The Step-by-Step Guide I Used to Start My Bakery Blog

This post may contain affiliate links — which means if you click and purchase, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Every penny goes straight into funding my dream café, so thank you for supporting this journey! 🌸

When I first decided to add “blogger” to my already full plate, I knew it wasn’t going to be easy — but I also knew it would be worth it. If you read my last post, you know why I started blogging alongside running my bakery. Today, I want to share exactly how I did it — step by step.

Because here’s the truth: people don’t want to see perfection anymore. They want the journey — the messy counters, the recipes that took three tries, and the real human behind the business. That’s what I’m building here: a creative journal, a behind-the-scenes diary, and a space where I share not only my recipes but also the dreams I’m manifesting.

Step 1: Get Clear on Your Purpose

Before touching any tech, I asked myself: Why am I doing this?

For me, this blog is:

• A creative journal where I can share my recipes, stories, and bakery experiments.
• A way of playing the part for manifesting — stepping into the version of me who already owns the café I dream of.
• A place to connect authentically with readers who want the story, not the highlight reel.
• A potential path to semi-passive income, so the energy I put here helps support both my bills and my bigger dreams.

✨ Pro tip: Think of your blog as a blend of creativity and intention — not just for others, but for your future self too.

Step 2: Choose a Platform + Hosting

I decided on WordPress.org for its flexibility and long-term growth potential. For hosting, I chose Bluehost — it was beginner-friendly, affordable, and included my domain free for the first year.

💡 If you’re just starting, Bluehost is a great choice. But there are also free WordPress themes you can use if you’d like to start small. (I’ll share a detailed setup guide soon.)

Step 3: Pick a Name + Domain

I wanted something connected to The Modern Bakery but with more creative freedom. That’s how Hey Modern Baker was born — a name that feels both personal and welcoming.

✨ Tip: Choose a name that feels timeless and easy to say — it will become part of your brand identity.

Step 4: Design the Look + Feel

Branding was one of my favorite parts. I wanted dreamy, Parisian-chic vibes: playful, elegant, and cozy. I used the Savannah theme from 17th Avenue Designs with the Kadence framework as the base.

My design checklist included:

• A soft, airy color palette (blush, white, muted green).
• Clean, easy-to-read fonts.
• A mix of bakery photos and lifestyle imagery (Canva has beautiful options if you’re not ready for custom photography).

Step 5: Organize Blog Categories

Before writing, I mapped out categories I wanted to start with so I can map out what my posts would be so it would flow easily for readers:

• Recipes & Café Dreams
• Glow-Up Diaries
• Bakery Business
• Amazon Finds

✨ Think of your blog like a magazine. What sections would your dream readers flip to first?

Step 6: Write Your First Post

My first post was Why I’m Adding “Blogger” to My Already Full Plate (and What It Means for My Bakery). It wasn’t perfect — but it was real.

That’s the beauty of blogging today: people connect more with your journey than with curated perfection.

Step 6½: Create a Small Batch of Posts Before Going Live

One thing I did before making my site live was writing a few posts ahead of time. This helped me:

• Lay out my website better by seeing how categories would flow.
• Give readers multiple choices so they didn’t land on a single post.
• Save myself time later, since I wasn’t scrambling for content after launch.

For example, this post already has spin-off posts planned, like:

• How I Set Up Bluehost, WordPress, and My Theme
• Beginner’s Guide to Monetizing a Blog
• Why Building a Personal Brand Matters

✨ Pro tip: When planning your first posts, think about how one “core post” can branch into 2–3 spin-offs. It makes your blog feel full right away without overwhelming you.

Step 7: Add Photos + Graphics

I used Canva to create graphics and sprinkled in bakery and lifestyle photos every 2–3 paragraphs. The goal wasn’t to look like a magazine — it was to make the post inviting and easy to read.

Step 8: Keep Monetization in Mind

Because this blog is part of my business, I knew it had to be sustainable. That means building in ways to earn as I grow, such as:

• Affiliate Links (Bluehost, 17th Avenue Designs, Amazon tools)
• Ads through Google AdSense
• My Amazon Storefront where I share tools I use daily

👉 (I’ll be sharing a full post soon on how I’m creating passive income streams through blogging.)

Step 9: Hit Publish (Even If It’s Not Perfect)

Publishing before everything felt “ready” was hard. But readers don’t want flawless anymore — they want real.

Step 10: Share + Keep Building

After publishing, I shared this post on Instagram and Pinterest. Over time, I’ll link to the spin-offs mentioned earlier so readers can dive deeper.

Final Thoughts

This blog is more than recipes and behind-the-scenes peeks. It’s me documenting the real journey of a one-woman bakery — with all its trials, triumphs, and messy counters — while showing others what’s possible when you choose to build your dream.

✨ Because the truth is, you don’t have to be perfect to inspire. You just have to start.