After having children, many women realize they no longer have the same professional goals as before. The desire to climb the corporate ladder often fades with the day-to-day reality of motherhood, and success begins to look different. Some women start thinking about changing careers or building their own business, while others wonder whether starting a mom blog (or any kind of blog) is even a viable option.
I want to share my own experience with starting a mom blog after years of sitting on the idea. It is possible, but there is a lot to learn along the way. This post isn’t a comprehensive step-by-step guide. Instead, it’s a summary of the lessons, tools, and mindset shifts that helped me move forward.
My hope is that what helped me will also help you, and that you can avoid some of the mistakes that slowed me down or delayed my progress in the beginning.
Think About Your Reason
If you’re going to start a blog, it’s important to understand why you’re doing it. For some people, blogging is a hobby. For others, it’s a way to eventually make money. If you view blogging as a business, you need to treat it like one and show up consistently, even before you’re being paid, which is often the hardest part.
As you’ve probably read from many other bloggers, blogging is not a get-rich-quick scheme. It can take months or even years to turn a profit. Much of that depends on your level of commitment and whether you’re following proven strategies the right way.
What is Your Purpose?
This is an important question. Your blog should have a meaningful purpose beyond just making money.
- Who do you want to help?
- Who is your audience?
- Why do you want to help them?
Your audience shouldn’t be everyone. The more specific you are, the better. For example, is your blog for moms in their 20? Mom in their 40s? Stay-at-home moms? Entrepreneur moms?
When you know exactly who you’re writing for, creating content becomes much easier and more meaningful.
What is Your Blog Topic?
When thinking about blogging, you need a topic to write about. You will hear many bloggers recommend having a niche, or specialized area, instead of having a general topic. Think of a travel blog.
Some bloggers will niche down to Family Travel or Traveling on a Budget and all the articles written are geared to that specific audience and/or topic. In the food industry, maybe a blogger decides to specialize in gluten and dairy free recipes to cater to audiences with dietary restrictions.
The reason niching down works is that it helps you build authority. When fewer people are talking about a specific topic, it’s easier for you to stand out as a trusted resource. That said, it’s important to choose a niche people are actually searching for and one that gives you plenty of ideas to write about long-term.
Conduct Research
Before diving in, take a close look at the competition and the blogging world in general. Ask yourself:
- What are people in your niche talking about?
- What are they doing that makes them successful?
- What don’t you like about what they’re doing?
Always try to learn from bloggers you admire and from those who are successful. My passion for blogging began after becoming a mom and discovering Suzi, a blogger who helps moms build their own blogs. From there, I found other female bloggers who inspired me and showed me that blogging is not only possible but achievable.
Think of Categories
Think about the categories you want to use to organize your blog posts. Categories should be clear and specific, and every post should fit into one of them.
A helpful exercise is to write down all the topics you’d like to cover and decide which category each topic belongs to. If you notice a category only has one or two potential posts, it’s probably not worth keeping as a separate category.
Plan for Success
To succeed at anything in life, you need a plan. Starting a mom blog requires a significant amount of time due to the planning, drafting, writing, and review stages, on top of all your other daily responsibilities. That is why setting goals and managing your time is essential.
For a long time, I was intrigued by the idea of starting a mom blog and spent months researching how to create my own. I purchased several courses and started using a content planner, which is an absolute must. I even began drafting potential blog posts. But for too long, the drafts just stayed drafts. I was afraid to take the plunge and put myself out there.
Then, at the start of last year, I finally did it and published my first post. I had always read that a self-hosted WordPress blog was the best option, but for convenience, I initially considered a hosted blog. If terms like WordPress, self-hosted, and hosted feel confusing, don’t worry, I’ll explain them briefly next.
Hosted Blog
A hosted blog means your blog lives on someone else’s platform, like WordPress.com, Blogger, or Wix. They take care of the technical stuff for you.
Think of it like renting an apartment, it’s quick to move in, but you have to follow their rules.
Pros:
- Very easy to start
- No tech setup required
- Good for testing blogging as a hobby
Cons:
- Limited design and features
- Hard to make money
- You don’t fully own your blog
Self-Hosted Blog
A self-hosted blog means you own your blog and pay a hosting company to keep it online. Most bloggers use WordPress.org with a hosting provider.
This is like owning your own house, more freedom, more control, and room to grow.
Pros:
- You own your blog and content
- Full control over design and features
- Can make money with ads, affiliates, and products
Cons:
- Slight setup at the beginning
- Small monthly cost (usually less than a coffee run)
My Decision
I decided to take a hosted blog option because of all the advantages outlined above. I thought I was lucky because I would have everything in one place, and it was supposed to be “easier.” Well… it was, until it wasn’t.
