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ant to start a blog on the side while you juggle a full-time job or take care of your family, or both?

ant to start a blog on the side while you juggle a full-time job or take care of your family, or both?

Great! You’re in the right place because I’m a side blogger too!

But wait, you may be wondering what qualifies me to be giving you advice on blogging when there are plenty of bigger fishes showing you how to blog.

Well, let me tell you why.

You see, I started this blog — The Side Blogger — in June 2018. Before then, I didn’t make a single cent from blogging. But after just a year and a half, I was consistently making over $1,000 every month from my blog. And now, at the time of writing this in December 2021, just about 3.5 years after I launched this blog, I’m making well over $5K per month from this blog and associated income sources. And all this while blogging on the side no less! Don’t believe me? Check out my latest income report here!

So, yes, if I may say so myself, I do know a thing or two about blogging, and making a profit from it no less. I have learned it, done it, and proven that it’s possible!

And that’s why, if you’re hoping to start a blog and make money from it, you’ve come to the right place.

Let me show you how to start a money-making blog the right way.

By the way, if you want a more comprehensive guide on how to start your blog the right way, I have a FREE, 10-day email course that will show you exactly how to go about starting a successful, profitable blog. Sign up below!

Want to make $1000/Month from your blog?
How to Start a Blog – FREE Course

If you sign up today, here’s what you’ll get:

– 10-day FREE email course on how to start a blog, from choosing a niche to a clear strategy for making $1,000 per month.

– Access to my library of freebies to help you be a successful blogger. Starting with launch checklists, to free WordPress templates, to free media kit and workbook templates with Canva, and much, much more!

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Content

Before we get to the how-to part, let’s answer one question.

Should You Start a Blog in 2022?

The answer cannot be a simple yes or no because whether blogging is right for you or not depends on you!

I often see people asking whether blogging is still a viable business.

That is easy to answer. YES! Blogging can still be a profitable business. In fact, it is one of the surest ways to make some cash provided you have the right mindset, the right tools, and the right strategies. There’s not a whole lot of other ways you can screw up blogging. It’s not a risky business. If you put in the work, if you have the will to learn, and if you’re not doing shady things like buying traffic and followers, or running questionable ads just because you have money to waste, you’ll be just fine!

So, should you start a blog?

Yes, blogging can be profitable.

But it is also a lot of work, especially a lot of work in the beginning without much in return. For the first few months, you’ll likely be creating content that no one will read. You may start to lose motivation and the will to continue on. It may be tempting to post content only occasionally and not consistently.

If you do that, you will fail. For sure!

The thing you have to keep in mind is that you will have to consistently put in the effort and show up, every single day in one way or another (you won’t be publishing a new post every day, but you’ll have to do some work, no matter how little, every day, towards growing your blog.)

If you can do that, if you have the determination to see it through, then yes, you should totally start a blog in 2022.

And rest assured, if you’re here hoping to learn to blog the right way, I can already say that you have the will to learn. And in turn, I will help you 🙂

Oh, and another thing. You need to love writing. Because if you’re a blogger, you’ll be writing, there’s no other way around it. And you’ll be writing A LOT.

The first thing you need to start a money-making blog is the right mindset.

You need to have a can-do, will-do attitude.

Stop with the self-deprecating thoughts like, “I’m not qualified enough”, or “I’m not good enough”, or “so and so are already writing about this, why should I bother?”

Let me tell you something.

I blog about blogging, and before I started blogging about blogging, there were other bloggers who also blogged about blogging. They were BIG! They were making millions of bucks every year. They were blogging full-time and were mighty successful!

But I was very clear about my goals. I wanted to make 1K per month in two years, then 5K per month in 4 years. Well, guess what? I hit the 1K mark not in 2, but in just a little over 1 year. 14 months to be exact. And I hit 5K per month around 2.5 years into blogging.

During this time I made a whole lot of mistakes, I also learned a lot about blogging, and you know what? I’m still learning, and making mistakes, and learning even more.

Through all of this, the thing that has kept me going and made me money, and helped me make the little name I’ve made for myself with my 8.2K-ish followers (my email list subscribers at the time of writing this), is my perseverance. I was determined to see results. And so I kept going at it. I didn’t look at the big-name bloggers and fall into depression, instead, I have looked at them as mentors and teachers. I did my best to learn from them.

