Are you want to start a blog and make money online?
If yes, then continue reading this article.
Most people have a dream to earn money while sleeping. Blogging gives this opportunity.
In this post, I’m going to show how to set up a blog with a step by step guide.
You can start a blog in less than 30 minutes. You will also know some of the best ways to make money from a blog.
So without doing any further delay, let’s jump to the process.
How to Start a Blog and Make Money in 2020 ( Step-By-Step Guide )
Step 1: Choose A Niche
Choosing a niche is the most important thing before starting a blog.
If you don’t know, what is a niche?
Then, it’s a specific topic or market you write content to target an audience.
For example, If you have a photography passion. Thinking to start a blog on that topic then photography is going to be your blog niche.
Do you know that a niche-specific blog has more chance to get successful as compared to a blog that writes random topics?
Google also ranks a niche blog better that write on a specific topic, create authority and expertise in a particular market.
If you haven’t chosen a niche yet, then here are some of the popular niches, you can try one of these.
• Health
• Travel
• Food
• Tech
• How-to
• Fashion
• News
• Finance
• Automobile
And more.
Note: Before choosing a niche, you should have passion and knowledge about the topic.
Now, go to the next step.
Step 2: Choose A Domain
A domain name is the address of your site. That helps people to access your blog online.
Most people take too much time in selecting a domain name for their blog.
You can choose a domain name anything you like. It’s doesn’t matter a lot as compared to your blog content.
People can also register a domain name on their own name and start blogging.
Here are some things you should keep in mind before taking a domain.
1: Easy to Type Domain: A domain name should be easy to type. Don’t use complex words within your domain.
2: Avoid Numbers and Hyphens: You should register a domain name without numbers and hyphens.
3: Keep Short and Simple: Get a shorter and simple domain that is easy to remember.
Step 3: Choose A Blogging Platform
A blogging platform is a tool where you will be upload and manage your content such as Articles, Images, Videos and more.
So, it will be accessible for the people.
There are so many blogging platforms in the market but WordPress is one of the best and easy to use.
WordPress is a popular blogging platform. Mhelpsost blogs on the internet powered by WordPress.
Here are some reasons why you should use WordPress.
1: It’s an open-source application, anyone can use it for free.
2: WordPress is a flexible platform, you can build almost any kind of site.
3: Thousands of articles and videos are available on the internet which help you to set up a site on WordPress properly.
4: You can add extra features to your blog by simply installing plugins. There are thousands of free and paid plugins available for WordPress.
5: Most big and small blogs are powered by WordPress.
Now, I think you have understood why you should use the WordPress blogging platform.
Step 4: Find a Web Hosting
If you don’t know what is web hosting? then it’s a storage server where all of your blog content will be stored so it will be accessible through a domain.
There are hundreds of web hosting providers in the market. I highly recommend you to get hosting from SiteGround. It’s officially recommended by WordPress for hosting.
SiteGround gives the best customer support 24/7 and 30 days money-back guarantee. It’s completely risk-free.
You will get the fastest web hosting service at a reasonable price that is also suitable for beginners.
Here are some of the key features of SiteGround hosting.
» 99.9% Uptime Guarantee
» SSD Storage
» Automatic Backup
» Free Site Migration
» Free SSL and CDN
» 1 Click WordPress Installation
» Cpanel Support
» 24/7 Customer Support
In this article below, I will show you how you can get a web hosting and domain (in case you haven’t registered a domain yet).
Get 60% OFF on Siteground Hosting
How to Get Web Hosting Follow Step By Step Guide.
Step 1: Click Here to visit SiteGround pricing page. There you will see 3 different plans. I recommend GrowBig, Click on the get started button.
Step 2: Choose a domain name
Enter a domain name which one you want to register for your blog. Once you have entered a domain name, click on the proceed button.
Note: If you already have a domain name then select ” I already have a domain ” option and put your domain in the box.
Step 3: Fill your account details
Now, you have to fill account details that allow you to create a siteground account.
Step 4: Enter Credit/Debit card information
Step 5: Agree to the terms & click the proceed button.
Now, It will take a few minutes to ready your web hosting.
Check your email to get important details regarding your siteground account.
Now, you have to log in to your siteground account then move to the next step.
Step 4: Set Up WordPress Blog
Now, You will have to log in to your siteground account, you will see an image like shown below.
Next, select the ” Start a new website ” option then click on ” WordPress ” icon.
Now, you will need to enter the admin account details for your new WordPress site such as admin email, username, and password.
You will need these details to login to your WordPress dashboard.
