Is It Too Late To Start A Blog In 2023? 5 Simple Steps

Last Updated on May 25, 2023 by Jordan Alexo

So, with over 600 million blogs out there, are you too late to start a blog? Is there money still left to be made?

While it may look scary to start a new blog considering the stats above, there is still time.

In this guide, you’re about to learn five steps to begin a successful blog in 2023, even with the competition out there. This includes researching relevant keywords, creating high-quality content, and optimizing your blog for SEO.

Don’t let the competition discourage you because after reading this guide, you’ll have the knowledge and tools to win in the blogging world. Let’s roll!

Key Takeaways

• Blogging is still relevant in 2023, with over 600 million blogs currently in existence.
• There are several reasons to start a blog, including the potential to make passive income, develop valuable skills, and gain independence.
• Famous bloggers like Adam Enfroy and Pat Flynn have built successful businesses based on their blogs.
• To create a blog, there are five basic steps: choosing a niche, setting up a blog with WordPress, customizing the site with themes & plugins, and keyword research.

Are You Wondering If It’s Too Late To Start A Blog?

If you’re wondering if blogging is dead, the answer is no! I’ve been listening to that same old question for years. And while some people tremble in fear and don’t do anything proactive.

Others don’t waste time and start their blog and eventually succeed with them.

See, there has never been a better time to start a blog than now. With the pandemic, more people have become accustomed to spending more time online. For this reason, there’s a greater demand for online content than ever before.

In fact, according to recent statistics, over 600 million blogs exist, which shows the popularity and potential of blogging.

I know that number may look scary, but wait!

Although there are millions of blogs, you still have lesser untapped niches you can explore. Some are more or less competitive than others, but there’s always room for fresh perspectives.

Also, blogging can be one of the best ways to make money online passively.

In other words, publishing an article can make income for you for months or years. Or probably until AI takes over and starts creating websites and content alone (just kidding! Or probably not! ** cough).

4 Reasons: Why You Should Start A Blog?

Of course, you have more reasons to start a blog, but here are four of the most compelling ones:

1 – Passive Income

As I mentioned earlier, blogging can be a great source of passive income. Once you publish a post, it can keep making money for you for months and even years.

This post can be a product review or best product roundup. When someone clicks on your affiliate link or is taken to a sales page and makes a purchase, you earn money.

At the same time, you didn’t have to do any additional work besides writing and publishing the article.

2 – Million Dollar Business

Later, I’ll show you some examples of extremely successful blogs. However, it’s worth mentioning that blogging can lead to a million-dollar business.

A blog is an ever-evolving platform. Just because you start with one niche, and let’s say promoting affiliate products, it doesn’t mean you can’t evolve to create your products and services.

You have many examples of successful bloggers who started small and eventually built an empire around their blogs.

The sky is the limit when it comes to the potential of a blog, and you never know where your journey may take you.

3 – You Develop Skills

When I was self-publishing books on Amazon, after a few months, I realized I wasn’t learning anything new. Also, most skills I developed weren’t transferrable to other areas of my life.

However, with blogging, you’re constantly developing high-paying skills, such as:

• Content creation
• Search Engine Optimization
• Building Sites
• Social Media Marketing
• Graphic Design
• Copywriting

Only to name a few. Even if your blog doesn’t take off immediately, you can easily transfer those skills to other areas. Also, many companies are in constant need of people with these skills.

4 – Independence

One thing people don’t often speak about when it comes to blogging is the independence it provides.

You have complete control over your blog, so you can choose any topic you want to write about. You don’t need to rely on anyone else to permit or hire you.

For instance, when people think about making money online, many assume they’ll need to work for someone else or rely on platforms like Amazon or Etsy.

Although you can make a decent income through those platforms – In the end, you’re still working for someone else. When I sold books on Amazon, I had to follow their rules and regulations, etc.

Also, sometimes they ban people from their platforms, and that’s the end of your income source. Sometimes with a reason and other times without any justification.

Can You Still Make A Profitable Blog?

Usually, when people think, “If it is too late to start a blog,” they think about making money.

So a better question is, “Can you still make money blogging?” The answer is yes!

