Blogging isn’t as popular these days in Malaysia but there are some bloggers that are doing really well. Some even excel globally (e.g. Hongkiat) and probably make a lot of money every month. So how do you start a blog in Malaysia and make money?
If you’re Malaysian, you’re normally accustomed to blogs hosted on Blogspot that are still using designs from a decade ago. I still have one of those but I’ve never touched it for years. These days, I only use WordPress for my blogs including this one.
I prefer WordPress for many reasons and because it’s super popular these days, there are lots of WordPress tutorials online that are helpful.
I have a longer version on setting up a blog, but I’ll make this Malaysian version simpler. Here are some of the steps to take in setting up a professional blog on WordPress.
Note: I do have affiliate links in this article and this guide is meant for those who wish to make money blogging. If you’re only doing this as a hobby with no intention of money, then you can just use a free platform like WordPress.com, Blogger, Medium, Steemit and so on.
1. Decide on your niche(s) before starting a blog
Your niche is basically what your blog will be about. Is it travel? Lifestyle? Finance?
It’s totally up to you. Many bloggers might suggest choosing only one niche for many reasons like authority, but in the end it’s your choice.
It may be easier to just start with one niche though, based on my experience.
I noticed that many Malaysian bloggers tend to have many niches like myself, and it may be pretty hard to build traffic in the beginning.
Once you’ve chosen your niche, you need to get a domain name and a hosting plan.
2. Choose a domain name
I personally use GoDaddy to buy domain names. It would cost maybe RM 40 for your own custom domain name.
You need to renew the domain name every year as well and they would cost around that price too. Do think of the cost before starting a blog.
If you’re able to make enough money blogging, then you don’t have to worry about the small costs.
Once you’ve bought a domain name, get a hosting plan.
3. Get a hosting plan
Your website needs a host to stay online. When you use free platforms like Blogger and WordPress.com, the hosting is all managed by them so you may never have thought about it.
The route that I’m showing you is the self-hosted WordPress way (WordPress.org). You can read the differences here between WordPress.com and self-hosted WordPress.
The host that I’m using as of 2023 is Kinsta. I’m an affiliate with them, which means I earn a commission anytime someone signs up using my link.
As I’ve partnered with them, you can get lower rates using my link as well.
Starting a blog is just the beginning
Setting up a blog may only take minutes, but the real challenge comes after.
You’ll have to learn a lot in order to compete with other blogs and to succeed.
You need to learn more on SEO (and how it gives you traffic), how to monetize your blog, the plugins you need and so on.
I’ve covered most of this on my more comprehensive guide.
Comment below if you have any questions.
Related articles:
How To Go From Zero To 10,000 Monthly Page Views On Your Blog
Finding The Right Niche For Your Blog – Where To Start?
5 Things Some Full-Time Bloggers Don’t Tell You
