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How To Start a Blog And Make Money in 2024 (Step-by-Step)

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Have you ever thought about starting a blog at any point in your life? Maybe you’re passionate about a particular topic and want to share your knowledge with the world, or you’re looking for a way to make money through a blogging business. Whatever your reasons, starting a blog is a great way to get your voice heard and reach a wider audience. (Fun fact: You can also make some cool cash by just doing what you love).

Through blogging, you can establish yourself as a credible expert in your field, earn an income, and connect with like-minded people who share the same interests and passions as yours. A blog is also a great outlet for self-expression if you’re a budding writer or have a hobby you want to document and share with others.

But how do you even start? With so many different blogging platforms and resources available, it can be overwhelming to know where to begin. 

In this article, we’ll walk you through the entire process of starting a successful blog in 2024; from finding your niche and setting up a blogging platform to crafting compelling content and growing your online audience.

So whether you’re a complete beginner or you’re looking to take your blog to the next level, this blogging guide is for you.

What is a Blog?

What is a Blog
What is a Blog

A blog (short for “weblog”) is a regularly updated website or web page that features written content, typically written in a conversational style. Blogs can cover a wide range of topics and are often used to express personal thoughts, share information, provide commentary, or engage with an audience on a specific subject. 

Blogs have become increasingly popular in recent years, as they offer a way for people to share their voices and connect with others who share their interests. A blog can also be a valuable tool for businesses, as it can be used to promote products or services, build relationships with customers, and establish thought leadership in a particular industry.

Why you should start a blog in 2024?

There are several reasons why you should start a blog in 2024 but i will be mentioning the most important ones in the article:

1. Position You As An Expert

Starting a blog in 2024 can position you as an expert or authority in your chosen field. As you consistently publish quality content and share your knowledge, readers will begin to recognize your expertise. This recognition can open doors to collaborations, speaking engagements, or even book deals. By establishing yourself as a trusted voice in your niche, you can create numerous income streams beyond traditional advertising or sponsored posts.

2. Attract and Engage Audience

Creating a blog in 2024 allows you to tap into a growing audience. As more people gain access to the internet and develop an interest in various topics, there is an ever-increasing demand for quality content. By starting a blog that caters to a specific niche or offers unique insights, you can attract and engage a target audience that is eager to consume the information you provide. This increased demand for valuable content can translate into higher traffic, more readers, and potential monetization opportunities for your blog.

The online world is constantly evolving. Each year brings new technologies, trends, and opportunities. By starting a blog in 2024, you will have the chance to ride on the wave of innovation and utilize the latest tools and techniques available. Whether it’s the introduction of new social media platforms, advancements in website design, or emerging monetization methods, being at the forefront of these developments can give your blog an advantage.

4. Making Money

Now comes the most exciting part – making money through your blog in 2024. While it is true that monetizing a blog takes time and effort, the potential rewards can be substantial. In addition to traditional methods such as display ads and sponsored content, bloggers nowadays can explore multiple revenue streams. These may include affiliate marketing, selling digital products or courses, offering consulting services, or even creating membership communities. By diversifying your income sources and implementing effective monetization strategies, you can turn your blog into a profitable business.

7 Easy Steps for Starting a Blog 

STARTING A BLOG
STARTING A BLOG

STEP 1: Finding Your Niche 

The very first step in your blogging adventure is to discover your niche. In doing this, you need to answer questions like; What are you passionate about? What can you write endlessly about? What are your interests and goals? Your niche is the foundation of your blog; it’s what sets you apart from other bloggers, and helps you determine your target audience.

Here are a few tips for finding your niche:

  • Brainstorm and research potential niches: Identify the topics and subjects you’re genuinely interested in, and make a list of everything that comes to mind. You can conduct some research in those selected niches, and see what other blogs and websites are doing or talking about.
  • Evaluate the competition: Check out other blogs and websites in your niche to understand what works and what gaps you can fill. The most important thing is to find a way to stand out from the competition and offer something unique to your readers.
  • Select a niche that combines your passion with market demand: The best niche for your blog is one that you’re both passionate about and has a demand for content or products. Choose a niche that aligns with your interests and expertise, while also ensuring there’s a demand for content or products in that niche.

