I’m sitting in front of my computer typing a long email to a nice reader who asked me, “How can I start a programming blog?”
This email is ridiculously long and full of helpful information tips and strategies so I thought I’d share them here with everyone!
Reading: How to create a blog tutorial for programming
While it’s easy to start a tech blog these days, it’s difficult to know how to do it properly and starting your own blog for long-term success.
Because the truth is:
If you’re serious about building an online presence, and maybe even want to make money from your tech blog, you want it get it right from the start.
Starting your own programming blog is a great way to share your knowledge with the world, help like-minded people who are interested in technology, and position yourself as an expert in your field .
Even if you’re new to programming, it’s never too early to start sharing your experience blogging.
I started teaching myself to code in September 2016 and I only started this blog three months ago in late December 2016.
Why?
Because I wanted to give back to the tech community and share my favorite resources with others interested in learning the same tools.
I made some big mistakes along the way and learned a lot about how to run a tech blog as a one man show.
That’s why I put together this massive book article on how to start a programming blog step by step.
I’ll walk you through the technical setup, WordPress CMS basics, my top tips on getting traffic, and a few ideas for making money from your blog.
If you’re wondering, “How can I start a Start a tech blog?” then you’ve come to the right place.
Let’s go!
Please note: This post contains product affiliate links s that I use and recommend. I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase through one of my links at no additional cost to you. Thank you for your support!
How to start a programming blog in 9 steps
- Choose your blog topic
- Choose a name for your blog
- Sign up for web hosting
- Install WordPress
- Customize your blog design
- Create main pages (About Us, Contact Us)
- Create valuable content
- Promote your blog
- Make money from your blog
Step 1: Choose your programming blog niche
First, it’s time to choose a niche for your tech blog.
Your niche is the specific area of focus that your blog posts and other content covers.
I see many novice bloggers who want to write blog posts on almost any topic what comes to mind:
- Coding Tips
- Lifestyle Themes
- Fashion Inspiration
- Travel Stories
- financial planning, etc.
At first glance, it might seem like a good idea to write about a handful of topics. You know, the more diverse the content, the bigger the potential audience, right?
Wrong.
To build a loyal readership and establish yourself as an authority, you have to be super special your blog topic.
Selecting a narrow field to focus on will help you target a very specific demographic – your target audience.
It will also help you create more content on that particular topic. This will keep your readers more engaged as they can find multiple helpful articles on the same blog.
Also, Google loves niche blogs with a strong focus on a specific topic.
Niche programming and tech ideas -Blogs
So what’s a good niche for your programming blog?
Here are a few examples of tech blog niches:
- Programming resources and courses
- JavaScript programming tutorials
- Back-end programming
- Front-end frameworks and libraries
- Learning strategies and tips for new programmers
- Web development tools and resources
- Database management
- Cybersecurity
- Machine learning and artificial intelligence
- Mobile App Development for Android/iOS
The list goes on!
How to Pick the Perfect Niche
You will get a lot Spending time researching and creating content for r your blog.
To stay motivated, find a topic that you enjoy learning and exploring. Otherwise, blogging will feel like a chore and you’ll most likely quit sooner than you think.
Think about your programming journey so far.Answer these questions to find niche ideas now:
- What tools and programming languages have you learned?
- What were your favorites?
- What tools who you enjoy working and learning with?
- What is your long-term goal for your tech journey?
- What topics do you look for when you read tech blogs?
- What tools and topics do you talk about with your tech peers?
- What’s that one programming topic you can’t shut up on?
For example If you’re learning front-end web development, why not start a web design blog? You could share helpful learning strategies and resources for coding web projects.
I started this blog when I was starting to learn to code in 2016.
It was difficult for me to develop technical skills to teach. and it felt overwhelming to know where to start. So I wanted to help others who are going through the same things by sharing my experiences.
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Step 2: Choose a ( Domain ) Names for Your Blog
Once you know what you want to blog about, it’s time to choose a domain name for your blog.
Your domain name should match that name and brand reflect. Your domain name is the online address for your website. This is what people type into their browser to visit your blog.
For example, the domain name for this blog is mikkegoes.com.
How to start a good blog -choosing a domain name
Here are a few tips for choosing a good domain name:
- Keep it short:It has to be something that people can type into their browser.
