Blogging

As someone who’s been blogging since 2009, I can say it’s one of my favorite side hustles, and I’ve certainly learned a lot about it during that time.

For one, I’ve found the writing to be a great creative outlet and a powerful medium to reach a wide audience. (Although the podcast has grown much faster.)

But it was a loooooong time before my blog made any real money, and one of the mistakes I made was not having a focus. I would write about whatever came into my head; current events, our travels, our dog, and occasionally I might throw in something about business or marketing.

There was no coherent theme or really any reason for someone to stick around unless they were interested in me personally. In 2013, I narrowed the focus of my writing to be about side businesses, and that’s when the site traffic started to grow.

How to Start a Blog

If you want to start a blog of your own, check out my free 6-part video tutorial series that walks you through:

4 reasons to consider blogging as a side hustle.
Why a “blog” is probably a bad name.
8 ways blogs and websites make money.
How to pick a topic for your blog.
How to choose a domain name and get your site online.
How to install WordPress and begin creating.

I had a lot of fun creating the free “how to start a blog” course and hope you enjoy it too!

Greatest Hits

Whether you already have a blog or are looking to start one, here are some of the best blogging-related articles and podcast episodes from the archives:

The Best Blogging Podcast

I compiled a binge-worthy selection of blogging podcast episodes from The Side Hustle Show into this playlist. I think you’ll like it!

Enjoy!

65: How to Reverse Engineer Your Blog to Get Paying Clients (and 10x Your Hourly Rate)

January 31, 2019August 7, 2014

Corrina Gordon-Barnes is a sought-after coach and mentor, and today she shares with Side Hustle Nation exactly how she built her business from the ground up.

There are some surprising turns and some eye-opening responses in this one, as I ask Corrina about how she prices her services, how she landed her first clients, how she’s scaling her business, and how she made blogging work as an effective marketing channel.

60: Punching Fear in the Face and Escaping Average, with Jon Acuff

October 16, 2018July 10, 2014

Through his best-selling books, Jon Acuff may be one of the most prominent advocates for the side hustle “brand” of entrepreneurship.

Jon’s a sought-after author, speaker, and consultant, with a share of side hustle stories to tell. While some flopped, one was almost an overnight success: his Stuff Christians Like blog. We talk about all that and more during our call.

Blogging vs. Podcasting: A 1-Year Case Study

August 21, 2018May 5, 2014

Heyo! Side Hustle Nation is a year old, and you know what that means?

Time to share the results of my first “serious” attempt at building something more than just a personal blog.

And, for the sake of comparison, I’ll share the results alongside those of The Side Hustle Show podcast to see which has been the more effective way of reaching new people and spreading the side hustle goodness.

46: Blogging in Your Spare Time: From $0 to $17,000 a month

November 22, 2019April 10, 2014

In episode 46 of The Side Hustle show, we get to hear the incredible story of Lindsay and Bjork Ostrom, who built PinchofYum.com up to a massive audience all while working a day job. In fact, they spent a full year volunteering in the Philippines but still managed to keep the site growing and thriving!

In January, the site generated more than a million pageviews and earned over $17,000! In this interview we dive into how they got started, how the readership grew, and how they monetize the site.

How to Add a Custom Thank You Page and Survey for Email Subscribers

October 15, 2018April 7, 2014

As bloggers and other online business owners, we focus a lot of attention on getting people to opt-in to our email lists. It’s a common theme you’ll hear repeated over and over again whether you’re a seasoned veteran or just starting out. The topic never gets old because the need never dies. We all want … Read more

10: How to Earn $3000 a Month Blogging in Your Spare Time, with Robert Farrington

January 6, 2018July 11, 2013

Robert Farrington is more successful than 99% of all bloggers on the planet. He routinely earns between $3000 and $5000 a month from his blogs. And the kicker? Yeah, he still has a full-time job completely unrelated to this amazing side hustle! His sites: TheCollegeInvestor.com KidsAintCheap.com EntrepreneurshipLife.com MyMultipleIncomes.com (inactive) BeatThe9to5.com. He shares his tips for … Read more

Usually Hustling, Occasionally Social