I’ve been a blogger since 2008 and I love what I do. Blogging is creative, and fun, keeps me mentally alert, and makes me extra money. As a single woman and a Baby Boomer, having extra income is important. The money I make from blogging is fairly passive. It ka-chings while I sleep . . . literally!
Is blogging dead?
Certainly not! A blog is your personal real estate on the Internet you control as social media sites come and go. It should be your main hub online.
If you want to earn extra income or build a business in retirement – but still have freedom and flexibility, blogging is something you can do from anywhere. Imagine sitting on a piazza in Rome and writing about the amazing Gelato you just ate.
As seniors, we have been on this Earth for many decades. All of us have expertise in something. Why not share the wisdom and life lessons you have learned to mentor others?
Or, maybe you worked in the same dreary job for years and want to reinvent yourself to pursue your passions.
A blog requires little overhead making it affordable to grow as a business. If you are consistent and strategic, you will begin to make money after a while. However, it isn’t a “get rich quick scheme.” You have to work at it.
The flexibility of a blog gives you endless possibilities
Imagine being able to work while you travel as long as you have WIFI in any location you want. You may only make pennies at first but if you are focused and persistent, you may generate enough money to enhance your lifestyle especially if your Social Security or pension isn’t cutting it.
Find remote work as a blogger or use your expertise and work from anywhere in the world here.
Fear of technology
I hear you. As Baby Boomers, we grew up with typewriters and not computers. You will be surprised at how many older people use the Internet, and are tech savvy. After all, our generation built the Internet and computers.
I taught myself to blog by taking online classes and watching YouTube videos.
If that sounds intimidating, enlist the help of someone who will help you solve any technical issues you encounter. They can get you set up and allow you to focus on creating content and building your after-retirement business. Many will do this for a reasonable rate who are capable and trustworthy.
Starting a blog is best if you enjoy writing but if that sounds like a chore, you can post videos or podcast streams on your blog instead.
How to make money with a blog
I have developed relationships with brands I love and helped them promote their products as an affiliate or influencer. Blogging has connected me with incredible people from all industries. I often receive free products to review, which is a perk but I am always honest when I review them because I want my audience to trust me.
Blogging can fill in the gaps if you are coming up short financially
What I love about blogging is that there is very little overhead compared to starting a brick-and-mortar business or other entrepreneurial venture. At one point, I was successful in an MLM company, but I can tell you from experience, that blogging is a safer option financially. MLMs are money suckers even though they promote themselves as low-overhead opportunities.
I started my blog because of my circumstances. I have worked freelance all my life as a voice actor but in the last twenty years, I lost two partners to cancer and was a single mom for a while. Aside from earning extra income, I have found blogging to be a fulfilling way to use my talents, meet colleagues online, help others, and, make my life a lot more fun!
How to get your blog online quickly
It’s much simpler than you think, even if you feel technically challenged. Follow the steps below.
1. Decide on a niche (which means topic)
Building a business with a blog works best when you focus on a topic people want information about. It’s best to write about topics you truly enjoy. I know bloggers who have done well writing about tropical fish, traveling solo, or baking bread using natural yeast. There is an audience for almost everything but it should be something that has enough traffic to make it worthwhile. Start by doing a Google search to see who else is writing about it.
If there is interest in the topic you want to write about make sure it is not too general like “losing weight” or “world travel” or you will have huge competition. Find an offshoot of that topic with a smaller audience to give you a chance to make the first page of Google. That will make it easier to build a successful passive business.
2. Choose a domain name for your blog
Once you decide on your niche pick a domain (website) name that reflects your topic and personality. The name of your site is critically important so think carefully before you commit to it. It’s best to keep your web address (URL) as short as possible and always use a .com unless it’s a non-profit organization that should be .org.
A .com comes up in search immediately when typed into a browser and takes your visitor directly to your site. Domains that use other extensions like .net, .info, and .me, do not come up automatically and are harder to find.
