Welcome to my article Step-by-Step: How I Made My First $100 Blogging. Let’s be honest—when I first started blogging, I thought money would just magically appear the moment I hit “publish.” Spoiler alert: it didn’t. In fact, my first few posts were basically love letters to the void. No traffic, no clicks, no dollars. Just me, a cup of coffee, and Google Analytics showing a flatline that looked suspiciously like my blogging career.
In this post, I’m breaking down exactly how I got there. No fluff, no fake screenshots of six-figure income dashboards—just a real, step-by-step journey from $0 to $100. Whether you’re a blogging newbie or someone stuck in the “why am I doing this again?” phase, this guide will help you avoid the potholes I fell into and get you moving toward your first real blogging income. Grab a snack, maybe a notebook—and let’s talk about that sweet first hundred bucks.
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Step 1: Choosing a Niche That Made Sense
The niche dilemma—aka the part where you ask yourself “Should I write about everything I love or pick one thing and pretend I’m an expert?” I’ve been there, staring at a blank page, torn between blogging about productivity tips, banana bread recipes, and conspiracy theories about why socks disappear in the dryer.
Here’s the truth: picking the right niche matters—especially when you’re trying to make money. You don’t have to be a world-class guru, but you do need a topic that:
- Has an audience,
- Solves real problems,
- And (ideally) has some moneymaking potential.
For me, I chose a niche that sat right at the intersection of “I actually know stuff about this”, “people are searching for it”, and “there are affiliate links and monetization opportunities galore.” It wasn’t glamorous. It wasn’t trendy. But it made sense—and that’s what counts.
I also made peace with this idea: you don’t need to blog about your entire personality. You just need a clear focus so readers (and search engines) know what to expect. When you’re all over the place, it’s like walking into a bakery that also sells tires and offers relationship advice. Interesting? Maybe. Profitable? Not so much.
To find your niche sweet spot, ask yourself:
- What topics do I enjoy enough to write about regularly (without rage-quitting)?
- Are people searching for this on Google or Pinterest?
- Can I eventually promote products, services, or create my own?
Bottom line: you can’t monetize confusion. Pick a niche, stick with it for a while, and tweak as you grow. It doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to make sense (to your readers and your bank account).
Step 2: Creating Content That Solved Real Problems
Let’s be honest—when I first started blogging, I thought people would love reading about my morning routine and what kind of tea I was drinking. Spoiler alert: they didn’t. (Apparently, strangers on the internet don’t care about your chamomile obsession unless it cures migraines or makes them rich.)
That’s when I had my lightbulb moment: if I wanted to make money blogging, I needed to stop writing for myself—and start writing for my audience. More specifically, I needed to help solve their problems. Not in a therapist way (I’m not qualified and I cry during commercials), but in a “hey, here’s something useful” kind of way.
So instead of posting personal ramblings, I asked:
- What are people Googling at 2 a.m. in a panic?
- What questions do beginners have in my niche?
- What would I have needed help with when I was just starting out?
Boom—content ideas galore.
I used tools like Google Autosuggest, AnswerThePublic, and even good ol’ Reddit threads to find out what my potential readers were struggling with. Then I created helpful, easy-to-digest posts that gave real answers, not just vague motivational fluff like “you got this!” (Helpful, but… not enough.)
And here’s the key: don’t just dump info—structure it. Use clear headings, bullet points, and examples. Make it skimmable, scannable, and actionable. Your blog post shouldn’t be a mystery novel—it should be a cheat sheet.
When I made this shift, not only did my traffic go up, but people actually clicked, stayed, and—wait for it—bought stuff.
So remember: the internet doesn’t need another diary entry—it needs solutions. Solve a problem, and people (and Google) will pay attention.
Step 3: Driving Free Traffic to My Blog
So I had a niche. I had content. I had enthusiasm.
You know what I didn’t have? Traffic.
(Unless you count me refreshing my blog 37 times a day to feel something.)
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At this point, I realized the sad truth: no one’s just going to “stumble” across your blog unless your last name is Google. If you build it, they will not come… unless you give them directions, maybe a map, and possibly some snacks.
Since my budget was somewhere between “zero” and “please don’t charge me,” I had to get scrappy. I focused on free traffic strategies—and let me tell you, they work when done right. Here’s what I leaned on:
🚀 1. Pinterest = My First Real Blog BFF
I didn’t know much, but I knew Pinterest users love how-tos, checklists, and pretty images. I created pin-worthy graphics for each blog post (using Canva, shoutout to my fellow non-designers), added keyword-rich descriptions, and boom—clicks started coming in. Not viral, but enough to know I wasn’t blogging into the void anymore.
🔍 2. Basic SEO = Free Google Real Estate
I stopped treating SEO like some scary tech thing and started seeing it for what it is: just answering people’s questions with the right words. I used tools like Ubersuggest to find low-competition keywords and made sure my titles, headers, and meta descriptions were doing their job. (Pro tip: don’t name your post “Stuff I Like.” No one’s Googling that.)
💬 3. Niche Forums & Facebook Groups
I didn’t spam my blog everywhere like a desperate MLM rep—I helped people. I’d answer questions in forums or groups related to my niche, and if it made sense, I’d share a link to one of my blog posts. Helpful = welcomed. Spammy = banned.
The best part? All of this traffic was free, and some of it still brings visitors in to this day. Moral of the story: don’t just create great content—put it where people can actually find it. Preferably somewhere outside of your mom’s inbox.