Here are a few examples of successful bloggers who started from scratch and turned their blogs into profitable businesses:

1 – Adam Enfroy

Adam started blogging in 2019, and in less than two years, he has turned his blog into a seven-figure business.

2 – Ryan Robinson

Ryan Robison is another successful blogger who started his blog from scratch and turned it into a six-figure income within a year.

3 – Patt Flynn

Pay Flynn is a renowned blogger and podcaster who started his blog in 2008. He often shares his income reports, showing how he makes over $100,000 monthly through his blog.

So, it is still possible to create a profitable blog, even if you’re starting from scratch in 2023.

How Blogging Evolved Over The Years?

When blogging started in the late 1990s, it was used as an online platform where people shared their thoughts and experiences. It was more like an online diary.

Initially, most people blogged as a hobby rather than a potential source of income. But as the popularity of blogging grew, so did the technology and tools available for bloggers.

For instance, the appearance of social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter allowed bloggers to reach more people.

Besides, content management systems (CMS) like WordPress made it easy for bloggers to create blogs without needing any coding knowledge.

This made blogging accessible to everyone, including the 80-year-old grandma who wants to share her favorite recipes with the world. But also it has made blogging an ideal way for entrepreneurs to promote their businesses.

Why Is Blogging Still Relevant Nowadays?

Blogging is still very alive, and the numbers speak for themselves. For instance:

1. According to HubSpot, businesses that blog generate 55% more website visitors than those that don’t.
2. OptinMonster states blogs are the 5th most trusted source for accurate online information.
3. According to a study by Orbit Media Studios, 80% of bloggers report better results when blogging.
4. According to a survey by Demand Metric, content marketing (including blogging) costs 62% less than traditional marketing while generating three times as many leads.

As you can see, these statistics show that blogging is still alive and relevant nowadays. Besides, it’s a cost-effective way to start a business compared to a brick-and-mortar store or an online store that requires a significant initial investment.

You can create your first blog for 3 dollars a month and monetize your blog through affiliate marketing, sponsored content, or Google AdSense.

So, if you’re interested in starting a profitable blog, there’s still hope!

5 Steps To Start A Blog Successfully

Now that you have seen that blogging is still relevant and can be profitable. You may be wondering how the heck can you can get started. Don’t worry; here are five easy steps to follow:

Step 1 – Choose a Niche

You want to choose a niche. This means selecting a specific topic or category you’d like to write about. Sometimes, your niche might not be obvious or something you’re passionate about.

I know the common saying, “do something you’re passionate about.” But often, your passion might not be monetizable, too competitive, or both. For this reason, if you want to choose a niche:

• You can find many products or services to promote.
• You don’t hate 100%, and you can write content long-term.
• Not overly competitive.

So, take some time to research and brainstorm different niches. You want to see if you can find a profitable niche in that you have some interest in or knowledge.

But also has a good balance of competition and monetization potential.

Step 2 – Set Up Your Blog

Once you’ve chosen your niche, it’s time to set up your blog. You’ll select a blogging platform, choose a domain name, and purchase hosting.

• WordPress: You have many CMS options, but WordPress is the most popular one. It’s beginner-friendly, and you have many customization options. For instance, you can install plugins to add more features and functionality to your blog. Also, you have awesome themes to choose from, which helps to make your blog visually appealing and professional-looking.
• Domain Name: Choose a domain name for your site. I suggest using your name and avoiding something too niche-specific so that you can pivot or expand your blog focus in the future. For example, www.johndoe.com instead of www.bestvegan.
• Web Host Provider: This company will host your website on their servers. In other words, it gives your blog a place to live online. I suggest using a reliable web host like Bluehost or Siteground. If you prefer a better option, consider WPX Hosting.

Some web hosts provide a free domain name when you sign up for their hosting services. However, I recommend purchasing your domain separately so you have full control over it.

Often I get them from Namecheap or Godaddy, which offers affordable domain names.

Step 3 – Customize Your WP Site

At this point, you should have your site up and running. Now, it’s time to customize your WordPress site to make everything look and function how you want it to.