Consider the future when choosing a domain name. For instance, a mommy blogger will someday become an empty nester. Midlife bloggers will become seniors. When I chose the name BabyBoomster.com it reflected my generation. Even when I am 100 years old, God willing, I will always be a Baby Boomer.
3. Pick your blogging software
There are several blogging platforms but I have always preferred WordPress. Most serious bloggers use it because it is multi-functional and professional-looking.
However, it’s important to know that there are two types of WordPress software.
WordPress.com is a free platform hosted by WordPress. It restricts posting ads and affiliate links and has limited functionality.
WordPress.org has no restrictions and is the industry standard for serious bloggers. It can be accessed and set up once you purchase a hosting account. It gives you access to thousands of plugins (for functionality) and themes. (for appearance)
There are free blogging platforms such as Blogspot, Squarespace, Weebly, WordPress.com, and Wix, but they have restrictions and I would only recommend them if you choose to make blogging more of a hobby than a business.
4. Purchase a hosting account
I sometimes buy domains on GoDaddy.com but I use Bluehost to host my sites When you sign up on Bluehost gives you 1 domain for free and WordPress.org will automatically be uploaded onto it.
Bluehost now has cloud hosting available which is super fast.
You can start with the basic plan for 1 site, or upgrade to the Choice Plan if you want to add additional sites to your hosting account.
5. Get online in as little as 5 minutes
When you sign up with Bluehost you will receive one free domain name and WordPress will automatically be installed as soon as you complete your purchase and you will be ready to go. However, if you are installing a 2nd domain, there are a few additional steps.
Visit my step-by-step tutorial to set up WordPress on Bluehost
Another reason I recommend Bluehost is that they keep their servers up to date on the backend. This isn’t always the case at other hosting companies. You do not want your site to crash later on.
Bluehost’s customer service has always been excellent especially when I call them directly. They have helped me fix issues on my sites over the years. Stuff happens no matter what hosting site you use.
6. Find a theme or template to design your blog
WordPress has thousands of themes to choose from. A default design comes with the installation.
A word about choosing a theme
It is easy to upload a new theme. In WordPress go to Appearance – themes – add new theme. Themes come in zip files and you upload that file. Your theme will need to be configured to your liking. Check YouTube for tutorials for the theme you choose. To find a theme, do a Google search for WordPress themes. Some are free and others are premium. It depends on what you want your site to look like.
If configuring your theme sounds daunting you may want to pay a WordPress expert to get set up initially. You can find someone affordable on sites like Fiverr and Upwork, ask a young person who is tech savvy, or ask other bloggers for referrals.
What to be wary of
DO NOT let anyone talk you into coding your blog from scratch. It isn’t necessary, will be insanely expensive, and most likely will not update properly. Unless you have a big business you are promoting that requires a shopping cart or other complicated functions, you should be able to get a blog set up for under $1,000 and sometimes much less. If you do it yourself, it will barely cost anything.
7. How to monetize your blog
There are numerous ways to create income streams using a blog. Below are some suggestions.
- Sell a physical product you have created or are selling. A WordPress site has shopping cart plugins to list products you want to sell. A popular plugin is called WooCommerce. It requires a little training which you can find on YouTube. If you only have a few products to sell, you may want to embed a PayPal button or link your Etsy shop to your website.
- Make affiliate income – Find brands you LOVE, and join their affiliate programs for free. They may have a link at the footer of their site for affiliates. Once you are accepted, you will be taken to a site where you can find links or banners to add to your site. Write a review post about that product and insert affiliate links for your readers to shop. You will earn a commission if they click on a link and make a purchase. I have affiliate accounts on major networks like CJ Affiliate, Rakuten Linkshare, Shareasale, Awin, Impact, Collective Voice, and Amazon.
- Amazon Associates is an easy affiliate program to join and you can add links to any product on the site. Although its commission rates are low, it easily converts to sales because anything a person purchases on the site once they click your link will track to you for 24 hours. Many people prefer to shop online on Amazon and its inventory is enormous.
