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So, you’ve decided to start a blog, but the blog launch steps overwhelm you. Trust me, I know exactly how you feel because I’ve been there.
Starting a blog may be thrilling and overwhelming, especially for beginners. However, with the right blog launch checklist, you can ensure success from the start.
To be successful with your blog in the long run, you need a clear launch plan. This will help you share your interest, build a brand, or start a business at ease.
This post aims to help you prepare for growth by walking you through five essential stages that new bloggers occasionally overlook or fail to complete from the beginning.
I would like to point out that;
This is a follow-up posts to one of my main blogging posts about what you should think about before you start a blog. So you may want to ask and answer certain questions before starting a blog.
Basically, I won’t give you too much information at once, which can be scary if you’re new to blogging. Instead, I’ll give you a quick series of them per stage in separate blog posts.
For this post, the following steps will be the main focus:
Before we get started..
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5 things to cross off your WordPress blog launch checklist before you go live
This guide will be very helpful, especially if you have never done this before. Start your internet presence off right to save time and avoid future issues.
So, let’s make a great start for your blog!
These Essential Blog Launch Checklists" were made to help you make sure you don't miss any important steps as you get ready to start your blog. I followed them before I started my blog.
Checklist #1: Make sure you choose an SEO-friendly Domain name
As I already said, I’m not going to show you how to pick a niche because a lot of things can change over time. But when you pick your domain or blog name, you should make sure it is SEO-friendly.
What do I mean when I say “SEO-friendly”?
In short, an SEO-friendly domain name is searchable, easy to remember, and related to at least one industry or niche. For instance, my blog name is adventureswithjane.com.
Just by looking at the site name, someone can tell right away that this is a “personal brand travel-related” blog.
Maybe you’re wondering how the hell they know it’s a “personal brand” blog. That name “Jane” at the end makes it very easy. I added that intentionally.
It’s clear that my name is simple and easy to remember, but some people have trouble with that.
Even if you can’t use your name, you can still build a WordPress blog. You can just pick a domain name that fits with what you will be writing about.
Check out this post for more tips on how to pick a name for your blog or domain.
Checklist #2: Pick the right WordPress platform
Let’s start setting up WordPress hosting now that we have our domain name. However, before your blog goes live, you must ensure that WordPress.org and WordPress.com are not confused.
I’m sure you’ve seen many articles online emphasising the need to start your WordPress site on the correct platform, “WordPress.org.”.
So, I’m not going to come up with a new idea and tell you something different about this.
Nevertheless, I’m happy you found this post if you’re unaware of the differences between the two.
Let me guide you through identifying the appropriate WordPress site before launching your blog.WordPress blog.
But, before we get started;
Are WordPress.com and WordPress.org the same?
No, it’s not! Let’s say you are building a house. Getting WordPress.org is like getting a piece of land. You decide everything about your house, from how it looks to its size and shape.
You can pick your contractors and materials, so you can make something that is truly special and fits your needs. This is great if you want to have full control over your blog or website.
WordPress.com
But WordPress.com is more like renting a room. Thus, while you do not own the land, you do receive a place to live.
WordPress.com is your landlord and handles all of the upkeep and protection, so you don’t have to worry about either.
However, you do not have as much flexibility to alter the appearance of your home. You are limited to using the resources and choices provided by the landlord.
So, if you want complete control and flexibility, select WordPress.org. WordPress.com might be better for you if you want ease of use and don’t mind some restrictions.
It simply depends on whether you value freedom or ease more.
Pro Tip: If you want to make money from your blog, you should start it on WordPress.org.
Find details on the main difference between WordPress.org and WordPress.com here
How do I know what type of WordPress account I have?
There are a few ways to tell if you’re using WordPress.org or WordPress.com.
Once your site is set up and your domain is linked to your host, you can go to your WordPress admin login page.
It should be yourdomainname.com without the wordpress.com at the end of the URL.
You could also think about the colour scheme.
Most of the time, WordPress.com has a light blue control dashboard with the words “my sites” written on the left-top side. WordPress.org is greyish, with a drop-down list on the left side of the dashboard.
Checklist #3: Choose Hosting & Install WordPress
Picking a host and setting up WordPress are the next steps once you know which WordPress platform to use.
