Welcome Brand New Blogger!!
Brand New Blogger Resources
Welcome new blogging friend!! I am so excited you are here and ready to take your first steps to become a full-fledged blogger.
Before we dive in, it’s time for just a little tough love.
Blogging is not a get rich quick scheme. It takes time to learn all the things in the right order and at the right time.
Blogging can also be expensive.
Yes, there are some really great courses out there that can walk you through all of the things that need to be done. But knowing the best courses that are the right fit for you can be a bit tricky.
And that is where this Facebook group comes in.
When I took over The Midlife Bloggers Group I wanted it to be a resource that would be valuable and helpful to any blogger no matter where they were on their blogging journey.
A one-stop of education and information that anyone could find value in.
Below I have a few great resources listed that will help you out if you are just starting your blogging journey. This list is perfect for anyone that does not yet have a blog set up or live but is ready to get moving.
I have them broken down to make it easy for you to pick and choose depending on where you feel you need the most help.
Before we dive in, there is one resource that has everything you need to take an idea and turn it into a full-time blogging business. I was a student in 2016 and in less than 18 months I was earning a full-time income with my little homesteading blog. This resource is Elite Blog Academy and it’s no joke. Doors only open once a year and you can get on the no-obligation wait list. Why do that? Because Ruth Soukup is beyond generous with that list and loves to send out crazy amazing FREE resources all geared for the brand new blogger.
GET ON THE LIST HERE (And get your FREE Blogging Blueprint! (see, I told you…lots of great freebies!!)
THE MECHANICS OF BLOGGING
Hosting I recommend:
Before you dive into creating your blog you will need a hosting provider. A blog host is a company that provides the space on its servers and equipment to actually house and store your blog. This is the way people can read and visit your blog on the internet.
Siteground – is who I have been with since day one. When others had issues with Bluehost I was sitting pretty over at Siteground. A reliable hosting company with amazing customer support.
You can read why I prefer Siteground HERE to find out more.
If you do not have your site up and live yet, you will want to start here. This will get you going so you can get to writing. At this point, you want to choose a theme that is free and easy to use. There are so many things to learn in the beginning so don’t worry too much about looks. You can always change themes later on and really pretty things up once you know what you love.
How to Start a Blog – A Step by Step Guide
The theory behind blogging.
Before you get going too far, you will want to choose what you will write about. Most bloggers overlook this step and just dive right in. That might be fine for some people but for others, you will do much better if you have a plan. An idea of what your blog will be about and what you will write about.
How to Choose the Perfect Niche for your Blog
Themes I have use and love:
Once you have your blog up, hosted, live and you are beginning to find your footing in this crazy online world it may be time to pretty things up. That is where a theme comes into play and it’s a chance to take the first steps to create a brand for yourself and your blog.
A brand is the package of you. Your colors, your fonts, your name, your style. When people see your style they see you.
My blog, Simple Living Country Gal is the Restored 316 Market Theme. I just love this theme and how easy it is to customize. My farm site, TOH Farms is another Restored 316 theme called the Refined. They have the best themes over there and I find them very reasonable and helpful when moving things over.
When you are just starting out blogging, there are quite a few things that need your attention. If you do just the basics to get things up and moving you can always go back and tweak things later to your liking.
Bookmark this page so you can refer back to it as you need it. I will be updating it to include more tools both paid and free to help you navigate the blogging waters a bit easier. You can also access the other pages as you grow.
But remember, the most important tool in all of this is the Over 40 Facebook Group.
Each day we go over a different topic so you can learn and ask questions as needed. I hope this will help to keep you focused and learning without all the overwhelm. Blogging all on your own is not only difficult it is also frustrating. There is just so much to learn and so much to do and having a group of like-minded women is a good thing. A very good thing!
My hope is that the Over 40 Group will help you to make progress each and every day as you get closer to your dream of turning your blog into a business.
If you joined my email list then you will get even more support each week. My newsletters focus mainly on growing your email list and what you need to do and why.
Your email list is by far the most important thing behind your blog. If you want to grow, make a significant income, and reach and help as many people as you can, then you need a good and dedicated email list.
If you did not sign up, you can do so right HERE.
Welcome, and I will see you in the group!