When I started my first blog, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I had no experience with WordPress or blogging. I didn’t know what a plugin was. And I definitely didn’t feel like someone who could build a professional website.
But here’s the thing: blogging isn’t about being techy — it’s about being curious, willing to learn, and brave enough to hit “publish” even when you’re nervous.
You don’t need fancy tools, coding skills, or an ultra-specific niche perfectly mapped out. You just need a simple setup, a topic you care about, and a blogging guide that actually talks like a human (hi, that’s me).
So let’s keep this beginner-friendly, simple, and not overwhelming. Here’s exactly how to start a blog from scratch — the easiest way possible.
Is Starting a Blog Still Worth It?
Yep. Actually, blogging remains very lucrative in 2026. Even if it feels like “everyone already has a blog,” there’s still room to grow — especially in niches people actually need help with. It’s affordable to start, the risk is low, and you can work on it a few hours a week.
Most bloggers earn their first meaningful income between 18 and 36 months, depending on their level of consistency and dedication. The fastest ways to monetize in the beginning are usually affiliate marketing and digital products, while ads typically take a bit longer.
The 5 Steps to Start a Blog With Zero Experience
Step 1: Choose an Easy Platform (Use WordPress.org)
To make blogging as non-techy as possible, you need a platform that lets you publish posts, customize your site, and install helpful tools without touching code. That’s WordPress.org (not WordPress.com).
Here’s the super-short explanation:
- WordPress.org = full control, unlimited customization, thousands of themes and plugins, strongest earning potential.
- WordPress.com = limited, restrictive, not ideal for making money.
If you want a blog you can actually grow into a business, choose WordPress.org. Don’t worry — you’re not installing anything manually. A good hosting provider does all that for you.
Step 2: Pick a Domain Name (Your Blog’s Address)
Your domain name is your online address — the thing people type to reach your site. Example:
yournewblog.com
Here’s what matters when choosing one:
✔ Keep it simple and easy to remember
If someone can’t type it without double-checking, it’s too complicated.
✔ Think ahead (just a little)
It’s fine if your niche evolves later, but try to choose a domain that won’t embarrass future-you. If you want flexibility, using your name is always a safe choice.
✔ Try to get the .com
It’s the most trusted extension and generally the best for SEO.
(Unless your blog is meant for a specific country, then a local extension is fine.)
✔ Check if someone else is using a similar name
Search Google and social media. If a big site already has something close, choose a different one.
✔ Get domain privacy
This hides your personal info (like your phone number and address) from public records. DreamHost includes this for free in their hosting plans, which is one of the reasons I like them.
Your domain name costs around $19.99 per year — or $0 (yeah, free) on any DreamHost yearly plan.
Step 3: Get Hosting (This Is Where Your Blog “Lives”)
To install WordPress.org and actually put your blog online, you need a hosting provider. Think of it like renting a home for your website.
Here’s what your hosting should give you:
- Fast loading speed (high speed is great for UX and improves your rankings)
- Good customer support
- Free SSL (security certificate)
- Daily backups
- Easy WordPress installation (preferably pre-installed)
- Domain + professional email in the same place, so you don’t have to deal with DNS chaos
I’ve started all my current blogs on DreamHost (because it’s genuinely the least stressful option for beginners), and I love it! It’s fast, secure, and the customer support fixes any techy issues I have within under an hour (I just have to send an email).
I’m on DreamPress, a managed hosting plan by DreamHost. I pay $19.95/mo and get high-speed hosting (Google loves it, which helps me rank higher). However, if you’re starting on a budget, DreamHost has a web hosting plan for small sites that’s only $2.99/mo.
It’s beginner-proof, budget-friendly, recommended by WordPress itself, includes domain privacy, and comes with WordPress pre-installed — which saves you from the “why won’t this install???” meltdown.
Step 4: Protect Your Blog (Yes, Even on Day One)
This part may sound boring, but it keeps your blog safe (and your privacy, too) and requires zero coding skills.
✔ SSL Certificate (should be automatic)
This turns your site into https:// and tells Google your blog is secure. DreamHost installs it automatically, but always double-check.
✔ A Security Plugin
Install one as soon as your blog is live. It blocks hacking attempts, scans for malware, and basically acts like a digital guard dog.
Good beginner-friendly options include Wordfence and Solid Security — they are both super intuitive and powerful.
✔ A Backup Plugin
Even brand-new blogs can break because of updates, plugin conflicts, or human “oops” moments. A backup plugin saves your site, allowing you to restore it with one click.