- Add a relevant keyword:If you’re blogging about programming, add a tech-related keyword .
- Make spelling easier:Avoid words that are difficult to spell and prone to typos.
- Avoid copyright issues:Never register a domain that is even close to a big brand. Domains like “Cola-Coca” or “Mircosoft” will get you in court faster than you think.
Take a moment to find a good domain name for your blog. But don’t get stuck on this step. My domain name doesn’t make sense, but here I am and still going strong!
How to register a domain name
Domain name registrars allow you to register a domain name for a specific period of time, usually 12 years Months.
The easiest way is to register your domain with your web hosting provider – which we’ll get to in a moment. It just makes things easier to have everything under one roof.
The biggest benefit of combining your domain name registration and web hosting is that some web hosts give you a free domain name for the first 12 months.
You’ll save about $15-20. If you want to start your programming blog on a minimal budget, that’s a nice perk.
But you might want to keep your domain and web hosting separate. It’s up to you.
Here are my recommended domain name registrars:
- Bluehost:You get a free domain name for 12 months when you Sign up for web hosting.
- Namecheap:Very popular because they offer very affordable domains. Plus, it’s easy to use and the customer support is fantastic.
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Step 3: Sign up for web hosting
You’re interested in programming and technology, so I’m assuming you know the basics of how websites work .
Web hosting means that you rent storage space on a server that is connected to the internet.
Your hosting provider stores all your website files on their web server , Make sure people can access your blog when they enter your URL.
How do I find the right web hosting provider?
There are several reliable web hosting providers , which you can use to host your blog.
You want to choose a host that has a reliable track record, offers 5-star customer support, and prioritizes speed and security.
Here are 5 key points to keep in mind Things to look out for When choosing your web hosting plan, look out for:
- Customer Service and Support:If you’re new to blogging, sooner or later you will To have questions. Choose a hosting company that offers 24/7 customer support, preferably in your native language.
- Server performance:If you want to code your blog website yourself, make sure Make sure your web host supports the programming languages and tools you want to use. If you use WordPress, consider signing up for WordPress specialized hosting.
- Free domain name:Some hosting providers offer a free domain name for the first 12 months.
- Free SSL certificate:Your web hosting package should include a free SSL certificate for security reasons.
- Prices and packages:Shared hosting is an affordable way to start your programming blog. It’s also very affordable, starting at just $2-3 per month. To get the biggest discounts you usually have to pay 2-3 years in advance.
I mentioned shared hosting in the list which is the cheapest type of hosting out there. Shared hosting simply means that your tech blog is hosted on the same server with other websites, so the resources are shared.
If you’re starting out and want to get your programming blog up and running quickly and easily, Shared Hosting is a great option.
The Best Shared Hosting Provider for Your Blog: Bluehost
If you want to start your blog right away and value convenience, I recommend using Bluehost.
I started this blog with them in 2016 because their service ticked all the boxes. I’ve been hosting websites with Bluehost ever since.
In 2018 I had a terrible experience with another hosting provider and ended up migrating all my 18 domains and websites to Bluehost as well.
Bluehost is a simple, no-fuss provider to get your blog up and running in minutes.
They are primarily aimed at non-technical users who want a simplified technical setup and an easy-to-use dashboard to manage everything.
Bluehost offers a few different types of hosting:
- Shared Hosting:Your blog Website will “live” on a server with a number of other websites and share the same resources. Thus, all performance resources are shared across all websites on the same virtual machine. This is the cheapest type of hosting available.
- VPS or Virtual Private Server:VPS means that the server resources in your plan belong exclusively to your blog website. Better performance but more expensive than shared hosting.
- Dedicated Hosting:Your blog website is hosted on a dedicated, physical computer. The most expensive option.
If you’re starting a simple programming blog, use shared hosting.
It’s incredibly affordable and a great opportunity to learn more about managing your own website.
As your blog traffic grows, you can upgrade to a more powerful hosting package.
Here’s what I do with my websites and what I recommend:
Start with shared hosting on Bluehost
Always start your tech blog on shared hosting. It’s fast, convenient, and very affordable.
You can play around with it, learn how to manage your programming blog, create blog posts, and promote your content.
When you start seeing significant traffic and want to improve technical performance and loading speed, you can upgrade to a higher tier hosting plan.
