Start Your Own Food Blog
If you’re reading this you’re one step away from starting your own food blog!
I mean it!
You love to cook, don’t you? You love to read food blogs, right? And you have some gorgeous recipes you’d like to share with others, true?
Then your place is here in the food blogosphere, cooking, shooting and sharing your experiences with everyone. So, in the next 10 minutes get a hot cup of coffee or a refreshing tea and I’ll help you start your own food blog.
Just follow the simple steps bellow and your awesome food blog will be ready in no time!
How to start a food blog
Disclaimer: Some of the following links I provide are affiliate links and I will earn a commission if you purchase through these links. I’ve listed the following products because I use them and I strongly recommend them.
1. Hosting Service and Domain Name
The domain name is basically the address where people will find your blog. In my case it’s “www.simplyum.com”. It’s the bit of text you write in the browser to get directly to a website or blog.
I recommend you write down as many names as you can think of, I remember I had about 15 names I liked. When you have a few options head to Bluehost to check if your name ideas are available.
If they are available you’re in luck, if they’re not don’t worry, try some more. Lots of names I came up with were taken, but in the end I found this one and I’m really happy with it.
You also need a place to store all the data of the blog, like images, posts and comments from other people. This is called hosting and Bluehost, the company that hosts Simply yum, has some great rates! And besides the great rates they’ll give you your domain name for free if you decide to go with them. Cool right?
The next image shows the rates for my 12 month plan. If you decide to go with a 24 month plan or higher the rates are even better. Now, you can see in the image there is a check box named “Domain Whois Privacy“. I recommend you go with that option, because it will hide all your personal information, like your name and telephone, from the public. I think it’s for the best.
2. Installing WordPress
Now that you have a hosting plan and a domain name you need a blogging platform from which to write your posts. I know it sounds a little complicated, but it’s really easy. In simple words a blogging platform is a place from which you can post articles, manage comments, change the overall look of your blog and many other cool things.
I recommend WordPress, it’s what I use for Simply yum, because it is very powerful and easy to use. You’ll love it!
To install WordPress log into Bluehost and just follow the steps illustrated bellow.
Click on the WordPress logo.
Click on the install a brand new version button.
You should have something like the image bellow on your screen. Don’t forget to read the terms and conditions linked at “Step 4”. Hit the Complete button. If an overwrite warning appears just click the button “Overwrite Existing Files“.
When you’re all done you should see something like this:
Note that you now have the Username and Password and the login link. Click on the link and the login page will load ( it should look like the image bellow ). Type your Username and Password and voila! You’re all done with the installation!
You are in the blogosphere friend! Yeeey! Let me welcome you with open arms!
3. Suit it up
Your blog needs to stand out of the crowd, right? Yes it does! A simple design combined with great content will do that for you. In WordPress you can manage the aspect of your blog by installing different themes.
Now, if you’re on a low budget as I am, you’ll go with a free theme. Luckily WordPress has a big collection of this kind of layouts and you can download them free of charge. Check them out here!
But, if you can’t find anything to suit your tastes, you can also check some premium themes. Bellow you have two websites that deliver great layouts, so give them a visit:
4. Let me know!
You’re all done! I’d really like to hear all about your new blog. So, when you post your first recipe or thought leave me a message so I can check out what you’re up to.
Thanks a lot and have a wonderful, wonderful day!