How To Start A Blog In Kenya: Ultimate Guide

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Last updated on June 13th, 2023 at 09:55 am

This tutorial will teach you how to start a blog in Kenya.

In order to make it easier for you, we’ve made this as concise of an article as possible so that you can get started right away and stop worrying about what’s going on behind the scenes when starting your own blog.

Video Tutorial: How To Start a Successful Blog in Kenya

Why should I start a free blog in Kenya?  

The benefits of starting and maintaining a blog are endless. 

You can share your ideas with the world in an instant, connect with like-minded people who enjoy similar content to yours (and also comment on it!), grow your fan base into something huge…the list goes on! 

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A personal blog is one thing that cannot be taken away from you so make sure it’s worth fighting for by making time and effort to create quality posts every week.

Step 1: Pick a niche

The first step when starting a blog in Kenya is to pick a niche. 

A blog niche is a subject that the blog focuses on. 

It is usually best to focus on a topic that you are passionate about or knowledgeable in.

A few general examples of niches include lifestyle, beauty, health and fitness, parenting, photography and design.

What to consider when choosing a blog niche

Consider what the following things before choosing your blog’s niche:

a). Your interests

What do you like? 

What topics interest you most? 

Do research into those topics by reading blogs related to them.

Also, look at others who might have written posts relating to this subject matter with success already under their belt. 

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If there are no successful bloggers in Kenya writing about this subject yet then it may be worth exploring other options for now.

Do that while researching ways how you can make these subjects popular in Kenya.

b). What you know about 

Do you have valuable knowledge or insights to offer in this niche? 

If so, then it might be worth exploring. 

Would your readers want to hear from someone who has a unique perspective on the subject matter that they’re interested in reading about?

c). Limitations of resources 

If there are limitations on what is available for research and writing purposes such as time, money, technical skills and equipment then it may not be best to focus your blog within these subject matters until you have more availability of those things.

1). Home and Garden Blogs

This is a blog where the writer talks about home improvement, all sorts of gardening techniques including how to make your own compost at home or even start planting roses.

2). Technology Blogs

These blogs are written for people who want to know about new technology as soon as it’s released without having to search extensively on Google. 

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They may talk about Apple Watch series three features, the latest iPhone from Samsung or other devices in detail. 

It could also be an app developer promoting their apps with reviews for them. 

There’s no shortage of tech blogs these days, each serving different needs within specific fields; try not to get out over your head when you first start blogging! 

You might be tempted to write about everything under the sun, but there are countless other blogs already doing that.

3). Fashion Bloggers

The most famous fashion bloggers have millions of followers across social media.

So it’s not surprising that many people want their own slice of fame through blogging in Kenya! 

It is easy enough to get started as long as you have a good camera, internet access, and an interest in fashion.

4). Recipes 

What would the internet be without its collection of recipes? 

Bloggers like to share their favorite dishes with others through these simple posts which are often accompanied by pictures for inspiration.

Once you have picked your niche, let’s get going with how to start a blog in Kenya.

Step 2: Choose a domain name

A domain name is the web address of your blog. It’s what the user will type to access your website.

It is the unique address of your site on the internet. 

Think of it as one side of an envelope, and every time someone visits your blog they have to type this in before being able to see any content.

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To get one, you must register it with domain registrars. These are companies tasked with managing website names, and in Kenya, it is KENIC.

The domain name can be the name of your business, your personal name, or anything you want.

To have the best, it has to reflect whatever your niche is all about.

How to pick the best website name

Consider the following when picking a domain name for your blog in Kenya;

a) make sure it is easy to remember and spell correctly

b) consider the popularity of a domain name before you buy one

c) stay away from any misspellings or variations of words that are common spelling mistakes.

With these tips, create a list of potential website names you’d want to name your website.

A good rule to follow when picking out a domain may be: 

What word would someone who knows nothing about blogging type into google? 

This will prevent misspelling and ensure high rankings on search engines such as Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc.

Keep the list, you will need it in step 2 of how to start a blog in Kenya.

Step 3: Choose Blog Software/platform

Decide what type of blog software you want to use for your website’s platform. 

