Bloggers have become the modern authority for information. In fact most of us have our favourite bloggers, others may want to start their own blog.

The question is, why don’t we? Is it simply a time constraint issue, or does it just seems too darn hard? So what does creating a blog actually involve?

Take it from a startup blogger who we helped get online, SoberSally. The most challenging part of starting a blog is overcoming the idea that it will take you a lifetime to set up and you’ll be too short on time for it.

Well, fear not! I’ll walk you through 5 simple steps on how you can launch your idea and get your very own blog online.

1. What are you passionate about?

Popular topics include; fashion, travel, food, technology and many more.

You may be a fashion guru, a tech head or perhaps you are an avid traveller and want to share your experiences with the world. Maybe you’re expert on something niche like insurance, the French language or air travel. Whether it be a hobby or your next business start-up, a blog is a great place to start.

Either way, write about something you are passionate about – your readers will want something interesting and fresh. Take a look at the bloggers you admire and how they write their content and use them as your inspiration.

2. What’s in a name? (a lot, actually)

Some of the top blogs around the world have catchy or original names. If you really want to stay true to your personal brand, your own name can also work fabulously well. Once you have decided on the name, protect your blog’s identity by registering a domain name.

You can start your blog on a blogging platform however for a personalised blog you will want to purchase your domain name from a provider.

Australian domains are registered on a standard 2 year period, keep in mind you need an ABN to buy an Australian domain name (.Com.au). Alternatively you can purchase a .Com for a minimum of 1 year. .Com domains are usually more popular for blogs as they have a greater global appeal.

Did you know that Crucial have the cheapest domains in Australia? Find out more here.

3. Choose the right blogging platform for you

There are lots of platforms out there which are built for blogging. WordPress, Tumblr, Blogger, Squarespace, Joomla and even Drupal are all popular blogging platforms.

However not all of them are the same. Squarespace, Tumblr and Blogger for example are ‘all-in-one’ platforms, meaning your posts and images are uploaded to their servers. Because you’re also locked into their platform, it can be restrictive once you start to customise your blog or styles.

Of the bunch, our pick is the very popular WordPress. This platform is fantastic and user friendly, plus with a massive community, there are plenty of how to use WordPress guides available online.

Crucial offers a one-click WordPress installation on our Web Hosting packages, meaning you’ll be ready to get started in no time.

4. Get some rock solid Web Hosting (this matters)

Hosting is the storage where your website data is stored and accessed from. Hosting your website means it can be accessed on the world wide web at all times.

For a basic blog you will probably won’t need a lot of storage, however it’s safe to pick a host that gives you lots of room to grow.

You can purchase your hosting at the same time as your domain. When selecting your hosting package, the resources you will need will be dependent on how many photos or videos you will have on your profile. Most hosting companies will allow you to upgrade if you need more resources.

5. Choose a template (theme)

You can start your blog using a default WordPress, or you can spice it up and purchase a template from one of many theme marketplaces. View the marketplaces here.

The template marketplace Themeforest is a favourite here with the Crucial team, they have variety of templates for all your blogging needs. SoberSally, our beginner blogger uses a template with Themeforest you can view here.

Generally these templates will provide you with the steps you need to install on wordpress and start your blog, some template owners even offer support.

Now it’s time to blog!

You are ready to go! Now it’s time to start  publishing some great content, videos your photos.

If you have questions about how Crucial can help you get online, get in contact with our team via www.crucial.com.au.