If you have been thinking about starting a multi-topic or multi-niche blog, I say: DO IT.
I can’t emphasize enough just how much of an amazing experience blogging has been for me over the last nine years and counting.
Blogging may seem overwhelming and appear to be a ton of hard work (and don’t get me wrong, it sure can be a lot) but at the end of the day, it is so incredibly rewarding to have a blog where people stop by, read your work, engage in conversations, and maybe even explain how something you have written has left an impact on them in some way, shape, or form.
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If you are considering starting a multi-topic blog, you may be wondering where to begin. I know the technical details can be super confusing so I created this free resource: “How to Start a Multi-Topic Blog Guide” to walk you through it all step-by-step.
By the way, I’m Rocky. The most awkward and peculiar multi-topic blogger on the internet.
I hope you enjoy this guide that I put together from the beaches of Mexico!
Bloggers all around the web will advise you to select ONE niche before you get started. They treat it as a basic blogging fact.
Today, I’m here to tell you that while single niche blogging may be easier in some ways to start off with and faster to monetize in the early stages, it isn’t the only way to achieve blogging success.
It is wise to position yourself as an “expert” in whichever field you choose to focus on. For this reason, a lot of people decide to demonstrate expertise in one, single area.
Let me be honest and direct with you: blogging on a sole, single topic can get very old, very fast. How can you expect to succeed long-term if you’re bound to burn out six months from now? Of course, no one expects that to happen, but it is human nature to lose motivation over time.
How to Start a New Blog
Our attention needs to be captivated. I couldn’t imagine myself keeping this blog up and running for years if all I wrote about was one topic.
I think having my blog online for more than nine years is a testament to that. Life happens: we grow as people and develop new interests.
You might think, “This looks like a travel blog to me.” Remember, you’re seeing the byproduct of years of evolution! Travel is my primary interest right now.
I started this blog while I was a student in high school! I was writing blog posts about things I was doing after school and on the weekends. Then I blogged about my life during college for four years. But guess what! Now, my college years are a thing of the past and my blog has ADAPTED yet again! My complete archive shows this pretty clearly.
I’ve written about psychology, animals, birds, romance, entertainment, movies, books, and more on here! That’s why I’m sometimes reluctant to even use the label “travel blog.” I guess in 2022, if I had to categorize my blog, that’s what I’d now choose.
For bloggers who have diverse interests just like me, going the multi-topic route will increase your chances of achieving success. To reiterate, I believe niche blogging is a great option for experts, but the reality of the matter is that most new bloggers risk burnout. It is a fact that many people quit within their first year. The more topics and areas you open yourself to, especially early on, the lower the chance of giving up becomes.
You do not have to settle for a blog about just one topic.
A multi-topic blog can also be successful if you approach it the right way. It’s about striking a balance. Start off broad, find your topics, and then DIVE IN! Note: You want to begin broad enough that you can discuss many things without appearing like your blog lacks purpose. It is possible to find a middle ground. You simply need to have separate sections to neatly and clearly divide your work. Think of your blog as an umbrella with smaller niches within it. It’s possible to do this!
Are you still up for the challenge? If so, let’s begin! 🙂
10 Simple Steps to Starting Your Own Successful Multi-Topic Blog.
1. Select a Catchy Catch-All Name
Your blog name is where your blog begins. This is what you will promote, link to, and share with the WHOLE world. Choose wisely. You want your blog’s title to be something people can easily interpret, understand, and remember.
The Rocky Safari is a spin on my real name: Rocky Trifari. It was chosen because it rhymes, implies adventure, and has an extended meaning that ties in with the theme of my blog. In the Swahili language, “safari” means “journey!” My blog is all about my journey. A great fit, wouldn’t you agree?
Choose something FUN for your blog! Be creative with it. You don’t want to change it later (it is a lot of work to do that, trust me. I’ve been through it…) so if you can, pick a good name to start with! If your blog is going to discuss multiple topics, make sure the name isn’t too specialized so you have the flexibility to tie in all of the topics you hope to blog about.