I started with the cheapest Bluehost shared hosting plan, Basic.
As my traffic grew and I needed more performance, I upgraded to Choice Plus and then Pro.
Upgraded to managed hosting with WP Engine or Kinsta
After a few years ge my blog was generating too much traffic for a shared hosting plan.
I want my readers to have a smooth experience p I wasn’t using my blog posts so I needed a hosting solution with me better technical performance.
I created this blog using WordPress, so I signed up for managed WordPress hosting with WP Engine.
Their performance is top notch and I can’t say anything bad about their service.
More recently I migrated this blog to Kinsta. They provide top performance for busy sites and do everything for me.
Their plans start at $30/month, so it’s significantly more expensive than shared hosting. But don’t worry, you don’t need managed hosting if you’re just starting out.
Take some time to compare a few web hosting providers. It’s a good idea to weigh your pros and cons and choose the company that ticks all the boxes for you.
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step 4: Install WordPress
Now that your web hosting is fully set up, it’s time to install and configure WordPress.
I mentioned this before, but I recommend it Urge you to use the free WordPress content management system to power your blog.
Why?
Because WordPress makes your life easier. You could build your own CMS from scratch. But since you’re reading this, I assume you want to start a blog in a convenient way.
What is WordPress?
If you are unfamiliar, WordPress is a piece of software enabled easy management of your blog.
In fact, WordPress powers a whopping 34% of all websites on the internet.
It’s the most popular CMS worldwide with a 42% market share.
Millions of bloggers use WordPress, as do big brands like Forbes, NBC, TechCrunch, and many others.
I also use WordPress for this blog, and for about 90% of all website projects I do for my clients.
Thanks to its popularity, WordPress is the most sustainable long-term CMS for starting your programming blog.
Now , WordPress comes in two versions: WordPress .com and WordPress.org. The n names are almost identical, but the platforms are very different.
Here are the key features and differences between WordPress.com and WordPress.org:
WordPress.com:
- Free to use (with limited features, paid upgrades)
- Has limited support and theme options
- Does not allow you to use a custom domain name
- Does not allow you to use plugins
- Offers limited SEO tools and analytics
- Has limited monetization options
WordPress.org:
- Is the “self-hosted” WordPress platform (free to use but you need a web hosting plan)
- Gives you complete control over your blog content
- Allows you to Customize your theme without customization Limitations
- Powerful SEO tools and features to grow your traffic faster
- Allows you to use WordPress plugins freely
- Allows it you to start an online store or membership site
If you ask me, you never use the “free” WordPress.com platform.
If you do this do, you don’t own your content or traffic. You will essentially be empowering the WordPress.com platform rather than building your own brand and audience.
See also: Chronological Resume: Template, Format & Examples
The WordPress.org self-hosted platform is the only viable option if you’re serious about having one Start a coding blog that appeals to people.
How to Install WordPress on Bluehost
In the previous section, we talked about how easy it is to start a coding blog on Bluehost launch.
And it gets even better:
With Bluehost, you don’t need to install WordPress. They install it for you in the background during your signup process.
In other words, you can start blogging right away.
Once you signed up, Bluehost sent you an email with the sent login instructions and credentials for your WordPress dashboard. There you will find all the details you need to access your WordPress installation:
Most major hosting providers will automatically install WordPress for you. Or they offer a 1-click install feature in your hosting account dashboard or cPanel.
Please check with your web host for the exact details.
How to install WordPress on Kinsta
If you use Kinsta, you can install WordPress in your dashboard. Navigate to Sites and click Add Site:
Select Install WordPress and enter your site details:
It will take a few minutes for your site to be installed and configured.
Once everything is set up, you can access WordPress from the site dashboard.
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Step 5: Customize your programming blog with a WordPress theme
Since we Now that you’re done with the technical setup for your programming blog, it’s time for the fun part.
WordPress uses “themes” to define the publication date ild of your blog.
Your theme will determine what customization options you have and what parts of your programming blog you can customize.
Keep your blog clean and easy to read. A simple, clean layout will show your visitors that you care enough about making your programming blog easy to read and navigate.
When it comes to design, less is more. p>
How do I find the right WordPress theme?
For now, don’t spend too much time on the design.