Affiliate marketers must add a disclaimer preferably at the top of your post that reads something like this: This post contains some affiliate links and I will earn a small commission if you click on them and make a purchase. Some WordPress plugins can add this to all your posts.
- Write Sponsored Posts – A brand may ask you to write a paid post reviewing its product or service. Usually, you will receive the product for free, and a flat fee for the post. They may ask to see your traffic statistics or a media kit beforehand. Sponsored posts seem to be moving more to sites like Instagram or TikTok but some brands prefer to pay for blog posts. As your traffic grows you can increase your rate accordingly. See an example of a sponsored post on this blog here.
- Use an ad network – Once you have some traffic you can sign up for an ad network like Google Adsense. After applying and being accepted into the program using your Google account you can insert a snippet of code on your site. (Watch a YouTube video to learn how.) This will bring up ads based on your reader’s searches and preferences. You can decide how many ads to run or run auto-ads. Auto ads use artificial intelligence based on your reader’s views and preferences. As your traffic increases you can upgrade to an ad network that will make you more money. I use SheMedia on this site because it is most in sync with my content.
- Sell eBooks or insert links to your published works. (Amazon, Barnes, and Noble, etc.)
- Create an online course – The easiest way to do this is to link your site to a CMS learning platform to teach others. You can create a course on Udemy, Teachable, Thinkific, or other online teaching sites.
- Sell customized merchandise printed and shipped by companies like Red Bubble, Gelato, or other merch sites for influencers.
- Build membership sites using a membership plugin – Readers pay a monthly fee to view exclusive content that only members receive.
- Sponsorship Ads – Allow brands or business owners to purchase advertising space or place banner ads on your site.
- Podcasts, YouTube channels, streaming sites – Sponsors pay to have you create video or audio to promote their products. You can embed these on your website in posts.
Generating additional income, especially passive income, is important as you get older unless you have a very healthy nest egg, or were born rich. Why not make some and have fun doing it?
For more blogging resources, click here.
Ask yourself, “Why do I want to start a blog?”
Not everyone has the desire or need to write blog posts on their website even though blogging is one of the best ways to attract traffic and gain followers. A WordPress site can become your home online to promote an existing business or project.
If you enjoy expressing yourself as a writer, you are a perfect candidate to start a blog. Some older people write blog posts to organize their thoughts and eventually turn them into a book.
Other tips to make your blog successful
Learn about keyword optimization
If your content is compelling and written with searchable keywords, visitors will arrive at your site organically from Google and other search engines.
Generally, you will want to choose a searchable keyword phrase for each post depending on the topic you are writing about. It should be a keyword that gets a medium amount of traffic so that you have a better chance of making it to page 1 on a Google search. Too much traffic to that keyword will get you lost in the shuffle and beaten out by bigger sites.
You can learn about SEO on YouTube or other websites. One of my favorite SEO experts is Neil Patel. Click here to watch his video series.
SEO isn’t always enough to make your blog successful. You will want other people to share what you’ve written so make sure your content is valuable and useful. It should answer any questions that your readers have about the topic you are writing about.
Make your site readable for older eyes
The size and style of your content’s fonts will make a difference in whether your readers stay or leave your site. If the text is so small it’s hard to read and visitors will leave. I recommend using a font size of 16 or larger depending on the font style. A white background behind your text is the EASIEST to read.
Stick to web-friendly fonts. Script fonts are notoriously hard to read. Stick to fonts like Helvetica, Arial, Raleway, Georgia, or other clear fonts. Click here for more suggestions.
Resist the urge to add additional colors to fonts or change font styles within individual posts to keep the look of your site consistent. It looks much more professional that way.
Most people skim rather than read an entire article especially if it’s a long post. Break up your text into two or three sentences using headers like H2, or H3 titles, bullet points, numbers, italics, quotes, etc. The last thing you want is a long block of text. Each paragraph should be a readable chunk.
