The weight loss industry is worth billions. As of 2021, the market for weight-loss products and services is valued at almost $255 billion. By 2026, it is expected to hit $377 billion.
Globally, people are becoming more health-conscious and fitness is quickly becoming a priority in the average lifestyle. It’s a profitable industry and starting a weight loss blog could help channel some of those profits your way.
Technical Glossary
Before we get into the details of the topic, here are a few important terms to keep in mind as you go through this guide:
Blog:You’re probably aware of the term but to put in a definition, blogging refers to publishing content on the internet in the form of blog posts.
Content Management System: A Content Management System, CMS for short refers to the software used to manage the content on your website.
Domain Name: This refers to the name of your website and is used to identify your brand.
Hosting: This is a service that allows your website to be stored on web servers. This is usually done through a hosting provider.
Self-Hosting: Self-hosting refers to having complete control over your website. This involves setting up the server that stores your site yourself.
URL: URL stands for Uniform Resource Locator and refers to the web address of your site and the pages within your site.
WordPress: WordPress is one of the most popular publishing software and content management systems in the world. It is open source and can be used for free.
How to Start a Weight Loss Blog
Any successful blog requires time and effort. It’s particularly important to note that with topics in the niche of fitness and healthcare, your visitors come to your site for advice and knowledge. This means providing accurate, trustworthy, and reliable information is a priority.
Although, you can eventually expect to earn an income from your blog, your objective when you create content should always be focused on your audience. With that in mind, here are the steps to start your weight loss blog.
Decide the Focus of your Blog
The very first aspect of creating your blog is to decide its focus.The focus of your blog is the direction and approach you will take with your content. Weight loss is a broad discussion and there are several angles to it. To present your content in the best way it’s important to decide what style your content will take.
Here are some approaches you could consider:
Reviews
Your blog could focus on reviewing weight loss tactics, workouts, and routines.
Recommendations
Your blog could suggest, recommend, and critique various weight loss products and services. You could also evaluate the effectiveness of diets and food regimes for the purpose of weight loss.
News
Your blog could focus on news and updates in the world of fitness and weight loss.
A Personal Story
If you have been successful in your weight loss journey, a blog is the perfect way to share that experience with the world.
Choose Your Weight Loss Niche
Weight loss is a broad topic and when it comes to blogging, the more specific, the better.To be successful you need to find a target audience and therefore a more narrow niche. The niche “Weight Loss” is generic, but the niche “Weight Loss for Men” is instantly more focused.
Your blog’s niche is going to drive all the content you create so ensure it plays to your strengths. What aspect of weight loss are you an expert at? For example, it may be diets, yoga, natural remedies, or workouts among others.
Whatever niche you choose, stick to it, and build your content around it.This will help you find that target audience and in turn the success you’re looking for.
Here are some niches within the topic of weight loss that you could consider.
- Weight Loss for Mothers
- Yoga For Weight Loss
- Weight Loss for Men
- The Best Workouts to Lose Weight
- Dancing to Lose Weight
- Weight Loss for Seniors
- Natural Remedies to Lose Weight
These are only some ideas but there is huge potential in this area. Remember to be as specific as you can when you choose your niche.
Choose Your Blogging Platform
This might be obvious to mention but to start blogging, you need to choose a blogging platform.Fortunately, there are several great options out there, both free and premium. As a start you might want to use a free blogging platform.
Some of the best free booging platforms include: Wix, WordPress, and Blogger among others. Wix and WordPress have premium options as well. As you begin your blogging journey a free blogging platform has everything you need to get a good start. But it’s not a long-term solution.
Here are some of the disadvantages of using free blogging platforms:
Limited Features and Monetization:Free blogging platforms have limited features. You have access to only basic features and will not be able to incorporate all the functionality you might want in your site. Furthermore, free blogging platforms limit the opportunities to monetize your content.
Less Control:You don’t have complete control over your site on a free blogging platform. Your site could abruptly be taken down and there’s often very little you can do about it.
Unprofessional Appearance:Using a free blogging platform usually means watermarks and unprofessional URLs.Furthermore, the platform might display ads on your site that could crowd your content and turn your visitors away.
Poor Analytics and SEO:Analytics and SEOare huge factors for your long-term success. With free blogging platforms there usually very few options for analytics and SEO.
Especially if you hope to earn through your blog, using a free platform is not a good idea for the long term.To make the best out of your blog, self-hosting through WordPress.org is a recommended approach.Yes, it’s paid but this ensures you have complete control of your site and it’s one of the most trusted CMS options.
In fact, the WordPress CMS powers 40% of all sites on the internet making it the most popular CMS in the world. Their plugin directory has over 55,000 plugins and theypower 14.7% of world’s top websites.
