuals and Hobbyists to create Blogging Businesses and the life they love.
Here’s how to Start & Run a Successful Blogging Business in 15 Simple steps
When it comes to the technical aspects of things, setting up a blog is actually rather simple to do. All you have to do is:
- Find niche relevant available blog domain name and register it.
- Pick a platform or Content Management System suitable for bloggers – It has to be WordPress.
- Sign up for a blog hosting account – Bluehost is what we recommend as the best hosting to begin your blogs.
- Install WordPress CMS.
- Pick a simple blogging WordPress theme. There are Hundreds and Thousands of Free and Paid Themes available on the internet. Pick One of your Liking.
- Install top must-have WordPress plugins for blogs like the SEO, Security/Backup & GoogleSiteKit
- Customize your site and Tweak the blog settings with niche-relevant colors and Font
- Write and publish your first blog post.
- Start Marketing Your Blogs- SEO, Social media, and Forums
- Define your success. Choose your definition of success and what your blog should accomplish.
- Be consistent. Sit down and write on a consistent schedule (doesn’t have to be every day).
- Connect with others. Set up social media profiles to reach your fans.
- Grow with your blog. As your blog grows, so should you.
- Start Making Money $$
- Spread your Knowledge across the Globe
This whole process of completing all of these stages, despite the fact that they appear to be time-consuming, is actually pretty quick and straightforward since you are guided through the process by your hosting company, and then by the WordPress dashboard itself.
However, If you find them quite a lengthy process Or have NO time to DIY, we offer 1.5 Hr Consultation and we walk you through all these steps. Contact us if you are keen to start your blogs ASAP.
Note to consider: When you’re ready to buy your hosting, make sure you use this link for Bluehost. It is an affiliate link (meaning that we’ll get a small commission with NO extra cost to you), however, it will also unlock a $2.75 vs $3.95 discounted price for you.
You won’t get this discount if you visit the Bluehost site in any other way than via the link above
About the Author: Div Acharya is the co-founder of Artmellows. Div is an entrepreneur, Lifestyle Blogger & Blogging Strategist.
She loves Blogging about Online Learning, Blogging Business, Lifestyle, Travel, Home Decor, Pets, and Digital Marketing. Learn more about Div Acharya