But before you get excited to install, it’s important to pick the right hosting company for your blog or website, especially if you’re just starting.
It’s like picking the right house for your online life. Hosting is a place on the internet where you can store all of your blog or website files so that you can make your blog and let people visit your website.
The core components of a blog are, for instance, your hosting, WordPres.org, also known as the content management system (CMS), and your domain name, which serves as your “online address” and “land,” respectively.
Factors to consider when selecting a hosting provider
Here are some important things to think about:
- Dependability: Your server company should make sure that your website is always up and running well. Look for service providers that promise a high level of uptime and have stable infrastructure.
- Speed: No one likes having to wait for a website to load slowly. Choose a hosting service with fast servers. This will make the user experience much better and may even help your site rank higher in search engines.
- Customer Service: If you’re new to hosting, you may run into technical problems or have questions about how to manage your account. Pick a service company that has great customer service that’s available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through live chat, email, and the phone.
- Scalability: It’s important to choose a hosting company that offers scalable options because your website may get bigger over time. This makes it easy to change your hosting plan as your site gets more traffic and needs more resources.
- Security: You should put a lot of thought into keeping your website and the information of your users safe. When looking for a hosting company, make sure they have strong security features like firewalls, SSL certificates, malware scans, and regular backups.
The top hosting providers I’d recommend
This is a list of well-known hosting companies that are great for beginners:
SiteGround: SiteGround is a great choice for newbies because it is known for being reliable, fast, and having great customer service.
They have different hosting plans for people with different budgets and needs. This one is my best right now, and I use it.
A free domain and professional domain transfer with any plan are included when you sign up today for £3 per month.
I’d recommend it. You also get important security features like an SSL certificate when you host with Siteground.
WordPress.org recommends Bluehost, which is another well-liked option for beginners.
At reasonable prices, they provide tools that are simple to use, allow you to install WordPress with just one click, and ensure optimal performance.
Hostinger: Hostinger is a great choice for beginners because it has easy-to-use tools and plans that won’t break the bank.
They have a lot of hosting options and give support 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
PRO TIP:
You should read reviews and look at plans for each hosting company. Then carefully weigh these things and pick the hosting company that fits your wants and budget the best.
Checklist #4: Double check your SSL Certificate works
Before the launch, the secure socket layer (SSL) certificate should be the first thing you check to make sure it works.
If you want to keep yourself and the people who will see your work online safe, you should do this. It’s simple and free. Continue reading, and I’ll explain to you how to do it.
Okay, if I’ve lost you and you wonder, “What the hell is an SSL certificate?” Do not worry; I’ve got you covered! I’m going to break it down shortly!
What exactly is an SSL certificate, and how does it work? I will try to explain in the simplest way possible.
Imagine that you want to send your friend a special package that only they will know about.
But you’re afraid someone will try to open it or look inside while it’s on its way.
So, to keep it safe, you put it in a second, completely sealed package that only your friend has the key to.
The extra package and key ensure that no one can open your secret package while it’s being sent.
The pre-launch checklist is just a start
Now picture your website or blog as the hidden package and the SSL certificate as the extra sealed box with the key.
The SSL certificate encrypts (or protects) all data that travels between your website and your visitors’ browsers.
This includes credit card numbers, usernames, and passwords. Hackers will have a hard time getting that information or spying on you because of this encryption.
People who visit your site will see this SSL certificate in their browser. Anytime it’s there and working right, the browser knows it’s safe to send and receive data.
If it’s broken or missing, though, the browser will warn people that the site might not be safe, which will make them leave. That you don’t want, especially if you’re just starting to blog.
So, before you start your site or blog, you need to make sure your SSL certificate is set up correctly. It’s like making sure you have that extra sealed package and key to keep your special package safe on the way!
Checklist #5: Have a Blog launch Plan
It might seem easy to start a blog, but it’s not at all easy to make it a successful business.
Having a blog launch plan checklist will help you avoid making some mistakes that you should fix right away as you start writing.
Especially in the WordPress settings. So, if you want to start a blog to turn it into a profitable business, you need to have a plan for what it will be about and how it will look.
Setting up Essential Pages and Categories for Blog Launch
Before you make your blog public, you should know what pages are important and should be there from the start.
