How To Start A Lifestyle Blog And Make Money

One thing you might want to do while you learn how to start a lifestyle blog is to check out other blogs in this niche, get motivated, read articles and learn from other lifestyle bloggers.

Blogging has evolved amazingly that thousands of bloggers have successfully converted their fun web journals to a profitable money-making venture. Currently, more and more people are blogging to make money than to keep fun diaries.

I treated my lifestyle blog as a simple ranting ground up until 2018 when I made my first $50. I realised the importance of focusing more on growing my blog, a step that brought better earning opportunities. I had to do a series of blogging plans for the growth of my website. The possibility of making money from my blog encouraged me to improve as a blogger.

I get more opportunities to make money from my blog since I made blogging more than just a hobby. I wouldn’t claim to have an amazing income report, but I know my blog has helped me to discover better earning opportunities and encourage me to meet awesome people.

The guide below will help you start a lifestyle blog and make money from it. Ready to grow from owning more than just an online journal? Do read on.

HOW TO START A LIFESTYLE BLOG MAKES YOU MONEY

Many posts on the internet offer guides to start, grow and make money from a blog. But then, your needs are specific. You want to own a lifestyle blog, and desire a genuine guide that will help you set up a profitable one. In this post, I will guide you through creating a money making lifestyle blog in less than a week, with easy to follow steps.

WHAT IS A LIFESTYLE BLOG?

Simply put; a lifestyle blog is an online space to write about your life and everything surrounding it. You create contents inspired by your personal interests, daily activities and thoughts. Our lives have different angles, you can write about one or all of it. Some bloggers focus on specific aspects of their lives like; beauty, college life, family, personal health, cooking, fashion and much more.

The lifestyle blogging is such a broad niche with several sub-niches you can decide to focus on and never run out of blog topic ideas. Forget about entertainment and gossip, blogging in the lifestyle niche is the real deal!

You just read or rather glanced through the definition of a lifestyle blog. Many beautiful reasons make people want to start blogging. One of which is obviously “THE MONEY INVOLVED”.  Some bloggers make 6 figures just by blogging. I mean, that could be you too. Blogging is a goldmine, but most people rush into it without prior knowledge!

SHOULD YOU START A BLOG FOR MONEY?

Apparently, you can make a lot from blogging but I have to be truthful with you. It’s not as easy as a few paint it. Blogging is not a get rich quick scheme. It’s definitely not as easy as it used to be years ago. You need to work hard, be patient, and of course stay consistent. It pays, it sure does, but don’t expect millions after only a month of diligence.

In all, I must remind you: blogging has a great deal of potentials and is open to anyone.

How to Start a Lifestyle Blog in Easy Steps

One thing you might want to do while you anticipate setting up your blog is:

• check out other lifestyle blogs and websites.
• Get motivated, read articles and learn from other bloggers. This step will help you process ways to stand out when you begin your own blog.

If you ever run into trouble while setting up your blog, contact me. I’m so eager to help you set up your blog.

Now that you have gotten a good reason to start your blog, you should sit back and make some important decisions that will affect its growth like; the name, sub-niche, blogging platform and a web host that will best fit your traffic growth in anticipation.

STEP 1: CHOOSE YOUR BLOG TOPIC

I always tell people new to blogging to only write about what interests them. I made a lot of mistakes in the past, and would not want anyone to experience a similar phase of regrets. It’s important that you blog about what you like because it makes everything fun and easy.

You’ll easily lose interest if you force yourself on a niche. You’ll probably do that for the money. When it’s not coming, there is a high tendency of giving up. You should choose a specific sub-niche regardless of all areas you intend exploring.

It is highly advisable that you pick a specific topic area that your blog will mostly revolve around. There are number of sub-niches to choose from in the lifestyle field. Some are; DIY hacks, beauty and makeup, self-help, etc. Your skill or expertise might make a good sub-niche. Look within yourself, what are you good at? Cooking (food blogger), reading (book blogger).

STEP 2: CHOOSE A BLOG/DOMAIN NAME (URL)

After choosing your niche, the next thing you should work on is choosing your blog and domain name. This will be your website’s address (like mine, blogtrovert.com). When brainstorming for a blog name, you should have four things in mind;

1. Choose a name that is simple and easy to spell
2. Make it as short as possible. It will be easier for people to remember.
3. Ensure it is not difficult to remember
4. Lastly, it should have a connection with what you intend blogging about.

Since choosing a blog name can be overwhelming, you may want to check out my guide on how to choose the perfect blog name.

STEP 3: CHOOSE A BLOGGING PLATFORM

I would recommend “WordPress,” but you can use blogger.com if you are not yet financially capable of going self-hosted. This post will be based on WordPress, as I strongly recommend it to anyone with intentions of making blogging more than just a hobby.

