How To Start A Blog For Free And Make Money

In this post, we’ve covered

• What are free blogs and their examples
• Limitations of free blogs
• Advantages of self-hosted standard blogs over free blogs
• How to start a free blog that makes money
• How to write your first blog post
• How to monetize your blog to start making money  

What is a free blog

A free blog is a platform that allows you to create and publish blog posts without paying any upfront costs, examples of free blogging platforms are Blogger.com & Medium. Free blogging platforms is an easy means to start your blogging journey and experiment with what blogging is like before committing to paid options.

key characteristics of free blogs:

• Cost-effective: You don’t need to pay for web hosting or a domain name (the web address) initially.
• Easy to use: Free platforms often have user-friendly interfaces that make creating and managing your blog content simple, even for beginners with no technical knowledge.
• Limited features: Free platforms might have restrictions on customization, design options, storage space, and monetization methods compared to paid options.
• Branding limitations: Your blog’s URL will typically include the free platform’s branding (e.g., yourblog.blogspot.com). You can’t have a completely custom domain name.

Limitations of free blogs

These are common features among blogs created for free using these blogging platforms;

• You will remain under their domain name something like, “medium.com/yourblogname”
• You can monetize your post with ads.
• Your content will hardly appear in Google, meaning that you will constantly need to promote it to continue getting traffic.
• Some of them like Wix will contain Wix ads that you can’t make money from and it shows you are using the free version of Wix.
• You can’t customize them the way you want they basically contain few text editing features.

Advantages of self-hosted standard blogs over free blogs

A self-hosted blog is the opposite of a free blog. Its biggest advantage is that it allows you to own and control your site. Your content will appear in Google search results and you can monetize your content effectively whereas with a free blog you can’t do the same thing.

How To Start A Free Blog That Makes Money

Below is how you can start a free blog that can make you money;

• Step 1: Choose your blogging niche
• Step 2: Choose a free blogging platform [with an illustration on how to start using one]

Step 1: Choose Your Blogging Niche 

Choosing a suitable niche requires careful consideration of both your interests & skills, search demand, profitability, and competition.

Here’s a roadmap to guide you:

1. Research your niche search demand

You want a niche that has enough search demand to ensure people are actively searching for content in that area. A niche with no demand means no traffic, while one with too much demand might be oversaturated.

Steps to Analyze Search Demand:

[a]. Use Keyword Research Tools: Tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ahrefs, Ubersuggest, or SEMrush can help you find the search volume for keywords in your niche.

Example: If you’re interested in a fitness blog, you can use a keyword tool to check the search volume for terms like “home workout routine” or “beginner fitness tips.”

[b]. Check Google Trends: Google Trends can show you how popular a search term is over time. A stable or rising interest in your niche is a good indicator of demand.

Example: If a “plant-based diet” is showing upward trends, it suggests increasing demand in that niche.

[c]. Long-Tail Keywords: Focus on long-tail keywords (more specific phrases) in your niche, which may have lower competition but still have significant search volume. For example, “beginner yoga for seniors” has lower competition than just “yoga.”

2. Evaluate Profitability

While you may choose a niche based on passion, you also need to assess whether it can generate income. Profitability comes from affiliate marketing, product sales, advertising, sponsored posts, and more.

Steps to Evaluate Profitability:

[a]. Monetization Methods: Consider how you can monetize the niche:

• Affiliate Marketing: Can you promote products or services in your niche? For example, if you’re into tech gadgets, you can join affiliate programs from Amazon or specific tech brands.
• Ad Revenue: How easily can you generate traffic to get advertisers on your blog (via display ads like Google AdSense)?
• Digital Products: Can you sell e-books, courses, or printables?
• Sponsored Content: Are brands in your niche willing to pay for sponsored posts?

[b]. Affiliate Programs: Research whether there are good affiliate programs related to your niche. Use platforms like ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, or Amazon Associates to check for suitable products or services to promote.

Example: If your niche is fitness, you might find affiliate programs for workout equipment, online courses, or supplements.

[c]. Cost of Products/Services: Higher-ticket items or services tend to offer more substantial affiliate commissions. If you can promote higher-priced products, like business software or premium courses, the potential for profit is higher.

3. Assess Competition

While some competition is healthy (it shows there’s demand), too much competition can make it harder to stand out. On the other hand, if there’s no competition at all, it might indicate low demand.

How to evaluate your niche competition:

[a]. Google Search Results: Perform a Google search for your target keywords. Check the top-ranking pages. Are they from established websites with a lot of authority (like large media outlets)? Or do you see newer, smaller blogs in the results?

Example: Search for “best beginner yoga classes” and see how many well-established yoga brands are ranking on the first page.

[b]. Assess the Difficulty of Ranking: Use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to check keyword difficulty scores. If the keyword difficulty is too high, you may want to consider targeting lower-competition keywords or sub-niches.

