Blogging as a Side Hustle: The Ultimate Guide

The age of the side hustle is upon us.  And with the world as it is now, it is no wonder that people are starting to look for jobs outside of their regular 9 to 5.  Many are turning to blogging as a side hustle.  And for good reason.

There are sooo many benefits of blogging but one thing that stands out for sure is its potential for exponential growth.  If you put in the time and effort, you could grow your blog to the point where are making $10k a month and for some $250k a month or more!

With blogging, the sky truly is the limit.  But it does take time and some serious dedication.  So blogging may not be for everyone.

There are pros and cons for everything in life and so it is also for blogging.  We'll take a look at that more below as well as how to successfully use blogging as a side hustle and how to get started.

But first, what's a blog?

What is blogging?

Apparently, the word "blog" comes from "weblog".  Blogs originally started as a kind of online journal or diary written by individuals. Nowadays, it has become a staple of many business websites and is used to create informational, niche specific websites.

Blogging is simply the act of writing these informational or journal like posts and publishing them online.  There are no rules per se for blogging. Your writing doesn't even have to be grammatically correct.

You can write about anything you want, from fashion to the latest in fitness.  Taking it to another level, there has been a recent trending in people doing video blogging or vlogging.

Blogging has become the ultimate side hustle for some who have turned their hobbies and passions into a money making machine.

While some has said that blogging is dead, I assure you and so can those make millions of dollars blogging, that it is not.

The Pros of Blogging As a Side Hustle

There are countless advantages to blogging.  But since ain't nobody got time to be reading (or writing) 101 different benefits, I'll stick with just the main big benefits.

Low Start-Up Costs

Unlike many other side hustles, blogging does not cost very much to get started.  For less than $80 you can purchase a website domain name and get hosting for your blog.

You can install a WordPress theme for free.  Then all that is left to do is  to write.  Which doesn't cost you anything.

Now for those of us who are a bit more fancily inclined.  You could pay a bit more for a nice theme and fancy lead generation apps but that would be totally up to you.

Freedom to Choose Your Own Topic

The next big plus for blogging as a side hustle is that you have the freedom to choose. 

When you start a blog, you have the option to write about whatever you like.  You get to decide.  If you are passionate about exercising, then write about that.

Is fashion more your cup of tea?  No ones stopping you from doing that instead.  Other side hustles like transcription, dog walking, working at McDonald's, doesn't exactly allow you the same amount of freedom.

I say, if you're gonna be taking on extra work, might as well make it something you will enjoy.  And with blogging, you can do just that.

Can Go at Your Own Pace

When you are a blogger, you are the boss.  You have the luxury to go as fast or as slow as you want.  You don't have to crank out 5 posts a week if you don't want to.

Instead, you could take it slow and do just 1 post a week or whenever you get the chance if you are really busy.

Not only do you get to go at your own pace but you also get to choose your working hours.  How often you work and when you work, is totally up to you!

Ah, the beauty of being your own boss!

Multiple Money Making Opportunities

One of the best things about blogging as a side hustle is that, unlike most side hustles, it provides you with multiple ways in which you can make money.  

And that is, after all, the reason you are side hustling in the first place.  To make that money honey!

Let's take a quick look at some of the ways you can monetize your blog:

Develop New Skills & Improving Old Ones

This may come as a surprise but blogging does require you to do one thing... write.  Some of us aren't born writers and it may take us days to crank out one semi-decent post.

But the good news is over time your writing, as well as your confidence, will improve.  What would take you days before, eventually would only takes you a few hours.  

In addition to your improved writing skills, you'll learn how to be more organized, manage your time wisely, and be more disciplined.  Skills that would help not just in your career but in your everyday life.

Furthermore, in your blogging journey you will pick up some new useful skills.  You'll learn the new age techy stuff like how to make a website, do online marketing to promote said website, and all the things that go along with it. 

Which leads us to the next benefit of blogging.

Gateway to Other Opportunities

With all these fancy new skills you are collecting from blogging, you may find that other companies will be begging you to come work for them. That's because the skills you gain are in high demand right now.

Online marketing, time management, project management, website maintenance, etc.

Further, as you build your brand and your expertise in the area of your blog, you open yourself up to even more opportunities.  You could start holding workshops, speaking at conferences, or even doing some consultation work.

You never know where blogging will lead you.  And that is one of its many charms.

Build Your Personal Brand

If you are looking to one day branch out on your own,  blogging might be a great side hustle for you.  It is a great platform from which you could build your brand.

