How to start a blog and make money in 2024

Starting a blog is one way to increase your income. Bloggers can pull in an extra $500, $5,000 or even $50,000 each month. However, none of these figures are guaranteed, and you’ll certainly need to put a lot of time and effort into a blog to generate real income. 

Kevin Hall, a marketing operations specialist at Webserv said, “Launching a money-making blog demands a blend of enthusiasm and strategy.” 

Explore this guide to learn how to start a blog and make money. 

How to start a blog

There are a few key steps that you’ll need to take to start a successful blog. These involve determining what your blog will be about, setting up your website, deciding the type of content you wish to share with readers and gathering readers.

1. Find a niche you can monetize

Geoff Cudd, founder of Don’t Do It Yourself, said, “When starting a money-making blog, the key is to find a niche you are passionate about. This passion translates into authentic and engaging content, which is crucial for attracting and retaining an audience.” 

Beyond thinking about the topics that you are interested in and knowledgeable about, also think about who your intended audience will be, the writing style you will use and how you’ll present the information to your readers. If you’re stuck on choosing a niche, a few ideas to consider include:

• Your favorite hobbies (such as cooking, traveling or crafts).
• Your areas of expertise (such as personal finance, education or information related to your career).
• Your goals.
• Your values or religion.

After you’ve identified a few potential niches, the next step is choosing one that you can monetize. Think about whether you can generate enough unique content that will stand out from what is already published on other blog posts. Answer the question: Is there a key question or topic that is not covered in existing content?

Before finalizing your focus topic, do some research to see what comes up when searching for relevant keywords. Also think about your target audience and the types of content they’ll be interested in reading.

2. Select a blogging platform

Once you’ve selected a niche, you’ll need to choose a blogging platform for your website. Blogging platforms make it possible for users to build a website and publish content. 

There are several different platforms available. Explore each option to decide which best suits your needs and budget. As you do, a few critical considerations include the ease of using the website building tools, the monthly costs and any other available features such as: 

• Templates. 
• A drag-and-drop website builder. 
• Integrations. 
• Plugin availability. 
• Marketing tools. 
• Search engine optimization (SEO) tools. 
• Storage. 
• Bandwidth.

Some blogging platforms also offer hosting services. If your preferred platform doesn’t, then you’ll need to choose a separate web hosting company. A hosting company is necessary to make your site accessible to your target audience and potential customers. 

The following platforms offer both website-building tools and hosting services:

• WordPress
• Shopify
• Duda
• Squarespace
• ClickFunnels
• Weebly
• Strikingly

If you want to start a blog for free and make money, there are some free plans available through WordPress, Weebly and Strikingly.

3. Get a domain name

Your blog will need both a name and a domain name. The name you choose should be memorable; you want it to resonate with visitors so you can generate repeat traffic. It should also cue readers into the general topics you’ll be writing about rather than a generic name like “Bob’s Blog.”

Beyond being memorable and relatable to your niche, avoid using words that may be more difficult to spell. This approach will help ensure that readers land on your page after performing a keyword search.

Once you’ve brainstormed a few potential names, check to see if they are already in use. Then, use a domain availability checker to verify that your desired web address is available. If you need help choosing a domain name, some domain name registrars such as GoDaddy offer domain name generators to help you brainstorm relevant and available options.

4. Choose a theme to fit your brand

You want your blog to project a professional look that matches the niche you selected. Decide on a color scheme, font, page layout and other design elements that will give each page a distinct and cohesive look. 

However, you should avoid overly fancy fonts that may be too difficult to read or busy backgrounds that will detract from the content you wish to share with your readers. Many website builders make it easy to choose a theme with their customizable template libraries. These often include a recommended color scheme and font selection.

If desired, now would also be a good time to design a logo to display on each page of your blog. If you don’t want to design the logo yourself or don’t feel qualified to do so, you could hire a professional designer or try an online logo maker.

5. Plan your content

Create a plan for the content you will publish for your readers. Think about specific topics related to your niche that you wish to write about. 

Hall said that interesting topics aren’t enough to drive traffic to your site: “To compete for attention, your blog must rank high in search results, which means embracing [search engine optimization] SEO best practices and crafting outstanding content.”

As you’re planning the content you will publish on your website, don’t forget to plan and create an “about” page for the blog to tell readers who you are, why you started the blog and what you hope for it to accomplish. This page should establish yourself as an authority on the blog’s subject matter and someone that the readers can trust. 

Another important page to set up is a “contact” page where readers can reach out with questions, inquiries and collaboration requests.

