Start a Blog - Katherine McLee https://katherinemclee.com/category/blogging/start-a-blog/ How To Make Real Money Online Tue, 31 Mar 2026 21:35:33 +0000 en-GB hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 https://i0.wp.com/katherinemclee.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/cropped-sdffdg.png?fit=32%2C32&ssl=1 Start a Blog - Katherine McLee https://katherinemclee.com/category/blogging/start-a-blog/ 32 32 148049789 Is HostGator Good for Blogging? Honest Review for Beginners (2026) https://katherinemclee.com/hostgator-for-blogging/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=hostgator-for-blogging https://katherinemclee.com/hostgator-for-blogging/#respond Tue, 10 Mar 2026 17:23:09 +0000 https://katherinemclee.com/?p=16460 This post is all about answering the question; Is HostGator Good for Blogging? A Beginner-Friendly Hosting Review. Starting a blog is exciting… but also a little overwhelming when you realise how many decisions you need to make before you even publish your first post lol. There are the options of both a hosted (free) and self hosted (paid) blog. Self hosted is the one you need if you are serious about your blog or want to really ever make money from it. Assuming then that you have chosen a self hosted blog, one of the very first decisions you will need to make is who to go with to host your blog. Finding a hosting provider is easy, finding a good one that suits your needs is trickier.  Spending some time to do some research to find one that suits your needs is so important, as it really can make the biggest difference to your website.  I saw a lot of names being promoted, but when I dove deeper I found they never were quite what I was looking for. In the end, I chose HostGator, and it’s the hosting I still use for all my blogs today. In this post, I’ll explain exactly why I chose HostGator, what you will like about it, and why it’s a great option if you’re starting a blog for the first time. Quick Answer: Is HostGator Good for Blogging? Yes. Especially for beginners who want an easy, affordable way to start a blog without technical overwhelm. What Is Web Hosting (and Why You Need It) Quickly before getting into why I chose HostGator specifically for my blog (and why I recommend it to all new bloggers), it helps to understand what hosting actually is and why it’s needed. When you have a blog or website, all of the files that make up that site need somewhere to live online for people to be able to get to it and see it. That’s where your web hosting comes in. Your hosting provider stores your website files online and makes them accessible so people can visit your site at any time! Without hosting, your blog simply wouldn’t exist online. Well the website would exist, but no one would be able to see it lol. This is why choosing a decent and reliable hosting provider is one of the first and most important steps when starting your own blog. Why I Chose HostGator for My Blog I knew from the very start (over a decade ago now lol) that I didn’t want any of my blogs to be hosted (so a free blog). I knew I wanted them to be self-hosted as it meant that I owned my website which is so important. It also made it look more professional, gave more earning options (a lot more, you can read about the reasons why someone may want a free blog, here), and just overall meant I knew I was taking it seriously, for very little cost. When you are first researching hosting companies for your blog, there are so many options available and it is so easy to feel overwhelmed. Some are super cheap, some costt a huge amount more, some have more options and features, some include domain names etc etc.  For more information on domain names, hosting and the differences, you can find that post here! I decided (and what I would recommend anyone reading this to do) to make a list of what I knew I wanted/needed, and find one that fit the bill. This included things like price, how simple it was to use, having full 24/7 chat support, the speed and capabilities for my site(s), how easy it was to upgrade when needed (spoiler alert, this was super simple lol), and how well reviewed/trusted the company and brand was as a whole. HostGator stood out because it ticked every box I needed, especially as a beginner. This included how beginner-friendly it seemed compared to some of the other options. Is it THE cheapest on the market? Nope. Is it still super affordable while not losing anything by going for a more “budget” plan? Absolutely. I didn’t want something overly technical or complicated to set up. Fun fact, I still wouldn’t now! I wanted something that would allow me to get my blog online really fast, without needing a lot of technical knowledge or learning too much jargon to get up and live. HostGator offered exactly what I needed, so I went with them and haven’t looked back! The setup process was really straightforward too. WordPress installation was really simple, and it felt like a good balance between affordability and reliability for someone just starting out. It worked out well! Let’s break down some of the points just mentioned… 1. It’s Very Beginner Friendly One of the biggest reasons I chose HostGator was how easy it is to get started as a beginner. I wanted it to be clean and simple. I did not want to faff about feeling overwhelmed and then giving up as a result, lol. When you’re new to blogging, the technical side can feel really intimidating. With HostGator, the whole process of setting up your hosting and installing WordPress is designed to be simple. That’s why it’s so perfect for anyone new to hosting their own blog/website. You don’t need to understand coding or complicated server settings. You can of course learn this as you go to help with little tips and tricks, but it’s not necessary. Nearly all of the setup can be done with just a few clicks. This makes it much less stressful when you’re starting your first blog and worrying about getting set up with hosting. 2. Affordable for New Bloggers Another big factor for me was cost. As I’m sure it is for you! I knew I wanted decent, fast, reliable hosting, but I didn’t want to pay a lot for it. Especially in the beginning when I was getting used to having even one blog. When you’re starting a blog, you don’t necessarily want to spend a lot of money upfront while you’re still figuring everything out. A beginner plan to give you everything you need/want is all you need initially. HostGator offers a range of plans to suit your needs and what you want for your website. They offer advanced/multi plans but also offer plans that are very affordable for beginners. If you’re just starting out, this makes it one of the easiest ways to launch a blog without overcomplicating things. You can get started for less than $5/month, which makes it one of the lowest-risk ways to start a blog. 3. Reliable Hosting Your hosting provider plays a huge role in how reliable and stable your website is on the internet. They are basically what keeps you live and available for people to read. Ideally you want a host that keeps your website online and running smoothly for as much time as possible. At all times. This means your readers should be able to access your content whenever they choose to visit, no matter what time of day or night. This is especially important across different time zones as your readers willl most likely be from all around the world and could be trying to get onto your site at completely different times of day. One of the huge reasons I’ve stayed with HostGator is that I’ve found them really reliable. Of course issues happen from time to time, but on the whole my blogs just work lol. This means I’m not sitting there worrying about whether the site is going to be down or glitching every time I load it up, or worse, whether it’s behaving/loading when someone else tries to read my content. As you can imagine, a working blog is a big deal when you’re blogging lol. You want to be able to spend your time creating new content, not trying to figure out why your website suddenly isn’t loading or behaving properly. 4. Easy WordPress Integration A lot of bloggers (I’d say the majority) use WordPress (wordpress.org not the free version wordpress.com as that goes back to hosted rather than the self hosted we are talking about), it’s important to choose a hosting provider that works well with it. One thing I love about HostGator that I mentioned earlier is how simple it is to install WordPress. It takes just a few clicks, which is why it’s always a simple recommendation for bloggers. Especially anyone who doesn’t like a technical or complicated set up like me lol. You can get everything set up really quickly and then jump straight into the fun parts like designing your blog, writing your first posts, and actually building your site and making it look exactly the way you have envisioned it, instead of getting completely stuck in an overly complicated setup. 5. 24/7 Live Chat Support If you are a new blogger, or even just less confident in the world of self hosted websites, having 24/7 live chat support is hugely important. We have all had issues where the site has crashed, only getting blank scenes, site is failing to load etc. Being able to contact your hosting company at any time of day, for them to be friendly, helpful, and get you back up and running really quickly is not to be taken for granted.  Having used HostGator for multiple sites for over 10 years, I can confirm their live support is not something I would want to be without, even now lol. How to Get Started with HostGator .If you want a beginner-friendly way to start your blog, HostGator is one of the easiest options to get set up with. To start with, you just need to choose your hosting plan from their options available. These do change at times but there are always multiple options available so you can choose the ones that fit your needs the best. You can then register your chosen domain name, and install WordPress. They do offer domains too if you wanted to keep it all together, and there may well be an offer on to get a bundle with your domain name and hosting for a bundle price! Once that’s all done, you can log into your own WordPress dashboard and start building your site! Then the fun can begin lol. From there, it’s just a case of designing your blog, creating your first posts, and gradually turning it into the website you want it to be. 👉 You can check out HostGator and see their current plans here. FAQs About HostGator Hosting Is HostGator good for beginner bloggers? It is. And that’s actually one of the main reasons so many new bloggers start with it. HostGator is designed to be really beginner-friendly. This means the whole setup process is nice and simple. WordPress can be installed really quickly, and you don’t need any tech experience to get your new blog online. When you’re starting a blog – especially for the first time – the last thing you want is complicated hosting or confusing dashboards lol. HostGator keeps it all straightforward so you can focus on building your blog and creating content instead of trying to figure out any technical settings. Also remember that any issues you do have, they have their 24/7 live chat support to help. Do you need technical knowledge to use HostGator? As mentioned and for similar reasons above, the answer is no, not at all. You don’t need coding skills, any web development experience, or anything like that to get started. Of course you will see things you don’t understand, but the process is designed so that you can click what you need as those bits are all clearly marked. You don’t have to understand all the technical bits, unless you want to learn about them down the line. Most of the setup is all step-by-step, and things like installing WordPress only takes a few clicks. ...

The post Is HostGator Good for Blogging? Honest Review for Beginners (2026) appeared first on Katherine McLee.

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This post is all about answering the question; Is HostGator Good for Blogging? A Beginner-Friendly Hosting Review.

Starting a blog is exciting… but also a little overwhelming when you realise how many decisions you need to make before you even publish your first post lol.

There are the options of both a hosted (free) and self hosted (paid) blog. Self hosted is the one you need if you are serious about your blog or want to really ever make money from it.

Assuming then that you have chosen a self hosted blog, one of the very first decisions you will need to make is who to go with to host your blog.

Finding a hosting provider is easy, finding a good one that suits your needs is trickier. 

Spending some time to do some research to find one that suits your needs is so important, as it really can make the biggest difference to your website. 

I saw a lot of names being promoted, but when I dove deeper I found they never were quite what I was looking for.

In the end, I chose HostGator, and it’s the hosting I still use for all my blogs today.

In this post, I’ll explain exactly why I chose HostGator, what you will like about it, and why it’s a great option if you’re starting a blog for the first time.

Quick Answer: Is HostGator Good for Blogging?


Yes. Especially for beginners who want an easy, affordable way to start a blog without technical overwhelm.

What Is Web Hosting (and Why You Need It)

Quickly before getting into why I chose HostGator specifically for my blog (and why I recommend it to all new bloggers), it helps to understand what hosting actually is and why it’s needed.

When you have a blog or website, all of the files that make up that site need somewhere to live online for people to be able to get to it and see it. That’s where your web hosting comes in.

Your hosting provider stores your website files online and makes them accessible so people can visit your site at any time!

Without hosting, your blog simply wouldn’t exist online.

Well the website would exist, but no one would be able to see it lol.

This is why choosing a decent and reliable hosting provider is one of the first and most important steps when starting your own blog.

Why I Chose HostGator for My Blog

I knew from the very start (over a decade ago now lol) that I didn’t want any of my blogs to be hosted (so a free blog). I knew I wanted them to be self-hosted as it meant that I owned my website which is so important. It also made it look more professional, gave more earning options (a lot more, you can read about the reasons why someone may want a free blog, here), and just overall meant I knew I was taking it seriously, for very little cost.

When you are first researching hosting companies for your blog, there are so many options available and it is so easy to feel overwhelmed. Some are super cheap, some costt a huge amount more, some have more options and features, some include domain names etc etc. 

For more information on domain names, hosting and the differences, you can find that post here!

I decided (and what I would recommend anyone reading this to do) to make a list of what I knew I wanted/needed, and find one that fit the bill.

hostgator web hosting low price get started blue banner

This included things like price, how simple it was to use, having full 24/7 chat support, the speed and capabilities for my site(s), how easy it was to upgrade when needed (spoiler alert, this was super simple lol), and how well reviewed/trusted the company and brand was as a whole.

HostGator stood out because it ticked every box I needed, especially as a beginner.

This included how beginner-friendly it seemed compared to some of the other options.

Is it THE cheapest on the market? Nope.

Is it still super affordable while not losing anything by going for a more “budget” plan? Absolutely.

I didn’t want something overly technical or complicated to set up. Fun fact, I still wouldn’t now! I wanted something that would allow me to get my blog online really fast, without needing a lot of technical knowledge or learning too much jargon to get up and live.

HostGator offered exactly what I needed, so I went with them and haven’t looked back!

The setup process was really straightforward too. WordPress installation was really simple, and it felt like a good balance between affordability and reliability for someone just starting out. It worked out well!

Let’s break down some of the points just mentioned…

1. It’s Very Beginner Friendly

One of the biggest reasons I chose HostGator was how easy it is to get started as a beginner.

I wanted it to be clean and simple. I did not want to faff about feeling overwhelmed and then giving up as a result, lol.

When you’re new to blogging, the technical side can feel really intimidating.

With HostGator, the whole process of setting up your hosting and installing WordPress is designed to be simple. That’s why it’s so perfect for anyone new to hosting their own blog/website.

You don’t need to understand coding or complicated server settings. You can of course learn this as you go to help with little tips and tricks, but it’s not necessary. Nearly all of the setup can be done with just a few clicks. This makes it much less stressful when you’re starting your first blog and worrying about getting set up with hosting.

2. Affordable for New Bloggers

Another big factor for me was cost. As I’m sure it is for you!

I knew I wanted decent, fast, reliable hosting, but I didn’t want to pay a lot for it. Especially in the beginning when I was getting used to having even one blog.

When you’re starting a blog, you don’t necessarily want to spend a lot of money upfront while you’re still figuring everything out. A beginner plan to give you everything you need/want is all you need initially.

HostGator offers a range of plans to suit your needs and what you want for your website. They offer advanced/multi plans but also offer plans that are very affordable for beginners.

If you’re just starting out, this makes it one of the easiest ways to launch a blog without overcomplicating things.

You can get started for less than $5/month, which makes it one of the lowest-risk ways to start a blog.

dark hostgator hosting banner with astronaut gator

3. Reliable Hosting

Your hosting provider plays a huge role in how reliable and stable your website is on the internet. They are basically what keeps you live and available for people to read.

Ideally you want a host that keeps your website online and running smoothly for as much time as possible. At all times. This means your readers should be able to access your content whenever they choose to visit, no matter what time of day or night. This is especially important across different time zones as your readers willl most likely be from all around the world and could be trying to get onto your site at completely different times of day.

One of the huge reasons I’ve stayed with HostGator is that I’ve found them really reliable. Of course issues happen from time to time, but on the whole my blogs just work lol. This means I’m not sitting there worrying about whether the site is going to be down or glitching every time I load it up, or worse, whether it’s behaving/loading when someone else tries to read my content.

As you can imagine, a working blog is a big deal when you’re blogging lol. You want to be able to spend your time creating new content, not trying to figure out why your website suddenly isn’t loading or behaving properly.

4. Easy WordPress Integration

A lot of bloggers (I’d say the majority) use WordPress (wordpress.org not the free version wordpress.com as that goes back to hosted rather than the self hosted we are talking about), it’s important to choose a hosting provider that works well with it.

One thing I love about HostGator that I mentioned earlier is how simple it is to install WordPress. It takes just a few clicks, which is why it’s always a simple recommendation for bloggers. Especially anyone who doesn’t like a technical or complicated set up like me lol.

You can get everything set up really quickly and then jump straight into the fun parts like designing your blog, writing your first posts, and actually building your site and making it look exactly the way you have envisioned it, instead of getting completely stuck in an overly complicated setup.

5. 24/7 Live Chat Support

If you are a new blogger, or even just less confident in the world of self hosted websites, having 24/7 live chat support is hugely important.

We have all had issues where the site has crashed, only getting blank scenes, site is failing to load etc. Being able to contact your hosting company at any time of day, for them to be friendly, helpful, and get you back up and running really quickly is not to be taken for granted. 

Having used HostGator for multiple sites for over 10 years, I can confirm their live support is not something I would want to be without, even now lol.

How to Get Started with HostGator

.If you want a beginner-friendly way to start your blog, HostGator is one of the easiest options to get set up with.

To start with, you just need to choose your hosting plan from their options available. These do change at times but there are always multiple options available so you can choose the ones that fit your needs the best. You can then register your chosen domain name, and install WordPress.

They do offer domains too if you wanted to keep it all together, and there may well be an offer on to get a bundle with your domain name and hosting for a bundle price!

hostgator hosting free domain with some plans

Once that’s all done, you can log into your own WordPress dashboard and start building your site! Then the fun can begin lol.

From there, it’s just a case of designing your blog, creating your first posts, and gradually turning it into the website you want it to be.

👉 You can check out HostGator and see their current plans here.

FAQs About HostGator Hosting

Is HostGator good for beginner bloggers?

It is. And that’s actually one of the main reasons so many new bloggers start with it. HostGator is designed to be really beginner-friendly. This means the whole setup process is nice and simple. WordPress can be installed really quickly, and you don’t need any tech experience to get your new blog online.

When you’re starting a blog – especially for the first time – the last thing you want is complicated hosting or confusing dashboards lol. HostGator keeps it all straightforward so you can focus on building your blog and creating content instead of trying to figure out any technical settings.

Also remember that any issues you do have, they have their 24/7 live chat support to help.

Do you need technical knowledge to use HostGator?

As mentioned and for similar reasons above, the answer is no, not at all. You don’t need coding skills, any web development experience, or anything like that to get started. Of course you will see things you don’t understand, but the process is designed so that you can click what you need as those bits are all clearly marked. You don’t have to understand all the technical bits, unless you want to learn about them down the line.

Most of the setup is all step-by-step, and things like installing WordPress only takes a few clicks. 

For beginners (or anyone who doesn’t want hassle), that simplicity makes a huge difference.

What happens if your blog grows later? Can you upgrade?

Yep! And this is something a lot of beginners worry about but there’s no need.

If (and when) your blog starts really growing and you need more resources, you can upgrade your hosting plan. It means you’re not locked into one option forever. You can start with a beginner-friendly budget plan and move to a bigger plan later when your site gets more traffic or you want to run multiple websites. There’s different options depending on your needs.

I can confirm from upgrading plans myself a while back that it’s as simple as choosing your new plan and clicking to upgrade lol.

It’s one of the reasons many bloggers feel comfortable starting with HostGator. You can start with the plan that you need initially, and then once your blog grows, you can then upgrade to a more advanced plan. This saves you having to guess how big of a plan you will need from the get go. It also saves paying for a bigger plan when you are first starting out.

Can you have more than one website on HostGator?

Yes you can but it depends on the plan you choose for your blog. Some plans do allow you to host multiple websites under the same account. This can be really useful if you ever decide to start a second blog or launch another website later on but most people start with just one website and focus on building that first before branching out. But the option is there for if you ever wanted it.

Not all plans allow this, but as mentioned earlier, you can easily upgrade to a multi-site plan if and when you need this. No point in paying for a multi-site plan initially with only one site. Start at the level you need and then you can always upgrade.

Is hosting expensive when starting a blog?

While there is of course a cost to having a plan to host your blog, it’s really not expensive at all.

Prices do vary depending on what you need and how many sites you are wanting hosted etc. But HostGator are one of the most affordable I found that had all the bits I needed and wanted.

Currently their plans start at less than $5 a month for the most basic hosting to give an idea of just how affordable I mean lol.

You will need to factor in a domain name as that will of course need to be purchased, but it’s always worth checking if HostGator have any current offers to get your chosen domain name for a reduced price with one of their hosting plans.

For another place to get domain names, you can also look at GoDaddy.

It’s one of those costs that if you are a blogger, you need to pay for. But it’s also what allows your blog to exist on the internet in the first place lol.

dark hostgator hosting banner with astronaut gator

Final Thoughts on Is HostGator Good for Blogging?

The short answer is yes, especially if you’re just getting started.

Choosing a hosting provider is one of the first (and most important) steps when starting a blog, and it can feel like a big decision.

From my own experience, HostGator has been a reliable, beginner-friendly option that offers a great balance of ease, affordability, and performance. It’s also grown with me as my blogs have grown, without any issues or complicated upgrades.

👉 If you’re ready to start your blog, HostGator is one of the simplest ways to get set up quickly.

👉 You can check out their plans here → HostGator Plans.

Speak soon!

