When I was setting up my first blog, I had no idea how to navigate the process. I didn’t have any programming knowledge.
I had to research every step of the way. Back then, WordPress was not as easy to navigate and plugins were limited.
I had to learn a bit of coding to actualize a specific design. Most of the blogs that shared useful information were programming blogs.
It was no surprise that they were making a lot of money from sharing helpful content. So, how do you start a blog as a programmer today?
1) Understand the Programming niche
It is useful in building applications, websites, and numerous computer technologies. This is a billion-dollar industry that is constantly evolving due to innovation.
According to Maximize market research, in 2020, the programming language market was valued at $140 billion US dollars.
It is also predicted that this market will grow to $281.6 billion by 2027. This is a great time to be part of this industry and position yourself.
By looking through the last five years of data on Google Trends, it is clear that the programming industry thrives all year round.
It has above average search percentage with a high of 100 and a low of 58.
When starting a programming blog, you need to identify a specific area to focus on. This will make it easy to target a specific demographic and establish yourself as an expert.
Examples of niches you can center your blog on include:
- JavaScript programming
- HTML programming
- Programming courses
- Back-end programming
- Python Programming
- Java Programming
- Tips for new programmers
- Database management
- Mobile app development
- Cybersecurity
- Machine learning
Before choosing a programming sub-niche, think about your experience in the industry. What are you good at? What are you looking to learn?
Align your career goals and skill with the blog. For example, you may have a programming language or tool that you constantly use.
You can share about these on your blog. Find topics that you enjoy researching on to guarantee the continuity of your blog.
2) Choose a name for your programming blog
Now that you have identified a sub-niche, the next task is to pick a domain name.
The domain will be the online address of your programming blog. Users will type in this name on their browsers to access your blog.
Choose a name that will represent your brand. It should give people an idea of what you’re about.
Ensure that the domain name is:
- Brandable
- Short and easy to remember
- Relevant to programming or tech
- Free from any copyright issues
Check out this comprehensive guide on choosing a domain name. Take time to identify a catchy name.
A bonus step is to research your chosen name to make sure it is unique. Come up with two or more variations to give you options.
If you’re not as creative with coming up with names, here are a few options to consider:
- Use a blog name generator
- Find inspiration from other programming blogs
- Utilize abbreviations and alliterations
- Use your name + a programming phrase
Once you settle on one, register it as soon as possible. Register your domain name through Bluehost.
Many companies offer this service but Bluehost is popular, ranking first for value for money and customer service.
To register is simple, head over to their website, check domain availability and register the available option.
3) Buy hosting and set up WordPress
After securing the domain name, it’s time to buy hosting.
This is a service that offers the facilities necessary to create, maintain and make your blog accessible on the web.
You can get a variety of hosting services. There are yearly and monthly options to consider.
The hosting package you choose is dependent on your budget. Irrespective of the option, there are things you must get from your hosting provider.
They include:
- 99.9% uptime guarantee
- Adequate storage space
- Enhanced security features
- Regular backups
- Fast and efficient hosting
- Exceptional customer service
Just like domain registration, Bluehost is an amazing hosting provider for users looking for yearly subscriptions.
If you prefer monthly subscriptions, go for WPX, Kinsta, or Cloudways. They offer flexible plans and offer value for your money.
To find out more about these monthly hosting options, read this guide on the top month-to-month hosting services.
Acquiring hosting allows you to start actualizing your programming blog. You’ll get access to the control panel.
You need to set up WordPress, a content management system. This open-source software allows you to build your blog without coding.
Follow this article that details how to set up WordPress for your programming blog from scratch.
4) Get a theme and design your blog
Once you have set up WordPress, it’s time to work on the blog appearance. You will need to choose and install a theme.
There are more than 31,000 WordPress themes, both free and paid. Out of these, 9,000 are available on the WordPress repository.
The options can be overwhelming. You can limit your options by selecting one suitable for the programming niche.
Features of a great theme include:
- Easy to use
- Fast and secure
- Simple and responsive
- SEO friendly
- Adaptable to WordPress plugins
- Functional and secure
- Regularly updated
A majority of these features are only available with premium themes. Free themes can also work but they tend to limit functionality.
The most accepted premium themes are Thrive Themes, GeneratePress, and Theme Forest. They all offer multiple templates, features, and functionality.
Browse through their options to identify what catches your eye. From Theme Forest, there are several good choices such as Bridge and Unicon.
They are both multipurpose and can be customized to fit a programming blog. All you need is a few tweaks and you have a unique blog.
If you feel that creating your programming blog from scratch will be a challenge, I have an alternative.
I provide WordPress website design services that eliminate the headache of setting up. You’ll receive a professionally done programming blog in less than 48 hours.