There are many blogging platforms in Kenya.

Types of blogging sites in Kenya

There are two main types of blogging sites: hosted and self-hosted blogs. 

a). Hosted blog in Kenya

Hosted blogs are hosted on the cloud and are accessed with a browser like WordPress.com or Blogger.

All you have to do is sign up for an account then upload your content.

The downside of this option is that any changes made will be reflected across the platform.

Additionally, it can become difficult to maintain control over certain aspects such as design templates.

Another big disadvantage of using one of these platforms is that they don’t allow you access to data about who visits your site.

As such, analytics tools come in handy when trying to grow your audience.

Others include;

  • Tumblr
  • BlogSpot
  • Weebly

Here is how to use self-hosted platforms to create a blog in Kenya.

How To Start A Blog In Kenya For Free

It’s easier than you think to start your own blog, no matter what business or industry you’re in. 

In this guide, we’ll show you how to get started with hosting a WordPress blog for free in Kenya and cover some of the best ways to monetize it too!

Do I need any fancy tech skills?  

No! All you’ll need is an email address (and maybe basic computer skills). 

1). WordPress.com

WordPress.com is a free blogging platform that allows you to create your own blog without having any technical skills or even owning a domain name.

To get started, head over to https://wordpress.com

How To Start A Blog In Kenya For Free

Click on Start Your Website.

Step 1: Create an account

How To Start A Blog In Kenya For Free

You can either use your email and choose a password or use either your Google or Apple account.

Step 2: Choose a domain

free domain in Kenya

Give your name to your free website in Kenya.

I suggest you pick a relevant name that depicts what you will be blogging about.

Pick the free one (unless you are willing to spend some money now.

free domain in Kenya

Step 3: Choose a plan

free website hosting in Kenya

Choose the free plan as shown in the screenshot above.

That is how to start a blog in Kenya for free. As you can see, the other plans cost at least KES 400 per month, so do not pick any of them.

Once you have picked the free plan, you will be taken to your free blog dashboard.

free blogging in kenya

You can see the rest of this guide on how to start a blog in Kenya to understand how to navigate the dashboard.

2). Blogger.com

If wordpress isn’t working for you, head over here and sign up for Blogger which requires just an email address as well. 

This is another free blogging platform in Kenya you can use to create a website for free.

To get started, head over to https://www.blogger.com/about/

blogger in Kenya

Click on CREATE YOUR BLOG.

Create an account;

blogger in Kenya

Give your free blog in Kenya a name;

blogger in Kenya

Pick your website URL name;

free blog in Kenya

Confirm your display name to proceed.

You can now start blogging for free in Kenya.

free blog in Kenya

b). Self-hosted blogs in Kenya

Self-hosted blogs are more expensive to maintain and set up.

But they do offer an incredible amount of functionality. 

If you need a blog with eCommerce integration or social media features like Facebook commenting, then it is worth the investment in your business. 

A self-hosted blogging site in Kenya can be set up for as little as $20 per year (about KES 2000).

This includes control over anything from design templates to hosting location and all the necessary plugins that will make your readers’ experience better.

There is no ongoing cost after buying your domain name and purchasing a plan with these services.

Which one should you choose?

Go with wordpress in Kenya.

WordPress is the most popular blogging platform and has a large range of features, plugins (plug-ins), themes, templates, etc. that will work for your needs.

To get it, you first need to get a hosting account and then install wordpress. Continue reading to learn how to do that.

Step 4: Sign up with a hosting service provider 

As we have mentioned, there are two types of blogging platforms in Kenya.

Some people choose to host their blogs on free blogging websites like Blogger or Tumblr.

However, this isn’t recommended if you want full control over upgrades/changes when new versions are released. 

If you’re looking for more customization options without the cost associated with hosted solutions, there is no better option than signing up for an account at Truehost Kenya or Hostpinnacle.

In this article, I will walk you through how to get a web hosting account in Truehost Kenya for just KES 1500.

To get started, you need to register a domain, get a hosting account, and install wordpress.

Let’s start.

Remember the website name you picked in step #1?

