Political Wire

How to Start a Political Blog

After many years of running Political Wire, I’m frequently asked about the best way to start a political blog.

As one of the first to do it — way back in 1997! — I thought I’d explain the steps you need to follow to get your political blog up and running.

4 Easy Steps to Start a Political Blog

There are a few simple steps to follow to start your political blog:

  1. Choose your blog platform
  2. Secure a domain name and get hosting in place with Bluehost
  3. Design and set up your political blog
  4. Start writing

Below I’ll walk you through each of the steps. My hope it you’ll be up and running quickly so you can contribute to the political debate.

Step 1: Choose Your Blog Platform

To start a political blog you’ll need to select a blogging platform – or the softward that helps you to get your content on a website.

There are many blogging platforms available, but WordPress is by far the most popular blogging platform.

Here’s why you should use it:

  • It’s free, although you’ll need to make a small investment in a domain and a server.
  • It’s easy to set up.
  • It’s widely supported by developers allowing you to add functionality.
  • It’s very robust and secure.

One thing to point out. There is a free service at WordPress.com but it has severe limitations. I strongly recommend WordPress.org where you host your blog on your server and get complete control. Many people make the mistake of starting out on the free option only to find it’s much more complicated to move later.

It’s also very easy to get started with these instructions.

Step 2: Secure a Domain Name and Set Up Your Blog Hosting

I strongly recommend using BlueHost for getting both your domain name and setting up your hosting. They’re inexpensive and make it very easy to get started.

There are many different domain names (the address for your blog) to choose from these days. The key is to find something that is easy to say and to remember. This will help people refer to your blog in conversation which is a key way to attract readers.

As I’ve mentioned, the easiest way to get your domain is to get it at the same place you will host your blog. My recommendation for political blogs is BlueHost.

The reason is simple: WordPress has recommended Bluehost for more than a decade. In addition, they have a 1-click installation process, 24/7 support and an affordable rate. Whether this is your first or your fifth blog, Bluehost is a great option.

Special Offer for Political Wire Readers: BlueHost has a special offer just for Political Wire readers — and it includes a free domain name! Just sign up here.

 

Step 3: Design and Set Up Your Blog

If you’ve gone with Bluehost as your domain and hosting provider, installing WordPress is super simple as this video shows:

If you encounter any problems during this process, they have a live chat support system which is very helpful.

After installing WordPress, you want to pick a design theme. Bluehost has a video that shows you how to set up and choose your theme — there are literally thousands available for free — but it may make sense to buy one to get the look you’re after.

One additional thing to consider is the use of plugins to get extra functionality on your blog. With the right plugins, you can really make your political blog more feature rich.

Step 4: Start Writing!

If you wanted to start a political blog in the first place, I don’t really need to help you with this step. You probably already know what you want to write about.

But the most important thing when starting a new blog is to write regularly. Whether it’s once a week or multiple times a day, keeping new content on your blog is important.

About Political Wire

goddard-bw-snapshotTaegan Goddard is the founder of Political Wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs Wonk Wire, Political Job Hunt and the Political Dictionary.

Goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in New York City. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a U.S. Senator and Governor.

Goddard is also co-author of You Won - Now What? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, Goddard's essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.

Goddard earned degrees from Vassar College and Harvard University. He lives in New York with his wife and three sons.

Praise for Political Wire

"There are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political Wire is one of them."

-- Chuck Todd, host of "Meet the Press"

"Concise. Relevant. To the point. Political Wire is the first site I check when I’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all."

-- Stuart Rothenberg, editor of the Rothenberg Political Report

"Political Wire is one of only four or five sites that I check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”

-- Charlie Cook, editor of the Cook Political Report

"The big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom -- nicely packaged, constantly updated... What political junkie could ask for more?"

-- Larry Sabato, Center for Politics, University of Virginia

“Political Wire is a great, great site.”

— Joe Scarborough, host of MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”

“Taegan Goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his Political Wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”

— Arianna Huffington, founder of The Huffington Post

“Political Wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”

— Glenn Reynolds, founder of Instapundit

“I rely on Taegan Goddard’s Political Wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”

— Craig Newmark, founder of Craigslist.