This post covers how to start blogging to make money.
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Have you wondered how to start a blog? Or have you considered it but never leaped into the arena? Ever wonder what the blogging fun is all about? Maybe you’ve even asked yourself, is blogging still profitable?
I get it; starting anything online, mainly a blog, can be intimidating, overwhelming, and daunting af. I’m not gonna lie; blogging is hard.
It’s hardly the get-rich-quick scheme or “quit your job in 3 months” side hustle. Like, if only right?! Lol. If that were the case, everyone would be millionaire bloggers!
However, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible. Quite the contrary!
Anyone, and I mean anyone, can start a blog and make a full-time income doing it!
After being booted as a non-essential worker during the lockdowns as a health and wellness practitioner and then getting pregnant amid the lockdowns, I wanted a way to make money reliably from home.
Unless the internet shuts down, being a blogger can be recession-proof, seasonal-proof, and lockdown-proof!
After over a year of blogging consistently, I make more now than working full-time at a health and wellness spa in San Diego! This is an ideal lifestyle now that I’m a mother and homemaker.
I want you to become a successful blogger, make your schedule, create content you believe in, a lifestyle you love, and make more money than anyone you know!
Here is how I started from ground zero and grew my blog to a full-time income job!
Believe it or not, getting started is one of the hardest parts!
If you want to turn blogging as a hobby into an online business that creates passive income, let’s get into those steps on getting started…
This post covers how to start blogging to make money.
How to Start Blogging
Do you see yourself blogging? I outlined the following steps to help you effectively and efficiently start a blog! If you’re wondering how to become a blogger, let’s get into how to start blogging!
1. Pick Yer Niche!
I’m sure you’ve seen and heard this term used ad nauseam regarding blogging! I know I did lol.
However, this is your meat and potatoes of content.
Without your niche, there’s no blog. What is a niche? A niche is a specific, targeted area of interest or market segment.
What are you good at? What interests you? From baking to raising house plants, you can blog about anything as long as it interests you and it’s something you love and are passionate about.
Whatever you feel strong at, blog it!
Let’s put it this way: you must love your content so much and create content nobody will read or care about for months before you start getting eyeballs regularly.
Start with a central niche.
After a while, if you want to add sub-niches that make sense to your main niche, do it!
2. Pick a Blog/Domain Name
Registering a domain name is like claiming your unique spot on the internet.
It’s your website’s address, such as “example.com,” guiding visitors to your content. To secure one, you brainstorm names that fit your brand, then check if they’re available on WordPress.
If your preferred name is open, you can purchase it.
Remember, domain names are typically leased annually. In short, your domain is your online brand’s calling card, pivotal for a professional digital presence.
- Don’t make it too long, 5-6 syllables max.
- Make it catchy and easy to remember
- Play with alliteration
Here are some of the most popular blog domains:
I know it sounds overwhelming at first. I suggest picking your niche first and playing off of that.
For example, I knew I was going to discuss relationships, motherhood, wellness, and lifestyle topics so I played around with terms associated with that and loveandmoms was born!
Three syllables and is easy to remember.
Don’t get discouraged if you pick a name that’s already used; it’s getting you closer to the true name of your blog. Don’t worry!
3. Get on WordPress
WordPress is the creme de la creme of a blogging platform. Yes, more so than Wix or Squarespace.
Regrettably, I started my blog on Wix and was on it for nearly five months before switching to WordPress. Why? WordPress was developed for blogging, not simply site-building.
Wix and Squarespace are great if you are an influencer or business owner who needs a centralized online presence, not necessarily creating a user-friendly and cohesive content-creating platform.
I could do a whole post on why I suggest avoiding Wix or Squarespace for blogging, so let me know if you need more information.
WordPress is the blogging platform. Hands down.
Go to WordPress:
Click on the white button that says “Get Started.”
Pick Your Plan:
WordPress is perf if you want to start blogging for free.
4. Select a Hosting Provider
A hosting provider plays a pivotal role in the digital landscape.
At its core, a hosting provider offers space on a server where all the data for your website—like its text, images, and structure—resides.
Think of it as the digital real estate for your website.
Just as the location and quality of a physical store impact a business’s success, the performance of a hosting provider can significantly affect a website’s functionality, speed, and overall user experience.
While creating compelling content is crucial, the underlying hosting provider is the bedrock ensuring that content is delivered swiftly and reliably to your audience.
It’s an investment in the website’s foundation, ensuring stability and optimal performance.
Switching from Bluehost to SiteGround was the difference in site speed for me, and I haven’t had nearly as many issues with my site breaking.
I get Bluehost has all the hype, and that’s why I started with them. However, I had so many issues with my site speed, pages breaking, and overall stability issues a hosting site should not frequently have.
I highly recommend SiteGround. Since switching, all of my performance scores went up automatically, my site speed drastically improved, and I haven’t had any issues like I had with Bluehost.
With a 98% customer satisfaction rate, SiteGround is a secure choice for your hosting provider.
Go to the SiteGround Website:
Click the blue button that says “Start Now”.
Pick Your Plan:
When I first started, I got the Startup Plan, which was all I needed. After getting more traffic and ads, it became necessary to upgrade. It makes your site faster!
5. Design Your Blog
Designing your blog is akin to setting up a restaurant. Just as ambiance influences a diner’s experience, a blog’s aesthetic and user experience determine its appeal.
An intuitive layout, mirroring a clear restaurant menu, guides visitors effortlessly. Meanwhile, a distinct and engaging aesthetic, like a restaurant’s decor, sets the mood and captures the brand’s essence.
A thoughtfully designed blog, prioritizing both UX and visual appeal, draws more visitors and cultivates brand loyalty.
