How To Start A Free Blog On Wordpress

Are you dreaming of starting your own blog, but don’t know where to begin? You’re not alone – many budding bloggers get stuck at the starting line.

Starting a blog can be a great way to share your thoughts, ideas, and experiences with the world.

Whether you want to blog about your travels, your favorite recipes, or your thoughts on current events, WordPress is a great platform to get started on and you don’t need to pay for it.

In this article, I will show you how to start a FREE blog on WordPress, so you can get your ideas out there without spending a dime.

Key Takeaways

Starting a blog is an excellent way to share ideas, experiences, and thoughts with the world. WordPress is a popular platform for this purpose and offers a free option to get started.
WordPress.com offers a hassle-free experience for beginners, managing hosting, security, and updates. WordPress.org allows more customization but needs self-hosting.
Setting Up a Free Blog on WordPress involves signing up on WordPress.com, selecting a domain name (free or custom), choosing a hosting plan (free or paid), and customizing the appearance using available themes.
Basic SEO practices like creating quality content, keyword research, optimizing permalinks, meta descriptions, internal/external linking, image optimization, social sharing, and engaging with comments can enhance visibility on search engines.
Despite limitations in free plans (no ads), ways to monetize a free WordPress blog include affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, selling products/services, donations, and consulting. Upgrading to premium plans unlocks more monetization potential.

WordPress.com vs WordPress.org

WordPress.com and WordPress.org are two distinct platforms that offer different approaches to creating and managing websites.

WordPress.com is what you will use to create a FREE blog. It is a hosted platform that provides an all-in-one solution for creating websites. It offers a simplified and user-friendly interface, making it ideal for beginners who prefer a hassle-free experience.

It is what this article will be focusing on.

With WordPress.com, you don’t need to worry about technical aspects such as hosting, security, or updates, as these are managed by the platform itself. You also don’t have to install WordPress.

However, the trade-off for this convenience is a more limited degree of customization and control. The available themes and plugins are curated, and some advanced features may be restricted unless you opt for higher-priced plans.

While suitable for personal blogs or simple websites, WordPress.com might not be the best choice for those seeking extensive customization and scalability.

On the other hand, WordPress.org provides a SELF-HOSTED solution that grants you full control over your website.

This option is perfect if you want complete customization, scalability, and the ability to add custom themes and plugins.

With WordPress.org, you need to secure your own hosting, manage backups, and install updates manually. While this requires more technical knowledge and responsibility, it offers the flexibility to create highly personalized websites tailored to specific needs.

WordPress.org is the preferred choice for businesses, e-commerce ventures, and individuals looking to build complex websites with a unique brand identity.

The Benefits of a Free WordPress.com Blog

WordPress.com offers some advantages:

First, it’s an ideal choice if you are venturing into blogging without prior technical knowledge or experience. This platform provides a user-friendly interface with inbuilt features like different themes, comment sections, and social sharing buttons to make your blog engaging and interactive.

WordPress.com is renowned for its robust security measures which include automatic backups, spam protection, and updates that ensure your site runs smoothly without any hitches.

Moreover, this free hosting service has built-in SEO tools enhancing the visibility of your content on search engines.

WordPress.com also supports multimedia content allowing you to add images, audio files, or videos to enrich your posts further.

How to Start a Free Blog on WordPress

Starting a free blog that can make money on WordPress is easy and straightforward. In this article, I will walk you through the process with an example of me setting up a blog from scratch.

Now, as we have established when launching a free blog, you will work with WordPress.com.

When you visit WordPress.com, here is what it looks like:

This means that you won’t have to worry about choosing the right platform and hosting because everything is provided to you automatically.

Here is how you build your free blog:

Sign-up on WordPress

Getting your free blog started on WordPress involves following a simple sign-up process:

Navigate to the WordPress.com homepage.

Click on the “Get Started” button at the top right corner.

Next, you’ll be asked to create an account. You can sign up using your email address or choose to link your Google account. After entering your preferred email and a secure password, click “Continue.”

Fill in your desired email address, username, and secure password to create your account.

After filling out this information, click on “Create your account”.

