How to Start a Blog That Makes Money in 2025
* This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through links from Amazon and other retailers at no additional cost to you.
When I got laid off before Thanksgiving this year (2024), I knew I had to make this blog a business, and that’s what I’ve done…faster than I ever thought possible!
Starting a blog isn’t just a creative outlet—it’s a gateway to financial freedom, flexibility, and building a personal brand. In 2025, blogging is still, in my experience, one of the most accessible and scalable ways to make money online.
Whether you’re a stay-at-home mom, a busy professional looking for extra income, or someone who wants to turn your passion into profit, blogging can help you reach your goals.
Why You Should Start a Blog in 2025
Here’s why blogging still makes sense:
Leverage Your Expertise: Your unique experiences and skills can be turned into content that helps others and earns you money.
Low Startup Costs: Unlike other businesses, you don’t need thousands of dollars to start a blog. A hosting plan with Bluehost and a domain name can get you up and running for less than the cost of a coffee habit. (If you use my link to sign up, you’ll get an exclusive deal of just $1.99 a month!)
Unlimited Earning Potential: From affiliate marketing to ads and digital products, the ways to monetize your blog are virtually endless.
Work From Anywhere: Whether you’re in your pajamas at home or sipping iced tea on a beach, you can run your blog anywhere with an internet connection. I mean, is this real life?!!

For me, blogging started as a fun experiment. I’ve helped other people grow blogs in the past and have enven sold a couple of my own that were starting to generate income.
But when I launched this blog, I wasn’t even sure what I wanted to write about. My posts were random and didn’t have much of a focus.
Around mid-November, everything shifted. I decided to focus on something I’ve always been passionate about—home decor. That’s when I wiped out all my old content and started over with a clear direction. I wouldn’t normally recommend this, but I had exactly zero audience at that time.
It was the best decision I could have made because a few days before Thanksgiving, I got laid off from my cushy dream job!
Thankfully, blogging about something I truly enjoy makes the process fun, and I hope my enthusiasm shows through in my content.
That clarity is what helped me turn my blog into a business. With the right strategies (which I’ll share here), my blog started earning money in its very first few weeks.
Yes, really!
Choosing the Right Hosting for Your Blog
Before writing any content, you’ll need to set up your blog—and that starts with choosing a hosting provider. Your host is what keeps your blog online, so it’s a crucial decision.
When I first started my other blogs in the past, I went with Bluehost because it’s beginner-friendly, affordable, and comes with pretty decent customer service. If you’re just starting out, I highly recommend it because it’s easy to use, and their team responds quickly when you’re figuring things out.
They’re perfect for getting your blog up and running without breaking the bank. Plus, if you use my Bluehost link, you can get it for just $1.99 a month—that’s an unbeatable price for beginners!
You do have to pay for a few months in advance if I remember correctly, but it’s cheaper than most others I’ve researched, and it’s highly trusted by millions of bloggers.
You might be wondering why you’d choose a hosting provider like Bluehost over a free blogging platform like WordPress.com, Wix or something like that. While WordPress.com or similar platforms may seem like a simple option, they come with major limitations if you’re serious about growing and monetizing your blog.
With a self-hosted blog through Bluehost, you’ll have full ownership and control of your site, unlimited opportunities for monetization, and the ability to scale as your traffic grows. Plus, self-hosting gives you a professional domain name (like yourname.com) rather than a subdomain like yourname.wordpress.com, which looks less professional.
When I started this website, another blogger recommended a different host, so I gave it a try. While this one seems to perform pretty well, I kind of regretted the decision while I was getting things set up because the customer service just didn’t compare.
If you’re a beginner or even an intermediate blogger, having responsive and helpful support saves you SO much time and frustration.