Once you’ve built a larger audience and gotten more visitors, you can invest some time and money into customizing your tech blog.
Use a pre-installed WordPress theme at this point . The built-in themes are easy to use, super clean, and made by professional designers.
To choose a theme for your coding blog, open your WordPress dashboard and navigate to Appearance
Create a new page in WordPress, open the Divi page builder and import any of the 800 page designs you like.
Update the text content, adjust images and customize the colors if you like.
With these nifty layout packs, you can create professional-looking pages and blog posts in just a few clicks.
I build WordPress websites for my clients with Divi because it is so easy and intuitive to use.
Even if someone has never used WordPress before, I can give them a quick introduction to how to use it of the page builder and he can update his website himself.
Divi is hands down the best WordPress theme I’ve used so far. I really can’t recommend it enough.
2: Hello Elementor
Answer these questions before you create it:
- Who is visiting the contact page?
- What information are you looking for?
If you expect your readers to send you questions, consider adding a link to your FAQ page to avoid a spate of repetitive emails.
If you are potential customers want to attract and brand collaborations, provide more information on why they should work with you. Encourage them to contact you by explaining what you do and how you can help them.
3: Legal Pages (Privacy Policy, Disclaimer)
Finally you should create the necessary legal notices pages, such as For example, a privacy policy and disclaimer.
Your privacy policy tells your readers what information you collect from your visitors and how you use that data. You want to check what details are required by your local law.
Your disclaimer (or disclosure) is required if you link to other websites, use affiliate links, or share tips on your blog that lead to harm property, people, or just about anything else.
For example, if someone uses your coding tutorials and their company website gets hacked, you could potentially be held responsible.
You can for example create your legal pages with this free service.
Add the important pages to the navigation Add menu
Now that your most important pages are set up, let’s add them to the main navigation on your site.
This way, your visitors can easily find the information they are looking for.
Open your WordPress dashboard and go to Appearance
How do I find blog post ideas? (Keyword Research)
Once you’ve decided on a niche to write about, you need to do keyword research. That’s just a fancy word for finding out what people are typing into search engines when they have a question and need help.
Keyword research is the only way to find out what kind of content your readers are interested in.
So you need to learn how to think like your audience.
If you know what they’re looking for , you can create targeted content that answers their questions.
Let’s say your blog topic is “JavaScript Programming”. Good choice!
The easiest way to find blog post ideas is to just type the main keyword into Google. Let’s go through a few things to look out for:
First, let’s start with the recommended keywords:
These are some of the most popular subtopics for JavaScript programming.
Because JavaScript programming is such a high-level topic, you should probably narrow your focus and blog about one of these suggestions Subtopics.
On the search results page, we see that there are 338 million results, so it’s definitely a popular niche:
In the search results you will see popular questions asked:
If you scroll to the bottom of the search results page, see See other related searches:
Use these insights to get an overview of which type of content people are looking for. You can also repeat the search for more detailed keywords.
Write down your results in Trello or Google Sheets, for example.
You can also use any other keyword research tool. I use KWFinder to find low competition keywords for my blog posts.
With a free KWFinder account, you’ll get a few searches every day, which is great to get started is more than adequate.
If you enter your keyword and click search, you’ll see a list of related keywords on the left:
Pay two things in mind:
- Monthly Search Volume
- Keyword Difficulty
Higher search volume usually means more competition – because everyone is doing it, what you’re doing.
Look at our keyword “JavaScript programming” for tons of related keywords that are more detailed and have less competition.
If your blog is brand new, you should focus on low-competition keywords to gain some momentum.
Once you’ve created several in-depth blog posts on a given topic, it becomes easier to rank in Google. That’s why you should focus on a very specific niche when you start your programming blog.
Once you’ve established yourself as an expert in a narrow niche, search engines start treating you like an authority in the field treat.
How do I write the perfect blog post?
Once you’ve collected enough blog post ideas, it’s time to start writing and creating!
In your WordPress dashboard, go to Postspng” alt=”WordPress Gutenberg content editor” />
Let’s go through some handy tips for writing a great blog post.
Plan your blog post structure
Start by creating headings for each point you want to discuss in your article. This will help you write faster and stay on topic.
Write a persuasive headline
Your headline determines whether people will actually click through to your blog and read your blog post.