[c]. Niche Saturation: Evaluate whether you can differentiate yourself in the niche. Can you provide a unique angle, fresh perspective, or underserved topic within the larger niche?

For example: Instead of a general parenting blog, you could focus on parenting tips for single dads.

[4]. Analyze Competitors: Look at the top blogs or websites in your niche. Are they well-established with massive followings, or is there space for new blogs? If it’s a highly competitive niche, find a sub-niche (a more specific aspect of the broader topic) to target.

If you can’t analyze through all of these factors above we have a quick highlight of the “15 Most Profitable Blogging Niches” you can choose from and get started.

Step 2: Choose A Free Blogging Platform 

Here are some of the best free blogging platforms

• WordPress.org – This is the most used blogging platform it requires a $2 – $3 web hosting to use. If you completely don’t want a free platform you can use other options below.
• Blogger: Blogger offers a simple and user-friendly interface ideal for beginners.
• Medium: A social publishing platform with a focus on high-quality content. It’s a good option for writers looking to build an audience within Medium’s existing user base.
• Wix: A website builder with a strong blogging component. It offers drag-and-drop editing for easy customization.

Pick one from the options above: WordPress

In this post we are going illustrate how you can use WordPress.org to start a standard blog for free which requires a third-party web hosting provider that will charge you less than $3 to get started.

If you entirely don’t want to spend any money you can use other free blogging options I mentioned earlier on above which are limited. If you want the platform without a limitation you can continue with WordPress.org.

• Step 1: Click on HostGator
• Step 2: Choose your preferred hosting plan
• Step 3: Choose your domain name
• Step 4: Adjust to your preferred hosting subscription period
• Step 5: Create your HostGator account
• Step 6: Within Your HostGator Account Install WordPress
• Step 7: Choose A Theme your blog theme [A Pre-built Site]
• Step 8: Customize your main pages and start publishing blog posts.

Step 1: Click On Our “HostGator” Discount Link

Using our discount link you will get HostGator for less than its original price.

HostGator is a reliable web hosting service that offers industry-standard hosting.

Step 2: “Choose Your Preferred HostGator Plan”

Selecting the HostGator hatchling plan is more advisable and cost-effective after all that’s the minimum plan and you can always increase your plan anytime you want.

Step 3: Choose a domain name of your choice

After choosing your plan above, you will be directed to a page like this below to choose your domain name and complete your sign-up.

What to consider when choosing your blog domain name

• Make it Memorable and Easy to Spell – your domain name should be easy for people to remember and type into their browser. Avoid complex spellings or unnecessary hyphens.
• Make it Reflects Your Niche: Your domain name should give visitors a good idea of what your blog is about. Use relevant keywords related to your niche.
• Keep it Short and Sweet: Aim for a domain name that’s between 6-14 characters. Long domain names are harder to remember and type.
• Easy to Read or Pronounce: Avoid awkward letter combinations or double letters that might be confusing when pronounced.

Find unique and meaningful blog name ideas

Step 4: Adjust to your preferred hosting subscription period

Make sure you are on the hatchling plan on the right-hand side and your subscription is adjusted to the period to one 1 year or 36 months based on what you can afford at the time.

Step 5: Create your HostGator account

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

Enter the coupon code “SNAPPY” and check if there is a discount at the

moment. Discounts are not always available.

Preview your information before checkout.

Step 6: Within your HostGator account “Install WordPress”

Action required – At the end of your HostGator sign-up follow the on-screen instructions to complete your WordPress sign-up and installation.

You can also do this within your HostGator account once you are logged in find a section labeled “WordPress”.

Click on it you will be directed to create a WordPress account after that you will be automatically logged in to WordPress to start creating blog posts and customizing your site pages.

Step 7: Choose A Theme For Your Blog

Themes are pre-built website templates. You can select a particular theme, preview it, and customize it the way you want it to make it yours.

Here’s a simplified way to choose a suitable WordPress blogging theme after you’ve logged into your WordPress admin area;

1. Navigate to Themes: On the left-hand sidebar of your WordPress admin dashboard, hover over “Appearance” and click on “Themes.”
2. Explore the Theme Library: This is where you’ll find a vast collection of free and paid themes. You can use the search bar at the top to find themes by keyword (browse by popular features, e.g., “grid layout,” “responsive”).
3. Filter Your Options: You can use the filters on the left side of the page to narrow down your search. Here are some key filters for your blog:
   • Features: Look for themes with features like post formats (galleries, videos), image sliders, social media integration, and customization options.
   • Layout: You can consider layouts with a clean and modern aesthetic, grid layouts ideal for showcasing outfits, and responsive design to ensure your blog looks modern and good on all devices.
4. Preview Before You Commit: Once you find a theme that interests you, hover over it and click “Preview.” This will allow you to see a live demo of the theme’s layout and features.
5. Read Reviews and Ratings: Check out the reviews and ratings left by other users. This can give you valuable insights into the theme’s ease of use, customization options, customer support, and downsides.
6. Mobile-Friendly is a Must: In today’s world, ensure the theme you select is responsive and displays well on mobile devices. Lots of visitors coming to your blog will be coming from mobile devices so ensure that your theme is mobile-friendly by using the preview function to check how it looks on mobile and other screens. This is very advisable.
7. Consider Paid Themes: If you don’t find what you like with free themes you can use premium or paid themes with better or more attractive appearance and features. This is entirely optional and often not advisable for complete beginners who still don’t fully understand WordPress well enough.