Register Your Domains Hassle-Free with Namecheap starting at $3.98/year
2. Sign Up Here For Discounted Hosting
To host your own blog, you can sign up for hosting with Bluehost or Siteground.
Get Discounted Hosting with Bluehost
For most bloggers, this is where it starts to get a bit confusing. “Hosting? What’s hosting?” Don’t worry if you feel that way, it is normal. I know I felt that way at first. If you do decide to use Bluehost (which I recommend since it is both inexpensive and easy to use) you can sign up with the button above to gain instant access to EVEN LESS EXPENSIVE HOSTING. Did I mention Bluehost’s customer service is OUT OF THIS WORLD? Seriously.
Essentially, “hosting” refers to the place where you store and serve your website. The gateway people contact when they “open” your blog in their browser. For a new multi-topic blogger, a hosting plan needs to be fast, secure, easy to use, and affordable.
True story: When I was building my blog, I called Bluehost’s customer support line on a near-daily basis. I was a regular on their phone line, (unfortunately for them)… Tons of questions. Tons of problems. I had no idea what I was doing back then. I liked to experiment and sometimes I got myself a bit too deep into trouble. I’d break my website and get it knocked offline. Over and over again.
Bluehost always came to my rescue and fixed the problem within minutes. For your benefit, I have a Getting Started With Bluehost mini-guide below to make it easier for you to get started. Again, you can call up Bluehost with any question you may have and they will go to extreme lengths to help you out so PLEASE do not worry. It will be okay!
I actually started using Siteground once my blog grew in popularity. I did start with Bluehost though and I have used them quite happily while entering the world of self-hosted blogging. For more details on the switch, read: Why I Switched From Bluehost to Siteground. If you want to start with Siteground instead of Bluehost, these next few steps are similar so you can still use my guide to get started. Siteground’s customer service is also outstanding so they can help you too!
Related Article: The Ultimate Guide to Web Hosting for Blogs
Hosting is a necessary step to be able to fully own, control, and create your own blog. Enjoy it while it is cheap because once your blog gains a lot of traffic, it becomes much more expensive to host a website. I can tell you from personal experience with my other websites that both Hostgator and ASmallOrange are horrible and I will never use them ever again.
For the best pricing, click this button to sign up:
Purchase Discounted Bluehost Hosting
Because I started by hosting my blog with Bluehost and had such a positive experience using them, I highly recommend you get started with them too.
To Sign Up For Hosting, Follow These Instructions Step-By-Step
First, click “Get Started.”
Select your plan.
Choice Plus is a solid, excellent plan to begin with if you value and prioritize speed and performance above all else. If you are okay with paying a bit more, begin there.
For most of you, I would recommend choosing the cheapest option (currently) at $3.95 per month. For now, you are just getting started with your blog so I think that it does not make much sense for you to pay any more than you have to. Plus, you can always upgrade your plan in the future.
Then check if your desired domain name is available.
I recommend getting a good domain name at Namecheap because their prices are the most competitive that I’ve come across so far.
Register Your Domains Hassle-Free with Namecheap starting at $3.98/year
If it is not, return to the beginning and brainstorm additional ideas. Do not rush. Also, there are a ton of new domain extensions like “.rock” or “.ninja” that seem awesome at first glance. While they may work just a well as a “.com” or “.org”, society is still a bit stuck in the “.com” mentality, and using anything else may do more harm than good.
If you already own a new domain name, you can add that one here.
Next, enter your account information.
Finally, complete your package information.
At this point, if you’re new to blogging, I would recommend choosing the 12-month plan as well as the domain privacy option. Mathematically, it works out to be a little more expensive than purchasing 36 months upfront but you never know what might happen down the line. Don’t get stuck paying more a website that you might not want to keep a year from now. If you’re a new blogger, test the waters first. On the other end, you could choose the longer option so you pay less overall and if you decide to cancel, you might qualify for a prorated refund.
In the future, you can always select a long-term option the next time around once your website is established. As far as the privacy option goes, you don’t want annoying spam mail from anyone so it is better to keep your information locked up safe.
And there you have it! Your hosting is all setup! Great job.
