7 Years of Blogging as a Side Hustle – Should You Start a Blog?

 
I have a lot to say about blogging, especially blogging as a side hustle.

And I should. I’ve been blogging as a side hustle for 7 years.

Young Adult Money was started in 2012 and has been going strong ever since. It’s led to two published books, many media interviews, and countless friendships and businesses relationships, and many opportunities that would have never materialized had I not started my blog 7 years ago.

If you’re wondering whether or not you should start a blog, my short answer is “yes.” While it’s not always the case, many people have had their lives changed by blogging. You won’t necessarily make a million a year through blogging (though I personally know some who do), but there is a ton of upside that comes with having a blog.

I’ll start by talking about the benefits of having a blog. I’ll also go over a few simple steps for starting your blog, as well as some tips for those getting started.

The Benefits of Having a Blog

 
I’m all about chasing upside. And blogging has a lot of upside.

Blogging can result in:

• Side Hustle Income – You can make extra money above and beyond your 9-5 through blogging. It’s always a good idea to diversify your income, but there aren’t always good opportunities. Blogging is an opportunity.

• Quitting Your Job – It’s entirely possible that blogging can lead to you quitting your job. This isn’t the case with everyone, obviously, but thousands and thousands of people have started a blog and eventually quit to run their website full-time.

• Learning and Developing New Skills – Writing skills, speaking skills, general content creation skills, social media marketing…the list goes on. Not to mention you will very likely become a subject matter expert in whatever you choose for your blog topic.

• Making New Connections – One of the most valuable things you can gain from blogging is friendships and connections. You will inevitably meet many people who you otherwise never would have crossed paths with. This can result in business opportunities and lifelong friendships.

I could go on and on, but you get the point: simply by having a blog you expose yourself to upside.

One of the unexpected benefits of blogging is that it can help you with your day job, even if your blog is completely unrelated. In my own life, I was able to push myself out of my comfort zone with my blog, mainly through public speaking opportunities that I’ve taken advantage of. These experiences, plus the fact that I am not reliant on my 9-5 as a sole source of income, has made me a better employee.

Making money on my blog has been a huge benefit. Between book sales, sponsorships, and affiliate income, I’ve been able to build up a decent side income. It wasn’t always that way, though, and it’s important to keep in mind that I’ve been blogging for seven years and have learned throughout the process.

My primary advice to people who are considering blogging is to start NOW. The sooner you start, the sooner you can learn the ins and outs of blogging. You’ll learn what works and what doesn’t. And the older your site the more valuable it is on search engines.

Time flies, and you can easily waste a few years thinking about starting a blog. During that time you could have started and built up a successful blog that generates you income. Who knows, you could have even written your first book! You also could have given it a shot and realized it’s not for you. Regardless the key point is to take action and not wait.

The one thing all these successful bloggers have in common is this: they all started a blog.

How to Start a Blog in a Few Simple Steps

 
There are free blog options such as “Blogger,” and many people make the mistake of starting a blog on one of these free platforms. I’ve seen many (too many) bloggers go through the headache of transitioning from a free hosting platform to a paid, self-hosted one like Bluehost and some have spent an entire weekend going through the process and working out bugs. Don’t make that mistake!

The process can be so complicated that I completely abandoned one of my Blogger blogs instead of go through the headache of transitioning to Bluehost.

If you want to start a blog that makes money you are going to want to start one on Bluehost. Bluehost offers many benefits, including:

• Affordable – By using my link you get hosting for just $2.95 per month, which is less than $36 a year.

• Free Domain Name – You will get a free domain name when you sign up for hosting on Bluehost using my link

• Extremely Easy WordPress Installation – Bluehost has a “one-click” WordPress installation

• 24/7 Tech Support – Bluehost tech support is available 24/7 and has been outstanding every time I’ve used them

• Attractive to Advertisers – Having a self-hosted blog is attractive to advertisers and will make it easier to make money blogging

• 30-Day Money Back Guarantee – If you cancel within 30 days you receive a full refund on your hosting service

• Extended Money Back Guarantee – If you cancel after 30 days you receive a prorated refund for the remainder of your hosting term

As you can see there are many benefits of using BlueHost to start your blog. With their money-back guarantee there is very little risk of starting a blog through BlueHost.

1) Choose a Hosting Option

 
Once you have gone to BlueHost you will see the various hosting options. I highly recommend going with the “basic” package. Even though there are two higher-priced packages, there is nothing in the higher-priced packages that you need if you are just starting out, and Bluehost would be happy to upgrade you to the higher-priced packages if you want.

