How to Start a Profitable Blog in 2023: A Unique Guide

Like many people, you’ve heard there’s money in blogging so you decided to start one. Starting a successful blogging business in 2023 can be overwhelming. In this guide, I’ll take you through the steps to start blogging, choosing a blogging platform, selecting a niche, creating your blog, writing your first post, promoting your blog, AI tools, and generating revenue from your blogging business.

Start a Profitable Blogging Business

Whether you want to blog for personal reasons or to promote your business, starting a blog can be an exciting and rewarding journey. At the same time, it can be a hard nut to crack.

Imagine, 1,000s of bloggers blogging on the same subject, you are just starting out where do you fit? Not to mention core updates and the recent surge in AI.

Here is how to navigate all of that and start a successful blogging business.

1. Think as an investor

Starting a blog in 2023 is quite a different journey from what we’ve seen over the years. I started blogging in 2011. When I started, I didn’t know what I was doing was called blogging until the second year.

I created a website, that was what I knew of and I started this because I wanted to put my skills out there. Not long, it turned out to be successful in terms of traffic.

But monetarily, I earned zero $s because I didn’t know a thing about monetization up until the end of my second term.

Why I’m I telling a story? Because my approach to blogging in 2011 won’t see the daylight in 2023.

If you want to start a successful blogging business in 2023, do not start as an enthusiast, start as an investor. You will need passion but don’t begin on that note. More about passion in blogging later.

While I’ll be glad to tell you to start as an entrepreneur, the first thing I want you to do is to look at this business from the end of an investor. “An entrepreneur is a builder and an investor is a gardener,” Wahidin Wong.

Let’s see why?

Blogging is a business and when you are starting in 2023, you should start so because search engines are moving in this direction with ranking.

Besides that, to earn money from blogging, it has to be a legitimate business.

An investor invests in an established business. He does not establish one. He does not invest based on passion he invests based on the commercial evaluation of the business.

An investor must be convinced about your business proposal before putting a dime in it. Convinced it is highly likely to generate revenue.

So, before you start blogging in 2023, look at the systems that are already existing and working efficiently. Go out there and read blogs on the best blogging platforms. Consider the free options and paid ones.

Don’t end up your search on a blog, visit the official websites of the platforms, read reviews, and test the system if possible.

This approach will help you in the popular blogging strategy “Niche Selection”. Not only that, it will help you pick the best platform, etc.

For example, to start a blogging business in 2023, you should know WordPress is the best blogging platform to invest in. You are not establishing WordPress.

Look at it this way, WordPress is a highly valuable asset managed by an efficient team, if you invest in this blogging site, you have nothing to lose and you’ll make more return on investment.

But when you invest in other platforms, you waste time and money. When you are creating a Wiki type of site, you should invest in the best platform. wikiHow uses the free and open-source MediaWiki software.

Thinking as an investor offers your business lots of benefits.

According to Enterprise League, an investor is a person or a group that provides capital to a business in exchange for the expectation of future gains and profits.

That’s where your first position should be in your blogging business.

2. Have the mind of an entrepreneur

Many internet marketers will tell you to select your niche based on your passion for the topic. Don’t be fooled. They are not lying to you.

If you know anything about business at all, you will understand that most of the successful businesses we have in the world today started based on some sort of hobby, or passion for something among others.

But the foundation of becoming a successful entrepreneur is not passion. It is “looking for a human need and solving it.”

To run a successful blogging business in 2023 and beyond, look for a need and provide a solution. After all, isn’t what keyword research is all about?

You look for queries internet users will look for answers to and write on them. Having the mind of an entrepreneur will influence your keyword research a lot in 2023.

This influences your niche selection more than you ever think. When you have the mind of an entrepreneur, selecting a niche for your blogging business in 2023 becomes easier.

Here’s the keynote.

While an entrepreneur is looking for a need to solve, the investor is looking for a profitable need to invest in.

That is why you should think as an investor and have the mind of an entrepreneur at the same time. You want to start a blogging business that is highly valuable not just a blog to write about your feelings.

Some niches are more valuable in terms of revenue than others.

Whichever blog you start, there’s always room enough to monetize, but when you start as an enthusiast, you’ll miss many opportunities.

If you start as a business, you will do all the due diligence.

Can you see why the above procedures are very important?

Note that I am not telling you to think as a writer. You can win Nobel Prize as a writer, if you don’t treat your blog as a business, you will not realize the ROI.

Eventually, you’ll register your business, and get an office, but they come later as your blog grows.

To have a clear idea of the difference between an entrepreneur and an investor, read this blog post by Wahidin Wong.

