How to Start a Profitable Blog Course

Day 2: Craft Your Blog’s Look & Feel

Welcome Back! Yesterday, we kicked things off by choosing the perfect domain name for your blog (and possibly setting up hosting if you hadn’t already). High five for making it this far—seriously, a lot of aspiring bloggers stall before they even start.

Today, we’re tackling a fun part: making your blog look amazing by picking a WordPress theme that suits your style and niche. Don’t worry if you have zero design experience, you won’t need it today.

How to get back to your blog:

If you started your blog using my guide or Bluehost recently, to get back to your blog your going to login to Bluehost. Then on the left side, you are going to click “WordPress Hosting” Then in the middle of the page, next to where it says WordPress click “Log In” which will bring you to WordPress.

Once you’re inside WordPress, you can bookmark that page so it’s easier to get back to when you want to edit your website or write new blog posts.

Navigating To Your Dashboard

When you log in to WordPress, it might automatically bring you to the “Bluehost” section. To get to your main dashboard, click “Dashboard” in the menu on the left side and now we’re ready to move on and pick your theme so we can start making your blog look like a real blog.

1. Why the Right Theme Matters

Your theme is like the outfit your blog wears—it can shape first impressions. A clean, user‐friendly layout encourages readers to stick around, explore your content, and trust you. But with thousands of theme options out there, it’s easy to get lost.

My advice: Don’t overthink it. Pick a simple free theme that you can tweak later. Remember, your content matters WAAAY more than fancy design. Remember: You can always change your theme later without losing content, so feel free to experiment.

2. Free vs. Paid Themes

  • Free Themes:

    • Available right inside your WordPress dashboard (under “Appearance” → “Themes”).

    • Great if you’re just starting out or on a tight budget.

    • Can still look professional with a little customization.

  • Premium Themes:

    • Usually cost anywhere from $30–$80 (or more).

    • Often include extra features, faster updates, and more in-depth support.

    • Good choice if you want more flexibility or specialized layouts right away.

Pro Tip: I personally started with a free theme (you can find it by searching “Edge” and used it well into my full-time blogging career. If your budget allows, a well‐made premium theme can save time (and possible frustration). But if not, no worries! A free theme is totally fine to get you off the ground. If you want to purchase a theme, I recommend CreativeMarket.com or Etsy.com.

3. Installing and Activating a Theme (Step by Step)

Step 1: Go to “Appearance” → “Themes”

In your WordPress dashboard, look at the left‐hand sidebar for Appearance. Click on it, and then select Themes. This is where you can see the themes you already have installed by default.

Step 2: Click “Add New”

At the top of the Themes page, you’ll see an “Add New” button. That opens the WordPress.org theme directory, which is like a giant wardrobe of free themes.

Step 3: Search & Preview

Use the search bar or browse the popular tags (“Blog,” “Minimal,” “Photography,” etc.) to find a theme style you like. Click Preview if you want a sneak peek of how it might look on your site.

Step 4: Install & Activate

Found a theme that speaks to you? Click Install. After a moment, that button turns into Activate. Once you activate, your blog’s layout instantly updates to that theme. Voila!.

4. Consider Customizing

You don’t need to customize your theme right now. Customizing it can feel a bit overwhelming, and that’s not where I want you to focus your attention if it’s going to overwhelm you and stop you from making progress. However, you can totally customize your theme to better fit your brand. Once you activate your theme, click Appearance → Customize. There, you’ll often see options to:

  • Change Colors and Fonts

  • Upload a Logo or a “Site Icon” (the little image you see in browser tabs)

  • Edit the Header and Footer

Not every theme has the same customization options, but most let you handle the basics.

5. Want a Step‐by‐Step Setup Checklist?

If you’re feeling even a little overwhelmed or simply want to skip ahead to the fun part? guess what: The Launch Your Blog Toolkit to make your journey even smoother. It’s packed with step-by-step checklists, easy-to-follow blog post planners, and monetization strategies that'll take you from "just getting started" to "blogging with confidence."

  • It’s especially helpful if you’re not super “techy” or you’re short on time and you don’t want to get lost in the weeds..

(Click here to learn more about the toolkit.)

(No pressure if you’re not ready—just know it’s there if you want the fast track!)

6. Your Mini Assignment

Before you move on to Day 3, spend some time exploring themes. Install one, do a bit of customizing, and get comfortable navigating the WordPress “Customize” area.

Pro Tip: Don’t sweat making it perfect! If your blog is brand new, it’s better to publish your first post soon than get stuck forever on design tweaks.

What’s Next?

Tomorrow in Day 3, we’ll talk about content creation—writing your very first blog post in a way that hooks readers and keeps them coming back. If you’ve ever stared at a blank page thinking, “What on earth do I write about?” you’re going to love Day 3!

Go ahead and finalize your theme choice, and I’ll see you in your inbox tomorrow morning with more blogging goodness.

P.S. If you snag the Launch Your Blog Toolkit now, you’ll also get the “Blog Post Pre‐Publish Checklist” so you’ll be extra prepared for tomorrow’s lesson on writing your first blog post. Just sayin’… It’s also $20 off for the next few days only.