Step 3: Install WordPress
At one time, you would log in and see a screen that looked like this. You needed to “Install WordPress,” but things have changed. Bluehost is focused on creating the best user experience possible so as of 2017, new accounts come with the installation already set up!
You don’t need to do anything to get WordPress installed. They’ve chosen to make it even more simple for you! Thank you, Bluehost.
While logged into your new Bluehost account, you can now open your WordPress Dashboard and you should be good to go.
WHO KNEW YOU WOULD GET A FREE PASS IN THE PROCESS? Skip right along to Step 4!
Step 4. Logging Into WordPress.
After that is finished installing WordPress, you will log into your new blog by going to www.YOURNEWBLOG.com/wp-admin. This brings you to the Administrator’s page where you can access your website’s dashboard.
Enter your username and password. Boom! You’re in!
Step 5. Select a Theme.
Now for the fun part!
You get to select which theme you would like to use as the foundation for the blog you will soon build. Don’t worry. It takes time to make your site look exactly the way you want. I have been blogging for years and I switched my theme five times before finding one that I finally fell in love with. Remember, this is a process.
Whether you want to use a free theme or paid theme is up to you and your budget. Once you do commit to a theme, you will have to install it on your site. Themes usually come with installation instructions so it shouldn’t be challenging if you follow them. In most cases, you will log into WordPress, click “Appearance”, then “Themes”, and finally, “Upload” up top where you can attach the file for your new theme and be on your merry way to begin blogging!
Step 6. Design a Logo
If you are artistic, feel free to draw something and scan it. If you have any graphic design abilities, create a logo in Photoshop or Illustrator. Even a screenshot of a simple text will do. You’ll want some type of logo for your website.
Another option is Fiverr.
If you want someone to make one for you, you could use Fiverr where you’ll pay just $5.00 for a custom-made logo.
However, I will warn you, I have yet to have anything amazing come from a sale on Fiverr. Use them with caution and understand that the more you pay for someone’s service, the better the design you’ll likely receive. I paid $35 for a design once and I was happy with the outcome! The $5 project… not so much. It’s like they say: you get what you pay for. Fiverr really is a great platform though. I have friends who have had wonderful luck using them.
Step 7. Search and Install Plug-Ins.
Plug-Ins make the world of a difference in what you can do for a blog. Want an interactive map like the one on my homepage? There’s a plugin for that! Looking for a more detailed form on a specific page? You can definitely get a plugin for that. There are plugins for just about ANYTHING. Honestly, ask and you shall receive. New plugins appear EVERY DAY.
Step 8. The About Me Page.
Every blog begins somewhere. The first thing you’ll want to write is your About Me page which essentially tells readers who you are and what purpose your blog serves. Feel free to be creative at this stage and show your personality! Tell the world who you are. This page should be creative and unique and it should give readers an immediate sense of who you are.
On my blog, I have an About Me and an About My Blog. My “About Me” page explains my personal background and who I am. (I update it annually so often but it was first written in 2013.) My “About My Blog” page explains where I’m going; it is future-oriented. The choice to do both was a personal decision and you can do whatever you would like with your own blog. My suggestion is to start simple and focus on just making an “About Me.”
Step 9. Grab Social Media Handles.
If you want to build a large following, you’ll want to collect e-mails and network on social media. Make sure you set up a Facebook page and Twitter page at the very least. Some bloggers go social media crazy – I think Pinterest, Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter are all you really need so those are the only services I use. You may find better luck on other platforms – feel free to experiment with what makes sense for your audience.
For social media, automation is key. Make it happen automatically so you can work smarter and not harder. I suggest using Tailwind for marketing on Pinterest and Instagram.
Tailwind is what I use to schedule posts and I love it.
For some social media tips, check out my Blogging Resources page!
I love to use ConvertKit to collect emails because if you operate a multi-topic blog as I do, ConvertKit allows you to “tag” your email subscribers into categories. (You’ll see a real example once you reach the end!) You’re welcome to join my mailing list if you’d like.
Step 10. Write, Write, Write!