The platform is simple to install, use and requires no coding experience making it perfect for beginners and advanced users alike. It easily integrates with several apps and has helpful support should you run into issues.
Domain Name Tips
Your domain name represents your blog. It sits in the URL of your site so strictly speaking it doesn’t have to be the name of your blog but it’s always a good idea to keep them the same.
Your domain name can have a huge impact on your success. It’s what your visitors will associate with your content and brand, so it needs to be memorable and unique. Here are a few tips to help you choose the perfect domain name:
Keep it Short
Your visitors are more likely to remember a short and memorable domain name. Avoid using complex words and keep the name to just over a couple words. The shorter the better.
Use The Right Domain Extension
The domain extension is what follows your domain name. For example, .com or .org.Most people are familiar with the .comextension so you should try your best to find a domain name with that extension.“.org”is also well recognized and is worth considering if “.com” isn’t available.
Make it Relevant but Broad
Your domain name should be relevant in some way to your content. However, don’t restrict yourself with a domain name that is too narrow.Your blog may not be the same a few years down the line.Therefore,it’s important to choose a domain name that is broad enough to allow your blog to expand and evolve over time.
Be Creative
The exact name you’re looking for might be taken but don’t let that dishearten you. Get creative and look for alternatives for the name you wanted. Use synonyms and look for similar words that might have potential. Using alliteration in your domain name can also be help make it memorable.
Avoid Numbers and Hyphens
Avoid including symbols, numbers, or hyphens in your domain name.This makes your domain name difficult to remember.
Do Not Overthink It
Deciding on your domain name is an important step in the process but it shouldn’t take you too much time. Many beginner bloggers lose momentum at this stage spending days, weeks and even months trying to come up with a domain name. Spend a focused few hours brainstorming ideas and decide on a domain name as quickly as you can.
Buy Domain and Hosting
After you’ve brainstormed domain ideas, the next step is to purchase your domain and hosting.There are many great hosting options but perhaps the best and most popular is Bluehost. Bluehost allows you to buy your domain and get your site hosted in no time. It’s among the most trusted hosting providers out there.
Here’s a step-by-step guide to buying your domain and hosting through Bluehost:
Step 1: Head over to the Bluehost Website
Here you can select a hosting plan that works for you. You can visit the website here.
Step 2: Choose a Hosting Plan
Bluehost has 4 shared hosting plans.
- Basic – $2.95/month
- Plus – $5.45/month
- Choice Plus – $5.45/month
- Pro – $13.95/month
Choose a plan that fits your requirements. As a beginner, the basic plan at $2.95 a month is perfect. It includes 50 GB of SSD storage for your site, custom themes and 24/7 customer support among other features.
A big advantage with Bluehost is that regardless of the plan you choose, you get a free domain for a year.
Step 3: Choose your domain
After you’ve picked your plan, you will be taken to a page to set up your domain. Here you can either create a new domain or use one that you already own.
Step 4: Fill in Your Information
The following page asks for your information including your name, email, address, and phone number among other details.
Step 5: Choose Your Package
At this step you can select the duration you want your plan to run for. You can select a period of 12 months, 24 months, or 36 months.
After this you can also select package extras such as “Domain Privacy + Protection” or “Codeguard Basic”. As a beginner these extras are less important however if you believe they can contribute to your site in a meaningful way, go ahead and add them to your package.
Step 6: Fill in Your Payment Information
Fill in the necessary payment information to complete your purchase.
Step 7: Confirm terms and conditions
At this step read and understand the Terms of Service, Cancellation Policy and Privacy Notice. Once you’re satisfied, check the required boxes, and hit “submit”.
Step 8: Create Your Account
You will be led to a page to create a Bluehost account. Fill in the necessary details and hit “Create Account”
You will then see an optional questionnaire that you can choose to fill in.
Step 9: Choose a Theme
At this step you will be prompted to choose a theme. You can choose either a free or premium theme. At this stage it’s a good idea to choose a free theme and change it later to a premium one once you get your site rolling.
Step 10: Get Started
Now that your Bluehost account is set up you will be taken to the WordPress admin panel. This is where you can manage and control every aspect of your site. Here you should also see a button “Launch your site” that you can click once you’re ready to publish your site.
Choose and Install a Theme for Your Blog
The theme of your blog defines its general appearance and aesthetic. Assuming you’re using WordPress, there are several great themes you could use that don’t require you using any coding.
A good theme gives your blog an appealing and professional appearance. It also makes customization of fonts, images, colors, and other aspects of design easier.Choose a theme that will suit and complement your content. You don’t want colors, images, or fonts to become distracting so ensure the designs you choose are attractive without becoming jarring.