STEP 2: Setting Up Your blog

wordpress dashboard
wordpress dashboard

Once you’ve identified your niche, it’s time to start preparing a website for your blog. This is the part where you choose a blogging platform or Content Management System (CMS), a domain name, and a web hosting provider.

In this guide, we’ll be using WordPress as our blogging platform; This is the most popular option among the many CMSs out there and it also powers almost half of all websites on the internet.

Below is an easy guide on setting up your blogging website from scratch.

  • Choosing a domain name: Select a domain name that is memorable, relevant to your blog’s content or niche, and easy to type. We recommend using your name as your domain name. This is because it’s a great way to build a personal brand and make it easier for people to find you online. We always refer to it as “Brand of Yourself”, it allows you to test out different sub-niches and also gives you the flexibility to write about a variety of topics since you’re not restricted to a specific content type based on your selected niche. 
  • Selecting the right hosting provider: Choose a reliable web hosting provider and an appropriate hosting plan based on your website’s needs. Here are our recommended Web Hosting Companies.
  • Installing WordPress: Just as we said earlier WordPress is a popular content management system (CMS) that’s perfect for blogs. Install and configure WordPress, and begin setting up your blog site.
  • Customizing your blog’s appearance: Once WordPress is installed, you can start customizing your blog’s appearance with a theme. A theme controls the look and feel of your blog, including the fonts, colors, and layout. There are thousands of free and paid WordPress blog themes available, but I recommend using the Kadence WP theme (It’s a free theme that is highly customizable and easy to use)
  • Install essential plugins: Plugins are extensions that add new features and functionality to WordPress. These tools enhance your blog’s functionality, security, SEO, and user experience. 

STEP 3: Crafting Compelling Content

With your blog up and running, it’s time to start creating content that will captivate your readers. Learn the art of writing engaging blog posts that resonate with your target audience. Your blog’s success depends on the quality of your content. 

Here are some tips we provided;

  • Master the art of effective storytelling: People love stories, so use storytelling to make your blog posts more engaging and relatable. Share your personal experiences, lessons you’ve learned, and insights you’ve gained.
  • Use attention-grabbing headlines: Your headline is the first thing people will see, so make sure it’s attention-grabbing and interesting. Use strong verbs, specific keywords, and numbers to pique people’s curiosity and make them want to read more.
  • Understand the basics of SEO: SEO (search engine optimization) is the process of optimizing your blog posts so that they rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs). This will attract more traffic to your site, and also improve our blog’s visibility online.
  • Make use of images, videos, and other multimedia: Visuals can make your blog posts more engaging and informative. Use high-quality images and videos to break up your text and make your posts more visually appealing. You can also use multimedia, such as infographics and podcasts, to share your content in different ways.

Tip: Creating content for your blog can be daunting and challenging as a beginner, and that’s why we’ve recommended these Best AI Writing Tools to help you create high-quality content which can furtherly be optimized for best result, and it also increase your productivity.

Also Read: How to Write Blog Posts with Jasper AI: 2024 Beginner guide

STEP 4: Building An Audience

This is one of the most important steps in starting a blog. Without an audience, your blog is just a collection of articles that no one reads. Here are a few proven strategies for attracting visitors and building a loyal readership:

  • SEO strategies to improve your blog’s visibility: Implement the best SEO practices to increase your blog’s organic traffic on search engines. To optimize your blog posts for SEO, make sure to use relevant keywords throughout your posts, including in the title, headings, and body text. Also creating a link building strategy to increase site engagement and domain authorty.
  • Leveraging social media: Social media is a great way to share your content, interact with your audience, and grow your blog’s presence. Make sure to share your blog posts on all of the major social media platforms, such as Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also join relevant groups and forums to promote your content.
  • Email marketing & Subscriber list: Email marketing is a great way to connect with your audience directly and promote your content. Create and nurture an email subscriber list to connect with your audience directly and promote your content.
  • Engaging with your audience through comments: One of the best ways to build a loyal audience is to engage with your readers. Respond to comments on your blog posts and participate in discussions on social media. This will help build relationships with your readers and make them feel valued.