You’ll be directed to a page where you choose your domain name.

Select a domain name

The process of selecting a domain name is a crucial aspect of setting up your WordPress blog. This unique web address becomes not only the face but also the identity of your blog online.

While choosing, consider a name that’s easy to remember and type, and reflects the content or intent of your site clearly.

As you type, WordPress will help you pick a name that is available.

The free domains come with the extension .wordpress.com. If you want to opt for a custom domain name you will have to pay for it.

In my example, I wanted to choose “electricbicycle.wordpress.com” but since that’s already taken, I may settle for “electricbicycle9.wordpress.com.”

In the end, I chose to go with “electricbicycleinsights.wordpress.com”. If you choose to use a free domain, press the select button to continue.

Notice that there are other options where you are told you get it for “free for the first year with annual paid plans.” These are premium plans offered by WordPress.com.

That’s beyond the scope of this article because we are focusing on free blogs.

Exploring hosting options

You have several hosting options to choose from when starting a WordPress blog.

With a free WordPress.com account, select the free option for zero dollars.

Opting for the Free plan entails foregoing certain features, including:

No provision for a free custom domain: In my case, my website will be displayed to visitors as electricbicycleinsights.wordpress.com.
Absence of an ad-free browsing experience: External ads will be visible to your site’s visitors. It interferes with the aesthetic of your site.
Limited access to unlimited professional customer support (you are limited to community forums only).
No additional storage: The allocated storage for photos, videos, media, and documents is capped at 1GB.

The other options are paid for and they give you more control over your site and can choose from a wide range of hosting providers. Self-hosting gives you flexibility in terms of design, functionality, and monetization options for your blog.

After verifying your plan, the website has been created and you’ll have to customize it.

WordPress will send you an email to verify your email address to be certain that you own the address. They sent me this:

You can verify this by clicking the blue “continue setting up your site” button.

Setting Up Your WordPress Blog

In the next step, you can reveal more information concerning your blog to help with the customization but you can always defer this if you don’t have a concrete plan by selecting “skip to dashboard.”

In my case, I knew what I wanted so I chose to continue with the customization.

It is a blog, so I chose “write & publish.”

Then I moved to the next page:

Here, I gave a brief description of what the blog is about. In this case, my blog will provide readers with electric bicycle content.

After that, the next step looks like this:

If you are itching to start, you can write your first blog post.

Alternatively, you can watch blogging videos explaining how blogging works if you are completely new to it.

The other option is to start designing your blog.

You don’t have to do any of this immediately but I chose to check out some designs (themes):

Selecting a theme

Selecting a theme is an important step when setting up your WordPress blog. Your theme determines the overall look and feel of your site, so it’s essential to choose one that reflects your style and resonates with your target audience.

With thousands of free and premium themes available, you have plenty of options to find the perfect one for your blog. Consider factors such as design, layout, color scheme, and customization options when making your decision.

Unfortunately, with a free blog, you are limited in these customization options.

As you can see there are many free themes to choose from and WordPress helps you find a theme that matches the type of website you are going for.

Since mine is a blog, I chose one of the themes under “blog”.

I chose the Twenty Twenty-Three theme and they allowed me to preview it.

This means that you can see what your blog will look like on a computer, tablet, or mobile.

To set up your WordPress blog, you’ll need to select a theme that reflects your style and customize its appearance.

Remember that a clean and professional-looking theme can help attract more visitors and make a positive impression on them.

When selecting a theme for your WordPress blog, consider the type of content you’ll be sharing on your blog – whether it’s text-heavy articles or image-focused posts – as this will influence the ideal layout for presenting your content in an engaging way.

Launch Your Site

After choosing your theme, you are three-fifths done with the setup.

The next step is to write your first post. You can do that or just skip that part and go directly to “launch your site” like in my example below:

The site goes live and you are directed to your dashboard. It looks like this:

Navigating the WordPress Dashboard

Once you have created your free blog on WordPress, you will need to familiarize yourself with the WordPress Dashboard.