Step 4: Monetizing Strategically from Day One
Yes, the million-dollar question (or in my case, the first-hundred-dollar one):
“How do I actually make money from this thing?”
Because while passion is great, passion doesn’t pay for snacks. Or hosting fees.
At first, I assumed I needed thousands of pageviews before I could earn anything. Turns out, that’s a myth—like blog posts that promise “Get Rich Blogging in 24 Hours!” (Sure, Jan.)
I learned that you can absolutely start monetizing strategically from day one, even with a small audience. The trick? Match your monetization method to your content and your readers. Here’s what worked for me:
💼 Affiliate Marketing: My First Real Income
Affiliate marketing was my ride-or-die in the beginning. It’s simple: I recommended tools, products, or services I already used (or at least researched thoroughly), added a special tracking link, and if someone clicked and bought—cha-ching! I earned a small commission.
No, I didn’t get rich overnight. But my first $12 sale felt like I had just won a mini lottery. It proved people trusted my content and were willing to take action. I joined beginner-friendly affiliate programs like:
- ShareASale
- Impact
- Specific niche programs related to my blog topic
And I didn’t just drop links randomly like breadcrumbs. I wove them into useful posts like tutorials, listicles, and reviews.
Helpful = click-worthy. Pushy = ignored.
🖥️ Display Ads (Once I Had Some Traffic)
I held off on ads in the beginning because no one wants to scroll past five pop-ups just to get to a banana muffin recipe. Once I hit a steady trickle of traffic (around 1K+ monthly views), I tested AdSense. Did it make me rich? No. But a few bucks here and there? Not bad for something passive.
📌 The “Strategic” Part
The key was intentional monetization. I didn’t just slap on every possible income stream. I asked:
- Does this make sense for my audience?
- Would I click this if I were the reader?
- Is this adding value or just noise?
Even with a tiny blog, these small, strategic choices helped me build trust—and earn my first $100 faster than I thought possible.
Lesson learned: You don’t need a huge following. You need the right offer, in the right content, at the right time. That’s strategy. And yes, it works—even while you’re still figuring everything else out.
Step 5: Tracking, Tweaking, and Celebrating the Win
Here’s the thing about blogging: it’s not a “set it and forget it” kind of deal. It’s more like baking cookies—you have to keep checking so you don’t burn the whole batch. That’s where tracking and tweaking come in.
Once I had some content out there and a few affiliate links doing their quiet little dance in the background, I needed to know:
What’s actually working—and what’s just taking up space like a leftover plugin I forgot I installed?
📊 Tracking the Right Stuff (Without Getting a Data Migraine)
You don’t need to become an analytics ninja, but you do need to pay attention. I used tools like:
- Google Analytics – to see which posts were getting traffic (and which ones were just collecting dust).
- Affiliate dashboards – to track which links were getting clicks (and, more importantly, commissions).
- Search Console – to spy on what keywords were bringing people in (sometimes by surprise—who knew “best budget planner” would outperform my favorite post?).
I wasn’t looking for perfection. I was looking for patterns.
🔧 Tweaking Like a Pro (Okay, Like a Semi-Competent Human)
Once I knew what was working, I doubled down:
- Updated older posts with better keywords and clearer CTAs.
- Added affiliate links to posts that were getting traffic but not monetized yet (hello, missed opportunities).
- Improved my titles and meta descriptions to boost click-throughs.
Basically, I stopped guessing and started adjusting based on real data—which sounds super fancy, but mostly meant looking at numbers and going, “Hmm. More of this, less of that.”
🎉 And Finally… the Win
When that first $100 rolled in, I won’t lie—I did a happy dance that would’ve made my dog question my sanity. But it wasn’t just about the money.
It was about proof. Proof that blogging isn’t just some internet myth. That real people read my stuff. That my time wasn’t wasted.
So yes, celebrate that win. Frame the screenshot. Brag to your cat. Whatever works.
Then? Rinse and repeat. Blogging success is just a bunch of small wins stacked on top of each other—and that first $100? It’s the foundation.
Conclusion: Your Turn to Make That First $100
So there you have it—the not-so-glamorous, slightly messy, totally rewarding journey to my first $100 blogging. No overnight miracles, no shady hacks, and definitely no private jets (unless you count the paper airplane I folded out of my affiliate earnings report).
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Was it hard work? Yep.
Did I Google “how to make money blogging” at least 74 times along the way? Also yes.
But here’s the deal: it’s 100% possible, even if you’re just starting with a $0 budget, zero experience, and a laptop that wheezes when you open too many tabs.
The secret isn’t in a magic plugin or a “one weird trick” post—it’s in:
- Choosing a niche that makes sense
- Creating content that helps real people
- Getting that content in front of eyeballs
- Monetizing with intention
- And paying attention to what works so you can do more of it
Your first $100 might feel small compared to the blogging giants out there, but trust me—it’s a big deal. It’s proof that this can work for you. And once you hit that milestone? You’ll be hungry for more (and probably refreshing your affiliate dashboard way too often—no judgment).
So now it’s your turn. Grab your niche, get writing, and start solving problems like the helpful, money-making genius you are. That first $100 is waiting—and I promise, it’s sweeter than your favorite snack after a long writing session.
Go get it.
Thanks a lot for reading my article on “Step-by-Step: How I Made My First $100 Blogging” till the end. Hope you’ve helped. See you with another article.