STEP 5: Monetizing Your Blog

HOW TO MONETIZING YOUR BLOG
HOW TO MONETIZING YOUR BLOG

Once you have a blog with a decent audience, you can start thinking of ways to monetize it. There are several ways to monetize a blog, but some of the most common methods include:

  • Advertising: You can sell advertising space on your blog to businesses that are relevant to your niche. Use Google AdSense and other Ad networks to do this.
  • Affiliate marketing: Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing where you promote other people’s products or services in exchange for a commission on sales that you generate. 
  • Selling digital products: If you have expertise in a particular area, you can create and sell digital products, such as eBooks, online courses, and templates. 
  • Selling physical products: If you have a physical product that you want to sell, you can set up an online store on your blog.
  • Sponsored posts & collaborations: When you work with a brand on a sponsored post or collaboration, you will be paid to create content that promotes the brand’s product or service.

Calculating Your Blogging Earnings

One of the key questions that bloggers often have is, “How much can I earn from my blog?” The answer can vary greatly depending on several factors, including website traffic, monetization methods, and niche. To help you estimate your blogging income, you can use our simple “Blogging Income Calculator” below.

Here’s how it works:

  1. Monthly Website Traffic (Pageviews): Start by entering the average number of monthly pageviews your blog receives. This is a crucial metric as it represents your potential audience. It has to be greater than zero (0).
  2. Monthly Affiliate Income ($): If you engage in affiliate marketing and generate revenue from affiliate programs, input your average monthly earnings. Input zero (0) if none.
  3. Monthly Sponsored Post Earnings ($): If you collaborate with brands and earn money through sponsored content, enter your typical monthly earnings from sponsored posts. Input zero (0) if none.
  4. Monthly Product Sales Income ($): If you engage in personal product sales, either digital or physican products and generate revenue from product sales, input your average monthly earnings. Input zero (0) if none.

Click the “Calculate Income” button, and our calculator will estimate your monthly income per 1,000 pageviews. This is a valuable metric for understanding your blog’s potential and how it translates into revenue.

Keep in mind that these calculations provide an estimate and can vary based on several factors. The more traffic you receive and the more effectively you monetize your blog, the higher your potential earnings. No digital or physical product earning added because we mainly focus on

To get a quick estimate of your potential income, fill in the details and give our “Blogging Income Calculator” a try!

Blogging Income Calculator

Estimate your potential earnings as a blogger. Fill in the details and click “Calculate Income” to get your results.





Your estimated income per 1,000 pageviews is $0.00

STEP 6: Scaling Your Business

It's essential to plan for growth as your blog gains popularity. This means developing strategies to grow your audience, increase your traffic, and boost your revenue. 

Once you have a good understanding of your target audience, you can start to expand your content strategy to include a wider range of topics and formats. This will help in attracting a wider audience and keep your existing readers engaged. You can also implement some advanced SEO tools and techniques to improve your blog's rankings on SERPs.

As your audience grows wider, you should start experimenting with different monetization strategies to expand your revenue streams. You can also outsource some non-core tasks such as writing posts, editing content, and promoting your blog on social media. This will free up your time so that you can focus on more strategic aspects of your blog and grow your business.