The more you blog, the more you become in expert in your area of focus. With this expertise, you can start to go into business for yourself. Become that coach or consultant you always dreamed of or start a company of your own.

With your own brand, you have name recognition, and recognition translates to good business.

Anyone Can Do It

Another unique aspect of blogging as a side hustle is that it doesn't require any special skills or certifications.  There are no age restrictions or having to know somebody that knows somebody.  Literally anyone can do it.

Even those who do not consider themselves writers can do it!  Writing is a skill that you can improve along the way.

Furthermore, people who are shy and quiet normally, can use blogging to find their voice and really express themselves.  Blogging not just for the cool kids.

Find Your Community

When you blog about a particular topic, you'll likely to start to gather people who are like you and enjoy similar things.  

A comment here, a comment there and before you know it you'll have a thriving community of like-minded individuals.  People you can relate to and bounce ideas off of.  Your safe space.

You may even discover that from this group you make friendships that last a lifetime.  Who would've thought this could all come from a few posts on a blog!

Making a Difference in the World

When you blog, you have the potential to reach many people around the world.  This means your blog could change the lives of hundreds of millions of people.

As far as side hustles go, blogging is one of the best when it comes to making a difference.  And who doesn't want to make the world a better place?

Everyone has a talent, a gift, or a skill they can share with the world.  And the world needs it. 

So go on.  Leave your mark on the world for the better.

You Can Work From Anywhere

One of the biggest benefits to blogging as a side hustle is that you can literally do it anywhere.  You are not tied to any specific location.  It is ultimate freedom!

Want a view of the Champs Elysees while you work?  Or do you desire to sit on the beach all day everyday?  You could do that too!  If you take up blogging.  

Although, quietly, I'm not sure I'd recommend sitting on the beach with your laptop.  I don't think laptop and sand get along very well.

Blogging is the perfect hustle for people who want to travel or become a digital nomad.  All you need is your laptop and access to some good wifi and you're good to go!

The Potential for Exponential Growth

Being able to reach any and everyone with an internet connection is the main reason that blogging is such an attractive side hustle.  You never know when a post you write will reach the right person and just go viral.

If that happens, your sites traffic will explode and so will your earnings from ads, the products you are selling, and your affiliate marketing links.

This limitless potential for exponential growth is what attracts many to blogging.  You can't find this kind of growth in most other side hustles.

The Cons of Blogging As a Side Hustle

Now blogging can't be all sunshine and daisies or else everybody and their mama would be doing it.  So why aren't people tripping and falling over themselves to start blogging?  I got 8 good reasons why not.

It Can Be a Long Time Before You See Any Return

Blogging is definitely not a get rich quick kind of thing.  It can take years of consistent posting and marketing before you make a dime.  So if you are in a bind and need money now, starting a blog is not the side hustle for you.

Easy to Waste Your Money

Starting something new can be exciting.  There are so many new shiny toys that promise to make the road ahead much easier or help you start making money faster.

But be careful.  As they say, "all that glitters isn't gold."  And you may find that after the fairy dust wears off, you've spent a good chunk of change without much to show for it.

As a new blogger, it is easy to get distracted with things that don't matter that much, especially if your intent is to make money.  The perfectionist in us wants everything to be perfect. 

We want the perfect theme, with the perfect layout, and can spend loads of time just tweaking and perfecting things that in the beginning don't even matter.

I mean, no one's even coming to your blog because no one knows about it yet.  So leave Perfect Patty at home and just stick to the basics.

Takes Lots of Dedication and Commitment

The thing with blogging is it takes lots of time and dedication.  It takes consistency.  You can't simply upload here and there every few months if you hope to turn it into some sort of passive income.

In order to do that, you will need to be uploading new posts consistently, at least once a week but preferably 2 to 3 times a week.  If you can't do that, then blogging as a side hustle may not be for you.  

So much goes in to building a money making blog that if you can't commit the time in the beginning, you may want to rethink whether you should start it at all.

But If you are doing it for fun or as a hobby, then I say go for it!

Opportunity Costs Might Be Too High

With all the time commitment required to make blogging a financial success, you are giving up the opportunity to be doing something else.  Especially considering that you may not see any financial gains for a year or more.  

In contrast, if you had just gotten a part-time job or started tutoring on the side you would be making money immediately.  Not to mention you could use that extra money you are making to pay off debt or start investing now.

