How To Start A Lifestyle [Personal] Blog That Makes Money In 9 Steps

Starting a lifestyle blog is your golden ticket to turning your everyday experiences, tips, and insights into a thriving business here online, just within a platform. When you start your blog, you can get monetized and get paid to share your thoughts on daily routines, personal growth, travel adventures, fashion trends, home decor, and more. Some top bloggers earn $60k – $200k/year according to these blogging statistics.

The beauty of it? You don’t need to be a household name or a certified expert. All you need is to call it all things and get serious with publishing blog posts and presenting information how people want it.

Think about it, every big-name blogger you admire started with a single post. That first step could be yours, and it might just be the beginning of something extraordinary.

Why Start Your Lifestyle Blog Today?

  • Potential Earnings ($4,000 – $12,000/month): With dedication and the right strategies, your blog can grow into a full-time income stream. Share your unique experiences and get paid to do what you love.
  • Quick and Affordable Setup Cost: You can have your blog up and running in under 10 minutes, with startup costs as low as $4 a month.
  • No Tech Expertise Needed: Forget coding or design skills. With user-friendly templates, you can create a blog that’s as stylish and as personalized as you want.
  • Monetize From Day One: You can monetize your blog instantly with display ads and affiliate marketing to start making money. You don’t need a huge audience to start making money.
  • Paid Brand Collaborations: As your blog grows, brands from various industries, travel, wellness, and fashion, depending on the blogging niche you specialize in, will want to partner with you to promote them on your site to get you paid.

This opportunity is open to anyone, anywhere in the world. Many simple lifestyle bloggers are making over $15k/month just by publishing blog posts and growing their traffic. This is better than most traditional jobs that dictate how you work.

The possibilities are endless when you take the first leap to get started.

What you need to start a lifestyle blog

Setting up a lifestyle blog is easier than most people think. But first, here are the things you need to get you started and publish your first post in no time:

  1. A Computer (Desktop or Laptop): Use a desktop or laptop for the best experience managing your blog and writing posts. It’s much easier than using a mobile device or tablet.
  2. Choose a Domain Name: Your domain name is your blog’s address on the web (like “myamazinglifestyle.com”). Pick something memorable, relevant to your niche, and easy to spell.
  3. Pick a Blogging Platform: A Content Management System (CMS) is where you’ll create and manage your blog. WordPress.org is a great choice for beginners, as it’s easy to use and doesn’t require coding. Simply select a pre-built theme, and you’re good to go!
  4. Web Hosting: Your web hosting service keeps your blog live on the internet. It’s essential to pick a reliable hosting provider, so your blog is accessible to readers 24/7.

Note: If you sign up for hosting with HostGator, you’ll get the option to install WordPress directly within your HostGator hosting account; you can’t do this separately by going straight to WordPress. HostGator makes the process quick and easy, plus you’ll get a free domain name of your choice for using HostGator.


How To Start A Lifestyle Blog In 9 Steps

In this guide, I’ll be using HostGator, as it’s one of the best web hosting services out there. Let’s get started and set up your lifestyle blog!

  • Step 1: Start within a sub-niche
  • Step 2: Click on HostGator to get started
  • Step 3: Choose your preferred HostGator hosting plan
  • Step 4: Choose your unique domain name
  • Step 6: Choose your preferred hosting subscription period
  • Step 6: Create your HostGator account
  • Step 7: Install WordPress In your HostGator Account
  • Step 8: Within your WordPress, select your blog theme [A Pre-built Site]
  • Step 9: Customize and create new main pages and start publishing blog posts.

When starting any type of lifestyle blog, it’s a good idea to start within a specific sub-niche. This will help you focus on a particular topic, build expertise, and increase your traffic faster. As you grow, you can expand to other areas of your niche and cover more topics.

Here are some popular sub-niches under lifestyle blogs where you can start;

Sub-niche 1: Health and Wellness – Focus: Promoting physical and mental well-being through fitness, nutrition, and self-care.