3. Find a need and solve it

Niche selection is key to starting a blog and it can be dicey. With a deep understanding of our previous steps discussed, niche selection will now be “hiya” I know what niche to choose.

What is a niche in blogging?

Before you start blogging, you need to choose a niche or topic to focus on. Your niche is the need that you have found and the content you publish on your niche site is the solution.

Your niche should be something that you are passionate about and knowledgeable about but most of all, it should be driven by business intent.

Consider everything a break-and-mortar business will consider when choosing your niche. Customer base (traffic source), type of clients (demographics), seasonality of the niche, things to do in the off-season, relevancy, etc.

A niche could be anything from cooking to technology, fitness to finance, or even personal development.

Once you have decided on your niche, you can start brainstorming ideas for blog posts. You should aim to create content that is useful, informative, and engaging for your target audience.

Passionate and knowledgeable in the blogging business

What is the position of passion and knowledge in the blogging business?

No business is guaranteed to succeed. There are unforeseen circumstances. And most of all, if you are just starting out as a blogger, you should leave some room for error.

If you are not passionate about the niche you are in, when you meet delays and setbacks, you give up on your blog before it has the chance to receive its first visitor.

There’s an algorithm update, there’s off-season, etc. An entrepreneur is passionate and optimistic about his business even in the face of difficulties.

Today, we have millions of blogs on the internet. To stand out, you need to know what you are talking about. You must have a hands-on approach. It is easy to write a product review when you have used the product.

With that said, you must not know everything about a niche before you start. You learn along the way. That is how real businesses operate. Isn’t it so?

4. Choose a location for your business (blogging platform)

You know you want to sell clothes – that’s your niche. Now where do you sell your clothes – blogging sites. There are several blogging platforms available, but the most popular ones are WordPress, Blogger, and Wix.

Your niche drives your platform. WordPress is the most popular platform, and it offers a lot of flexibility and customization options. There are enough plugins to enhance your functionality.

Blogger is a simple platform that is perfect for beginners. It is easy to use and comes with built-in templates and design options. Wix is a drag-and-drop website builder that is easy to use and has a lot of customization options.

As an investor, it is your call to invest in the best business. I’ll help you pick the best blogging platform. Just go for WordPress.

If you want to start for free, I have an in-depth article on selecting the best free blogging site in 2023 to start a successful blogging business. You should check it out.

5. Choose a domain name and web hosting

Selecting domain

Your domain name is your website’s address, and it should be easy to remember and spell. It should also reflect your blog’s niche or topic.

For example, if your blog is about selling clothes, your URL should be something like… www.mybrandnewclothes.com

You can buy a domain from any domain registrar and later host it on a different host. Dynadot.com is a great example. They offer lots of new domain extensions including the king of domains (.com).

If you want a domain that is entirely free, dot.tk offers exactly that. I do not recommend a free domain if you want to make revenue from your blog although.

Selecting a web hosting service

Web hosting is a service that allows you to store your website’s files on a server, making it accessible to your audience.

There are many web hosting services that will give you a free domain for a year if you host with them. There’s the option to host a domain from a different domain registrar.

When choosing a domain name and web hosting service, you should look for a reliable and affordable provider. Some popular options include Bluehost, SiteGround, and HostGator.

NameCheap is also a good host but I have some hesitation. Their recurring prices are not fixed. They bill you as your new term is about to begin. If you are on a tight budget, this can be really frustrating.

But they are also understanding. On one occasion I had to plead with them when my expected bill was increased. And they generated a coupon for me to pay. That’s something you won’t get from many hosts.

If you are on a very tight budget, Sluhosting.com has an incredible package you don’t want to miss.

6. Set up your blog

Once you have chosen your niche, blogging platform, domain name, and web hosting, it’s time to set up your blog. You will need to install your blogging platform and customize your blog’s design and layout.

Don’t spend time customizing your blog. Don’t try to design your blog like your favorite blog. There’ll be time enough to do so after you have content.

7. Perform your keyword research

Keyword research is a popular term given the process where bloggers look for actual questions or terms internet users type into Google and other search engines to craft blog content.

For example, if you are in an internet marketing niche, your readers will type into Google a query like “How to choose a domain registrar.”

So you find this query and write high-quality content to meet the need of your readers.

Separating your keyword research process from writing content helps you create high-quality content for your users. This process helps you gather enough subjects relating to your topic to write on.

8. Get straight to creating high-quality content

The success of your blog depends on the quality of your content. You should aim to create content that is valuable, informative, and engaging for your target audience.

