(Post Updated 8/24/18)
Shortly after I started blogging, I become passionate about encouraging others to start a blog. Specifically for Christian based blogs.
I truly believe this passion came after reading the statistic that 85% of blogs fail. It truly broke my heart because as part of that statistic, it shows that spiritual (faith based) blogs are ranked as number three for most written niche in blogging.
It was heartbreaking to learn that many Christian/Faith blogs were failing.
Spreading His word is vital to the Church and for ourselves as a servant of God. We are to praise His name at all times and speak of His word with boldness.
My personal opinion is that more Christian based bloggers are needed. For this day of time, spreading the gospel through the internet and the different types of social media platforms is becoming more and more of the norm and is a magnificent tool to reach many souls.
This post is to give you tools that you will need to start a blog. It is to also give you tips of how I frugally did it. Before starting a blog, I told myself I did not want to pay for anything I did not need in the beginning stages and I do not expect anyone else to do that.
As the blog grows, it will require more investment but in the beginning stages, I wanted to make sure I was being wise monetarily with the investment. So after much researching of what I truly needed to start a professional blog, this is what I found useful and best priced for the quality and needs.
( Disclaimer: I will receive a small commission if you click through my link.)
Bluehost:
You can save more money by only purchasing 12 months at a rate of $5.95 but if you are able to do 36 months at $3.95 then do it! Because after your 12 months is over your introductory price will be over and you will have to pay regular price which I believe go as high at $30 a month depending the size of your audience at the end of your 12 months. To pay for the 36 months now for only a small price is much better than having to pay a little less now and a whole lot more later. Bluehost is refundable within 30 days of purchase if you chose to cancel.
I know there are many free blogging platforms out there to use but here is a quick testimony from a fellow blogger of why she switched from Blogger to Bluehost within just months of starting her blog.
Check out my Step by Step Tutorial of How to Start a Blog
A Bloggers Testimony….
“I started blogging almost two months ago on the Blogger platform and almost immediately I felt stuck. Stuck because there was a vision that the Lord had given me for my blog and Blogger just wouldn’t suffice. It didn’t offer the features I needed to fulfill what the Lord had called me to do. There I was, suddenly facing the impossible task of transferring my blog to WordPress.org. I didn’t have a clue on how to get from point A to point B and even researching instructions seemed to overwhelm me. I could have easily thrown in the towel and gave up on blogging altogether. After all, the blog I had started on Blogger was free. I wasn’t committed.
All I had to do was move forward, be persistent, and have faith that God was fully capable of making the seemingly impossible happen.
WordPress: Free
When you purchase Bluehost, WordPress installation is Free. It’s literally one click of a button. To learn more of how to use WordPress, use this site here. This was my best friend the first two months of blogging (and bluehost customer service, just because they are amazing).
Pinterest Business Account: Free
If you want to get serious about blogging and eventually make a income then you must get serious about Pinterest. Pinterest will become your largest form of traffic. Treat Pinterest as if it’s the other half of your blog. As soon as you start a blog create a Free Business Pinterest Account. You can convert your personal Pinterest account if you want but before doing that make sure it is cleaned up. Only have pins and boards that is relatable to your blog. If your personal Pinterest will take too much time to clean up to look professional and like a bloggers account then create a new account with your blog’s name as your username. There are so many helpful articles, free webinars, and tutorials out there to teach you how to create a professional looking Pinterest account that will help drive traffic to your blog.
MailChimp: Free
From experience I highly recommend MailChimp to start off as your emailing services. Finding a emailing service for my subscribers was a tough learning curve for me. There are a few free mailing services out there but some are more difficult to use. Mailchimp also offers more free features compared to most. Mailchimp is a free service up to your 2,000 subscribers. That is a great start! Not only that but they offer great features. You can create beautiful campaigns (weekly newsletters and such) for your subscribers anytime and here’s the best part; you can create free upgrade content for your new subscribers for free. This is huge for a blogger to have and to have for free just makes it more exciting!
How I frugally started my Christian Blog. Check out the 8 must haves when you start... Share on X
Studio Mommy: $50.00
Purchasing a template is not needed to start your blog. WordPress does offer free basic themes but to have your blog look more professional, I highly recommend it. Currently I am using the Adore Me Theme from Studio Mommy. My previous theme was only $39 from Georgia Studios. It lasted me two years. I loved it. But with my blog growing, finding a theme that matched what I am catering to was needed. So, a few months ago, I rebranded by changing to what you currently see. I am highly impressed with the customer service and pricing. After two months of research I chose the Adore Me theme which includes a Genesis framework; only costing me $50. You can spend less by becoming a subscriber. A coupon will be sent to you immediately. I have noticed prices recently dropped to $37.50! Just know, with any theme you decide to purchase, unlike Bluehost, the themes are generally non-refundable and can become pricey.