Of course, the most important final step is to produce quality writing! You’re all set to start publishing your very own posts now. I want to wish you the best of luck blogging because I know you can do it. Dedicate yourself now and you will succeed. If you have any questions along this journey, feel free to reach out to me for help. I’d love for you to also leave a comment below if you found this tutorial helpful. I can’t wait to see your new blog!
GOOD LUCK! 😀
Update 10/22/2017 – My website is now hosted over at Siteground. I explain why I switched from Bluehost to SiteGround in this post. Purchase discounted SiteGround hosting HERE.
Originally published on October 15, 2016, by Rocky Trifari.
Last updated on July 30, 2023.
Updates:
02/18/2018: As of 2018, my blog has been online for 5 years! I have honestly learned so much since the day I first got started. Please take my word for it and give it a shot. Blogging can change your life.
06/2/2021: I have updated my guide once again with the latest and most relevant information applicable in 2021. Definitely take a look at which products I recommend. You can take advantage of the discounts and special offers! Best of luck to you! Hope all of this information helps!
01/23/2022: My blog has been online for 9 years! In my recent blog post, I go in-depth about why you should start your blog! In my post, I write about 9 lessons I have learned from blogging professionally for the past 9 years.
02/13/2022: Check out these resources in my Blog Resource Library to help you get started!
Blogging Resources
Helpful? Pin it!
I’m really glad I found someone who agrees with my views about blogging niches. My blog is something most professional bloggers would call random, but it’s part of who I am.
I have organized my blog categories so navigation is easier for users. I will say that the tricky part is trying to keep all my categories around the same number of posts, but then again, that being a concern could just be my OCD kicking in lol.
THIS! This is me all the way, down to the OCD part! LOL…thanks, BatchesOfBeauty, for expressing my sentiments beautifully.
Thank you Rocky, for the amazing guide here! I had fooled around on WordPress a few years back, but didn’t do much with my (largely dormant) blog on there. I now realize that, part of the reason I didn’t move forward is exactly the subject of this post: I have had this mental battle about picking a niche vs doing a multi-topic blog. My interests could never be contained in a single-topic blog (mission impossible!)…in fact, my range of interests is quite a bit wide. Of course, there is this little voice in my head that has never stopped calling me back to revive my old, dormant blog on WordPress. I can’t stop thinking about it. I now know that I must start over, get consistent, and FINALLY do something about this burning passion inside of me. Once again, thank you! I think I’m just about ready to begin 🙂
You are very welcome, Fausta! I say GO FOR IT! Give it another shot! If you need some help getting back into the groove, let me know. I’m happy to be of any help I possibly can! I am so happy you’re feeling inspired to begin again!!! 😀
The Simplest guide of starting a blog. Thanks a lot
No problem! Hope you found it very useful!
Thank you so much for this page! OMG. I like so many things and I’m confused how to write a description about my blog. When I look at the internet, most of articles would say “write a specific topic.” it’s better than multi-topic. Btw, I’m INFJ also! thanks for lots of your interesting articles!
You’re very welcome! I hope you found it helpful!!! I’d be lying if I didn’t say niche blogging is probably easier but what fun is it all if most people burn out that way? If your objective is nothing more than to start a new hobby, write about whatever you want! By the way, did you see my latest post? It’s about 50 takeaways from a full 5 years of blogging. I thought you might like to check it out! 🙂
I have a multi-niche blog and I love it! Right now it ranges from animal antics to paranormal and lots of stuff in between. I can not do 1 topic, it would drive me nuts. Thanks for the encouraging post.
Thanks for stopping by! I visited your blog and very much enjoyed what I saw. Personally, I am fascinated with paranormal things so I was especially engaged with that section. I think offering options is the best route, in all honesty. People love having choices. Great work and keep up the great writing!
May I know your website address, Amber? I got intrigued with the paranormal stuff you write about. I’m like you too. A single niche would literally drive me nuts!
Yes, I’d be curious to know it too!
Thank you for this article. This was my biggest issue with blogging which is part of the reason why I keep recreating blog after blog lol. However, I think now I’ve gotten a handle on what works best for me.
You’re so welcome! I hope you found it helpful, Bria! You know, I think its quite common for us bloggers to burn through a few self-made websites until we find one that sticks. From there, we run with it! I hope you’ve gotten to that point and have had continued success with it.
