This document provides tips for starting a blog in 19 points. It recommends setting goals, choosing a domain name and blog host like BlueHost, installing WordPress, selecting a theme with branding elements, and adding an opt-in form to collect email subscribers. Key things to know are that a self-hosted WordPress blog gives the best control and ownership, and answers to common questions like where and how to start a blog can change over time but producing strategic content to help people is always important.

1. Revealed: 19
Things to Know
Before You Start
a Blog
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Last Update June 2nd, 2016.
Thinking that you’d like to start a blog this year? This post is
for you!
Today I’m going to show you some really important things you need
to know before you jump in.
If you follow these tips you’ll save a lot of time and valuable energy.

2. NOTE: This post on starting a blog contains some affiliate links. If
you purchase a service through one of my links I will earn a small
commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for the support! It
means a lot.
The quick steps involved in starting a blog
First up, if you don’t have a blog yet and are wondering about the
best way to get started there are a few quick steps you’ll want to
follow:
1. Set short and long term goals.
2. Get a domain name and blog host from BlueHost and install
WordPress as your blogging platform.
3. Choose a theme and decide on branding elements like logos and
colors.
4. Add an opt-in form to start collecting email subscribers.
5. Begin producing strategic content that helps people.

3. The content below will go into much deeper detail about starting a
blog this year and give you a bunch of helpful resources that you
can use to skyrocket your blogging progress.
What’s different about starting a blog this year?
Some things never change when it comes to blogging.
Other things, however, change quite regularly and it can be really
confusing if you’re new or just looking to get started.
I constantly get asked questions like:
“Where do I start a blog?”
“Should I use WordPress or Blogger or Tumblr?”
“Do I need Aweber or will Feedburner suffice for my mailing list?”
“Should I update my blog daily?”
“How should I monetize my blog?”
“Etc. ad infinitum.”
These types of questions are timeless but the answers often change
from year to year. And even if the answers don’t change it is
sometimes necessary to remind bloggers that the answers haven’t
changed! That is: keep doing what you’re doing.
Let’s do some of that now.

4. So you’re starting a blog? What do you need to
know?
Here are some of the most important things you’ll want to pay
attention if you want to make this blogging thing work for you:
1. A self-hosted WordPress blog is still your best bet
We harp on about this a lot but best thing you can do about blog
hosting is to set up your own WordPress.org blog on your own host.
I am still of the firm belief that free blogs like Tumblr and Blogger
(and even WordPress.com) do not give you the control, ownership
and branding options that you need.
Here’s a quick graphic I shared over on Google+ about the
difference between a free WordPress blog and a WordPress blog
that you host for yourself. Even here you’ll notice that the
differences are huge.
Create a blog here.