Keep in mind that this option is very affordable for self-hosting a website and comes with a money-back guarantee. If you decide within 30 days blogging isn’t for you, you can get your full payment refunded. Even at 10, 11, or however many months in, if you decide you don’t want Bluehost web hosting you will get refunded for any months you paid for but haven’t used yet.

2) Choose a Free Domain Name

 
When you sign up for Bluehost using my link you get a free domain name. This is an ~$15 value if you had bought the domain name.

Once you click on the basic package in the previous step you will be brought to a screen where you enter the domain name you want.

I will be the first to admit it’s not easy to choose a domain name. I got lucky by finding YoungAdultMoney.com, as many domains with “money” in it are already taken. But you know as well as me that obscure names can work really well.

It’s easy to overthink a domain name, but in all honesty the value of your blog will not be in the name but in the content you put out. There are many hugely successful blogs out there with (very) obscure domain names.

Once you have a free domain, you simply need to complete your registration and you officially have a blog! I would choose none of the extras on the last screen as they are just going to increase the cost of starting a blog.

Note: You can skip the section below and go straight to “Install WordPress” if you are registering a free domain name.

Already have a domain name?

If you already have a domain name that you bought on a site like GoDaddy, it’s easy to connect your domain name to Bluehost. Instead of registering a new domain, just choose the second option on the page and enter the domain you would like to be linked to your Bluehost hosting.

Here are the directions for changing your nameservers within GoDaddy. Here are the bluehost nameservers you will want to replace the default GoDaddy nameserves with. You can always reach out to 24/7 support with bluehost if you run into issues.

3) Install WordPress

 
Bluehost makes WordPress installation super easy. It’s actually called “one-click WordPress installation.”

Once you have signed up for an account, login to your Bluehost account and go to hosting -> cpanel.

Once on this page, scroll down to website builders and find the Install WordPress icon.

Once you click the Install WordPress icon, you simply need to click install and choose the domain you are installing WordPress to. You will then set up your login information.

To log into your WordPress blog, go to your domain name and add /wp-admin to the end of the domain. This will pull up the user and password fields that allow you to log into WordPress.

Just like that you have a living breathing WordPress blog. Congrats!

Remember, if you have ANY questions at all do not hesitate to ask. I am happy to help you with any blogging questions just as I’ve helped many others set up a blog.

Tips for Those Who are Starting a Blog

 
Congratulations if you’ve decided to take the plunge into blogging! You never know where it will take you, so you should be excited.

I want to share a few tips I’ve learned over the years that will help you get started on the right foot, and perhaps will help you avoid some of the mistakes that many new bloggers make.

• Commit to Sticking With Blogging for a Set Amount of Time
   
  Blogging takes work, and it’s not for everyone. It can feel especially difficult in the beginning, though the excitement of doing something new can help offset that feeling.
   
  This is exactly why I recommend committing to your blog for a set amount of time. That may mean three months, six months, or even a year. Sticking with a blog is key. Every successful blogger could have quit after a week or two, but they stuck it out.

  You may find that blogging isn’t for you, and that’s okay as well! But commit to sticking with the blog for three months minimum, because it does take some time to get used to running a blog.

• Publishing Content is Only the Beginning
   
  Most people who start blogging are caught off guard by all the “extra” stuff that comes with blogging. This may include conducting research, web design, graphic design, commenting on other blogs, networking with other bloggers, planning and managing social media accounts, managing your email list…the list goes on.
   
  Keep in mind that actually writing and publishing content is only one piece of being a blogger. You can outsource some of these things, but most new bloggers like to keep expenditures low until they know they are going to stick with blogging.

• Plan Content with an Editorial Calendar
   
  One of the best things I’ve done from a planning perspective with my blog is making use of an editorial calendar. An editorial calendar is a way to plan your content in advance, something that many bloggers do.
   
  I created a free editorial calendar in Google Sheets for other bloggers and content managers. Some of the biggest brands have downloaded this editorial calendar, which I think validates how useful it is.

• Think about Long-Term Goals
   
  Part of the fun of blogging is you have no idea where it will take you. I have seen people leverage their blog for a profitable freelance writing career, publish books, or pivot into new careers like social media managers or content managers. The upside is truly limitless.
   
  With that in mind, it is useful to reflect on your long-term goals. Do you want to gain freelance writing clients? Or do you want to publish a book? Is your goal to quit your job or to simply build a side income stream? Where do you want blogging to take you?
   
  Having some bigger goals in mind can provide you with the motivation to “stick it out.” Blogging can be difficult at times because there is always more content to create and more you can do to build your brand. In those times where you may want to quit, remind yourself what you are working towards!

Remember, the first step is simple: get started! There is a learning curve with blogging and it does take some trial-and-error. The sooner you get started, the sooner you can learn the tricks of the trade.

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