How to Set Up Your Blog: A Step-by-Step Guide
Setting up a blog might seem intimidating, but it’s so much easier than you think. With just a few simple steps, you can have a professional blog up and running in less than an hour. Here’s exactly how to do it:
1. Choose Your Hosting Provider
Like I already mentioned, I recommend starting with Bluehost for its affordability and ease of use. Plus, if you use my exclusive Bluehost link, you can get it for just $1.99 a month—the best deal you’ll find. (shameless affiliate plug)

Once you click the link, follow these steps:
- Select the Basic Plan (perfect for beginners).
- Choose a domain name that reflects your blog’s niche or brand.
- Complete your signup and payment details.

2. Install WordPress
After signing up with Bluehost, installing WordPress is simple.
- Log in to your Bluehost account.
- Navigate to the My Sites tab and click Create Site.
- Follow the prompts to name your site, set up your login credentials, and choose a free WordPress theme.
Bluehost takes care of all the technical stuff behind the scenes, so you’ll have WordPress installed and ready to go in minutes.
I’ve also noticed that they have a new AI site creation tool. I haven’t tried it so I can’t say how well that would work, but it might be worth a try!
3. Choosing Your Theme
Your blog’s theme is what determines how it looks and feels. Start with a free WordPress theme like Kadence or Astra if you want to keep things affordable.
These are both great themes. I switched to an expensive theme for about a week and ended up going back to Kadence because I just like it better.
- To install a theme, go to your WordPress dashboard, click Appearance > Themes, and search for one that fits your style.

4. Install Essential Plugins
Plugins add functionality to your site. Here are a few must-haves to get started:
- Yoast SEO: Helps optimize your content for search engines.
- Social Warfare: Or something similar. I use Genesis Simple Share because it’s a more cohesive design for my blog. These make it easy for readers to share your posts to social media right from your site.
- Smush: Compresses your images to speed up your site.
- Kadence Blocks: If you decide to go with the Kadence themes, this plugin has a lot of cool blocks you can add to your posts and pages for an easier design process.
- Pretty Links: This plugin cleans up your affiliate links and stores them in your dashboard so you can find them easily.
To install plugins, go to Plugins > Add New in your WordPress dashboard and search for the ones you need.
5. Set Up Your Key Pages
Every blog needs a few essential pages before you start posting content:
- About Page: Share your story, what inspired you to start your blog, and why readers should follow along. This is your chance to connect with your audience on a personal level.
- Contact Page: Make it easy for readers and brands to reach you by including a contact form or your email address.
- Privacy Policy: If you plan to monetize your blog, collect user data, or use tools like Google Analytics, a privacy policy is legally required. You can use free online privacy policy generators, or for peace of mind, invest in the Blogging Starter Legal Bundle from Amira at A Self Guru. Amira is a licensed attorney with a blog, and her templates are easy to customize and will ensure your blog is legally protected.
- Terms and Conditions: This page outlines the rules for using your site and limits your liability. The Starter Legal Bundle also includes a ready-made Terms and Conditions template that saves you time and stress.
- Disclaimer: If you’re using affiliate links (like I am in this post), you’ll need a disclaimer explaining your relationship with those brands. The Blogging Legal Bundle has you covered here too.
Starting your blog with legally sound pages will save you from headaches down the road and ensure that you’re compliant with regulations. I highly recommend the Starter Legal Bundle for Bloggers because it’s created by a licensed attorney and blogger who understands our needs. Check it out here.
6. Write Your First Blog Posts
You’re officially set up—now it’s time to create content! Focus on high-quality, helpful posts that solve a problem or answer a question for your audience. I recommend starting with 5–10 posts before promoting your blog to make it look established.
My blog posts are almost exclusively listicles with a lot of images because my Pinterest audience seems to like them, but your blogging style will depend on your niche.
Visit some successful blogs in your niche and take note of what types of blog posts they write.
7. Start Promoting Your Blog
Once your blog is live, don’t wait for people to stumble across it—start promoting! My favorite strategy for traffic is Pinterest (more on that later). Pinterest has been a game-changer for my blog, and it’s how I started seeing traffic and income so quickly.
