I started a blog and built a life I love. We’ll show you how you can do it too

In case you had instructed me over a decade in the past that beginning a weblog would utterly change my life, I most likely would have laughed.

Again in 2011, I had a tense job as a monetary analyst. I spent my days in a small, windowless workplace, commuting to work dreaming of extra freedom. I had scholar loans to repay, no enterprise expertise, and no concept how you can run a web site. However I actually love studying about private finance, and I wished to speak concerning the cash decisions I am making, together with paying off $38,000 in scholar mortgage debt.

So I began a weblog – this weblog – Making Sense of Cents – the place I began writing about budgeting, facet hustles, and saving cash. Though I had no plans to show it right into a enterprise, I continued to jot down, be taught, and join with readers. And slowly, issues began to develop.

Now, that small weblog has became a multi-million greenback on-line enterprise. I’ve labored on RVs, yachts, cruises around the globe, probably the most stunning seashores, and extra. Most significantly, I can now spend extra time with my household and design a life that aligns with what’s most vital to me.

In case you’ve ever dreamed of working from house, being your individual boss, or truly constructing your individual stuff, running a blog might be the best way to get there.

On this article, I want to share the next:

• How I began
• Why I feel running a blog remains to be a wise concept proper now
• Precise steps you possibly can take to begin your individual weblog
• Methods to develop your viewers and earn cash from it

You can even learn to begin a weblog. My free running a blog course. This free course teaches you how you can create a weblog, and over 80,000 individuals have taken it!

Why I began a weblog

Like many individuals, I began running a blog as a facet hustle. I had no concept what I used to be doing, however I loved studying your weblog. On the time, I used to be working full time within the monetary trade, and though I used to be doing nicely, I wasn’t feeling fulfilled. I wished extra freedom, extra creativity, and extra management over my time.

I additionally had huge monetary targets. It means to cease dwelling paycheck to paycheck and repay your money owed. On the time, I used to be studying a variety of private finance blogs, so I assumed, “Why not begin one myself?”

I did not know how you can write the code. I had by no means taken a writing class (by no means critically outdoors of a highschool class). Nonetheless, I subscribed to the weblog and revealed my first weblog submit. My first submit was nothing fancy and I did not have any readers. And I had no concept what I used to be doing. However I stored writing.

Over time, I discovered my voice. I realized about affiliate marketing online, how you can enhance web page views, and how you can join with readers. I began making a couple of hundred {dollars} a month, which became hundreds of {dollars}, and finally much more cash.

The largest distinction was consistency. Even when the weblog was small, I confirmed up. I centered on sharing what I realized and serving to others. In case you’re interested by beginning a weblog, you needn’t know all the things.

You simply want to begin.

Why you need to begin a weblog too

There are various causes to begin a weblog, even in the event you suppose the market is saturated. I nonetheless suppose running a blog is nice nowadays for the next causes.

• Folks nonetheless learn blogs daily. Take into consideration what number of instances you looked for one thing on Google and got here throughout a weblog submit.
• Running a blog builds belief and authority. If you wish to develop your corporation, entice clients, or share your concepts, running a blog may help you do this.
• It’s low-priced and beginner-friendly. Nowadays, beginning a weblog prices lower than going out to eat, and you do not want a level.
• You may earn cash in many various methods. Not like a job the place your earnings is mounted, running a blog lets you earn cash from a wide range of sources (extra on that beneath).

Moreover, blogs are versatile. I can weblog throughout my lunch break, after the youngsters are in mattress, and on the weekends. I do know many bloggers who began with just some hours every week and are actually making a full-time earnings.

Even in the event you do not wish to flip your weblog right into a enterprise, it might nonetheless be helpful. Running a blog provides you a spot to be inventive, construct neighborhood, and share what’s most vital to you.

Really useful studying: 25 Steadily Requested Weblog Inquiries to Begin Running a blog Right this moment

What running a blog has delivered to my life

Running a blog did not simply change my profession, it modified my complete life.