So, what went wrong?
The platform was a bit complicated at first, much like WordPress, until you get the hang of where everything is. The design options were extremely limited, and my blog didn’t turn out the way I had envisioned. While it was okay for a new blog, I worried about the future.
I couldn’t add any of the recommended plugins that successful bloggers often mention, not even the most common one, Yoast, for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). I also ran into issues with spacing, headers, and bullet points, and there wasn’t a feature to add tables.
After seven months of blogging, I signed up for Semrush to run a site audit and it flagged hundreds of problems. I was shocked. That was my wake-up call. I realized what I had known all along: I had made a mistake, and now I had to start over. Did it hurt? Yes. Did I learn from it? Absolutely.
On the bright side, I had already gotten out there and practiced my writing and blogging skills, so it wasn’t a total loss.
Pick a Good Hosting Company
I have tried several hosting companies, Go Daddy, Host Gator, and Ionos, but none will come close to Lyrical Host.
Lyrical Host is the best hosting company because they:
- Host WordPress
- Perform daily backups
- Include free SSL certificates and unlimited subdomains
- Provide free resources, including images (like the ones used in this post), planners, and checklists
- Resolve issues in a timely manner
- Do not rely on cold calling (what a relief!)
Their customer support is truly amazing. The support team includes experienced web developers, which gives me peace of mind knowing I can focus on writing. If an issue comes up, I know I’ll be helped by knowledgeable and respectful professionals who actually understand what they’re doing.
I also love that Lyrical Host gives back. They plant trees, support education for girls in Mozambique, and help protect coral reefs.
If you’re debating whether to try Lyrical Host, I’m here to tell you, do it. You won’t regret it. There are no hidden costs or surprise price increases at renewal, which is unfortunately common with many other hosting providers.
Some companies offer deep discounts for the first year to reel you in, only to hit you with hidden fees and higher prices later. With Lyrical Host, daily backups are included instead of being an extra add-on.
Purchase Worth While Courses
You can find many bloggers that are dedicated to helping people create successful blogs. I’ve learned from many bloggers, but I need to give a special shout-out to Eb Gargano.
I discovered Eb’s Productive Blogging site a couple of months ago, and it has already completely changed how I view blogging. Her content has given me confidence as I start this new and exciting blogging journey. Her blog posts are incredibly informative and detailed, and there is so much value in her free content alone.
Because of that, I decided to purchase three of her courses:
- Profitable Blogging Jumpstart
- SEO Jumpstart
- Email Marketing Jumpstart
I am currently working through Profitable Blogging Jumpstart and SEO Jumpstart, and I’ve already applied many of the strategies she teaches. The courses are truly step-by-step, with clear text, helpful images, and easy-to-follow videos. They cover all the essentials of blogging and what it really takes to build a successful blog.
I recommend starting with Profitable Blogging Jumpstart, especially if you’re new. It walks you through the early stages of blogging, including choosing a hosting provider and setting up WordPress. From there, you learn about keywords, SEO, and writing optimized blog posts.
All of Eb’s courses are worth every penny. I love her writing style and how focused she is on solving real problems for her audience. As a new blogger, I truly see Eb as one of my mentors.
Additional Things to Consider
Another important thing to consider when starting a mom blog is treating your website as a brand. Consider the colors and fonts you want to use and try to keep them consistent throughout your site. This helps your blog look cohesive and professional.
That said, don’t get too caught up in design at the beginning. Spending too much time trying to make your site “perfect” can distract you from your main goal: writing and creating content. Focus on getting your blog up and running first, and you can refine the design as you go.
Start Writing and Publishing
Once you’ve done your research, chosen a hosting provider, and purchased your domain (your blog’s name), it’s time to start writing and make the magic happen!
Remember to keep a positive mindset. Blogging isn’t easy, it takes time to organize, plan, and write. You need commitment, consistency, and a genuine desire to make it work.
When creating your posts, keep these points in mind:
- Use clear headings
- Add space between sections for readability
- Target your keywords
- Write clearly and simply
- Solve a problem for your audience
Hit the Publish button, even if it feels scary. You’ll learn as you go, and your posts will never be perfect, and that’s okay! The great thing about blogging is that you can always go back and make changes or improvements later.
Final Thoughts
Starting a blog can feel overwhelming at first, but taking it step by step makes it manageable. Remember, the key to success is having a clear reason, understanding your audience, choosing a niche, and staying consistent with your content.
For any mom considering this journey, starting a mom blog is not just about writing, it’s about creating something meaningful, learning along the way, and sharing your voice with the world. Take the plunge, stay committed, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Every post you publish is a step forward, and over time, your blog can grow into something you’re proud of.
Best wishes,
Mel
