The Beginners Guide To Creat A Beauty Blog Website
This guide will show you how to start a blog or website about beauty and makeup. You will own the website/blog and it will live on your domain (aka web address).
We will show you how to build everything from scratch so you can start building without any prior knowledge.
We will build your beauty website using WordPress software. WordPress is a blogging platform. WordPress started as a blogging platform. It has evolved to be a content management system that is versatile over the years.
Content management systems give you the ability to manage your website content from one central location. WordPress is also free and open-source, which means that it is maintained by a community and not by a large corporation.
This is what it means: A “website” or “blog” can be the same thing. A blog is simply a section of your website that lists new content in reverse chronological sequence. WordPress allows you to create a blog and expand it as your website grows.
Here’s what we will cover before we get started. We’ll start with. This is the domain name that people will use to access your website. Then we’ll move on to hosting, which is the server that will serve your website to anyone who visits it.
We’ll install WordPress (again the free software that “powers” your website).
We’ll be installing plugins to add functionality to make-up and beauty websites.
We’ll go through additional resources to help you get the beauty website design that you and your readers desire.
Let’s get started on setting up your beauty site!
How to Get Started – Setting up Your Beauty Website
To set up a makeup or beauty website, the first step is to obtain a custom domain (ie. your web address). Next, you will need to point your domain to a hosting account. Once your account has been created, install WordPress on it so that it can be logged in and customized.
To buy a domain, navigate to Namecheap or GoDaddy. GoDaddy often offers a coupon at this link, and Namecheap typically offers a bonus promo at this link.
Buy your domain name. Hosting and domains should be purchased separately. There are many reasons for this, but the general rule is that if one thing is good, you will not be able to do another. It’s similar to trying to get a McDonald’s Egg McMuffin from Starbucks. Starbucks coffee at McDonald’s.
You need hosting, no matter what. Don’t be intimidated. It is not expensive at all. It is the only investment you can make in your website so you have control over it and can make money. This is what makes a self-hosted WordPress different from a blogger. Your website will run on your server.
You will need “Shared Linux Hosting” in order to use WordPress.
It is crucial to choose a reliable web hosting company for your website. Web hosting companies can make it difficult with a lot of features, over-promising customer services, and short-term discounts that are then expensive long-term.
There are hundreds of web hosting providers on the Internet. There is no “overall best”, but there is the best option for you and your situation . As you’re reading this guide, I will make some assumptions about your performance, budget parameters, and so forth.
Here are 3 companies I recommend to DIYers who want to set up a beauty site. If you are interested, you can also check out my full hosting reviews. These include HostGator and InMotion.
- – Very affordable all-around plans especially if you intend to install many WordPress websites. Good customer service & performance. They are great for smaller sites. Check out their plans with a 45% discount
- Web Hosting hub – Independently owned with beginner-focused customer support. Plans with great performance and deep discounts for long-term are very well priced. View their plans with the current discount.
- Independently-owned, great customer service and a 90-day money-back guarantee. Plans with some limits are affordable and offer great performance. They can also grow with your site. They actually offer a hosting plan for this site. Their site is also available for screenshots. Check out their plans with a 53% discount.
This guide works for all three companies (and other), but the purchase and setup steps will be different for InMotion hosting. HostGator offers a few extra upsells and ads, but the overall experience is identical. Web Hosting Hub is nearly identical.
Step 1. Choose the hosting plan that best suits your needs.
Go to InMotion Hosting and look at their ‘Shared Hosting Plans’. Select the plan that you prefer. If you only have one or two ideas for websites, the Launch Plan is ideal. If you have multiple websites to launch, the Power Plan may be a good option. If you don’t want any limits, the Pro Plan is for you.
Next, enter your domain name and click Continue.
Step 2.
Fill in the fields on the checkout page and confirm your plan. The Max Speed Zone is what determines if your website is physically located in California or Virginia. This can be a bit different depending on how frequently you update the site, but it should be the correct default choice.
Although the Content Management Installer is useful, I prefer to choose “No, thanks” and have it installed after purchasing the hosting product (which will be done).
Step 3. Access your account & technical details.
Your account will be ready in a few minutes. InMotion Hosting will send you an email that looks something like this once your account is ready.
After you have logged in to your account management panel go to the Account Tech Details.
Scroll down and you will see two “Nameservers”. Copy them. These will “connect your domain name to the hosting server.”
Step 4.
Copy the 2nd and 1st Nameservers, then log in to the account where you purchased your domain names. Navigate to the DNS area of your Domain. Next, replace your current DNS with those provided by HostGator.
In GoDaddy, go to My Account-> Launch Domains-> Manage Domains-> select Set Nameservers-> Select “I have custom Nameservers” -> Copy the 1st and 2nd nameservers provided by InMotion.
Login to Namecheap. Select Domain. Select Manage. Select Manage. Select Custom. Place your nameservers there. Save changes.
This is how you set up hosting for your beauty site! The last step is to install WordPress. We’ll cover this in the next section. Although it can take up to 24 hours for Domain Nameservers (DNS), the process usually takes less than 10 minutes, if you are in the USA.
How to Install and Configure Blog Software
Now that we have an address for our website and a location where it will live, we can start setting up a WordPress website. WordPress will be the software that powers your website. It must be installed on your web hosting server before WordPress can power your website.
This is how to install and configure WordPress.
QuickInstall for WordPress Installation
Although installing WordPress manually is possible, InMotion (and others) offers a free and secure way to install WordPress quickly on your new hosting account.