Example of Topics:

  • 10-minute workouts for busy professionals
  • Mindfulness practices for stress relief
  • Healthy meal plans for weight loss

Sub-niche 2: Fashion and BeautyFocus: Covering personal style, fashion trends, beauty routines, and product reviews.

Example of Topics:

  • How to style your wardrobe on a budget
  • Skincare routine for glowing skin
  • Latest fall fashion trends in 2025

Sub-niche 3: Personal DevelopmentFocus: Self-improvement topics such as productivity, goal-setting, and mindset shifts.

Example of Topics:

  • How to create a morning routine for success
  • Tips for staying motivated to achieve your goals
  • The best personal development books to read

Sub-niche 4: Travel and Lifestyle – Focus: Combining travel tips with a broader lifestyle perspective, such as work-life balance or travel inspiration. –

Example of Topics:

  • How to travel on a budget while working full-time
  • Travel essentials for a stylish getaway
  • Best destinations for solo female travelers

Sub-niche 5: Home Décor and Interior DesignFocus: Decorating tips, DIY projects, and organizing your living space.

Example of Topics:

  • Budget-friendly home decor ideas for small spaces
  • How to organize your home for a minimalist lifestyle
  • DIY furniture projects for beginners

Relevant Resource – Here are more than 400 blog topic ideas in different sub-niches. This makes it clear and easier for you to start within a specific area of content and expand as you grow your traffic and income.

Click the HostGator link to visit their main page and get started. Using our discount link, you’ll unlock a special reduced price for HostGator!

how to start a travel blog using hostgator

Relevant – Here are some other reliable web hosting providers you may want to consider.

Choosing the hatchling plan is more advisable and cost-effective for most beginners since you can always upgrade at any time as your blog grows and starts making money.

hostgator web hosting plans

When you are done choosing your subscription plan above, you will be directed to a page like the one below to create a unique domain name for your blog and complete your sign-up.

choose a domain name with hostgtor starting a fashion blog

Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing Your Blog Domain Name:

  1. Make It Memorable and Easy to Spell: Choose a domain name that’s easy to recall and type. Keep it simple, avoid tricky spellings or unnecessary hyphens that could confuse your audience.
  2. Reflect Your Niche: Your domain name should clearly hint at your blog’s focus. Whether it’s skincare, travel, or fashion, make sure it speaks to the essence of your content.
  3. Keep It Short and Sweet: Aim for a domain name that’s concise (ideally 6-14 characters). Shorter names are easier to remember and type, making it simpler for visitors to find you.
  4. Easy to Read and Pronounce: Choose a name that’s easy to pronounce and doesn’t have awkward letter combinations. This ensures your audience can easily share your domain with others!

Relevant Resource: Find More Than 200 Unique Lifestyle Blog Name Ideas & Their Meaning

Select the Hatchling Plan and choose a subscription period of 1 year or 36 months, depending on your budget. You can always upgrade later.

hostgator checkout page when starting a site

Create your HostGator account by entering your email contact information and choosing a secure password.

HostGator billing page during check out

Review your order and details to ensure everything is accurate, then proceed to checkout.

Once you’ve completed your HostGator sign-up, follow the on-screen instructions to finish setting up WordPress.

Alternative Method:

  • Log in to your HostGator account.
  • Locate and click on the “WordPress” section.
  • You’ll be prompted to create your WordPress account.
  • After signing up, you’ll be automatically logged into WordPress, ready to start customizing your blog and publishing posts.

Themes are pre-built website templates that allow you to quickly set up your blog’s design. You can pick a theme, preview it, and then customize it to match your style.