It is time to register now.

How to get a self-hosted website in Kenya

1). Register a domain name in Kenya

First, you need to search to make sure it is available (not registered by somebody else).

To do that, go to https://truehost.co.ke/

how to register domain name in Kenya

Type the first name on your list on the search box and hit search.

What happens here is that the Truehost algorithm will scour through the entire internet search for a match of your chosen domain.

If they find it, you will get a “Sorry! Domain name is already taken!” message.

how to register domain name in Kenya

If it doesn’t, you will get a “Congratulations! bestblogger.co.ke is available!”

domain name is available when building a website in kenya

Depending on the types of domain names you have on your list, you may get it right on your first search.

Either way, once you find the name you want is available, go ahead and click the BUY IT NOW button.

Point to note:

Keep it .CO.KE domain extension if you want your budget to be under KES 2500. That domain is going for Ksh 599 on Truehost.

Next, adding hosting.

how to add hosting plan when starting a website in Kenya

Tick the first and the last boxes, these are free addons. If you want, add the ID Protection option, it costs Ksh 399 per year.

As you can see, it says no hosting.

2). Get a hosting account in Kenya

Below your domain, click on ‘No Hosting! Click to Add”

This allows you to add a hosting package in Kenya (an important step in learning how to start a blog in Kenya).

The package we are going for is Silver Hosting.

It is Ksh 1499 per year and gives you 30 GB SSD storage space and can host up to 3 websites.

Order hosting package

cheapest web hosting package in Kenya

So, scroll down and click on Order Now.

cheapest web hosting package in Kenya

In the next step, click on the first option (Use a domain already in my shopping cart)

using existing domain name to start a website in Kenya

Click on Use.

On the next window, leave everything as is, and click on the Continue button.

how to start a blog in Kenya

You have now added a hosting plan to your domain.

Just to point out;

  • The billing cycle is annual, meaning you will be paying Ksh 1499 every year
  • Other billing cycles are available. 

As you can see from the screenshot below, it says ‘has hosting.’

how to start a website in Kenya

Click on Continue to proceed.

Review cart and check out

The next step is to review your cart

reviewing your cart when starting a website in kenya

Choose currency (KES or USD) and use the Truehost promo code if you have one.

choosing currency and using truehost promo code
Create a Truehost account (for new customers only). 

If you are an existing user, go ahead and click on ‘existing customer login.’

creating customer account to start a website in Kenya

Fill in the required details fully such as your name, email address, billing address, phone number, and state, etc.

Remember to choose a strong password;

creating customer account to start a website in Kenya

Or click on Generate Password.

Finally, choose your payment method as MPESA, tick the Terms of Service box, and click on Checkout (to your right if using a computer).

checkout
Pay the Invoice

Once you have filled in your details, checkout, and pay the invoice amount.

paying for hosting in Kenya using MPESA

The amount due is Ksh 1998.00.

Note:

Domain prices change constantly, by the time of writing this article, the .co.ke domain was KES 499, now it is KES 599.

Pay through MPESA following the instructions given. Input the transaction code on the box given and click Pay Now.

The invoice status will change from UNPAID to PAID. And you will receive login details to your email address (the one you used to open an account in the previous step).

After some minutes, you will receive an email from Truehost with your cPanel login details.

cpanel login details send to email

Go ahead log into your cPanel using the details you’ve given.

Time for the final part on how to start a blog in Kenya; installing wordpress.

We will use the Cpanel to install wordpress in Kenya on your domain.

cpanel login details send to email

Related: Cheap Web Hosting in Kenya: Finding the Best Deals

3). How to Install WordPress in Kenya

This is your last step in learning how to start a blog in Kenya.

Once you login into your cPanel, the next step is to install WordPress. This is the software you will be using to manage content on your website.

To do that, scroll down to the software section, and click on Softaculous App Installer.

how to install wordpress in Kenya

You will see a list of apps.

