How to Start a Blog for Free & Make $2,000 Per Month

HustleVentureSG

It’s possible to make over $2,000 per month as a blogger within one year
Edmund; Co-Founder of HustleVentureSG

I have been blogging now for over 13 years but have only gotten serious with it for the last 2 years. Blogging has changed so much and it has become so competitive with over 200 ranking factors if you want to be on page one. It does make new bloggers wonder if it’s possible to start a blog for free and whether making $2,000 a month from blogging in one year is realistic.

So in this article, I would share what blogging is in 2023, how you can get ahead of the curve, build organic traffic up to 10,000 visitors per day, and make over $2,000 per month.

why I think Blogging is the best Job

As a full-time blogger and business owner, I love the idea of passive income. Blogging is similar to getting paid dividends, you write content and the article pays you based on what the readers are looking for. The best part is that your content can be paying you for years.

Looking at my Blogger analytics, I wrote my content back in 2012 and the content has been paying me income through Adsense until 2022.

me as a kid sharing my content on fishing in Singapore

In essence, you get paid to write what you are passionate about. I love to talk about fishing and writing about it just brings excitement.

But passion doesn’t pay the bill, in order to make a full-time income, bloggers need to post consistently.

What it takes to grow a successful blog

There are many gurus when it comes to blogging. Heck, most of these gurus have only 1 or 2 years of experience and they would self-proclaimed themselves as a professional. Sadly, that’s the digital age we live in these days.

My goal is to be transparent with you sharing what it takes to make over $2,000 blogging. I will be breaking down the content and the way you should establish your blog in order to achieve that $ 2,000-a-month goal.

If you want the short answer, here’s what I would say:

Find something you have a lot to talk about (5 articles don’t cut it, it needs to be at least 1 post a day).
Spend 90% of your time improving the landing page, blog titles, and the first 5 seconds of user experience.
Market yourself like CRAZY!
Build a brand and sell yourself as a service
Keep finding people to help in your blog so you only spend 10% of the time you used to on blogging

Now that you know all this information. If you want a more detailed breakdown, do continue reading or check our other related post:

Finding Your Niche

Your niche is going to be the first answer on whether you will be making $1,000 after 12 months or $200 after 2 years. Pick a good one and everything is smooth sailing.

The harsh reality is that you are too late in the game. Most of the popular niches are dominated by large companies in the finance, healthcare, or lifestyle categories. You could still create content in these niches, however, it will take significantly more time to build traffic on Google.

To play it safe, avoid YMYL(your money your life) niches to build online traffic fast, they are:

Medical advice
Financial advice
Legal topics
Parenting topics
E-commerce stores

A safe bet you should be looking at is using Google Trends. This gives you an idea of whether the subject is worth writing about.

HustleVentureSG is a personal finance and side hustle page.

To rank our finance page faster, we mixed it with a side hustle which is a growing trend that searchers are looking for.

By building authority on a side hustle, we are able to link it back to finance. However, as mentioned, it does take a longer time to build organic traffic.

What interests you the most?

But I don’t have anything I am interested to talk about?

Sure you do, you just haven’t opened your eyes wide enough!

Look around your room and pick out something you bought that you genuinely liked. It could be a musical instrument, a type of bed, or your pet that you enjoy taking care of.

Picking something that really interests you can keep you motivated to find out more and support others by sharing what you have learned. That’s what happened to my fishing blog which gained over 10,000 visitors per month!

Use WordPress

Writing on WordPress — Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

There are a lot of make-believe Youtubers sharing which platform is the best place to start blogging. After trying out all of them, WordPress is and has been the champion in my opinion. Let’s point out the obvious:

They are easily SEO optimizable
Has 24/7 service staff to support you
Competitive plugins that aim to outcompete each other to offer you the best plugin
Block system that makes content writing easy
Easier to get approval from ad services

If you are looking at the best free website builder tool, nothing bets WordPress!

How do you set up a blog on WordPress.com?

Setting up a blog on WordPress.com is a breeze. Follow these simple steps:

Sign up using my referral link to WordPress and click on “Get Started.”
Choose a domain name for your blog (e.g., www.yourblogname.com).
Select a plan (the free plan is a great starting point).
Customize your blog’s appearance with a theme.
Add essential pages like About, Contact, and Privacy Policy.
Start creating compelling content!

There are a ton of Youtube videos that share how you can get started for free on WordPress. Here is the best breakdown video I found that is really packed with all the information you need.

This Youtube video is great as it breaks down everything you need for WordPress in just under 12 minutes. So I’m sure you guys can keep up with the content!

Content is king

According to HubSpot, companies that publish 16 or more blog posts per month receive almost 3.5 times more traffic than those that publish fewer than four posts.

This indicates that consistent and valuable content creation can significantly impact website traffic and audience reach.

That was the essence of blogging but it only works back before AI writing came about.

Anticipating and working with AI

In 2023, ChatGPT has already overtaken quite a number of blogging information. It has made the EAT(Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) almost worthless. Some AI can even write better content than beginner bloggers these days.