You should also optimize your content for search. At least you should have 10 topics before you start writing. Don’t research one topic, write on it and go back to find another topic, write and ………

9. Set a publishing routine

Whichever niche you find yourself in, you will need to set a publishing routine if you are going to be successful in blogging.

Your publishing routine will depend on your personal schedule. Whatever you do, remember content is king. Without content, you will not make it on the internet.

Your content is your product in your physical store. Think of it, how will your physical shop grow without goods for your customers?

You could post one article in a day, two in a week, once in a month. What you should know is that it takes time for search engines to rank your posts, so the earlier the better.

Generate ideas and write blog posts with AI tools

AI tools are revolutionizing the way bloggers create content. With AI assistants, you can save time and focus on the creative aspects of blogging.

AI tools can be used to generate ideas, optimize SEO, and even automate certain tasks like editing and formatting.

AI tools are also becoming increasingly popular for content curation. You can use AI tools to find relevant topics and content sources that you would not have found on your own.

This helps you create more engaging content that resonates with your audience.

Here is a list of AI tools to write posts effortlessly

When you talk blogging, you talk writing. But you don’t have to be a great writer to start a successful blogging business. It has always been like that. Anyways not in practice.

Today, with the help of AI tools, you can streamline your content creation process. Choose from the best AI writers, content generators, and writing assistants to write posts quickly and easily.

With these tools, you can create high-quality content without putting in too much effort.

• Grammarly: This AI tool helps you check your grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. It also provides suggestions on how to make your writing more concise and clear.
• Quillbot: Quillbot is an AI-powered paraphrasing tool that can help you rewrite existing articles or generate new ideas for blog posts quickly and easily.
• Hemingway Editor: This tool helps you make your writing easier to read by highlighting complex sentences, adverbs, passive voice, etc. so that you can make necessary changes accordingly.
• GPT-3 Generator: GPT-3 is an advanced language generator that can generate high-quality content in a matter
• Rytr – Rytr is an AI-powered writing assistant that helps copywriters and content writers save time and increase their productivity.
• Nova – Nova is a revolutionary platform that helps businesses of all sizes to easily create and manage their content. Available on Android.
• ChatbotAI – ChatAI is a powerful tool that enables businesses to automate conversations with their customers, providing efficient customer service and improved user experience. Available on Android.

10. Promote your blog and increase your reach

Once you’ve published your first post, it’s time to start promoting your blog. There are many ways to promote your blog, including social media, guest posting, and networking with other bloggers in your niche.

With that said, until you have about 50 blog posts on your blog, don’t spend time promoting your blog. Imagine, what will you tell me about your blog if you only have 5 posts published.

What about when users come to your site to find out you don’t have enough to read? They leave and probably never come back. That’s a bad impression, right?

Spend more time optimizing your content for Search Engine Optimization (SEO). That’s a better deal to bargain.

You can also reach out to other bloggers in your niche and ask if you can guest post on their blog. This will help you reach a wider audience and establish yourself as an expert in your field.

Networking with other bloggers can also lead to collaboration opportunities and help you grow your blog.

11. Set Google search console and analytics

When you read my post about the best free blogging sites, I talked about how some of my picks lack full integration of data tracking tools for your blog.

Your blog can’t do without these tools. Period.

Here are out-of-the-box tools that Google provides bloggers for free and the usage of these tools can help you become successful in blogging.

Google search console

With the search console, you have a dataset that tells you how users of your blog are finding you among others.

One key thing to look for in the Google search console is the report that tells you the queries that users type into Google to find you on the internet.

This report helps you improve your SEO. You can create new content based on these queries.

Google Analytics

Set up your analytics once you start publishing on your blog. You want to track every event on your blog to measure the success or failure of your business.

There’s a wide range of valuable information displayed in this tool. This tool tells you about how your users are interacting with your content. User demographics, content value, and daily to yearly traffic among others.

12. Patience is needed to become a successful blogger

One at a time. Blogging is not one of those network businesses you hear promising heaven in 1 month. Just buy the product, and boom! You are the Warren Buffet of our time.

Neither is blogging any of those clickbait titles – how to make money online. Just write blog posts or share content on social media then boom! Mark Zuckerberg is in your house for dinner.

The truth about network business is that you have to buy products, grow more legs, and keep spending more money. That requires patience. So is blogging. This business model takes time for your effort to become visible.

So you need to give it time, that is why you hear internet marketers telling you to choose a niche you are passionate about.

An entrepreneur is excited about his business. He has to wake up and show up at his office even when the sale is bad.