Once I first began, I by no means imagined it could turn out to be a full-time earnings. I by no means imagined I’d have a enterprise that will enable me to journey the world, work from anyplace, and have full management over my time. I’ve made tens of millions of {dollars} on-line via my weblog, however to be sincere, the non-monetary rewards have meant simply as a lot to me.

Running a blog has given me the liberty to work in keeping with my very own schedule. I earned cash running a blog whereas crusing the Caribbean, mountaineering in Alaska, and spending mornings with my daughter. You now not have to decide on between work and household, now you can construct your corporation across the life you truly wish to reside.

It additionally gave me confidence, creativity, and neighborhood. I’ve met so many wonderful individuals via running a blog, together with readers, different bloggers, enterprise homeowners, and types I by no means dreamed of working with. My resolution to begin a weblog has allowed me to expertise surprising progress.

That is why I share a lot about running a blog. Not as a result of I feel everybody has to weblog, however as a result of I do know what running a blog can do.

Methods to begin a weblog now

Listed below are some really helpful steps for individuals who are simply beginning a weblog.

1. Select a weblog subject

Begin by interested by what you wish to discuss. What are you able to write each week for a 12 months? What do your pals come to you for recommendation about?

You do not have to be an skilled. All you want is an curiosity in your subject and a need to assist others.

Some weblog subject concepts embody:

• private finance
• motherhood and childcare
• journey or rv life
• well being and wellness
• crafts and DIY
• meals and recipes
• profession recommendation
• sustainability

In case you’re caught, learn my submit on how you can determine what to weblog about.

2. Select your weblog title and area

Deciding on a weblog title is usually a enjoyable a part of the method, however it might additionally really feel slightly overwhelming and like a giant resolution.

In any case, that is the title that folks will affiliate along with your content material, your story, and your model. However that is the reality. You do not want the “good” title the primary time. Crucial factor is to begin.

Listed below are some tricks to make this step simpler.

• Preserve it easy and straightforward to spell. Keep away from complicated phrases, combos which might be troublesome to pronounce, and lengthy phrases which might be troublesome to sort. It is most likely too sophisticated if you need to clarify it each time.
• Make it memorable. A catchy title that folks will keep in mind will go a great distance in making your weblog stand out.
• Use your title (if desired). In case you’re constructing a private model or aren’t but certain what space to give attention to, utilizing your title provides you flexibility in running a blog subjects.
• Please test availability. Earlier than you get carried away with the title, ensure the area (“.com”) is obtainable. You may simply do that in the event you join internet hosting via Bluehost. It is also sensible to test Instagram and different social platforms to see in case your account is obtainable. Additionally, what I wish to say is that it’s very regular to your concept to be adopted, you simply must suppose slightly tougher and use a thesaurus or contact ChatGPT for extra concepts just like what you are searching for.

As a touch: As soon as you have chosen a weblog title, join the corresponding Instagram and Pinterest handles in the event that they’re obtainable. It is a good suggestion to maintain it locked even in the event you do not plan on utilizing it immediately.

3. Arrange internet hosting and set up WordPress

Organising internet hosting and putting in WordPress could sound technical, nevertheless it’s truly one of many best components.

Internet hosting is what permits your weblog to be revealed on the web. Consider it like renting house on-line. Your entire weblog’s textual content, pictures, and content material reside in your host’s servers, and when somebody enters your area title, your host delivers your content material to their display.

This is why I personally use and advocate Bluehost.

• It is inexpensive (you will get began for just some {dollars} a month).
• Comes with a free area title for the primary 12 months.
• In case you need assistance, we’ve got 24/7 help obtainable.

This is an outline of the setup:

1. Go to Bluehost and click on Get Began.
2. Select a internet hosting plan – In case you’re simply beginning out, we advocate the most affordable plan.
3. Select a free area title (or join one you already personal).
4. Bluehost robotically installs WordPress.

As soon as that’s accomplished, you possibly can log into your WordPress dashboard. Right here you possibly can write weblog posts, add photographs, and handle all the things.