But that’s not it. I have also thought of the same bloggers as my competitors. At every step, I have done my best to outdo them. Not outdo them in terms of how much money I make or how many followers I have… those things take time. Some of these bloggers have been blogging for way longer than I have, so there’s no way I can produce the same results in just a few weeks or even a few months. However, I have tried my best to outdo them in terms of content and quality. When writing a blog post, I thoroughly research what other bloggers have to say about the topic I’m writing about, and then I do my best to produce something even more valuable.

And that’s what the right mindset looks like.

Instead of giving into despair, always focus on what you can do to help the little audience you have, and trust me, that’s really all you need — a few readers who find you helpful. If you can help a few, then know that there is a bigger audience that will also find you helpful. And if you continue to do your best, sooner or later you will reach them.

On that note, there’s one other thing you need to be a successful blogger.

Patience.

Know that blogging isn’t a get-rich-overnight thing.

It takes time and effort, and eventually, some monetary investments too!

But rest easy, you don’t need a lot of money to get started. For the first 8-9 months of blogging, my only expenses were blog hosting (around 72 bucks for the whole year!) and $29 per month for my email list platform. (I’ll talk more about these tools shortly, after all, I promised I’d give you all the resources!)

Alright! Now that you’re in the right mindset, let’s move on, shall we?

Step 2: Find the Right Niche

A lot of blogging success has to do with finding the right topics.

Here’s the thing.

No one can tell what the right topic is. You have to decide that yourself.

Also, do not worry too much about picking a “profitable niche”.

For example, when I think about a profitable blog niche, the last thing I would think about is scrapbooking.

And yet, Lain Ehmann did exactly that; she made a 6-figure business out of the scrapbooking niche. Lain’s interview with Pat Flynn was so inspiring that shortly after listening to this podcast episode I finally made up my mind to start my blog.

So, if her story proves anything, it is that the myth of a profitable blogging niche is just that — a myth.

Here’s the thing. Back in the days, this whole “profitable niche” thing may have been a thing. People back then weren’t as connected as they are today, so unless you could find a niche that was getting tons of traffic on Google, you’d have no way to make a living off it.

But in this day and age of Pinterest and Quora and Medium and Facebook groups, and especially Pinterest, you can forget the idea of a profitable niche.

Let me say that again.

With Pinterest these days, finding your audience isn’t quite as difficult as it used to be if you know how to use the platform right. 

With great content, diligence in how consistently you show up and how much value you provide, and a tight Pinterest strategy, you can pick a niche, any niche, and find a way to monetize it.

So, with that said, I’ll only say that when it comes to picking a niche, choose something you’re genuinely interested in. You do not have to be an expert, but you have to be willing to learn and research and then write about it. So, if you’re not into your niche, you’ll find it pretty hard, if not impossible, to continue blogging about it.

When it comes to picking a niche, choose something you’re genuinely interested in. You do not have to be an expert, but you have to be willing to learn and research and then write about it.

Step 3: Choose Your Blog (and Domain) Name

When it comes to blog names, I feel that you should pick something easy. Easy to say, easy to spell, easy to remember.

Preferably something meaningful to your audience.

Pick a blog name that says what your audience will learn from your blog. Examples: Smart Passive Income, Making Sense of Cents.

Choose a name based on what you do or who you are (that is relevant to what you’re teaching/blogging about). Examples: The Side Blogger, Twins Mommy.

Use yourself as the name and face of your blog. Examples: Melyssa Griffin, Jenna Kutcher, Neil Patel.

You can also give your name a creative spin. For example, A Cup of Jo is a lifestyle blog by Joanna Goddard. Also, Xo Sarah by Sarah Morgan is pretty creative.

The thing about using your own name for your blog is that you’ll be the face of your business. Which isn’t good or bad, it just depends on how you want your audience to recognize your business.

Then there are some pretty creative names like A Beautiful Mess by Elsie and Emma, or Chasing Foxes by Grace and Silas.

The thing that is common with all these names is that they’re pretty easy to remember. Some bloggers will say that you must have a name that represents what you do.

That is obviously not the case if the above examples are anything to go by.

So, pick a name that you like. And then brand the heck out of your business so that it doesn’t even matter whether your blog’s name is obvious or not.

But yes, it does help to have an easy-to-remember name (all the names that I’ve shared above are easy to remember).

As for the domain name, it should be the same as your blog’s name. (We’ll get the domain when we sign up for hosting, more on that later.)

