I get many, many reader questions on how one can begin a weblog and earn a living with it. There are already quite a lot of articles about running a blog posted right here, however I believed it will be a good suggestion to create a web page to get you began down the fitting path.
In my fifteen years of running a blog I’ve discovered loads, however I’ve additionally made numerous “beginner” errors that you would be able to keep away from! So, talking from private expertise, under is an outline of what I recommend if you wish to weblog professionally.
Needless to say running a blog professionally would require an funding of money and time, and it is also not a quick strategy to earn a living. That mentioned, it’s extremely rewarding and may repay nicely in the event you simply keep it up.
Can You Make Actual Cash With a Weblog?
Completely. Running a blog is my full-time job and greater than pays the payments. Nevertheless, I wasn’t in a position to declare “full time blogger” as my job title till round 2013. It was then that my running a blog revenue lastly surpassed what I ever made working exterior the house.
So sure, you positively CAN make actual cash! However do not stop your day job till you see that you’re, and it proves to be a constant revenue stream.
Running a blog is a type of issues it’s a must to work at and work at, experiment consistently, and by no means cease studying about earlier than you see actual outcomes.
And, not everybody likes a problem, nor does everybody get pleasure from placing arduous work in for a very long time and never seeing a lot return on their efforts. So you actually should benefit from the course of.
What Can You Weblog About?
Earlier than entering into how one can begin a weblog, it is advisable to do some considering. You need to have a normal thought of what you wish to weblog about.
You may weblog about something you need! However, if you wish to get site visitors/earn cash, your weblog must cowl a subject individuals are truly curious about and likewise a subject you have an interest in.
For instance, my weblog is about distant jobs, home based business concepts, and methods to earn additional. Individuals are curious about that. I am curious about that, too. It has been an ideal match!
You would additionally begin a meals weblog. Or a crafts weblog. Or perhaps a money-saving weblog. The sky is really the restrict.
Many individuals are initially tempted to only begin running a blog about their each day lives. That is high quality in the event you simply wish to weblog as a passion, nevertheless it’s not high quality in case your final aim is to earn a residing along with your weblog.
It’s important to keep in mind that whereas your each day life could also be fascinating to you, your folks, and your loved ones, it isn’t fascinating to individuals who do not know you. Due to this fact, you will doubtless by no means get a lot site visitors nor make very a lot cash with that form of weblog.
Lately, most profitable blogs are value-driven. Meaning creating useful, participating content material in a distinct segment individuals care about—one thing that both teaches, conjures up, solves an issue, or saves time/cash.
If individuals are curious about the subject material, you will get site visitors, earn cash, and work remotely by yourself phrases. However once more, it takes time and persistence.
Do not Set Up Your Skilled Weblog on a Free Website
In case you plan to weblog professionally, it is best to not use a free running a blog platform.
If you’re arrange on a free running a blog platform, you do not actually personal your weblog. You are simply organising on another person’s property and also you’re at their mercy in the event that they determine they do not like your weblog (and generally they do delete blogs after they determine that).
So, I would recommend avoiding Blogger, WordPress.com (totally different than WordPress.org), Weebly, and so on. to your skilled weblog.
It is good to be arrange with a self-hosted WordPress.org weblog if you wish to be an expert blogger.
When It is OK To Use A Free Platform
If running a blog is a totally model new idea for you and also you simply wish to mess around a bit first, it is OK to arrange a weblog on a free web site. There’s nothing unsuitable with studying the ropes and getting a really feel for what running a blog truly is on a web site like Blogger, the place there is not any cash funding required.
However once more, in the event you discover you actually like running a blog, transfer your weblog, or begin a brand new one, to self-hosting.
Already Set Up On a Free Running a blog Platform?
Is your weblog already arrange on a free platform? Don’t fret — you will get moved. You may both try to maneuver your self by merely Googling how one can do it, or you may let an expert do it for you.
This would possibly not be free, however it should prevent quite a lot of headache and time.
How To Begin a Weblog – First Step, Get a Self-Internet hosting Account
You will must host your weblog someplace. The concept of “internet hosting” is complicated to new bloggers, however mainly your internet hosting account is only a method so that you can make your weblog/web site accessible through the web. In case your area is not related to a number, nobody will be capable to go to it.
I personally use BigScoots. I pay $34.95 a month, and their service, velocity, and assist are completely price that in the event you’re severe about rising your weblog. As your site visitors will increase, you will be glad you invested in high quality internet hosting that may scale with you.
For brand new bloggers, BigScoots provides managed WordPress internet hosting with nice uptime and lightning-fast web site efficiency. Their assist is extraordinarily responsive and useful, even in the event you’re simply beginning out.
You may all the time change your plan later in the event you discover that one is not working for you.
Set up WordPress On Your Area
As soon as your area identify and internet hosting account are set on BigScoots, you are prepared to put in WordPress and begin constructing your weblog!