Every blog post should address a question or issue, so make sure your headline reflects that.
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Highlight your promises: Why should people read your article?
Use the CoSchedule Headline Analyzer to find the perfect title.
Write an engaging introduction
You only have a few sentences to convince your readers to stay and read your entire blog post.
Here are a few simple tips for writing a great introduction:
- Start with a surprising statistic
- Use descriptive and colorful language
- Tell a quick joke or story
- Don’t state the obvious
You want to grab the reader’s attention and get on your side. Show them they’re in the right place: promise them the result they’re looking for – and then deliver it.
Use Plain English
Make your articles as easy to read as possible.
Use plain English. Avoid complicated sentences and difficult words.
Write as if you are speaking to a friend or neighbor. You want your readers to easily understand what your blog post is about.
The bottom line is:
A 10-year-old should understand what you’re trying to say.
Optimize the layout (focus on readability)
When you start writing, readability is everything. They want to make the reading experience as enjoyable as possible.
People browse blog posts. You only read the most interesting points.
As such, you should use formatting to help your readers find what they’re looking for.
Here are a few tips for optimizing your content Readability:
- Stick to muted colors
- Use a clear, large font
- Break up your text with headings, lists, and images
- Emphasize your main points (italics and bold text)
Ideally, your blog post is 1,000 words long. But don’t be wordy just to create longer blog posts.
Use Yoast SEO to optimize your blog post
Yoast SEO is a free WordPress plugin that which allows you to optimize your blog posts for search engines.
You can set a specific target keyword for each blog post and the plugin will make suggestions to improve readability and ranking.
For this blog post, I targeted the keyword “start a coding blog”. Here are Yoast SEO’s suggestions to improve my article:
Once you are happy with your blog post, you can publish it!
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Step 8: Promote your blog and get traffic
Once you’ve published your first blog posts, it’s time to learn how how to do it Increase your blog traffic.
Here are some of the best ways to promote your blog and get your content seen by the right people:
Use social media to attract visitors
According to DataReportal, more than 3.8 billion people are using social media – 321 million more than last year.
So social media is the best place to be to reach your target audience.
First, find out where your readers are online. There’s no point promoting your programming blog on Facebook if your audience only uses Twitter and Pinterest, for example. Focus on the channels that can bring the best results.
Each social network appeals to a specific demographic in each niche. The following work best on the most popular social media:
- Twitter: blog posts, curated content, tech-related threads
- Facebook: Curated content and videos
- YouTube: Original video content (coding tutorials, career tips)
- Instagram: Quotes, Behind-the-scenes stories, high-quality photos
- Pinterest: How-to guides, step-by-step tutorials, resource summaries (world’s largest visual search engine)
- LinkedIn: Professional, career-focused content and news
See also: How to Create a Payment Gateway
You have to play around and figure out which networks work the best for you and your niche.
Before With that in mind, you should build a presence on one network at a time.
Use discussion forums and groups
Building momentum on social media usually takes time, so you need to be patient.
To your blog promotion To accelerate, find targeted discussion boards and online communities in your niche.
Again, you need to know where your audience is and provide value with your input. You can’t just spam discussion threads and groups with links to your blog.
So make sure you understand what your target audience needs:
- How can you help them ? out?
- How can you make their life easier?
Generating visitors through forums and message boards is all about building relationships and trust with potential visitors.
For programming-related topics, try these channels:
- Stack Overflow
- Facebook Groups
Learn basic SEO to get organic traffic
Search engine optimization may seem technical and difficult Sounds like it is, but it doesn’t have to be.
I see tons of new bloggers struggling with SEO because they feel like it’s rocket science. You know, something you should outsource to an expert to see results.
Am I honest? – That’s a lot of crap.
If you want to get organic traffic from Google, there’s only one thing you need to do:
Give your audience what they want.
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Seriously, it’s that simple.
Here are seven steps to make SEO a breeze:
- Find out who your target audience is
- Find out their biggest problem
- Find out what keywords they are typing into Google to look for help
- Research your competition
- Find out what’s missing
- Create better, richer content
- Give each blog post a single keyword as a target
When you think about it, it’s surprisingly easy. You simply need to know what people are looking for and offer them the best possible content they can find to solve their problem.
So what is your audience searching for on Google?