The WordPress dashboard is the central control panel and administrative interface of a WordPress website. It serves as the main hub for managing and controlling various aspects of the website, including content creation, design, functionality, and settings. The Dashboard is where you will manage all aspects of your blog, from creating new posts to changing the design of your site.

The dashboard provides website owners, administrators, and editors with a user-friendly interface to perform tasks and make changes without requiring extensive technical knowledge.

When you log in to your WordPress website, the first screen you will be seeing is the dashboard.

It typically consists of several sections and menu options that allow you to navigate through different functionalities. Here are some of the common ones:

Home: This is the main landing page of the dashboard, where you can see an overview of recent activity, updates, and notifications related to your website.
Posts: In this section, you can create, edit, and manage blog posts and articles on your website. You can organize posts into categories and tags and schedule them for publishing.
Pages: Similar to posts, this section allows you to manage static pages on your website, such as the About Us, Contact, and Services pages.
Media: Here, you can upload, manage, and organize images, videos, and other media files that you want to include in your content.
Appearance: This section lets you customize the visual appearance of your website. You can change themes, customize the site’s header, background, and menus, and add widgets to different areas of your site.
Comments: This is where you can manage comments on your blog posts.
Plugins: WordPress plugins are tools that enhance the functionality of your website. In this section, you can install, activate, deactivate, and manage plugins that add various features to your site. In a free blog, you can’t use them, unfortunately.
Users: You can manage user accounts and their roles in this section. Assigning roles allows you to control who can access and modify different parts of your website.
Settings: This is where you can configure general site settings, such as site title, tagline, and time zone. You can also adjust settings related to comments, reading, writing, and more.

The WordPress dashboard provides an intuitive and organized way to control all aspects of your website’s content, design, and functionality from a single location, making it an essential tool for website management.

The right and larger part of the dashboard provides an overview of your site’s activity and performance. Here you can see information such as the number of posts and pages on your site, the number of comments awaiting moderation, and your site’s traffic statistics.

You can also access various quick links and shortcuts from this page, such as creating a new post or page, or customizing your site’s design.

Posts vs Pages

In a WordPress blog, there’s a fundamental distinction between “posts” and “pages,” each serving specific purposes to organize and present content effectively.

Posts are the dynamic and timely entries that make up the heart of your blog, this is your content or what you write on a regular basis. They are designed for frequent updates, discussions, and engagement with your audience.

When you publish a new post, it appears at the top of your blog’s main content feed and is presented in reverse chronological order. This means that the most recent post is displayed first, and older posts are pushed down the list as new ones are added.

Posts are tagged and categorized, making it easier for visitors to navigate through different topics and find the content they’re interested in. Posts also support features like comments and social sharing, promoting interaction and discussions.

Pages, in contrast, are meant for more static and evergreen content that remains consistent over time. They are not part of the chronological flow of posts and are often displayed as primary navigation items on your website.

Pages are used to present essential information that you want visitors to easily access, such as an “About Us” page, a “Contact” page, a “Services” page, and more. They offer a more structured and organized way to present content that doesn’t require frequent updates.

Unlike posts, pages are not categorized or tagged, and they typically don’t support features like comments. Instead, pages serve as the foundational building blocks of your website’s structure and navigation, providing visitors with key information.

Writing Your First Blog Post

Now that you have set up your own blog on WordPress, it’s time to write your first blog post.

Writing a blog post can be intimidating, but with a few tips and tricks, you can create a post that engages your readers and helps you establish your online presence.

When it comes to writing your first blog post, the most important thing is to start writing. Don’t worry about making it perfect the first time around.

Just start writing and let your ideas flow. Once you have a rough draft, you can go back and edit it to make it more polished.

Before you start writing, you may want to brainstorm some blog post ideas. Think about what topics you are passionate about and what your readers might be interested in. You can also look at other blogs in your niche for inspiration.

When you are ready to start writing, create a new post by clicking on the “Write” button in your WordPress dashboard. You will be directed to the editor.

The editor looks like this:

You can take a tour of the editor or just skip that bit and get to writing. Then you can learn about the features as you use them.

Once you’ve written your post, you can publish it using the blue button at the top right corner there.