The subsequent factor I am interested by is how you can make my weblog look higher. Fortunately, you do not have to be a designer to create a professional-looking weblog.

Listed below are some nice design choices to look out for.

• DIY dream web site: These are ready-made web site designs which might be simple to make use of, even if you’re not tech-savvy. In truth, I labored with this similar designer to create my very own customized weblog design. I can personally vouch for the way proficient and element oriented she is. Her ready-made themes are inexpensive {and professional}, making them good if you wish to create a great-looking weblog with out spending some huge cash or time. This is among the best methods to publish your weblog and is really helpful if in case you have the price range.
• Restored 316: These are additionally my favourite WordPress themes. Clear and made particularly for bloggers.
• begin easy: You can even select one in all WordPress’s free themes from the start. Do not stress an excessive amount of concerning the design at first, as you possibly can all the time replace the look later.

Proper now, you need to give attention to publishing your weblog and making ready your first submit. You may all the time enhance or rebrand as you develop.

Don’t fret if it feels overwhelming and scary at first. Everybody begins out feeling like a newbie, however learns as they go. You needn’t full your complete web site right this moment. Simply taking this primary step is sufficient.

For an in depth tutorial (with screenshots!), take a look at my full submit: Methods to Begin a WordPress Weblog.

4. Begin writing!

You do not have to publish daily. Begin with some useful weblog posts associated to your subject and reply frequent questions your future readers may need.

Fast concepts to your first weblog submit:

• your private story: Share who you might be, the way you began running a blog, and what readers can count on out of your weblog.
• Why I began a weblog: Speak about your targets, whether or not it is being profitable along with your web site, serving to others, or documenting your journey.
• 5 or 10 ideas For instance, “10 Methods to Save Cash on Grocery Payments,” “5 Straightforward Toddler Lunch for Daycare,” or “10 Little Habits That Made My Life Higher.”
• Newbie’s information: We educate easy issues like “Budgeting 101” and “Methods to Plan Your First RV Journey.”
• the error you made: Posts like “5 Errors I Made in My 20s” and “What I Want I Knew Earlier than I Began Freelancing” are relatable and useful.
• Challenges and targets: Write about what you are engaged on, comparable to your “No Cash Month-to-month Problem” or your “Plan to Pay Off $10,000 in Debt.”
• Reply steadily requested questions: Take into consideration what individuals usually ask you and switch your solutions into helpful posts.

The extra worth you present, the extra your weblog will develop, so it is all the time a good suggestion to purpose to be useful.

5. Discover methods to develop your weblog

When you begin writing, your subsequent objective is to drive readers to your weblog. Writing is only one a part of running a blog. Growing your readership will make it easier to flip your weblog into one thing greater.

If I had been to begin over right this moment, here is the technique I’d positively use.

• Give attention to evergreen, high-value content material – Evergreen content material is content material that continues to be related over time. These posts proceed to draw readers lengthy after they’re revealed. Take into account posts like “Methods to create a straightforward morning routine that lasts,” “Methods to make more money,” or “Ideas for touring with a toddler.” Very particular content material, comparable to an occasion occurring in March 2026, is harder as a result of it would by no means be learn once more after the date. After all, content material like this nonetheless works, nevertheless it must be taken into consideration if you wish to proceed getting web page views to your weblog posts for years to return.
• Construct your e-mail record from day one – Your e-mail record is extraordinarily helpful and a must have. These are your most loyal readers and those who wish to hear straight from you. Create giveaways (like checklists or guides) to encourage individuals to enroll, and ship common useful emails. Not like social media, you personal your record and might attain your viewers at any time.
• Drive site visitors with Pinterest – Pinterest works like a search engine and is among the greatest free site visitors sources for newbie bloggers. You must create an attention-grabbing vertical pin for every weblog submit, write a keyword-rich description, and hyperlink again to your content material. Over time, Pinterest can turn out to be your main supply of day by day site visitors.
• Use Fb – Sharing your weblog posts on Fb is an effective way to develop your weblog. It is also the place I plan to focus a variety of my time this 12 months. You may be taught extra about this in How I paid $39,177 straight from Fb in a single month simply by posting content material.
• write constantly – Whether or not you submit as soon as every week or a number of instances a month, consistency is essential. Each Google and your readers wish to know that you simply’re reliable. A gradual posting schedule will make it easier to construct momentum, keep accountable, and construct belief along with your viewers.
• Community with different bloggers – The most effective methods to develop is to attach with others within the running a blog world. If attainable, collaborate by commenting on different blogs or becoming a member of Fb teams. You’ll find many alternatives to be taught and develop via visitor posting, partnerships, and shared audiences.

