How to Make $10,000+ Per Month Blogging in 2022: Real Stories from Average People

Making over $10,000 per month from a blog might sound like a pipe dream, but it’s achievable for average people willing to put in the work. This comprehensive guide shares real-life examples of bloggers earning five-figures a month and actionable tips to grow your own successful blogging business.

Introduction

Blogging has come a long way since its early days in the 1990s and 2000s. Back then, most bloggers were hobbyists sharing their passion projects without any intention of monetizing their sites. But fast forward to 2022, and blogging is now a multi-billion dollar industry with professional bloggers raking in anywhere from a few thousand to well over $100,000 per month.

So what does it take to join the ranks of elite earning bloggers? The good news is that with the right strategy and persistence, going from zero to $10,000 per month is completely possible within your first 12-24 months. This guide will walk you through real-life examples of average people who built lucrative blogging businesses and provide actionable tips to dramatically grow your income.

Average Person Profile #1: The Stay at Home Mom

Sarah started her blog after having her first child and deciding to leave her teaching career to stay home. With a background in elementary education, she launched a blog focused on activities for toddlers and preschoolers.

Starting With Affiliate Marketing

In the beginning, Sarah monetized her blog solely through affiliate links. She reviewed toddler toys, craft supplies, educational workbooks and more, earning small commissions on each purchase made through her links. This provided a nice side income while her blog traffic was still relatively low.

Scaling Up With Display Ads

As her traffic grew into the tens of thousands of pageviews per month, Sarah installed Google AdSense to monetize through display advertising. She placed ads in her sidebar and within her content, ensuring they were relevant to her audience. The earnings from her display ads quickly surpassed her affiliate income.

Diversifying With Digital Products

Next, Sarah created her own premium products to sell on her site. These included eBooks with activities, printable worksheets, online courses and membership communities. She invested profits back into driving more traffic through Facebook ads, growing an email list, and improving site SEO.

Results: $12k Per Month After 2 Years

Within two years, Sarah was earning $12,000+ per month through her blog without any paid writing or major overhead costs. Her traffic grew to over 200,000 pageviews per month, primarily from organic search and social media. She now has a team helping with technical tasks but still maintains full creative control.

Average Person Profile #2: The Corporate Employee

Jeremy started his personal finance blog while working full-time in corporate IT. He blogged during nights and weekends as a fun hobby and creative outlet.

Monetizing With Display Ads

After meeting the threshold, Jeremy applied for Google AdSense and immediately began earning money from the display ads on his site. Because the blog was related to personal finance, the ads were highly targeted and generated solid RPMs.

Growing Traffic Through SEO

Once Jeremy saw his site could make money, he got serious about growth. He studied SEO and began incorporating target keywords and backlinks into his posts. Traffic from Google searches grew rapidly as his site ranked for valuable long-tail terms.

Quitting His Job And Blogging Full-Time

When his monthly earnings exceeded his corporate salary, Jeremy quit his job to blog full-time. He was able to double down on content and affiliate marketing, nowhere near reaching his income potential.

$30k Per Month After 1 Year Full-Time

Within his first year of blogging full time, Jeremy earned over $30,000 per month. His traffic grew to 400k pageviews per month. And he expanded his income sources to include premium courses, coaching, and sponsored posts.

Choosing a Profitable Blog Niche

Picking a niche with strong monetization potential is crucial to earning big dollars from blogging. Consider these factors when selecting your niche:

Look for High Search Volume

Niches like health, personal finance, and software have very high search volume. More Google searches means more traffic potential. Just make your site stand out from the competition.

Ensure There is Demand for Paid Products

Will your audience pay for premium courses, ebooks, memberships, etc? Prioritize monetizable niches willing to spend money.

Seek Under-Served Niches

Competing against established sites with millions of pages is difficult. Find gaps where demand is under-served.