Why I Love WordPress

In 2017, I moved my blog from blogger.com to WordPress and the experience since then has been worth every penny spent. First, I love the fact that my audience can communicate with me easily via my comment box without challenges. WordPress has tons of free themes and plugins to make everything easier for you; there is no need for prior knowledge in coding.

STEP 4: CHOOSE A HOSTING PROVIDER

It’s time to get your domain and set up hosting for your lifestyle blog. I am currently a Namecheap affiliate because I use and definitely recommend them due to their incredibly budget friendly prices and awesome 24/7 customer support. You will get up to %50 off your first year with Namecheap. Their one-click WordPress installation makes it amazingly easy for people just starting out.

Procedures for Buying a Hosting Plan from Namecheap

1. First, navigate to namecheap.com and decide on which hosting plan to choose
2. Once you’ve made up your mind on the plan to pick, click on “Add to Cart”.
3. You will be taken to a page where you”ll select a domain to use with your hosting. Namecheap offers a free “.website” domain; but, that’s not what an average individual needs.
4. Choose to buy a domain by clicking on ‘Buy a New domain’ or “Use a domain I own from another registrar” if you bought it already, change your domain DNS to ns1.namecheaphosting.com and ns2.namecheaphosting.com first.
5. Once you’ve finalized your domain selection, click on “Continue”.
6. In the next page, review your cart carefully and click on“Confirm Order”.
7. Create an account (or login), then choose your payment method.
8. Setup your contact address and billing address.
9. Setting your purchase to automatic renewing might be a good idea, or not.
10. Once you are done with the above, click on “Continue”.
11. In the next page, review your order and click on “Pay Now”.

Enter Your Hosting Control Panel

Once the payment is complete, you will  receive a verification link in the email address you used to register your account. Don’t forget to verify your account.

Important Notice
You will receive a message containing your hosting details. These include:

1. Link to your cPanel account.
2. Your cPanel Username and Password.
3. And more.

Please take note of the above. To be on the safer side, print the email or save it online securely. You may need this information in the future. Everything you need to access your control panel is in the message.

To begin, visit your cPanel account using the link provided in the hosting details sent to you and login with the username and password (This was also sent to you).

Now that you have logged in, you should be in your control panel. This is where all the technical matters will take place for your website. Please handle your login details with utmost care. Your cPanel will look like this:

STEP 5: Set Up SSL

It’s important that your blog goes live securely with a premium SSL certificate

A secure website is necessary for visitors’ and owner’s safety. Your site should run on HTTPS, so you definitely need an SSL certificate. Fortunately, Namecheap offers a free SSL certificate for the first year on any domain they add.

Follow the Procedures Below to Activate HTTPS on Your Blog.

If you are yet to point your domain to Namecheap, do so now in your domain registrar.

Once you’ve logged into your Namecheap cPanel, navigate to “Exclusive for Namecheap Customers” and click on NAMECHEAP SSL.

On the next page, you will see a list of domains eligible for free SSL from Namecheap. Simply click on Install now. Once you have navigated to the next page; input the email address with which you would like to receive your installation details, then click on “Install Certificate”.

Certificate is installed, you are done, and you have successfully activated HTTPs for your domain.

Note: SSL is only free for the first year, you will be charged $8.88 by Namecheap for the SSL renewal annually.

STEP 6: Install WordPress

At this stage you’ve bought and activated your hosting plan from Namecheap and installed SSL in your domain. It is time to install WordPress. Installing WordPress is an easy to do task, thanks to softaculous.

In your cPanel, simply navigate to; “Softaculous App Installer” click to drop and select WordPress (you should see the large WordPress icon).

On the next page, be sure you choose to install WordPress by following the simple guide from Softaculous. Click on “Install Now”.

Add Your Site Information Using the Procedures Below:

• Choose Protocol; I strongly advise you to choose HTTPs, but select it only if your domain has an SSL certificate. Tutorial for installing SSL certificate is above..
• Choose Domain: Ensure you select the domain you want to install WordPress in.
• In Directory; please ignore the “In Directory Field” you obviously want WordPress installed on yoursite.com.
• Set Up Admin account; I’m sure you know what this means. By default, the admin username and password is “admin”. You should change this to a personalized username and a very strong password. Also, don’t forget to keep them safe. You need them to log into WordPress after this step.
• Pick an email you’ll like your WordPress installation details to be mailed to then click on “INSTALL”.

Okay! This wasn’t so bad! If you follow the steps above, you will successfully install WordPress on Namecheap.

Hassle free right?

Do you have any questions?

Leave a comment below, email me [email protected] or find me on Twitter  @blogtrovert.

STEP 7: FIND A THEME THAT YOU LIKE

Now that you have installed WordPress on your domain, it’s time to set up your blog. Choose a theme for your lifestyle blog.

First, login to your WordPress admin dashboard and navigate to “Appearance” >> “Themes” >> “Add New”. You will find hundreds of free WordPress themes on this page.