Katherine

📌 Pin for later 📌

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Top 5 Tools You Need as a New Blogger https://katherinemclee.com/tools-you-need-as-a-new-blogger/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=tools-you-need-as-a-new-blogger https://katherinemclee.com/tools-you-need-as-a-new-blogger/#comments Wed, 03 Sep 2025 20:53:58 +0000 https://katherinemclee.com/?p=14474 In this post we are going to go over the top 5 tools you need as a new blogger! Why the Right Tools Matter in 2025 As with starting any new business/side hustle, getting it properly set up from the start can make a world of a difference!  It’s always easier after the fact to know what you should have done. But I’m hoping I can save you from that extra level of trial and error, by sharing the top must-have tools for growing your blog in 2025, and beyond! As with any side hustle/business, the right tools are what help you grow, save you time, and help you make money. I wasted SO much time in the beginning trying to do everything manually or using the wrong tools lol. Once I found the ones that actually worked, everything started clicking into place. These are tools I love/use to this day and are the I wish I had from the beginning as they would have helped so much. A lot of these are super low cost or have free options to be able to have a go first and you can then upgrade if/when you feel ready to! If you’re serious about growing your blog (not just writing for fun/as a hobby, but you are actually building something profitable), then having the right tools in your kit is honestly non-negotiable. I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel when you’re just starting out. Or even if you’ve been at it a while but feel stuck as that happens to more people than you realise – we have honestly all been there! There are SO many options out there, and it’s hard to know what’s worth investing your time, money, and energy into. That’s exactly why I’ve put together this post for you. These are my favourite, can’t-blog-without-them tools that have made blogging SO much easier, more enjoyable, and more profitable. Whether you’re trying to grow your audience, increase your income, or just enjoy the behind-the-scenes side of bloggging more, these tools are my top recommendations for 2025 and beyond.  Let’s get into these must-have blogging tools, because when you’re using the right tools, everything gets sooo much easier! 1. HostGator: Reliable & Affordable Hosting If you’re just getting started with your blog, the first thing you need is a domain name and hosting!  HostGator is what I personally use and recommend. I’ve used it across multiple blogs for years and I still love it! It’s affordable, super reliable, and beginner-friendly which is exactly what you need when you are setting everything up. It has 24/7 live chat which is a life saver when you accidentally crash your blog and are presented with an error screen at 1am lol – we have all been there!  They get you back up and running so fast no matter what timezone you are in. Highly, highly recommended. They nearly always have offers on for cheap domains or super low cost hosting etc so worth checking out. I’ve been with them for years from the very start of my blogging journey and have no plans to change any time soon! ➡️ Get Hosting with HostGator Here  Quick note before you carry on! I have a free download for you! Grab these FREE content prompts and get a peek behind the scenes of my blogging system! 2. MailerLite: My Preferred Email Marketing Platform If I could go back to day one, I would immediately sign up with MailerLite.  They have a completely free plan you can use until you outgrow it so no extra start up costs which we love! Email marketing is one of the most powerful things you can do in your blogging business. And MailerLite makes it so simple! Even if you’ve never written a newsletter in your life! Having your own email list is so valuable. I think most bloggers (myself included) put off starting one though at the beginning as we think we don’t need one, we think it’s complicated or will cost a lot. Nope, nope and nope! Your email list is your direct contact for people who have shown they are interested in your content/what you are offering. This is such a powerful marketing tool! If you don’t want to create a freebie to offer people in exchange for their email initially, you can put on a little form or pop up that lets people just sign up to your newsletter and then you can email them tips and tricks, offers or even ask questions.  Don’t be worrying that people won’t sign up, you will be surprised! Another good reason to sign up early is that you can get used to sending emails (or even just creating pop ups, forms and emails) even before you get an audience. That way it’s not overwhelmingly new when you do grow (and you will), and you can happily send those newsletters! Why I love Mailerlite specifically (and why it’s a great choice for everyone): It’s one of the platforms I’ve stuck with long-term. I’ve stuck with it because MailerLite does exactly what I need it to, without overwhelming me with complexity or too many options/features which is not my idea of fun lol. ➡️ Start With MailerLite Free and start building your list the right way. 3. Keysearch: Keyword Research Made Simple Keywords are so so important. In my early days of blogging I didn’t take much notice of them in all honesty. I thought I could get things ranking without them (?!). It didn’t take me long to realise that you REALLY do need to focus on keywords and keyword research but the amazing news is that it is a lot simpler than it sounds, makes a huge difference to your posts and tools like KeySearch make it SO easy. SEO really doesn’t have to be scary. Keysearch is one of the easiest tools to use that I’ve found, especially as a beginner. They have a free plan where you get 5 free searches a day and this will give you a really good idea of how to use it, and just how helpful it is. Then if you upgrade to their paid plan like I did, it’s super affordable and gives you so many searches, not just for keywords but also for search terms, inspiration, competition levels, search and how hard it is to rank! If you want to grow your blog traffic without relying entirely on Pinterest or social media (which is never a good idea as social media especially can be so temperamental lol), this is a must have.. I’ve tried a few keyword tools over my time blogging, but Keysearch stands out for beginners and for anyone wanting to grow their blog. It’s incredibly easy to understand and use (same cannot be said for all lol) but is still powerful enough to show you traffic-driving keywords that you otherwise may never have thought of. Here’s what I love about KeySearch: Without it, I wasted hours writing posts that never ranked lol. But the IDEAS it gave as much as the keywords/difficulty itself was absolutely worth it and made blogging and content creation SO much easier. ➡️ Try Keysearch Here for Free! BONUS: If you’re really serious about making money with your blog and feel you need even more features, I would recommend SEMrush! SEMrush is one of the ultimate platforms when it comes to SEO and Keywords. It’s used by pros all across the world and comes with a free trial so you can test it before committing which is amazing. It does quite a lot more than KeySearch so you only need this if you are already good with keyword research and want to take your blog to the next level. It’s pricier, but definitely worth it if you’re ready to take your blog to serious heights! ➡️ Try SEMrush here! 4. Legal Pages Bundle: Blog Legally from Day One Legal pages. Ahhh legal pages.  These are one of the aspects of having a blog that most people (in the early days) think they don’t need, or think they can use a free template and that will suffice… Literally, we all did lol. But here’s the truth… legal pages are not something you can skip over or half-ass.  You really must protect your blog and yourself on a legal level. This is especially important if you are/want to be an affiliate for companies or run ads etc! I bought This Legal Bundle early on (as soon as I realised that free legal pages don’t do/cover anything) and have zero regrets.  One off purchase. A lot cheaper in a bundle. Live in 15 mins. Ideal! The Starter Bundle includes all the pages you need; a privacy policy, terms and conditions page and disclaimer page. All tailored specifically to your country/self/blog, and all created by a real lawyer. You buy the bundle of templates, edit the parts/remove the parts that you don’t need, and can get them live in around 15 mins. Super easy. Super quick and fully covered. It’s really easy to do too. you get step-by-step instructions, fill-in-the spaces/edit the clearly marked sections, and make them live.  It’s one of the best investments you can make for your peace of mind (and your blog’s future).  You will also find that when looking to become an affiliate for certain companies/brands, they will ask/want to see your legal pages to make sure you’re legit. If you want to protect yourself and your blog, have peace of mind and look professional to brands and companies, a Lawyer-written legal pages bundle is a non-negotiable. ➡️ Get The Legal Bundle Here! Protect your blog in half an hour or less! 5. A High-Quality Blogging Course Finding a blogging course that ACTUALLY teaches you how to grow a blog and make money blogging is harder than it sounds. Having taken a few in the early stages of blogging, I found that as much as some were okay, a lot were full of fluff or not overly actionable. And it can cost a lot to take multiple courses that don’t offer much real life value back. There is one that I recommend though, as it is no-fluff, easy to follow, SO MUCH INFORMATION (in the best way), easy to digest and implement, and really notice a true difference with… and it’s Perfecting Blogging. I have a full review/breakdown of the course right here in my full course review! Anyone who has been around for any length of time knows how much I love this course lol. It’s one of the only courses I recommend as I find a lot of courses really hard to follow, too simple, or not engaging enough.  Perfecting Blogging is the opposite. It’s amazing, especially for newer bloggers or anyone wanting a boost/to change up their strategies a bit. Updates for the course are free too. This means you can get new/updated modules for life with no extra cost. (Can you see why I love it yet lol.) Grab Perfecting Blogging Here And here’s the really exciting part! The course creator Sophia (who earns 7+ figures from blogging AND products) is now adding free bonus modules on how to grow a physical product business. All in the same course! She’s going deep into how she turned her planner business into a multi-million dollar part of her brand. And if you already own the course? You get the updates for free. ➡️ Check Out the Blogging Course Here Those are my top 5 must-have tools for growing your blog in 2025 (and beyond), but I wanted to add in two other tools I use daily. You can use these two completely for free, but they can make SUCH a difference and make your blogging liffe so much easier. Bonus Tools: The 2 Free Tools Every Blogger Should Be Using! While the five tools above are my absolute go-tos for blogging, I couldn’t stop there without sharing two completely free tools...

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In this post we are going to go over the top 5 tools you need as a new blogger!

Why the Right Tools Matter in 2025

As with starting any new business/side hustle, getting it properly set up from the start can make a world of a difference! 

It’s always easier after the fact to know what you should have done. But I’m hoping I can save you from that extra level of trial and error, by sharing the top must-have tools for growing your blog in 2025, and beyond!

As with any side hustle/business, the right tools are what help you grow, save you time, and help you make money.

I wasted SO much time in the beginning trying to do everything manually or using the wrong tools lol. Once I found the ones that actually worked, everything started clicking into place.

These are tools I love/use to this day and are the I wish I had from the beginning as they would have helped so much.

A lot of these are super low cost or have free options to be able to have a go first and you can then upgrade if/when you feel ready to!

If you’re serious about growing your blog (not just writing for fun/as a hobby, but you are actually building something profitable), then having the right tools in your kit is honestly non-negotiable.

I know firsthand how overwhelming it can feel when you’re just starting out. Or even if you’ve been at it a while but feel stuck as that happens to more people than you realise – we have honestly all been there!

There are SO many options out there, and it’s hard to know what’s worth investing your time, money, and energy into. That’s exactly why I’ve put together this post for you. These are my favourite, can’t-blog-without-them tools that have made blogging SO much easier, more enjoyable, and more profitable.

Whether you’re trying to grow your audience, increase your income, or just enjoy the behind-the-scenes side of bloggging more, these tools are my top recommendations for 2025 and beyond. 

Let’s get into these must-have blogging tools, because when you’re using the right tools, everything gets sooo much easier!

1. HostGator: Reliable & Affordable Hosting

If you’re just getting started with your blog, the first thing you need is a domain name and hosting!  HostGator is what I personally use and recommend. I’ve used it across multiple blogs for years and I still love it!

It’s affordable, super reliable, and beginner-friendly which is exactly what you need when you are setting everything up.

It has 24/7 live chat which is a life saver when you accidentally crash your blog and are presented with an error screen at 1am lol – we have all been there! 

They get you back up and running so fast no matter what timezone you are in. Highly, highly recommended.

They nearly always have offers on for cheap domains or super low cost hosting etc so worth checking out. I’ve been with them for years from the very start of my blogging journey and have no plans to change any time soon!

➡ Get Hosting with HostGator Here 

Quick note before you carry on! I have a free download for you! Grab these FREE content prompts and get a peek behind the scenes of my blogging system!

free content prompt ebook download katherine mclee

2. MailerLite: My Preferred Email Marketing Platform

If I could go back to day one, I would immediately sign up with MailerLite. 

They have a completely free plan you can use until you outgrow it so no extra start up costs which we love!

Email marketing is one of the most powerful things you can do in your blogging business. And MailerLite makes it so simple!

Even if you’ve never written a newsletter in your life!

Having your own email list is so valuable. I think most bloggers (myself included) put off starting one though at the beginning as we think we don’t need one, we think it’s complicated or will cost a lot. Nope, nope and nope!

Your email list is your direct contact for people who have shown they are interested in your content/what you are offering. This is such a powerful marketing tool!

If you don’t want to create a freebie to offer people in exchange for their email initially, you can put on a little form or pop up that lets people just sign up to your newsletter and then you can email them tips and tricks, offers or even ask questions. 

Don’t be worrying that people won’t sign up, you will be surprised!

Another good reason to sign up early is that you can get used to sending emails (or even just creating pop ups, forms and emails) even before you get an audience. That way it’s not overwhelmingly new when you do grow (and you will), and you can happily send those newsletters!

Why I love Mailerlite specifically (and why it’s a great choice for everyone):

  • Their free plan is amazing. I used their free plan for a good while before upgrading! You can have up to 1,000 subscribers on the free plan, and you still get access to automations. (Automations being when a sequence of emails goes out after someone meets a certain criteria).
  • You can set up pop-ups, landing pages, welcome automations, and product funnels without needing a tech degree. Quick and simple to customize!
  • It’s clean and really easy to use. It has drag-and-drop editors, email flows, forms etc. You do get more with a paid plan, but once you get used to the free plan, it doesn’t take long to set those things up and get them how you like them!
  • You can easily build funnels for freebies, tripwires, and digital products. There’s so much you can do, even on the free plan. This makes it ideal for anyone wanting to get into email marketing.
  • I’ve used it for both regular newsletters, for automated sequences, pop ups, landing pages, embedded forms etc etc and love it! You will notice any email you get from me says “Mailerlite” at the bottom of it!

It’s one of the platforms I’ve stuck with long-term. I’ve stuck with it because MailerLite does exactly what I need it to, without overwhelming me with complexity or too many options/features which is not my idea of fun lol.

➡ Start With MailerLite Free and start building your list the right way.

3. Keysearch: Keyword Research Made Simple

Keywords are so so important. In my early days of blogging I didn’t take much notice of them in all honesty. I thought I could get things ranking without them (?!). It didn’t take me long to realise that you REALLY do need to focus on keywords and keyword research but the amazing news is that it is a lot simpler than it sounds, makes a huge difference to your posts and tools like KeySearch make it SO easy.

SEO really doesn’t have to be scary. Keysearch is one of the easiest tools to use that I’ve found, especially as a beginner. They have a free plan where you get 5 free searches a day and this will give you a really good idea of how to use it, and just how helpful it is.

Then if you upgrade to their paid plan like I did, it’s super affordable and gives you so many searches, not just for keywords but also for search terms, inspiration, competition levels, search and how hard it is to rank!

If you want to grow your blog traffic without relying entirely on Pinterest or social media (which is never a good idea as social media especially can be so temperamental lol), this is a must have..

I’ve tried a few keyword tools over my time blogging, but Keysearch stands out for beginners and for anyone wanting to grow their blog. It’s incredibly easy to understand and use (same cannot be said for all lol) but is still powerful enough to show you traffic-driving keywords that you otherwise may never have thought of.

Here’s what I love about KeySearch:

  • You can find low-competition keywords which are perfect for new blogs
  • It gives you a full breakdown of keyword difficulty, volume, and competitor analysis – even colour coded to make it easier
  • The Content Assistant helps you write posts with the right SEO terms built-in
  • It’s SO affordable even once upgraded from the free plan

Without it, I wasted hours writing posts that never ranked lol. But the IDEAS it gave as much as the keywords/difficulty itself was absolutely worth it and made blogging and content creation SO much easier.

➡ Try Keysearch Here for Free!

BONUS: If you’re really serious about making money with your blog and feel you need even more features, I would recommend SEMrush! SEMrush is one of the ultimate platforms when it comes to SEO and Keywords. It’s used by pros all across the world and comes with a free trial so you can test it before committing which is amazing.

It does quite a lot more than KeySearch so you only need this if you are already good with keyword research and want to take your blog to the next level. It’s pricier, but definitely worth it if you’re ready to take your blog to serious heights!

➡ Try SEMrush here!

4. Legal Pages Bundle: Blog Legally from Day One

Legal pages. Ahhh legal pages. 

These are one of the aspects of having a blog that most people (in the early days) think they don’t need, or think they can use a free template and that will suffice…

Literally, we all did lol.

But here’s the truth… legal pages are not something you can skip over or half-ass. 

You really must protect your blog and yourself on a legal level. This is especially important if you are/want to be an affiliate for companies or run ads etc!

I bought This Legal Bundle early on (as soon as I realised that free legal pages don’t do/cover anything) and have zero regrets

One off purchase. A lot cheaper in a bundle. Live in 15 mins. Ideal!

The Starter Bundle includes all the pages you need; a privacy policy, terms and conditions page and disclaimer page. All tailored specifically to your country/self/blog, and all created by a real lawyer.

You buy the bundle of templates, edit the parts/remove the parts that you don’t need, and can get them live in around 15 mins. Super easy. Super quick and fully covered.

It’s really easy to do too. you get step-by-step instructions, fill-in-the spaces/edit the clearly marked sections, and make them live. 

It’s one of the best investments you can make for your peace of mind (and your blog’s future). 

You will also find that when looking to become an affiliate for certain companies/brands, they will ask/want to see your legal pages to make sure you’re legit.

If you want to protect yourself and your blog, have peace of mind and look professional to brands and companies, a Lawyer-written legal pages bundle is a non-negotiable.

➡ Get The Legal Bundle Here! Protect your blog in half an hour or less!

5. A High-Quality Blogging Course

Finding a blogging course that ACTUALLY teaches you how to grow a blog and make money blogging is harder than it sounds.

Having taken a few in the early stages of blogging, I found that as much as some were okay, a lot were full of fluff or not overly actionable.

And it can cost a lot to take multiple courses that don’t offer much real life value back.

There is one that I recommend though, as it is no-fluff, easy to follow, SO MUCH INFORMATION (in the best way), easy to digest and implement, and really notice a true difference with… and it’s Perfecting Blogging.

I have a full review/breakdown of the course right here in my full course review!

Anyone who has been around for any length of time knows how much I love this course lol. It’s one of the only courses I recommend as I find a lot of courses really hard to follow, too simple, or not engaging enough. 

Perfecting Blogging is the opposite. It’s amazing, especially for newer bloggers or anyone wanting a boost/to change up their strategies a bit.

Updates for the course are free too. This means you can get new/updated modules for life with no extra cost.

(Can you see why I love it yet lol.)

Grab Perfecting Blogging Here

And here’s the really exciting part! The course creator Sophia (who earns 7+ figures from blogging AND products) is now adding free bonus modules on how to grow a physical product business. All in the same course!

She’s going deep into how she turned her planner business into a multi-million dollar part of her brand. And if you already own the course? You get the updates for free.

➡ Check Out the Blogging Course Here

Those are my top 5 must-have tools for growing your blog in 2025 (and beyond), but I wanted to add in two other tools I use daily. You can use these two completely for free, but they can make SUCH a difference and make your blogging liffe so much easier.

Bonus Tools: The 2 Free Tools Every Blogger Should Be Using!

While the five tools above are my absolute go-tos for blogging, I couldn’t stop there without sharing two completely free tools that have helped me grow and saved so much time overall!

6. Pinterest – For Free Blog Traffic From Day 1

I started using Pinterest after the hype I heard about it for marketing your blog/blog posts in Perfecting Blogging. Once you get the hang of it (and accept their temperamental algorithm changes), it’s an amazing way to get free traffic to your website or blog.

Pinterest was always known as a place for recipes, crafts and wedding dress inspo. And while it’s still incredible for exactly that, it really is so much more. 

The beauty of Pinterest is that it’s a visual seach engine – not a social media.   

And on top of that, it’s one of the most powerful search engines out there for bloggers!

That means the content you pin today can keep bringing in traffic for months or even years from now.

The other good thing with Pinterest is that you can get clicks through to your website instantly! As soon as you upload a pin, it goes into the Pinterest engine and can be seen/saved/clicked through there and then.

Just a quick note; as with everything, it does take time for Pinterest to understand what your account is about. It uses your pins, titles, descriptions, boards, profile etc to work out what your content is about and who to show it to. Because of this, it does take a few months of consistent pinning of fresh pins for Pinterest to really start pushing out your pins. But that doesn’t take away from the fact that people CAN see and click through your pins as soon as they go up.

For a lot more in depth information on Pinterest pins, fresh pins, strategies, etc so you can ride the Pinterest wave instead of spending years of trial and error, you can get this Pinterest Course here!

I’ve had posts go from zero to literally hundreds of visits thanks to ONE pin doing well!

If you’re a blogger or content creator and you’re not using Pinterest yet, take this as your sign to start. 

7. Canva – The Best (and Easiest) Image Creation Tool

Canva (even the free plan) is the best way to create images for your blog, header images, logos, pins for Pinterest and so much more.

It’s really easy to use, has so many templates, photos, backgrounds, videos and elements you can use.

Canva makes it really easy to create social media images as much as custom blog photos and elements! 

If you find you want some more freedom in terms of the elements you have access to you can upgrade to the Pro plan, but there’s really no need at all until you want to!

Canva is one of those tools I honestly didn’t know I needed until I got it lol.

When you start to grow your Email List you can also use their eBook and other templates to use as email freebies. Not only that but you can use it to create product mock-ups for Etsy or any other products you may want to show!

You don’t need to be experienced in graphic design to use it either! Everything is drag and drop and super simple to get the hang of with a little practice!

It’s perfect for bloggers (or anyone) who wants their content to look polished without spending hours in Photoshop.

Conclusion

Honestly, you don’t need a huge amount of tools to make a success of your blog. Don’t buy into the hype that you need to spend thousands to make money blogging!

A few good ones (like the ones I mentioned above) will make all the difference on their own!

I think like so many new bloggers, when I first started blogging I was completely overloaded with information as to what tools to get/use. I ended up using/trying/buying SO many (not a good strategy lol) but these are the few that ACTUALLY work and are genuinely helpful. 

Blogging (for an income) is a long game, so having the tools to help ease up, quicken up and streamline that process is truly the most valuable thing.

You don’t need all of the above at once either! 

Sign up to the ones you need initially (such as Hostgator, Legal Pages and the Blogging Course) and add in Mailerlite and Keysearch/SemRush down the line!

Got questions? Drop me a comment or come and find me on Pinterest! 😀

Speak soon!

