Thousands of regular people make money blogging, and it’s one of those careers that not many people know about.
I have been doing it for almost a decade now, and I don’t plan on making any changes.
I work whenever I want, and I can do it wherever I want, as long as I have my laptop and some kind of internet connection.
I also don’t have anyone telling me what to do, but personally, I see that as a con.
Blogging for money has its pros and cons, but I’m sure we can all agree that the lifestyle is pretty awesome.
Then again, that’s probably why you’re on this post, to begin with.
I have had many questions on how to get started, so I figured I would do an entire blog post on it.
Yup, this same thing I’m doing right now would be blogging, and I want to show you how it’s done and, most especially, how you can make money with it.
It’s one of the best “secrets” that exist, and the reward can be life-changing if you do it right.
However, there’s a reason why many don’t do it or continue with it, and I want to explain why.
They see everyone doing it, and they want in but don’t know what to expect.
They can’t wait to create their very first website, publish their first blog post, and, most especially, make that first $1.
That’s how it usually starts, and it’s great, but that’s about all that happens.
To prevent you from falling into such a trap, I want to give you the sure steps to making money with a blog.
How Do You Make Money Blogging?
The blogging process is stupidly simple.
You get a website, throw some blog posts on there, and voila!
Let the money start rolling in.
Of course, the idea is very straightforward, but making money is not that easy.
Knowing the few requirements is half the battle.
It’s everything else that comes after that matters.
You can see a great example from the income report of one of my favorite financial blogs, Dollarsprout.com.
Their blog went almost a year, making just a few bucks, and are now bringing in over $100k/month.
Would you put in work for a year without making any money if you had the chance of making even just $20k/month later?
But that’s just one example, as I’ve started blogs that make a decent income, even within a month.
There’s no set formula or layout for blogs, but you can at least see the potential of what one can do.
It’s also worth noting that thousands of blogs are being created all the time, but none of them ever succeed.
That is one of the most important things to understand, especially if you want to make blogging your career.
We will go over the steps needed to start your very first blog, but let’s go over exactly how you will make money blogging first.
Step 1 – Come up With your Niche
Every blog starts with a niche.
Pronounce it however you want, as long as you understand that it’s a little piece of the market that is very focused and targeted.
This part of the market will then include your passion and interest, which will be the topics you will be writing about on your blog.
This is what your website is going to be about.
For example, I’m very much into golf and can talk about it all day, so I would go with that.
Jot down five things that interest you and see if it’s a viable niche.
Some things to think about:
- How interested are you in the potential niche?
- Can you talk about that niche all day?
- What potential does your niche have?
- Is there a lot of competition in that niche?
There are other things to consider, but I will touch on that later.
For now, keep those things in mind while you figure out your niche.
Once you get this part done, it’s time to get you some piece of online real estate.
Step 2 – Build a Website
Needing a website is obvious, but you don’t need just any website.
You need a really good website.
One that looks appealing to your soon-to-be readers.
One that isn’t slow.
And, most especially, one that you will be proud of.
Simplicity is great, but make sure your design makes sense.
Here are the basics you will need for your website.
Domain Name
Before you start the construction of your site, you will need a name.
This will be the name of your blog, and it’s also going to be the website your visitors will remember.
It’s going to be something like ===> www.yourwebsite.com
Make it brandable, make it memorable, and make it something you will love telling others about.
You can add a piece of your niche to your domain, but it isn’t necessary.
You can get a domain name all over the web, but they usually come with the next important piece, which is your hosting.
Hosting
Every website needs somewhere to store its content.
This storage space is what they call hosting.
Like domain names, there are many places to get website hosting.
Some are better than others, but of course, you want to go with something that is at least up to Google’s standard.
If there’s one part of your blog you should invest in, hosting is where it’s at.
Your website’s speed is a big factor in getting organic traffic, so don’t settle for just any hosting provider.
For our websites, we use WPX, but I have a few that you can choose from that will all work great.
- WPX Hosting
- Siteground
- Bluehost
These are all website hosting providers we’ve used and are also recommended by some of the top bloggers.
They are wallet-friendly and offer 24/7 support.
Content Management System (CMS)
Domain and hosting go hand in hand, and so does a content management system, or CMS.
WordPress is one example, and it is also the most common one out there.
We use it here at askdads.com and go hand in hand with the hosting providers I just mentioned.
There are many others, but I always recommend WordPress if you plan to make money blogging.
Go with whatever floats your boat, but a CMS is something you will need.
The hosting provider you decide to go with will include a domain name and a free install of WordPress.
These three components of your website work together, so don’t let this part overcomplicate things.
Step 3 – Design Your Website
Your website is a work of art.
It’s something you need to get right, but it’s also something you shouldn’t focus on too much if you’re just starting.
Pick a nice theme that isn’t too fancy but can be customizable enough for you to do whatever you want.
We use the Generate Press for our sites, but thousands of themes are out there.
However, Generate Press is great for bloggers as it provides the speed and simplicity needed to start a successful blog.
