How can I make money as a new blogger just starting blogging (Practical guide by Joseph Abu)

Joseph Abu

Updated: 15 Sep, 2025 • 0 • min read

Table of Contents

How can I make money as a new blogger just starting blogging (Practical guide by Joseph Abu)

Starting a blog is exciting — and confusing. I remember launching my first blog with big hopes and zero idea how to make money from it. After five years of helping beginner bloggers, I learned that making money as a new blogger is absolutely possible, but it requires a practical blend of fast, repeatable actions (to bring in early cash) and patient, strategic moves (to build reliable income). In this guide I’ll walk you through exact methods, step-by-step actions, three real mini case studies from my coaching work, a comparison table, and a 90-day plan so you can start earning and scale responsibly.

Quick truth up front (so you start with the right mindset)

You can make money quickly using freelance work, small services, and targeted affiliate offers — but sustainable income usually comes from building useful content, an email list, and at least one product or monetization stream (ads, affiliate, course, membership). Think short wins and long wins together.

Fast ways to earn money in month 1–3 (quick wins)

These options require low setup and can pay quickly if you act:

1. Freelance writing / guest posts

Offer writing or editing services to other blogs, local businesses, or edu sites. Use your blog as a portfolio. Clients pay fast and this brings revenue while building your niche authority.

How to start:

Add a “Hire Me” page on your blog with rates and sample posts.
Pitch 5 sites per week with custom emails and topic ideas.

2. Offer simple paid services

If your niche allows, sell short services: one-on-one coaching, resume reviews, essay editing, or mini consulting calls. These convert well from blog readers because they already trust your content.

3. Affiliate marketing (focus on relevant, high-value offers)

Promote products or services you genuinely use: study apps, hosting plans, books, online courses. A single well-placed affiliate review in a high-intent post can convert.

How to optimize:

Create honest, in-depth reviews and “best-of” guides.
Disclose affiliate links clearly (trust matters).

4. Micro-products and gigs

Sell a short PDF guide, checklist, or templates. These are cheap to produce and sell well to early readers who want instant value.

Long-term reliable income (months 4+)

To build steady revenue you’ll combine traffic growth with monetization structures:

Ad networks (Google AdSense, other networks) — passive but requires traffic and strict content quality. Ensure your pages meet AdSense policies and avoid thin list-only posts.
Own digital products (e-books, courses, templates) — high margin and repeatable.
Memberships / subscriptions (Patreon, Substack, Ghost memberships) — recurring income from a small base of loyal readers.
Sponsored posts & partnerships — once you have niche authority and decent traffic.
Freelance contracts & retainer work — the most stable early revenue for many bloggers.

Comparison table — which monetization fits your stage

Method	Best for	Traffic needed	Time to first income	Pros	Cons
Freelance writing	Any niche, fast cash	0	Days–weeks	Immediate income, builds portfolio	Time-for-money
Affiliate marketing	Product-focused blogs	Low–medium	Weeks–months	Passive, scalable	Needs targeted content & trust
Digital products	Niche expertise	Medium	Weeks–months	High margin, repeatable	Takes effort to build
Ads (AdSense)	High-traffic sites	Medium–high	Months	Passive, easy to implement	Low early revenue; policy risks
Memberships	Community-driven creators	Medium	Months	Recurring revenue	Requires ongoing value delivery

Step-by-step 90-day action plan (do this, exactly)

Days 0–14 — Foundation

Pick your niche and write your mission sentence.
Install WordPress (or chosen platform), add SSL, create About, Contact, Privacy Policy pages (AdSense will want these).
Publish 3 high-quality posts (1,200+ words each) solving specific problems.

Days 15–45 — Get readers & quick income

Offer one paid service (writing, coaching, editing) and promote it on a “Work with me” page.
Publish 2 product-review posts with affiliate links (honest, useful).
Pitch 5 freelance gigs per week.

Days 46–90 — Scale up

Create a simple digital product (checklist or mini-course).
Set up an email list (Mailchimp/ConvertKit) and create a lead magnet from one pillar post.
Apply for AdSense only if you have >5–10 good posts, clear policies in place, and mobile-responsive design. Focus on content quality first.

SEO & AdSense sanity checklist (to avoid low-value problems)

Publish original, helpful long-form content (1,200+ words where appropriate).
Add author bio with experience (E-E-A-T).
Use real examples, screenshots, and case studies (this distinguishes you from list-only pages).
Ensure mobile friendliness and HTTPS.
Avoid auto-generated / spun content; do not publish thin pages that only link out.
Add About, Contact, and Privacy Policy pages — essential for trust and ad networks.

3 real-world mini case studies (anonymized from my coaching)

Case study 1 — Aisha (study tips blog, Nigeria)

Aisha started with a small niche: “study hacks for JAMB/WAEC students.” She published 5 pillar posts and offered 30-minute essay review services for a small fee. She used an affiliate link for a past-question app in one in-depth post. By month three she had steady service requests and recurring affiliate commissions. Key win: one helpful product review and an offer converted readers into paying customers.

Case study 2 — Daniel (tech tutorials → freelance contracts)

Daniel wrote tutorials on a specific JavaScript library and posted code samples on his blog. He used his blog as a portfolio and cold-emailed SMEs offering to build small tools. The blog brought him two retainer clients in six weeks. Key win: blog as portfolio converts to higher-paid contracts.

Case study 3 — Fatima (food blog → digital product)

Fatima published local recipe posts and created a downloadable “7-day meal plan” PDF. She priced it affordably and promoted it to her email list. Her first month selling the PDF covered 3 months of hosting. Key win: small, useful digital products convert well for loyal readers.

What to avoid (common beginner mistakes)

Publishing lots of short, generic posts that add no unique value.
Relying only on AdSense before you have consistent traffic and quality content.
Hiding affiliate links or being dishonest — transparency builds long-term trust.
Ignoring email lists — you own your list even if platforms change.

Tools & platforms I recommend (brief)

WordPress.org for flexibility and SEO control.
ConvertKit / Mailchimp for email capture.
Canva for quick product graphics and lead magnets.
Stripe / Paystack for payments in many countries.
A good web host (managed WordPress or reliable VPS) to keep pages fast.

Final tips — practical, human, and encouraging

Start small. Offer a service or micro-product that solves a single, painful problem. That brings money fast and builds credibility.
Add value relentlessly: better content, real examples, and simple downloads will convert readers into buyers.
Track what works: which posts lead to sales or client inquiries? Double down.
Keep one foot in the short game (freelance, services) and one in the long game (content, list, products). That balance pays off.

Conclusion & next step (call to action)

You don’t need huge traffic to start earning — you need useful content, a clear offer, and a small, consistent promotional plan. If you want, I can draft your first monetization-ready pillar post (title, full outline, meta description, and 800–1,500 word intro) tailored to your niche. Tell me your niche and whether you prefer to focus on services, affiliates, or products first — and I’ll create a ready-to-publish outline you can use this week.

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