Even if you’re a new blogger, it’s important to have pages like “About,” “Contact,” and “Privacy Policy.”
The pages above may seem like no-brainers, but I can’t tell you how many new bloggers and bloggers with some experience I’ve seen whose websites don’t have pages like “Privacy Policy.”
And honestly, every time I see this, I start to worry for them. The biggest mistake I see new writers make is thinking their blog is only for them.
Yes, it might take longer to get started, but having a plan for your blog will save you a lot of time and effort in the long run.
Develop an engaging About Me/Home page to introduce yourself or your brand
The main problem that many blogs and websites have is how to explain what they’re all about. Most people write something odd, like “freedom” or “inspire.”
A lot of people do the same thing. But this is wrong because it doesn’t explain what your blog or business does or how it helps people.
In roughly five to thirty seconds, people should understand what you do, how it helps them, and what they should do next. You can use a title, subhead, picture, and CTA.
This is very important for businesses that provide services. Visitors need to know exactly what your blog or website offers at first glance.
With words, an image, and a call to action, most of them will just leave if they have to scroll around to figure it out.
VALUE PROPOSITION EXAMPLE
1. Your blog name XYZ; helps [X] to [y] by [z]
I’ll use my blog to show what I mean below:
“Adventures with Jane” (blog or business name)
We assist [X] to [Y] through [Z].
In this case, “I inspire regular people to travel on a budget and help aspiring bloggers and online entrepreneurs start a simple passive income blogging business.”
Who do you assist?
I help regular people and aspiring bloggers.
How..?
I share useful, low-cost travel guides and tips with others to make travel easier on their wallets. I give people who want to start their online businesses and work from anywhere advice on how to blog.
Craft clear Contact and Privacy Policy pages to provide necessary information to visitors
In your plan for launching a blog, you should think about what information people will need to trust your blog or website enough to want to work with you.
Some things you could ask yourself about the users are:
What’s the primary thing your users are looking for on your blog, and how can they get in touch with you?
In this case,
To see my thorough travel budget guides, itineraries, bucket list experiences, and tips on how to plan and save money on trips.
Besides that, there is everything else they need to know to start a WordPress blog.
When people visit my blog, they may also want to subscribe to my email and follow my journey on social media.
If you look at my blog, you’ll see that I made sure these pages or pieces of information were easy for new visitors to find.
Having a privacy policy page is essential.
A privacy policy page is one of the things that new bloggers often forget about or even skip over when they first start their blog.
I can see why it would be easy not to have this page.
To be honest, there is a lot to learn and know about the blog launch process, and if you are a new blogger, you probably don’t want to do it right away, so you put it off until later.
But that’s a big mistake. That’s why I made this easy blog launch checklist: to help you get your blog off the ground right.
Every blog or business needs to have a privacy policy. We live in a digital world, and while the internet has many benefits, it would be foolish to think that there aren’t any tech breaches or copyright violations happening there.
Everyone is responsible for keeping data safe, so all websites or businesses, no matter how small, need to put up a privacy policy whenever they handle people’s data.
People should know how you plan to use their information before they give it to you.
Create Essential Pages for Your Blog
For the most part, when you first start writing, you might think, “I’m new, no one knows me, and my Domain Authority (DA) is low, so I don’t need to worry about this now.”
That’s not right, unfortunately. Even if you’re new, you need to have a privacy policy.
This may also help you position yourself as a professional blogger for most brands right from the start.
Find out more about how to write a privacy policy for writers, or take a look at mine for ideas on “NOT to copy!”
Keep in mind that you don’t have to be a lawyer (especially when you are just starting) to do this or come up with a new wheel.
Just make sure you write down a full privacy and disclosure policy for your website before you launch it.
In my opinion, if your blog does not have a privacy policy, you can easily get in trouble and even lose money if you have already made some money on it.
Recap of the importance of blog launch checklists
Starting a blog can be fun and rewarding, but you need to plan it out carefully and pay close attention to the details.
Making a blog launch plan can help you make sure you do everything that needs to be done and don’t forget anything.
A blog launch plan is an investment in the future of your blog that is well worth the time it takes to make and follow.
I hope that my short checklist for starting a blog was useful. Please leave any questions in the comments—I’m happy to help!
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