So you've got some thinking to do.  Is blogging and all its potential worth the opportunity costs for you?

Technical Issues May Be a Pain

I can honestly say technical issues were the bane of my existence when I first started blogging.  It felt like everything that could go wrong did go wrong.  

I had a big blob on my screen from who knows what, my "About Me" section was looking like it was pieced together in the dark I couldn't connect my menu to my pages, and I had no idea how to fix any of it.

This is why I can't recommend enough getting a hosting company or buying your theme from a company with excellent costumer service.  Because in these situations, they are clutch!

If you aren't up for the technical challenges that may come with blogging, then skip the blog and go for a regular side hustle.

Opens the Doors to Trolls

And no, I don't mean the kind you find in children's fairytales but the ones you find hiding behind a computer screen.  

Whenever you put yourself out there, you are bound to get some haters who want to take you down.

If you are sensitive to this kind of thing, then blogging might not be for you.  But if you can stick with it, this minus could become a plus as you develop thicker skin and realize just how awesome of a person you truly are!

No Recipe to Follow

In blogging there are no one size fits all recipes to success.  Blogging is not like other jobs where there are specific steps you take to get a promotion.  And a linear path to the top of the occupational food chain.

No one can tell you what you should do to grow your audience, increase traffic to your website, and make more money.  Sure, they try to tell you to follow these steps and voila you'll be rich but I find that things don't typically go as simply as they say.

Every person and every blog is different.  And what worked for someone else may not work for you.  You will have to create your own path to success.

Too Flexible

For those of us that need someone telling us what to do, or need hard deadlines to make sure we actually get things done on time, you may not be suited for the blogging life.

Blogging really takes a lot of self-motivation and drive.  If you find that you can't push yourself or you need someone to push you, then it's probably best you start looking for another side hustle. 

Preferably one where you are not the boss.

How to Blog Successfully

With so many blogs ending in failure you may be wondering if there is even a point in starting a blog.  

Since you have read this far I'm thinking you just might be one of the few who has the dedication necessary to become a successful blogger.  Here are a few tips to ensure your success.

Choose Something You Love

Of course, if you are going to start something in your spare time, you might as well make it something you love!  Blogging takes a lot of dedication but it is way easier if you really, truly love the topic you are writing about.

Not to mention that as you blog you gain more knowledge and expertise in that area. So pick something you actually want to know more about.

Success in blogging can take years.  So make sure it is something you can see yourself writing about for the next couple of years.

Make the Commitment

Blogging takes a lot of time and commitment especially when you are just starting out.  So if you decide that you are really going to do, make sure that you make the commitment to do so.

And for good measure, you may want to find an accountability partner to make sure you honor that commitment.

Schedule Your Blogging Time

Do you know who your main accountability partner is? the OG of accountability?  Your planner.

For many of us, we rely on our planner to tell us what we have to do and when we have to do it.  God bless technology because even when I can't be bothered to write it out, I can always 'hey google' and my wee phone assistant will input it into my calendar for me.

Things that are scheduled are more likely to get done.  So pencil it in and be sure to be consistent.  Once you get into the habit of working on your blog every week at the same times, it will become a habit.

And once it becomes a habit, it is so much easier to do.

Join a Blogging Group

Starting any new venture can be hard.  And blogging can be one of the hardest to maintain as it takes so much up-front time and effort with very little reward in the beginning.

That's why having a blogging community or someone you can talk to is essential.  When times get hard or you feel frustrated and unmotivated, it may help to have someone to talk to.

Other bloggers will get you and understand what you are going through.  Don't be afraid to reach out and connect.

The number one reason blogs fail is because people lose their motivation and just stop.

Getting Started Blogging

If you're thinking of getting into blogging, the good news is it's pretty easy to get started.  In just 5 easy steps and less than 20 minutes you can officially be a blogger.

Choose Your Niche

The first thing you'll want to do is decide what you are going to talk about in your blog.  This can be anything from sports to food to traveling as a single mom.

The more specific it is the better.  It'll be easy to target your specific audience and much easier to build a following of people who share your interest.

Since this is a side hustle you do want to choose something that you can monetize later.  But don't let this overly concern you as you can pretty much monetize anything.  

Also, you will want to choose a topic that you are at least interested in.  Otherwise, it can make blogging pretty difficult later on down the road.

Pick Your Blogging Platform

The next thing you'll want to do is choose your blogging platform.  This is the software or service that you will be using to publish your content online.

