1. First Up: Choose a Topic That Doesn’t Burn You Out
You’ve heard this one: Pick a niche. It’s true, but let’s not over complicate it.
Don’t just choose something because it seems profitable. If you’re writing about crypto but you secretly hate it and don’t even understand what a blockchain is… that blog’s gonna die fast. No shame in that—it’s just hard to fake interest long-term.
Pick something that:
- You don’t mind talking (or writing) about a lot
- Other people are searching for online
- Has stuff you could potentially promote or sell
It could be fitness for beginners, home organization, personal finance, mental health, gaming setups, parenting tips—whatever. There’s room for pretty much everything if you stick to it and provide actual value.
And no, you don’t need to be a certified expert. You just need to care enough to learn and share what you learn along the way. That’s literally how most successful bloggers started.
2. Get Your Blog Set Up (Fast and Dirty Is Fine)
Alright, this is where people get stuck. Like, stuck-for-weeks stuck. Don’t be that person.
Here’s all you need to start:
- A domain name (keep it simple, easy to remember)
- Hosting (nothing fancy—Hostinger, Namecheap, or Bluehost will do for now)
- WordPress (the .org version, not .com)
- A clean theme (I use GeneratePress free—it’s lightweight and doesn’t look like a MySpace page from 2005)
Set up your basic pages (About, Contact,Terms, & Privacy Policy) and then? Forget the design rabbit hole. Just write.
Seriously. Nobody cares what font you use if your content is boring. Focus on what you’re saying before worrying too much about how it looks.
3. Start Writing Posts That Actually Help Someone
This is the meat of it. You wanna make money blogging? Help people.
Don’t just write journal-style posts like “My Thoughts on Life Today.” That’s fine if it’s for fun, but if you want traffic and income? You need to solve problems.
Think about your reader:
- What are they struggling with?
- What do they search for at 2am when they can’t sleep?
- What do they need a simple answer to?
Then write that. With personality. With honesty. With clarity.
Examples:
- “How to Meal Prep on a Budget (Even If You Hate Cooking)”
- “The Beginner’s Guide to Freelancing Without a Degree”
- “7 Stupid-Simple Habits That Helped Me Save $5K This Year”
Use short paragraphs, bold your key points, and don’t be afraid to add some flavor. You don’t need to sound like a textbook—sounding like you is the whole point.
4. Bring in the Eyeballs (AKA Traffic)
You could have the best blog post ever written, but if no one sees it? It’s just chilling in the void.
Getting traffic isn’t rocket science, but it does take some effort and patience. Here are a few ways to get people on your blog:
✦ SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Yeah, it sounds techy, but it’s not that bad. Basically, you write posts that target what people are already searching for on Google.
Use tools like Ubersuggest, Answer the Public, or even just Google’s autocomplete to find ideas. Then write in-depth, useful content around those topics.
Google won’t send you traffic overnight, but once it starts, it snowballs.
✦ Pinterest (Yep, Still Works)
It’s not just for recipe bloggers. Pinterest is a visual search engine. If your blog has content that looks good on a pin (food, finance, DIY, health, etc.), this can be a goldmine.
Create pins, link them to your blog posts, and use keywords in your pin titles. It takes a bit of learning but can bring serious traffic even when your blog is brand new.
✦ Social Media
Instagram, Facebook, Twitter (X?), YouTube—pick one. You don’t need to be everywhere. Choose what fits your personality and your niche, and be consistent.
That said, don’t only post blog links. Be social. Engage with people. Build relationships. Treat it like networking, not just shouting into the void.
✦ Email List (Start Early)
Even if you only have five readers, start collecting emails. You own your email list. You don’t own your social media followers or your Google rankings. Platforms change—your email list stays yours.
Offer a freebie (like a checklist or a short guide) and start building trust with your audience through email.
5. So How Do You Actually Make Money?
Now for the part you came for. Here are the real ways bloggers earn an income:
💰 a) Affiliate Marketing
You recommend a product. Someone clicks your link. They buy. You earn a commission.
Simple. But powerful.
You can promote:
- Amazon products
- Courses
- Software/tools
- Hosting companies
- Apps
As long as it’s relevant to your niche and useful to your audience, it’s fair game. Just be transparent about affiliate links, and never recommend junk.
💰 b) Display Ads
Once your traffic hits a certain level (say, 10K–50K monthly views), you can make money just by showing ads on your blog.
Start with Google AdSense if you’re new. Later, switch to Mediavine or Ezoic for better payouts.
It won’t make you rich overnight, but it’s solid, steady income if your posts bring in visitors.
💰 c) Sponsored Content
If brands see that you have an engaged audience, they might pay you to write a review, feature a product, or just give them a shoutout.
Even with a small blog, if your niche is tight and your content is good, sponsors will come.
Pro tip: Create a simple “Work With Me” page so people know you’re open to collabs.
💰 d) Sell Your Own Stuff
This is where things get fun.
You can create:
- Ebooks
- Printables
- Mini-courses
- Templates
- Paid newsletters
- Coaching services
You make it once and sell it over and over. It doesn’t have to be fancy. It just has to solve a real problem your audience has.
💰 e) Freelance or Services
Your blog becomes your resume. If you’re a writer, designer, social media manager, or even just someone with a cool skill—your blog can attract clients.
Plenty of bloggers make money by offering services while they build their passive income streams.
6. The Hard Part: Sticking With It
Here’s the not-so-sexy part that most people skip: it takes time.
Like, real time. Months. Sometimes years.
Your first 10 blog posts might get barely any views. You might go weeks without a comment or share. You’ll doubt yourself. You’ll overthink everything.
That’s normal.
Most people quit blogging right before it gets good.
But if you stick around—keep writing, keep learning, keep helping—you’ll start to see results. First a click. Then a sale. Then a $100 month. Then maybe more.
Wrapping It Up (Real Talk)
You don’t need to be a genius to make money blogging. You don’t need to be an amazing writer. And you definitely don’t need to know everything before you start.
You just need to:
- Choose a niche that isn’t soul-crushing
- Set up your blog without getting stuck in design land
- Write content that helps real people
- Get your blog in front of eyeballs
- Try one or two monetization methods
- Keep going—even when it feels like no one’s watching
That’s it. No secret formula. No shortcuts. Just showing up and doing the work.