Now, checkmark the term and conditions box and then click on the ” complete setup ” button.
Now, it will take a few minutes to complete the WordPress installation on your siteground hosting.
Next, you will see your hosting account is ready to use, click on the “proceed to customer area ” button.
Now, click on the ” My accounts ” menu on the top.
Next, click on ” Go to admin panel ” best to visit your WordPress admin area.
Enter your WordPress login details which you choose during the installation and then click on the login button.
Note: you can use this URL: http://your-site.com/wp-admin. Replace your-site.com with your blog domain.
Step 5: Change Your Blog Theme
Now you need to change your WordPress default theme. It looks very basic and comes with limited customization options.
It is just a simple theme to get started. You need a beautiful responsive customizable theme to grab the user’s attention because no one pays attention to an average site.
Now, there are lots of premium theme shops in the market, but I recommend Elegant Themes and MyThemeShop. You can also use premium themes like GeneratePress and Astra.
If you want to use a free WordPress theme, then there are lots of free themes available on WordPress. Which you can use on your blog.
I like OceanWP free that comes with all the necessary features you will need to build a perfect blog.
Here’s a step by step guide you can find and use a free theme in your wordpress blog.
Login to your WordPress dashboard, go to the appearance tab then select the themes option.
Now, click on the add button to find a free theme for the blog. Scroll down until you find a theme that you like to use on the blog.
Then, take the mouse over the theme and click on the install button.
Once the theme is installed, click on the Activate button.
Now, visit your site to see how your website looks.
Step 6: Ways to Monetize a Blog
There are so many ways to monetize a blog in 2020. Which Lets you earn money from blogging.
Below, I have given some of the best and popular blog monetization methods.
1: Display Ads
This is the easiest way to earn money from a blog. You only have to display ads on your blog when user engagement and click on ads you will earn.
You can join Google AdSense and Media.net both are the best ads programs.
If you will try to earn money from advertising, then you need lots of traffic on your blog.
There are lots of blogs that are making thousands of dollars every month from display ads.
Above, I have mentioned you need lots of traffic to earn a handsome income every month. So you have to target low competitive and high volume keywords to drive more traffic to your blog.
2: Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is my favorite way to monetize a blog not only my favorite even thousands of bloggers too.
Affiliate marketing has the potential to make thousands of dollars for you. Believe me, it can change your life.
Problogger like Anil Agrawal from Bloggers Passion has earned more than $200,000+ dollars just from one affiliate program.
If you don’t know, what is affiliate marketing?
Then, it’s a method to sell other products through your own referral link to earn a commission.
Actually, you promote other products on your blog on commission basis.
When I first started blogging, I was not aware of the potential of affiliate marketing.
After a couple of time spent in blogging, I realized the real potential of affiliate marketing.
Now I earn a handsome income every month from affiliate marketing.
Well, if you want to do affiliate marketing then first you have to choose a problem-solving product or service in your industry that has an affiliate program.
Then, you need to create some high-quality contents around that product or service to promote it to your readers through your unique referral link.
Suppose, you promote a product on my blog that pays me $65 on every sale made through your affiliate link.
If you are able to sell 10 products in a month then you will earn $65×10= $650 in a month just from one affiliate product.
There are lots of bloggers who earn in 6 figures from affiliate marketing.
3: Selling Course
So many bloggers mainly focus on selling their own course rather than someone else’s product through affiliate marketing.
You can also create your own course to monetize a blog.
For example, if you are an expert in photography, start a blog on this topic, then create an ebook or video course on photography that teaches people how to become a professional photographer.
Look in yourself and find what is the one thing you are good at.
Next, think can I start a blog on this topic and monetize it through the selling course.
Here are the 3 benefits of selling courses through blogging.
1: You have the completed control of course price.
2: You will get instant payment in your bank account.
3: No earning limits, you can earn as much as you can.
4: Sponsorship Post
People can also make money from sponsoship posts.
If you don’t know what a sponsorship post?
Then, it’s a way to earn money from posting paid articles on a blog.
Some brands pay bloggers to write a product review on their blog.
It takes time to get sponsorship opportunities because first, your blog has to become an authority blog in the industry to get high price sponsorship articles.
Bloggers can earn between $100 to $2000 per sponsorship post, depending on how big and the targeted audience they have.
I personally know some of the bloggers who charge $500 to $1000 on each sponsorship article.

Kundan Sharma
My name is Kundan Sharma, I’m a Professional Blogger, Affiliate Marketer and an Online Entrepreneur. Here, I blog about Blogging, SEO and help people to make passive income online.