How Blogs Make Money
One of the most exciting parts of starting a blog is realizing its potential to make money. A blog isn’t just a creative outlet—it’s a legitimate business model with multiple income streams.
Here’s an overview of how blogs make money and the strategies I’ve used to start earning from mine.
1. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to start making money with your blog. It involves promoting products or services and earning a commission for every sale made through your unique affiliate links.
- How It Works: You recommend products you love and believe in (like I often do with Amazon products I like), and when someone clicks your link and makes a purchase, you earn a percentage of the sale.
- Why It’s Great: You don’t need to create your own products, and the income potential grows as your traffic increases.
- My Results: I started seeing affiliate earnings within the first month of blogging by sharing links naturally in posts like this one. It’s not a ton yet, but it’s growing!
2. Ad Revenue
Once your blog gets consistent traffic, display ads can become a reliable source of income. Ad networks like Mediavine and AdThrive allow you to earn money based on the number of impressions or clicks on your site.
And Journey is a new Mediavine network for newer bloggers—that’s what I have!
- How It Works: You apply to an ad network, they place their ads on your site, and you earn money as people view or interact with them.
- Why It’s Great: It’s a passive income stream—you get paid for content you’ve already created.
- My Results: I qualified for Mediavine Journey in less than a month after focusing my blog on home decor. As of now, I’m earning $30–$40 per day from ads alone!
3. Products
Creating and selling digital products like printables, eBooks, or online courses is a scalable way to earn money. It’s a bit more advanced, but once you have an audience, it can become a significant revenue stream.
- How It Works: You create a product once and sell it repeatedly.
- Why It’s Great: It’s completely under your control, and you keep all the profit.
4. Sponsored Content
Brands will pay you to feature their products or services in your blog posts. This typically works best once you’ve built a solid audience. I’ve never actually done this, but am open to it if it’s a brand I love in the same niche.
- How It Works: You collaborate with a brand to create content that highlights their offerings.
- Why It’s Great: It can be lucrative and aligns well with your content if you choose brands you genuinely believe in.
How Long Does It Take to Make Money With a Blog?
This is the million-dollar question (literally). The timeline depends on factors like your niche, traffic, and strategy.
Here’s how it’s been working for me:
- First Month: I started earning affiliate income and ad revenue within the first month of consistently posting and using my Pinterest strategy.
- Ad Network Approval: I qualified for Mediavine Journey just one month after wiping my blog clean and starting over.
- Current Results: As of now, I’m making $30–$40 a day from ads and am starting to see my affiliate earnings grow.
The Truth About Making Money Blogging
Let’s be honest—most blogs don’t make money right away. Blogging is not a “get rich quick” scheme. It’s a long-term investment of time and effort.
BUT, with the right strategies, you can start seeing income faster than you might think. I’m nothing special so if I can do it, so can you!
Factors that impact how quickly you can earn include:
- Niche Selection: Some niches, like finance or technology, can be harder to monetize right now because they’ve previously gotten most of their traffic with Google SEO strategies—that seems to be recalibrating at the moment. Home decor works for me because it’s such a popular topic on Pinterest. Some other popular topics there are fashion, beauty, organizing, and recipes.
- Content Quality: High-quality, helpful blog posts are now more likely to rank on Google. But no matter what your traffic strategy is, that type of content can help you get returning readers and keep them there longer.
- Traffic Sources: Platforms like Pinterest, Instagram and TikTok can drive traffic faster than relying solely on search engines, which take so much longer to deliver results, especially right now!
Realistic Timelines for New Bloggers
If you’re just starting out, here’s a general timeline of what you can expect:
- First Month: Focus on building your blog and creating high-quality content. At the same time, focus on building your Pinterest account, gradually ramping up to pinning 25-30 pins a day (this includes yours + others).
- Second Month: You might start seeing small affiliate commissions or ad revenue if your traffic grows quickly. I did this sooner, though, and I recommend applying to Mediavine Journey as soon as you start getting some traffic.