These progress methods have helped me over time.

how you can earn cash with running a blog

Running a blog can positively be a enterprise, and it would not must really feel like a gross sales pitch. The primary methods I’ve made cash over time are:

1. Affiliate Advertising and marketing

Internet affiliate marketing is one in all my favourite methods to earn cash running a blog, and it is truly how I first made cash running a blog. It is also one of the beginner-friendly methods to earn cash as a result of you do not have to create your individual merchandise or handle stock.

This is the way it works: Suggest services and products you’re keen on and earn commissions when somebody clicks your particular monitoring hyperlink and makes a purchase order. It is that easy. The secret is to solely promote what you actually consider in and what’s a pure match to your viewers.

Examples of affiliate merchandise that you could promote embody (listed below are affiliate hyperlinks or weblog posts with affiliate hyperlinks so you possibly can see examples):

Affiliate earnings will also be semi-passive. As soon as your weblog posts and evaluations are revealed and ranked on Google or shared on Pinterest, you possibly can earn cash for months and even years with out having to continuously replace them.

My prime ideas for fulfillment in affiliate marketing online:

• Please be sincere. Please share your expertise with the product and the way it helped you.
• Create useful, detailed content material. For instance, tutorials, evaluations, comparability posts, and summaries are very efficient.
• Use a transparent name to motion. Inform your readers the place to click on and what to get. Instance: “Click on right here to join _____.”
• Do not depend on only one affiliate product to advertise. Take your time and construct a mixture of merchandise throughout completely different posts.

Do you wish to know precisely how you can make affiliate earnings via running a blog? I educate you all the things in my course: Understanding Affiliate Advertising and marketing

2. Sponsored Content material

Sponsored content material is when an organization pays to function its services or products on a weblog, e-newsletter, or social media. As soon as you have constructed some site visitors and belief, it is an effective way to monetize your viewers.

These partnerships seem like this:

• Weblog posts that evaluation or introduce merchandise
• Tutorials to naturally introduce your model
• Point out in e-mail newsletters or round-up posts

I’ve had the chance to work with many manufacturers over time. Additionally, you do not have to be a giant blogger to get sponsored offers. Many manufacturers work with small blogs as a result of they’ve an attention-grabbing viewers.

Tricks to get began with sponsored content material:

• Begin by writing concerning the merchandise you already use. Create some instance posts.
• Tag and point out your favourite manufacturers on social media and weblog posts.
• Please pitch straight! Contact us with a brief e-mail explaining who you might be, what your weblog is about, your viewers statistics, and the way you want to current them.
• At all times disclose sponsored content material to your viewers.

As your weblog grows, sponsored content material can turn out to be a big a part of your earnings and can be utilized along side affiliate marketing online.

To be taught extra about my sponsored partnership technique, take a look at my course “Understanding the That means of Sponsored Posts.”

3. Show promoting

Show promoting is among the most passive methods to earn cash out of your weblog. As soon as your web site is getting regular site visitors, you possibly can join a premium advert community like Raptive or Mediavine, which is able to care for advert placement for you.

These networks pay based mostly on web page views, so the extra site visitors you get, the more cash you make. You do not have to promote something, write extra posts, or promote your model. You solely earn cash from readers who go to your web site.

Listed below are some ideas that will help you get probably the most out of your show advertisements.