It is also fully customizable and can be used on many websites.
There are many free themes out there that you can use, but this is one that I recommend if you want something with lots of flexibility.
Askdads uses Generate Press, and so do all our other websites.
Step 4 – Create Content
Content, content, content.
That’s the life of your blog and what will eventually allow you to make money blogging.
Your content is what you are creating for your readers; it’s what will get you traffic, and it’s what will make you money.
The beauty of running a blogging business is that you don’t always have to write things yourself.
You can outsource your content, but remember you are running a legitimate business.
Would you want mediocre anything in your business?
So don’t settle for just any content; get something you would be willing to share with others.
Step 5 – Organize Your Blog
A huge problem most beginner bloggers have is deciding what goes where on their blog.
They have the best niche ever but don’t know what categories to use.
Too many blogs misuse categories and tags, and it ruins the overall feel of their blog and doesn’t impress Google or other search engines.
Organize your blog with a few categories at first and then build it out slowly.
You can always add more later, but don’t try to bite off more than you can chew.
Step 6 – Get Traffic
You created your website to make money blogging, and it wouldn’t be possible without website visitors.
Traffic is a must and one that isn’t easy to get.
When I started my first blog, I started to get traffic around the third month of creating content.
That’s what I thought was a must, but with more experience, I managed to get organic traffic within the first month of creating content.
I’ve done this in many niches, and you can do the same.
I utilize and recommend search engine optimization for traffic, but you can also use ads and social media.
You can use all three, but remember to build out your blog before you start worrying about traffic.
Step 7 – Monetize Your Blog
This is the fun part and the same reason why most bloggers fail.
They focus too much on the money that they forget that creating content is necessary.
Once you have decent content, you can make money blogging with these monetization methods.
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is, no doubt, one of the top 5 ways to make money online and one that you should incorporate into your blog.
You can earn a commission by recommending other people’s products or services through your blog.
Some companies offer as much as 75%, so you can see that there are many big opportunities out there.
So, if you want to make money blogging, affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to do it.
I got my start in affiliate marketing over at a website called Wealthy Affiliate.
They have all the tools and training you need for affiliate marketing and starting your blog.
It’s free to get started, so check them out and join a cool community of like-minded affiliate marketers.
Advertising
Advertising might sound like the “old school” way of making money, but it’s very much a powerhouse for bloggers.
You see them on most of the blogs you visit, and they’re on there for a good reason.
Some ads make bloggers money by clicking on an ad, and others make their money by simply viewing them.
Some simple blogs are bringing in well over $10k/month, but one that really stood out to me is the dang check by Shoemoney.com.
$100 fricken K from advertising in a single month.
Most people never make that in a year, and this dude made it without selling a single product.
Pretty cool, right?
And that’s why advertising is one of the best ways to make money blogging.
Online Course
Creating an online course is a great way to make money in general, but it’s definitely something that you should consider adding to your blog.
It can drive your income up tremendously and
By creating whatever you are interested in, you can make money.
Most bloggers that blog on blogging create their course on how to make money blogging, and they make their money that way.
Talk about a tongue twister.
Some bloggers offer courses on how to play the guitar, how to be better at shooting three-pointers in basketball, and even courses on how to be better at life.
There’s a course waiting to be created and sold by bloggers, and the income potential is pretty awesome.
SamCart teaches you how to create a course, and they can even get you up and running in less than a week.
Oh, and they also offer a free trial, so see what they have to offer before you commit to their service.
Consulting
Consulting is no doubt one of the best ways to make money blogging.
I did it part-time in my early days as an online entrepreneur, and although it brought in lots of money, I had too much on my plate.
Now, I stick to blogging, as it allows me to work less, and it is one of the few ways to get a truly passive income.
With consulting, you tell people what they need to do with their life in a specific field and let the money roll in.
It requires you to be very knowledgeable in a certain industry and to have actual conversations with others.
With the pandemic and technology, you can have consultations online.
It saves you from face-to-face meetings and allows you to meet a few people in one day without leaving your house.
Your Own Book
Writing your own book can sound intimidating, but it’s much easier than you think.
With services like Amazon Direct Publishing, you don’t have to publish actual books that need to be placed in bookstores.
You can create books as they are purchased while sending them directly to your customers.
Adding this to your blog arsenal will yield lots of money and give you the potential to build an email list.
Conclusion – Make Money Blogging
Once you have everything set up, there are things that you must focus on.
They are what will keep you focused, and they are what will lead you to make money blogging.
Too many blogging newbs create a beautiful website, write a couple of blog posts, and either burn out or get impatient.
Stopping, taking a break, or quitting is the last thing you want to do, as there is just too much money to be made blogging.
If you can focus on content 99% of the time, you can make money blogging, with the possibility of earning money over and over again with the work you’ve done in the past.
Believe it or not, I still make money from some of the blog posts I’ve written as far back as 2014.
So, focus on content, and you will be rewarded.
Create your first blog and make money about things you enjoy.
Thanks for reading, and happy blogging!