WordPress includes several free themes that could perfectly fit with your content. There are additionally premium themes that come with more benefits. With premium themes you get access to more features and updates. Paid themes are mobile ready, and SEO optimized with enhanced security as well as great support options.
Here are some great premium themes that you could consider for your weight loss blog:
Nutrico – Nutrition Health Services WordPress Theme
This theme is specifically tailored for health blogs. It includes several great features such as custom sidebars and over 5 homepage styles. It’s clean, professional, and highly customizable.
Price: $59
Madang – Healthy Food Delivery Nutrition WordPress Theme
Madang is designed for food delivery services so if that is an aspect of your weight loss blog, this theme is perfect. The theme includes great features such as a Dietitian Program Filter, Meal Plans and several nutrition table options.
Price: $62
Fitmeal – Healthy Food Delivery and Diet Nutrition WordPress Theme
Fitmeal is a fantastic theme that fits a variety of blog styles. Specifically, food delivery, diet, organic food store and courier service blogs. The theme includes several professional design templates, over 20 shortcodes, gallery options, and header styles among many other useful features.
Price: $59
If you want to explore more great free and premium themes, mythemeshop and Astra have a great catalogue. Astra includes over 180 professional looking ready to import sites.
Create Logo and Essential Pages
The next step is to build the vitals of your blog. That is the essential pages and a logo. Essential pages include: The About Page, The Contact Page, Privacy Policy Page
The About Page
The About or About Us page is an extremely important page to have on your blog. This page describes who you are and why you chose to start your blog. It gives your visitors an idea of the person behind the content.
The About page gives a personal angle to your blog. If your audience learns about you and your personality, they’re more likely to continue reading your content. It’s also a great place to encourage your visitors to discover more about you on social media channels such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
The Contact Page
A great way for your blog and your brand to expand is by building the right connections. So, it’s a good idea to make those connections possible. The Contact page contains all the information someone would need to get in touch with you. For example, your email address, physical address, phone number and social profiles among other details.
Make sure you update your contact details regularly if there are changes. A contact page tells your visitors that you are open to conversations and are always eager to interact. It establishes your trustworthiness, credibility and plays a big role in building your network.
The Privacy Policy Page
This page tells visitors how you use their data and information. It’s an important page to include if you plan to monetize your site and it tells your visitors that you are an ethical and honest content creator.
Create Your Logo
Finally create your logo. This is usually a simple but memorable icon that will become a representation of your brand. Use a free online logo maker or design one yourself. Keep it simple but unique.
Begin Blogging
Now that you’ve got everything set up, it’s time to start blogging. This can often be the most intimidating stage. What do you write about first?
Look back at the first step in the process, the focus of your blog. If you’re clear about the focus of your blog, brainstorm topics in your niche and find the ones that you can confidently write about.
You may choose to write a review of a fitness routine or a recipe of a healthy meal. You could even organize an interview, write an in-depth article about a relevant issue in the world of weight loss or recommend a workout. There is no limit to the potential so it all comes down to what you can confidently express.
Look at other blogs in your niche for inspiration.Look for the content your target audience engages with and try to create something similar but with your own unique angle. Once you’ve finalized a topic, plan it out, write it, proofread, and edit.
Promote Your Weight Loss Blog
Now that your content has some momentum, you need to share it with others and find an audience. These are the best ways to promote your blog:
Your Inner Circle
Your inner circle of friends and family is the best place to start promoting your blog. Ask them to share your work with their networks to reach as large of an audience as possible.
Social Media
Social media is perhaps the most effective way to promote your blog. Use every social media channel you can including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Reddit and even LinkedIn.
Find communities in the niche of weight loss and share your content directly with them. Look for the social media platforms where your audience is most active and focus your efforts there.For example, Facebook weight loss clubs is a great place to contribute your content.
Encourage people to check out your blog but also use these platforms to establish your credibility as an expert in your niche.
Guest Posting
Publishing your content on other websites as guest posts helps you reach an even wider audience.Authoritative and well-established sites in your niche likely have a significant audience. Through guest posts some of that audience might explore your blog too.
SEO
The easiest way to drive traffic to your site is through great SEO. Make sure every aspect of your site is optimized for what your audience is searching for. Use the relevant keywords in your articles and throughout your content to give you the best chances of ranking higher on search engines.
Dos and Don’ts
Blogging is an enormous world full of challenges and potential. Here are some dos and don’ts to help you better navigate the vast landscape:
DO use your real name
Weight loss is an incredibly popular theme for bloggers. While there many great blogs that deal with this topic there are several poor ones too. These are low quality blogs often written just to earn money through affiliate links and promotions.