• Give attention to growing your site visitors first (particularly site visitors from Google, Fb, and Pinterest).
• Create long-form, useful content material that retains readers on the web page longer.
• Do not overload your web site with too many advertisements. It ought to nonetheless be simple to learn and navigate. Too many advertisements will be annoying to your readers (in any case, take into consideration the final time you visited a web site with a number of advertisements, and also you most likely closed your browser immediately).

The show advert community I take advantage of is Raptive, and you’ll apply when you get 25,000 web page views monthly.

4. Digital merchandise

Promoting your individual digital merchandise is an effective way to extend your weblog earnings and preserve full management of your corporation. Not like affiliate hyperlinks, you possibly can hold many of the income.

Examples of digital merchandise embody:

I promote digital merchandise and the primary course I took was on affiliate marketing online. It turned one in all my most dependable sources of earnings.

Tricks to get began:

• Take note of what your viewers desires. What issues have they got? What are they making an attempt to be taught?
• Begin small. You do not want an enormous course to get began. All you want is a brief information or useful printed supplies.
• Promote your merchandise in your weblog, Pinterest, and e-mail record.

Digital merchandise take time to create, however as soon as revealed, you possibly can earn cash 24 hours a day.

Wish to earn cash promoting printables on-line? This free coaching offers you nice concepts about what you possibly can promote, how you can get began, how a lot it prices, and how you can enhance your gross sales.

FAQ

Under are solutions to steadily requested questions on beginning and monetizing a weblog.

How a lot does it price to begin a weblog?

You can begin a weblog for lower than $100 for internet hosting and a website title for the primary 12 months. After that, your prices will stay low until you select to put money into designs, e-mail advertising and marketing instruments, or programs.

Do you must be a superb author to weblog?

By no means. Running a blog is about connecting with readers, not writing novels. Many profitable bloggers merely write clearly, actually, and informatively. Once I began running a blog, I by no means thought I used to be an ideal author, and running a blog wasn’t my robust go well with once I was youthful. However look the place I’m right this moment!

Can I begin a weblog even when I work full time and have youngsters?

sure! You may weblog throughout naps, within the evenings, and on weekends. I do know many individuals who began running a blog in just some hours every week.

How lengthy does it take to earn cash with a weblog?

This can be a troublesome query to reply, because it is dependent upon the scenario, however I do know that most individuals are questioning about this. Some individuals earn cash within the first few months, whereas others take a 12 months or extra. The reply is dependent upon many issues, together with consistency, content material high quality, and site visitors.

Are you able to earn 100,000 yen a month with a weblog?

Sure, you can also make $1,000 a month along with your weblog. Many bloggers make $1,000 (or extra) a month from their blogs. That earnings might come from affiliate marketing online, show promoting, sponsored content material, or digital merchandise. Constructing content material and site visitors takes time, so it normally would not occur in a single day, however with consistency and a wise technique, it might turn out to be an actual objective. In truth, I do know bloggers who reached that stage of their first 12 months.

Is it nonetheless price writing a weblog?

Sure, individuals learn blogs daily. Running a blog continues to be one of the versatile and scalable methods to construct your on-line enterprise and model. I like studying blogs and it stays one in all my favourite hobbies.

I began a weblog and constructed a life I like. And here is how you are able to do it too – Abstract

I hope you loved my article on how I began a weblog and constructed a life I like, and how one can too.

Beginning a weblog was the most effective resolution I ever made. It helped me repay debt, stop a job I did not love, and construct a enterprise that suited my life.

When you have even the slightest curiosity in running a blog, please take step one. You needn’t know all the things. You simply want to begin.

Able to get began? Comply with my free step-by-step tutorial: Methods to Begin a WordPress Weblog with Bluehost.

You can even be a part of my free Methods to Begin a Weblog course. Our free running a blog course explains all of it.

When you have any questions, please depart a remark or ship us an e-mail.

thanks!

— Michelle

Are you interested by working from house and being profitable along with your weblog? What is going to you weblog about?

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