It can be difficult to get domain names sometimes, especially if the name you’re picking involved common words or catchy words. If that happens, find another name. You can add ‘the’ or ‘a’ (article or prepositions work), but check if the site with your original intended name already has a significant web presence. If so, pick a different name.

Also, try to get a .com domain. You may be tempted to use .net or .co, but I do not advise it. Also, do not use hyphens in your domain name.

So, in short,

Pick a domain name that is easy to remember and spell, and it should be the same as your blog name, do not use hyphens in your domain, and get a .com domain.

Step 4: Choose a Blogging Platform

My recommendation: Self-Hosted WordPress

If you want to have a blog that makes money, get self-hosted WordPress. Meaning, you will need to buy a hosting package (more on that in the next section), and then install WordPress (this usually takes a couple of clicks) within your hosting.

Do not sign up for WordPress.com. That is NOT self-hosted and comes with a ton of limitations.

Instead, you will buy hosting, and then install WordPress within that hosting with a few clicks.

That’s it. That’s my recommendation, and to be honest, if you have ever read my blog, you know that often I talk about features and plugins you need that are simply not available if you use any other platform.

Self-hosted WordPress is THE BEST blogging platform to date. Heed my advice and do not even think about any other platform.

Everything would be boring if there was never an exception to anything. So, I’ll add a couple of alternatives. Please note that these other platforms are good for specific things, but not everything. A self-hosted WordPress blog is still the overall, all-around winner.

Medium

Let’s say that your main goal is to write and only write. You do not much care for doing things like affiliate marketing, drive your own traffic (using Pinterest, for example), you have no need for complex back-end systems, then Medium may be a good option for you. But keep in mind that Medium doesn’t like affiliate links or other sorts of promotions much, so you’re limited to how you make money from your blog. WordPress keeps your door open for adding multiple income streams down the road.

For example, when I started my blog, I didn’t think one day I’ll have a Canva template shop, or I’ll be building course landing pages using WordPress. had I chosen a different platform to blog, I’d be pulling my hair out by now.

Keep in mind that blogging on Medium is a very different kind of game. This platform is perfect if you want to make money from writing alone, which you can do with Medium’s Partner Program. There’s no other option, no affiliate marketing, no service promotion. Medium just isn’t for that. It’s a publishing platform, and it’s great in the sense that you already have an audience. If you write well, and you write a lot (to make 1K per month from Medium, you have to write a LOT, like, at least 3/4 times a week, preferably every day,) and you have to really understand what kind of articles are favored by Medium editors. It’s a whole different ball game, and I will not be talking about blogging on Medium any further in this post.

Substack

Another platform for writers is Substack. Like Medium, it’s also a different type of blogging platform that incorporates email list with blogging. Basically, every time you post something new, Substack pushes it to your audience’s mailbox.

An innovative idea, but again, not something I recommend for those of you who plan on adding multiple earning streams down the road.

Step 5: Get Hosting for Your WordPress Blog

Remember hosting? You need it for your WordPress blog.

Just like the domain name option, you also have a lot of different options for hosting.

But I only suggest SiteGround to all new bloggers. I host this very blog on SiteGround, and I can say with confidence that after testing many different hosting platforms (I used to freelance as a web designer and developer, so I worked with a bunch of hosting companies) I have come to the conclusion that SiteGround is by far THE BEST hosting platform.

When you sign up with SiteGround, you will have the option to get your domain from them as well during the signup process.

This is where your investment begins.

One year of SiteGround hosting starts with less than 50 bucks for the whole year if you’re a brand new account holder. However, I strongly recommend that you sign up for NOT the cheapest option, but the one above that (it’s called the GrowBig package). Trust me on this, for 20-something bucks more (for the entire year), you’ll have additional features that will make your site faster and more secure. More on that later.

Sign Up for SiteGround Hosting

Signing up for SiteGround is easy-peasy!

1. Head over to SiteGround.

2. Choose your plan. As you can see in the image above, SiteGround offers three shared hosting plans for WordPress users. The cheapest being the StartUp plan with basic features and functionalities – not the one I recommend. The GrowBig plan offers a whole bunch of other features including staging, whenever backup restore, enhanced security and performance. The GoGeek offers a web-solution that’s even faster than GrowBig.