Choose WordPress.

how to install wordpress in Kenya

On the next window, click on Install Now.

how to install wordpress in Kenya

The next step is;

  • Choose WordPress version (should the latest)
  • The Installation URL is always highlighted, so leave it as is, the ‘in directory’ box should be blank. So delete the words ‘wp.’
how to install wordpress in Kenya

Site settings;

  • Pick a name for your new website 
  • And tagline
how to install wordpress in Kenya

Admin account:

  • Choose admin username. Remember it can’t be changed once set.
  • Type a strong password or click on the key symbol to generate one
  • Type admin’s email. Use your Gmail account if you like
choosing username and password for your new website

After that, leave everything else as is and scroll down to choose a theme.

Things to consider when selecting a WordPress theme in Kenya

To find the perfect theme for your website, ask yourself these questions;

  • How many columns does this theme have? What is the column width in pixels or percentage for each column? 
  • Does it offer a sidebar and footer, and what’s their height? 
  • Is there an option built into the settings panel that allows you to change from the left-aligned text (text on the left) to right-aligned text (text on the right)? 
  • Are there any options that allow me to customize my site by changing fonts, background colors, header images, etc.? Do I need anything other than uploading files like CSS or graphics for these changes. If so, where can I upload those files? Can I manage them through your dashboard?
  • What are the features of this theme, and how can I find out more about them before downloading it. 
  • How many people have downloaded or purchased this theme so far? 
  • What is the theme’s star rating? 
  • Is it responsive to different screen sizes, like mobiles and tablets?

Here, pick a theme depending on the type of website you have created.

For example:

If you have created a news website, choose a news theme. Lucky enough, you can search for exactly what you want. All you have to do is click on ‘Show All Themes’ and then type the keywords.

how to install theme to your new website

Now, once you find what you are looking for, click on Install.

WordPress will begin installing wordpress on your new website in Kenya.

Are you tired?

Don’t be. We are almost done with this how-to-start a blog in Kenya website in Kenya guide.

After the installation, log in to your Website dashboard.

your website admin login url in Kenya

Congratulations! 

You have made your first step into blogging in Kenya.

Now that you have your website up and running, there are some things you need to take care of first.

Install plugins

A WordPress plugin is something that adds new functionality to your WordPress site or extends existing functionality on your site.

Here are must-have plugins in Kenya;

  • MonsterInsights – this is the best Google Analytics plugin for wordpress. Allows you to view analytics directly on your dashboard
  • Yoast SEO – helps you prepare your site to rank on search engines.
  • UpdraftPlus – helps back up your website files, which is important in case of disasters such as getting hacked.
  • WP Rocket – the best caching plugin to help your website load faster.
  • Contact Form 7 – to create contact forms on your website.

To add a plugin, on your dashboard, click on Plugins and Add new.

installing plugins in kenya

You will be redirected to the wordpress plugins repository.

installing plugins in kenya

Search the plugin you are looking for on the search box.

Once you find it, click Install Now.

When the installation is complete, click activate.

activating plugins

After that, some plugins will work right off, while others may require some setting up.

activating plugins

Either way, that is how to install a plugin on your website in Kenya.

How to create a new page on WordPress

Once you have installed plugins, it is time to create new pages.

For example;

Now that I have installed Contact Form 7 plugin, I should go ahead and create a contact us page.

This is a page where people can email me right on the website.

To create a new page, go to your wordpress dashboard and click on Pages then Add New.

How to create a new page on WordPress

Give your new page a name and then a description (what is the page about?).

How to create a new page on WordPress

Once done, click on Publish to complete the page creation process.

Here is what mine looks like;

example of a wordpress page

The form is created directly on Contact Form 7 window.

Here is what the final result looks like;

contact us page

And that is how to create a new page on WordPress in Kenya.

There are many other things you can do with your blog in Kenya after you just finished creating it.

But what you’ve learned is the essential stuff.

Moving with how to start a blog in Kenya, here is the next step.

Step 5: Create Your Content 

This is a step where things get real and you can now start blogging in Kenya.

To get started, you need content ideas.

What do you want to write about?

Some of the best content ideas include topics about personal experience, opinion pieces, or reviews on products in which you have firsthand knowledge. 

Another way is through keyword research.