To rank on Google, bloggers need to integrate a new form of blogging, which is the E-E-A-T strategy. E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) is part of Google’s Search Quality Rater Guidelines. AI can never replicate the experience of what humans feel about.

By adding your experience like how I write about this blog based on first-person experience, it helps Google identify this content is based on real-life experience would result in a higher ranking.

Even though AI is here to stay, you as a blogger shouldn’t be 100% dependent on their service. Rather, the purpose of having AI is to elevate and improve efficiency in your work. Check out the video below shared by Ahrefs on how AI is “taking over” the SEO space.

AI won’t take over the Internet!

Now that we explain how AI should work and help you, the job you as a blogger need to focus on is producing content worth reading.

So what makes a blog that can earn $2,000 a month? Here’s what you need!👇

Understanding the importance of valuable content

Websites with blogs tend to have 434% more indexed pages, as reported by TechClient. These days, bloggers need to keep up with the Gen Z goldfish attention span which is about 12 seconds. The first 16 words are crucial for readers to stay.

Get straight to the point!

While it is true that the top-ranking pages on Google have 1,447 words, you still need to write your content as straightforwardly and informatively as possible. Here’s how I add value to my reader:

Use well-researched stats to back content credibility
Use Carousel infographics to slide and read
Have backlinks to your site to boost credibility
Use video or reels in the content to let users stick on the page longer
Strong call-to-action to maintain good quality bounce rate

Also, don’t forget to read your content again before publishing to ensure the content is easy to read.

Related post:

Put the most time figuring out titles

According to a study conducted by the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI), 79% of readers scan article titles before deciding to read the full content. A compelling title increases the chances of attracting readers and driving them to click and explore further.

Writing engaging and well-structured blog posts

Writing engaging and well-structured blog posts is essential to capture the interest of readers and effectively convey your message.

The issue many bloggers face is creating content that keeps readers engaged throughout the post. Long paragraphs, lack of subheadings, and disorganized information can lead to reader fatigue and decreased interest.

The solution lies in implementing a strategic approach. By breaking your content into digestible sections, incorporating subheadings, using bullet points or numbered lists, and adding relevant visuals, you can enhance readability and ensure that your blog posts are both engaging and well-structured. These techniques help to maintain readers’ attention, guide them through the content, and make the information more accessible and memorable.

Incorporating multimedia elements into your content

Go crazy with placing information. But do so in proper order!

For example, I would share what I have to say in my content and follow up with a summary using a video. This creates longer engagement and increases the click-through rate for readers to find out more.

Consistency in the publishing schedule

Build consistency so your readers will know when you roughly publish your content. That way, they are more likely to adapt their timing in order to anticipate your scheduled daily content.

For example, HustleVentureSG post twice a day. One at 10 am and the other at 10 pm, both are timing that has shown significant response rate. By scheduling your content in advance, you also remove the worry of having to post content the day before which can be quite a headache.

Market the Business

brown framed eyeglasses — Photo by Dominika Roseclay on Pexels.com

Online marketing has been increasingly important over the last few years. These days, digital marketing is more effective than ever in the pursuit of online growth.

The landing page is 90% of the Business

Research shows that it takes only 50 milliseconds for users to form an opinion about a website. A visually appealing and user-friendly landing page can make a positive first impression, increasing the likelihood of visitors staying on the site and exploring further.

Get your About Us and Work with Us pages Polished up

According to a study by KoMarketing, 52% of website visitors want to see the “About Us” page to determine the credibility of a business. A well-written and comprehensive “About Us” page helps create trust by providing information about the company’s history, mission, values, and team members. This transparency allows visitors to develop a sense of connection and confidence in the brand.

These pages serve as valuable touchpoints for visitors and potential customers, allowing them to connect with your brand, understand your values, and engage further. By investing time and effort into refining these pages, businesses can establish credibility, foster relationships, and stand out in the market.

How many Visitors do you need to earn $2,000 a month

Based on a number of studies and research with other bloggers, if your niche is well-paid, you can make $2,000 per month from just 10,000 page views. This means $1 for every 5 views!

However, to put figures into reality, based on Income School 2022 earning reports of many individual bloggers. In order to make a full-time income, bloggers should aim to get at least 70,000 views per month.

Building your Audience through Organically

In my opinion, there are many bad advice when it comes to getting organic traffic to your website. Some would recommend simply writing more, mastering social media marketing, or spending money to grow traffic fast.

All these may work but they are usually time-consuming and expensive in the long run. Here’s what I would do:

Write on Writing Platforms as well to Double your Reach

Write on Writing Platforms such as Medium as well to Double your Reach

I repurpose my content on Medium. With over 100 million active users, it’s a free and easy way to get readers that actively love to read.

If you are fine with videos, you may want to try posting on Youtube. Here’s how to increase engagement:

➡️Post on Youtube

➡️ Break it into multiple reels

➡️ Create an infographic to share

Finally, combine all those information and share it in your article.

Networking with other bloggers and influencers in your niche

Networking with other bloggers and influencers in your niche is crucial for several reasons.