Step 1. Step 1.
Return to your InMotion Account Management Panel. To go to your control panel (cPanel), click the link. This should log you into cPanel.
Yes, you can click on the link to “Install Popular Software”. However, that link will take you to cPanel through a different login screen. It is easier to directly go to cPanel.
Step 2.
Once you have logged in to the hosting cPanel, you will need to search for the icon “WordPress” or “Softaculous” then open it. This is what you’re looking at:
Step 3.
Continue by opening the WordPress auto-installer script and continuing.
Step 4. Enter website information into the installer.
Fill out the information and click on Install. Make sure your email address is correct. The field after / should be left blank. This is only for people who already have a website at the domain they wish to continue using. Once you have installed WordPress, enter your Blog Title. You can edit it later.
Step 5.
It took a few seconds… Congratulations! You now have a WordPress website for your beauty blog.
Copy your username and password carefully. It will be sent to you by email.
Log in to your WordPress site. http://[yourdomain.com]/wp-admin To access login and other information, you can also check your email.
Instant Configurations
After logging in to WordPress, take a moment to browse the site. You can see a complete tour here of the “Dashboard”. However, there are some custom settings you will need to make.
Go to Settings – Permalinks and then select how you would like your URLs for blog posts to appear. Select how you would like your URLs displayed. Do not choose “Default”. Next, click “Update”.
Next, click Settings – General and then select your time zone.
Third, if your website should be www.yourdomain.com and not yourdomain.com, then you can go to Settings->General and change the Site URL as well as WordPress URL to http://www. After clicking Update, your account will be reactivated.
My series of tutorials will help you get through the WordPress Dashboard.
Design / Themes
WordPress can create any type of website design you want. WordPress can output fully-featured HTML/CSS, which is the language that your browser uses to display a website to visitors.
WordPress allows you to use pre-made designs or an off-the shelf ” theme” because it implements designs in a well-structured way. These pre-made themes can be customized as well.
You can choose from a variety of free themes and install them under the Appearance section.
You can shop around for WordPress theme suppliers if you are unable to find a theme you like, or if you want a premium theme with more customizations. There are many. These providers are worth looking at:
StudioPress – This theme framework is created by StudioPress . It allows you to install one theme, then add different skins or child themes. This is popular among larger beauty sites who want their own look, without having to hire a designer.
ThemeForest is the largest marketplace for independent designers. There are many options at affordable prices.
Elegant These themes are made by very high-quality designers with a beautiful look that beauty bloggers love.
A post I wrote with my 9 + favorite themes specifically for Beauty/Fashion websites. You can reuse many themes outside your niche. It’s often the addition of a nice Logo or “hero” Image that makes your design stand out from a template.
Plugins/Functionality
Your goals and preferences will determine the functionality of your website. You should add key functionality to your WordPress website with plugins.
First, see my list of essential WordPress plugins . These plugins are essential for almost every website. Next, make sure you install these plugins.
This plugin compresses images while you upload them to WordPress. You’ll have many images if you have a website that is beauty- or makeup-focused. This plugin reduces the image file size so they load quickly.
Canvas – Galerie – This plugin extends WordPress’ built-in support to picture galleries to let you display images in a variety of different ways.
EmailChimp for Mailing list software. This is not a plugin, but it’s an important marketing tool that will help you stand out from thousands of other beauty websites online. It can be synchronized with OptinMonster, or you can paste the subscribe email list directly onto your website.
The plugin will display a “related posts box” below your posts. This plugin increases engagement and keeps people on the site.
Be careful when choosing which plugins you add. Too many plugins written poorly can cause site performance problems and create more work than it is worth.
Marketing / Monetization
Unless you’re creating a public journal or blog, your website is your audience.
You must be focused on your target audience to build a successful website or blog about beauty and makeup. It’s a competitive market, but also very large.
As a website owner, your job is to identify your audience and reach them wherever they are to drive them to your site. It might be Pinterest, but it could also be Google Search, YouTube and Facebook. Your goal is to bring them to your beauty site.
There are many ways to make money from your makeup website or blog once they have visited your site and become fans of your work.
Advertising is the most popular way to make money. Advertising is a great way to make money.
One way is to be paid per sale (CPA, or affiliate in the jargon). CPA refers to the process of linking to products on retailer’s websites. If someone you refer to purchases something, you get money. Join a network such as ShareASale or Commission Junction to get started. You should look for advertisers you enjoy recommending, regardless of whether they pay you. They represent all major brands like Ulta and Sally Beauty, Skin Store, Skin Store, etc.
CPC or CPM ads are another way to earn money through advertising. CPC and CPM ads pay by impressions or clicks. CPA has a higher potential but is less stable than CPM. CPC or CPM is the jargon. To get started, you can join Google AdSense by copying the ad code from their site (ie in a sidebar widget etc). Google will then broker advertisers for your site and pay you a cut of the revenue. BuySellAds is another option.
There are many ways you can sell your information products or your own products, but advertising is not the only option. You can find my guide to installing the WooCommerce WordPress plugin.
You can host workshops and events by consulting my guide adding appointments to WordPress.
Sometimes, it’s as easy as creating a Media Kit page or advertising page on your website and then selling ads directly. To manage these pages, you can use an OIO Publisher plugin.
Your imagination is the only limit to your website’s potential. With WordPress installed on your server, you are able to do anything you want. It’s up to you to make it happen.