Rockey, i agree with you, you are the one who said that multi topic blog can succeed. I want to ask some questions from you. . Can you please contact me?
Email : [email protected]
Sure thing! I’ll send you an email now. I will help you in any way I possibly can.
Did you receive my email?
nice i was willing to start a multi nche blog was searching to startup tutorial this helped me a lot
Awesome!! Really glad I could be of help! Good luck in your multi-niche blogging venture.
Good article sir
Thank you, sir!
Hi Rocky I really need ur help.. My issue is I have very diverse interest. So I have started health blog named medicotreatment. Com in which I post article about various disease and their treatment.. Like migraine .. Ivf treatment.. Etc. Can you tell me how to monetize this kind of multi topic blog.it takes lot of hard work to research and publish articles.. I try to keep good quality content.. I am only worried about my monetization over multiple category on my blog.. Is it possible??? If possible then how..??
Please contact me on my email I’d [email protected] .
I would love to hear from you soon … As I checked out your blog category it’s amazing.. It seems like you can guide me well… Thankz in advance.
Hello any other person who has read my long comment in comment box can reach out to me on my above email. I’d if you can help me out with this issue. It wud be really helpful… Thankz
In advance.. 🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Hello Afreen, thanks for your comment! Your kind works mean a lot to me. 🙂 I took a look at it at your blog and it seems to primarily focus on health and wellness which is great because those topics are some of the easiest to monetize. Great job so far! People generally take their health very seriously and are willing to spend money on their overall wellbeing. With that being said, as a beginner, you will likely have the best luck monetizing with health-related ads (I’m not sure how much traffic you current are receiving) or selling relevant affiliate products. If you are a professional in that field and you have your own product or service to sell, you can promote that too! In any case, I’m also going to recommend you use ConvertKit. You can build a email mailing list and send people important information about their health. It’s important for monetization. Here’s a direct link with a lasting discount (500 free subscribers) and a free trial. https://app.convertkit.com/referrals/l/979cec3c-eaf6-460b-a31d-fddb1b5eceea Hope this helps!
At last I found answer. I am like you have a multi topic blog. Many articles on blogging suggest single topic blogs success rate is high. I was nervous until I see your post. As you have mentioned right, let me write, write and write. I will win. Thanks for the post
Absolutely! You sure can! Best of luck to you! 🙂
Nice post, most of the post i have come across believe single niche is BEST..
I have some sort of established Health blog which i want to merge with my tech blog and other topics i want to add to it, i have been searching for articles and opinions
It depends on your approach. If you can rock a single niche, more power to you! There are pros and cons either way. It depends on your strategy. I happen to like having the freedom to write about a wider scope of topics.
This was a really great articl, and to see that it is multiple people commenting and feeling the same way I feel gives me hope for my blog. It’s so many niche specific blogs out there that it was starting to be very discouraging, and you see so much negative feedback on people wanting to blog on multiple topics. So this was a light at the end of the tunnel for me. Life is way too short to focus on one specific hobby or purpose for 10 plus years at least that’s my opinion. I’m just one of this people that need to move at the beat of her own drum, it’s too much on my brain to force it to change and think about one topic. Choosing a free theme for me has been my major challenge for my multi-topic/multi-purpose blog and I’m not tech savvy so it’s been a rough start up while being on a budget due to liking more purchased options over the free.I just love too write. So please wish me well as I’m beginning my journey. You now have a new reader. Thanks again!
Best of luck, Tierra! I agree with you 100%. Write about whatever you are passionate about. I might as even go as far as to say it is the only way! And the most natural path to follow. Just curious, I see some time has now passed since you first stopped by my blog. I wanted to check in and see how your blog is coming along!
Wow impressive finally found my area. Interest always changes with space and time
It’s true! Interests shift all the time. What is your area for the time being? 🙂
Thank you,Rocky Safari .I think many people find difficulties in grouping the blogs in few sections by using only 5 or 6 Main Topics.Could you recommend how to create a general blog that can cover everything from Politics to Social networks by only using five main categories.
