How to Create a News Blog (Even If You’re Starting From Scratch)

Okay, so you want to start a news blog? Cool. Let’s not sugarcoat it—it’s not as easy as slapping a few articles together and calling it a day. But it’s also not rocket science, either. You can do it. Whether you wanna be the next big player in local news or just rant about crypto trends, this guide is for you.

Table of Contents

We’re going to walk through exactly how to start a news blog—from scratch—step-by-step, with real talk, no fluff.

Let’s go.

Wait… What Even Is a News Blog?

Let’s get this straight first. A news blog isn’t just “a blog with news.”

A news blog is a website that publishes timely, relevant, and often frequent updates around a topic or niche. It can be hyper-local (“News in Dallas Suburbs”) or global (“Tech News Daily”).

And it’s not just CNN or Fox doing this. Solo creators and tiny teams are crushing it with niche news sites. Think:

Crypto news blogs
Fitness and health update sites
Celebrity gossip blogs
Local political roundups
YouTube drama breakdowns (yeah, that’s news now)

The common thread? They bring updates fast and often.

Step 1: Choose Your News Niche (This is Critical)

Don’t just go “general news.” That’s suicide. Seriously, don’t do it.

You will not outrank CNN. You will not outrank BBC. Not today. Not next year.

Instead, go narrow and smart.

Here are some niche ideas that work:

Local city or town news (e.g., “Austin Startup Scene”)
Industry-specific (e.g., “Fintech Updates Weekly”)
Tech updates (e.g., “AI Tools in 2025”)
Entertainment (e.g., “Reality TV Recaps”)
Sports (e.g., “Minor League Baseball Weekly”)
Education news (e.g., “University Policy Watch”)

Pick something you can stick to. Something you won’t burn out writing about in 3 weeks. If you’d talk about it at a party, you can probably write about it too.

Step 2: Choose a Name That Feels Like News

It matters more than you think.

Bad: “JohnsFunCorner”
Good: “Crypto Minute Daily”

You want something that sounds like:

It updates often
It’s about something specific
It’s authoritative or fast

Don’t spend 2 weeks on the name. Just pick one that clicks and move on.

Step 3: Lock In Your Domain and Hosting

Don’t overthink this. You need a domain. You need hosting. Period.

Use:

Namecheap or GoDaddy for domain
Hostinger, Bluehost, or SiteGround for hosting

Your domain should match the blog name, if possible.

Example: If your site is “Crypto Minute Daily,” try to get cryptominutedaily.com.

If that’s not available, add something simple like:

cryptominutedailynews.com
thecryptominute.com

Just don’t go for hyphens or .net unless you’re desperate.

Step 4: WordPress or Blogger? (Just Pick One)

You’ve got two solid free-ish choices:

1. WordPress.org – Professional, flexible, best for long-term growth

You install it via your hosting provider. Tons of plugins. Looks like a real website.

2. Blogger.com – Super beginner-friendly, owned by Google

If you want to launch TODAY with zero tech skills, Blogger is fine.

Weirdly enough, some news blogs still run on Blogger and make good money. So don’t be snobby.

Step 5: Set Up a Simple, Clean Theme

You don’t need anything fancy. You’re not Vogue.

Just get a theme that does the following:

Clearly displays the latest posts
Has sidebar space (for ads and categories)
Mobile-friendly
Loads fast

Good themes for news blogs:

Newspaper (premium, WordPress)
Astra (free/lightweight)
Contempo (on Blogger, solid layout)

Don’t stress this. Get the blog live first. You can tweak the look later.

Step 6: Plan Your Content Strategy

This is where news blogs live or die. You need a plan. Not a perfect one. Just a plan.

Here’s a simple layout:

Weekly News Posting Schedule:

Day	Type of Post
Monday	Major updates in your niche
Wednesday	Analysis/opinion on trending news
Friday	Weekly round-up

Optional Daily Format:

Morning: Headlines
Evening: Deep dives or updates

Example:

Let’s say your niche is “AI tools news.”

Mon: “OpenAI launches new Chatbot”
Wed: “What does this mean for freelancers?”
Fri: “Top 5 AI updates you missed this week”

The idea is: fresh, frequent, focused.

Step 7: Where Do You Get the News?

You don’t have to be a reporter (but it helps).

Here’s how to source news:

Google Alerts (set up alerts for keywords like “crypto,” “AI,” “local politics”)
Twitter/X (still the fastest news source)
Reddit subs related to your niche
Press releases (PR Newswire, etc.)
Other blogs (but DO NOT just copy them—summarize, give credit, add your take)

Seriously, even if you just aggregate smartly with your own spin, people will come back.

Step 8: Write Like a News Blogger (Not an Essayist)

This is NOT your English class. News blogging = short, snappy, factual.

Golden rules:

Use short paragraphs (2-3 lines max)
Start with the key point (don’t “build up” to it)
Link to original sources
Add your own voice (that’s what makes you stand out)
Use bullet points when possible

And don’t forget SEO. That’s your secret sauce (we’ll get to that soon).

Step 9: Set Up Your Blog for Monetization Early

You won’t make $1000 in your first month. But you CAN make money from day one if you prep right.

News blog monetization options:

Ads – Google AdSense, Ezoic (once you grow)
Affiliate links – Promote tools related to your niche
Email newsletter – Build an audience
Sponsored posts – Companies pay to be featured
Sell access – Paid insights, reports, subscriptions

Start with AdSense and affiliate links. Add others as you grow.

Step 10: Promote Like a Beast

You wrote it? Cool. Now go get it seen.

Places to promote news blog content:

Twitter/X – Perfect for breaking news
Facebook groups – Tons of niche news sharing
LinkedIn – If it’s industry/professional content
Reddit – Be careful with self-promo, but goldmine if done right
Email – Build a list ASAP

Use hashtags. Engage with others in your niche. Don’t just post and vanish.

Bonus: SEO for News Blogs (Quick Hit)

Okay, here’s a rough SEO checklist to get started:

Use a keyword in the title (“AI Tool Updates – May 2025”)
Put keywords in the first 100 words
Link internally to your older posts
Use H2s and H3s properly
Add images (with alt text)
Publish consistently (Google likes frequency)

Want a hack? Use Google Trends to find what’s spiking and write about that ASAP.

Can You Still Make Money from a News Blog in 2025?

Yes. But only if you:

Niche down
Post consistently
Monetize smartly
Promote like hell

News blogging isn’t dead. Lazy blogging is.

People want information, fast and relevant. If you can deliver that—even if it’s just about one small topic—you can win.

Final Thoughts: No One’s Waiting for You to Be “Ready”

Just start.

Your first post will suck. Your 5th might suck less. Your 15th might even get some views.

By the 30th post, you’ll be faster. Smarter. More focused.

You don’t need to be CNN. You just need to hit publish. Every day you wait is another scoop someone else gets first.

Now go build the news blog you keep thinking about.

How to Create a News Blog in 2025