- 3–6 Months: By consistently posting and promoting, you’ll likely start to see traffic growth and higher earnings from ads and affiliates.
- 1 Year+: Established blogs with steady traffic can generate significant income, especially if you add multiple revenue streams like sponsored posts or digital products.
Tips for Making Money Faster
Want to speed up your timeline? Here’s what worked for me:
- Leverage Pinterest: Pinterest was my secret weapon for driving traffic quickly. It’s a visual search engine that rewards consistency and high-quality pins.
- Focus on Some Monetizable Topics: Write some posts that naturally lend themselves to affiliate links or ad placements. For example, some of my home decor posts include links to Amazon products and other recommendations. I don’t focus on this for all of my posts. I try to be extremely helpful and plug in affiliate links for products I recommend where they apply.
- Invest in Learning: Courses like Elna Caine’s Pin and Win Course helped me avoid some beginner marketing mistakes and set myself up for success.
Be Patient and Persistent
While I was able to start earning in my first month (and so can you), it’s not always the case. But I don’t want you to give up! I mean, the time’s going to pass anyway, right? You might as well keep building and see where it goes.
The key is to stay consistent, keep learning, and focus on providing value to your readers. Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint—but the rewards are worth it.
How I Use Pinterest to Grow Blog Traffic
I used to manage Pinterest accounts for other bloggers, so I knew Pinterest was a powerful tool for driving traffic. But it wasn’t until I developed a solid Pinterest strategy that I started seeing real results. In fact, Pinterest is the main reason I’ve been able to grow my blog traffic so quickly and monetize in just a month.
Here’s exactly how I use Pinterest to grow my blog:
1. Why Pinterest Works for Bloggers
Pinterest is more than a social media platform—it’s a visual search engine. People use it to find inspiration, solutions, and ideas, which makes it perfect for driving traffic to blogs.
Unlike other platforms, pins have a long lifespan, meaning they can drive traffic to your blog for months or even years after being posted.
For my blog, which focuses on home decor, Pinterest is the ideal platform because most users are searching for visual ideas and inspiration.
2. My Pinterest Strategy
After taking Elna Caine’s Pin and Win Course, I built a Pinterest strategy with her unique method and some of my own tweaks that has skyrocketed my traffic.
Here’s what I do:
- Closely Follow Pinterest Trends: This is how I come up with what to blog about, along with PinClicks (which is another game-changer).
- Create Pins for Every Blog Post: Each time I publish a new blog post, I create a fresh pin for it and publish it on Pinterest. I make sure the pin is visually appealing and includes bold text that matches my post title.
- Pin Consistently: I pin my new blog post immediately, then schedule 3 additional pins for the same post a week apart. This keeps the content circulating without spamming.
- Pin Other People’s Content: I pin 25–30 pins from other creators every day. This helps my account stay active and has been one of the key pieces where I saw my traffic spikes.
- Optimize Pin Descriptions: I use relevant keywords in my pin descriptions to ensure my content gets discovered in Pinterest searches.
Why I Recommend Elna’s Course
Elna’s keyword strategy is the other piece to my puzzle. I haven’t seen anyone else talking about it and it makes a HUGE difference. Unfortunately, I can’t share that with you because I don’t want to take away from the paid content she spent so much time perfecting.
But if you’ re serious about taking your Pinterest game to the next level, I highly recommend the Pin and Win Course. I think it’s even half off right now!
3. My Results
By implementing this strategy, my Pinterest traffic has skyrocketed. In the last 30 days, I’ve grown to over 1 million views from ZERO, and this consistent traffic is directly driving thousands of readers to my blog and increasing my ad revenue and affiliate earnings.

Here’s why this strategy works:
- Diverse Pinning: Pinning other creators’ content keeps my boards active and engaging. This didn’t seem to be important for a few years, but it is working for me now!