IBlog Book : $4.99
I recently wrote a post about this book; “My Fave Investment Into My Christian Blog” . This book literally starts from the very beginning of your blogging journey to learning how to start on WordPress, making an income from blogging, how to blog full time with a family, to blogging for ministry. As I wrote in the post, IBlog was the best $4.99 I have spent for the blog. Definitely check out the post here to read a full review of it.
iBlog book is a book I will always recommend to any new Blogger, it literally was a game changer for my perspective as a Christian Blogger but I can not mention this book and not mention, “By His Grace We Blog”. I wrote the book to answer questions that we have as Christian Bloggers. Topics such as: Social Media, Monetizing, Affiliate Marketing, Networking, Creating Products, becoming established, and so much more. You can get in a downloaded eBook or purchase a hardcopy on Amazon.
Journal : $6.99
Having a journal specifically for my blog was important for me from the very beginning. I needed something to constantly write down my ideas, inspirations, and most importantly my prayers and scriptures for my blog. By doing this, it reminded me of my desires and goals to use the blog as an instrument to spread the gospel. I write in this journal daily of my plans, to do list, a prayer that is on my heart, a word from the Lord, my pinterest plans, my writing content, pretty much anything to do with my blog. If needed, I of course then type it all up but as I am not always near my laptop, my notebook and a pen is important for me have handy at all times.
Planner : $15.87
I am not the best at planners! I love the thought of them and the potential you can have with them. But it was hard for me to wrap my head around being consistent of using one daily. However, once I did start using my planner daily I can honestly say, I wish I had started a planner a long time ago. I now save so much time in my day by not wasting time trying to remember what I needed to do. Having this planner to use for blogging, social media, and scheduling for writing has been a game changer for me.
And the Grand Total is…..
Total Invested: Less than $250.00
I am completely happy and satisfied with every penny I have invested into Married by His Grace. Every piece of tool I have mentioned in this post has became a vital piece to my blog daily. I hope you find for that to be the same for you.
I could have gone even more frugal on the blog by starting with Blogger.com like Natalie did. But jus like she mentioned in her testimony, the Lord spoke to me and told me to invest. It was accountability for me. He showed me the passion that was going to spark if I took each step He was directing me to do. So far, He has been right, like always! I have a passion for blogging and writing about His mercy and grace. It is so exciting to me to wake up and reach out to my blogging buddies and beautiful readers.
I truly hope these tools assist you as you begin your new adventure my new Blogging Buddy!
(Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate postings, please see Disclaimer )
Thank you! I’ve been blogging now for Two months. It’s a journey. Just last week I decided (although I haven’t hidden myself) to connect with other Christian bloggers. You have to be intentional with your search for sure. I will definitely be signing up and will revisit.
It is definitely intentional and it is worth every minute! I have been blessed beyond measure by all the amazing women of God I have met through networking!
I’m a new blogger I have not launched my site as of yet,. I have it though blue host How can I obtain your book for free as offer.
Thanks
Thank you, that was very helpful!
I am a newbie to blogging & have an outreach blog for the Lord in encouragement & inspiration for all.
You are most welcome to drop by & join me with your favorite beverage & tasty treat for a time of reflection.
Jennifer
Your passionate desire to spread God’s word and encourage others to do the same is the exact reason I find myself starting a blog this year. God placed it on my heart in the fall of last year and due to our circumstances I have been slow at getting started. I am eager about being able to encourage my brothers and sisters in all steps of their faith especially I the most trying ones. Excited to be on this mission. God bless your honest and encouraging heart.
I am so glad you stopped by and left a comment. I love knowing when there is more and more of Christian writers out their spreading their love for Christ. I hope you check out my Facebook group, By His Grace Bloggers group. It is specifically for women Christian Bloggers. It is awesome to see so many coming together for the same goal!
Thanks for the encouragement. I agree with you we need more faith bloggers. I also started my blog
blessedlikecrazy.com
Thanks for the advice.
Thank you so much for the specific information on your blog. I look forward to exploring it. I started a Christian blog in June and would love to expand it but I feel lost. I found your blog while trying to research but expanding a Christian blog seems to be a different beast and a lot of what I read doesn’t seem to fit. Thank you for your heart in this matter. If you have a chance I would love for you to check out my blog and offer advice. Thanks!
Jessica, Wow, your post on Remember your Purpose was awesome! “Rejoice Always”…. oh my goodness that just melted my heart!!
Hello wonderful sister! I paid for a WIP page a few months ago to have a Christian blog…. But girl I am stuck. I am not tech savvy. Im trying to figure it out… But Lord have mercy I am stuck.
oh no….. It can be a little tricky and I was much frustrated with the same thing at the beginning but what helped me the most was You tube videos. It seriously taught me so much about how to use WordPress. Each video was simple! I always ended a video with, “That’s it!” lol. If you have questions, feel free to contact me. I am not the greatest but I will definitely try my best!! =)
Hi,
I just started a blog on bluehost–or am transferring my blog from Google blogspot. I just started so it’s a mess. I wasn’t sure you were still honoring the free ebook about starting a Christian blog, or not but thought I would ask. My blog domain is http://www.christianscopingwithdepression.com/. My blogspot address which is still going since I’m not up and running yet on bluehost is https://christianscopingwithdepression.blogspot.com. A good friend sent me your blog posting or someone else’s blog posting from your blog about how writing a blog can help your faith and ministry. I have been writing mine for over a year but have hit a dry spot and not blogged in probably 2 months–largely due to having a daughter graduating from high school, vacation and getting ready to send her off to college. But also, feeling dry bones when it comes to feeling like I making a difference out there with my blog. Anyway, thanks for YOUR blog and words of encouragement. God bless!–Leslie
Leslie, Your comment encouraged me because I read your strength and perseverance through it. I am excited for you for the new switch. I will be emailing you right now with the eBook. So happy you reached out to me for it!!