Katherine McLee signature black and white

📌 Pin for later 📌

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19 Important Blogging Questions Answered: Best Tips for 2026 https://katherinemclee.com/questions-about-blogging/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=questions-about-blogging https://katherinemclee.com/questions-about-blogging/#comments Tue, 07 May 2024 14:51:33 +0000 https://katherinemclee.com/?p=10528 In this post we will be answering the top 19 questions about blogging in 2026! Whether you are a newer blogger or have not started your own blog yet, these answers should help answer some common concerns you may have! As with any new business or hobby, there are always things to learn. Some people prefer to research and learn as much as they can beforehand, whereas others prefer to dive in and learn as they go. No matter which your learning preference is, you may well have had one, two or any number of questions in relation to starting a blog in 2026. While some of the questions below may seem obvious from the outside, often there’s more to the answer than you may initially realise! Let’s get into the answers to the top 19 questions about blogging in 2026. 1 – How Do I Choose A Niche? This is one of the first things you may think about when you first decide you want to start a blog.  For some, this will be a fast decision and you’ll know instantly what topics you want to blog about. Others may have no clue what they want their niche to be, or they may have a few options. It can be tricky to pick the niche you want to blog about but there are some guidelines you can follow which can help you choose the best niche for you. The trick is to choose a niche that is something you’re passionate about, but also something that has an audience and good potential for growth and monetisation. One common misconception is thinking that you need to be an expert in a topic to have a blog on it. While having some background knowledge in your chosen niche is advised, it’s certainly not essential to be an expert. Being open to learning, researching and enhancing your own skills and knowledge as you go in a certain niche is also a good reason to choose it. Picking a niche that has an audience is important. Nearly every topic in the world will have an audience, but not all topics will be easily monetised if this is the route you are wanting to go down.  If you aren’t sure there is an audience for your chosen topic, have a quick Google and see how many other websites pop up. This will show you if there’s a need for your information!  Unless you have chosen a very specific micro niche, Keyword Research will help you never run out of ideas of things to write about. 2 – Do I Need Technical Skills? This is a completely valid concern and my honest answer is no, but, it will be a lot simpler for you if you did have some. Blogging isn’t just putting text up on a website, there’s the technical aspects of blogging, such as setting up your website, managing hosting, dealing with domain names, adding in lines of code etc.  A lot of the aspects of blogging can be learned as you go, and often there are plugins and tutorials to help simplify or walk you through the steps you need. Your hosting company will help you with anything hosting related. This includes website errors and anything to do with the setup of your website. Choosing a hosting company with good customer service is so important for this very reason. While some technical knowledge can be helpful, it’s not always necessary to have advanced technical skills to start a blog. Many blogging platforms, such as WordPress, offer user-friendly interfaces and guides to help beginners set up their blogs without much technical know-how. Additionally, there are plenty of online resources, tutorials, and communities where you can seek assistance if you encounter technical challenges. If you want more detailed information on Domains and Hosting, this post here breaks it all down for you! 3 – Can I Make Money From Blogging? One of the most common questions about blogging is whether it’s possible to make money from blogging and if so, how. People often wonder about different monetisation strategies. These can be things like advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and selling products or services. Yes, it’s absolutely possible to make money from blogging! You just need to be aware that it takes time, effort, and some strategic planning. Some of the more common monetisation strategies include things like advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, selling digital or physical products, offering services, and membership or subscription models. It’s important to build a solid audience and provide valuable content before focusing on monetisation, as readers are more likely to engage with ads or purchase products from a trusted source. I have a full post here explaining making money with a blog and how soon you will see the money! 4 – How Do I Drive Traffic To My Blog? Building an audience is crucial for the success of any blog. Another of the most common questions about blogging that new bloggers especially have is how to attract readers to their blog.  This can include concerns about SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), social media promotion, email marketing, and other strategies for increasing traffic. When it comes to driving traffic to your blog, ideally you want to aim for a combination of strategies. This includes optimising your content for search engines (SEO), promoting your blog on social media platforms, engaging with other bloggers and communities in your niche, guest posting on relevant websites, and building an email list.  Consistently creating high-quality content that resonates with your target audience is key to attracting and retaining readers. 5 – What should I Write About? This of course will depend on your specific niche, but the worry of whether you’ll find enough things to create blog content about long term is often a question people have when they are looking into starting a blog in 2026… Keyword Research is such an important topic but can feel a bit confusing. This post here should help explain exactly what keyword research is, and how to use it for your own blog! Finding inspiration for blog topics can come from various sources, such as your personal experiences, interests, industry trends, reader feedback, keyword research, and competitor analysis. Brainstorm ideas regularly and keep a running list of potential topics.  A content calendar can work wonders here as you are then never out of ideas for what to write about and always know what’s coming up next.  Aim to provide valuable information, solve problems, answer questions, entertain, or inspire your audience with your content! 6 – How To Deal With Criticism and Negative Feedback? Fear of criticism and negative feedback can hold people back from starting a blog or sharing their writing online. Understandably so! Many worry about how to handle criticism in a constructive way and develop a thick skin. It’s natural to feel apprehensive about receiving criticism, but it’s important to remember that feedback, whether positive or negative, can help you grow and improve as a blogger.  Remember, there is a huge difference between someone leaving feedback, questions or suggestions, and someone who has left a nasty comment just for the sake of being nasty. You can develop resilience by focusing on constructive criticism, learning from mistakes, and staying true to your voice and values! People enjoy your blog because it’s you – remember that. You can consider establishing clear guidelines for yourself for moderating comments on your blog to maintain a positive and respectful community. For example, if it’s a question, opinion, feedback or constructive criticism, you can keep it and respond/answer their comment. If it’s nasty/rude you can just delete it and move on! 7 – Is It Too Late To Start A Blog? With so many blogs already out there, some people worry that the blogging world is oversaturated and that it’s too late to start a successful blog.  You may wonder if there’s still room for new voices and perspectives. The answer is that it’s never too late! People are always searching for information.  While the blogging world is competitive by nature, there is still room for new voices and perspectives. The key is to find your unique angle or niche, create high-quality content, and consistently engage with your audience. Keep in mind that building a successful blog takes time and persistence, so focus on providing value and building genuine connections with your readers.  Enjoy it and find your voice as you go! 8 – How Much Time Does Blogging Take? People often worry about the time involved in starting and maintaining a blog. Understandably so! Especially if you have other responsibilities like a full-time job or family obligations. You may be wondering if you can realistically fit blogging into their busy life. The answer is, of course you can, but I would encourage you to be realistic with how much time you can put into it.  Your time commitment for blogging will vary depending on factors such as how frequently you publish new blog posts, keyword research and research of topics, and how much time you are wanting to spend on social media/promotion of your content.  It’s so important to set realistic goals and expectations based on your available time and resources. Consistency is way more important than frequency. So prioritise quality over quantity when it comes to creating content , come up with a schedule that suits you and don’t stress about not being able to work on your blog for 6 hours a day! 9 – Will Anyone Read My Blog? There’s often a fear of putting in so much time and effort to start your own blog, only to have no one read it. People worry about whether they’ll be able to attract an audience and whether their writing will be liked or be “good enough” for their readers. The beauty of blog posts as opposed to professional news articles is that people know there’s a person behind your posts. They will enjoy the way you write, the way you put information across, and any other unique qualities you have to offer. Don’t worry if things aren’t perfect, blogs are loved for their realness as much as quality information. Building an audience for your blog takes time and effort. Knowing it will take time can help as you won’t be expecting a huge amount of readers straight away, but with dedication, learning and a good strategy, you can attract readers who truly want to read your content. Focus on creating valuable, relevant, and engaging content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. Use SEO techniques, social media promotion, and networking within your niche to increase your blogs visibility and attract an audience to your blog. Putting out high quality content that helps your reader solve a problem or answer a question is one of the best  ways to gain the attention of your target audience. 10 – What Blogging Platform Should I Use? With so many blogging platforms available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. You may worry about whether to use a free platform like WordPress.com or Blogger, or whether to invest in a self-hosted WordPress.org blog. When choosing a blogging platform, consider factors such as ease of use, customisation options, scalability, cost, and ownership of your content. Popular options include WordPress (both the self-hosted WordPress.org and the hosted WordPress.com), Blogger, Wix, Squarespace, and Medium.  Research and read into the features and limitations of each platform to determine which best aligns with your needs and goals for your blog. From a personal perspective, I would always recommend a WordPress.org blog with your chosen hosting.  Free blogs are great for those with no extra money, for someone just starting out and unsure if they will like blogging, or for those wanting to blog as a hobby or not wanting to make an income from their blog. The free blogging platforms are often a little simpler, but this comes down to having less features and less customisation...

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In this post we will be answering the top 19 questions about blogging in 2026!

Whether you are a newer blogger or have not started your own blog yet, these answers should help answer some common concerns you may have!

As with any new business or hobby, there are always things to learn. Some people prefer to research and learn as much as they can beforehand, whereas others prefer to dive in and learn as they go.

No matter which your learning preference is, you may well have had one, two or any number of questions in relation to starting a blog in 2026.

While some of the questions below may seem obvious from the outside, often there’s more to the answer than you may initially realise!

Let’s get into the answers to the top 19 questions about blogging in 2026.

19 Must-Know Questions About Blogging Answered: Your Ultimate Guide to Blogging in 2024!

1 – How Do I Choose A Niche?

This is one of the first things you may think about when you first decide you want to start a blog. 

For some, this will be a fast decision and you’ll know instantly what topics you want to blog about.

Others may have no clue what they want their niche to be, or they may have a few options.

It can be tricky to pick the niche you want to blog about but there are some guidelines you can follow which can help you choose the best niche for you.

The trick is to choose a niche that is something you’re passionate about, but also something that has an audience and good potential for growth and monetisation.

One common misconception is thinking that you need to be an expert in a topic to have a blog on it.

While having some background knowledge in your chosen niche is advised, it’s certainly not essential to be an expert. Being open to learning, researching and enhancing your own skills and knowledge as you go in a certain niche is also a good reason to choose it.

Picking a niche that has an audience is important. Nearly every topic in the world will have an audience, but not all topics will be easily monetised if this is the route you are wanting to go down. 

If you aren’t sure there is an audience for your chosen topic, have a quick Google and see how many other websites pop up. This will show you if there’s a need for your information! 

Unless you have chosen a very specific micro niche, Keyword Research will help you never run out of ideas of things to write about.

2 – Do I Need Technical Skills?

This is a completely valid concern and my honest answer is no, but, it will be a lot simpler for you if you did have some.

Blogging isn’t just putting text up on a website, there’s the technical aspects of blogging, such as setting up your website, managing hosting, dealing with domain names, adding in lines of code etc. 

A lot of the aspects of blogging can be learned as you go, and often there are plugins and tutorials to help simplify or walk you through the steps you need.

Your hosting company will help you with anything hosting related. This includes website errors and anything to do with the setup of your website.

Choosing a hosting company with good customer service is so important for this very reason.

While some technical knowledge can be helpful, it’s not always necessary to have advanced technical skills to start a blog. Many blogging platforms, such as WordPress, offer user-friendly interfaces and guides to help beginners set up their blogs without much technical know-how. Additionally, there are plenty of online resources, tutorials, and communities where you can seek assistance if you encounter technical challenges.

If you want more detailed information on Domains and Hosting, this post here breaks it all down for you!

3 – Can I Make Money From Blogging?

One of the most common questions about blogging is whether it’s possible to make money from blogging and if so, how.

People often wonder about different monetisation strategies. These can be things like advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, and selling products or services.

Yes, it’s absolutely possible to make money from blogging! You just need to be aware that it takes time, effort, and some strategic planning.

Some of the more common monetisation strategies include things like advertising, affiliate marketing, sponsored content, selling digital or physical products, offering services, and membership or subscription models.

It’s important to build a solid audience and provide valuable content before focusing on monetisation, as readers are more likely to engage with ads or purchase products from a trusted source.

I have a full post here explaining making money with a blog and how soon you will see the money!

4 – How Do I Drive Traffic To My Blog?

Building an audience is crucial for the success of any blog.

Another of the most common questions about blogging that new bloggers especially have is how to attract readers to their blog. 

This can include concerns about SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), social media promotion, email marketing, and other strategies for increasing traffic.

When it comes to driving traffic to your blog, ideally you want to aim for a combination of strategies. This includes optimising your content for search engines (SEO), promoting your blog on social media platforms, engaging with other bloggers and communities in your niche, guest posting on relevant websites, and building an email list. 

Consistently creating high-quality content that resonates with your target audience is key to attracting and retaining readers.

5 – What should I Write About?

This of course will depend on your specific niche, but the worry of whether you’ll find enough things to create blog content about long term is often a question people have when they are looking into starting a blog in 2026…

Keyword Research is such an important topic but can feel a bit confusing. This post here should help explain exactly what keyword research is, and how to use it for your own blog!

Finding inspiration for blog topics can come from various sources, such as your personal experiences, interests, industry trends, reader feedback, keyword research, and competitor analysis.

Brainstorm ideas regularly and keep a running list of potential topics. 

A content calendar can work wonders here as you are then never out of ideas for what to write about and always know what’s coming up next. 

Aim to provide valuable information, solve problems, answer questions, entertain, or inspire your audience with your content!

6 – How To Deal With Criticism and Negative Feedback?

Fear of criticism and negative feedback can hold people back from starting a blog or sharing their writing online. Understandably so!

Many worry about how to handle criticism in a constructive way and develop a thick skin.

It’s natural to feel apprehensive about receiving criticism, but it’s important to remember that feedback, whether positive or negative, can help you grow and improve as a blogger. 

Remember, there is a huge difference between someone leaving feedback, questions or suggestions, and someone who has left a nasty comment just for the sake of being nasty.

You can develop resilience by focusing on constructive criticism, learning from mistakes, and staying true to your voice and values! People enjoy your blog because it’s you – remember that.

You can consider establishing clear guidelines for yourself for moderating comments on your blog to maintain a positive and respectful community.

For example, if it’s a question, opinion, feedback or constructive criticism, you can keep it and respond/answer their comment. If it’s nasty/rude you can just delete it and move on!

7 – Is It Too Late To Start A Blog?

With so many blogs already out there, some people worry that the blogging world is oversaturated and that it’s too late to start a successful blog. 

You may wonder if there’s still room for new voices and perspectives.

The answer is that it’s never too late! People are always searching for information. 

While the blogging world is competitive by nature, there is still room for new voices and perspectives.

The key is to find your unique angle or niche, create high-quality content, and consistently engage with your audience.

Keep in mind that building a successful blog takes time and persistence, so focus on providing value and building genuine connections with your readers. 

Enjoy it and find your voice as you go!

8 – How Much Time Does Blogging Take?

People often worry about the time involved in starting and maintaining a blog. Understandably so! Especially if you have other responsibilities like a full-time job or family obligations. You may be wondering if you can realistically fit blogging into their busy life.

The answer is, of course you can, but I would encourage you to be realistic with how much time you can put into it. 

Your time commitment for blogging will vary depending on factors such as how frequently you publish new blog posts, keyword research and research of topics, and how much time you are wanting to spend on social media/promotion of your content. 

It’s so important to set realistic goals and expectations based on your available time and resources. Consistency is way more important than frequency. So prioritise quality over quantity when it comes to creating content , come up with a schedule that suits you and don’t stress about not being able to work on your blog for 6 hours a day!

9 – Will Anyone Read My Blog?

There’s often a fear of putting in so much time and effort to start your own blog, only to have no one read it.

People worry about whether they’ll be able to attract an audience and whether their writing will be liked or be “good enough” for their readers.

The beauty of blog posts as opposed to professional news articles is that people know there’s a person behind your posts. They will enjoy the way you write, the way you put information across, and any other unique qualities you have to offer. Don’t worry if things aren’t perfect, blogs are loved for their realness as much as quality information.

Building an audience for your blog takes time and effort.

Knowing it will take time can help as you won’t be expecting a huge amount of readers straight away, but with dedication, learning and a good strategy, you can attract readers who truly want to read your content.

Focus on creating valuable, relevant, and engaging content that addresses the needs and interests of your target audience. Use SEO techniques, social media promotion, and networking within your niche to increase your blogs visibility and attract an audience to your blog.

Putting out high quality content that helps your reader solve a problem or answer a question is one of the best  ways to gain the attention of your target audience.

10 – What Blogging Platform Should I Use?

With so many blogging platforms available, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. You may worry about whether to use a free platform like WordPress.com or Blogger, or whether to invest in a self-hosted WordPress.org blog.

When choosing a blogging platform, consider factors such as ease of use, customisation options, scalability, cost, and ownership of your content.

Popular options include WordPress (both the self-hosted WordPress.org and the hosted WordPress.com), Blogger, Wix, Squarespace, and Medium. 

Research and read into the features and limitations of each platform to determine which best aligns with your needs and goals for your blog.

From a personal perspective, I would always recommend a WordPress.org blog with your chosen hosting. 

Free blogs are great for those with no extra money, for someone just starting out and unsure if they will like blogging, or for those wanting to blog as a hobby or not wanting to make an income from their blog.

The free blogging platforms are often a little simpler, but this comes down to having less features and less customisation options.

You do not own your blog if you have it on a free platform. The platform does.

If you want the security of owning your website, want to be able to get an income from your blog, want to be able to have freedom to customise your blog as much as you like and already know you enjoy blogging, absolutely go for a self hosted blog on a platform such as WordPress.org.

Keep in mind that you can always migrate your blog to a different platform in the future if needed. It isn’t always simple but it’s absolutely doable.

11 – Where Can I Find Resources To Learn Proper Blogging Techniques?

This is a very common question as there is so much information everywhere you look, but the tricky part can be finding the RIGHT information that will actually be useful for you and your blog. 

You can learn the skills you need to learn about blogging through online courses, tutorials, blogs, and books dedicated to blogging.

When it comes to online courses you have a range to choose from. Please remember that not all courses are created equally, so word of mouth from someone you trust and reviews can help a lot here. 

You can buy courses directly, use paid platforms such as Skillshare or get information for free from places like YouTube.

YouTube is such an amazing way to get lots of information about blogging. Not only that but it’s one of my favourite places to troubleshoot when things don’t always go to plan!

That being said, to find the exact information you need while filtering through all the less-great information can take so much time and energy.

Investing in a decent blogging course will save you a lot of time and energy in the long run. Plus an added bonus is that often courses will provide free updates too so  you’ll always have the most up to date information!

On top of all things mentioned above, you can also join some blogging communities. Talking and networking with other bloggers and more experienced bloggers can provide valuable insights, support and guidance.

12 – What Are The Best Practices For Writing Engaging Blog Posts?

Writing engaging blog posts involves a mix of grabbing your readers’ attention with strong blog post titles, clear formatting for readability (using subheadings, bullet points where needed, and images), incorporating visuals, and ending with a clear conclusion.

It’s important to make sure you are solving a problem or being entertaining for your readers. Keeping your blog content reader-focused is key.

There are a few steps you can follow to create the best content for your specific audience.

Know your audience: Understand who your target audience is and create your content to suit and meet their interests, needs, and issues they may be having.

Start with a captivating blog post title: Grab your readers’ attention right from the start with an intriguing headline that promises value or solves a problem they may be having/experiencing.

Break up your text: Use shorter paragraphs, bullet points, and subheadings to make your content easy to read and digest. Frequent spaces and images can help with this too. You can of course also add video if this suits your content.

Provide value: High quality blog posts offer actionable tips, insights, or solutions to your readers’ problems. Make sure your content is informative, useful, and relevant to your audience. Don’t make your posts too short but don’t waffle just to fill space! The more relevant and helpful information you can provide, the better.

Encourage engagement: Invite your readers to leave comments, ask questions, or share their opinions at the end of your posts. Make sure to engage back by responding to comments which will help your audience to know you better and know that you’re a real person where they can ask questions and will get an answer.

Edit and proofread: Before hitting that publish button, have a read over your post for spelling and grammar errors, clarity, and coherence. A well-edited post reflects positively on your credibility as a blogger.

Blog posts do not have to be perfect, and can be in a more conversational tone, but making sure they make sense and flow well is important.

For a full list of epic and eye-catching words you can add into your blog post titles, click through to that post here!

13 – How Often Should I Publish New Blog Posts?

How often you publish new blog posts depends on your time, goals and resources.

Consistency is key, so aim for a publishing schedule that you can realistically maintain over the long term. Some bloggers publish twice weekly, once weekly, some are once a fortnight and some are even daily. Experiment with different posting schedules to find what works best for you, your audience and your content creation process.

For more information on the exact number of blog posts you should be aiming for, check out this in depth post!

14 – Do I Need To Be An Expert In My Niche To Start A Blog?

While having knowledge in your chosen niche is a plus point, it’s certainly not necessary to be an expert in your niche to start a blog. 

(This doesn’t include topics such as finance or anything medical etc.)

Passion, a genuine love for your chosen topic, and a willingness to learn and share your journey is also an amazing way to connect and share information with your readers.

If you do have experience or are qualified in certain topics then you can of course use this to share your knowledge to enhance your blog content.

15 – How Can I Build An Email List For My Blog?

Building an email list is one of the best decisions you can make while blogging.

It’s not only an amazing way to engage with your audience, nurture relationships, and drive traffic to your blog but long term can help with an online income too!

Your email list is something you own, and is a way for you to engage directly with those who have indicated (by signing up) that they are really interested in what you have to say.

To get readers to join your list, you can offer incentives such as free downloadable pages/products, exclusive content, extra tips and information or special promotions (niche dependant) in exchange for their email address.

Use opt-in forms strategically throughout your blog (you can experiment to see what works best here for you and your readers), promote your newsletter on social media, and you can even run paid ads to encourage sign-ups if you feel this would be of benefit to you.

16 – What Are Some Effective Ways To Monetise My Blog?

Luckily there is a range of different ways to monetise your blog.

This means you can choose whichever monetisation strategies suit you and your niche the best!

In addition to the more “traditional” monetisation methods like advertising and affiliate marketing, there are various other ways you can monetise your blog.

These include sponsored content, offering consulting or coaching services, selling digital products (ebooks, courses, templates etc), creating and selling physical products, and providing subscription-based content.

To dive deeper into the world of blog monetisation, have a look at this post here for more information on blog monetisation strategies.

17 – Should I Focus On Building My Blog’s SEO or Promoting On Social Media?

When it comes to getting your blog seen, both SEO and social media play important roles in driving traffic to your blog and growing your target audience.

Up until recently I would have said SEO (talking Google) was the best thing to focus on, but due to various updates, this may not be the best strategy for all bloggers now.

Social Media is more of an active way to grow your blog as it requires more hands-on marketing (unless opting for paid ads etc) but can be really effective in terms of getting your blog seen.

Focus on creating high-quality, SEO-friendly content that answers questions your audience may have and incorporates relevant keywords

Alongside SEO practices, actively engage with your audience on social media platforms! Share your blog posts, participate in relevant blogging/business communities, and leverage social media advertising to increase your blog’s visibility and engagement.

18 – How Do I Stay Motivated And Overcome Writer’s Block?

Staying motivated and overcoming writer’s block can be challenging for bloggers. Every blogger you speak to will have had this at some stage though so you are not alone if this has happened to you!

The biggest tip to overcome writer’s block is pre-planning out content. 

Do your keyword research and from this, create a content plan so you have your upcoming posts all planned out.

Other things that can help are things such as establishing a consistent writing routine, setting realistic goals, breaking tasks into smaller manageable chunks, and seeking inspiration from other bloggers!

For more information on overcoming writer’s block as a blogger, check out this post!

19 – How Can I Measure The Success Of My Blog?

What success means for your blog will vary depending on your goals and personal/business objectives.

The most common metrics to track include website traffic (unique visitors, sessions and pageviews), engagement (comments, social shares), conversion rates (email sign-ups, sales), and revenue (from advertising, affiliate marketing, product sales etc).

The easiest way to track most of these metrics is to use web analytics tools like Google Analytics and Google Search Console. You can also use plugins on your WordPress website to help show a snapshot of these numbers.