A common pattern with such blogs is that the creators never use their names.Instead, these blogs are labeled only with a generic title and their content is hardly useful. To prevent yourself from ever being mistaken for such blogs, it’s a good idea to always use your real name. You could include a picture of yourself too which further encourages your audience to trust you and your content.
DO be genuine
Regardless of the style of content you create, being authentic is important. Your visitors will return to your content if they trust it. The best way to ensure that is to always be honest.
This is especially relevant is you’re writing reviews. Always write real reviews. If you’re evaluating a product or service, make sure you’re giving a fair opinion. Do not be afraid to criticize a product even if you’re promoting it. Audiences appreciate a fair review and are more likely to trust you if you include criticisms in your reviews as well.
DO vary your content
Look for different types of content to create. Experiment with different forms and styles. Try something new and observe how your audience reacts. Your visitors are more likely to engage with content that remains fresh.
DON’T focus only on the good things
It’s a good idea to talk about the negative aspects of topics in your niche as well. Focusing only on the good things is a mistake several beginner bloggers make.It’s unrealistic and can sometimes appear dishonest.
If you’re writing reviews include the negatives and critiques. If you’re discussing your own personal weight loss journey, talk about the failures, mistakes, and negative aspects of the process you faced in addition to the positive aspects of your progress.
DON’T crowd your site with ads
Using too many ads is the first thing that will turn your visitors away. Although it might be tempting to include more ads to maximize your earning potential, you will earn less if you include too many. Especially with ad placement on your blog, often less is more.
How to Monetize a Weight Loss Blog
Once your blog gains some traction and you start to see consistent traffic to your site, you can consider monetizing your content. There are a number of ways to do this:
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular blog monetization techniques. Affiliate marketing involves placing affiliate links in your content. Each time your visitors click on a link and make a purchase you earn a commission.
All you need to do is get in touch with reliable affiliates, sign up with an affiliate program and start posting.It’s simple and the potential is huge.
Advertising
Onsite advertising is another great way to monetize your blog. Especially in this niche, there are countless relevant weight loss products and services that will blend seamlessly with your content.
If you receive good traffic and create high quality content, companies will have no problem advertising their weight loss products or services through your site.You control where advertisements are placed and for how long they remain on your site.Onsite advertising done right requires little effort but can earn you a solid revenue.
Product Reviews
As you become a credible source of information your visitors will turn to you for advice and recommendations. A good way to leverage this is through paid product reviews.
Reach out to companies with relevant weight loss products and use your blog as a platform to review them.With paid reviews you not only earn a good income but also further establish your authority in the field of weight loss. This can help create more opportunities for you in the future.
Sell Products
If you’ve had a positive weight loss journey, it’s likely you used products or services that made that journey easier.Why not then promote these products and earn an income in the process?
Becoming a representative of weight loss products especially if you’ve had a positive personal experience with them is a great way to earn through your blog.At this point your audience trusts you, your opinions, and your experiences so they will be glad to use the products you promote. Particularly if they’ve made an impact on your weight loss journey.
Online Courses
Another way to translate your knowledge and experience to an income is through online courses.Considering you have an expertise in the field of weight loss, they will be more than willing to pay for it.
Online courses offer your visitors a way to gain even more information and lose even more weight.It’s a remarkably successful approach that can be extremely profitable.
Sponsor Content
Sponsoring content refers to allowing others to publish content on your site.You are paid a fee and the sponsored content is added to your site.Ensure you set up rigid guidelines for your sponsored content and only approve sources you support.This can be a great way to diversify the content you have on your site while also earning without too much of an effort.
eBooks
One of the best ways to share your personal weight loss experiences is through an eBook. With the knowledge you’ve gained over the years – your methods, approaches, techniques, tips, and advice – you’re more than equipped to present your experience as an eBook.
Your visitors will be eager to read a thorough recount of your journey and you make a profit on each sale.
Counselling
One of the most helpful forms of support during a person’s weight loss journey, is one-on-one counselling. If you’re an expert at losing weight that’s a service, you can provide for your visitors.
Many of your readers might be looking for just that extra bit of help which you can provide through paid counselling sessions.
Memberships
Charging a membership is good way to provide additional content for your visitors. You may have a catalogue of free content but if your visitors want to learn the real secrets to weight loss, and more valuable advice offer a membership.
You might expect to lose visitors with this move. However, after you’ve established your credibility and once, you’re considered an authoritative voice in your niche, people are often eager to pay in the form of membershipsto learn more.
Final Words
For an industry that’s all about losing the pounds, the weight loss niche is only getting bigger.There are always new opportunities to capitalize on and starting blog is one of the easiest ways to do that.
But starting a blog is only the beginning of your journey, success as a blogger involves consistent effort and high-quality content. If those are your priorities,you’re on track to becoming a successful weight loss blogger.