Firstly, it helps you expand your reach and visibility within your target audience. By connecting and collaborating with other influential individuals in your field, you can tap into their established networks and gain exposure to a wider audience. This can lead to increased traffic, followers, and engagement on your own blog or platform.

Secondly, networking allows you to exchange ideas, knowledge, and expertise with fellow bloggers and influencers. You can learn from their experiences, gain insights into industry trends, and discover new strategies for success. This exchange of information fosters personal and professional growth, enabling you to refine your skills and stay up to date with the latest developments in your niche.

Finally, networking creates opportunities for collaborations, partnerships, and guest posting. By building relationships with other bloggers and influencers, you can work together on joint projects, cross-promote each other’s content, and mutually benefit from shared audiences.

Engaging with your audience through comments and feedback

If a visitor spends the time to write a message to you on your blog. The least you could do is reply or acknowledge their comment. Small gestures in the blogging space go a long way since everyone here is looking to build relationships with one another.

Guest posting on other relevant blogs

Guest posting holds significant importance in the realm of blogging and content marketing. It refers to the practice of writing and publishing articles or blog posts on other websites or platforms as guest authors.

This move is especially important to build backlinks and increase referring domains on your website. This shows Google you are of an authority in this space.

If you would like to guest blog here at HustleVentureSG, be sure to click on the link below!

Guest Post [BASIC]

$15.00

Shop now

Email marketing and building a subscriber list

If you are looking to build a loyal follower into your blog, you need email subscribers.

Unlike followers or subscribers, email marketing is generally a more powerful tool to convert sales than any other marketing. The ROI(return of investment) of email marketing is $36 for every $1 invested.

If you are looking to build strong branding, email marketing is essential. Here’s some information to learn more about email marketing:

photo of hand holding a black smartphone

If your blogging business isn’t promoting any information on any social media. It has a very high chance of never being able to get more traffic.

While Google does help build organic traffic, the one that provides you with a business opportunity is likely coming from social media.

So don’t forget to leverage social media!

Monetizing Your Blog

japanese lucky coin cat — Photo by Miguel Á. Padriñán on Pexels.com

Now we come to probably the most exciting part and what you are looking for. TO MAKE MONEY!

There are a ton of ways a blogger can make money and most of them are truly passive once you get done with all the little pieces of information. I will be breaking down starting from the easiest to the most profitable way to make money blogging.

Display advertising

Affiliate marketing

Next, we have probably one of the most popular ways to earn the most amount of money for bloggers just starting out.

Affiliate marketing is such a popular in my own opinion, “writing style” that many bloggers aim to master. It’s the art of selling a product or service without even having the need to interact with it. By recommending it and having the searcher buy into the product/service, you get a commission from 1 up to 30%.

This is a huge money-maker especially for new bloggers since if your content resonates with many people, you have a high chance to convert searchers into sales.

Selling digital products or services

If you have something that you think your readers would need or could benefit from having, then providing digital products and services is a great way to make income.

At this point, you should have at least 10,000 views to your blog in order to build a level of authority. To put it simply, it means you need a good level of brand awareness by the people around you.

My e-book below “Steps to be a professional content writer” makes me about $100 a month from buyers just looking to learn more about how to be better at content writing. There is a lot to decide when making e-books but I highly recommend doing some marketing on it to build a constant stream of impressions of your product/services. That way, it increases the odds of turning visitors into sales.

If you are interested to know more about the blogging world, and the secrets that SEO writers don’t want you to know about blogging. Then you should get this book!

For just $10, I provide a full 30-page long guide to help you make from $10 per service up to $100. That way, you are able to fast-track your pace to increase sales.

Steps to be a Professional Content Writer [ E-Book ]

Ready to take your Content Writing to the Next Level?

Look no further than “Steps to be a Professional Content Writer!” This ultimate E-Book will guide you through starting your own successful venture. This comprehensive guide takes you through every step of the process, from building your skills as a freelance writer to identifying your target market and winning over clients.

This…

$59.00

Shop now

Tracking and Analyzing Blog Performance

What is a good amount of growth for your blog?

A realistic figure you should aim to get is 10x growth within year 1 to year 2.

After that, you can downsize your growth to 5x for the next 3 years.

Finally, in order to build a strong brand, your blog should aim to maintain 10% growth year over year.

Setting up analytics tools for tracking blog metrics

This is actually super easy and people tend to overcomplicate this information.

All you really need is Google Search Console which you can search for free and login to your account to link to your blog.

They will provide you with a full list of information on your blog to find what works and what needs to be improved.

Analyzing website traffic and user behavior

Take note, the most important metric bloggers need to know is bounce rate. This means the percentage of people click elsewhere.

Generally, your content should aim for a 90% or less bounce rate, the lower the better. A great way you can do this is to understand your user behavior on the site. That way, you will know how to better optimize it for them.

Interested in Blogging

That is all for this article on how to make $2,000 a month as a blogger. I hope this article will give you a rough idea to get there. If you are interested to know more about blogging, I have placed the related post section below.