How to do keyword research in Kenya

Keywords are words people type into search engines while looking for information.

They form the basis of internet searches so it’s critical to know which keywords best describe your blog.

So if you can find words people use on Google when looking for topics related to your blog, you are sorted.

For example;

If your blog is about weight loss, you need to figure out (research) what words people use (keywords) when searching for articles about weight loss on Google in Kenya.

And the best way to do that is using keyword research tools.

The one I use often is Google Keyword Planner.

How to use Google Keyword Planner in Kenya

Google Keyword Planner is a tool availed by Google and it is free.

To use it, go to https://ads.google.com/home/tools/keyword-planner/

How to do keyword research in Kenya using keyword planner

You may be required to login with your Google account to use the tool.

Actually, this tool is used when creating Google Ads in Kenya.

Click on Go to Keyword Planner.

how use google keyword planner in kenya

Pick the first option.

This will help you discover more keywords.

Type the topic of your blog into the box (make sure the location is set to Kenya).

how use google keyword planner in kenya

Finally, click on Get Results.

Google will give you keywords people use when searching for your blog topic or product.

analyzing keyword ideas

It also shows you;

  • How many times the keyword is searched per month
  • Level of competition (high, medium, and low).

To pick the best keyword, pick one with high search volume and low to medium competition.

Why?

Because it will be easier for your article to rank for that keyword.

Avoid anything with high competition.

Once you have the keyword, it is time to start writing.

Whatever your topic may be, use these tips when writing;

  • Be clear with what the post is about
  • Include at least one image where possible
  • Keep exhaustive (at least 500 words) 
  • Give it an inviting title that will make people want to click and read

How to publish blog posts on WordPress

Now that you have learned how to start a blog in Kenya, let’s publish it on your new website.

To do that, go to your wordpress dashboard and click on Posts then Add new.

how to start a blog in Kenya

Give your article a title and then start writing or copying and pasting the post if you have it written somewhere else.

publishing articles on your blog in kenya

Before you hit publish, do the following;

  • Proofread the blog post to weed out minor errors
  • Use sub headings to make your article scannable
  • Add at least one image where applicable
  • Add links to your sources (2-3 links).
  • Link to other pages within your website (1-3).

Done that?

Good!

Hit publish.

Time for the final step on how to start a blog in Kenya.

Step 6: Promote Yourself Online 

It’s important not just to publish posts without promoting them as well.

This step will show you how to promote your blog posts over time. 

  • Promote it on social media, forums, and websites you already participate in
  • Guest posts on other blogs 
  • Outreach to websites who may be interested in publishing your content (e.g., reporters)
  • Submitting articles to relevant sites that accept guest posts or sponsored contributions, such as Medium, LinkedIn Pulse, Huffington Post Contributors Network, etc.)

Step 7: Build Your Blog Audience

One of the most important steps in any blog is building up a readership. 

How do you go about doing this?

  • Post regularly – at least once or twice a week, but as often as every other day if possible 
  • Send your posts to relevant bloggers who might share it with their audience and increase its exposure 

Step 8: Don’t Give Up!

Creating and maintaining an online presence takes time and effort. 

Some weeks will be better than others so don’t give up when things slow down. 

Keep on trying new ways to grow your following, engaging with people from all over the world while keeping true to yourself.

And before you know it, you’ll have built something truly amazing!

That is how to start a blog in Kenya.

What are the best ways to monetize my blog? 

There are many different avenues that bloggers in Kenya choose when it comes to making money off of their site including sponsorships/affiliates links (from brands they care about), sponsored posts (which offer a company exposure in exchange for compensation), and advertising revenue streams like Adsense which pay based on impressions. 

If these don’t appeal to you then maybe think creatively outside the box with other methods such as speaking engagements and paid appearances at events.

What do you think? Do you have any questions? Let me know in the comments below. 

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4 Responses to “How To Start A Blog In Kenya: Ultimate Guide”

  1. Hey am exploring on becoming a blogger, have gone through your guide, and I would like to reach out on you personally. Because I can’t understand some things, I think it will be easier when we interact, because I don’t want any mess.

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