When it comes to monitoring numbers such as affiliate sales, often the best place to check these is through your affiliate homepage for that specific company.

This may be a dashboard if you use a website such as Clickbank, or on the website directly for direct links from Amazon for example.

It’s important to monitor these metrics and make informed decisions to optimise your blog’s performance.

Don’t get caught up in checking all of your metrics all of the time, but keeping an eye every so often can help you see what’s working and what can be altered for better performance.

These are just a few of the common worries and questions about blogging that people have when considering starting a blog.

Each individual may have their own unique concerns based on their specific goals, interests, and circumstances!

If you have any other questions about blogging, please feel free to leave them in the comments below and I’ll answer them as best I can!

For a full post on how to start your own blog, check out this post here!

How To Start A Blog in 2026!

If you are needing a list of daily tasks to focus on as a new blogger, you can find that information here!

Speak soon!

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How to Choose the Right Blog Niche https://katherinemclee.com/how-to-choose-a-niche-for-your-blog/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-choose-a-niche-for-your-blog https://katherinemclee.com/how-to-choose-a-niche-for-your-blog/#comments Tue, 09 May 2023 09:40:07 +0000 http://katherinemclee.com/?p=417 In this post we will go over how to choose a niche for your blog. Starting your own blog is an exciting thing!  Anyone – in theory – can blog about anything.  If you’re blogging as a hobby and wish to blog on a huge range of topics – absolutely go for it! This post is more geared to those who know that either in the near future or distant future, want to make money from their blog. Whether you have chosen to start a blog for yourself or as a business (or a bit of both), will make a difference as to what sort of niche you should go for! You may already know what topics you want to blog about – which is great! It’s worth making sure you can monetise your chosen topic. Nowadays most topics can make you money though, so don’t worry too much! Another way to go is to choose a topic you are already qualified in. Experts – in any field – are always valuable to a reader! But what about those of you who want to start a blog to make money from, but have no idea what to blog about? What are the most profitable blog niches? Can you make money from any niche? If you are wanting to blog as a business, you do need to choose a niche. (I say “need”, you don’t “need” to do anything, but starting with a niche will help you grow SO much faster than if you didn’t have a niche.) Why Should You Choose A Niche For Your Blog? Choosing a niche for your blog is important for several reasons: From the points above you may have an idea of a niche you are interested in.  Your niche can change over time, and that’s okay! In the early stages it will benefit you a lot more to have a fairly strict niche. Keeping the majority of your content within your chosen niche will help Google and other search engines to understand what your blog is about, and who to show it to.  What Are Some Of The Most Popular Blogging Niches? There are countless niches that bloggers can choose from. Choosing something lower competition is always recommended but you can make a success of nearly any niche you choose with the right strategies! Here are some of the most popular niches: These are just a few examples of the most popular niches, but there are countless others that bloggers can explore. The key is to find a niche that aligns with your interests and expertise, and that has the potential to attract a large, enthusiastic audience. There are lots of less popular niches too. If you are really into one small, specific topic, then choose this! The list above is just to give some general ideas to those who need some inspiration. At the bottom of this post I will include a list of different niches for more inspiration to help you to choose a niche for your blog! As much as I said you can choose any niche you like, you can. But there are certain criteria it would be best if your niche could fit. Once you have a list of potential niches, research your target audience. Who are they, and what are they interested in? Understanding your audience’s needs and desires can help you choose a niche that will resonate with them. Plus this makes sure there is an audience out there for your niche! It’s important to check out the competition in your chosen niche. Look at other blogs and websites in your niche and see what they’re doing well and where there are gaps. This can help you determine if your niche is too saturated or if there are opportunities for you to provide something unique. Always do in depth keyword research for any posts. But hitting those long-tail keywords will give you the edge you will need. While you should choose a niche that you’re passionate about, it’s also essential to consider the profitability of your niche. Will there be potential for monetisation through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, or other means? Working out – in advance where possible – how you can monetise your blog when the time is right, will save a lot of heartache in the future if it doesn’t end up being possible.  (This post goes over the most popular ways to monetise your blog.) When choosing a niche, it’s also essential to consider your long-term goals. Do you want to turn your blog into a full-time business? If so, it’s important to choose a niche with growth potential and that can sustain a full-time income. As mentioned above, having a trusted, authoritative blog can set you steps ahead in your niche. Becoming a known and trusted name in your chosen industry can be amazing for expanding your brand into a bigger business if you should choose. Should You “Niche Down” Your Blog Niche? The term niche down refers to having a niche, and making it smaller and even more specific. It can also be known as a micro niche! It depends how much you niche down. All of the niches mentioned above are general/broad niches.  Narrowing down your blog niche can be a smart move if you want to create a blog that truly stands out and attracts a specific audience! All the niches mentioned above are fairly broad niches.  An example of this would be: A blog in the Beauty niche is in a broad niche. Whereas, a blog in the beauty niche but only talks about vegan eye makeup, is a niched down blog niche. Both could be good choices! The vegan eye makeup niche is going to get found on Google sooner, but is more limited in terms of content. Consider your passions and interests, research your target audience, check out the competition, determine the profitability of your niche, and consider your long-term goals. With these tips in mind, you can choose a niche that you’re passionate about and that has the potential to attract a dedicated audience. Niching down isn’t always necessary. It ultimately depends on your goals for your blog and the audience you want to attract. If you want to appeal to a wide range of readers and cover a variety of topics, a broader niche may be the way to go. Ultimately, the most important thing is to create content that you’re passionate about and that resonates with your readers! In summary, choosing a niche for your blog requires careful consideration. Choosing the right blog niche is important for audience engagement, SEO, authority and credibility, monetisation and your own passion and focus. By choosing a niche that you are passionate about and that has a dedicated audience, you can create a successful and fulfilling blog that you can then successfully monetise! Here is a list of niche ideas for any extra inspiration: The most profitable niches are the ones you can have multiple streams of income from. This is more likely in product or service based blogs. You’re far more likely to make money from a gaming equipment niche than a news niche. That said, you just need to work out the right monetisation strategy for you and your blog! I hope this has helped you reach some clarity over the best niche for your new blog! Choosing A Domain Name For Your Niche Once you have chosen a niche for your blog, you can then choose a domain name. I quickly wanted to mention domain name choices. As long as you don’t lock your niche into your domain name, you can always change the niche down the line. You may start off in a really small, specific niche and then want to expand. That is absolutely okay!  The tricky part would be if your domain name had the name of that small niche in the URL. As an example, say I had a blog on gardening.  If I started off in a specific niche and was only talking about rose care or growing tomatoes, I would still stick to something like “katherinesgarden.com” and not “katherineonlygrowstomatoes.com” – if you catch my drift! Leave yourself room for growth – pun intended!  If you are in a micro niche that you have always been passionate about and know there is enough content to keep updating your blog for years to come then of course choose a specific domain name! For the majority of people though, you are better going for a slightly more generic domain name. This then saves you ever feeling like you have run out of content ideas! It also allows you to branch out more than you initially thought you would. Just something to keep in mind! Hopefully this has helped you decide what direction you want to go in with your blog! This post was designed to explain how to choose a niche for your blog. If you already have a blog, did you know what you wanted to blog about before you started your blog? What made you choose the niche you are in now? Are you in a broad niche or more of a micro niche? Let us know in the comments below! Speak soon 📌 Pin for later 📌

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In this post we will go over how to choose a niche for your blog.

Starting your own blog is an exciting thing! 

Anyone – in theory – can blog about anything. 

If you’re blogging as a hobby and wish to blog on a huge range of topics – absolutely go for it!

This post is more geared to those who know that either in the near future or distant future, want to make money from their blog.

Whether you have chosen to start a blog for yourself or as a business (or a bit of both), will make a difference as to what sort of niche you should go for!

You may already know what topics you want to blog about – which is great!

It’s worth making sure you can monetise your chosen topic. Nowadays most topics can make you money though, so don’t worry too much!

Another way to go is to choose a topic you are already qualified in. Experts – in any field – are always valuable to a reader!

But what about those of you who want to start a blog to make money from, but have no idea what to blog about?

What are the most profitable blog niches?

Can you make money from any niche?

If you are wanting to blog as a business, you do need to choose a niche.

(I say “need”, you don’t “need” to do anything, but starting with a niche will help you grow SO much faster than if you didn’t have a niche.)

Why Should You Choose A Niche For Your Blog?

Choosing a niche for your blog is important for several reasons:

  1. When you choose a specific niche, you are targeting a specific audience who are interested in that particular topic. Often referred to as your target audience. By catering to a specific audience, you can create content that is more relevant and engaging, which can help build a loyal readership. You want people to know and trust your information, and this is a more streamlined process if they can “connect” you to a certain area of expertise. 
  1. By focusing on a specific niche, you can create content that targets specific keywords and phrases related to your niche. Search engine optimization (SEO)! If SEO confuses you, read this simplified explanation which will help clear up any confusion! This can then in turn help improve your search engine rankings, making it easier for your target audience and readers to find your blog.
  1. When you focus on a specific niche, you can establish yourself as an authority in that area. This is when people – and search engines – know that you know what you’re talking about and that the information you are sharing is high-quality! Having authority and credibility in a niche can boost your content ranking as you’ll be seen as a trustworthy source of information. By consistently creating high-quality, informative, and relevant content, you can build credibility and trust with your audience, which can help you grow your blog’s reputation! 
  1. A blog in a specific and defined niche is often more attractive to advertisers and sponsors. This part is key if you are wanting to monetise your blog. Advertisers are usually looking for blogs with specific audiences. If your blog has a clearly defined niche, you may be more likely to attract advertisers or sponsors who want to reach that audience. For example if you’re in the food niche for your blog, you’re more likely to get an advertiser promoting kitchenware, than lawnmowers! 
  1. Choosing a niche that you’re passionate about and interested in is crucial. It can help you stay motivated and focused on your blog. Blogging requires consistent effort over time. It’s honestly such a long game! This means it’s important to choose a niche that you enjoy and can sustain your interest over the long term. Passion and focus will help so much when you are constantly creating new and fresh content for your blog! Blogging requires a lot of time and effort, so it’s essential to choose a topic that you genuinely enjoy and are willing to invest time in. Consider your hobbies, interests, and skills when choosing a niche.

From the points above you may have an idea of a niche you are interested in. 

Your niche can change over time, and that’s okay! In the early stages it will benefit you a lot more to have a fairly strict niche. Keeping the majority of your content within your chosen niche will help Google and other search engines to understand what your blog is about, and who to show it to. 

What Are Some Of The Most Popular Blogging Niches?

There are countless niches that bloggers can choose from. Choosing something lower competition is always recommended but you can make a success of nearly any niche you choose with the right strategies!

Here are some of the most popular niches:

  1. Personal development and self-improvement. This niche is huge for 2023! It covers topics related to self-improvement, personal growth, and lifestyle habits and changes.
  1. Health and wellness. This blog niche covers topics related to physical and mental health, nutrition, fitness, and wellness. Be careful offering nutritional advice etc if you’re not qualified to do so, but sharing a love of health and fitness is always popular!
  1. Travel. The travel niche covers topics related to travel destinations, tips, and guides for travellers.
  1. Finance and money. This niche covers topics related to personal finance, investing, saving, and making money. Again, please be careful to only offer specific financial advice if qualified to do so. If you aren’t qualified but still want to go into the financial niche, saving tips and ways to budget could be the way to go!
  1. Technology. This niche covers topics related to technology news, reviews, tutorials, and guides. As technology is always moving on, there are never ending posts to be written here!
  1. Beauty and fashion. The beauty and fashion niches cover topics related to fashion trends, makeup, skincare, haircare, and beauty products. A fashion niche may be a little hard going due to its immense popularity over recent years, but don’t let that put you off if that’s your chosen niche!
  1. Food and recipes. This niche covers topics related to recipes, cooking techniques, food trends, and food photography. Again food blogging niches are highly popular, but finding a way to put your own spin on your recipes may just be what someone is looking for! 
  1. Parenting and family. The parenting or family niche can cover topics related to parenting, family dynamics, education, and child development. People will always need this!
  1. Entertainment. The entertainment niche covers topics related to movies, TV shows, music, and celebrity news. With there always being new movies and TV shows etc coming out, there is again a never ending supply of content that can be written.
  1. DIY and home improvement. This niche covers topics related to home improvement, interior design, DIY projects, and home decor. DIYs and crafts have also gained a lot of popularity in recent years! Be it home improvement or seasonal decor.
  1. Pets. The pet niche covers topics related to pet care, pet wellness, product reviews, and even stories and videos. 

These are just a few examples of the most popular niches, but there are countless others that bloggers can explore. The key is to find a niche that aligns with your interests and expertise, and that has the potential to attract a large, enthusiastic audience.

There are lots of less popular niches too. If you are really into one small, specific topic, then choose this! The list above is just to give some general ideas to those who need some inspiration.

At the bottom of this post I will include a list of different niches for more inspiration to help you to choose a niche for your blog!

As much as I said you can choose any niche you like, you can. But there are certain criteria it would be best if your niche could fit.

  1. Research Your Target Audience

Once you have a list of potential niches, research your target audience. Who are they, and what are they interested in? Understanding your audience’s needs and desires can help you choose a niche that will resonate with them. Plus this makes sure there is an audience out there for your niche!

  1. Check Out The Competition

It’s important to check out the competition in your chosen niche. Look at other blogs and websites in your niche and see what they’re doing well and where there are gaps. This can help you determine if your niche is too saturated or if there are opportunities for you to provide something unique. Always do in depth keyword research for any posts. But hitting those long-tail keywords will give you the edge you will need.

  1. Work Out How You Can Monetise

While you should choose a niche that you’re passionate about, it’s also essential to consider the profitability of your niche. Will there be potential for monetisation through affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, or other means? Working out – in advance where possible – how you can monetise your blog when the time is right, will save a lot of heartache in the future if it doesn’t end up being possible. 

(This post goes over the most popular ways to monetise your blog.)

  1. Consider Your Long-term Goals

When choosing a niche, it’s also essential to consider your long-term goals. Do you want to turn your blog into a full-time business? If so, it’s important to choose a niche with growth potential and that can sustain a full-time income.

As mentioned above, having a trusted, authoritative blog can set you steps ahead in your niche. Becoming a known and trusted name in your chosen industry can be amazing for expanding your brand into a bigger business if you should choose.

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Should You “Niche Down” Your Blog Niche?

The term niche down refers to having a niche, and making it smaller and even more specific. It can also be known as a micro niche! It depends how much you niche down.

All of the niches mentioned above are general/broad niches. 

Narrowing down your blog niche can be a smart move if you want to create a blog that truly stands out and attracts a specific audience!

All the niches mentioned above are fairly broad niches. 

An example of this would be:

A blog in the Beauty niche is in a broad niche.

Whereas, a blog in the beauty niche but only talks about vegan eye makeup, is a niched down blog niche.

Both could be good choices! The vegan eye makeup niche is going to get found on Google sooner, but is more limited in terms of content.

Consider your passions and interests, research your target audience, check out the competition, determine the profitability of your niche, and consider your long-term goals. With these tips in mind, you can choose a niche that you’re passionate about and that has the potential to attract a dedicated audience.

Niching down isn’t always necessary. It ultimately depends on your goals for your blog and the audience you want to attract. If you want to appeal to a wide range of readers and cover a variety of topics, a broader niche may be the way to go. Ultimately, the most important thing is to create content that you’re passionate about and that resonates with your readers!

In summary, choosing a niche for your blog requires careful consideration. Choosing the right blog niche is important for audience engagement, SEO, authority and credibility, monetisation and your own passion and focus. By choosing a niche that you are passionate about and that has a dedicated audience, you can create a successful and fulfilling blog that you can then successfully monetise!

Here is a list of niche ideas for any extra inspiration:

  • Personal development
  • Health and wellness
  • Beauty and skincare
  • Parenting and family
  • Home organisation and cleaning
  • Cooking and recipes
  • Travel and tourism
  • Personal finance and budgeting
  • Entrepreneurship and small business
  • Fashion and style
  • DIY and home improvement
  • Education and teaching
  • Entertainment and pop culture
  • Book reviews and recommendations
  • Gaming
  • Mental health and self-care
  • Fitness and exercise
  • Sports and outdoor activities
  • Music and concerts
  •  Art and design
  • Gardening and landscaping
  • Green living and sustainability
  •  Productivity and time management
  •  Photography and videography
  •  Technology and gadget reviews
  •  Personal branding and marketing
  • Social media and digital marketing
  • Career advice and job search tips
  • Online courses and education
  • Pet care and animal lovers
  • Food and drink
  • Wedding planning and inspiration
  • Event planning and hosting
  • Interior design and home decor
  • Beauty and makeup tutorials
  • Faith and spirituality
  • Fashion and accessories
  • Hobbies and crafts
  • Cars and car problem troubleshooting
  • Languages and linguistics
  • Self-defence and martial arts
  • History and culture
  • Weather and climate
  • Science and technology
  • Alternative medicine and holistic health
  • Philosophy and ethics
  • Environmental issues and conservation
  • Personal finance and investing
  • Life hacks and productivity tips
  • Education and career
  • Food and drink reviews
  • Creativity and art
  • Science news and analysis
  • Yoga and meditation guides
  • Entrepreneurship and small business advice
  • Social media and content creation tips
  • Influencer marketing and brand partnerships
  • Photography tips and tutorials
  • Digital art and design tutorials
  • Creative writing and storytelling
  • Poetry and literature
  • Foreign language learning and resources
  • Wine and spirits reviews and guides
  • Science fiction and fantasy literature and media
  • Celebrity fashion
  • Health and wellness product reviews
  • Financial planning
  • Outdoor activities and adventure sports
  • World travel and cultural exploration
  • Lifestyle and culture trends and analysis

The most profitable niches are the ones you can have multiple streams of income from. This is more likely in product or service based blogs. You’re far more likely to make money from a gaming equipment niche than a news niche. That said, you just need to work out the right monetisation strategy for you and your blog!

I hope this has helped you reach some clarity over the best niche for your new blog!

Choosing A Domain Name For Your Niche

Once you have chosen a niche for your blog, you can then choose a domain name.

I quickly wanted to mention domain name choices.

As long as you don’t lock your niche into your domain name, you can always change the niche down the line. You may start off in a really small, specific niche and then want to expand. That is absolutely okay! 

The tricky part would be if your domain name had the name of that small niche in the URL.

As an example, say I had a blog on gardening. 

If I started off in a specific niche and was only talking about rose care or growing tomatoes, I would still stick to something like “katherinesgarden.com” and not “katherineonlygrowstomatoes.com” – if you catch my drift!

Leave yourself room for growth – pun intended! 

If you are in a micro niche that you have always been passionate about and know there is enough content to keep updating your blog for years to come then of course choose a specific domain name!

For the majority of people though, you are better going for a slightly more generic domain name. This then saves you ever feeling like you have run out of content ideas! It also allows you to branch out more than you initially thought you would.

Just something to keep in mind!

Hopefully this has helped you decide what direction you want to go in with your blog!

This post was designed to explain how to choose a niche for your blog.

If you already have a blog, did you know what you wanted to blog about before you started your blog?

What made you choose the niche you are in now?

Are you in a broad niche or more of a micro niche?

Let us know in the comments below!

