I started this website because of a simple idea from a Gary Vaynerchuk book. He told readers to look up their name and see if the domain was available. I checked GoDaddy and saw that my name was open. The price looked reasonable, so I bought it. I also bought the matching email address because the first-year cost almost nothing. It was official. I had a domain, email, and a tiny spark of confidence.
Why I Chose a Custom Domain
You can create a WordPress blog without buying a domain. Many people do. I liked the idea of using my name because it was clean and simple. I also upgraded to a basic WordPress plan. The free version works, but I wanted a few extra features. The small monthly fee is worth it.
I started this journey on December 1. I know this because the receipt hit my inbox before I even knew what I was doing. That date was the moment I jumped into the deep end with floaties and a smile.
The Truth About “You Can Build a Website in a Day”
I see ads all the time that promise a website in one day. I believe it is possible. And I also believe those people have either:
- Built a website before
- Sold their soul to the tech gods
- Or skipped sleep for 24 hours
I spent many hours tinkering with WordPress. I watched videos, clicked every button and even clicked the same button twice because I forgot what it did. People say WordPress is intuitive. It is now. It was not intuitive on day one.
I also spent an hour working through WordPress SEO. It was like I was learning a new language. Gary Vee encourages people to take action. I understand why. Too often I spend too much time trying to perfect everything. I wanted the site to look polished before I shared it. I am glad I learned new skills, but I also see how perfection slowed me down.
Launching the Site and Learning as I Go
I finally launched the site because my partner encouraged me to stop tinkering and start posting. I needed that push. This experience is about continuous learning. I learn something new every time I log in.
Since launching, I discovered a few things I wish I knew earlier. The first lesson involves feature photos. I did not know about the 16:9 ratio. I posted several blurry images. Now I need to go back and fix them. I also learned how to organize posts with parent categories. I had created most posts with a focus keyphrase, SEO title, slug, and meta description. What I failed to realize at the time as you need to do this for the categories and tags too. The process took time, but it helped me understand how my site fits together.
Daily Blogging and the Upkeep No One Talks About
Daily blogging takes effort. I enjoy it, but it requires planning. I write, edit, upload photos, check formatting, and update SEO. Jetpack Stats also allows me to check traffic, insights and subscribers. This is something I hadn’t contemplated when I first started. I currently have seven subscribers. And I appreciate every single one! I hope the number grows, but I also enjoy the slow and steady pace.
I now understand why people say to start before you feel ready. You learn faster when you take action. You also laugh more when you look back at your early mistakes. I still smile at the memory of my first blurry feature photo. It looked like a potato took the picture.
What I Know Now
I know that building a website takes time. Daily blogging builds momentum and learning new skills feels good. I also know that perfection slows progress. So, I am glad I started, keep going and get to share this journey with you.
Your Turn
What tips, tricks, or lessons did you learn while building a website or starting a blog? Share your advice in the comments. I would love to learn from you.
The Tutorials That Saved My Sanity While Learning WordPress
- https://wordpress.com/support/seo/
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqSEd3GF5do
- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zd5_MN-6kqs&t=256s
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