Is Blogging Hard? The Truth About Making Money Blogging

Last Updated July 31, 2025

Is Blogging Hard? The Truth About Making Money Blogging

Starting a blog and making money from it is not as easy as many YouTube videos and online courses make it seem. The truth is, building a successful (and profitable) blog takes a lot of time, effort, experimentation, and consistency.

So, is blogging hard? Well, it’s not hard to get a blog set up and off to the races with content creation today. We have guides to picking the best WordPress theme and getting the right free plugins, but I’ll be the first to tell you it is hard to make $10,000+ per month from a blog. Andy and I talk all about setting realistic expectations for your blogging goals in this vid:

Blogging is a journey that requires consistently trying out new strategies, experimenting with different approaches to attract readers, and reinventing yourself along the way. I’ve been earning from my blog for more than 10 years, and the primary driver of my blog’s income has shifted about every 2 years.

From my detailed guide on how long it takes to make money blogging, here’s how I like to think about setting realistic expectations for earning from your blog:

Now, let’s dig a little deeper into the approach we advocate for today, when it comes to building a profitable blog.

The Realistic Path to Profitable Blogging

One of the biggest misconceptions about blogging is the idea that you can start a blog today and be making thousands of dollars within a few months. That’s just not a realistic expectation—and the reality is far from that.

Even for experienced bloggers like me, the income from a blog can fluctuate significantly over time.

Blogger Stock Photo Ryan Robinson at Computer

I’ve gone through different stages where my blog’s made $50,000 to $60,000 a month. These days, it makes more like somewhere between $10,000 and $20,000 a month—which is still fantastic, but I’ve since leaned into building other fun projects (and successful income streams) like RightBlogger here.

Andy, also a seasoned blogger, has been blogging for over 10 years, and he usually hits a ceiling of around $1,000 per month from his blogs.

These numbers are a far cry from the unrealistic claims many courses and Instagram ads tout, that you’ll be able to make $50,000 or more in just a few months from a brand new blog or online business. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Your path to building a profitable blog will be unique to you.

These kinds of factors will dramatically impact your time to earning from a blog:

The niche you’re in (some niches are more profitable than others)
How much experience, skills & interest you have in the niche
Whether you have an existing audience on a social platform or two
If you have a clear, realistic idea for monetization with your future audience

Check out my in-depth guide for a much more detailed breakdown of how to go about starting a blog and making money.

Once you’re ready, here are the best ways to begin making money from your blog:

Sell your services as a freelancer or consultant (easiest way to start earning from a blog, by showcasing your expertise across your site)
Join niche-specific advertising networks (best once you have 5,000-10,000+ readers/mo)
Get sponsored posts from brands that want to reach your audience
Promote aligned products & services via affiliate programs and earn a commission when one of your readers purchases a recommendation
Create digital products like eBooks and online courses

Factors for Blogging Success

While there’s no one-size-fits-all formula for becoming successful with blogging, there are several key factors that can contribute to building a profitable blog over the long-term:

High-Quality Content: Creating valuable, informative, and engaging content that addresses your target audience’s needs and interests is full-stop, something you need to do before anything else. There’s no short-cutting providing real, genuine value to the people you wanna help. This includes things like in-depth tutorials, guides, videos, and resources that provide solutions to real problems your peeps have.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO): Optimizing your blog content for search engines like Google can help drive organic traffic to your site. This involves keyword research, on-page optimization, and building high-quality backlinks.
Social Media Presence: Leveraging social media platforms like YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X/Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn can help you reach a wider audience, engage with your followers, and promote your blog content.
Email List Building: Building an email list of subscribers allows you to nurture relationships with your audience, promote your products or services, increase engagement and loyalty.
Monetization Strategies: There are tons of ways to monetize a blog, including avenues like affiliate marketing, sponsored content, selling digital products or services, and display advertising (e.g., Google AdSense) to name a few.
Consistency and Perseverance: Earning $1,000/mo or more from your blog doesn’t just happen overnight. It requires consistently creating high-quality content, promoting your blog, and engaging with your audience over an extended period of time. You’ll have to try new strategies & learn from what’s working with other creators in your space, too.
Adaptability: As search engine algorithms, social media platforms, and audience preferences naturally evolve over time, successful bloggers adapt their strategies and continuously learn & grow.

As you can see, there isn’t a super simple, straightforward answer to how everyone can build a profitable blog—there’s always a lot of nuance, as your unique life circumstances will come with your own set of advantages and disadvantages you’ll have to learn to work with.