Speak soon

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What Are Domains and Hosting? Simplified Explaination https://katherinemclee.com/what-are-domains-and-hosting/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-are-domains-and-hosting https://katherinemclee.com/what-are-domains-and-hosting/#comments Sun, 30 Apr 2023 19:36:11 +0000 https://katherinemclee.com/?p=6349 In this post we will answer the question: What Are Domains And Hosting? When it comes to creating a website, there are two terms that often cause confusion: domains and hosting. People often use them as one term “domains and hosting”, but both domains and hosting are very separate things!  While both are essential parts of a website, they serve very different purposes.  In this blog post, we’ll go through the differences between domains and hosting, and why understanding these differences is crucial for anyone who wants to create a website.  Whether you’re a business owner, blogger, or just someone curious about the world of websites, this post will provide you with valuable insights into the key elements of website creation! (Don’t panic if you aren’t overly technically minded, I’ll be going over the basis of domains and hosting as to why they are useful and how they work together, more so than all the technical ways of how they work!) So to begin we need to go back to the basics of a website itself… What Is A Website? A website is a collection of digital pages that can be accessed through the internet. These pages can contain text, images, videos, and other types of content, often structured in a fairly organised or cohesive way. Think of a website like a book. Each page of the book contains information that’s related to the overall theme or topic of the book. Similarly, each page of a website contains information that’s related to the overall purpose of the website. When you visit a website, you can navigate between pages by clicking on links or using a menu. This allows you to explore the content of the website and find the information that you’re looking for. Websites can be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as sharing information, selling products or services, providing entertainment, or connecting people with common interests. Many businesses and individual people use websites as a way to establish their online presence and reach a wider audience. We often use the terms “blog” and “website” interchangeably and for the most part that’s true. All blogs are websites but not all websites are blogs.  A blog is a website where someone (or a team of people) can share thoughts, ideas, knowledge, experiences or opinions! Blogs are often regularly updated with new posts and new information.  Websites are the general term for ANY page on the internet. This could be a blog, a niche website, a shop, a personal branding page etc! Some may have a separate blog page too. For more information on the differences between a blog and a niche website, check out this post here. What Are Website Domains? A website domain is the unique address that people use to find your website on the internet. It’s like your website’s phone number or address. For example, Google’s domain name is “google.com” or my blog here is “katherinemclee.com”.  Every website on the internet has a domain name, which is made up of two parts: the name and the extension. The name is the part that you choose for your website, such as “mywebsite.” The extension is the part that comes after the name, such as “.com”, “.co.uk” or “.org”. There are many different extensions available so when you are buying a domain name for your website, you can choose which extension you like and that suits your website best. When someone types your website domain name into their web browser, it sends a request to the server where your website is hosted. The server then sends your website files back to the user’s browser, which displays the website on their screen. Simple as that! Think of a website domain like the address of a house. Just as you need an address to find a physical location, you need a domain name to find a website on the internet. Without a domain name, people wouldn’t know where to go to find your website. You need both domains and hosting to have a visible website on the internet! You can purchase a domain name from various places such as HostGator or GoDaddy. Once on their website you can check if your chosen domain name is available, and then purchase it! A domain is one major part of a website, a second part is of course, hosting. So… What Is Website Hosting? Website hosting is like renting a space to store your website and make it accessible and findable to others on the internet. Think of it like renting a space on the internet where your website can live! Just like you need a physical space to store your belongings, your website needs a digital space to store its files, images, code and content. Website hosting companies provide this space on their servers, which are powerful computers that are always connected to the internet. When someone types in your website’s address or URL, their computer connects to the server where your website is hosted, and the server sends your website’s files to their computer, allowing them to view your website. When you choose a hosting provider, you’ll usually pay a small amount to use their servers and services. Just as you would pay rent for a physical space! Once your website is hosted, anyone can access it by typing in your website address or domain name into their web browser. Website hosting companies offer different plans based on the size and needs of your website. They also provide security measures and technical support to ensure that your website runs smoothly and is accessible to visitors at all times! It’s imperative to find a hosting company with amazing customer service to make your website running and ownership a lot more enjoyable. You can start off with a low-cost hosting plan and upgrade as your blog/website grows.  Choosing a low-cost but reliable and dependable hosting company is key for new bloggers and website owners.  I started off on HostGator and as of this post going live I still use them, even after upgrading a while back. I would always recommend them to anyone wanting their own website or blog! Plus they are amazingly affordable considering you get 24/7 live chat website assistance! How Does A Free Blog Work? A free blog is a type of blog that you can create and use without paying any money.  When you create a free blog, you will be provided with a subdomain or a free website address, which will usually include the name of the blogging service in the URL. For example, if you create a blog on Blogger, your website address might look like “yourblogname.blogspot.com”. Free blogs usually have limited features and customisation options compared to self-hosted blogs. However, they can be a good option for beginners or casual bloggers who want to experiment with blogging without investing any money!  A thing to note with a free blog is that the service you sign up with (e.g. blogger), owns your website. You can carry on using it and customising it as much as you like, but you don’t own it. Your website will stay up for as long as you/they choose. For anyone serious about blogging or wanting the security of owning your website, you need a self hosted website. What Is A Self-Hosted Website? Hosted and self-hosted are terms that also get used interchangeably. Including by me!  True “self hosted” websites are way over my head lol so each time I talk about a self hosted website or blog, I mean hosted. This is common to see so don’t panic if you see the term “self hosted” but someone then refers to a hosting company. Self hosted websites and hosted websites are technically different things though which I shall quickly explain.  A hosted website is a website that is stored on a server owned by a hosting service provider such as HostGator. This means that you don’t have to worry about setting up your own server or managing the technical aspects of your website. This is what a lot of us call “self hosted”, where in reality these are just HOSTED websites.  With a hosted website, you pay a fee to your hosting service to store your website files and data on their server as mentioned above. The hosting service is responsible for maintaining the server and ensuring that your website is accessible to your readers – and you! This is by far the easiest and most popular hosting option when it comes to “self hosted” websites!  A true self-hosted website on the other hand is a website that you set up and maintain on your own. Without using a web hosting company’s services. This means that you will need to provide your own server, which can be a physical server or a virtual private server (VPS). With a self-hosted website, you have complete control over your website. This includes content, design, and functionality. You can choose which software and applications to use, and you can customise your website to meet your specific needs. However, you will also be responsible for maintaining and securing your server, which can be time-consuming and technically challenging. Definitely not for the faint of heart or for anyone not up to speed with self hosting! In summary: A Website is the collection of pages you see under one domain name. A Domain Name is the address to reach that particular website. Hosting is the space you rent from a hosting company so that your website has its own place on the internet! If you have any questions on domains, hosting, blogs or self hosted websites, leave them in the comments below and I will do my best to get back to you and answer as best I can! If you are looking for more information on the top tools recommended to new bloggers, you can find that list here! Did you start off on a free blog or jump straight to a self hosted (hosted!) blog? Let me know in the comments below! Speak soon! 📌 Pin for later 📌

The post What Are Domains and Hosting? Simplified Explaination appeared first on Katherine McLee.

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In this post we will answer the question: What Are Domains And Hosting?

When it comes to creating a website, there are two terms that often cause confusion: domains and hosting. People often use them as one term “domains and hosting”, but both domains and hosting are very separate things! 

While both are essential parts of a website, they serve very different purposes. 

In this blog post, we’ll go through the differences between domains and hosting, and why understanding these differences is crucial for anyone who wants to create a website. 

Whether you’re a business owner, blogger, or just someone curious about the world of websites, this post will provide you with valuable insights into the key elements of website creation!

(Don’t panic if you aren’t overly technically minded, I’ll be going over the basis of domains and hosting as to why they are useful and how they work together, more so than all the technical ways of how they work!)

So to begin we need to go back to the basics of a website itself…

What Is A Website?

A website is a collection of digital pages that can be accessed through the internet. These pages can contain text, images, videos, and other types of content, often structured in a fairly organised or cohesive way.

Think of a website like a book. Each page of the book contains information that’s related to the overall theme or topic of the book. Similarly, each page of a website contains information that’s related to the overall purpose of the website.

When you visit a website, you can navigate between pages by clicking on links or using a menu. This allows you to explore the content of the website and find the information that you’re looking for.

Websites can be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as sharing information, selling products or services, providing entertainment, or connecting people with common interests. Many businesses and individual people use websites as a way to establish their online presence and reach a wider audience.

We often use the terms “blog” and “website” interchangeably and for the most part that’s true. All blogs are websites but not all websites are blogs. 

A blog is a website where someone (or a team of people) can share thoughts, ideas, knowledge, experiences or opinions! Blogs are often regularly updated with new posts and new information. 

Websites are the general term for ANY page on the internet. This could be a blog, a niche website, a shop, a personal branding page etc! Some may have a separate blog page too.

For more information on the differences between a blog and a niche website, check out this post here.

What Are Website Domains?

A website domain is the unique address that people use to find your website on the internet. It’s like your website’s phone number or address. For example, Google’s domain name is “google.com” or my blog here is “katherinemclee.com”. 

Every website on the internet has a domain name, which is made up of two parts: the name and the extension. The name is the part that you choose for your website, such as “mywebsite.”

The extension is the part that comes after the name, such as “.com”, “.co.uk” or “.org”. There are many different extensions available so when you are buying a domain name for your website, you can choose which extension you like and that suits your website best.

When someone types your website domain name into their web browser, it sends a request to the server where your website is hosted. The server then sends your website files back to the user’s browser, which displays the website on their screen. Simple as that!

Think of a website domain like the address of a house. Just as you need an address to find a physical location, you need a domain name to find a website on the internet. Without a domain name, people wouldn’t know where to go to find your website. You need both domains and hosting to have a visible website on the internet!

You can purchase a domain name from various places such as HostGator or GoDaddy. Once on their website you can check if your chosen domain name is available, and then purchase it!

A domain is one major part of a website, a second part is of course, hosting.

So…

What Is Website Hosting?

Website hosting is like renting a space to store your website and make it accessible and findable to others on the internet. Think of it like renting a space on the internet where your website can live!

Just like you need a physical space to store your belongings, your website needs a digital space to store its files, images, code and content.

Website hosting companies provide this space on their servers, which are powerful computers that are always connected to the internet. When someone types in your website’s address or URL, their computer connects to the server where your website is hosted, and the server sends your website’s files to their computer, allowing them to view your website.

When you choose a hosting provider, you’ll usually pay a small amount to use their servers and services. Just as you would pay rent for a physical space!

Once your website is hosted, anyone can access it by typing in your website address or domain name into their web browser.

Website hosting companies offer different plans based on the size and needs of your website. They also provide security measures and technical support to ensure that your website runs smoothly and is accessible to visitors at all times! It’s imperative to find a hosting company with amazing customer service to make your website running and ownership a lot more enjoyable.

You can start off with a low-cost hosting plan and upgrade as your blog/website grows. 

Choosing a low-cost but reliable and dependable hosting company is key for new bloggers and website owners. 

I started off on HostGator and as of this post going live I still use them, even after upgrading a while back. I would always recommend them to anyone wanting their own website or blog! Plus they are amazingly affordable considering you get 24/7 live chat website assistance!

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How Does A Free Blog Work?

A free blog is a type of blog that you can create and use without paying any money. 

When you create a free blog, you will be provided with a subdomain or a free website address, which will usually include the name of the blogging service in the URL. For example, if you create a blog on Blogger, your website address might look like “yourblogname.blogspot.com”.

Free blogs usually have limited features and customisation options compared to self-hosted blogs. However, they can be a good option for beginners or casual bloggers who want to experiment with blogging without investing any money! 

A thing to note with a free blog is that the service you sign up with (e.g. blogger), owns your website. You can carry on using it and customising it as much as you like, but you don’t own it. Your website will stay up for as long as you/they choose.

For anyone serious about blogging or wanting the security of owning your website, you need a self hosted website.

What Is A Self-Hosted Website?

Hosted and self-hosted are terms that also get used interchangeably. Including by me! 

True “self hosted” websites are way over my head lol so each time I talk about a self hosted website or blog, I mean hosted.

This is common to see so don’t panic if you see the term “self hosted” but someone then refers to a hosting company.

Self hosted websites and hosted websites are technically different things though which I shall quickly explain. 

A hosted website is a website that is stored on a server owned by a hosting service provider such as HostGator. This means that you don’t have to worry about setting up your own server or managing the technical aspects of your website. This is what a lot of us call “self hosted”, where in reality these are just HOSTED websites. 

With a hosted website, you pay a fee to your hosting service to store your website files and data on their server as mentioned above. The hosting service is responsible for maintaining the server and ensuring that your website is accessible to your readers – and you!

This is by far the easiest and most popular hosting option when it comes to “self hosted” websites! 

A true self-hosted website on the other hand is a website that you set up and maintain on your own. Without using a web hosting company’s services. This means that you will need to provide your own server, which can be a physical server or a virtual private server (VPS).

With a self-hosted website, you have complete control over your website. This includes content, design, and functionality. You can choose which software and applications to use, and you can customise your website to meet your specific needs. However, you will also be responsible for maintaining and securing your server, which can be time-consuming and technically challenging.

Definitely not for the faint of heart or for anyone not up to speed with self hosting!

In summary:

A Website is the collection of pages you see under one domain name.

A Domain Name is the address to reach that particular website.

Hosting is the space you rent from a hosting company so that your website has its own place on the internet!

If you have any questions on domains, hosting, blogs or self hosted websites, leave them in the comments below and I will do my best to get back to you and answer as best I can!

If you are looking for more information on the top tools recommended to new bloggers, you can find that list here!

Did you start off on a free blog or jump straight to a self hosted (hosted!) blog?

Let me know in the comments below!

Speak soon!

Katherine McLee signature black and white

📌 Pin for later 📌

The post What Are Domains and Hosting? Simplified Explaination appeared first on Katherine McLee.

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Reasons To Start A Completely Free Blog In 2026 https://katherinemclee.com/reasons-to-start-a-completely-free-blog/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=reasons-to-start-a-completely-free-blog https://katherinemclee.com/reasons-to-start-a-completely-free-blog/#comments Wed, 12 Apr 2023 10:30:40 +0000 https://katherinemclee.com/?p=5949 Reasons To Start A Completely Free Blog In 2026. On this blog we talk a lot about starting your own blog! We discuss all things Hosting, Domains, the best Blog themes, Keyword research, Google SEO, Legal Pages to make sure your blog is completly covered and legal/safe, and various other things. For the majority of people I would always recommend a self hosted blog. But what about the people who don’t want to have their blog as a business?   There are of course people who don’t want to make money from their blog. There are a few reasons why you may want to start a free blog! Blogs are an amazing way to express your own thoughts if you want it as an online journal without having to worry about making any money from it. Deciding early on not to make an income from your blog can take the pressure off really trying to promote and grow your blog. This can help you take it a lot easier when it comes to blog promotion and the likes! You may not want to learn about SEO or want to track your analytics all the time. A free blog would give you the opportunity to get your thoughts out but without worrying about the monetary or business side of things. Here I’ll go over the main reasons someone may want to start a blog for free.     Not Realising You Can Own Your Own Blog This one isn’t a choice for starting a free blog, but may be the reason why you do.   The world of blogs and self hosted websites can seem confusing at times. Especially if you’re new to it! Due to having to pay for a domain name and hosting if you did go down the self hosted route, if you have ever googled “how to start a blog for free”, you will have been shown a load of the free blogging platforms. This is where it can get tricky if you do want to make money from your blog. It can be easy in the early days to choose a free blogging platform without realising there is a difference between those and self hosted blogs.   No Disposable Income For A Blog One of the most common reasons why you may want to start a completely free blog is if you have no spare money to invest into your blog.   As much as starting a blog doesn’t cost much, it of course does cost something. And that something is more than some people have! If you don’t have any spare money to invest into your blog, a free blog is of course the right option for you. I would always highly recommend starting a self hosted blog if you can, but if this isn’t possible, the free options are of course there.   If you are looking to start a blog to earn an income you can focus on growing your audience and your branding in the meantime. To earn decent money you will need a self hosted blog but they start at just a few pounds/dollars a month when you can afford this. A domain can be bought for around £20 for the year!   Unsure If You Will Like it Long Term You may have never blogged before! If you love the sound of owning and running a blog but you have never blogged before, you may opt to go for a free blog to begin with.   Having a free blog will give you a good taste of what it’s like to run a blog and create content. It won’t show you all the ins and outs of a self hosted blog but it will absolutely give you an idea as to whether writing blog posts is for you. You will have a more limited selection of settings you can customise and change on a free blogging platform, but it will allow you to change enough to show you how to customise your own blog.   If you are absolutely sure you want to have a blog as a business, then go for self hosted. If you are looking to try it out and see if blogging is for you, then get a free blog and have a play around with it! Enjoy creating content, uploading images, changing colours and fonts and settings. If you do love it, you can then set up your own self hosted website. If you aren’t too sure or are happy with your free blog, you can of course keep this for the time being too!   Technology Worries You You absolutely do not need to be overly technically minded to have your own self hosted blog! However, there are of course technical elements to owning your own blog and linking up your domain and hosting etc. (This is another reason why it’s SO important to have a decent hosting company as they can help you if you ever need them.) I believe pretty much anyone can set up their own self hosted blog. In saying that, if the thought of that scares you, opt for a free blog.   If technology really worries you, absolutely choose a completely free blog and you don’t have to worry about the technological side of things! With a free blogging platform, it will have a user-friendly interface and step-by-step guide to walk you through the process of setting up your blog. You will be able to choose from a range of pre-designed templates, or you can customise your blog’s layout and design to suit your preferences. This way you can still customise your blog, but without having spent any money, and without worrying about the technical side of things. Don’t let the fear of technology stop you from starting a blog! Enjoy your blog fear free!   You Are Too Young Due to the fact that all self hosted websites require payment for a domain name and hosting, you need to be over a certain age to buy these things. A free blog is perfect for you if you are younger and want your own online blog to journal, or to share reviews and ideas. If you’re wondering how to start a blog as a teenager, the easiest way to start a blog for free is to pick a free blogging platform like wordpress.com or blogger, and get started! You can still customise your blog with your chosen colours, layouts and themes but without having to pay for a self hosted website! If you love it you can always upgrade down the line or start a second self hosted blog!   Blogging can be an amazing way to get your thoughts out and share your own thoughts and opinions – free blog or not! Blogging is also an amazing way to improve your writing skills. By writing blog posts regularly, you can develop your writing style, learn how to structure your ideas, and develop your own voice. Blogging can also help you to become more comfortable with sharing your ideas and receiving feedback from others. It gets you into the world of content creation, without any expenses or overheads!   You Are Wanting A Blog Purely As A Journal Or Hobby If your reasoning for wanting to start a blog is to have it as an online journal or as an outlet, a free blog may be the perfect choice. A perfect reason for wanting to start a blog for free may be that you want to share personal thoughts. Topics that can’t be monetised (such as personal thoughts) are ideal on a free blog.   You may also not want to worry about ever having to turn your blog into a business or learn how to make money from your blog. Again in this situation, a free blog would be absolutely ideal for you. It would be perfect if you are wanting to be able to share more personal experiences and not have worries over anything too technical. It would also be perfect if you wanted it as a way to create content to share with select people without the worry of having to learn SEO to have your posts found on Google. For blogs with a more personal feel, a free blog may be the perfect choice for you!   You Want To Blog Completely Anonymously We touched on anonymous blogging in this post here. You may be wondering if you can start an anonymous blog for free and the answer is yes. As you don’t need to buy a domain name or any hosting, you can sign up under an email address that doesn’t reveal your name and keep your identity hidden. Some blogging platforms have specific ways to set up anonymous blogs which is an option too!   Even on a standard free blogging platform you can have your own safe space on the internet without your identity attached to it. You may be wanting to document a health journey, weight loss/gain journey or different type of difficult journey. There may be reasons relating to your job as to why you don’t want your identity on your personal blog. Of course check any rules relating to this but these are just some options as to why you may want to start a free blog anonymously. Those are the top reasons why someone may want to start a completely free blog in 2026!   I know I’ve mentioned this a few times but if you do want to earn an income from your blog – even down the line – please aim for a self hosted blog where possible. Free blogs absolutely have their place as mentioned above, but if you are able to, self hosted will give you a lot more freedom, as you will own your own website. Did you start off on a free or self hosted blog? Did you realise there was a difference between them when you first started your blog? Let me know in the comments below! Speak soon! 📌 Pin for later 📌

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Reasons To Start A Completely Free Blog In 2026.

On this blog we talk a lot about starting your own blog!

We discuss all things Hosting, Domains, the best Blog themes, Keyword research, Google SEO, Legal Pages to make sure your blog is completly covered and legal/safe, and various other things.

For the majority of people I would always recommend a self hosted blog.

But what about the people who don’t want to have their blog as a business?

There are of course people who don’t want to make money from their blog.

There are a few reasons why you may want to start a free blog!

Blogs are an amazing way to express your own thoughts if you want it as an online journal without having to worry about making any money from it.

Deciding early on not to make an income from your blog can take the pressure off really trying to promote and grow your blog. This can help you take it a lot easier when it comes to blog promotion and the likes!

You may not want to learn about SEO or want to track your analytics all the time. A free blog would give you the opportunity to get your thoughts out but without worrying about the monetary or business side of things.

Here I’ll go over the main reasons someone may want to start a blog for free.

 

Not Realising You Can Own Your Own Blog

This one isn’t a choice for starting a free blog, but may be the reason why you do.

The world of blogs and self hosted websites can seem confusing at times. Especially if you’re new to it!

Due to having to pay for a domain name and hosting if you did go down the self hosted route, if you have ever googled “how to start a blog for free”, you will have been shown a load of the free blogging platforms.

This is where it can get tricky if you do want to make money from your blog. It can be easy in the early days to choose a free blogging platform without realising there is a difference between those and self hosted blogs.

No Disposable Income For A Blog

One of the most common reasons why you may want to start a completely free blog is if you have no spare money to invest into your blog.

As much as starting a blog doesn’t cost much, it of course does cost something.

And that something is more than some people have!

If you don’t have any spare money to invest into your blog, a free blog is of course the right option for you.

I would always highly recommend starting a self hosted blog if you can, but if this isn’t possible, the free options are of course there.

If you are looking to start a blog to earn an income you can focus on growing your audience and your branding in the meantime.

To earn decent money you will need a self hosted blog but they start at just a few pounds/dollars a month when you can afford this. A domain can be bought for around £20 for the year!

Unsure If You Will Like it Long Term

You may have never blogged before!

If you love the sound of owning and running a blog but you have never blogged before, you may opt to go for a free blog to begin with.

Having a free blog will give you a good taste of what it’s like to run a blog and create content.

It won’t show you all the ins and outs of a self hosted blog but it will absolutely give you an idea as to whether writing blog posts is for you.

You will have a more limited selection of settings you can customise and change on a free blogging platform, but it will allow you to change enough to show you how to customise your own blog.

If you are absolutely sure you want to have a blog as a business, then go for self hosted.

If you are looking to try it out and see if blogging is for you, then get a free blog and have a play around with it!

Enjoy creating content, uploading images, changing colours and fonts and settings.

If you do love it, you can then set up your own self hosted website.

If you aren’t too sure or are happy with your free blog, you can of course keep this for the time being too!

Technology Worries You

You absolutely do not need to be overly technically minded to have your own self hosted blog!

However, there are of course technical elements to owning your own blog and linking up your domain and hosting etc. (This is another reason why it’s SO important to have a decent hosting company as they can help you if you ever need them.)

I believe pretty much anyone can set up their own self hosted blog. In saying that, if the thought of that scares you, opt for a free blog.

If technology really worries you, absolutely choose a completely free blog and you don’t have to worry about the technological side of things!

With a free blogging platform, it will have a user-friendly interface and step-by-step guide to walk you through the process of setting up your blog.

You will be able to choose from a range of pre-designed templates, or you can customise your blog’s layout and design to suit your preferences.

This way you can still customise your blog, but without having spent any money, and without worrying about the technical side of things.

Don’t let the fear of technology stop you from starting a blog!

Enjoy your blog fear free!

You Are Too Young

Due to the fact that all self hosted websites require payment for a domain name and hosting, you need to be over a certain age to buy these things.

A free blog is perfect for you if you are younger and want your own online blog to journal, or to share reviews and ideas.

If you’re wondering how to start a blog as a teenager, the easiest way to start a blog for free is to pick a free blogging platform like wordpress.com or blogger, and get started!

You can still customise your blog with your chosen colours, layouts and themes but without having to pay for a self hosted website!

If you love it you can always upgrade down the line or start a second self hosted blog!

Blogging can be an amazing way to get your thoughts out and share your own thoughts and opinions – free blog or not!

Blogging is also an amazing way to improve your writing skills. By writing blog posts regularly, you can develop your writing style, learn how to structure your ideas, and develop your own voice.

Blogging can also help you to become more comfortable with sharing your ideas and receiving feedback from others.