Select Evergreen Topics

Choose evergreen topics versus fleeting trends. For example, content marketing vs fidget spinners. Evergreen performs better long-term.

Diversify Your Income Streams

Having diverse income sources protects you from fluctuations in any one stream. Aim to monetize through:

• Display ads like Google AdSense
• Affiliate marketing
• Selling your own digital products
• Sponsored posts and brand partnerships
• Coaching, consulting, freelance services
• Donations, tips, and community support

Growing Blog Traffic to Over 100k Pageviews Per Month

Reaching tens or hundreds of thousands of monthly pageviews is required to join the $10k+ per month club. Here are proven tactics to skyrocket your traffic:

Create Link-Worthy Content

Write posts better than the competition and pitch them to industry websites for backlinks. Obtaining quality backlinks remains one of the most effective ways to rank higher in search engines.

Optimize for SEO

Master SEO best practices like keyword research, metadata, site speed, etc. Many bloggers invest in SEO services once established.

Leverage Pinterest

Pinterest delivers massive amounts of traffic if you learn how to effectively use it. Study popular Pin formats and tailor content accordingly.

Run Facebook Ads

Facebook advertising can be extremely powerful when optimized for conversions versus clicks. Promote your best lead magnets and free resources.

Grow Your Email List

Email subscribers are up to 30x more valuable than social media followers. Use lead magnets and double opt-in forms to build a list of engaged followers. Send regular newsletters and promotions.

Network and Guest Post

Connecting with influencers in your space can lead to collaborations, shoutouts, and other promotional opportunities that drive traffic.

Don’t Ignore Youtube

Video content earns significant search traffic. Create a content calendar for Youtube to tap into this channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to make $10,000 per month blogging?

• Most full-time bloggers earning $10k+ per month hit that milestone between 12-24 months after starting their blogs. Be patient and focus on quality over quantity early on. Momentum will build over time.

Can you make money blogging without a lot of traffic?

• While possible, it is extremely difficult to earn significant income without consistent traffic. Most bloggers need at least 50k-100k pageviews per month before earnings reach five-figures. Focus on traffic growth first and foremost.

What blog niche is most profitable?

• There is no universally “best” niche. Successful blogs span topics like personal finance, business, cooking, travel, relationships, and far more. Choose a niche you’re genuinely passionate about – your enthusiasm will show through, and you’re more likely to stick with it long-term.

Is it too late to start a profitable blog in 2022?

• Absolutely not! While blogging is more competitive than 10 years ago, there are still endless opportunities in under-served niches. With hard work and persistence, you can absolutely start a successful blog from scratch in 2022.

Do you need a .com domain?

• A .com domain provides the most credibility but isn’t absolutely necessary. A domain like yournicheblog.com is perfectly fine. Once established, you can redirect your original domain to a .com.

How much does it cost to start a profitable blog?

• Startup costs are under $100 in most cases. You need a domain ($12-$15), shared hosting ($5-$10 per month), and a platform like WordPress (free). Optional costs include a premium theme ($60) and services like stock photos.

Is Blogger or WordPress better for making money?

• We recommend WordPress if earning significant income is your goal. WordPress offers far more monetization and customization options. Self-hosted WordPress blogs also achieve higher search rankings.

What are the tax implications of making money blogging?

• Blog income is taxed as regular self-employment income. You’ll need to do quarterly estimated payments and account for self-employment tax. Some costs can be deducted – consider working with a tax professional.

Conclusion

Generating over $10,000 per month from blogging is an ambitious yet realistic goal if you remain focused and patient. Grow your audience through relentlessly creating stellar content. Diversify your income sources. Reinvest profits to compound earnings. And don’t get discouraged by early struggles – consistency pays off over the long haul.

The average people profiled in this article prove that following a proven blueprint can ultimately transform a hobby blog into a highly lucrative online business able to support your lifestyle.

So choose a niche you care about, roll up your sleeves, and get to work building your blogging empire! The income potential is there for the taking.