Here are some tools for finding the right keywords to target:
- Google Trends will help you find seasonal patterns and trending topics.
- KWFinder helps you find keywords with low competition that you can easily rank for.
- Google Search Console helps you spot keywords that that you can improve, d. H. the low -hanging fruit.
Guest blogging on other tech sites
Guest blogging on other tech sites is the best way to engage with your audience through another platform with a l more following.
You can also create content for readers, who are interested in your content.
If an online publication in your niche already has 1 million readers, why not use it? this pool of potential visitors?
Guest blogging is also a fantastic way to build natural backlinks for your own blog to improve your SEO.
It may take some time to get your first landing guest post. If you can’t spend much time reaching out to other bloggers, try reposting your content on Medium, for example.
Answering questions on Quora
Quora is a giant Q
Setting up an email newsletter system for your programming blog is easy.
Place a simple signup form in your blog posts and send out a quick newsletter regularly.
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I use and love MailerLite for my coding blog newsletter. It’s the best free email marketing tool out there.
I send my community an update whenever I have a free resource I want to share, or when a new blog post goes online.
This way I get thousands of visitors to my latest blog posts – and my readers (I love you!) can get new ones Discover programming resources more easily.
Want to join my community too? Sign up here!
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Step 9: Monetize your programming blog
Now, where you are clear on traffic strategy, let’s talk about monetization.
First things first:
Making money blogging is not a get-rich-quick plan.
If you see someone making seven-digit numbers out of their blog, those numbers aren’t typical. You’ve worked hard to get there, and it didn’t happen overnight.
You need to take care of the previous steps in this guide before you start thinking about monetizing your content. That’s why I cover this topic at the end of this guide.
Of course, that makes things easier if you already have a large audience.
But most novice blogger code starts with zero followers and build your blogging empire from the ground up.
So I want you to have realistic expectations. Don’t expect to make money from day one.
For now, you should focus on working on your content, and monetization comes later.
It’s good, though being aware of some of the ways you can make money blogging now that you’ve gotten this far.
Let me walk you through some of the best monetization strategies for your tech blog.
Some of these methods are quick and easy to set up, while others require more preparation and long-term thinking.
Method #1: Recommend tech products and tools (affiliate marketing)
Anyone who wants to learn more about programming needs to find the best resources. But it’s difficult to know where to start with thousands of courses and tutorials to choose from.
If you blog about tech, you might want to recommend a few tools and resources you found to your readers have been helpful.
Maybe you took a programming class or found a programming book that helped you understand a certain topic better?
So why not recommend it to your readers and a couple earn dollars at no extra cost to them? It’s an absolute win-win situation!
Most major brands have affiliate programs. How they work:
- Sign up to become an affiliate partner
- Recommend these resources to your readers on your blog
- Add Add your affiliate link to your blog posts
- Earn a commission when someone buys something through your link
Obviously you only want to recommend products that you actually do use and love.
You should also pay attention to how these products are helping your readers. This allows you to create top-notch content that is valuable, such as:
- Instructions on how to use the product
- Detailed reviews with pros and cons
- Step-by-step tutorials
For example, I started programming to learn with The Complete Web Developer Course 2.0 on Udemy.
I’m a big fan of the course, so I started recommending it to anyone serious about learning in-demand web developer skills from scratch .
But it took me about 12 months to figure out that I could become an affiliate partner for Udemy. So I signed up, put in my affiliate link to my blog posts about the course and platform as a whole, and started making money which I now use to keep this blog going.
Method #2: Sell courses and tutorials
Coding and web development skills are in high demand in the job market and it has never been easier to learn technical skills online.
If you enjoy teaching others what you know, why create and don’t you sell your own video course? , for example?
Focus on a very specific topic and find out what people are struggling with in that area. You can promote your course to your readers and email subscribers to generate sales.
Method #3: Sell Freelance Services
If you want to make a quick side income from your tech blog, selling freelance services and offering your expertise is a simple strategy.
First you need to know who you are addressing:
- Who is your ideal customer?
- What does he need help with?
- Why are they reading your blog?
- How can you help them? What value can you offer?
If you have coding skills that are in demand on the job market, showcase your work samples on your blog.
If not If you still Don’t have work samples, create them one by one and post them on your blog. Once live, you can start targeting prospects.