It may be tempting to go with the StartUp plan, but unless you’re dead-broke,  I encourage you to sign up for the GrowBig plan . With GrowBig, you’ll be able to enjoy Siteground at its full potential.

And of course, you can upgrade any time!

3. Once you choose a plan, the next screen will prompt you to pick your primary domain. In this step, you can register a new domain with SiteGround, or use one that you already own. Click “Proceed” after you’ve chosen your option.

(If you have a domain from a different company, you have to transfer or point your domain to SiteGround. I suggest pointing as it’s faster and easier. Different companies have different interfaces, but essentially, you’ll have to point your domain to SiteGround using SiteGround’s nameservers. More on it in the next section.)

4. Now, review everything, and then click the “Pay Now” button to purchase your brand new SiteGround hosting plan!

Optional: Point Your Third-Party Domain to SiteGround

Skip this step if you purchased your domain with SiteGround. However, if you own a domain from a different company, you’ll need to point your domain to SiteGround.

You can do so using nameservers or A records. I suggest using nameservers.

The pointing method is the same no matter which company you purchased your domain with. You’ll need to get the nameserver addresses (there are two of these) from SiteGround, and then edit your domain’s original nameservers to add the SiteGround nameservers.

While the method is the same, depending on the company you purchased your domain from, the interface to change nameservers may look different.

A popular company to purchase domains from is NameCheap (I purchase all my domains from NameCheap; I have a lot of domains so it’s easy to have them all in one platform that is separate from my SiteGround hosting account). Since it would be impossible to show you the interface of all the different companies, I will simply walk you through the domain pointing process for NameCheap. Even if you own your domain with someone else, you should still be able to utilize the same methods to point your third-party domain to SiteGround.

1. The first step is to get SiteGround’s nameservers.

Log into your SiteGround account. Click on “Websites” from the navigation bar, and then click on “Site Tools” under your website URL. See the image below.

On the next page, you’ll see the nameserver that you’ll be using on your third-party domain’s DNS settings. Note that the nameservers you see in the image below are likely not the same as the ones you’ll need to use. Use the ones you see on your account.

2. In the next step, you’ll need to log into your third-party domain company. In this demonstration, I’m using NameCheap.

Log on to NameCheap, and then click on “Manage” next to the URL that you’re about to point to SiteGround.

On the following page, scroll down to where it gives you nameserver options. Choose “Custom Nameservers” from the dropdown, and add the SiteGround nameservers. Then, click on the green checkmark to save your new nameservers.

And that’s it. These new nameservers will now tell NameCheap to point to SiteGround instead of NameCheap.

Please note that nameserver changes may take a few hours to a whole day to take effect. Wait until the nameserver propagation is complete before you go on to the next steps.

Step 6: Set Up WordPress on Your New SiteGround Hosting

Now that you’re ready to set up your WordPress blog, you may be tempted to just go and install WordPress. That’s all good and everything, but I want you to pay attention to this part because I want you to do things in a certain order. It will make life a lot easier for you in the long run.

Start with Installing SSL

SSL is what makes your URL https:// instead of http://

It’s important because, in layman’s terms, SSL makes the connection between a browser and server safe.

I see people skipping this part completely. Please don’t!

So, before installing WordPress, I want you to install an SSL certificate for your domain. It’s easy, let me show you how.

Go to your SiteGround account, click on “Websites”, and then click on “Site Tools” like before. And then, click on the three lines next to the SiteGround logo on top-left to show more options available to you.

From this list, click on “Security” to expand, and then click on “SSL Manager”.

In the following page, choose the SSL certificate from the drop-down (Let’s Encrypt, the first option is sufficient for most blogs), and then click on “Get”.

Now Install WordPress

Go back to the dashboard (you can access the dashboard for the selected domain from the options on the left panel which you can access by clicking the three lines next to the top-left SiteGround logo), and then click on “App manager”.

In the next window, choose the app to be installed from the drop-down. Choose WordPress as that’s what we’re installing.

When you select “WordPress”, more options will be shown to you. Fill out the fields and then click on “Install”.

A few notes on the fields to be filled out. If you want WordPress to be installed in the main domain, leave the “Installation Path” blank. If you want your WordPress URL to be something like “https://mysite.com/blog”, then add “/blog” in the ‘Installation Path” field. Typically, you’d leave it blank.

Pick an admin username that is hard to guess. DO NOT use “admin” or your blog’s name as the username. Those are easy to guess and therefore, not safe for use.