In short, a well-crafted blog experience, much like a memorable meal, keeps visitors returning for more.
You want your blog to stand out compared to the more basic websites that don’t consider the user’s experience as much.
Sure, you may still get good traffic, but at the end of the day, brands are what sell long-term.
After all, the Kardashians wouldn’t be the Kardashians without the brand they built.
With that brand, they’re loyal to whatever content or products they produce.
That’s why they can come out with the gazillionth skincare line, place their name and face on it, and sell just as well as high-end skin care lines that are tried and true and have been around forever.
Brand matters.
Consider the aesthetic of your blog.
Here are the tools I use to build my blog:
- ThriveSuite
- Envato Themes
- SiteGround
6. Sign Up For An Ad Agency
You can do this with Google Adsense first. I’m not gonna lie, Google is stingy AF with their payouts.
You won’t see substantial ad income from them until you start getting serious traffic.
However, something is better than nothing, especially when you are first starting off.
It also doesn’t hurt to try and apply to an Ad agency like Ezoic.
Unlike many other ad agencies, Ezoic doesn’t have a minimum amount of traffic you need to apply.
As long as you are getting roughly 1k visits to your site per month, it’s likely you will qualify.
I’ve been with them for a while and have no plans on switching yet.
They pay out way more than Google ads and help you optimize your set for best performance.
7. Get Comfortable Talking to Nobody
Alrighty, now that we have the practical steps down on how to start a blog physically let’s get into what it takes to start a blog.
This is a biggie; get comfortable talking to nobody.
For the first 6 -12 months, very few people will read or see your blog. Your blog is another seedling recently planted in the same grove full of massive maple trees. I don’t say this to discourage you; the opposite!
Remember, when you’re just getting started, you are a fresh little seed, and it will be a while before your seed starts sprouting stems and growing leaves.
However, it means months of water and sun just to get a little sprout.
As your blog grows, you likely won’t have many people seeing your content, and you have to keep going. The only way people won’t see your content is if you quit.
So, if you’re serious about making money blogging, get comfortable with this alone time as a blogger as you work the kinks out before the traffic comes!
8. Get Comfortable Giving More Than You Get
This is why I highly suggest moms start blogging! It doesn’t even have to have a motherhood angle like mine.
It could be about anything, just blog about it! I say this because moms are better than anyone at giving more than they get for their whole existence lol
Being a mother is to sacrifice; blogging is the same dude. It would be best to get comfortable with the idea that you will give far more than you receive.
There is a lot of garbage for Google to sift through to find your quality content, which takes time.
Think of it like investing. You invest a little bit every day, and that grows into a massive return over time.
Blogging is no different. Put it this way, how many people do you know personally blog full-time for a living?
The biggest difference between people who start a blog and people who become professional bloggers full time is they were able to eat shit longer…nothing more to it.
It’s like what Eminem so eloquently put it:
But are you prepared to give more than you get?
And put in twice what you get back from this sh*t?
Amen.
9. Get Comfortable With Looking Like an Amateur
Yes, yes it is, because you are starting something new…and that’s okay!
Just as the Statue of David didn’t emerge overnight but was meticulously chiseled by Michelangelo over years, your blog will also evolve from its humble beginnings.
In the early stages, it’s natural to appear amateurish, reflecting the infancy of any endeavor. But it’s essential to embrace this phase.
Like Rome, great things aren’t built in a day. Embracing the novice stage allows for genuine growth and learning.
We all start out with amateur-blogs that we build into something amazing.
With time and dedication, the raw edges of your initial efforts will be refined into a blogging masterpiece.
Remember, all expert bloggers were once a beginner.
It takes nothing to promote a gorgeous piece of art, it takes everything to create a gorgeous piece of art.
Give yourself grace and gobble up that humble pie, like Kendrick Lamar insightfully said:
Be humble, b*tch sit down.
10. Treat it Like a Business
For real though, approaching your blog with a business mindset is crucial for long-term success.
Just as businesses face fluctuations, blogging too comes with its set of challenges and triumphs.
If the vision is to transform your blog into a full-time venture, it demands the dedication and hours of a full-time job from the outset.
While it’s tempting to dream of quickly amassing wealth with minimal input, the truth is that substantial earnings usually arrive after years of persistent effort and strategic decisions.
It’s a game of patience, adaptability, grit, and understanding that immediate gratification is seldom the norm.
By treating your blog with the seriousness of a traditional business, investing time, and steadily navigating through its intricacies, you lay the groundwork for future success and eventual rewards.
11. Take it One Day at a Time
Taking things “one day at a time” has been a game-changer for me, especially during my journey to being alcohol-free.
It’s taught me to center my energy on the present, lessening the anxiety of long-term aspirations.
Watching the show “Mom” (my freaking fav) instilled this mantra in me.
When I applied this mindset to blogging, it became clear that success isn’t about instant gratification but the sum of daily, consistent efforts.
For me, both personal growth and blogging are about valuing each step, rather than getting overwhelmed by the entire path ahead.
Take blogging one day at a time and you’re far more likely to surpass the 80% of bloggers who started when you did.
You don’t necessarily have to blog daily, but consistently and actively.
You’ll be the last one standing!
How to Start Blogging
I hope these answer questions on how to start a blog! Your blogging story will be unique to you.
These are the practical tips you need to succeed and the mental tools necessary to become a full-time successful blogger even if you are wondering how to start an anonymous blog.
There are so many different types of blogs you can start; from a minimalism blog to a food blog, blog about it!
You can do it, many have done it before you, and many will do it long after you if you quit, especially the pool who started the same time you did and stuck with it. You got this! After a time, you can make lots of money.
Become the blogging bad ass you can be and earn a living creating content! Happy blogging!
