How To Start A Blog And Make Money Online (2023)
Learn how to start a blog in Nigeria and make money online using WordPress.
“Mr Oluboba, is it worth starting a blog and can someone still make money from it in Nigeria?” is the summary of questions I receive almost every 24 hours.
Yes, you can make an extra income online even if you have no experience ever in technical skills.
A few years ago, I was just like you, looking for ways to start an online business that pays while working from home.
So, I will share with you the exact strategies that I used to start my blog with WordPress and since have been making consistent money online in Nigeria.
How To Start A Blog With WordPress And Make Money Online In Nigeria
1. Understand What Blogging Entails
Understanding why you need to start a blog will fuel your passion for how to make money online from Nigeria.
A blog is a website (or part of a website) with updated posts on any topic. It serves as two-way communication between you and your audience.
And one of the main reasons I prefer blogging to selling online is that it allows for errors.
If you make a mistake, that wouldn’t bring about the end of your site. The worst to happen is that no one wants to read your article.
But order for the wrong products and see the hell you will face trying to sell it.
Besides the low consequence for errors, blogging also cost less to start. You don’t pay to do market research unlike when launching a product.
Why Do You Need To Start A Blog In Nigeria?
Blogging:
- Position yourself to be a thought leader.
- Increase your website traffic via SEO.
- Target specific customers and generate leads.
- Increase sales of products or services.
- Connect and network you with like-minded bloggers.
- You will make more CONSISTENT money than any other online businesses.
Unlike other businesses, you don’t need any certifications, credentials, or third-party approval.
Also, you don’t need to be a mighty writer or a pro web designer on WordPress to learn how to start a blog and make money online in Nigeria.
2. Choose An Evergreen Niche
The journey begins here.
If you want to start and own a profitable blog, it start with choosing the right audience. Because working hard is not as important as working on the right thing.
A niche is a category or topic you want your blog to focus on. It can be Health, Relationship, Gospel and more.
Here are three mistakes you must avoid when choosing a niche:
- Choosing a niche for a hobby
- Choosing a niche because of money
- Starting in a niche you know nothing about.
I bet you won’t last before you give up.
The question is not what your passion is or what you like to do but “What are your strengths?”
What can you do better than anyone you have ever seen?
I must confess that most bloggers are struggling today because they missed this from the beginning.
This is the very reason I encourage people to find an excellent mentor to help scale through the hurdles.
Here are 5 major niches and their sub-niches.
- Health Niches (Beauty and Make-up, Healthy Eating and Fitness, Food and Lifestyle, etc.)
- Wealth Niches (Entrepreneurship and Business, Finance and Investment, etc)
- Relationship Niches (Youth Dating, Courtship Dating, Marriage Success, Parenting, etc.)
It is best to start from a sub-niche, as it makes it easy to grow faster and establish authority.
Also, rather than rushing to start on how to make money online in Nigeria with the relationship niche, blog on dating for men.
3. Choose The Best Website Builder
There are a lot of platforms you can use in starting your own blogs such as Wix.com, shopify.com, WordPress.com, and more.
But the downside is that they will limit your options and you will most likely later spend more as time goes on.
So, I recommend you work with the best website builder. And that’s WordPress
WordPress is a software application you can use to create, edit and publish your digital content. It is the most popular among content management systems.
I use it for no other reason than the plugins available for almost any features you need. Also, the support (resources) is great.
So, it is best in your pursuit to make money in Nigeria that you start your blog with WordPress.
4. Choose A Unique Domain Name
A domain name is the name of a website. It is the address that web users can use to locate your blog on the internet.
What an address is to a location, a domain name is to a website. Spotile.com is the domain name (address) of this website.
And it is the first thing your reader will see even before they arrive on your website. So, you have to be careful when choosing your domain name.
Few Rules Before You Buy A Domain Name
- Use .com
There are lots of domains name extensions out there (.org, .net, and more) but none communicate more professionalism than a [.com].
- Choose a Generic Name
If you are in for a long time business, use a generic name. It is a name with no dictionary meaning.
It makes it easy to expand your blog to other topics if you ever decide to do so later. Also, the shorter the name, the better.
Others are:
- Don’t use hyphens or numbers. You readers may forget them.
- Avoid domain names containing double letters.
- Stay away from the trademark names.
5. Sign Up With The Best Hosting Company
The next step to start your blog is to register with any of these best website hosting companies in Nigeria.
Web hosting is a service provided to you so your blog can be accessible across the web.
It ensures your blog is reachable when people type your domain name in a browser.
Choosing the right hosting company is one of the best investments you will ever make.
If you feel, you need a training on this, then, you can contact me.
I have the desire to empower people to fully harness the web. So, I can assure you you are in excellent hands.
6. Choose The Best WordPress Themes and Plugins
Your blog design starts with a WordPress theme. It gives your blog a pleasant appearance. And WordPress has thousands of free themes in its directory you can choose from.
Personally, I recommend the Kadence theme because it is easy for you to start with as a beginner. Also, it is a fast theme with a clean interface and loads in less than 3 seconds.
Plugins are software you can use to expand and enhance your blog functionality. They can extend your blog theme by adding more features to it.