It shouldn’t be all about you
You can have a high-trafficked and popular website without using social media if your content is well written, solves your reader’s problems, and contains searchable keywords. However, if all you write about is you, your blog will have limited appeal and will not be very searchable.
Write headlines that your readers will CLICK on
I don’t know how many times I’ve seen bloggers post obscure, nonsensical headlines that make it impossible for a reader to guess what the post is about. (Example – What the . . . . ?) A good headline will draw readers to your content. Include the main keyword for that post and up to 60 characters to optimize it.
There are AI tools to help inspire you to write good headlines such as ChatGDP.
Write enough to make your point
A good post should be at least 300 words long but better if it is 600 words or longer. Some gurus recommend long posts of 1200 – 5000 words. The length depends on your audience and what you are writing about. Add internal links (which lead to other blog posts on your site) to all your posts to keep readers on your site and add reference links from authority sites to highlight important information they may need to know.
Use social media strategically to give your posts a boost
You don’t have to spend endless hours promoting a post on every social media channel. Find out what sites work best for your audience and focus on them.
My best traffic comes from Pinterest. It’s an image-centric search engine popular for niches like travel, food, fashion, home decor, and other lifestyle interests. The images I pin are linked to my blog posts.
If you sign up for Pinterest, create a business account and verify it using your blog’s web address. That way you can view analytics and insights to see which pins are most popular with your audience.
When setting up your social media handles use your brand name or your real name if they’re available.
You can boost your traffic using Facebook, Google, and other paid ads if you can afford it. But remember, the more valuable content you write that is searchable, the more opportunities Google has to find your pages on the Internet without the need for you to spend extra money on ads.
Blog comments prove engagement
Allowing comments on your blog is optional but can be very valuable. Comments allow you to get an idea of what they like when they reply. But, it’s important to make it easy for readers to comment.
If they have to jump through hoops to comment, they probably won’t, especially if they do it from their phones.
Make your blog easy to navigate
Organize your blog’s menu bar so it is easy to click on pages and categories but keep it as simple as possible. Remember that many people will access your site on their phones and too many tabs can be messy and confusing.
Creating categories and tags will help make it easier for readers to find the content they are interested in. Categories should only be for main topics on your blog and tags are for topics discussed within individual posts. Keep them to a minimum for more efficient navigation. Categories and tags can be clicked on for readers to find content relating to them.
Add internal links to articles on your blog to keep readers on your site longer.
Check your spelling and grammar
I use a free app called Grammarly with my Chrome browser. It checks my spelling, grammar, and punctuation on my blog, Facebook, Twitter, and Word Docs. I don’t know what I’d do without it.
When I started using it I was alarmed at all the mistakes I made in old posts and went back and fixed them. It also catches extra space and other flubs you may make when typing.
Collect email addresses to build your list
Building a list of email subscribers is crucial if you use your blog for business. Most website owners insert a form on their site from an email list provider to collect email addresses from consenting participants.
Sending regular emails to your readers helps you connect with them and will send them back to your site to read new posts and offers you want to promote.
Popup forms are annoying but are an effective way to add new subscribers. If you use a popup, set it to appear after a visitor has read your content for a while rather than immediately after they land. This gives them a little time to get to know you first.
MailChimp is a free email list provider if you have under 2,000 subscribers. Mailer Lite is free for up to 1,000 subscribers. You can create a pop-up opt-in form or embedded forms to collect email addresses from interested parties and send out newsletters or announcements.
If you aren’t on my email update list currently, PLEASE click here and SUBSCRIBE. I would LOVE that!
Pay attention to GDPR
The General Data Protection Regulation was implemented in May of 2018. It’s a data privacy law introduced by the European Union but affects website owners globally. It protects users’ privacy when it comes to data collection. I won’t try to confuse you with all the details but website owners must comply with its rules.
You must post a link to your privacy page and ask your visitors for permission to collect data via email opt-in, contact form, and shopping cart information. For more information on how it applies to bloggers, click here.