In the WordPress editor, the right-hand side typically hosts several components that allow you to manage various aspects of your content creation and formatting.

Here are some common components found on the right side of the WordPress editor:

Document Settings: This section provides essential information and settings for your post or page. It includes options like the permalink (URL) structure, status (draft, pending review, published), visibility (public, private), publishing date and time, and post format (if applicable).
Categories and Tags: This area lets you categorize and tag your content for better organization and navigation. You can assign your post to one or more categories and add relevant tags to make it easier for readers to find related content.
Featured Image: Here, you can set a featured image for your post or page. This image is often displayed as a thumbnail or header image when your content is shared or listed on your website.
Excerpt: The excerpt is a short summary or teaser of your content that may appear in search results, archives, or in certain themes. You can manually enter an excerpt to provide context for your content.
Discussion: This section enables you to manage comments on your post or page. You can allow or disallow comments, and even close comments after a certain period to prevent further discussions.
Block Settings (Block Editor): With the introduction of the Block Editor (Gutenberg), each content block can have its own settings on the right-hand side. These settings may vary depending on the type of block you’re using, allowing you to customize each block’s appearance and behavior.

Remember that the appearance and arrangement of these components might vary depending on your WordPress theme and the plugins you’re using.

These components collectively help you fine-tune and optimize your content before publishing it on your website.

I published my first post and it looks like this:

It also allows comments:

As you write your first post, it is pretty simple: Give your post a title and start writing in the editor. You can use formatting tools to add headings, bold text, bullet points, and more to make your post easier to read and understand.

Tips for Writing Great Blog Posts

Here are some tips for writing great blog posts:

Use a catchy title that grabs your reader’s attention
Write in a conversational tone to engage your readers (for example, use “you” when referring to your reader instead of “e-bike enthusiast” or some other term).
Use subheadings to break up your post into smaller sections
Use images to break up text and make your post more visually appealing
Use bullet points and numbered lists to make your post easier to read
End your post with a call to action to encourage your readers to engage with your content

Remember, the most important thing is to start writing. Don’t worry about making it perfect the first time around. With practice, you’ll get better at writing blog posts that engage your readers and help you establish your online presence.

Organizing your posts

To keep your blog well-organized, categorize and tag your posts appropriately. This helps both you and your readers navigate through different topics easily.

Create relevant categories that align with the main themes of your blog. In my example, I can create categories like “e-bike parts”, “buying e-bikes”, or other suitable ones.

When writing a new post, assign it to the appropriate category.

Additionally, use tags to further classify your content based on specific keywords or subtopics.

By organizing your posts effectively, you make it easier for readers to find what they’re looking for and create a more streamlined experience overall.

Creating Static Pages

Once you have set up your blog, you may want to create additional pages to provide more information to your readers.

Here are some examples of pages to add to your blog:

About Page: An “About” page is a static page that introduces you to your visitors. It’s a great opportunity to share your story, mission, and values, helping users connect with you on a personal level. This page can build trust and credibility, making visitors more likely to engage with your content and offerings.
Contact Page: A “Contact” page provides visitors with a way to reach out to you directly. It often includes a contact form, email address, phone number, and possibly a physical address. By offering multiple ways to get in touch, you make it easier for users to engage with you, ask questions, or inquire about your products or services if you are promoting them.
Services or Products Page: If you offer specific services or products, a dedicated page can provide comprehensive information about what you provide. This helps potential customers understand the value you offer and encourages them to take action, such as making a purchase or requesting a quote.
Portfolio or Gallery Page: If you’re an artist, photographer, designer, or creative professional, a portfolio or gallery page showcases your work. Static pages allow you to present your projects in a clean and organized manner, highlighting your skills and creativity.
FAQ Page: A “Frequently Asked Questions” page addresses common queries visitors might have about your offerings, policies, or processes. By providing clear answers, you reduce the need for users to contact you with basic questions and enhance their experience on your site.
Privacy Policy and Terms of Use Pages: These pages are essential for legal compliance and transparency. They outline how you handle user data, cookies, and site usage. Many jurisdictions require websites to have these pages to protect users’ privacy and inform them of their rights.
Landing Pages: For specific marketing campaigns, events, or promotions, creating dedicated landing pages can help you focus users’ attention on a particular message or call to action. These pages are designed to convert visitors into leads or customers.