It gets you into the world of content creation, without any expenses or overheads!

You Are Wanting A Blog Purely As A Journal Or Hobby

If your reasoning for wanting to start a blog is to have it as an online journal or as an outlet, a free blog may be the perfect choice.

A perfect reason for wanting to start a blog for free may be that you want to share personal thoughts. Topics that can’t be monetised (such as personal thoughts) are ideal on a free blog.

You may also not want to worry about ever having to turn your blog into a business or learn how to make money from your blog.

Again in this situation, a free blog would be absolutely ideal for you.

It would be perfect if you are wanting to be able to share more personal experiences and not have worries over anything too technical. It would also be perfect if you wanted it as a way to create content to share with select people without the worry of having to learn SEO to have your posts found on Google.

For blogs with a more personal feel, a free blog may be the perfect choice for you!

You Want To Blog Completely Anonymously

We touched on anonymous blogging in this post here.

You may be wondering if you can start an anonymous blog for free and the answer is yes.

As you don’t need to buy a domain name or any hosting, you can sign up under an email address that doesn’t reveal your name and keep your identity hidden.

Some blogging platforms have specific ways to set up anonymous blogs which is an option too!

Even on a standard free blogging platform you can have your own safe space on the internet without your identity attached to it.

You may be wanting to document a health journey, weight loss/gain journey or different type of difficult journey.

There may be reasons relating to your job as to why you don’t want your identity on your personal blog.

Of course check any rules relating to this but these are just some options as to why you may want to start a free blog anonymously.

Those are the top reasons why someone may want to start a completely free blog in 2026!

I know I’ve mentioned this a few times but if you do want to earn an income from your blog – even down the line – please aim for a self hosted blog where possible.

Free blogs absolutely have their place as mentioned above, but if you are able to, self hosted will give you a lot more freedom, as you will own your own website.

Did you start off on a free or self hosted blog?

Did you realise there was a difference between them when you first started your blog?

Let me know in the comments below!

Speak soon!

Katherine McLee signature black and white

📌 Pin for later 📌

37 - Reasons To Start A Completely Free Blog In 2023 katherine mclee

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How to Start a Blog Anonymously in 2026 https://katherinemclee.com/start-a-blog-anonymously/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=start-a-blog-anonymously https://katherinemclee.com/start-a-blog-anonymously/#comments Sun, 26 Mar 2023 15:31:27 +0000 https://katherinemclee.com/?p=5672 How To Start A Blog Anonymously – A Guide For Blogging In 2026. You may be wanting to start a blog but don’t want anyone to know about it. Is it possible to start a blog without showing your face? Definitely! This is where anonymous blogging comes in. It’s not always recommended to blog completely anonymously, but it’s certainly possible and in some cases is the best choice. It will depend on the level of anonymity you are looking to achieve with your blog. I won’t be going into using a VPN to stay completely anonymous online or how to buy a domain anonymously. This post will be to cover blogging but without your name/face being known to the readers! A lower-level of anonymity if you will, but still very effective! Anonymous to your readers, not to the Internet itself. If done correctly, you can still absolutely grow a new blog into something successful. In time you can change over to start showing your name and face. But this is optional depending on your personal wants and circumstances. Why Might You Want To Start A Blog Anonymously? Initially, I think a lot of brand new bloggers want to be able to blog anonymously. Fear of being judged or that people will “comment” on their new venture, makes the thought of wanting to make an anonymous blog a lot more appealing. There’s a difference between wanting to know how to start a blog anonymously, and wanting to blog anonymously forever. By this I mean that a lot of new bloggers don’t want to be linked to their new blog but only in the early stages. After a while you may want to show your face or name! This would mean you don’t put your name over your website. You may not put your picture on your new blog. You may not advertise or promote your new blog on your own social media accounts. This is exactly what I was like with my first ever blog! Even though the people around me were amazing, I initially didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t have anything identifying on my blog and never shared it on social media. I think so many of us worry (too much so!) on what others think or may say. In the early stages it can be tricky as you don’t feel you have the experience to answer their questions or reply to comments. You don’t have to! You are doing this for you. The end. No matter the end goal (as an emotional outlet or wanting to create a hugely successful business), it’s no one else’s choice or business other than your own. You’re doing this for you! Confidence in it will come in time. There is nothing wrong with wanting to keep it all under wraps until you feel more grounded and confident in your decision. I didn’t have a profile picture or name on my first blog for a long time. I then started adding in my name at the end of posts and linked social media accounts. This wasn’t to share on my accounts for people to see, but allowed others to follow me/share things. One step at a time, however you are comfortable. As time goes on though you may find you want to start adding in your name, adding in a picture, sharing the odd post on social media etc too. You can also change usernames and social media handles if required too! If you are blogging under a brand name as opposed to your real name, this won’t be necessary. If you think this will be the case for you, I would recommend setting your blog and any linked social media accounts up now, but keeping it lowkey in the beginning. The anonymity you are looking for at this stage is different to wanting to own a forever-anonymous blog. The next points will be more aimed at those who want to remain completely anonymous throughout their blogging journey/career.   Don’t Put Your Name Anywhere This point may seem obvious but I wanted to mention it in case there was anywhere you hadn’t thought of. If you are wanting to start a blog completely anonymously, you need to make sure your name isn’t anywhere on your blog, or linking to your blog. Of course you won’t have your name in your blog name, in posts or on your “about me” page. Other things to consider though would be not to link an email address that has your real name in. Not using your real name at the end of any email marketing campaigns, or not having your name attached to your “thank you” page from a contact form or pop up. (Funny story; I used to work in customer service and once had an angry customer make a complaint. He was adamant not to give me his name, but when I asked for his contact details his email was (firstname).(surname)@…. ) Not quite so anonymous when you link back to an email or account that has your name in! You can either choose a name to use that’s completely random, or you can use a pseudonym. Pseudonyms are always popular with authors and can be a fun way of expressing yourself and your creativity but without having the pressure of it being linked to your own name. You can of course grow your whole brand around  your pseudonym if this is the more long term route you want to go down and are happy to not have your real name attached! Anonymous Social Media Accounts You have a couple of options when it comes to social media accounts linked to your blog. You have a couple of options here for what you want to do to keep your anonymity. Option 1 is to not have any social media accounts linked to your blog at all. This would be detrimental to any marketing or sharing you or your readers may want to do. Social Media can be one of the best ways to promote a new blog so while this is an option, it’s not an ideal one! The second option is to create brand new social media accounts under your pseudonym or a different username. This way you can grow your blog while being able to promote it! This may take more time as you will be growing new social media accounts while also growing your blog. If you are starting new Social Media accounts for your new blog/business anyway, then this option is ideal! If you are wanting to truly start a blog anonymously, I would advise opting for either of the above options. Using old and established social media accounts and changing username/email could be done, but you would have to remove everyone who knows you off of the accounts anyway, and it may still show up with your name somewhere. To start a blog anonymously, either start brand new anonymous accounts, or don’t link back to any social media accounts.   Use A Platform Designed For Anonymous Blogging There are platforms that are designed specifically for you to start a blog anonymously. They can be good options for running an anonymous blog. You can find anonymous blogging sites. Websites like Ghost and WordPress.com (the free version) give you options to start a blog anonymously. Are they ideal for those wanting to stay completely anonymous? Yes. On the flip side, are they ideal for those who want to fully monetize their blog? No. The option is of course there, but I would only recommend this option to those who absolutely need to stay anonymous for the duration of their blogging journey. That and those who aren’t ever wanting to earn an income from their blog. You can make money with an anonymous blog, but it’s harder. Here’s why… The Downsides Of Blogging Anonymously As with anything, there are pros and cons to each choice. One of the big downsides when you choose to start a blog anonymously is that it becomes a lot trickier to build an audience. People often enjoy blogs because of the personal feel. It’s much tricker to build a relationship with your audience if they have zero idea who’s blog they are on. Readers often want to connect with bloggers on a personal level, so not being able to put a face or personality to the content can make it more challenging to engage and retain readers. Following on from this, it can be tricker to come across as credible. When you blog anonymously, readers may question your credibility and expertise on the topic you’re discussing. Without being able to identify who you are or your experience, it can be difficult for readers to trust the information you’re sharing. This isn’t always the case and of course depends on the nature of the information you are sharing, but it’s something to keep in mind. As an example, it’s tricky trusting a review of something from someone you know literally nothing about! To cover a point I touched on earlier, it can also be tricky to make an income from a fully anonymous blog. This is the same as missing out on collaborations with other bloggers and content creators. This is in part because brands themselves don’t know who you are! They will be wanting to put their name forward to collaborate and work with you as they like your content. What may hold them back though is that there is no indication of who you are or whether you are the kind of person they would be wanting to work with. Most often, brands and other bloggers will choose to work with those who are open and transparent about their identities – at least to some degree! This also applies for monetising your blog. Monetising your blog through advertising, sponsorships, or affiliate marketing can be more challenging when you’re blogging anonymously. Brands and advertisers typically prefer to work with bloggers who are open about their identities and have a strong online presence. This is not to say there aren’t exceptions to these rules of course! This was just to be transparent with some of the issues you may face if you do choose to start a blog anonymously.   Legal Implications Just a quick note! Please be aware that even if you blog completely anonymously, that does not shield you from potential legal implications. You will still need to be careful and courteous in what content you post, in terms of libel or defamation. If you write on highly controversial/illegal topics or share others personal information or sensitive information, the anonymity won’t stop you from any potential future consequences. Personally or legally. This goes for both blogging and any emails/social media accounts you set up anonymously. Of course this point won’t apply to 99% of people reading this, but just something to keep in mind! I hope this has helped to explain how to start a blog anonymously in 2026! Overall, while there may be some benefits to blogging anonymously, there are also the mentioned downsides to consider before making that choice. There are definitely ways it can be done, and reasons why it’s a good idea! If you just want to be able to write anonymously and have your blog as an online journal, it would be ideal. For the majority of people wanting to blog anonymously though, I would still choose a self-hosted website (a mix of wordpress.org and a decent but affordable hosting company would be my top recommendation). You can start off keeping your name, picture and identity under wraps and only add these in when you feel more comfortable. This way you are still setting yourself up for the biggest success! You are just doing it in a way you are comfortable with – which is important too! Did you start off blogging anonymously when you first started blogging? Would you go back and skip the “anonymous” stage if you could? Do you prefer...

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You may be wanting to start a blog but don’t want anyone to know about it. Is it possible to start a blog without showing your face? Definitely! This is where anonymous blogging comes in. It’s not always recommended to blog completely anonymously, but it’s certainly possible and in some cases is the best choice. It will depend on the level of anonymity you are looking to achieve with your blog. I won’t be going into using a VPN to stay completely anonymous online or how to buy a domain anonymously. This post will be to cover blogging but without your name/face being known to the readers! A lower-level of anonymity if you will, but still very effective! Anonymous to your readers, not to the Internet itself. If done correctly, you can still absolutely grow a new blog into something successful. In time you can change over to start showing your name and face. But this is optional depending on your personal wants and circumstances.

Why Might You Want To Start A Blog Anonymously?

Initially, I think a lot of brand new bloggers want to be able to blog anonymously. Fear of being judged or that people will “comment” on their new venture, makes the thought of wanting to make an anonymous blog a lot more appealing. There’s a difference between wanting to know how to start a blog anonymously, and wanting to blog anonymously forever. By this I mean that a lot of new bloggers don’t want to be linked to their new blog but only in the early stages. After a while you may want to show your face or name! This would mean you don’t put your name over your website. You may not put your picture on your new blog. You may not advertise or promote your new blog on your own social media accounts. This is exactly what I was like with my first ever blog! Even though the people around me were amazing, I initially didn’t tell anyone. I didn’t have anything identifying on my blog and never shared it on social media. I think so many of us worry (too much so!) on what others think or may say. In the early stages it can be tricky as you don’t feel you have the experience to answer their questions or reply to comments. You don’t have to! You are doing this for you.

The end.

No matter the end goal (as an emotional outlet or wanting to create a hugely successful business), it’s no one else’s choice or business other than your own. You’re doing this for you! Confidence in it will come in time. There is nothing wrong with wanting to keep it all under wraps until you feel more grounded and confident in your decision. I didn’t have a profile picture or name on my first blog for a long time. I then started adding in my name at the end of posts and linked social media accounts. This wasn’t to share on my accounts for people to see, but allowed others to follow me/share things. One step at a time, however you are comfortable. As time goes on though you may find you want to start adding in your name, adding in a picture, sharing the odd post on social media etc too. You can also change usernames and social media handles if required too! If you are blogging under a brand name as opposed to your real name, this won’t be necessary. If you think this will be the case for you, I would recommend setting your blog and any linked social media accounts up now, but keeping it lowkey in the beginning. The anonymity you are looking for at this stage is different to wanting to own a forever-anonymous blog. The next points will be more aimed at those who want to remain completely anonymous throughout their blogging journey/career.

 

Don’t Put Your Name Anywhere

This point may seem obvious but I wanted to mention it in case there was anywhere you hadn’t thought of. If you are wanting to start a blog completely anonymously, you need to make sure your name isn’t anywhere on your blog, or linking to your blog. Of course you won’t have your name in your blog name, in posts or on your “about me” page. Other things to consider though would be not to link an email address that has your real name in. Not using your real name at the end of any email marketing campaigns, or not having your name attached to your “thank you” page from a contact form or pop up. (Funny story; I used to work in customer service and once had an angry customer make a complaint. He was adamant not to give me his name, but when I asked for his contact details his email was (firstname).(surname)@…. ) Not quite so anonymous when you link back to an email or account that has your name in! You can either choose a name to use that’s completely random, or you can use a pseudonym. Pseudonyms are always popular with authors and can be a fun way of expressing yourself and your creativity but without having the pressure of it being linked to your own name. You can of course grow your whole brand around  your pseudonym if this is the more long term route you want to go down and are happy to not have your real name attached!

Anonymous Social Media Accounts

You have a couple of options when it comes to social media accounts linked to your blog. You have a couple of options here for what you want to do to keep your anonymity. Option 1 is to not have any social media accounts linked to your blog at all. This would be detrimental to any marketing or sharing you or your readers may want to do. Social Media can be one of the best ways to promote a new blog so while this is an option, it’s not an ideal one! The second option is to create brand new social media accounts under your pseudonym or a different username. This way you can grow your blog while being able to promote it! This may take more time as you will be growing new social media accounts while also growing your blog. If you are starting new Social Media accounts for your new blog/business anyway, then this option is ideal! If you are wanting to truly start a blog anonymously, I would advise opting for either of the above options. Using old and established social media accounts and changing username/email could be done, but you would have to remove everyone who knows you off of the accounts anyway, and it may still show up with your name somewhere. To start a blog anonymously, either start brand new anonymous accounts, or don’t link back to any social media accounts. keysearch banner ad katherine mclee blog

 

Use A Platform Designed For Anonymous Blogging

There are platforms that are designed specifically for you to start a blog anonymously. They can be good options for running an anonymous blog. You can find anonymous blogging sites. Websites like Ghost and WordPress.com (the free version) give you options to start a blog anonymously. Are they ideal for those wanting to stay completely anonymous? Yes. On the flip side, are they ideal for those who want to fully monetize their blog? No. The option is of course there, but I would only recommend this option to those who absolutely need to stay anonymous for the duration of their blogging journey. That and those who aren’t ever wanting to earn an income from their blog. You can make money with an anonymous blog, but it’s harder. Here’s why…

The Downsides Of Blogging Anonymously

As with anything, there are pros and cons to each choice. One of the big downsides when you choose to start a blog anonymously is that it becomes a lot trickier to build an audience. People often enjoy blogs because of the personal feel. It’s much tricker to build a relationship with your audience if they have zero idea who’s blog they are on. Readers often want to connect with bloggers on a personal level, so not being able to put a face or personality to the content can make it more challenging to engage and retain readers. Following on from this, it can be tricker to come across as credible. When you blog anonymously, readers may question your credibility and expertise on the topic you’re discussing. Without being able to identify who you are or your experience, it can be difficult for readers to trust the information you’re sharing. This isn’t always the case and of course depends on the nature of the information you are sharing, but it’s something to keep in mind. As an example, it’s tricky trusting a review of something from someone you know literally nothing about! To cover a point I touched on earlier, it can also be tricky to make an income from a fully anonymous blog. This is the same as missing out on collaborations with other bloggers and content creators. This is in part because brands themselves don’t know who you are! They will be wanting to put their name forward to collaborate and work with you as they like your content. What may hold them back though is that there is no indication of who you are or whether you are the kind of person they would be wanting to work with. Most often, brands and other bloggers will choose to work with those who are open and transparent about their identities – at least to some degree! This also applies for monetising your blog. Monetising your blog through advertising, sponsorships, or affiliate marketing can be more challenging when you’re blogging anonymously. Brands and advertisers typically prefer to work with bloggers who are open about their identities and have a strong online presence. This is not to say there aren’t exceptions to these rules of course! This was just to be transparent with some of the issues you may face if you do choose to start a blog anonymously. keysearch banner ad katherine mclee blog

 

Legal Implications

Just a quick note! Please be aware that even if you blog completely anonymously, that does not shield you from potential legal implications. You will still need to be careful and courteous in what content you post, in terms of libel or defamation. If you write on highly controversial/illegal topics or share others personal information or sensitive information, the anonymity won’t stop you from any potential future consequences. Personally or legally. This goes for both blogging and any emails/social media accounts you set up anonymously. Of course this point won’t apply to 99% of people reading this, but just something to keep in mind! I hope this has helped to explain how to start a blog anonymously in 2026! Overall, while there may be some benefits to blogging anonymously, there are also the mentioned downsides to consider before making that choice. There are definitely ways it can be done, and reasons why it’s a good idea! If you just want to be able to write anonymously and have your blog as an online journal, it would be ideal. For the majority of people wanting to blog anonymously though, I would still choose a self-hosted website (a mix of wordpress.org and a decent but affordable hosting company would be my top recommendation). You can start off keeping your name, picture and identity under wraps and only add these in when you feel more comfortable. This way you are still setting yourself up for the biggest success! You are just doing it in a way you are comfortable with – which is important too! Did you start off blogging anonymously when you first started blogging? Would you go back and skip the “anonymous” stage if you could? Do you prefer blogging anonymously? Let us know in the comments below! Speak soon! Katherine McLee signature black and white