Here are some examples of what skills you could offer:
- Writing Skills – Customer Products review, write instructions, etc.
- Coding skills
- WordPress skills
- Web design skills
- Online marketing skills
- SEO Skills
The list goes on as all the technical skills can be sold.
If you are interested in freelancers, be sure to read my article about it how I made my first $1,000 as a freelancer.
For a handy beginner’s guide, grab your copy of my freelancer starter guide.
Method #4: Sell Ad Space
Display ads are a somewhat controversial monetization method, but once you know it, it’s very powerful. Your blog traffic will start to grow.
You can join a display network and place ads on your blog. Every time these ads are shown or someone clicks on them, you make money.
Ads are easy and quick to set up, but the income potential doesn’t increase until you have at least 10,000 monthly visitors.
Here are some legitimate display networks you might consider:
- AdSense by Google is easy to set up. No minimum traffic requirements.
- Infolinks is a beginner-friendly ad network. No minimum traffic requirements.
- Monumetric is a full-service ad network with a dedicated team of experts to support your blog monetization strategy. You need at least 10,000 page views per month to participate.
I have been using Monumetric display ads on this blog until recently and they have made decent money. I used this ad revenue to pay my rent.
However, I discontinued these ads so that I could optimize my other revenue streams and improve the overall user experience on my blog.
Whether you use ads , is entirely up to you. They’re easy to set up and the income is 100% passive.
Method #5: Partner with brands
Once you’ve established yourself as an authoritative blogger in your niche, you want to land sponsored content collaborations with relevant brands and products.
Sponsored content means that a company or brand pays you to publish their content or feature their product on your blog.
It may take some time to generate enough traffic to complete your first collaboration deal. It depends on (1) what your blog is about and (2) how engaged your readers are.
Broadly speaking, brands expect you to have at least 5,000-10,000 visitors per month.
To get an idea of how much you can charge for a sponsored blog post, check out this helpful Blogger Price List, which I also use.
Please note: you should always make it very clear to your readers whenever you publish a sponsored blog post.
The FTC requires you to disclose your affiliations in any sponsored content, whether or not it is a blog post , an email, a podcast episode, a social media post, or anything else.
Which monetization method should you use?
It all boils down to what your readers want from you. There is no universal “best” way to make money from your programming blog.
You should be aware of what methods work best in your niche and align them with your work and knowledge.
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Here are some strengths and how you can monetize them:
- Writing Skills:If you love technical writing, provide freelance services, or sell e-books.
- Speaking Skills:Good speakers make great teachers. Start a YouTube channel with video tutorials or create an online course.
- Teaching Skills:Create an online course or offer tutorials on your website.
- Design Skills:If you love front-end programming, why not create website templates or WordPress themes?
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Final Thoughts: How to start a programming blog
Starting a programming blog is a fantastic way to build an online presence and the Giving back to the tech community.
You can share your experiences, offer valuable resources to like-minded technicians, and establish yourself as an expert in your niche.
Here’s a quick summary of what you need, what you do to start a programming blog:
- Choose a blog topic you enjoy working with
- Choose and register a catchy domain name
- Set up a web hosting account
- Get familiar with WordPress
- Create the main pages for your blog (About Us, Contact Us, Legal)
- Search keywords to find them Blog Post Ideas
- Create valuable, helpful content
- Promote your blog to attract visitors
- Devise a monetization strategy
Starting your own blog requires a lot of dedication and determination as a blogger you wear some hats. But I hope this article has helped you get a good idea of where to start and what to do next.
So, are you ready to get started? Then go to Bluehost to set up your domain, web hosting and WordPress.
Or are you still undecided about blogging? If so, let me know how I can help in the comments section.
I’m so excited to share what I’ve learned so far and help you get your blog up and running .
Here are a few articles you might want to read next:
- How to build a website from scratch on recreated: Step-by-Step Guide
- Making Money Programming: 12 Money-Making Methods for Developers
- How to make a Portfolio Site Built on WordPress : Beginner’s Guide
P.S. If you’re serious about blogging, check out my other blog for in-depth articles to get you started blogging, how to make money blogging, how to become a successful affiliate marketer, how to build an email list and more.
Happy Blogging!- Mikke
See also: Guides.rubyonrails.org
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