- Consistency: Regular pinning ensures my content is always being discovered by new audiences.
- High-Quality Pins: Eye-catching, professional-looking pins get more clicks and drive more traffic. There are plenty of pin templates you can get from other creators. Here are some great free ones I’ve used from Carley Campbell: Free Pin Template Starter Kit. They’re editable in Canva.
How Many Blog Posts You Should Publish and Why Posting Consistently Matters
When it comes to blogging, consistency is key. Posting regularly not only helps you build an audience but also signals to search engines (and Pinterest!) that your blog is active and worth ranking. Here’s my take on how many blog posts you should aim for and why consistency matters.
1. There’s no magic number, but here’s a good starting point:
- Launch with 5–10 High-Quality Posts: Before you start promoting your blog, aim to have at least 5–10 well-written posts published. This gives your readers something to explore when they visit your website and makes your blog look more established.
- Keep Posting Consistently: After launching, commit to a realistic posting schedule. I recommend at least 1–2 posts per week for beginners.
For me, I chose to post one blog post every day. It’s a lot of work, but it’s helped me quickly build a library of content that brings in traffic. Plus, it’s now my full-time job since getting laid off!
2. Why Consistency Matters
Blogging has always been a long game, but Pinterest is making it freakishly faster right now. Either way, consistent posting helps you build momentum. Here’s why:
- Keeps Your Audience Engaged: Readers are more likely to return if they know you post regularly.
- Builds Search Engine Authority: Search engines favor blogs that update frequently with fresh content. And while SEO is sort of dead at the moment from my perspective and a lot of other bloggers’, it’s still good to try to do everything you can to diversify your traffic sources.
- Maximizes Pinterest Traffic: Posting consistently means you always have new pins to share, which helps you stay active and visible on Pinterest.
3. My Personal Posting Routine
Here’s how I stay consistent with my blog posts:
- I publish one blog post every day.
- After publishing, I create a pin for the post and share it on Pinterest.
- I then schedule three additional pins for that post to go out over the next few weeks, about a week apart.
This routine keeps my blog fresh and helps me make sure I’m always driving traffic to my site. It’s been a big factor in how I was able to start earning money so quickly.
4. Don’t Burn Out
If daily blogging feels overwhelming, don’t stress. The key is to find a posting schedule that works for you and stick to it. Whether it’s once a day or once a week, consistency is what matters most.
Remember, I’m only posting so often because I’m doing it full-time, and I’m focusing on listicles which is sometimes a little faster. (other than sourcing my images. oy)
Wrapping It All Up: How to Start a Blog That Makes Money in 2025
Starting a blog might feel overwhelming at first, but with the right tools, strategies, and mindset, it’s absolutely possible to start earning money—even in your first month.
Let’s recap the key steps to building a successful, profitable blog:
1. Choose the Right Hosting
Your hosting provider sets the foundation for your blog. For beginners, I recommend Bluehost for its affordability, ease of use, and top-notch customer service. Plus, with my exclusive Bluehost link, you can get hosting for just $1.99 a month.
2. Set Up Your Blog
Install WordPress, choose a theme, and install essential plugins to create a professional and functional website. Don’t forget to set up legal pages with resources like Amira’s Blogging Legal Bundle to protect your blog and build trust.
3. Start Posting High-Quality Content
Write helpful, engaging blog posts that provide value to your readers. Launch with at least 5–10 posts, and stick to a consistent publishing schedule to build momentum.
4. Promote Your Blog
Use Pinterest as your primary traffic source by creating eye-catching pins, optimizing descriptions, and pinning consistently. Consider subscribing to PinClicks to find the most optimal keywords for your pins.
Oh! I almost forgot — you get a 5-day free trial first, so you may be able to collect several months worth of topics without getting the paid version just yet.
5. Monetize Your Blog
Implement affiliate links and apply to ad networks once you reach the traffic threshold. Over time, consider adding digital products or sponsored content for additional revenue streams.