STEP 7: Ensuring Long-Term Success

Building a sustainable blogging business is a long-term journey that requires continuous effort and resources. Here are some helpful tips:

  • Stay up-to-date with industry trends. The blogging and online business industry is constantly evolving, so it's important to stay ahead of the curve. This means reading industry blogs, attending conferences, and networking with other bloggers.
  • Build a strong brand and community. Your brand is what sets you apart from other bloggers in your niche. Create a recognizable brand for your blog and foster a loyal community of readers and customers.
  • Manage your time and stay organized. Blogging can be a time-consuming endeavor, so it's important to develop effective time management skills and organization. This means setting realistic goals, creating a schedule, and sticking to it. 
  • Overcome common blogging challenges. Every blogger faces challenges at some point, the important thing is knowing how to overcome them. You should learn how to address some blogging challenges, setbacks, and obstacles that bloggers may encounter on their journey.

By following these tips, you can build a sustainable blogging business that will help you achieve your long-term goals. Remember, blogging is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the process and don't be afraid to learn and experiment along the way.

Starting a Blog FAQs

How do bloggers get paid?

The best way to make money as a blogger will depend on your niche, audience, and blog goals. Most bloggers monetize their blogs through a combination of different methods, such as advertising, affiliate marketing, selling digital or physical products, and membership sites.

How much does it cost to start a blog?

The cost to start a blog can vary depending on several factors, such as the domain, hosting plan, and the features you choose. On average, it can cost between $50 and $300 per year, however, you can begin on a minimal budget and then increase it as your blog gets popular.

How long should my blog posts be?

A blog post should be about 1,500 and 2,500 words long. This range allows you to cover topics in depth, and also provide valuable information for your audience. However, the optimal length of a blog post would depend on your content goals, audience needs, and search intent. 

How often do I need to post a blog?

Most experts agree that posting two to four times per week, with a focus on high-quality, informative content that provides value to your readers is the perfect balance. But then, the optimal blogging frequency for you will vary depending on your industry, niche, and audience. 

How do I drive traffic to my blog?

There are several ways to increase your blog traffic. Here are a few tips:

1. Create high-quality content. One of the most effective ways to drive traffic to your blog is by creating content that attracts and keeps your audience wanting more. Ensure that your content is informative, engaging, and helpful.
2. Optimize your blog posts for search engines. This entails using relevant keywords and phrases in your blog posts, titles, and meta descriptions. It also means making sure that your blog posts are well-structured and easy to read. Try Tech with Gbenga Free SEO Tools
3. Promote your blog on social media. Share your blog posts on social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also join social media groups and forums related to your niche.
4. Run paid advertising campaigns. This can be a great way to reach a large audience quickly. However, it is important to do your research and target your ads to the right audience.

How do I engage with my audience on my blog?

The best way to engage with your audience is by creating high-quality content that is relevant to their interests and interacting with them regularly. You can do this by writing engaging blog posts, asking questions at the end of your posts, responding to comments, running contests and giveaways, and also offering exclusive content and discounts to your subscribers.

Summary

Blogging can be a lot of work, but it's also incredibly rewarding. With the right tools and resources, anyone can create a successful blog, even if they're a beginner. Remember, the most important thing is to be consistent and to create high-quality content that your audience will love.

We hope this guide has helped you learn how to build a successful blogging career. If you have more questions, let us know in the comments section below. We'll be happy to answer them all!

About the author

Afenuvon Gbenga

Meet Afenuvon Gbenga, a full-time blogger, YouTuber, ICT specialist, tech researcher, publisher, and an experienced professional in e-commerce and affiliate marketing. Are you eager to kickstart your online business, then you're in the right place. Join us at techwithgbenga.com, where you'll uncover the insider secrets to starting and scaling a successful online business from the best!

Before blogging which started as a side project in 2019, Gbenga successfully led a digital marketing team for a prominent e-commerce startup. His expertise also extends to evaluating and recommending top-notch software solutions to boost your online business.

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Afenuvon Gbenga

Meet Afenuvon Gbenga, a full-time blogger, YouTuber, ICT specialist, tech researcher, publisher, and an experienced professional in e-commerce and affiliate marketing. Are you eager to kickstart your online business, then you're in the right place. Join us at techwithgbenga.com, where you'll uncover the insider secrets to starting and scaling a successful online business from the best...

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