6. Schedule and post your blogs

Devising a schedule for your posts is important. As you post more content, it should increase the amount of traffic your page sees. However, it is essential to post content following a regular schedule to keep readers engaged and, so, retain them. 

The ideal solution is to use a calendar (physical or virtual) to plan out which articles will be posted on which dates. Keep your expectations realistic, especially when you’re first starting out. Don’t over-commit yourself to posting more articles than you can reasonably generate. Quality topics and well-written, informative content will go a long way to growing your blog’s viewership.

A good starting goal could be to just get up one new post each week. After you get more comfortable with that, you could up your goal to two or three blog posts each week. Having these goals written down on a calendar can help you keep up with all that you need to do.

Most website builders should have the option to schedule posts for a specified date and time. With this feature, you can get your posts ready as far in advance as you’d like, but they’ll go live based on the schedule you set.

7. Build your audience

When you first start your blog, your audience may only consist of friends, family members and a few stray visitors from online searches. To sufficiently monetize your blog, this won’t be a sufficient audience. There are a few actions you can take to grow your readership and keep readers coming back for more.

Social media (like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and LinkedIn) is one of the most effective ways to drive more traffic to your website. Consider your target audience and blog content to help you choose the ideal platform. For example, if you’re targeting younger viewers, you might wish to explore using TikTok, while LinkedIn may be more suitable if your audience is made up of business professionals.

After choosing which social media platform(s) are most likely to attract your desired audience, start sharing updates with links to your blog posts through your personal account and/or a separate account for your website. Encourage readers to share these posts with their friends and family to help you generate more traffic.

8. Monitor blog performance and optimize

Once you have your blog up and running, it is important to track its views, clicks and other metrics so you can see how it is performing over time. Using tools like Google Analytics makes it easy to monitor the performance of your blog. You can track the number of visitors to your page, see how long they stayed on the page, which links they clicked on and what content is more appreciated by your target audience(s). 

This information can be invaluable when planning new posts and learning more about what features of your site are working well and which ones may need some tweaking. You can also view information about each user, such as their location, the type of device they’re using, the language they speak and their age group.

After examining the data, determine whether you’ve been effectively reaching your target audience or if you need to make some changes. Learn more about SEO techniques to ensure that you’re targeting the ideal keywords in each post to consistently pull new and existing visitors to your blog.

How to monetize your blog

As the audience for your blog grows, you can increase its money-making potential. There are diverse ways you can make money through your blog, including displaying ads, participating in affiliate marketing and posting sponsored content. 

Many successful bloggers take advantage of several of these options to generate multiple revenue streams, but you might want to start with just one or two at first until you’re more comfortable.

Display ads

Displaying ads on your website can help you generate income without creating much additional work for yourself. Many companies like purchasing ads on blogs that share their target audience(s) as it helps to drive traffic to their website and can increase their product sales. 

There are several advertising networks that specialize in connecting you with sellers who are interested in promoting their products or services on your website. A few of these include Google AdSense, BuySellAds and Mediavine. 

Before setting up an account with any of these services, check to see if they have minimum view requirements. Some stipulate that you must generate tens of thousands of views each month. If your blog doesn’t generate enough traffic yet, your request might be declined the opportunity to work with the ad network.

Once your blog is established, there are a few possible ways to make money through displaying ads. One option is pay-per-click (PPC). Any time one of your visitors clicks on an ad, you earn a small fee from the advertiser. Another option is cost per thousand (CPM). With this approach, the advertiser will pay you the negotiated fee for each 1,000 views their advertisements get on your site.

Affiliate marketing

Cudd said that affiliate marketing “involves partnering with companies to promote their products or services.” In your blog posts, you would explain why a specific product (or products) made by a particular company is worth buying. 

You would then supply readers with a link to purchase the products or a promo code to use when they check out. These links and/or codes would both be unique to your website and would inform the company of the sale’s origin. After your customers place an order, you will receive a set commission from the sale.

The earning potential for affiliate marketing is quite substantial. You could continue generating money from blog posts written several years ago if new visitors click on the links for recommended products and make purchases. 

There are many different affiliate programs available. Before signing up for any of them, read the details on the commission percentage and whether there are any other requirements (such as a minimum number of monthly visits). Some affiliate programs to consider include:

• Amazon Associates.
• Rakuten Advertising.
• eBay Partner Network.
• ShareASale.
• ClickBank.
• PartnerStack.
• CJ Affiliate.