BigScoots makes this gorgeous simple for you and walks you fully by means of the method of organising your weblog step-by-step.
As soon as WordPress is put in, you must be capable to kind yourdomain.com/wp-admin or yourdomain.com/login within the deal with bar of no matter browser you utilize and put within the credentials you arrange once you put in WordPress.
If you’re seeing your WordPress dashboard once you kind in your area identify adopted by wp-admin or login into your deal with bar, which means your weblog is on-line!
Choose a WordPress Theme
In case you’re simply getting began along with your host, they are going to stroll you thru the method of organising your theme. Nevertheless, ultimately, it’s possible you’ll wish to buy a very nice theme to make your web site look unbelievable! However to start out out, the theme you arrange initially is okay to only get your self on-line and begin creating your content material.
Your WordPress theme can have a direct impact on what your weblog seems to be like.
There are many nice free themes and there are additionally some very modern, skilled paid ones.
Like most individuals, I began with a free theme and upgraded to a paid theme. I personally use GeneratePress, which is among the quickest and most customizable themes obtainable. It really works nice with web page builders and is simple to be taught, even for newcomers.
One other nice possibility many bloggers use is Kadence, which additionally provides a excessive stage of design flexibility and efficiency. Each themes are constructed with velocity and search engine optimisation in thoughts.
Set up Some Plugins
Plugins are issues you need to use in your WordPress weblog to assist it perform in numerous methods and do various things.
Some are mandatory, and a few usually are not. Some are free, and a few usually are not.
Do not get too loopy with plugins as a result of too many will gradual your weblog down. However, listed here are some I exploit that I couldn’t do with out:
- Damaged Hyperlink Checker
- Yoast (for search engine optimisation)
- Wordfence Safety
- WP Optimize
Getting a Brand and Graphics
In order for you a customized emblem to your weblog, you may try to make your individual utilizing PicMonkey or Canva, or you may pay somebody on Fiverr to do it for you for simply $5.
AI instruments like ChatGPT also can create fairly spectacular logos now.
Cowl Your self And Your Weblog Legally
If you are going to earn a living along with your weblog, you want an affiliate disclosure to remain compliant with FTC guidelines. You additionally want a privateness coverage and phrases and circumstances web page.
I just like the templates from The Contract Store, created by Emory Legislation Faculty graduate Christina Scalera. They’re skilled, simple to put in, and designed particularly for on-line enterprise house owners.
Getting Weblog Site visitors
There are three most important methods your weblog will get site visitors:
- Natural search (Google, Bing, and so on.)
- Social media (Fb, Pinterest, Instagram, TikTok)
- Your e-mail e-newsletter
Lately, many bloggers use AI instruments like ChatGPT to brainstorm weblog subjects, draft outlines, or repurpose content material into newsletters or social captions. Simply remember to add your individual voice and expertise. Readers need connection, not simply info.
Whereas Pinterest nonetheless works for some bloggers, it’s turn into more durable to get constant site visitors except you’re very energetic. Many new bloggers are actually seeing extra traction from Instagram Reels, TikTok, and even YouTube Shorts.
After I began this weblog, social media was in its earlier days, so I used to be fairly depending on search engines like google and yahoo selecting up my content material to get any site visitors.
Now social media makes up a big portion of the site visitors I obtain, and I am not depending on simply search engines like google and yahoo for getting individuals right here.
Do not waste time — as quickly as your weblog is on-line, create a social media presence through Fb, Instagram, and so on. and begin utilizing these accounts.
You additionally must arrange a e-newsletter as quickly as attainable, put an opt-in kind someplace in your web site, and begin amassing the emails of people that have visited your weblog.
Emailing them not less than as soon as every week is one of the simplest ways to get them to return again! I exploit Flodesk. It is among the cheaper choices for newsletters and total it is a good service.
For extra concepts on getting weblog site visitors, learn my put up — 8 Methods to Get Site visitors To Your Weblog.
Test Your Stats Recurrently
Talking of site visitors, you will must maintain tabs on it so you will know the way many individuals are literally visiting your web site. I exploit Google Analytics for this. It’s totally simple to put in and offers you wonderful perception.
Making Cash With Your Weblog
Similar to site visitors, revenue takes time. There are a lot of methods to monetize:
Many bloggers at present use a mix of the entire above. That’s the great thing about running a blog—you get to decide on how one can earn out of your content material.
For extra concepts, learn my put up — How Does a Blogger Earn Cash?
To Sum Up …
So that is simply meant to be a normal overview of running a blog and the way it works. It is not a quick, simple strategy to earn a living (particularly not in 2025), however if you’re affected person, persistent, and decided, you are able to do it!
Good luck!
Anna Thurman is a work from home blogger and mother of two. She has been researching and reviewing distant jobs for over 14 years. Her findings are revealed weekly right here at Actual Methods to Earn.