Solid Backups is the most reliable option — it’s been around forever, used by over a million sites, and is easy enough for total beginners.
Bonus: DreamHost also provides automatic daily backups included on hosting plans, which is one of the reasons I love them for beginner bloggers.
Step 5: Log Into WordPress & Set Up the Basics
Once your hosting is ready and WordPress is installed, it’s time for the fun stuff.
Here’s what to do first — in simple terms:
✔ Choose a clean, easy theme
You don’t need anything fancy. Simple = fast = better for SEO. You can customize colors and layout later.
✔ Install a few essential plugins
Just a handful to get started:
- Antispam Bee (protects your blog from comment spam for free)
- Wordfence (security; the free version is great for beginners)
- Solid Backups (backups; skip it if you’re starting your blog with DreamHost, as they already include daily backups)
- Autoptimize (speed and cache; reliable free version available)
- MonsterInsights (connects to Google Analytics)
✔ Set up your main pages
You only need:
- Home
- Blog (your post feed)
- About
- Contact
- Affiliate Disclosure
- Privacy Policy (use a generator)
- Double-check if you have all the legal pages
✔ Write your first posts (simple, helpful, human)
Forget fancy keyword strategies — focus on helping real people with real problems. Google loves clear, useful, trustworthy content written by an actual human (you!).
✔ Publish consistently — even if that means once a week
Small, steady steps beat burnout.
Beginner Tips That Make a HUGE Difference
Let me save you some headaches:
Start small.
Your blog does not need:
- a definite logo
- 20 categories
- perfect branding
- a magical niche right away (you can refine it with time)
You can update everything later.
Done is better than perfect.
Especially with blogging. Writing “okay-but-published” beats “perfect-but-still-in-drafts.”
You don’t need to know everything before starting.
You learn faster by blogging than by researching blogging.
Don’t compare your new blog to someone’s 8-year-old site.
It’s like comparing a baby to an Olympic athlete.
Conclusion
If you’ve reached the end of this guide, congratulations — you officially know more about starting a blog than I did when I launched mine. And trust me, if someone as distractible and allergic to organization as I am can build a profitable blog… you’re absolutely capable of this.
You don’t need to get everything perfect. You just need to start. Your first posts won’t be flawless (mine definitely weren’t). Your theme might look a little weird at first. Your niche might even evolve later. That’s normal.
Blogging is one of the few online businesses that grows with you — your skills, your voice, your confidence. And it becomes something really special when you stick with it.
So take a breath, pick your domain, grab your hosting, install WordPress, and write that first post. Future-you will be very glad you did.
→ Next step:
Read the Strategic Blogging Workflow Complete Guide (Content, SEO, and Productivity)
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FAQ: How to Start a Blog with No Experience
Yes — blogs are absolutely still a thing in 2025. People still use Google every day to find answers, reviews, tutorials, and personal experiences. What’s changed is how blogs succeed: quality, original insight, and helpful content now matter more than ever. If you focus on solving real problems for readers, your blog can still grow in 2025 and beyond.
Yes, bloggers can get paid in many ways. The most common income streams include affiliate marketing, display ads, sponsored content, digital products, online courses, and services. Some bloggers earn a small side income, while others build full-time businesses. Your earnings depend on your niche, traffic, strategy, and consistency.
Beginner bloggers typically make anywhere from $0 to $500 per month in the early stages, depending on how quickly they create helpful content and implement monetization. With time, a good niche, and SEO-friendly posts, it’s common to reach $1,000–$5,000/month within 12–24 months. The key is publishing consistently and following proven strategies instead of guessing.
Yes — it’s absolutely possible to make $10,000 a month blogging, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Bloggers who reach that level usually have a strong niche, consistent traffic, multiple income streams (like affiliate marketing, ads, and digital products), and a solid SEO strategy. It often takes 1–3 years of focused work to build the kind of audience and authority needed to hit $10K/month, but many bloggers do reach — and surpass — that milestone with time and strategy.
No — it’s not illegal to use AI to write a blog. Bloggers, businesses, and content creators use AI tools every day for drafting ideas, outlines, and even full posts. What does matter is how you use it: your content must be original, accurate, and not violate copyright. Search engines also expect human oversight, personal experience, and added value. So using AI is completely legal—as long as you edit, fact-check, and make the content truly yours.
You’re really good at writing. The advice you give is helpful and easy to grasp. It makes a big difference for me.