Cultivating a Winning Mindset: The Artist & Scientist

One of the biggest mindset shifts I’ve made that’s helped me in my blogging journey, has been adopting a way of thinking of myself as both an artist and a scientist.

Ryan Robinson Blogger Stock Photo in Chicago with Camera

As an artist, you need to lean into your creative side—to create high-quality, engaging content that truly resonates with your target audience & reaches them in the ways they’re seeking to learn and connect.
As a scientist, you need to constantly experiment with different strategies, test out new approaches, and analyze what works & what doesn’t.

The scientist is particularly helpful here, when you’re trying to test different ways that you can bring people to your blog and monetize with them.

Blogging: It’s Hard Work, Fun & Rewarding

Building a successful blog is a challenging journey that requires hard work, dedication, and a willingness to constantly learn and improve.

While the potential for earning a full-time income from blogging is still here, it’s important to have realistic expectations based on where you’re at today and understand that it takes time, effort, and perseverance in order to get there.

When you’re evaluating joining something like a course (like my own, Built to Blog) to help accelerate your progress, just make sure that you’re choosing a creator you feel genuinely connected with, that you trust and feel like has your best interest in mind, rather than it just being a get-rich-quick scheme for them.

Ultimately, blogging can be a rewarding and fulfilling pursuit, allowing you to share your knowledge, expertise, and passion with the world while potentially generating a sustainable income. Anyone who promises you a guarantee of making money from your blog on any specific timeline, likely doesn’t have your best interests in mind.

What’s important, is that you approach blogging with the right mindset, realistic expectations, and a commitment to providing value to your audience.

## Is blogging hard for beginners?

Blogging is not hard to start, but it is hard to stick with long enough to see real results.

Setting up a blog, choosing a theme, and publishing your first post can happen in a day. The tougher part is learning what your readers want and improving your posts over time.

Most beginners struggle with consistency, not writing skill. A simple schedule like one good post per week can beat posting a lot for one month and then quitting.

If writing feels slow, use tools that speed up your workflow without losing your voice. The RightBlogger AI Article Writer can help you draft faster so you can spend more time editing, adding examples, and promoting your post.

## How long does it take to make money blogging?

Most blogs take months, not weeks, to make steady money. For many people, it takes 6 to 18 months of consistent publishing to see real traction.

Your timeline depends on your niche, your skills, and whether you already have an audience. It also depends on how clear your monetization plan is from the start.

A smart approach is to aim for early wins first, like getting your first 100 email subscribers or your first 1,000 monthly visitors. Those small wins are proof you are building something.

To stay on track, focus on one main traffic source at a time, like Google search or YouTube. Then improve your best posts instead of always starting from scratch.

## What is the easiest way to make money from a blog at the start?

The easiest way to make money early is usually selling a service, like freelancing or consulting. A blog helps you prove your skills with real examples and builds trust.

Affiliate links can also work early, but only if your content matches the product and solves a clear problem. Sponsored posts and ad networks usually take longer because brands and networks want steady traffic.

Start by writing a few helpful “how to” posts that lead to one clear offer, like a service page or a simple booking form. Make sure each post answers one specific question a reader would search.

If you need help picking topics that are more likely to earn, use a tool that keeps you focused on search intent. The RightBlogger Blog Post Ideas tool can help you find ideas that fit your niche and goals.

## What are the most important things for blogging success today?

The biggest success factors are helpful content, basic SEO, and consistency. If your posts solve real problems, you will have a better chance of earning traffic and trust.

SEO matters because it helps people find your blog through Google. That includes using clear keywords, good headings, and writing answers that match what someone is searching for.

You also need a way to bring readers back, like an email list. Even a small list can lead to repeat traffic, product sales, and more stable income.

Finally, be willing to adjust as you learn. Track which posts get clicks and signups, then update those posts first instead of guessing.

## How can RightBlogger make blogging feel less overwhelming?

RightBlogger can reduce the “blank page” stress and help you publish faster with a repeatable workflow. That makes it easier to stay consistent, which is where most bloggers win.

You can use AI to create outlines, drafts, and content upgrades, then add your own stories and examples. If you want your writing to sound more like you, set your voice with MyTone.

SEO is also easier when you can spot what to fix quickly. Using SEO Reports helps you find gaps, improve on page SEO, and update older posts that could rank higher.

The goal is not to replace your ideas. It is to save time on the busywork so you can focus on quality, promotion, and building income streams.