Make sure your blog is mobile-friendly
People use their smartphones or tablets to view websites exclusively these days. Google will penalize you in search if your site isn’t mobile-friendly.
Check to see if your blog is mobile-friendly by clicking here.
Set up Google Analytics and Search Console Accounts for your blog
Google is the king of all search engines so it is best to set up a Google Analytics account and Google Search Console Account for your domain. If you have a Gmail or Google account, log in and search for each. Google Analytics will want you to add a snippet of code to your blog to connect it. If you are using WordPress, you can use the plugin MonsterInsights to connect it.
This will help you see page views, the most popular content, and other insights. Upload a sitemap to Search Console to make it easier for Google to crawl your site. To set all this up, look for a current YouTube tutorial. There are many.
Site speed is super important
When you upload large files like images, it makes your site slower to load. This is frustrating for readers, especially if they have pokey Internet. Always resize your images to about 1200 pixels or less before uploading them to your site and reduce the file size. Never upload them at full size from your camera.
Choose Bluehost Cloud Hosting for a faster website
Optimize and size your images
Rename all your images before uploading them to your site using target keywords.
I use PicMonkey to resize images. A similar site is Fotor. Both have free versions. Never upload your photos directly from your smartphone camera because the files may be huge or have numbers that mean nothing to search engines as titles.
The fewer plugins you use on your site, the faster it will be. You can test your site speed at GTMetrix.com and Google Page Speed Insights. They will give you an idea of what may be causing your site to be slow.
For more blogging resources, click here.
Create unique images you can share on social media
Never use copywritten photos on your site or you can be fined. I love to create images using Canva, which has a library of stock images that you can use and resize correctly for social media.
Set Up a WordPress blog on Bluehost TODAY
Oh. My. Goodness.
I’ve blogged for over a decade and get this question frequently.
Your post is phenomenal.
(((sharing))).
Thank you so much, Carla I appreciate your feedback.
Fabulous advice! I wish I’d known this when I started years ago!
Thanks, Jennifer, It’s an ever evolving learning curve that changes all the time. I hope it helps lots of others who want to learn to blog.
I think this is good advice for a starter blog. Nothing like experience to teach us!
Thanks, Carol.,
Yes, I wrote it for people who were thinking about blogging but also those who may need to tweak a few things they have on their blogs already. Experience and the fact that it’s an ever-evolving process due to constant changes in the blogosphere.
This is all fantastic!! I am going to tweet and send everyone to this truly helpful post.
Thank you Ellen. Shares are always appreciated. Glad you found it helpful.
Great comprehensive advice- I could have used it many years ago!
Thanks, Sheryl, We’re always learning new things because they’re always changing everything but we keep ploughing through. LOL
Wow, where was this post five years ago! Great advice and gave me some things to think about. The one issue I still struggle with is the whole Pop-up Opt-in. They work. They build that oh so important list. And yes they annoy the heck out of everyone. Love this piece and your advice!
Thanks, Ruth, Yes, using pop-ups can be a big pain. We love them and hate them at the same time.
Wow, what a great resource you’ve put together here. I’ve been blogging for years and there’s still so much to learn. Blogging has enriched my life in so many ways, and I would absolutely recommend it to other baby boomers.
I appreciate that Lois. It’s enriched my life to in so many ways. So glad I discovered it.
Very comprehensive post, Rebecca. You touched on several of my pet peeves – tweets that aren’t formatted so that people can tell what the post is about, bloggers making it hard to share by the placement of their share buttons and tiny print! I will be referring to this post again. I am shopping for a new theme!
Thanks, Cathy,
Glad it isn’t just me. I realize not everyone is nerdy like me, but just a few setting tweaks can fix it.