Although WordPress gives you a selection of free themes to pick from, I strongly recommend that you start up with a premium design. Premium themes often give you a sense of uniqueness. You can easily stand out from the crowd. There are many (WordPress) theme developers. I recommend modern developers like Restored316 Designs, Bluchic or Solopine. You can also browse some of my favourite feminine WordPress themes.

Please note: If you are opting for Restored316 WordPress themes, you will need the Genesis Framework.

I recommend that you settle for a premium theme as it gives you that uniqueness. You’ll also get quality support from the developer. Make your selections wisely. This post will guide you on choosing the right theme for a female audience.

STEP 8: DESIGN A LOGO FOR YOUR BLOG

Apart from beautifying your blog with a theme, you’ll need a logo to help build your brand and ensure your readers get to know you. You can use canva.com to create a simple logo for your blog. You can better still hire a designer.

Note that you can alter your theme and logo if they do not meet your needs but do not change your blog name and domain name as it will greatly affect your blog growth.

STEP 9: CREATE YOUR SOCIAL PROFILES

If you intend developing your blog in the best way, then you should have social profiles set up with your blog’s name. Create a page for your blog on

• Facebook
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Pinterest and other popular social media platforms.

STEP 10: INSTALL IMPORTANT PLUGINS

Plugins are important but not compulsory, they solve specific problems and provide essential functions. They help in the management and running of your blog. WordPress has tons of plugins to choose from. I will list a few that your WordPress blog needs.

• WP Security: This plugin helps protect your blog from hackers.
• Yoast SEO: This plugin is a must have as it helps you create SEO optimized posts.
• Akismet: This plugin blocks spam comments on your blog posts.
• Jetpack: A plugin that gives you real time statistics of visits on your blog.

To add a new plugin to your blog, simply navigate to “Plugins” >> “Add New”. 

STEP 11: CREATE IMPORTANT PAGES

Pages are needed, they hold important and required information about and for your blog. Below are some necessary pages you should create.

About Page: Here you are expected to talk about yourself and your blog in general. 

Contact Page: This page makes it easy for your readers to contact you. There are plugins to help you add a contact form to this page. I recommend contact Form 7

Privacy Policy Page: On this page, you are expected to inform users about the data you collect on your website and how you and other third-parties may use them.

Disclosure Page: You should create this page if you want to monetize your blog with affiliate links.

To create a new page, go to “Pages” >> “Add New”.

Check out the ‘Important Pages that Every WordPress Blog Should Have‘ BY Wpbeginner.

STEP 12: PUBLISHING YOUR FIRST POST

At this stage, I assume that you want to publish your first blog post.

First of all, delete the default welcome post automatically posted by WordPress. Ensure you are logged in to your WordPress admin panel, then go to “Posts” >> “All Posts” and delete the default post. After that, click on “Add New”, then you will see a blank PAGE to create your first post.

Post Ideas for your new blog

Lastly, as a new blogger, you may experience a touch of the infamous writer’s block. In case you do not know what to write about, you can check out any of the posts below.

• 30 blog post ideas for Lifestyle Bloggers
• 60 blog Post ideas for lifestyle Bloggers

TIPS FOR BLOGGING SUCCESS

• Choose a niche you are passionate about. If you write about topics you like, you’ll improve as a blogger and possibly enjoy the bumpy ride.
• Consistency is key. I may have failed woefully at this in the past, but you have a chance not to fail also. Be consistent, don’t leave your blog in the dark for long.
• Avoid plagiarism at all costs. It can ruin your blogging career.
• Don’t settle for awful themes. Choose the best design for your blog. People love beautiful and attractive websites.
• Go social. At least to know your readers.

How To Monetize A Lifestyle Blog

Sell Products

Many bloggers often sell their products or services on their blogs. You can either sell digital products like e-books, printables, or physical products like clothes, pieces of jewellery, etc.

Sponsored content

You get paid to write or publish already written blog posts for another company on your blog. This is my major source of income at the moment.

AD Networks

Google AdSense is one of the most popular advertising networks. It allows you to monetize spaces on your blog. It’s easy to set up, all you need is approval to participate as a publisher.

Offer freelance services

Get paid to write for third party websites or companies.

Start a coaching business

If you can teach, then you probably should start a class on a skill or topic you know about that many others do not.

Affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is an amazing way to start making money from your lifestyle blog. Apparently, you are expected to refer potential buyers to websites and for each product or service sold, you earn a percentage.

Conclusion

Once you successfully set up your blog and publish your first post, don’t be scared to go full time into blogging. As earlier mentioned, with consistency in play, you will be able to enjoy what you’ve always wanted; working at Home as your Own Boss. Blogging presents us with so many untapped opportunities. Much the same as any business, it takes the correct knowledge, dexterity and consistency to scale through. So, whatever you’ve heard, blogging is more than just a hobby.