Hi! Thanks for the comment. It’s complicated for me to answer that question without some other information first. One example of 5 blogging categories I might suggest: Politics, Social Networks, Health, News, and Fashion. It really depends on your interests though. I couldn’t tell you the right direction to go in without first asking what your goals, interests, and blogging objectives are.
Hi Rocky. As a new blogger, I enjoyed reading this article, thank you a lot. What caught my attention was that you had experience with Hostgator which, in my opinion, is not a bad choice as long as you don’t get your expectations for reliability too high. And their support is not what people are expecting, it is not what I expected as well. Just wanted to give a piece from advice so that people don’t get burned – host your websites on smaller web hosting companies – they care for you more. For example Hostinger is a great choice, they even give an extra discount with a code providing you with a percentage off which makes the price very attractive as well. Siteground is also a fantastic choice which offers great performance and reliability – tried them myself. Use Siteground.
I totally agree with you! I think Siteground is the best. Sign up here: https://www.siteground.com/?referrer_id=7690720 for a better deal!
Thanks so much for this article! I used to write around 4 niche blogs, but they became rather hard to manage. After a rather long hiatus, I came back to blogging and decided to just go ahead and combine all my writing together. I have an interest in a lot of things and I feel my blog is very reflective of who I am. Your article only convinces me that I made the right step. Cheers!
You’re most welcome! You absolutely have made the right choice. One important benefit to having everything under one domain is that it gets more traffic across the board. For a personal blog, I think this is a brilliant strategy. Best of luck! Thanks for reading!
I have 3 websites and so far my newest site is doing better than the others (not overall, but from the start.) I actually started this one to remove the redundancy, post non professionally about strange, random things, and allow my family and friends to say whatever. Personally, I don’t see a reason to categorize my topics, because I believe that anyone else who wears a tin foil hat would enjoy and relate to whatever’s on there lol. We’ll see though. I’m going to focus more on this blog and see what happens. I actually found this post when I asked Google why my multi niche site seems so much easier to monetize. I haven’t promoted it anywhere except Pinterest (once). Your page is awesome. I believe that you may also wear a tin foil hat..?? lol
Peace
~HeadTripChic
That’s great! I’m glad you’re having more success with it this time around. I think it is good to appeal to a wide audience in certain cases! Thanks so much for the kind words about my site! I appreciate it!
WOW that image and font you used for The Rocky Safari are perfect for this multi-topic blog! Thanks for your article. I am really happy I found it.
I agree. It all boils down to how well you section the parts or aspects of your multi-topic and -faceted blog. It could be hard at first but it’s all worth the brainstorming and contemplation.
Being a multi-niche blogger myself, I also realized the importance of an all-encompassing blog name, just like what you suggested in this article. Honestly, that’s the most challenging part for me. I had to think of something that will represent my interests on bible devotions, law and politics, and some girly lifestyle stuff. Lol. So, I came up with the blog name The Open Concavity.
I am happy to have stumbled upon your site. I will definitely consider Bluehost or Siteground as I take my blogging to the next level. Thank you for your recommendations.
Yes, the branding can be one of the most challenging aspects. I chose to go the route of using a play on my name with The Rocky Safari. I think that you could make anything work if you get creative with a nice logo and header image. In your particular case, it sounds like a great blog name. I hope you’ve found hosting you’re happy with. I always offer my readers the best rates for Siteground and Bluehost. Contact me if you need more help with that.
Hi! Thank you for your article. I’m trying to start my own multi-topic blog and all your advice helps! I feel a little stuck and am worried that I’m making the blog too niche-like without meaning to. But I am determined!
Thank you for reading, Marialena! I hope my 10 step guide was helpful in the process of creating your blog! If you’re determined, I have no doubt you will succeed.
Great article and yes it felt nice to hear from someone who has a different opinion about multi-blogs. I was about to start one and this article enhances my confidence. I like the light-heart language that you have used throughout the article.
Thank you so much! Go for it!
Good post! Keep it up. Will do multi-topic blogging from now on. It seems all I need is a little motivation.
Great! You can do it!!!