Pick a password that is difficult to guess. I’d advise mixing uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

Use a good email address that you have access to and you will check regularly.

And then, click “Install”.

Once it’s installed, you’ll be taken to the next page, and this page will have the link to your WordPress dashboard. Make note of it, better yet, bookmark it so you do not forget! This is where you’ll have to go for everything from now on. Whether you’re publishing a post, adding a page, no matter what you do, you’ll need to be on your dashboard.

Clean Up Your WordPress Installation

Back in the days, WordPress installation came with a bunch of pre-installed, unnecessary plugins. Thankfully, SiteGround at least has gotten rid of most of them. The only pre-installed plugin now is the SiteGround Optimizer plugin. This is a good plugin to have for beginners as this takes care of caching and some other performance-enhancing issues.

Step 7: Install a Template

Now it’s time to install a template. A template determines how your blog/website looks and performs. You must choose a good theme, that’s well coded, and from a reputable theme-foundry who won’t disappear on you in two years.

There is no shortage of free as well as paid, premium templates for WordPress. There are also site-builder plugins that you can use to create something completely unique.

My favorite is the Elementor Pro page builder plugin, paired with the Astra theme.

First, you’ll need to log into your WordPress Dashboard. And then, to install a theme, go to Dashboard > Appearance > Themes, and then click on “Add New”. Follow the prompts to install the theme of choice, and then click on “Activate”. 

As for designing sites with Elementor, well, that’s outside of the scope of this blog post (I’d have to create a freakin’ course and charge you if I were to show you all the things you can do with Elementor Pro!)

But we have YouTube these days, so you’ll be fine, I’m sure.

I also want to point out that while Elementor Pro is yet another investment, you could totally start with the FREE Elementor. it doesn’t have as many options, but for a beginner blogger, it should be just fine.

But if you have the funds for it, Elementor Pro is worth every cent, I guarantee it! You will be able to create different styles for your pages if you wanted to, and not be limited by your theme’s pages and styles. In fact, a lot of bloggers use LeadPages (yet another paid platform) to create landing pages. With Elementor Pro, I have no need for that! I create all my landing pages on my site!

Now, I understand that there is a bit of a learning curve when it comes to Elementor. Not a whole lot, but you do need to spend some time on it to figure out where is what.

But hey, I have something for ya! If you do end up getting Elementor Pro, I have some templates for you that I made with Elementor Pro. I also have instructions on how to install them. You can get them here.

A Different Option

In case you just don’t have time, the other option is to get a template that is already built and designed for you. Astra — even its free version — is an overall great theme. Astra Pro comes with an impressive set of features. I love this theme even if you’re not using Elementor.

The Genesis platform is my next best choice, and they have a lot of different template options. I suggest checking out StudioPress themes to see if there are any you like. These themes are high-quality and come with well-written documentation that you can follow to set up your theme.

Step 8: Add Essential Plugins

Plugins are small packages of codes that add various features to your site.

If nothing else, plugins are what make WordPress worth the investment.

There are plenty of plugins for different things, and you’ll add them to your site as you need certain features. however, there are a few essential plugins that you should have on your WordPress blog.

First, let me start by showing you how to add a plugin.

To add a plugin, go to Dashboard > Plugins > Add New, and then, just like you did for templates, search for a plugin by its name. Once you see the plugin you need, Install, and then Activate it.

Some plugins may need additional setup, but that depends from one plugin to another. if you’re not sure, Google and YouTube are your friends!

If you need help with adding a plugin, I have another blog post with detailed instructions, right here!

Now, here are the essential plugins you’ll need:

Install and Activate Essential Plugins

These are the absolute essential plugins any WordPress user needs. Make sure to install and activate these plugins as soon as possible. (Psst, if you’re not sure how to install a plugin, I wrote a step-by-step guide on how to install and activate a plugin.)

Also, since Gutenberg was released, I’ve been using a plugin called Classic Editor. Classic Editor replaces the Gutenberg editor and instead uses the old editor which I prefer much more over the Gutenberg editor. I feel that the Gutenberg editor is still not very user-friendly for those of us who like to type long-form articles directly in the editor itself.

Feel free to play with both editing platforms and see which you prefer.

Step 9: Build Your Email List

Once you’ve covered step 8, your blog is ready. You can now sit down and start typing. Done! Your blog has been set up! Took a little more than 15 minutes, didn’t it?!