Below are major plugins I recommend to start a blog with WordPress and make money in Nigeria.
Rank Math is a Search Engine Optimization plugin for WordPress that makes it easy for you to optimize your content and rank on search engines.
Boost your WordPress websites’ core web vitals in a few clicks with this lightweight and easy-to-use speed plugin.
Keep the bad guys out and protect your WordPress site from viruses and malware.
7. Create Important Pages
Now, you can create the following important pages to start your blog on WordPress.
a) Blog Page
By default setting, your blog page will be your homepage. Whatever articles you publish from the post interface appear here automatically.
So, when people come to your website, they can see your most recent blog post.
b) About Me Page
No one does business with a stranger or an unknown person. People want to know who is behind an idea or a movement.
Learn how to write the About Me page of your website.
c) Contact Page
The worst mistake you can make is not leaving a means for people to reach you.
All you need is putting your phone number and email address on this page. Also, including your social media links and phone number (optional) helps.
d) Privacy and Disclosure Page
Legal pages is necessary if you want to start a blog that makes you money in Nigeria.
Also, add this simple statement about affiliate disclosure that tells your readers that you make money via affiliate marketing platforms.
Here is the statement:
I am an affiliate marketer with links redirecting to third-party websites on my pages. When you click and buy through any of these links, the company may pay me a commission without additional cost to you.
8. Publish Quality Content
Content is King!
That’s what you hear every blogger telling you. While that may be true, it is only one-sided.
The total truth is Relevant Content is King.
It is not enough to write but to write what people want to read. If no one is interested in your article, you are as good as not writing.
The best way to weigh your writing is to ask, “Will a reader find this article valuable and want to bookmark it?”
While most people rewrite other people’s ideas, I encourage you to write to solve a specific problem.
So, instead of writing about online business that pays daily, why not write about how to make money online from blogging?
Write articles that get your audience interested, answer their questions, and solve their problem.
I run the best digital marketing agency in Nigeria.
So, it is no surprise why my articles revolve around marketing.
But you don’t need to be in the business niche before you can have results. You can do better in any of the topics listed in the niche session.
So, start publishing quality content both on your blogs and when you guest post.
9. Start Promoting Your Blog
If you don’t promote yourself, no one else would. Below are ways to promote your content.
a) Share On Social Media
Social media is one key medium to create that lasting impression and reach out to many people.
While there are many social media platforms out there, I advise focusing on The Big 3 – Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.
Here are tips to make the best of your social media pages
b) Leave A Comment
I have had people visit my website because they saw my comment on another blog article.
And when you do comment on people’s blogs, please be genuine about by writing something worth reading.
c) Email Your Subscribers
Before ending this section about how to start a blog and make money in Nigeria, I would speak about building your email list.
Publishing content is not enough. You must ensure you have a means of reaching out to your interested readers all at once.
So, start collecting emails.
To know better, I encourage you to read more about the best email marketing strategies.
d) Do Guest Blogging
Guest blogging is a beautiful way to reach millions of readers on other blogs. It offers you the opportunity to submit relevant articles to other blogs.
Spotile is the best platform to express your thoughts and share ideas. Start writing today.
10. Monetize Early To Make More Money Blogging
One of the major aims of why you would start to blog in Nigeria is to make money. And you need to have that in mind.
It took me a year after my blog launch before I monetized it. You don’t have to wait that long if you are consistent with publishing.
Below are few from the best ways to make money online with blogging.
- Sell Banner Space
This form of monetization strategy appears in almost all blogs. It is a concept where you rent out a space on your website to interested bidders to include their banner.
Checkout list of recommended tools to make this work
2) Sell People’s Product
You don’t have a product to sell? No problem. Sign up with the best affiliate marketing platforms in Nigeria to earn extra income.
For whatever sales you make, they pay you a certain percentage.
3) Sell Your Own Product/Services
This model works more if you have a large audience that has bought from you before.
Then, there is a greater chance that they will buy again. Selling your own products helps you keep the profit.
Offer training programs, and sell your services to make extra active income.
Make Money Blogging FAQs
1. Do I need a website to start a blog?
Yes, you do. Now, your blog does not have to be fancy and all that professional to start. As time goes on, you can upgrade to the best WordPress themes.
2. Is WordPress good for blogs?
WordPress is not only good for blogs but the best because of its simplicity and endless support from communities out there.
3. Is Wix or WordPress better for blogging?
Yes, both are some of the best website builders with resources that teach you how to start a blog and make money online.
4. How do I start a blog with WordPress and make money in Nigeria.
- Understand the Benefits of blogging
- Choose a niche from areas of your core strength.
- Install from this list of best WordPress Themes
- Publish quality content and promote your blog
- Monetize your website.
Conclusion on How to Start a Blog In Nigeria
And here come my last words on how to start a blog on WordPress and make money online.
Blogging is an online business that pays you daily. It is a business that is profitable if only you would be diligent.
You need to take advantage of the opportunities I am presenting to you today because your blog can only go as far as you allow it.
Now is your best time to start a blog in Nigeria with WordPress and make money online.
I congratulate you for making it this far.