I love writing. I started writing stories and poems in elementary and no one paid me a dime. I’m passionate about writing, I love messing with codes, and I love craft, this job fits my job description – lol.

Well, that doesn’t mean picking a niche with 1 Google search in a thousand years.

13. Monitor your traffic and update your post

One advantage of posting lots of content at the initial stages of your blog is you get to see the post doing well, then, you update that content to rank better in the SERPs.

On top of that, you create more content relating to the categories producing the most results.

You should update your blog post every now and then. Just as content creation and publishing need a schedule, updating the content also needs a schedule.

Check your Google search console and analytics to update the posts according to the reports so that you rank better.

You should update your posts at least once every six months or once a year. You can even make it once every 3 months.

Spread the love

When I started Beginners Dateguide, it was solely a relationship blog. Later, I would change it to a multi-content repository to fulfill my goal of establishing the blog.

One of my early posts is “7 ways to text a girl whose number you got from someone else,” it started seeing interaction very early.

My approach to improving the other posts was simple and easy. This is the process I call, Spread the Love.

I started updating other blog posts with the same tactics and tricks that were working for this post.

As of the time of writing, this post brings about 2,000 pageviews each month but here comes this one that benefited from the trick.

141+ things to say after sex – make your partner want more. This post generates 4,000 plus pageviews each month. Before, it was only generating 200 – 300 pageviews.

Spread the Love is simply looking at what is working for other posts and replicating the techniques on blog posts that are getting some interaction.

14. Monetize your blog and maximize your earnings

I see you smiling broadly now! Ahhh!! At long last we are talking about the game changer. You see, none of what we will talk about here matters if you don’t start blogging the right way.

When you miss the right steps, to you monetization of your blog is a pain in the ass – excuse my language. It takes a lot of testing here and there, a lot of trial and error to figure out how to get traffic that can be monetized.

Ways to monetize your blog

There are several different ways to monetize your blog, such as selling digital products, offering services, running ads, or even becoming an affiliate marketer.

Let’s look at them.

Programmatic ads

The easiest but lowest form of monetization. You can only make as much as you can depending on your traffic. This is not just about traffic but the type of traffic.

Adsense: Adsense approves your site provided you have content and you meet its terms. But to make anything from Adsense, you need lots of traffic.

Ezoic: Ezoic is a generous company. I say so because the base requirement is 10,000 visits per month. The lowest you can find with any premium ad network.

Now Ezoic allows blogs with any amount of traffic to join its Access program where you take a short course after that start monetization.

Also, Ezoic offers high-traffic blogs with premium ads. There’re lots of things to learn on the Ezoic blog and they offer valuable courses to improve your traffic and write better blog posts at each stage of your blog.

Wait until you start having some real traffic to register for Adthrive and Mediavine.

Affiliate marketing

This is where you recommend or review a product on your blog and your users follow your link to buy the product then you get a commission.

Product information

This is a high-value monetization. All the proceeds from this monetization come directly to you. It is a type of monetization where you create an information product and sell it to your users.

It may be an online course, a book, a video, etc.

None of these works without lots of traffic. Even though some of them are effective with less traffic, it depends on the type of traffic.

Tips for creating a successful blog

To get the most out of your blog, create content that resonates with your audience, content that is SEO-friendly, and captivating. Craft intriguing headlines, and optimize images to load faster.

• Post regularly: Consistency is key when it comes to blogging. Try to post at least once a week to keep your readers engaged.
• Use keywords: Use relevant keywords in your blog posts to improve your SEO and increase visibility in search engine results pages.
• Engage with your readers: Respond to comments and messages from your readers to build a community around your blog.
• Share on social media: Promote your blog on social media to increase visibility and attract new readers.
• Monitor your analytics: Use analytics tools to track your blog’s performance and adjust your strategy
• Engage with other bloggers: Participate in the blogging community by commenting on other blogs and collaborating with other bloggers.
• You should also add essential pages like About Us, Contact Us, and Privacy Policy.
• Add schema to your post, pages, and personal schema to the about page of all your blog authors.
• Install an SSL certificate on your blog
• Add XML and HTML sitemap

Dateguide

Starting a blog can be a challenging but rewarding experience. With the right platform, domain name, and hosting provider, writing engaging posts, and promoting your blog, you can attract readers and establish yourself as an authority in your niche.

Don’t be afraid to experiment and try new things to see what works best for you. You can build a successful blog that attracts a loyal following.

I know there’s Google algorithm update here and there, and to make matters worse an AI war but use that to your advantage.

Blogging in 2023 is still relevant.