Static pages make it easier for visitors to find the information they’re looking for. This helps create a positive user experience and keeps users engaged on your blog.

Static pages are often optimized for search engines, making it easier for your content to rank higher in search results. Well-structured static pages with relevant keywords can attract organic traffic and increase your site’s visibility.

How to Do SEO on a Free WordPress Blog

Yes, you can implement basic SEO (Search Engine Optimization) techniques on a free WordPress blog to improve its visibility in search engine results. Here are some ways to do SEO on a free WordPress blog:

Quality Content: Create high-quality, relevant, and engaging content that addresses your target audience’s needs and interests. Well-written content is more likely to attract readers and gain organic search traffic. Search engines love high-quality content because it aligns with their mission to provide users with a positive and informative search experience.
Keyword Research: Research relevant keywords related to your blog topics. Incorporate these keywords naturally into your blog posts’ titles, headings, and content.
Optimize Permalinks: Customize your post URLs (permalinks) to include relevant keywords. Avoid using generic URLs with numbers or symbols. You can do this from the editor:
Meta Descriptions: Write compelling meta descriptions for your posts. These brief descriptions appear in search engine results and can influence click-through rates.
Internal and External Links: Include both internal links (links to other pages/posts on your blog) and external links (links to reputable sources) in your content. This helps search engines understand your content’s context and relevance.
Image Optimization: Optimize images by using descriptive file names and adding alt text. This improves accessibility and helps search engines understand your images.
Social Sharing: Encourage social sharing of your content. When your posts are shared on social media, it can lead to increased visibility and potentially more backlinks.
Engage with Comments: Engage with readers who leave comments on your posts. This interaction can improve user engagement and encourage return visits which tells search engines that your blog is good and worth promoting on the SERPs.

While free WordPress blogs have limitations compared to self-hosted sites, these basic SEO techniques can still help improve your blog’s visibility and reach.

How to Monetize Your Free WordPress Blog

You can monetize your free blog as was indicated on this WordPress Community forum:

“Most of the ways you can monetize your site on WordPress.com are free (affiliate linking, sponsored/pre-written posts or selling physical and digital products, and requesting donations or tips are all free). The only monetize option you would need an upgraded account for would be the advertising (WordAds). For this you would need either a Premium or a Business plan, so a Personal plan would not be enough.”

Now that we know advertising is out of the question, here are ways to make money from your blog:

Affiliate Marketing: You can incorporate affiliate links within your blog posts to promote products or services. When readers make purchases through your affiliate links, you earn a commission.
Sponsored Posts: As your blog grows in popularity, you might attract opportunities for sponsored posts. Companies may pay you to write about their products or services.
Sell Products or Services: If you have products or services to offer, you can promote and sell them through your blog. This might include digital products, e-books, online courses, or consulting services.
Donations: You can include a donation button or link on your blog, allowing readers who appreciate your content to support you financially.
Freelancing or Consulting: If your blog showcases your expertise in a particular field, you might attract freelance or consulting opportunities from readers or potential clients.

However, it’s important to note that free WordPress blogs come with limitations that could impact your monetization efforts:

Since free WordPress blogs typically have a subdomain (e.g., yourblog.wordpress.com), you might not appear as professional as someone with a custom domain.

If you’re serious about monetizing your blog and having more control over your monetization methods, you might consider upgrading to a self-hosted WordPress site.

Self-hosted sites give you more freedom to customize, use different ad networks, and implement various monetization strategies. However, self-hosted sites also require more technical knowledge and monetary investment because you have to pay for web hosting and a domain name.

WordPress vs Other Free Platforms

WordPress.com stands out as a premier platform for creating a free website, particularly focusing on blogs.

While other services like Wix, Blogger, and Weebly also offer free plans, WordPress.com excels in the realm of blogging due to its origins and dedicated focus. This platform is tailored to enhance the blogging experience and offers robust features in this regard.