Here’s a quick guide to choosing the perfect WordPress theme for your lifestyle blog:

  1. Navigate to Themes – In your WordPress dashboard, go to Appearance > Themes to explore available options.
  2. Explore the Theme Library – Look for themes that align with lifestyle content or features like clean layouts, responsive design, and customization.
  3. Filter Your Options – Use filters to find themes that offer easy navigation, social media integration, and image galleries. Choose one that reflects your blog’s personality—whether minimal, bold, or chic.
  4. Preview Before Committing – Hit Preview to see how the theme looks with your content and ensure it’s mobile-friendly.
  5. Check Reviews and Ratings – Read user reviews to get an idea of how the theme performs and how easy it is to customize.
  6. Mobile-Friendliness is Key – Choose a responsive theme, so it looks great on all devices.
  7. Consider Premium Themes – If free themes don’t fit your needs, consider investing in a premium option with more advanced features, but only if you’re comfortable with WordPress.

Popular Themes for Lifestyle Blogs:

  1. Oshine (Beautiful, creative designs)
  2. Astra (Fast, very customizable, and super responsive)
  3. Soledad (Highly versatile for different lifestyle niches)
  4. Choose a theme that aligns with your lifestyle and offers a seamless experience for your readers!

This way, you’ll ensure your lifestyle blog is not only attractive but also user-friendly and easy to navigate!

Now that your blog is up and running, it’s time to make it uniquely yours!

  • Use your theme’s customization tools to tweak colors, fonts, and layouts until they reflect your style.
  • Most themes come with pre-designed templates for essential pages like About, Contact, and Home. You can easily adjust these to fit your lifestyle blog’s vibe.
  • Once your main pages are set, start creating and publishing your first blog posts.

Congratulations! You’ve just built a fully functional blog, ready to share your lifestyle content with the world. Your site is now live, visible on Google, and accessible to anyone online.

Alternative Resources To Get You Started

To make this process even easier, check out the video below! It walks you through setting up a WordPress blog with HostGator, so you can follow along step-by-step.

How to Find Lifestyle Blog Topics to Write About

To successfully monetize your lifestyle blog, you need engaging content that resonates with your audience. High-quality posts attract traffic, boost SEO, and create opportunities for display ads, affiliate marketing, and sponsorships.

Here’s a curated list of resources to help you discover, write, and optimize winning blog posts:

💡 Content Ideas & Writing Tips

🤖 AI & Tools to Speed Up Writing

⚙️ Optimization & Structure

How To Monetize Your Lifestyle Blog And Start Making Money

The easiest way to start making money from your lifestyle blog is through ads, and Google AdSense is the perfect starting point for most beginners. Ads offer a great opportunity for passive income, meaning once they’re set up, you’ll continue earning without much ongoing effort.

[1]. Monetize Your Lifestyle Blog With Display Ads

How to set up Google AdSense on your lifestyle blog.

Step 1: Sign Up for Google AdSense:

  • Visit Google AdSense and click “Sign Up.”
  • You’ll need a Google account (most likely, you already have one).
  • Submit your blog’s URL and some basic info. Google will review your site to ensure it meets their content policies (this process can take a couple of days).

Pro Tip: To increase your chances of approval, it’s recommended to have 5-20 blog posts published before applying.

Step 2: Add AdSense Code to Your Blog:

  • After approval, Google will give you a unique code.
  • Place this code on your blog. It will display ads that are relevant to your content and your readers’ interests.
  • You can place the ads in various areas, like the sidebar, header, or footer. Most blogging platforms, like WordPress, make this easy with plugins.

Step 3: Start Earning from Ads:

  • Google will automatically serve ads based on the topics of your posts and your audience’s interests and locations.
  • You’ll earn money every time a visitor clicks on an ad or views one (this is called CPM, or Cost Per Thousand Impressions).
  • The great thing about ads is that once they’re set up, they work 24/7 to generate income for you passively.

How Much Can You Make from Ads?

Your Google AdSense earnings will largely depend on your blog traffic.

Generally, this will grow slowly from a few hundred dollars monthly to up to a thousand. Most beginners can make anywhere from $500 to $1,000+ per month with Google AdSense in their first few months, but as your traffic grows, this will increase to thousands of dollars per month.