There are two types of blogging platforms you can choose from:  a hosted platform or a self-hosted platform.  A hosted platform is like renting a home while a self-hosted platform is like owning your own home.  

It's the age old renting vs. owning dilemma.  Let's look at the pros and cons of each.

Hosted Platforms

There are a number of hosted platforms that you can choose from.  They provide an all-in-one service where pretty much everything is taken care of for you.  

Here are the main ones:  WIX, SquareSpace, Shopify, Blogger, Tumblr , Medium, and WordPress.com (not to be confused with WordPress.org, the self-hosting one).

Hosted platforms can be great because they handle everything for you which means you won't have the headache of dealing with technical issues.  

The downside is there may be a lot of restrictions as far as customizability, storage space, functionality, etc.  Not to mention it won't be your blog per se as even your blog's name will only be a subdomain of your chosen platform (i.e. blogsname.wix.com).  

Self-Hosted Platforms

To self host means that you will choose your own software for your blog then select a company that will host it.  Going the self-hosted route gives you much more freedom and control over your blog.

You get to customize and add various functionality to your blog over time.  And if necessary, you can change your hosting company without having to start all over again to make your site.

Since you are eventually going to want to make money off of this, I recommend using self-hosted WordPress software (WordPress.org).  This will give you more control of your blog.

You can, of course, make money with a hosted blog but if you are looking to grow and expand then self-hosting is best as hosted platforms are limited.

*Disclosure:  Some of the links on this page may be affiliate links. This means, at no additional cost to you, I may receive commission if you click the link and make a purchase.

Select Your Hosting Provider

If you decide to go the self-hosted route, the next thing you will need to do is choose your hosting provider.   Your provider provides you with the space to house your blog.

Choose Your Domain Name

Select a Theme 

A big reason for going with a WordPress blog is that there are tons of free themes that you can choose from.  

Don't feel like once you choose a theme it is set in stone for life.  You can always go back and change it later.  So just pick one and roll with it.

The biggest challenge you'll face and the most important thing you should be focused on is writing those posts.  All the other decorations and minor tweaking can wait.

Download Essential Plugins

To get started off on the right foot, here are some basic plugin essentials you need to download for your site.  

Google Analytics by MonsterInsights

This plugin will give you insights into the number of people coming to your site, what pages they are visiting, how long they stay and more. Best part is it's free.  There is a premium version but you don't need it when you are just starting out.

Short Pixel Image Optimizer by Short Pixel

This plugin speeds up your site by compressing your pictures.  You'll want to download this at the start.  It is also free.  You may also want to get the Resize Image After Upload plugin by the same company as well.

Anti-Spam Plugin

SEO Plugin

Start Writing! Upload Your First Post

Now is the moment of truth.  The final and most important part of blogging.  The writing! 

To be a blogger, you're gonna have to start writing.  Writing all those wonderful, engaging posts that your readers will want to share, pin, and retweet.

It can be hard at first to put something out there for the whole wide world to see (and critique).  But after you post that first one, things get a lot easier.  So hang in there!

Bonus: Enjoy the Journey!

Congratulations! You did it!  You are now officially a blogger.  Wasn't that easy?  Easy button!

While the road ahead may be long, that doesn't mean it has to be boring. Make sure you are still enjoying your new venture.  Throughout this experience, you are going to be learning and growing as a person.  

And that's something to celebrate!

If you've chosen your topic right, blogging should be at least a wee bit of fun.  And if it starts to feel too much like job job, it's okay to take a break.

Stop.  Smell the roses.  Then get back to it.  You got this!

All in All 

Blogging as a side hustle can be a great idea for those of us willing and able to put in the work to make it a success.  But, because of the probability of not seeing any returns for at least a year, it may not be quite so enticing to some.

Blogging has some amazing benefits such as personal growth, learning new skills, and opening up new doors.  For me, it is worth more than just the money that can be gained.  

It is the experience, the skills, and the opportunities that come with it that truly matter most.  Happy Writing!

Related Question

Who is blogging perfect for?

Blogging is perfect for students (or anyone with free time) of any age but particularly high school and university students.  At that age. you are old enough to have clarity on the things you like and be able to make a commitment to blog consistently.

Further, at that age, you probably wont really need money for at least a couple of years and by that time, you could have a nice money making blog on your hands.

Blogging is also great for anyone who has a very niche-specific passion.  It is no secret that being able to niche down your topic can greatly increase your chances of success and if your already passionate about it, even better!