Wix and Weebly are versatile website builders catering to a wider range of website types. They prioritize design control and versatility, even in their free plans, making them suitable for creating various types of websites beyond blogs.

However, these platforms might lack some blog-specific features such as tags and custom fields that WordPress.com excels in.

WordPress.com boasts an extensive library of plugins and themes available from across the internet, offering unparalleled customization options. While Wix and Weebly have a form of plugins functionality, it is limited to pre-approved “apps” within their dashboard, restricting the range of customization options compared to WordPress.com.

WordPress vs. Blogger

The more interesting comparison is between Blogger and WordPress because both platforms offer distinct advantages and considerations with the blogging experience in mind.

As we’ve established, WordPress provides a wide range of customization options because the platform’s open-source nature encourages developers to contribute to its vast library of themes and plugins, giving bloggers more options to personalize their sites.

WordPress offers advanced features like tagging, categories, scheduling posts, and multiple-author collaboration and its blogs often appear more professional and polished due to the diverse range of themes and design options available.

Blogger (of the .blogspot.com domain), owned by Google, offers an easy and straightforward setup process for your own site. If you already have a Google account, you can quickly create a Blogger blog without the need for separate hosting.

Blogger seamlessly integrates with other Google services, such as Google AdSense and Google Analytics, making it convenient for bloggers who want to monetize their blogs or track their site’s performance.

While Blogger provides a few templates and allows basic customization, it falls short compared to the extensive customization options available in WordPress.

WordPress offers more flexibility, customization options, and advanced blogging features, making it an excellent choice for bloggers who want a versatile and professional platform.

On the other hand, Blogger is ideal for those who prefer a simple setup, integration with Google services, and a straightforward interface. Ultimately, your choice between WordPress and Blogger depends on your blogging goals, technical comfort level, and desired level of customization.

Benefits of Upgrading Your Account

Upgrading your WordPress account comes with several benefits.

Firstly, you gain access to a wider range of features and customization options that can enhance the appearance and functionality of your blog.

This includes premium themes and plugins, which allow you to create a unique and professional-looking site. Upgrading also provides you with additional storage space, allowing you to upload more content without worrying about reaching capacity limits.

Furthermore, upgrading unlocks monetization opportunities such as ad placement on your blog, giving you the potential to earn income from your content. Overall, upgrading your account gives you more control over your blog’s design and functionality while expanding its earning potential.

Tips for a Successful Blogging Journey

Starting a new blog is an exciting adventure, but it can also be daunting. To help you create a successful blog, we’ve compiled some tips to guide you on your blogging journey.

Choose a Memorable Blog Name

Your blog name is your brand, so it’s essential to choose a name that is memorable and easy to remember. Make sure the name is relevant to your blog’s content and reflects your personality. You can use online tools like NameMesh or Panabee to generate ideas for your blog name.

Create a Professional Looking Site

A professional-looking site is crucial for building credibility and attracting readers. Choose a clean and visually appealing theme and customize it to match your brand. Use high-quality images and make sure your site is easy to navigate.

Write Personal Stories

People love reading personal stories, so don’t be afraid to share your experiences. Your readers will appreciate your honesty and authenticity. Share your thoughts, opinions, and insights to create a connection with your audience.

Consistency is Key

Consistency is crucial for building a successful blog. Make a schedule and stick to it. Whether you publish once a week or once a month, make sure you’re consistent. This will help you build a loyal following and keep your readers engaged.

Engage with Your Audience

Engaging with your audience is essential for building a community around your blog. Respond to comments and messages, and ask for feedback. This will help you build a relationship with your readers and make them feel valued.

Have Fun

Blogging should be fun, so don’t forget to enjoy the process. Write about topics that interest you, and don’t be afraid to experiment. Remember, your blog is your space to express yourself, so have fun and let your creativity flow.

Conclusion

Now that you have the knowledge to start a free blog on WordPress, it’s time to unleash your creativity and share your ideas with the world.

With its user-friendly interface and customizable features, WordPress makes it easy for anyone to get their blog up and running in no time.

So go ahead, dive into the world of blogging and let your voice be heard!