Now that your ads are live, maximize your earnings by:

  1. 🚀 Increasing Traffic – More visitors = more ad impressions.
    → How to Boost Your Website Pageviews (e.g., SEO, Pinterest, viral content tactics)
  2. ⏳ Keeping Readers Engaged – Longer visits = higher RPMs.
    → How to Improve Your Site’s Visitor Retention (e.g., internal linking, video, interactive content)
  3. 💰 Scaling Your Ad Revenue – Diversify your ad partners.
    → Other Ad Display Networks to Monetize Your Blog (e.g., Mediavine alternatives, direct sold ads)

[2.] Monetize Your Blog By Recommending Affiliate Products

Promoting affiliate products on your blog is an effective way of making money from your blog, promoting products within your niche, whether it’s home decor, fashion, beauty products, or travel essentials, etc, this can fit into any lifestyle blogging niche you decide to venture into.

Here’s how you can get started:

Step 1: Find Affiliate Programs:

  • Look for affiliate programs that fit your lifestyle blog’s niche. Some excellent options include:
    • Amazon Associates: Great for recommending all kinds of lifestyle products, from fashion to home decor to travel gear.
    • ShareASale: This network includes tons of brands in categories like fashion, beauty, travel, fitness, and home goods.
    • Rakuten Marketing: Another great network with a wide range of lifestyle products.
    • Target & Walmart Affiliate Programs: If you review products from big-box stores, consider signing up for their affiliate programs.
    • Booking.com & Airbnb: Perfect for travel bloggers, you can earn commissions by referring your readers to booking sites.

Find More Affiliate Programs: High-Paying Lifestyle Affiliate Programs

Step 2: Sign Up for Affiliate Programs:

  • Head to the websites of the programs that align with your blog’s niche and apply to become an affiliate. You’ll need to provide some basic details about your blog, such as traffic numbers and audience demographics.

Step 3: Get Your Unique Affiliate Links:

  • Once you’re accepted into the affiliate programs, you’ll receive unique affiliate links to promote. When a reader clicks on your link and makes a purchase, you earn a commission.

Step 4: Integrate Affiliate Links into Your Blog Content:

  • The key to successful affiliate marketing is to seamlessly integrate affiliate links into your content. Here are a few content ideas that perform well:
    • Product Reviews: Write about lifestyle products you love, such as home decor items, fashion pieces, or fitness gadgets. Include your affiliate link so readers can easily buy the products you recommend.
    • “Top 10 Lists” or Roundups: Create posts like “10 Must-Have Items for a Cozy Home” or “My Favorite Skincare Products for Glowing Skin,” and include affiliate links to the products you feature.
    • How-to Guides: If you’re offering a travel guide, DIY project, or wellness tips, link to any relevant products or services using your affiliate links.

Find More Affiliate-based Topics: High-Paying Affiliate Blog Topic Ideas

How Much Can You Make?

  • Affiliate marketing can be incredibly lucrative, especially if you promote high-ticket items or work with companies offering a good commission. Commissions usually range from 10% to 40% of the sale. Many lifestyle bloggers are making $5,000 to $15,000 per month promoting their niche affiliate products.

Final Thoughts on Monetization

Monetizing a lifestyle blog is easier than it seems with the right strategies. By setting up Google AdSense and utilizing affiliate marketing, you can start making money while sharing your knowledge on interesting topics you know about.

These two methods are simple to implement and make money from. They offer a means of a steady stream of passive income as your blog grows. Over time, as your blog gains more traffic, it usually will start making you more money!

Relevant Resources: 7 Other Methods You Can Utilize To Monetize Your Blog

How Much Money Do Lifestyle Blogs Make

With this, you can estimate how much you are likely to make given the number of estimated posts, taking the average time required to get there.