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Blog vs Niche Website: What’s Best For You in 2026? https://katherinemclee.com/difference-between-blog-and-niche-website/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=difference-between-blog-and-niche-website https://katherinemclee.com/difference-between-blog-and-niche-website/#comments Thu, 16 Mar 2023 14:48:47 +0000 https://katherinemclee.com/?p=5470 What Is a Blog? Is A Blog Or Niche Website Better To Make Money From? Often people use the terms blog and website interchangeably. While all online blogs are websites, not all websites are blogs. Blogging started off as a way for people to share their thoughts, experiences and opinions.   Nowadays blogging is so much more than just an online journal. Blogging has become so popular in recent years for people to grow a brand and make an income online. People start blogs to express themselves, connect with others and share their thoughts and experiences.     But what exactly is a blog and how does it differ from other online content?   A blog is basically a website/online platform where the author can publish written content. This is done most often in terms of posts. Usually the latest post is most often shown first and the rest following in reverse chronological order. Blog posts can be about anything the writer chooses. This could be on a very specific topic/answering a specific question, or on a broader topic!   Blogs themselves are of a similar nature, in that they can be about anything the writer chooses. This could be a topic (or topics) the writer is interested in, or wants to share information on. A niche website is similar at this level as it again is a website on the internet for the author to share specific information.   You may be wondering which is best for you and your business. I will explain the main differences so you can make the right choice for you. There are differences between the two though which I will explain below!   Quick 2026 TL;DR:Basic differrences: If you want long-term brand growth, flexibility, and multiple income streams, a blog is usually the better choice in 2026. If you want a simple, low-maintenance site focused on 1 topic such as a shop, a niche website may suit you better!   What Is A Blog And How Does It Work? As mentioned above, a blog is a website where someone can publish their own written content. One of the key features of a blog is the interaction a writer can have with their readers. Blog posts often have a comments section where readers can share their own thoughts, engage in discussions or ask any questions they may have.   This can create a sense of community and can help you get to know your readers, while also letting your readers get to know you. There are so many different types of blogs, all with their own unique style and purpose!   Blogs can be on a large range of topics, or niched right down to a very specific topic. You may find some are a lot more personal than others, or cover a much larger range of topics than others. The beauty of blogs is that there are no set rules  as to what you can or should write about. Of course there are guidelines and strategies to follow if you want to turn your blog into an income stream but purely for content creation purposes, there are no set rules.   Some blogs may be a lot more image/video heavy than others. This is again personal preference as to how the author decides to layout their posts! There are many reasons why someone may have chosen to start a blog. The reason behind it can be personal or a strategic business reason.   The interaction with readers and constant addition of information is what can make a blog more appealing than a static niche website to some people. Bloggers often have chosen to have a blog over a niche website for exactly those reasons – especially the interaction they can get with their readers and others who are interested in the topics being shared.       What Is A Blogger?  A blogger is someone who creates and maintains a blog. Someone may have bought an established blog or created their own. Bloggers may work on their blogs part time or full time, and may make an income from their blog or not. Often bloggers will write about their chosen topics in the form of blog posts, or videos embedded within their blog posts.   Blogging can be done for personal reasons, as a hobby or a way to express themselves. This can be as a profession, to promote an established or growing business, as a hobby, or a mix of all of these reasons. If you own and run a blog, you can be called a blogger whether you make an income from your blog or not!   Sometimes people who make a full time income from their blog will call themselves professional bloggers. Other times they just stick with the term “blogger”!   What Is A Self Hosted Website? The term “self hosted website” can cover a huge range of websites – including blogs. For a website to be self hosted, it means you are paying a hosting company to give you a space on the internet where your website is accessible.   Your hosting company provides server space, storage and bandwidth, together all of which enable your website/blog to be viewed online. Hosting companies offer a variety of other services also. This will all depend on your needs and your blog/website needs. Often you will be able to upgrade your hosting plan if your website requires more bandwidth. Or you can upgrade to add multiple websites onto your hosting package.   For beginner hosting for one website, you should be able to get your hosting for as little as a few dollars/pounds a month. There are free options which are not self hosted. The free options are websites like Blogger and WordPress.com. All you need to do here is sign up with a free account and you are given a free blog to use as your own.   Free blogging websites are good if your blog is purely personal or you don’t want to monetise your content. You don’t own your blog on a free platform, but they are a good way to get thoughts out online on a smaller scale.   For the majority of bloggers and aspiring bloggers though, self hosted is a must.   Make sure to choose an affordable but reliable hosting company and you then own your website too. Many bloggers choose to own their own blog with external hosting and owned websites. An example here would be to choose a hosting company, buy a domain name and choose a platform, e.g. wordpress.org.   A high proportion (I’d guess nearly all) of bloggers making an income from their blog are on a self hosted blog. Making money with a free blog isn’t impossible but is a lot harder and more limiting. If you are wanting for your blog to earn you money, a free blogging platform isn’t recommended. Advertisers aren’t keen on putting adverts on free blogs, plus they often look a lot less professional so aren’t as attractive to brands.   You can make a free blog look beautiful and for personal reasons this can be the best choice for you if that’s what suits your needs. It’s all about going down the right path for you and your blog! If you choose to have a self hosted blog, you would first choose your domain name (the URL of the website). You then choose a good and reliable hosting company, and pick your blogging platform! (I would recommend WordPress.org but there are other options.)   What Is The Difference Between A Blog And A Niche Website? While a blog and a niche website may seem similar at first glance, there are some key differences between the two. A blog, as mentioned previously, is typically a website that’s updated regularly which provides information or expresses thoughts to their readers.   In contrast, a niche website is usually more focused on one specific topic. While there is often written content provided, it may also include other types of content too. This could be primarily videos for example. Niche websites can be a good choice for niches who want to post up a lot of information on a topic but then not have to worry about posting much once all the information is up. They are also a good option for those who have a team to run their website so aren’t personally able to connect with their readers. A blog is a much more personal style of website, but neither would be classed as “better”. It all depends on your niche and what you are looking for from your website.   You can make money from both blogs and niche websites. It all just depends on what you want from it, and how often you are looking to update your blog or website.   Quick note: If earning money is one of your goals, you’ll love my affiliate marketing for beginners post. It’s super easy to follow and walks you through the exact things I recommend doing to actually start earning from your blog or niche site.   Evergreen content does really well on a niche website or a blog. Whereas thoughts/information on currently trending topics would be better placed on a blog. This is due to the fact that on a blog people recognise that the information is being updated regularly. But also accounts for the fact that older posts may have more outdated information.   As an example this could be beauty related product opinions/reviews when that product may stop being produced in a matter of years. This information would be much better placed on a blog. That way you can put a note advising that it has been discontinued, or remove the post. Niche websites are more often nearly all evergreen content. While this information can get updated, it usually requires less maintenance than the information potentially posted to a blog.   Some niche websites have a blog option where the blog is off-set from the main website which can be a perfect solution if your website is a shop, offering services or for business promotional purposes etc! That way businesses can still have the personal element and engagement of a blog, but just as a section within their main website.         What Is A Blog Post In Comparison To A Website Article? There are a few differences between a blog post and a website article. They are of course both there to provide information to the reader, but a blog post is often written in a more personal way.   That’s not to say that blog posts are always less professional than a website article! Oftentimes the opposite can be true. It’s more to do with the tone. A blog post is more likely to have a more conversational tone and come from a first person point of view. Whereas an article on a website may be written more in a third person point of view. Blog posts are often published more frequently than website articles. Especially over a longer period of time.   Website articles are more likely to all be information based whereas a blog may have personal updates or experiences/opinions. Neither are right or wrong! It’s all about what your preference is, and what experience you want your readers to have.   Is A Blog Or Niche Website Better To Make Money From? If your goal is to make money from your blog or website, the only one I would truly avoid would be a free blog option. Both blogs and niche websites require a lot of work and patience, but they also require a plan or strategy.   Depending on your niche, and whether your website is a niche website or a blog will depend on the strategy you take to monetise your website. Neither is inherently better than the other.   Niche websites may end up as a more passive stream of income as...

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What Is a Blog? Is A Blog Or Niche Website Better To Make Money From?

Often people use the terms blog and website interchangeably. While all online blogs are websites, not all websites are blogs.

Blogging started off as a way for people to share their thoughts, experiences and opinions.

Nowadays blogging is so much more than just an online journal.

Blogging has become so popular in recent years for people to grow a brand and make an income online. People start blogs to express themselves, connect with others and share their thoughts and experiences.

 

But what exactly is a blog and how does it differ from other online content?

A blog is basically a website/online platform where the author can publish written content. This is done most often in terms of posts. Usually the latest post is most often shown first and the rest following in reverse chronological order.

Blog posts can be about anything the writer chooses. This could be on a very specific topic/answering a specific question, or on a broader topic!

Blogs themselves are of a similar nature, in that they can be about anything the writer chooses.

This could be a topic (or topics) the writer is interested in, or wants to share information on.

A niche website is similar at this level as it again is a website on the internet for the author to share specific information.

You may be wondering which is best for you and your business. I will explain the main differences so you can make the right choice for you.

There are differences between the two though which I will explain below!

Quick 2026 TL;DR:
Basic differrences: If you want long-term brand growth, flexibility, and multiple income streams, a blog is usually the better choice in 2026. If you want a simple, low-maintenance site focused on 1 topic such as a shop, a niche website may suit you better!

What Is A Blog And How Does It Work?

As mentioned above, a blog is a website where someone can publish their own written content.

One of the key features of a blog is the interaction a writer can have with their readers. Blog posts often have a comments section where readers can share their own thoughts, engage in discussions or ask any questions they may have.

This can create a sense of community and can help you get to know your readers, while also letting your readers get to know you.

There are so many different types of blogs, all with their own unique style and purpose!

Blogs can be on a large range of topics, or niched right down to a very specific topic. You may find some are a lot more personal than others, or cover a much larger range of topics than others. The beauty of blogs is that there are no set rules  as to what you can or should write about.

Of course there are guidelines and strategies to follow if you want to turn your blog into an income stream but purely for content creation purposes, there are no set rules.

Some blogs may be a lot more image/video heavy than others. This is again personal preference as to how the author decides to layout their posts!

There are many reasons why someone may have chosen to start a blog. The reason behind it can be personal or a strategic business reason.

The interaction with readers and constant addition of information is what can make a blog more appealing than a static niche website to some people.

Bloggers often have chosen to have a blog over a niche website for exactly those reasons – especially the interaction they can get with their readers and others who are interested in the topics being shared.

keysearch banner ad katherine mclee blog

 

What Is A Blogger? 

A blogger is someone who creates and maintains a blog. Someone may have bought an established blog or created their own.

Bloggers may work on their blogs part time or full time, and may make an income from their blog or not.

Often bloggers will write about their chosen topics in the form of blog posts, or videos embedded within their blog posts.

Blogging can be done for personal reasons, as a hobby or a way to express themselves. This can be as a profession, to promote an established or growing business, as a hobby, or a mix of all of these reasons.

If you own and run a blog, you can be called a blogger whether you make an income from your blog or not!

Sometimes people who make a full time income from their blog will call themselves professional bloggers. Other times they just stick with the term “blogger”!

What Is A Self Hosted Website?

The term “self hosted website” can cover a huge range of websites – including blogs.

For a website to be self hosted, it means you are paying a hosting company to give you a space on the internet where your website is accessible.

Your hosting company provides server space, storage and bandwidth, together all of which enable your website/blog to be viewed online.

Hosting companies offer a variety of other services also. This will all depend on your needs and your blog/website needs. Often you will be able to upgrade your hosting plan if your website requires more bandwidth. Or you can upgrade to add multiple websites onto your hosting package.

For beginner hosting for one website, you should be able to get your hosting for as little as a few dollars/pounds a month.

There are free options which are not self hosted. The free options are websites like Blogger and WordPress.com. All you need to do here is sign up with a free account and you are given a free blog to use as your own.

Free blogging websites are good if your blog is purely personal or you don’t want to monetise your content. You don’t own your blog on a free platform, but they are a good way to get thoughts out online on a smaller scale.

For the majority of bloggers and aspiring bloggers though, self hosted is a must.

Make sure to choose an affordable but reliable hosting company and you then own your website too.

Many bloggers choose to own their own blog with external hosting and owned websites. An example here would be to choose a hosting company, buy a domain name and choose a platform, e.g. wordpress.org.

A high proportion (I’d guess nearly all) of bloggers making an income from their blog are on a self hosted blog.

Making money with a free blog isn’t impossible but is a lot harder and more limiting. If you are wanting for your blog to earn you money, a free blogging platform isn’t recommended.

Advertisers aren’t keen on putting adverts on free blogs, plus they often look a lot less professional so aren’t as attractive to brands.

You can make a free blog look beautiful and for personal reasons this can be the best choice for you if that’s what suits your needs. It’s all about going down the right path for you and your blog!

If you choose to have a self hosted blog, you would first choose your domain name (the URL of the website). You then choose a good and reliable hosting company, and pick your blogging platform! (I would recommend WordPress.org but there are other options.)

What Is The Difference Between A Blog And A Niche Website?

While a blog and a niche website may seem similar at first glance, there are some key differences between the two.

A blog, as mentioned previously, is typically a website that’s updated regularly which provides information or expresses thoughts to their readers.

In contrast, a niche website is usually more focused on one specific topic. While there is often written content provided, it may also include other types of content too. This could be primarily videos for example.

Niche websites can be a good choice for niches who want to post up a lot of information on a topic but then not have to worry about posting much once all the information is up. They are also a good option for those who have a team to run their website so aren’t personally able to connect with their readers.

A blog is a much more personal style of website, but neither would be classed as “better”. It all depends on your niche and what you are looking for from your website.

You can make money from both blogs and niche websites.

It all just depends on what you want from it, and how often you are looking to update your blog or website.

Quick note: If earning money is one of your goals, you’ll love my affiliate marketing for beginners post. It’s super easy to follow and walks you through the exact things I recommend doing to actually start earning from your blog or niche site.

Evergreen content does really well on a niche website or a blog. Whereas thoughts/information on currently trending topics would be better placed on a blog. This is due to the fact that on a blog people recognise that the information is being updated regularly. But also accounts for the fact that older posts may have more outdated information.

As an example this could be beauty related product opinions/reviews when that product may stop being produced in a matter of years. This information would be much better placed on a blog. That way you can put a note advising that it has been discontinued, or remove the post.

Niche websites are more often nearly all evergreen content. While this information can get updated, it usually requires less maintenance than the information potentially posted to a blog.

Some niche websites have a blog option where the blog is off-set from the main website which can be a perfect solution if your website is a shop, offering services or for business promotional purposes etc!

That way businesses can still have the personal element and engagement of a blog, but just as a section within their main website.

keysearch banner ad katherine mclee blog

 

 

What Is A Blog Post In Comparison To A Website Article?

There are a few differences between a blog post and a website article.

They are of course both there to provide information to the reader, but a blog post is often written in a more personal way.

That’s not to say that blog posts are always less professional than a website article! Oftentimes the opposite can be true.

It’s more to do with the tone. A blog post is more likely to have a more conversational tone and come from a first person point of view. Whereas an article on a website may be written more in a third person point of view.

Blog posts are often published more frequently than website articles. Especially over a longer period of time.

Website articles are more likely to all be information based whereas a blog may have personal updates or experiences/opinions.

Neither are right or wrong! It’s all about what your preference is, and what experience you want your readers to have.

Is A Blog Or Niche Website Better To Make Money From?

If your goal is to make money from your blog or website, the only one I would truly avoid would be a free blog option.

Both blogs and niche websites require a lot of work and patience, but they also require a plan or strategy.

Depending on your niche, and whether your website is a niche website or a blog will depend on the strategy you take to monetise your website.

Neither is inherently better than the other.

Niche websites may end up as a more passive stream of income as you don’t have the time spent on all updates, new blog posts and interactions. But on the flip side, unless you have a very authoritative presence on the internet, your niche website is in danger of not being found as easily as a blog, due to the limited posts/pages within it.

Having a solid monetisation plan and strategy in place for your self hosted website – whether a niche website or a blog – is what’s key here.

Either option can be a good way to make an income online – if that’s your aim!

Ultimately, whether you choose to start a blog or a niche website will depend on your interests, goals, and audience. Both can be effective ways to share your expertise and connect with others online, but they each have their own strengths and weaknesses.

For me personally it was never in the equation to have a niche website. I wanted the sense of community, the interaction, to share thoughts and knowledge and to be able to help and answer questions where I can!

Years ago I actually I did start a free blog! But after literally just a few days I realised that it wasn’t the right path for me. I knew I wanted to take it seriously, and needed to be secure in the knowledge that I owned my blog.

For me, I wanted to choose my own domain names, choose my own hosting, have everything as customisable as can be. So swapped to self hosted at that point and never looked back.

Self hosted is the option that will really open doors for you down the line!

Whether that’s in the form of a blog, or a niche website.

If you want any more information on getting yourself set up, check out this post:

How To Start A Blog In 2026

What made you choose a blog over a niche website or vice versa?

Did you start off on a free blogging platform or did you opt straight for a self hosted website?

If you’re like myself you will highly enjoy the more personal feel to a blog! That alongside the interaction you get!

If you are looking for a slightly different angle, Hubspot goes over the differences between a Blog and a Podcast if you are having touble deciding what sort of content creation is right for you.

Speak soon!

Katherine McLee signature black and white

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How to Pick a Colour Palette for Your Blog https://katherinemclee.com/colour-palette-for-your-blog/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=colour-palette-for-your-blog https://katherinemclee.com/colour-palette-for-your-blog/#comments Tue, 07 Feb 2023 15:14:48 +0000 https://katherinemclee.com/?p=3813 How To Pick An Awesome Colour Palette For Your Blog Or Website. Every time we go onto a blog we are greeted with the website’s colours. We may like them, or we may not – but what’s important is if it was memorable or not. Whether we made a specific note of the colours or not isn’t important. The back of our minds remembers these so the next time we visit that website we remember we have seen this before. This post is aimed at those who need help in choosing a colour palette or colour scheme for their blog, and where to get inspiration on if they don’t have a clue what to pick or where to start! I am not an expert in branding by any means!  The colour palette you choose for your blog can of course be used for your brand, but we aren’t getting as in-depth here. For new bloggers who maybe aren’t sure of what colours they want for their brand, this post is just to help you pick initial blog colours. Chances are if you have a new blog your blog colours will change. Rarely does anyone start a new blog with a set of blog colours and then carry this colour palette with them as their brand for years to come! As with anything, it takes time to get a feel for things and whether you feel it suits you and your brand going forwards.   Colour Theory You absolutely do not need to be an expert in colour theory to design a colour scheme for your blog. What I would recommend however is to learn a little about it, and use this knowledge while choosing the colours for your own website. Colour theory – on a very basic level – is a collection of guidelines/rules which are used to portray a message and communicate with your readers.     They are guidelines to follow as to which colours compliment others, and how to choose colours that go well together. It can also help to show you which colours stand out the most against which other colours. This is a good resource for more information: https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/color-theory Reading up and learning the basics of colour theory will help you choose a well rounded colour palette for your blog!   Why It’s Important To Choose A Colour Palette For Your Blog Similar to a brand, you want people to remember you. You want your audience to recognise your blog so when they come back to it, they are familiar. Choosing your own palette of colours for your blog makes you stand out. Imagine you went onto a blog and everything was a random colour. If you then came across this blog a couple of months later, would you remember it? Probably not!  Blog colours and colour schemes do change over time as mentioned, but keeping something the same will help readers recognise your website. Tweaking things is totally okay, but I would avoid doing a total overhaul on your blog colours too often! The more we see something the more we recognise and trust it. If someone has searched for different information on multiple occasions and your blog has shown up and they have gotten the information they needed, they will see you as a credible source. This helps for growing an audience for your blog as your readers will trust you over a website they don’t recognise. Your blog is a personal expression of you.When choosing a colour palette for your blog, you can pick colours that you love or are most drawn to.  Favourite colour ever is orange? Absolutely incorporate this! Once you have chosen your blog colours you can use those colours across social media and Pinterest.  Using the same colours across social media can make your images instantly recognisable. Without worrying about a full brand kit at this stage as a new blogger, you can still make your images tie in with the colour scheme of your blog. It takes time out of decision making to have pre-set colours. Knowing exactly what colours to go for, or which colours to match a new colour to, can certainly speed up the process of creating pins/social media images.     Get Inspiration From Google or Pinterest Don’t copy someone else’s colour palette of course! Inspiration for which colours you want for your own website is absolutely okay. You can try searching for a generic term like “colour combination for website” or “attractive colour combination”. Trying a few different “colour scheme for blog” related search terms should bring up a lot of different ideas for you. If you know roughly what you want but aren’t quite sure on shades, you can try searching for “pink colour scheme” or “blue and purple colour scheme”. This should help you narrow down roughly what colours you are drawn to where you can then move on to creating your own blog colour palette. A bit further down I’ll be showing you how to take one or two colours and turn them into a full colour palette for your blog so don’t worry if you still aren’t sure!    Decide What Vibe You Want Your Blog To Have If you are finding yourself endlessly scrolling Pinterest or Google and still can’t come up with a rough idea of what you like, another option is to try working out what vibe you want your blog to have.  Depending on your niche, this could play a part in which colours you choose for your blog. For example if your blog is all about self care, meditation and peaceful living, you may want to choose more muted tones or could search for “harmonious colour scheme”. If your blog is all about trees and woodland walks in a certain part of the world, you can try searching for “earth tones” or “natural colour scheme”. If you blog about something bright like Tropical Fish, you may want pops of bright colour all over your blog to match the vibe of your content. A darker theme may be suited to those who’s blogs are about Space etc. You get the idea! You can absolutely create your colour theme around a vibe as opposed to a specific “set”.   Things You May Want To Avoid There are of course no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing the colours for your blog, but there are “best practices” you can follow.  Try to not choose too many colours. If you are wanting people to recognise your blog from a few main colours or an attractive colour combination, having 14 different colours won’t help this!  I would aim to choose 3-4 colours as this is a good amount and will cover most things you will need colours for with your blog. You can go up to 5 if you’re using a couple of shades of the same colour, but with the stronger colours, I would keep it around 1 or 2 colours. I wouldn’t recommend going for overly clashing colours. Now that’s not to say you couldn’t use two different bold colours, but clashing colours can make it harder to read. User experience is so important, so making sure everything is readable and not overwhelming for your readers is something you should take into consideration. On the flip side, you will want to avoid colours that don’t stand out at all. Overly pale/muted colours can be tricky for everyone to see. It can make links and buttons hard to locate and can make text nearly invisible. There are lots of ways to add in those pale or muted colours, but that also keeps your blog readable to everyone. If you think it’s “potentially” too pale/visible, I would avoid using it. We all have different strengths of vision and on a smaller device like a phone, those pale colours may not show up at all.   Use A Colour Palette Generator The reason I wanted to mention all of the above points first before introducing a colour palette generator is that it’s too easy to get carried away picking loads of fun colours but soon realising they don’t fit the vibe of your blog at all! Having at least some idea of the colour palette you want – or even one main colour or the vibe – will really help. Below you will find a few different colour palette generators to help you choose the perfect colour palette for your blog:   Coolors.co I will start with the colour palette generator I used as it’s so easy to use and doesn’t overwhelm with too many options in terms of shades. You can of course change the shades on it, but I will show you below what this looks like. I mentioned this website on my tools and resources page as it’s an amazing resource for new bloggers. You start the generator, and press spacebar to get 5 random colours presented to you. You can hit the spacebar again to keep getting new colours! If you find a colour or two you like, you can hover over these and “lock them” (there are shade options to change these if the colour isn’t quite right but is close). Then when you next press the spacebar, the colours you have locked will stay but the others will change. You can go in each colour and manually choose one also.   Colormind The second option which is most similar to use to Coolors is Colormind.  The boxes for the colours are a lot smaller so you don’t get the same “in your face” effect. As with Coolors, you can generate different colour palettes and lock the colours you like. The benefit of Colormind though is that you can upload an image!  From this image it will then generate a colour palette based off of that image. This means if you find an image you really like from Google or Pinterest, whether it be specific colours or a photo that has the right vibe, you can upload it, and your palette will be created for you. You can then re-generate the palette if the colours aren’t quite right but it will use the same image for reference.        Colourlovers Colourlovers is a good option if you are more aware which blog colours you are wanting to choose for your website. You don’t get a generator but can make your own colour brand palette by clicking each square and choosing each colour individually. The good thing here is that it shows you multiple shade options for the colour you have chosen, so you can compare a few different shades to get exactly the ones you want. If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous or are more into colour theory and design, one of the following two websites may be more suited to you.  Both of the below websites are amazing resources to choose an awesome colour palette for your blog, but are a little more advanced/trickier to use to get the exact colours you are looking for.   Adobe Colour Wheel This Adobe colour wheel colour generator is good if you want to visually see the shades and how they compliment other colours. You can choose one of the options down the left hand side before starting to drag the circles round the colour wheel. There is a little arrow under each of the 5 colours and you can click one to choose as your base colour. This will be the base that all other colours and shades will be matched to. There are lots of ways to modify and change the colour tones under each option.     Paletton Paletton is a great option for if you are looking for lots of different tones within the same colour. You can move the 5 small circles within the main circle and can again change shades as you go. You can add further colours into the mix and can change their corresponding shades...

The post How to Pick a Colour Palette for Your Blog appeared first on Katherine McLee.

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How To Pick An Awesome Colour Palette For Your Blog Or Website.

Every time we go onto a blog we are greeted with the website’s colours.

We may like them, or we may not – but what’s important is if it was memorable or not.

Whether we made a specific note of the colours or not isn’t important. The back of our minds remembers these so the next time we visit that website we remember we have seen this before.