Step 8: Customize your blog main pages and start publishing blog posts

• Start personalizing your blog! Use your theme’s customization options to adjust colors, fonts, and layouts to match your style.
• Most themes come with pre-built layouts for essential pages like “About,” “Contact,” and “Home.” You can use these as a starting point to customize your pages easily to match what you want.
• After that you can start writing and publishing blog posts.

Congratulations at this point you’ve just created a fully functional standard blog to start publishing content and monetizing them to make money.

How To Write Your First Blog Post

1. Go to Posts > Add New: In your WordPress dashboard, go to the “Posts” section and click “Add New.”
2. Create a Title and Content: Write your first blog post by adding a title and creating the content.
3. Publish: When you’re ready, click “Publish” to make your first post live!

Here is “How To Write A High-quality Blog Post“

How to monetize your blog to start making money

While monetization options are limited on free blogging platforms, if you followed and completed the steps above using WordPress your blog is considered self-hosted and not free.

So with WordPress.org, as a free blogging platform hosting it on with a web hosting provider like HostGator makes the site fully yours with a domain name of your choice.

Here are some methods you can use to monetize your blog;

[1]. Display Ads

There are various ad networks you can join. Some of the most popular ones include:

• Google AdSense: Great for beginners. It’s easy to apply, and they place relevant ads on your site on the content displayed on a page.
• Mediavine: For bloggers with 50,000 sessions/page views per month. Known for high payouts.
• AdThrive: Requires at least 100,000 monthly page views, offering premium ad rates.
• Ezoic: Accepts lower-traffic blogs and offers decent ad placements.

Tip: Start with Google AdSense if your traffic, when your traffic grows you can then apply to premium networks like Mediavine or AdThrive with higher payouts.

[2]. Affiliate Marketing

Join affiliate programs that fit your blog’s niche. Some popular options include:

• Amazon Associates: Ideal for almost any niche that talks about physical-related products. Amazon offers a wide range of physical products in many niches or industries.                           
• ShareASale: A marketplace offering many affiliate products across various industries both physical and software-related products.
• CJ Affiliate: Another broad network for different affiliate products and services.
• Impact: Focuses on more prominent brands and high-quality affiliate products, mainly software products and some physical products.         

All of these above are affiliate networks where you can join multiple affiliates offers to promote and manage them in the same platform.

• Niche-specific programs: You can also find single-in-house affiliate products. Look for affiliate programs directly related to your niche, such as web hosting companies for tech bloggers or beauty brands for fashion bloggers, etc.

Tip: Only promote products that are relevant and valuable to your audience to build trust and increase conversion rate due to product relevance to them.

As you grow your blog traffic you may need to diversify to other methods of monetization. Like the ones mentioned here, “7 Main Ways To Monetize Your Blog And Make Money“.

Post End.

The Fastest Way to Start Making $10,000/month as a New Blogger

1. Get Started with HostGator – Your Blog’s Best Friend

The first step to making money blogging is having a solid foundation. HostGator offers affordable, reliable hosting, a free domain, and easy access to WordPress — the best platform for new bloggers. Sign up today and get your blog online in minutes.

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2. Choose a Profitable Niche

Pick a profitable niche you’re interested in and ready to dive into. Focus on one niche, and be prepared to create content that solves your audience’s problems. You can still choose your niche after your blog is live online.

3. Create High-Impact Content

Start by making lists of your niche “money posts” [Posts good for affiliates or with high traffic volume suitable for ads]. These “money posts” are your primary focus. Then, also create supporting posts to build traffic and rank better in Google. The more content you create, the faster you’ll grow your audience.

4. Success Rules to Follow:

• Focus on Your Niche: Stick to one niche and become an expert in it.
• Quality Content Only: Focus on delivering value with every post.
• Have a Plan: Set clear goals for content creation and promotion [Like how many posts you intend to create and your plan on promoting them to help you grow your initial traffic].

HostGator has everything you need to get started quickly, with a platform that grows as you do. Ready to start making money with your blog?

👉 Launch Your Blog with HostGator Today

Doing these things will increase your chances of making more than $10,000/month consistently after 6 months to one year.