How Hard Is It To Make Money Blogging?

I’ve been a blogger on and off since I was in college (more years than I want to admit to). I never made any money blogging until recently, when I actually decided to make some effort to make money blogging.

I always treated blogging like entertainment, like fun, like something I did to keep from getting bored.

I never treated it like a job, or a business.

And until I did, all of my blogs were projects that I eventually lost interest in, and I let go of.

Am I making money blogging now?

You betcha I am. I started this blog in 2019, and while it is not earning thousands each money, there is a steady growth curve in the positive direction each and every month as I post more content and the site gains authority (through age and links).

I have several sites in addition to this one, all in various stages of development. Some I started from scratch, while others were purchased. I am using all of these sites to test out and develop blogging skills.

My sites are monetized through display ads, and through promoting affiliate offers.

I bounce back and forth between working on my blogs as my full-time career and working part-time when my schedule allows it doing work that is unrelated to blogging or making money online.

Was it hard to get started making money online?

Yes, and no. For me, it was hard because it was a steep learning curve. I didn’t know what I wanted to do to make money online, and I experimented with all of the various ways to make money online (email list building, dropshipping, Shopify, Facebook groups, Youtube, the list goes on and on).

I had to find my place in the MMO world. Ultimately, I was drawn back to blogging. I had years of experience on and off with WordPress and with creating blog posts. I had tons of writing experience, and I express myself easily with the written word, though I don’t think I am the best writer out there.

The hardest part about getting started making money blogging wasn’t the actual blogging. The actual hard part about making money this was was getting over myself, of committing 100% to treating this like a job rather than a hobby, of pushing through failures and disappointments.

The blogging part, the mechanics of keyword research, of putting words to the post, to finding images, to doing on-page SEO, to searching for guest posts…..none of that stuff was terribly technical or overwhelming.

The hardest part of all of making money blogging was getting started, and then sticking to ONE SITE, ONE PROJECT, ONE PATH for an extended period of time.

man sitting in his car looking at a phone

Shiny Object Syndrome is real

It is very easy to get distracted as a blogger. We are constantly receiving inputs and information while on our computers. With several windows open at a time, hunting across the internet for research details, it is easy to stumble upon other blogs, Youtube videos, sales funnels, social media.

We lose focus, we lose momentum, we lose control. We see other people “making it” while we are still in the humble building process. We don’t have any wins to speak of.

Succeeding at blogging is about going back to the computer consistently, daily, weekly, monthly. It is about constantly and consistently posting high quality content on your site.

Like I said about, the mechanics of running a blog are no longer difficult, as the products and services available now have taken most of the sting of running a blog away.

What is difficult is us, the people who have to run the blog. Who have to avoid distraction and depression and shiny objects.

Can I make money online as a blogger?

Absolutely. The answer is YES, absolutely. I think anyone who can write and has access to the internet and a computer can make money blogging.

So long as they make a plan, and stick it to.

So long as they come back to that computer day in and day out, and build a real asset.

So long as they treat blogging like a job, a responsibility, a priority, rather than as entertainment, as a hobby, as something they don’t have to do if they don’t feel like it.

If you approach your blog like a business, you can make money as a blogger.

Where do I get started if I want to make money as a blogger?

Many people will immediately point you to a domain name seller (like GoDaddy or Namecheap), and then they’ll direct you to a web host. They will tell you that these are the first things you need to do.

I disagree. The reason that these bloggers give you links to domain names and hosting is that they earn money through affiliate marketing, and if you buy the services they link you to, they earn money.

I’d be happy to link you to domains and hosting. But honestly I don’t think that is the place you need to start.

I’ve written a few posts recently about blogging that I think you should read before jumping on hosting or domain names:

What you’ll see in these posts is mostly that I think you need to go into blogging with more of a plan than just, get hosting and a domain name.

I think people who start a blog without a plan will struggle, because blogging is such a long term project.

If you are a person who wants instant gratification in all things and cannot be patient….don’t bother blogging. Go join Youtube, and start a channel, which can have almost instant reach. Jump on Tik Tok while it is growing like mad right now. Become and influencer on one of those platforms and you’ll more quickly turn your efforts into dollars.

Blogging isn’t like that. It takes time. A lot of time.

Did you answer my question? Just how hard is it to make money blogging?

I would call it medium hard. Not easy, but not terribly hard either. The hardest part about making money blogging is showing up every day, consistently.

If you can show up every day, if you can commit to the project for at least 12 months, if you can learn as you go and accept the failures as they come, then it won’t be hard at all.

It’ll be fairly easy compared to the manual labor out there in the world, and in 12 months you’ll be in a great place, in charge of a valuable piece of internet property.

Want my hosting and domain name recommendations?

Happy to provide them. I only recommend products or services that I have used or am currently using. The links below are affiliate links, meaning that if you click the link and buy something, I may earn a commission at no additional charge to you. The price will be the same either way, whether you use my link or not.

Domain Name

I have bought domain names with both GoDaddy and Namecheap.

Between the two, I recommend Namecheap. With Namecheap, you can often get WHOIS Guard for free (which Bluehost charges you for), and Namecheap offers tons of promos and coupons.

Use this link to get access to the most up to date Namecheap offers.

Hosting: Bluehost (Option #1)

When I started out, I used Bluehost almost exclusively. I started at least four blogs with Bluehost. Bluehost is extraordinarily easy to get started with. In fact, with Bluehost you can register your domain with Bluehost (rather than with Namecheap or GoDaddy), and save yourself the technical trouble of having to integrate and set up the domain with your host.

Bluehost does charge for WHOIS Guard (as compared to Namecheap which does not), but for people who feel intimidated by the technical aspects, it may be worth the money. This money might also be offset if you catch Bluehost during a time when the company is offering the domain registration for free (happens a lot).

Use this link to get started with Bluehost for just a few dollars a month.

Hosting: Siteground (Option #2)

If you are not intimidated by all things technical, I think Siteground is probably a better option for you. The cost per month is very similar, but I think its dashboard with all of the various tools is easier to access and use.

At this time, I have three sites hosted with Siteground, including the site where you are reading this article, and I have no plans to leave them.

Like Bluehost, it costs only a few dollars a month, and the plans are affordable as your site grows.

Here’s the link to get started with Siteground.

Wrap Up

Still looking for more info about blogging (or my blogging experiences)? Check the blogging archives for all of the articles I have written about blogging (posting new stuff all the time).

Any questions about making money blogging? Leave them in the comments section below.

Emily Anderson is a mother of three children, all under the age of 10. Located in the Pacific Northwest of the US, Emily is a mom and part-time blogger, jumping in front of the computer when the kids are sleeping. She started this blog in April of 2019 and is proud that the blog is now paying for itself. If you want to know about her journey as a blogger, check out out her personal digital journal or her post about failing her way to blogging success.