Figuring out the cost to start a blog is the first essential step in starting a blog. You need to make sure you choose the right host and plan that fits your financial needs.

So how much does it cost to start a blog? Starting a blog can cost around $15 for the domain name and around $7 a month for the host. So overall for your website to run for a year, it will be a little under $100 a year. However, there are other things you need to consider, such as blogging classes, layouts, and logo design, which can cost up to $5,000.

Some web domains such as word press are free while others can be on the expensive side for a blog. Other things to consider would be marketing, your theme if you decide to custom design it, logo design, and plugins. Let’s break it down and see what fits your needs best.

Overall Cost to Start a Blog

In order to figure out the overall cost to start a blog, we are going to need to find out what it takes to start a blog.

At this point, you may want a calculator or a pen and paper (if you’re really that good at math, go for it, but the rest of us may not be so blessed) so you can tally up the costs.

Domain Name

A domain name is a name that is assigned to the website. It’s pretty much what people are going to be typing into the search bar on sites like Google.com. The prices for your domain name depend on which web host you use.

If you’d like your own domain name, you most likely will have to pay a small price each month. Some hosts such as simplesite.com do not charge a monthly fee, but this could change with little warning as the policy of hosts can change over time.

The reason some of these hosts don’t charge is because in return for you using their hosting services, you will have their website name in your domain name. It will not be yours. Nonetheless, you will still get a decent platform to use for free.

Web Host

Web hosting is just like renting a virtual office space. You pay a monthly fee generally around $15 a month for this service. The price varies a little bit from web host to web host, so make sure to pick one that fits your financial needs.

Finding a good web host is crucial to running a blog. Some free web hosts can not afford 24/7 maintenance. This means that their websites will be down frequently for required maintenance. This can be a pain in the neck if you’re trying to run a business.

Along with being down for maintenance, most free or low cost web hosts need to make money somehow. They will do this by posting ads to your pages. You don’t get paid for any of these adds unless you sign a contract with the web host.

Here’s a list of web hosts that you may want to refer to:

This web host advertises itself to be the number one registrar in the world with over 19,000 users all over the world. This site offers many stunning layouts for you to choose from.  Their prices start at 39.99/year.

Another very popular web host, because you get a free domain name for a year. You also get  24/7 customer support. They start at $3.95/month.

This is a free web hosting site that allows you to build and create your very own website. This is neat and more for advanced users that want a fresh new look without using sites like Word press.

This is another hosting service that is very popular, starting at $16/month. This hosting service does not require any marketing plugins. You also have over 50 templates to choose from her.

WordPress is used by all kinds of people to build their websites. One of those reasons is because WordPress is so versatile. WordPress became popular because of all the plugins it has and because it’s free! The layouts available really allow your website to flourish here.

Blogging Courses

You may want to consider blogging courses if you’re going to blog professionally. Blogging courses have more to offer than what meets the eye.

To get you started here are a couple of popular blogging courses:

Blogging courses can help you improve your overall writing skills. It may be worth it to invest in the courses.

Designing Your New Blog

You’ve now managed to find a web host and create a domain name (hopefully one you won’t regret later). Now you’re ready to start the fun part of this new adventure.

You can go all out and completely design your website yourself guaranteeing you will “wow” your audience. This may be well worth it. But it’ll cost you thousands of dollars depending on how fancy you go.

The other option you have is to use a theme from WordPress. This will cost you $30-$60 depending on what theme you choose. These themes and designs will still make your website look stunning, and nobody will ever know you went cheap!

Then, of course, you always have the option to hire a professional to get the job done. If you want your site to look professional, this might be the better option instead of the do it yourself route. Thanks to the vast options of the Internet, you can have this done professionally for under $100.

No matter the option you choose, make sure your theme will entice the audience. You want them to come there looking for answers and stay have a look around.

Write Your Own Or Pay?

You’ve gotten this far, and now you’re ready to write. But what? If you’re a professional businessman starting a blog for your business, it is much better to pay for professionally written content.

You can have this done once again by a professional freelance writer. This is two fold. You can trust the job will get done right, and you’ve just freed yourself up for more business-like affairs. Genius, right? Prices range from $2 all the way up to to the hundreds depending on the content, the skill of the freelancer, and the number of words you need written.

On the other hand, if you’re just looking to start a blog for social affairs or for fun, I would highly suggest writing it yourself. There is no reason to pay for content.

Marketing Tools

Google AdWords is a free service that Google offers to promote your blog. You will be charged if anyone clicks on it. But to promote it, it is free.

Facebook ad campaigns are another great tool you can use to promote your blog. This service has different plans that can cost as low as $20 to use.

So to sum it up, the cost to start a blog can be as little as $100 or as much as thousands of dollars. If you choose just to buy a domain name and web host and do the rest yourself that would be the cheapest route to go.

If you’re looking to make it look as professional as possible as well as improve your writing skills, you’re going to be paying a few hundred dollars for courses. You would also benefit from hiring someone professional to design your logo and theme for you.