I know there are plenty of blog posts out there promising you that you can start a blog in 10 minutes or 15 or 20…

Well, sure, why not?

But if you want to know how to REALLY start a blog — not a hobby blog — but a real, money-making, business blog, then things get a bit more complex, and rightfully so.

But wait, you’re not done yet!

You only just covered the basic technical side of things. As in, you’ve only taken care of the easy part!

The real blogging starts now!

First things first, you need to start building and growing your email list.

You have to do it as soon as possible. guys, if you want to make money from your blog, then your priority should be to build this email list from day-1.

Here comes the next big investment. Sign up for ConvertKit – my recommended email marketing platform for bloggers. Not MailChimp, not anything else! Convertkit was designed with bloggers in mind, so just trust me on this, and sign up for ConvertKit. Trust me, this is an investment you’ll thank yourself for later. To grow an email list, you’ll need to create lots of freebies as opt-in incentives. And you’ll need different opt-in forms to collect emails for different freebies. Try doing that with MailChimp or MailerLite and you’ll want to pull your hair out!

ConvertKit. Just take my word for it and sign up for Convertkit.

I have two guides for you to help you with the process:

Step 10: Open a Pinterest Account and Start Pinning

Now you have a blog, and you have signed up for an email marketing platform. but you need to drive traffic, don’t you? For all new bloggers, the best way to drive traffic to your blog is with Pinterest. There’s a lot that you need to know about using Pinterest the right way, so I’ll just point you to my blog post about Pinterest: How to Use Pinterest to Drive Massive, Targeted Traffic to Your Blog

Well, this is just scratching the surface, but I believe that we covered the basics of starting a blog.

Now, of course, you need to start creating content. Just remember one thing. When you’re brand new, don’t worry too much about SEO and all that. Write a post with your readers in mind, not Google. Try to publish at least 2 blog posts a week to see better (and faster) results.

Pinterest will help if you follow my directions. As for other social media platforms, well, you can join Facebook or Instagram, but I suggest you master one platform before moving on to something else. definitely DO NOT focus on ALL the platforms AT THE SAME TIME! Unless you’re ready to work full-time on your blog, and then some, I suggest mastering Pinterest first. Then you can try other things.

There are some basic SEO that you can practice from the start. These are some technical things that you can easily take care of. I have a couple of other resources for you that I suggest you read both of these, and you’ll be better prepared to succeed with your blog.

Now, you’re ready! Feel free to ask me if you have any questions! Leave a comment below and I’ll do my best to get back ASAP!

Also, I have a TON of resources such as media kit Canva template, blog launch checklist, Canva workbook templates, Pinterest guide and a bunch of other, useful resources that you can have for FREE when you sign up for my email list.

Don’t forget the FREE, 10-day email course on how to start your blog the right way! Trust me, it’s gonna be totally worth it!

Want to make $1000/Month from your blog?
How to Start a Blog – FREE Course

If you sign up today, here’s what you’ll get:

– 10-day FREE email course on how to start a blog, from choosing a niche to a clear strategy for making $1,000 per month.

– Access to my library of freebies to help you be a successful blogger. Starting with launch checklists, to free WordPress templates, to free media kit and workbook templates with Canva, and much, much more!

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make money with blogging in 2022?

Absolutely! In fact, blogging is one of the most risk-free ways to start a business. Just keep in mind that blogging isn’t a get-rich-overnight scheme. It takes hard work, patience, perseverance, and effort to be a successful blogger. But if you stick with it and continue to work on it, eventually it will pay off.

How much money do I need to start a blogging business in 2022?

You can start a blog for free, but to appear professional and to make money from it, you need to invest in a good hosting company, a domain name, and an email platform. With my recommended products, you can start a blog with an initial investment of less than $150 upfront, and then less than $30 per month for the first several months.

Do I need to be techy in order to start a WordPress blog?

No. Don’t listen to people who say WordPress is hard. If you’ve never used it, watch some videos online and I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it in no time. You’re starting a business; you must be willing to do this much work.

How long will it take me to make at least one-grand per month from my blog?

That depends on a whole bunch of things, like your niche, the amount of time you put in, your understanding of how to monetize your blog, etc. The Side Blogger has a lot of resources so start learning if you’re a total beginner and keep working at it. You’ll get there sooner or later, depending on your efforts.