Q&A for How to Start a Blog

Know that content is queen! It's important that your written content is good and clear. It helps to write about something you know with the audience in mind. Think about why what you are saying is important to the audience, and how your message can be communicated to them.

Provided you have time and parental permission, any age is fine. However, you do open yourself to online criticism and rudeness, so bear that in mind before starting a blog.

Yes, on the Internet you can always remain anonymous. If it asks for your name, just say a word relating to your blog as your first name and "Blogger" as your last name.

No, you can't create blog without an email. You must have an email in order to create an account on blogging platforms, like Blogger and Wordpress. When you sign up for an account on these sorts of websites, they will usually ask you for your email first.

Try posting ads on your blog's page. Do blog pieces promoting other products or business, and ask for samples to critique -- sometimes the companies will be glad to help, especially if you have a decent level of readership. Or, you can sell a few things that relate to your blog.

There are many blogging platforms that you can add to an existing website, but it can be an involved process if you want the style to match. Wordpress.org and Ghost are two of the most popular options, and they both have community support forums that can help you get started.

Ideally, the URL and blog title should be the same. Pick a short name that's memorable and easy to say and type. If you plan to make money off your blog, spend the time to do keyword research. There's plenty of advice on this topic from experienced bloggers.

Lots of content, no long gaps between content, and plenty of social media presence. You can also look into search engine optimization (SEO), but focus on advice related to quality content and choosing good titles. SEO "tricks" and "hacks" are mostly worthless.

It's worth reading a (short) book about online copyright law before you start a project like that. The exact requirements vary based on your location, but it's a good idea to put a copyright notice at the bottom of every page. A unique title for your blog will also make it easier to catch people who steal your content.

You can design templates on Wordpress and Blogger by editing any existing template to meet your needs.

You can get around this bug by trying again in a new "incognito" or "private" browser window, or on a different device. If you have created many blogs on one account or one device, you might need to wait until tomorrow.

No. Blogging can also be done for personal reasons. It isn't really branding, and yes, not all people profit from it.

Yes. Many services, including Wordpress, Bloggers and few more, give you the opportunity to start your own blog free of cost - but you cannot use it to make money.

Yes; if your blog gets popular, you can make money by putting ads on your blog.

By joining affiliated marketing-through sites. Often people use google adsense to display ads to their viewers to earn money as well.

Yes, there are. Try Blog.com, for example. One of the great hidden things about this is the domain: if you use it for free, you have to use the subdomain (blog.com), but it fits in naturally. If you're willing to put in money, Squarespace will work for you.

Of course! It's your blog, you can have whatever you want on it. If your blog is meant to be informative, the more links, the better.

Look up information about SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and use these techniques when writing your blog.

As long as you don't give out any personal information (phone #, address, etc.), you'll be good.

Yes, of course. You can also change all of the names in your stories if you'd like. It is up to you.

Of course. Even the best bloggers use money as they go.

A blog is a certain type of website. Not all websites are blogs, but all blogs are on websites.

Yes, but the method depends on the host you are using. Look for an "Insert Image/Video" or "Insert File" button. Unless you're linking them from another website, you'll need to upload the pictures and videos to your web host.

No, there are blog building sites that are completely free. Purchasing a domain is mandatory and in most cases, less than $10. However, to create a blog with premium options and publish with a reputable blog building company might be worth the investment. It's really up to you.

Refer to Start Making Money Blogging , Make Money Blogging and related articles.

Find a safe blog site, and write about something that they agree on, or something that they like. Show them other blogs of that subject, and have them finish it, they might like it! Also, before you post your blog, show them it, and have them proofread and approve of it.

Some examples include: Blogger, Wordpress, Overblog. They are all useful sites where you can post your blog.

The Wordpress site is free as long as you don't mind .wordpress.com being at the end of your URL. There are also some features that you cannot use with the free version, so that is why it suggests the paid upgrade. But you don't ever have to pay unless you want those features and a different URL.

How long have you been at it? How much content do you have? Getting a solid group of readers is difficult and can take a long time. Maybe you just need to be patient and keep at it. Also, have you tried making your site SEO friendly? If you haven't, look into it as it can greatly boost the traffic to your site.

You can use a fake name, many writers use fake names to hide their identity. However, anonymity can be uncovered by someone if they really want to, so be sure to do your research on this thoroughly before beginning.