Content subscriptions

Asking readers to subscribe to access exclusive content is another way you can make money as a blogger. While providing some content for free is important to give visitors a sense of your page and the type of information you provide, you can restrict access to some pages on your site. With the right marketing and an invested audience, you’re likely to have several visitors who are willing to pay a small fee to read more of your work.

The specific content you include for subscribers will vary based on your niche, but it may include:

• Online courses.
• How-to or other informational videos.
• Downloadable PDFs.
• Podcasts.
• More detailed posts on a variety of topics.

You could also consider offering additional perks to your subscribers, such as special online “events,” promotional items or discounts on products or services you sell.

Brand partnerships and sponsored content

Madhuram Prabhakar, the founder of Madhuram’s Eggless Cooking, said that “Bloggers collaborate with brands and companies to create content that promotes their products or services.” The company then pays the bloggers for each purchase that is made due to the sponsored content. According to Prabhakar, “Sponsored posts contribute to around 25% of [her] personal income.”

If you’re interested in posting sponsored content, reach out to some of the brands and companies that fit your niche and are likely to be of interest to your target audience. Explain to the marketing team at the company why working with you to sponsor content on your website could be a lucrative endeavor for them. Some points to cover include the size of your viewership, engagement rates, their interests and their buying power.

Sell your own products and services

Finally, you can also make money by selling products or services to your readers. The products or services you sell should be related to the content you publish on your site. You could sell physical products, like clothing, kitchenware or business supplies. However, you could also make money by selling digital products, such as printable PDFs, eBooks or online courses.

To sell through your website, you’ll need to set up an online store. The blogging platform you use may offer plugins that allow you to conduct transactions. You can also consider looking into a reputable ecommerce platform like WooCommerce or Shopify to help you through the process of creating listings and selling your products.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

How much money can you make blogging?

Bloggers have the potential to make thousands of dollars each month. While some can earn tens of thousands of dollars each month, most people shouldn’t expect to make more than $5,000 per month for a well-established blog. 

The exact figure each individual will earn can vary based on several factors, including:

• The number of people who visit the site each month. 
• The website’s niche. 
• How well the website targets its audiences.
• How well the website is marketed. 
• The different revenue streams being pursued on the site. 

How can I make money with my blog?

To make money as a blogger, there are several things you’ll need to do. The first is to draw a large audience to your website. To do so, market it on different social media outlets, such as Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube. Consider your target audience to help you decide which social media platforms will be the most beneficial to use.

Once your website is well-established and you’re seeing multiple views each week, consider signing up for affiliate programs. With these, you’ll receive a small commission any time your readers follow your link to purchase a specific product or service. Affiliate marketing allows you to continue to make passive income through older and more current blog posts.

Another way to make money as a blogger is to display ads on your website. When users click on an ad (or, in some cases, view it), you receive a set rate from the brand or company. Partnering with specific companies to post sponsored content is another option. Just make sure each piece of sponsored content or ad is relevant to your readers to avoid annoying them and to generate revenue through them. 

What are some profitable blogging niches?

When you want to learn how to start and make money with a blog, choosing the right niche is important. Cudd said that “Profitable blogging niches vary but typically include areas like personal finance, health and wellness, technology and lifestyle. These niches are perennially popular and offer numerous opportunities for monetization through affiliate marketing, sponsored content and advertising.” 

A few other potentially profitable niches include:

• Cooking and food. 
• DIY and home improvement.
• Education. 
• Digital marketing. 

Hall shared that his “biggest tip is to chase your interest, not just profit. Any niche can be profitable with the right approach and dedication. Choose a niche you’re genuinely interested in, and the financial rewards will eventually follow as your blog grows and resonates with your audience.”

How long does it take to create a successful blog?

In many cases, it takes between two and four years to create a successful blog. Many bloggers start making money within the first two years (with some generating income after just six months). 

However, it can take closer to four years to replace a full-time income. The rate of success can vary based on the amount of work you put into your blog, the content’s quality, the blog’s niche, the audience’s buying power and other factors. 

What’s the best way to market my blog?

Prabhakar said that “a balanced blend of quality SEO practices, diligent social media engagement and fostering a devoted email list form a robust strategy.” 

Look to social media platforms to help you share links for your posts to drive more traffic to your site. Learning about SEO and how to target specific keywords that your audience is searching for will also help you generate more traffic. Tools like SEMRush are free and easy to use to find lucrative and targeted keywords for your audience.

The exact marketing strategy will look different for each blog. “Effective blog marketing hinges on understanding your niche and your audience’s online habits. There’s no one-size-fits-all solution; it’s about targeting your efforts where your audience is most active,” said Hall.