This post is aimed at those who need help in choosing a colour palette or colour scheme for their blog, and where to get inspiration on if they don’t have a clue what to pick or where to start!

I am not an expert in branding by any means! 

The colour palette you choose for your blog can of course be used for your brand, but we aren’t getting as in-depth here.

For new bloggers who maybe aren’t sure of what colours they want for their brand, this post is just to help you pick initial blog colours.

Chances are if you have a new blog your blog colours will change.

Rarely does anyone start a new blog with a set of blog colours and then carry this colour palette with them as their brand for years to come!

As with anything, it takes time to get a feel for things and whether you feel it suits you and your brand going forwards.

 

Colour Theory

You absolutely do not need to be an expert in colour theory to design a colour scheme for your blog.

What I would recommend however is to learn a little about it, and use this knowledge while choosing the colours for your own website.

Colour theory – on a very basic level – is a collection of guidelines/rules which are used to portray a message and communicate with your readers.    

They are guidelines to follow as to which colours compliment others, and how to choose colours that go well together.

It can also help to show you which colours stand out the most against which other colours.

This is a good resource for more information:

https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/color-theory

Reading up and learning the basics of colour theory will help you choose a well rounded colour palette for your blog!

How To Pick An Awesome Colour Palette For Your Blog Or Website color wheel katherine mclee

 

Why It’s Important To Choose A Colour Palette For Your Blog

Similar to a brand, you want people to remember you.

You want your audience to recognise your blog so when they come back to it, they are familiar.

Choosing your own palette of colours for your blog makes you stand out.

Imagine you went onto a blog and everything was a random colour.

If you then came across this blog a couple of months later, would you remember it?

Probably not! 

Blog colours and colour schemes do change over time as mentioned, but keeping something the same will help readers recognise your website.

Tweaking things is totally okay, but I would avoid doing a total overhaul on your blog colours too often!

The more we see something the more we recognise and trust it. If someone has searched for different information on multiple occasions and your blog has shown up and they have gotten the information they needed, they will see you as a credible source. This helps for growing an audience for your blog as your readers will trust you over a website they don’t recognise.

Your blog is a personal expression of you.When choosing a colour palette for your blog, you can pick colours that you love or are most drawn to. 

Favourite colour ever is orange? Absolutely incorporate this!

Once you have chosen your blog colours you can use those colours across social media and Pinterest. 

Using the same colours across social media can make your images instantly recognisable.

Without worrying about a full brand kit at this stage as a new blogger, you can still make your images tie in with the colour scheme of your blog.

It takes time out of decision making to have pre-set colours.

Knowing exactly what colours to go for, or which colours to match a new colour to, can certainly speed up the process of creating pins/social media images.

 

 

Get Inspiration From Google or Pinterest

Don’t copy someone else’s colour palette of course!

Inspiration for which colours you want for your own website is absolutely okay.

You can try searching for a generic term like “colour combination for website” or “attractive colour combination”. Trying a few different “colour scheme for blog” related search terms should bring up a lot of different ideas for you.

If you know roughly what you want but aren’t quite sure on shades, you can try searching for “pink colour scheme” or “blue and purple colour scheme”.

This should help you narrow down roughly what colours you are drawn to where you can then move on to creating your own blog colour palette.

A bit further down I’ll be showing you how to take one or two colours and turn them into a full colour palette for your blog so don’t worry if you still aren’t sure! 

 

Decide What Vibe You Want Your Blog To Have

If you are finding yourself endlessly scrolling Pinterest or Google and still can’t come up with a rough idea of what you like, another option is to try working out what vibe you want your blog to have. 

Depending on your niche, this could play a part in which colours you choose for your blog.

For example if your blog is all about self care, meditation and peaceful living, you may want to choose more muted tones or could search for “harmonious colour scheme”.

If your blog is all about trees and woodland walks in a certain part of the world, you can try searching for “earth tones” or “natural colour scheme”.

If you blog about something bright like Tropical Fish, you may want pops of bright colour all over your blog to match the vibe of your content.

A darker theme may be suited to those who’s blogs are about Space etc.

You get the idea!

You can absolutely create your colour theme around a vibe as opposed to a specific “set”.

 

Things You May Want To Avoid

There are of course no hard and fast rules when it comes to choosing the colours for your blog, but there are “best practices” you can follow. 

Try to not choose too many colours.

If you are wanting people to recognise your blog from a few main colours or an attractive colour combination, having 14 different colours won’t help this! 

I would aim to choose 3-4 colours as this is a good amount and will cover most things you will need colours for with your blog.

You can go up to 5 if you’re using a couple of shades of the same colour, but with the stronger colours, I would keep it around 1 or 2 colours.

I wouldn’t recommend going for overly clashing colours.

Now that’s not to say you couldn’t use two different bold colours, but clashing colours can make it harder to read.

User experience is so important, so making sure everything is readable and not overwhelming for your readers is something you should take into consideration.

On the flip side, you will want to avoid colours that don’t stand out at all.

Overly pale/muted colours can be tricky for everyone to see. It can make links and buttons hard to locate and can make text nearly invisible.

There are lots of ways to add in those pale or muted colours, but that also keeps your blog readable to everyone.

If you think it’s “potentially” too pale/visible, I would avoid using it.

We all have different strengths of vision and on a smaller device like a phone, those pale colours may not show up at all.

 

Use A Colour Palette Generator

The reason I wanted to mention all of the above points first before introducing a colour palette generator is that it’s too easy to get carried away picking loads of fun colours but soon realising they don’t fit the vibe of your blog at all!

Having at least some idea of the colour palette you want – or even one main colour or the vibe – will really help.

Below you will find a few different colour palette generators to help you choose the perfect colour palette for your blog:

 

Coolors.co

I will start with the colour palette generator I used as it’s so easy to use and doesn’t overwhelm with too many options in terms of shades.

You can of course change the shades on it, but I will show you below what this looks like.

I mentioned this website on my tools and resources page as it’s an amazing resource for new bloggers.

You start the generator, and press spacebar to get 5 random colours presented to you.

You can hit the spacebar again to keep getting new colours!

If you find a colour or two you like, you can hover over these and “lock them” (there are shade options to change these if the colour isn’t quite right but is close).

Then when you next press the spacebar, the colours you have locked will stay but the others will change.

You can go in each colour and manually choose one also.

blue and orange coolors palette colour generator example katherine mclee blog

 

Colormind

The second option which is most similar to use to Coolors is Colormind. 

The boxes for the colours are a lot smaller so you don’t get the same “in your face” effect.

As with Coolors, you can generate different colour palettes and lock the colours you like.

The benefit of Colormind though is that you can upload an image! 

From this image it will then generate a colour palette based off of that image.

This means if you find an image you really like from Google or Pinterest, whether it be specific colours or a photo that has the right vibe, you can upload it, and your palette will be created for you.

You can then re-generate the palette if the colours aren’t quite right but it will use the same image for reference. 

 

colormind colour generator katherine mclee blog

 

 

Colourlovers

Colourlovers is a good option if you are more aware which blog colours you are wanting to choose for your website.

You don’t get a generator but can make your own colour brand palette by clicking each square and choosing each colour individually.

The good thing here is that it shows you multiple shade options for the colour you have chosen, so you can compare a few different shades to get exactly the ones you want.

If you’re feeling a bit more adventurous or are more into colour theory and design, one of the following two websites may be more suited to you. 

Both of the below websites are amazing resources to choose an awesome colour palette for your blog, but are a little more advanced/trickier to use to get the exact colours you are looking for.

colourlovers palette katherine mclee blog colour generator

 

Adobe Colour Wheel

This Adobe colour wheel colour generator is good if you want to visually see the shades and how they compliment other colours.

You can choose one of the options down the left hand side before starting to drag the circles round the colour wheel.

There is a little arrow under each of the 5 colours and you can click one to choose as your base colour. This will be the base that all other colours and shades will be matched to.

There are lots of ways to modify and change the colour tones under each option.

Adobe colour wheel colours generator katherine mclee blog

 

 

Paletton

Paletton is a great option for if you are looking for lots of different tones within the same colour.

You can move the 5 small circles within the main circle and can again change shades as you go.

You can add further colours into the mix and can change their corresponding shades also.

It is a great representation of how different the different shades of the same colour can be, and how well they go together (or clash).

Paletton colours generator katherine mclee blog

 

I really hope that by the end of this you are able to choose a colour palette for your blog or website! 

As a quick summary:

Colours can always be changed down the line, but having a good colour palette made up so you have set colours for your blog will really help in the meantime.

You can of course think about using these colours in your branding which you will stick with for a long time, but if you are a new blogger with a brand new website, choose an awesome colour palette for your blog and go with it!

If you need to use Google or Pinterest for inspiration then you can do this!

Knowing the vibe of your blog can also help and you can look up related terms like “luxurious colours” or “adventurous colours” as this may provide extra inspiration!

Then you can use one of the colour palette generators mentioned above and you will then be set with your colours!

If you have a Canva Pro account you can save your blog colour palette into your Canva brand kit so it’s all saved and ready to go every time you are creating images!

 

 

You can save more than one set of brand colours into Canva pro if you do decide to change colours at any point – I think most of us have, at least a couple of times over the years! 

That’s it! 

You should be all set up with an awesome blog colour palette!

Leave your links in the comments below so I can see what colour combinations you have chosen! 

 

Speak soon!

Katherine McLee signature black and white

 

📌 Pin for later 📌

25 - How To Pick An Awesome Colour Palette For Your Blog Or Website km (15) choose the perfect colour palette link to pinterest pin

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Best Themes & Aesthetic Tips for New Bloggers https://katherinemclee.com/how-to-choose-the-best-theme-for-your-new-blog/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=how-to-choose-the-best-theme-for-your-new-blog https://katherinemclee.com/how-to-choose-the-best-theme-for-your-new-blog/#comments Fri, 03 Feb 2023 14:02:50 +0000 https://katherinemclee.com/?p=3763 How To Choose The Best Theme for Your New Blog – Blog Aesthetic Tips Ahhh blog aesthetic! Something we all want but sometimes don’t know how to go about getting if you’re new to the blogging world! If you’re a new blogger you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed with so much information on things you “should or shouldn’t” do.  One of the first things people will recommend you get for your new blog after Domain and Hosting is a good theme! But how do you know what theme to get? It really depends on if you have an exact idea of what style/aesthetic you want to have or not. There are certain other aspects of choosing a theme you maybe haven’t thought of though so we will go over all of that here!   This post is more geared towards the paid for themes as they offer a lot more flexibility and customisation than a free theme. You can read why a paid theme is best in this post here.   Is There a “Best” Theme for New Bloggers? Honestly no, I don’t think so! If you were looking for an exact answer, I don’t believe there is one specifically!  Everyone has different preferences along with what they need from their theme. Different niches will have different needs in a theme also! But, there are definitely things to look for in a theme . There are so many blog themes out there, and while choosing one is important, it’s not the be all and end all. Blog themes can be changed! As a beginner blogger I’m sure you’re trying to keep your blogging expenses down though and buying different themes is an unnecessary expense! The ideal is buying one at an affordable price that suits all of your, and your blog’s needs.   How Should You Choose a Theme For Your New Blog From an aesthetic point of view everyone will have different preferences. The beauty of having a blog is that it’s your space to express yourself and your individuality through your website. What you need to be careful of is how it’s perceived by the reader. If your main purpose of your blog is for your own personal enjoyment, or as a hobby to share your thoughts, then absolutely have any theme/colours and layout you like!  On the other hand if growing an audience and gaining long-term readers is important to you, you will need to be a little more selective. I’ve had various themes over my blogs over the years but when I found this one (correct on Jan 2023), I instantly loved it. Early days I was the one to try SO many free themes. I kept jumping and trying a different one to see if the next one would do everything I needed/wanted it to. They never did.     All that happened was I spent far too much time having to change layouts and settings to still not be happy with it. (Quick side note: You can change themes/free themes as often as you like, but they aren’t all compatible with each other/plugins/widgets you may have. Changing your theme on your blog doesn’t take long, it’s changing all your settings to make your blog function properly again that’s time consuming and is worth avoiding where possible!) Turns out the reason is that free themes are free for a reason, and they just didn’t allow the customisation I knew I was needing. Not just when I launched this website but I wanted one that would grow with me. I didn’t want one that I would have to keep changing as it can take a lot of time and setting changes to get everything set back up again. The important part of growing a blog is the tasks that produce the best ROI (Return On Investment). The key is avoiding/minimising the tasks that take up unnecessary time; like having to realign photos or move widgets having changed your blog theme again. If you really do need to change or down the line want to upgrade your blog theme then absolutely do this. I would just avoid doing it too often if you don’t have to. The other thing to be aware of is speed – some themes will slow your site down but as a new blogger this won’t be something you have to worry about too much as long as you’re careful with not installing too many plugins!    Are There Things To Look For When Choosing A Blog Theme? Again this will be subjective to you and your wants for your blog. There are however things I would personally look for in a blog theme before purchasing!  Make sure the theme you are choosing has the personalisation YOU are looking for.  Buying a premium theme will help with a lot of the customisation you may want, but even with a free theme there’s things to be aware of! For example, free themes often come with a limited font selection. This is a good choice if you find one you like and are easily overwhelmed – but – you are very limited and restricted in terms of the font you choose for your blog. You will want to look for a theme that has ongoing updates, is highly customisable, lightweight (no one likes a slow website) and that is aesthetically pleasing!  If you are a new blogger it can be tricky knowing how best to choose a theme for your new blog, so making a list of things you want can be helpful. Finding a blog that is easy to use/customise is something I would highly recommend as the last thing you want to do as a new blogger is have to spend hours on how to change something that “should be” simple!      What If You Want Something Completely Different? Blogs are a reflection of their owner. Every design choice, setting change, font and colour scheme have all been picked out. If you want something that is completely different – absolutely go for it!  There are no hard and fast rules – it’s your blog after all! You can tailor the aesthetic of your website to suit your – and your readers – needs.  If you want a layout or functions within a blog theme you have never seen in a theme before, you can get your own blog theme custom made.  Be aware this can get pricey – but is a way to suit all of your needs if you really don’t like the more mainstream blog themes! Any premium (paid) blog theme will let you change colours/fonts etc, so look for which blogs you like the “vibe” of, or the overall layout! If you keep returning to read a blog and notice they are still using the same theme for months on end – this is a good sign that they like their theme! Word of mouth/a recommendation can be the perfect way to choose a theme for your new blog.       Where To Get A Theme For Your New Blog? There are a few places to get new themes!  You can pay someone to design a custom theme for your blog but this is the least affordable option for most. You would get exactly what you wanted but be prepared to spend up to a few thousand! Aside from the above, you can look at places like Etsy, or if you decide you like a free theme and want to upgrade to the premium version, you can do this within WordPress.  As I mentioned earlier in this post, this theme I bought for my blog (one off payment was only around $30 and free ongoing updates) is Ashe Blog Pro from WP Royal!  I love that it’s clean and lightweight and highly customisable for that one off small payment!  It’s been amazing and would recommend it to anyone as it’s so easy to use!  There are lots of options out there so take your time and see what suits you.   For Absolutely Brand New Bloggers If you have never had a blog/website before, it may take some playing around to work out what really suits you and feels right for your blog and that’s okay! You can’t be expected to know what you want if you don’t have any experience yet – it’s all a learning curve! Have a play with the free themes and see what ones feel right, check out their customisation options and if they have a premium version (I would avoid it if they don’t), and also when they were last updated. If you find one that suits – you can then upgrade to the premium version of that blog theme! This may be perfect for you and gives you the option to try a few themes on for size before settling on one for the foreseeable future.  Opting for a premium simple-to-use but highly customisable theme is key, but there’s no rush for you finding the one you like in the very early days! If you have any questions regarding the theme I currently use (Ashe Blog Pro), or about themes in general, leave them in a comment and I’ll get back to you! Speak soon!                                                                 Pin for later 

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How To Choose The Best Theme for Your New Blog – Blog Aesthetic Tips

Ahhh blog aesthetic!

Something we all want but sometimes don’t know how to go about getting if you’re new to the blogging world!

If you’re a new blogger you’re probably feeling a bit overwhelmed with so much information on things you “should or shouldn’t” do. 

One of the first things people will recommend you get for your new blog after Domain and Hosting is a good theme!

But how do you know what theme to get?

It really depends on if you have an exact idea of what style/aesthetic you want to have or not.

There are certain other aspects of choosing a theme you maybe haven’t thought of though so we will go over all of that here!  

This post is more geared towards the paid for themes as they offer a lot more flexibility and customisation than a free theme.

You can read why a paid theme is best in this post here.

 

Is There a “Best” Theme for New Bloggers?

Honestly no, I don’t think so!

If you were looking for an exact answer, I don’t believe there is one specifically! 

Everyone has different preferences along with what they need from their theme.

Different niches will have different needs in a theme also!

But, there are definitely things to look for in a theme .

There are so many blog themes out there, and while choosing one is important, it’s not the be all and end all.

Blog themes can be changed!

As a beginner blogger I’m sure you’re trying to keep your blogging expenses down though and buying different themes is an unnecessary expense!

The ideal is buying one at an affordable price that suits all of your, and your blog’s needs.

 

How Should You Choose a Theme For Your New Blog

From an aesthetic point of view everyone will have different preferences.

The beauty of having a blog is that it’s your space to express yourself and your individuality through your website.

What you need to be careful of is how it’s perceived by the reader.

If your main purpose of your blog is for your own personal enjoyment, or as a hobby to share your thoughts, then absolutely have any theme/colours and layout you like! 

On the other hand if growing an audience and gaining long-term readers is important to you, you will need to be a little more selective.

I’ve had various themes over my blogs over the years but when I found this one (correct on Jan 2023), I instantly loved it.

Early days I was the one to try SO many free themes.

I kept jumping and trying a different one to see if the next one would do everything I needed/wanted it to.

They never did.

 

 

All that happened was I spent far too much time having to change layouts and settings to still not be happy with it.

(Quick side note: You can change themes/free themes as often as you like, but they aren’t all compatible with each other/plugins/widgets you may have. Changing your theme on your blog doesn’t take long, it’s changing all your settings to make your blog function properly again that’s time consuming and is worth avoiding where possible!)

Turns out the reason is that free themes are free for a reason, and they just didn’t allow the customisation I knew I was needing.

Not just when I launched this website but I wanted one that would grow with me. I didn’t want one that I would have to keep changing as it can take a lot of time and setting changes to get everything set back up again.

The important part of growing a blog is the tasks that produce the best ROI (Return On Investment). The key is avoiding/minimising the tasks that take up unnecessary time; like having to realign photos or move widgets having changed your blog theme again.

If you really do need to change or down the line want to upgrade your blog theme then absolutely do this. I would just avoid doing it too often if you don’t have to.

The other thing to be aware of is speed – some themes will slow your site down but as a new blogger this won’t be something you have to worry about too much as long as you’re careful with not installing too many plugins! 

 

Are There Things To Look For When Choosing A Blog Theme?

Again this will be subjective to you and your wants for your blog.

There are however things I would personally look for in a blog theme before purchasing! 

Make sure the theme you are choosing has the personalisation YOU are looking for. 

Buying a premium theme will help with a lot of the customisation you may want, but even with a free theme there’s things to be aware of!

For example, free themes often come with a limited font selection.

This is a good choice if you find one you like and are easily overwhelmed – but – you are very limited and restricted in terms of the font you choose for your blog.

You will want to look for a theme that has ongoing updates, is highly customisable, lightweight (no one likes a slow website) and that is aesthetically pleasing! 

If you are a new blogger it can be tricky knowing how best to choose a theme for your new blog, so making a list of things you want can be helpful.

Finding a blog that is easy to use/customise is something I would highly recommend as the last thing you want to do as a new blogger is have to spend hours on how to change something that “should be” simple! 

 


 

What If You Want Something Completely Different?

Blogs are a reflection of their owner.

Every design choice, setting change, font and colour scheme have all been picked out.

If you want something that is completely different – absolutely go for it! 

There are no hard and fast rules – it’s your blog after all!

You can tailor the aesthetic of your website to suit your – and your readers – needs. 

If you want a layout or functions within a blog theme you have never seen in a theme before, you can get your own blog theme custom made. 

Be aware this can get pricey – but is a way to suit all of your needs if you really don’t like the more mainstream blog themes!

Any premium (paid) blog theme will let you change colours/fonts etc, so look for which blogs you like the “vibe” of, or the overall layout!

If you keep returning to read a blog and notice they are still using the same theme for months on end – this is a good sign that they like their theme!

Word of mouth/a recommendation can be the perfect way to choose a theme for your new blog.

 

 

 

Where To Get A Theme For Your New Blog?

There are a few places to get new themes! 

You can pay someone to design a custom theme for your blog but this is the least affordable option for most.

You would get exactly what you wanted but be prepared to spend up to a few thousand!

Aside from the above, you can look at places like Etsy, or if you decide you like a free theme and want to upgrade to the premium version, you can do this within WordPress. 

As I mentioned earlier in this post, this theme I bought for my blog (one off payment was only around $30 and free ongoing updates) is Ashe Blog Pro from WP Royal! 

I love that it’s clean and lightweight and highly customisable for that one off small payment! 

It’s been amazing and would recommend it to anyone as it’s so easy to use! 

There are lots of options out there so take your time and see what suits you.

 

For Absolutely Brand New Bloggers

If you have never had a blog/website before, it may take some playing around to work out what really suits you and feels right for your blog and that’s okay!

You can’t be expected to know what you want if you don’t have any experience yet – it’s all a learning curve!

Have a play with the free themes and see what ones feel right, check out their customisation options and if they have a premium version (I would avoid it if they don’t), and also when they were last updated.

If you find one that suits – you can then upgrade to the premium version of that blog theme!

This may be perfect for you and gives you the option to try a few themes on for size before settling on one for the foreseeable future. 

Opting for a premium simple-to-use but highly customisable theme is key, but there’s no rush for you finding the one you like in the very early days!

If you have any questions regarding the theme I currently use (Ashe Blog Pro), or about themes in general, leave them in a comment and I’ll get back to you!

Speak soon!

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