• Best Themes: Always consider choosing lightweight and mobile-responsive themes. These themes are optimized for fast loading times and are easy to navigate from mobile devices. My favorite WP themes are Astra, Kadence, and Generate Press. See which one you like the best and configure it to your liking.
• Needed Plugins: When it comes to plugins, try to keep them minimal and only install what you need. The more plugins you have, the slower your site can load. I suggest installing essential plugins like Rankmatch for search engine optimization. And Lightspeed cache for faster load times. You can find many video tutorials online to help you configure and optimize your chosen plugins.
• Google Analytics: Don’t forget to set up Google Analytics on your Site. It’s important to have data on your site’s traffic, user behavior, and other metrics for a better understanding of its performance.
• Canva: If you need to create visual content for your blog, consider using Canva. This platform is free and easy to use for creating graphics, images, and other design elements for your blog. You can also get access to hundreds of thousands of stock photos and templates to make the design process even easier.

These are just a few suggestions to get you started on the right track with your WordPress blog.

Step 4 – Keyword Research

To know what to write about on your WordPress blog, you must do keyword research. In other words, you need to find out what people are searching for online related to the topic of your blog.

I won’t go into much detail because I wrote this guide here explaining how to find low-hanging fruit keywords for your blog.

Anyway, here are a few tips:

• Use keyword research tools like Google Keyword Planner or Semrush to find relevant keywords.
• Open a spreadsheet to keep track of your keyword research and organize it by average monthly searches and competition level.
• Look for long-tail keywords (phrases with three or more words) with low competition and high search volume.
• Consider the user’s search intent when selecting keywords. Is the user looking for information, a product, or a service?

Try to have a list with over 10 to 20 keywords to start with. Also, 60 to 70% of your keywords should be informational (how-to guides, tutorials, etc.), and the remaining 30 to 40% should be commercial (product reviews, comparisons, etc.).

Step 5 – Create High-Quality Content

Often people wonder what high-quality content is and how to create it. Well, high-quality content is unique content that replies to a user’s search query, provides useful information, or solves a problem.

For instance, if your post is about “How to Make a Perfect Cup of Coffee,” your content should provide step-by-step instructions on making a perfect cup of coffee. You should spend your time talking about anything else except the topic at hand.

Additionally, make sure your content is well-researched and accurate.

You may provide your personal experiences, but back them up with facts and credible sources.

SEO + Replying To Users Intent = High-Quality Content

At the same time, your content needs to be optimized for search engines. If you want big daddy Google to notice your blog and rank it high on search engine results pages (SERPs), you must use relevant keywords in your content.

If you want to learn more, read my post, “7 Strategies to Improve Your Blog Writing Skills In 30 Days.”

Anyway, basic SEO consists on:

• Title: Using your primary keyword in the title.
• Meta Description: Write a catchy and informative meta description with primary and secondary keywords.
• URL Extension: Including your primary keyword in the URL extension. For example, if your keyword is “make the perfect coffee,” your URL should be like “www.johndoe.com/make-perfect-coffee.”
• Header Tags: Use header tags (H1, H2, etc.) to break up your content and include keywords.
• Image Optimization: Use optimized image names and alt tags with relevant keywords.
• Internal and External Linking: Include internal links to other relevant posts or pages on your site and external links to credible sources that support your content.
• User Intent: Make sure your content meets the user intent.
• First Paragraph: Your first paragraph should have your primary keyword and give a clear idea of what your post is about.

If you want to speed up the process and improve your SEO, you may want to try Neuronwriter. This AI SEO tool helps you optimize your content. It suggests the best keywords, header tags, etc., to help your content rank higher.

Last Thoughts

Starting a blog in 2023 is definitely not too late. Just follow the five simple steps provided, and you’ll be on your way to creating a successful blog. But remember:

First, do some keyword research to find relevant keywords with low competition and high search volume. Open a spreadsheet to keep track of the data, and ensure that most of your keywords are informational.

Second, create high-quality content that replies to a user’s search query, gives useful information, or solves a problem. Make sure it is well-researched and accurate. And SEO your content by including relevant keywords in the title, meta description, and URL extension, as well as using header tags, optimized image names, alt tags, and internal and external links.

Lastly, you may use an AI SEO tool like Neuronwriter to help you optimize your content more efficiently.

With these strategies, you will surely create a great blog that stands out from the rest. So, don’t want any longer! Start your blog today!

If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to leave them below in the comment section. Jordan Alexo will reply to you as soon as possible.