5) Install essential plugins for your programming blog
Another crucial part of building your blog is to install WordPress plugins. Plugins are tools that extend your blog functionality.
Just like themes, there are thousands of options available. Developers are always creating plugins to target audiences across multiple niches.
It’s important to identify essential plugins to install to prevent slowing down your site. The most necessary plugins for a programming blog include:
- Akismet Antispam
- Code Inserter
- Yoast SEO
- Imagify
- Site Kit by Google
- WP Rocket
6) Write and publish content
The daunting task of creating your blog is complete. It’s now time to write and publish content that will bring readers your way.
To set up your programming blog for success, you need to come up with a content strategy. This will ensure that you have a plan to follow when writing.
It will also enable you to create content within the chosen sub-niche and consistently create helpful content.
The content strategy should include a list of topics with an order of priority, date of publication, and any other relevant information that aids with writing.
Creating content is repetitive, you need to have a system that will keep you consistent.
Conduct topic research
It might be tempting to write about programming topics you are familiar with. This can be a fatal mistake.
Research topics to identify what people in the industry want to read. There are numerous tools available for this.
Make use of Google Auto Suggest, People Also Ask, Answer the Public, Ahrefs, and SEMrush.
Input your topic idea and the tools provide search terms you can write about. Identify the different blog topics and also take note of the competition.
Prioritize low to medium competition search terms when starting. Have a list of about 50 to 100 article topics.
Another great way to identify topics to write about is by analyzing other programming blogs.
Organize the topics into clusters
With your article list, sort related topics and group them into clusters. There are numerous benefits to creating topic clusters.
One, you’ll be able to quickly write topics that are related since you’ll gain familiarity as you move through the related list.
Another benefit is that Google favors topical authority. You’re bound to rank better on search engines and have more eyes on your content.
Write and publish articles
With a comprehensive content plan, you’re ready to write and share your content.
Ensure that the information you put out is factual, quality, and provides value to the reader. Make sure to add in your experience to make it relatable.
Also, focus on evergreen content. It will save you the hassle of needing to update the content often. Read this article on how to write a blog post that converts.
7) Optimize your programming blog for search engines
You can make your blog more effective by integrating basic SEO practices.
Search Engine Optimization is the practice of adding relevant keywords and links to make your content available on search engines.
There are many ways to incorporate SEO, start with the basic principles that set a good foundation for your blog.
Also, utilize SEO plugins such as Yoast SEO to guide you when publishing your articles.
8) Promote, market, and grow your blog
While building, don’t just write and sit. For faster growth of the programming blog, promote your content.
Use the available platforms to let people know that your blog exists. Select platforms where your target audience resides and start sharing.
At the start, you may get little to no traffic on your blog. The key is to keep writing and marketing.
The ways to promote and market your blog include:
- Social Media
- Programming forums
- Tech forums
- General forums such as Reddit and Quora
- Stack Overflow
- Guest posting related blogs
- Podcasts
Test out the different avenues. Identify what works for you and stick to the proven methods to grow your traffic.
9) Make money blogging
Once you start seeing growth with your blog, it’s now time to make money.
There’s no way to establish how much you can make with your blog. How you set up monetization and your blog traffic determine your income.
You can opt to use more than one method of monetization to make the most out of your blog.
Here are ways to monetize a programming blog:
Affiliate marketing
The simplest way to make money with your blog is by recommending products and services. You earn a commission when your visitors purchase through your links.
To become an affiliate, you need to register with companies relevant to your niche that have affiliate programs.
Display Ads
You can get advertising companies to set up and display ads on your blog. This enables you to make money when your readers view the ads.
Well-known companies to use include Ad Thrive, Mediavine, Monumetric, and Ezoic. Since each has different requirements, identify which one suits your blog.
Selling digital products and courses
To make a sizeable income, consider creating and selling products or courses. Make the product as simple or complex as you deem fit.
You can create an e-book, checklist, detailed guide, or video course. The goal is to offer solutions to problems that your audience is facing.
Sponsored Posts
You can get paid by brands and other publishers in your niche to publish their content on your blog.
The brand gets to showcase its products and services to your audience. Be selective with the people you work with to provide value for your readers.
Offer freelance services
If you have proven programming skills, consider offering your services to individuals and companies. You can make a good income by offering your services full or part-time.
To do this, create a service page and market your skill through your content and network. The articles you write set you up as an authority.
You will easily attract clients that find your services useful.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is starting a programming blog worth it?
Yes, starting a programming blog can be worth it if you create valuable content and services for your readers.
Do programming blogs make money?
Yes, programming blogs make money. There are several ways to make money with a programming blog.
For example, selling digital products, using display ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, and offering freelance programming services.