The Basics of Starting a Money-Making Blog

So you want to make some money online.

Awesome. Then you’ve come to the right place. My name is Szabi Kisded and I’ve been making money online for over 9 years. My adventure started when I launched my first website to help people like you make money from writing on the web.

This article will give you all the knowledge needed to not only create your own WordPress blog, but the tools needed to attract readers and make money. I’ll share with you all the strategies I’ve learned in the last 9 years of my professional career, plus I’ll post some motivational content to keep you going when you feel like you’ve hit a dead end. I’ll not only cover information for absolute beginners, but delve into advanced digital marketing concepts. I highly recommend starting your own blog if this is your first foray into the digital industry.

What Is A Blog?

Excellent question, I’ll give you two definitions.

The official one:

Blog = a regularly updated website or web page, typically one run by an individual or small group, that is written in an informal and conversational style.

My definition: An independent digital publication about a specific subject that is generally written in a conversational tone.

Notice I left out the words, regularly updated. A blog doesn’t have to be written regularly. It probably should, but that’s not a requirement. To me, a blog is more about the voice it’s written in. For instance, you wouldn’t want to adhere to an AP style, which is what many journalists use when posting articles. A blog is more of a conversation. However, I’m not saying you should simply throw out elementary grammar rules with the bathwater. What I’m suggesting is that a blog mixes facts and opinions with an informal tone.

It doesn’t have to be a personal journal. A blog could cover different types of swimming pool filters. How to install them, how to select the best one for your pool, and how to fix them. Notice how specific that topic is. Another example of a blog would be a mattress review website. You like coffee mugs? Great, just write about all the great coffee mugs you come across in your daily travels. Don’t stress, I’m going to help you find a topic to write about.

Should I start a blog?

One of the misconceptions about starting a blog is that you need to be a great writer to be successful. Nothing could be further from the truth. People read blog sites to get a personal perspective on things, so most bloggers write in a very informal and conversational style.

In addition, you don’t need to be an expert on your topic in order to have a successful blog. For example, readers of a cooking blog don’t want to read a textbook from a food scientist, they want to hear the experiences of someone who has actually cooked some real meals, mistakes and all.

Do People Still Read Blogs?

You’re reading this one, right? All joking aside, yes blogs still make up the vast majority of the internet. I’m not talking about journal entries. I want you to think of a blog as a series of posts you’ve written about a specific topic.

How Do I Make A Blog?

When I talk to people about making money online the most asked question I receive is how do I start. As with most things in life, the hardest part is the first step. The internet can be extremely intimidating, it’s not like opening a brick and mortar store in your local strip mall. However, if you follow the guides and advice on this website you’ll be able to start a blog without having to spend countless hours scouring articles on Google.

If you’re still feeling a little uneasy about this then keep reading.

How Much Money Will I Make?

Here’s my 100% honest answer : Zero to thousands of dollars a month.

It’s very possible for a blog to make several hundred dollars a month for several years. This might require lots of effort in the beginning and hardly any after the first six months. Especially, if you’ve found a nice niche topic with a decently sized target market.

Your target market is your customer base. We’ll get into that more later on.

If you do make money, you can actually hire people to write your blog for you. That means that your blog doesn’t have to just be written by you.

I created websites that earn somewhere between $150 to $300 every month and I hardly updated them. Sure, they are not paying all of my bills, but it’s extra cash in my pocket.

The more work you put into your blog the more you will get out of it. You’ll learn a whole new skill set that could put you on the path of a new career. Plus, you’ll be building something. Working for yourself is extremely rewarding.

There’s nothing wrong with starting multiple blogs. In fact, you might find yourself starting a blog then shutting it down because you have a better idea. This is to be expected. Trial and error. Everything comes down to effort. Just like dieting and exercising. The more effort you put in, the more benefits you will reap.

How Do I Make Money Online?

There are three common ways for your blog to make money.

1. Ads
2. Sponsored Content
3. Affiliate Advertising

Affiliate advertising is currently easiest way for most blogs to make money. Don’t worry we’ll get into all of that very soon. I’m going to dedicate multiple posts to just making money strategies.