Wordpress standlone offers many modications that your developer can install. A good portion of those modifications will make your blog more search engine friendly. If you want to blog for traffic then you will want to include search engine rankings as one of your strategies.

Otherwise, if you want to just use social media strategies or non search engine strategies, you can use free hosted blog services. Just remember, once you build up momentum to that free hosted blog sub-domain name, you won't be able to move your blog to its own domain name. I would always opt for my own domain name on any blog I start.

Before installing word press, its important to research all the search engine modification modules you will need. You will need to know some basic PHP and HTML. You can always hire an expert. Focus more on the functionality and modules before the design. Once you start generating traffic, then you can out some investment into the design.

1. Research a niche in the mid competitive range, 40-60%.

2. Decide if there is enough traffic to create a viable blog.

3. Map out your content and blog post pages.

4. Pick a blog platform

5. Plan your monetizing options (affiliate programs, adsense, banner ads, sponsors, product sales)

1. "Write about what you know". That's excellent advice. I've started some blog projects where I just wanted to make money. They flopped. When you pick a passion, its way easier to stay motivated.

2. "Stay Focused". I've come across manu blogs where I couldn't tell the intent of the content. I like blogs where there is a clear focus. If you really feel the urge to take a wild tangent, then create a separate blog category just for that.