Some great tips Rebecca – especially for someone wanting to start blogging on a serious level. I kind of like my little free blog that I can have fun with and no pressure. I’m so glad I don’t have to earn an income from it because I don’t think I could be bothered with all the extras I’d need to do! That being said, I love the community of blogging and the commenting and sharing x
That’s cool Leanne. If you are just blogging as a hobby it doesn’t matter what your site hosted on. Although some sites have been accidentally deleted by Google or WordPress.com and then all the content gets lost. As long as you have backup copies it’s OK. Self-hosted WordPress gives you control over your files. Also, making tweaks so that it makes it easy for your audience to share and comment makes it a smoother experience for them.
Well now you tell me! Wish I’d seen this list 2 years ago when I was starting, would have saved me lots of money and wasted time!
True, but 2 years ago, things were probably different in some ways. We are always learning and using new tools.
That’s very helpful and informative post – thank you. There is always something to learn no matter how long we have been blogging. I started mine two years ago with absolutely no knowledge at all and I am still learning day by day. Having posts like this from people further along the road is really useful.
And the sitting thing, I really get that one! I have days when I crave ‘real life’ and want to get out to see people face to face. It’s so much better. My old career in journalism was fantastic for that because it was all face to face in those days and I met some wonderful people along the way. Blogging is so different, can be very isolating if we don’t make a conscious decision to get out and about more.
I had an ‘away day’ on Tuesday and I ended up chatting with several random people about their lives. It culminated with me and the two people I went out with sitting on the wall of a graveyard in the sunshine, starting the film script we having been discussing for 5 YEARS! The notes got scribbled on the back of an art gallery programme because we were not prepared to start work. But being out in the sun, away from the office made it feel like the right time to start and the ideas flowed faster than we could write them down!
Thanks again for this brilliant post – I have bookmarked it!
Thanks so much Gilly. I’m so glad you found my post helpful. So glad you had that “away” day. It sounds like it was so productive and got you out of your office. Face to face time is so important. We can’t forget that.
One more thing…I am glad you mentioned about editing tweets – I have always been worried about doing that because it seems almost rude to alter them. I often do add something though and then I worry about whether it’s right to do that. I will do it with more confidence now! It has never bothered me when people have done it to mine though 🙂
I don’t think you should be worried about editing a tweet. In fact, it’s better if you do. I just like to make sure the person is acknowledged and tagged so they see it.
Wow! Great content!
Thanks, so much, Mary!
Such great advice, Rebecca. I still could use help with the SEO stuff. I think I’m doing it right, but never sure. I also use Social Pug and love it! Always so much to learn, which is one of blogging’s great appeals, at least to me!
Thanks, Laurie. I’m glad you found it helpful. SEO makes a huge difference. And, you’re right that you always keep learning with blogging because things are constantly changing.
Good Advice. I started a blog a few years back on BlogSpot where I review movies and actually got help from you. I asked you for advice by Email and it helped me get started. Thanks. I’m not really into Tech and don’t even have aa cellphone or Widescreen HD TV and have a bunch of old VHS tapes I got a while back. ut I was able to figure out how to manage it. I can’t Code or Program but I can get by with what I do.
That’s great, Chris. I’m glad I was able to help and hope you are enjoying it.
Exceedingly interesting.
I’ve been blogging almost ten years and there’s still stuff to learn. In fact, sometimes I feel I’ve barely touched the surface. Maybe that’s what’s so appealing about blogging, there’s always room to grow.
It’s an evolving type of thing to do, that’s for sure.
How well I remember starting mine. They’re not as popular as they used to be because people do not read.
I think they still do. Right now people are focused on Instagram mostly but social media is never a sure thing and can go away at any time, whereas a blog is there as long as you want it to be.
Excellent post and great advice. Well done!
Thanks, so much, Meryl!
Started my website almost two years ago and learning very slowly…at my own pace. I never dreamed there would be SO much to learn. Your article is a great reminder about things I already knew, as well as a wonderful source of new information that I will take to heart.
I deeply appreciate folks like you who care and share super posts.
Thanks… and I hope 2022 will be EXUBERANT for you.
Thank you so much for your wonderful email, Angela. I love getting feedback on my posts and glad you found it valuable. I wish you also a wonderful New Year!