If you have great ideas for home décor, DIY repair and interior design, you can use your knowledge to make money online. Home improvement is a huge niche, and you can choose any segment to have a blog. Starting a website doesn’t have to be complicated, and in this post, we are sharing 5 steps for setting up a home improvement blog.
- Find your calling
What kind of website do you want? What will be the focus of your website? Are you taking ideas from other home improvement blogs? Who is your target audience? Start by having a voice for your website and select one genre in which you specialize, instead of covering anything and everything.
- Select a Content Management System
Content management system or CMS is the platform where you will edit, update, and manage your website. There are varied content management systems that you can consider, such as Drupal and Joomla, but we strongly recommend WordPress. WordPress has all the plug-ins you would need to make a functional website, including SEO and social media.
- A reliable hosting provider
No matter what people talk about ‘free’ hosting, it is always wise to pay for it. You want assured uptime and unlimited bandwidth at the very least, so that your home improvement blog remains accessible and available at all times. BlueHost and HostGator have amazing basic plans for hosting single domains, and you can expect to pay less than $5 per month.
- Find a good domain name
Domain name is as critical as the website itself. You want a domain name that represents your brand and is relevant to the niche. For example, www.myhomedecorguide.com is much relevant than www.randomdecorsite.com. The idea is to have a name that’s easy to remember and type. You don’t want a complicated name that people would have a hard time recalling.
- Think of the design
Most website owners believe that any random theme or template is enough to start a blog, but customization is something that we strongly recommend for two reasons. Firstly, the template sets the mood for a visitor. They know exactly what to expect when they see the design of the website. Secondly, a good template allows you to present your content better. For instance, if you are using too many background images, it may actually take away from the actual DIY and décor photos you post.
With all that you mind, you can start your website immediately without any external help!