I am a teacher, near retirement, actually going to be part time next year. My summer vacation is just beginning, and one of my main goals for the summer is to learn more about blogging. I am studying, and intend to work to apply what I learn. THANK YOU for sweet encouragement and tips !! I already started a blog, and paid for a domain (I think that is what it is called….) through blogspot, and if the Lord will permit, that will be my forum with a growing reader base, to encourage women. I begin so humbly, knowing so little, but my love and enthusiasm is large. When I made my blog public, my thinking was similar to yours……….just desiring more voices for Christ. As of the present time, I find it challenging (time consuming) to learn my way around the different blogs, and am at the exciting stage of searching for Christian bloggers in my “niche.” Actually this article is my first awareness of the application of the term ” niche”, to blogs. Is there a particular LIST of “niches?” I am assuming that “encouragement for women,” is my niche. THANK YOU for caring, and taking the time to help us fledgling bloggers.
Thank you for these great tips. I find them very encouraging as God has been leading me toward starting a blog.
Awesome, so glad this post helped and encouraged you! I love blogging, especially because I get a chance to write about the Lord and His goodness!
Thank you! I started my blog a few weeks ago, and so far it’s going well, but I definitely picked up some helpful tips from your post. I’m beginnning to learn that authoring a Christian blog is much different than any other. Thank you for your insight!
Congrats on your new blog, Edie!! Starting a blog can be overwhelming but it is also a very exciting time. I am so happy to know this post helped you. Authoring a Christian Blog truly is different than any other. It is a calling on our lives!
I started following your blog a few months ago and want to think you for all your insight. I am hoping to start my own blog in the next 2 months and you are an inspiration!
Thank you so much Patricia! You made my day with your sweet words! =)
I’m so thankful I found this website! I started my blog this past week and there is a lot to learn . Thank you for the great information, it has been helpful .
Yay!! So happy for you Kristina! And so glad you found this to be great information! Thank you for your comment. Many Blessings!
Awesome blogging advice. I love it! I’m excited to look into that planner for next year. ? Blessings on your blog!
Thank you Stefani! So happy you stopped by and commented! Blessings!
This a great outline for beginners I like that you added other social media info as well. Very helpful!
Thank you Mihaela, I appreciate you stopping by and commenting!
I am a faith-based blogger. I think a lot of blogs fail, because the passion for writing or the subject matter isn’t there. You need to give yourself the freedom to write on your schedule, and to write on what drives your heart. Then, I believe, your blog will become not only a delight to you – but your readers.
Amen Dionna, you are absolutely right! It is about balance and doing what you love and have passion for!
Thats one of my biggest questions…. When starting a blog, how often do you need to write in it? Everyday? Once a week??
Joani, I find it to be more about consistency than to be the amount of writing. Although the more writings that is promoted the more traffic you may gain but in the long run does that fit into your time and priority list? I take blogging seriously and treat it as my business but I also make sure I do not overwhelm myself, otherwise I can begin to fail in other areas. I find it to be more beneficial to myself and to my readers to make sure to be consistent than to worry about how many times a week to write. I personally recommend twice a week on two specific days so you have more time to work with the many tasks of blogging and so that you still have your personal priorities in alignment. Hope this answer helps! =)
It’s encouraging to know that failure can lead to success. After all, sometimes we have to start something new to figure out how to do it. Blogging has been very much that for me. I have had to do a lot of learning as I go and use the trial and error method to figure out what works for sharing God’s word with others. This post is full of some really great tips.
Thank you Rachael for your comment! There is definitely a lot to learn with blogging. As long as we are willing to keep learning and keep on eyes on why we started the blog as a faith based blogger then I believe we will do great!
Hi Carmen, These are great tips for starting a blog out on a budget and in the right way. Your points and reasonings are very good. I’ve been blogging for 6 years now and after a few false starts, finally got my own domain and wordpress hosted blog. I combine my faith, health, and home business tips, but my world view of putting God first rings true in all my posts and emails. You are so right that we need more people blogging about the importance of giving our lives to Christ and living for Him. Bless you for this. Blessings, Amy
Amy, Thank you so much for your comment and your views also. I am so happy we are in agreement of how to start a blog and that there should be more blogs about giving our lives to Christ. God is good. His desire is for us to be in accordance. Blessings to you too Amy. Thank you for your blog info, going to check it all out! = )
Thank you lovely Carmen for featuring me on your blog. These are all very helpful tips for any new blogger :-). Be blessed!
Thank you Natalie! I appreciate your part in the post! Many blessings to you!