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Do you know what most people’s biggest regret is when it comes to starting a mommy blog?
Or ANY blog?
It’s probably some variation of the same answer: They wish they had started sooner.
I know you probably hear this all the time, but most of the doubts and fears you have about anything are all in your head.
And blogging is no different. The hardest part is making the decision to just go for it and get started.
The technical stuff is actually pretty simple and doesn’t take long at all.
So, whether you’re looking to build a blog that may one day be a full-time business or you want a creative outlet for when you’re not listening to Roblox stories or picking up Legos…
Consider this the push you’ve been waiting for!
You’re only a few short steps away from starting a mom blog of your own.
What is a mom blog?
A mommy blog is a blog written by a mom, usually about motherhood.
This can include topics such as parenting, recipes, mom advice, and personal stories. It may also include other topics and tips for moms like home organization, cleaning tips, printables, etc.
Why start a mommy blog?
Most blogging moms start a blog for one of two reasons:
- To have the opportunity to earn money at home
- For a creative outlet/hobby
Personally, I started my blog for both of these reasons back in 2017.
At the time, I was a stay-at-home mom, and I desperately needed something for myself to focus on. I had no real hobbies, so figuring out this blogging thing quickly became both a hobby and a side job. (It’s now my full-time job and I own two blogs!)
If you’re looking for a way to make some extra money on the side, blogging certainly has the potential to do that for you. It’s one of my favorite side hustles for stay-at-home moms.
Now, of course, this won’t happen overnight. There is a learning curve. Honestly, you never really stop learning. I still learn new things to this day.
But if starting a blog is something you are interested in and you are determined to learn everything you can about it, it’s absolutely worth looking into.
What is the best blogging platform?
The platform I use and recommend is WordPress (self-hosted).
You may have heard other bloggers talk about their preferences for other platforms because they don’t know how to code, they’re not very tech-savvy, etc.
You do not have to be very tech-savvy in order for WordPress to work for you. You just have to be willing to learn the platform, then it becomes cake!
Now, some people confuse self-hosted WordPress with a free WordPress(.com) blog.
They are not the same.
What is the difference between WordPress.com and WordPress.org (self-hosted)?
WordPress.com is free, but it’s not really any better than the other guys out there.
You still have limitations, and you don’t have full control over your site. So from here onwards, when I say WordPress, just know that I’m referring to the self-hosted version.
It’s what I personally use and recommend that you use too. (More on what a host is below.)
There is a slight learning curve like anything else, but the internet is full of tutorials that will help you.
Other reasons to choose WordPress as your platform:
- You make the rules. You are free to add whatever you like to your site. If you want to display ads, you can. If you wish to incorporate affiliate marketing, as long as you follow the FTC’s guidelines), you’re free to do that as well.
- If you wanted to get techie and customize some of your site beyond what comes out of the box, no problem!
- It is the most popular platform among bloggers that make full-time incomes. Need I say more?
Assuming you trust my judgment on starting a self-hosted WordPress site, now you need to decide on a host.
What is a website host and why do I need one?
In order to start a mom blog that uses WordPress, you will need a host.
What does that mean?
Let’s say you’re planning on building a house. Before you start building, you need to find the perfect lot to build on so that you absolutely love the full package when your new home is built.
You want the view to be gorgeous with no annoying neighbors, etc.
Think of your host as that perfect plot of land and your WordPress site is that gorgeous new home that goes on top.
Your home could be beautiful, but if you chose a crappy location, you’re not going to have the best experience, right?
So, in a host, there are certain things we want to look for so that we’re happy with every aspect of our “home” once it’s built online.
We want great customer service, simplicity to get everything set up like it needs to be, and affordability (because no beginner wants to overpay, right?).
I’ve finally found this with Siteground. I looked around before deciding on the host for my own blog, and this is the company I started with.
I highly recommend them.
Starting a mommy blog with Siteground in 4 simple steps
Step 1: Decide what you will blog about
If you want your blog to be successful, it’s best to have a certain niche in mind.
Saying you’re going to start a mommy blog is a good start, but you really need to figure out the topics you will write about.
What will people be coming to your blog for specifically? Mom tips? Yes, but what kind of tips for moms?
It’s important to remember that, as a beginner blogger, you may have to try out a few topics to find your sweet spot. I don’t think anyone gets it 100% right from the start.
So, try not to stress yourself out too much on this part.
At the end of the day, this is what you need to keep in mind:
- Choose a few topics you feel you’ll enjoy, and just get started.
- Taking action is what will lead you to the clarity you’re looking for.
- Your audience will help dictate the direction of your blog as you go along.
Here are some blog topic ideas to get you thinking:
- Organizing tips for busy moms
- Home decor for moms on a budget
- Parenting tips for new moms
- Pregnancy tips for first-time moms
- Stay-at-home mom lifestyle tips
- Budgeting/saving money/frugal Living for single-income families
- Homeschooling tips for moms
Step 2: Choose a domain name for your mom blog
This is another step that people often get stuck on. My advice is to choose a simple name that is broad enough to cover your chosen topics and allow for pivoting.
Keep in mind that it’s not impossible to change your name later on if your blog takes a total 180. It happens every day!
So give yourself a day or so to think it over if you need to, and move on.
How to choose a blog name:
- Make a list of the topics you plan to write about
- Brainstorm the type of person your content will most likely appeal to
- Write down any words that are either related to your topics, your target audience (that ideal person your stuff will appeal to), and even words that have meaning to you.
Try mixing and matching and see what you come up with!
Step 3: Starting a mom blog with Siteground
Next, choose your hosting package. For most beginners, the StartUp package is fine, and it’s a plus that it’s just $3.99 per month.
If you happen to already have a domain name, go ahead and type it in. If not, here is where you’ll create a brand new one.
Also, I recommend just sticking with the .com extension. You want to make things as simple as possible for your future readers.
Next, you will fill out the required info, and select whether or not you want any of the extra services. I always get the privacy feature, because it keeps your personal info private in the WHOIS database (this is where the contact info is stored for everyone that has a registered domain name). Totally up to you.
Almost done! Agree to the terms of service, and submit your order.
Step 4: Install WordPress
That wasn’t so bad, right? Now, all you have to do is install WordPress.
There are two ways you can do this. You can contact tech support and ask them to set this up for you (for free), or you can do it real quick by yourself (it’s super easy).
If you choose to DIY, keep reading.
Once you are inside your user’s area, click the “My Accounts” tab, and go to your cPanel.
Once inside, scroll down until you see “WordPress Tools” and click WordPress Installer.
Then, choose “install now.”
Complete the setup. For the protocol, it’s usually just http://.
A lot of others online recommend not to use “admin” as your username. You’ll also want to make your password really hard to guess.
Make sure you keep both your username and password in a safe place because you’ll need it in a few to log in to your new blog.
You can select none for the theme because you can change this later inside of your WordPress dashboard.
And that’s it! Congrats, because you now have your own blog! To access your WordPress dashboard, go to yoursite.com/wp-admin.
That’s how to start a mommy blog!
Pretty simple, right?
If you have any additional questions about starting a mom blog, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me! I will help you in any way that I can.