Beginner Lifestyle Blogs

  • Monthly Income: $1,300 – $3,500 per month
  • Monthly Traffic: 5,000 – 20,000 monthly visitors
  • Number of Posts: 15 – 60 blog posts
  • Average Required Time: 5 months to 12 months
  • Methods of Monetization:
    • Display ads (Google AdSense)
    • Affiliate marketing (fashion, beauty, or home decor products)
    • Sponsored posts (smaller brands or collaborations)

Average Lifestyle Blogs

  • Monthly Income: $5,000 – $15,000
  • Monthly Traffic: 20,000 – 80,000
  • Number of Posts: 200 – 500+
  • Average Required Time: 1 – 3 years
  • Methods of Monetization:
    • Premium ad networks (Mediavine, AdThrive)
    • Higher-conversion affiliate programs
    • Sponsored posts from established brands
    • Digital products (eBooks, guides)

Established Lifestyle Blogs

  • Monthly Income: $12,000 – $50,000+ per month
  • Monthly Traffic: 200,000+ monthly visitors
  • Number of Posts: 300+ blog posts
  • Average Required Time: 3 – 5 years or more
  • Monetization Methods:
    • High-paying ad networks
    • Sponsored posts from major brands (fashion, travel, beauty)
    • Selling online courses, consulting, or physical products (merch, home decor)
    • Memberships or subscription-based content (exclusive lifestyle tips, newsletters)

Note: These figures provide a general overview, but actual earnings can vary greatly depending on several factors, including your blog’s niche, traffic levels, audience engagement, and monetization strategies. Your results may differ, especially in the early stages of blogging.

Relevant Posts

Successful Lifestyle Blog Examples to Inspire You

Want to see real-life proof that lifestyle blogging pays off? Here are high-earning personal blogs across niches (fitness, beauty, travel, home) to spark your inspiration, with their reported monthly earnings for extra motivation:

🏋️♀️ Fitness & Wellness Blogs

  • Fit Mommy in Heels – $11,562/month
    (Balancing motherhood, fitness, and style)
  • Fit Mom Journey – $10,124/month
    (Postpartum health tips & home workouts)

💄 Beauty & Self-Care Blogs

  • Hot Beauty Health – $9,655/month
    (Affordable skincare routines & product reviews)

✈️ Travel & Adventure Blogs

  • Practical Wanderlust – Full-time travel income
    (Budget travel guides + monetized itineraries)

🏡 Home & Family Blogs

  • One Big Happy Life – $10,900/month
    (Parenting hacks + side hustle tips)
  • Just a Girl and Her Blog – $41,700/month
    (Home organization + printables empire)

Pro Tip: These blogs monetize through affiliate marketing, ad revenue, and digital productsBlog income reports to help you replicate their success.

Relevant PostExamples Of Lifestyle Personal Blogs

Relevant Posts:

Simplified Summary

Below is a simplified summary of what the post has covered;

Are you ready to launch your lifestyle blog? Great! Here’s how to get started:

  1. Choose a Focus: Pick a niche, like travel, personal development, home organization, or daily routines, to build your authority. As your blog grows, you can expand into other lifestyle topics.
  2. Monetization: You can start monetizing with ads and affiliate links, but it’s best to wait until you have some steady traffic. Focus on creating relatable and engaging content first, and the income will follow!
  3. Grow Your Blog: Once you have a few posts and some traffic, you can add Google AdSense ads and affiliate programs to start earning commissions.
  4. Keep It Simple: Focus on what your audience loves, and everything else will fall into place.

Quick Steps to Get Started:

  • Choose your sub-niche (travel, home organization, etc.).
  • Click on HostGator to start setting up your blog.
  • Select the hosting plan that suits your needs.
  • Pick a domain name that reflects your blog’s focus.
  • Adjust the hosting period to fit your preference.
  • Create your HostGator account and proceed.
  • Install WordPress via your HostGator account.
  • Choose a clean, versatile theme for your blog.
  • Customize the main pages and start publishing posts.

As you share your experiences, your traffic and income potential will grow!

Other Types of Blogs You Can Start

1. Hobby & Lifestyle Blogs

2. Money-Making & Business Blogs

3. Creative & DIY Blogs

4. Niche & Specialized Blogs

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