Is Blogging (Still) a Good Side Hustle?

Since the day I started my very first blog in 2016, it now seems like everybody and their grandmother has been talking about the success of blogging as a side hustle. Bloggers shared their monthly incomes, sometimes all the way up to five or even six figures per year, making an oh-so-good impression on me and other people who are looking to make extra money online.

But is blogging still a good side hustle? Even if you’ve just started since, like, yesterday?

The answer is yes, but it requires significantly more time and effort than people think. I mean, people shared how much money they’ve earned, all passively, with their blogs. Yet they didn’t reveal entirely how much time it took for them to get there.

It takes months and even years of hard work, dedication, and consistency for a blog to start bringing in cash. You’ll need strong writing skills, knowledge about SEO and content marketing, digital design skills if you want to make your blog look more attractive, and the ability to build relationships with other bloggers and influencers—just to name a few!

That being said, while having a blog can make you some extra cash, it’s probably not the get-rich-quick scheme that most people imagined. To make blogging a viable side hustle option, you must understand that it takes time and effort.

Sure, anyone can write an article or two and call it a day, but it takes effort to build an audience that keeps coming back for more. It also takes effort to create content that is engaging, creative, and helpful—the core purpose of a blog.

So, if that question is still sticking around in your head, read on and learn more about blogging and its potential as a side hustle.

Why You Should Consider Blogging as a Side Hustle

First of all, blogging gives you the opportunity to write about topics that are interesting and exciting to you. Whether it’s fashion, food, lifestyle, or travel—blogging lets you pick exactly the content you want to create.

I used to be a freelance writer, a Jane of all trades, and all I can say is that when you have a blog of yourself, your creativity juice can start to flow freely. You don’t have to follow anybody’s guidelines or tone of voice, you don’t need to chase after deadlines, and you can write what you love and eventually make money out of it.

It gives you the freedom to be your own boss. You set your own working hours, decide which topics you want to cover, and handle all the aspects of running a successful blog. And if blogging really takes off for you, it’s entirely possible to make a full-time career out of it.

Another great thing about blogging is that it can be done from anywhere. Whether you’re on vacation or commuting home from work, or even living in another country, you can still write blog posts from your phone or laptop and live a digital nomad lifestyle—if that’s what you’re looking for.

Finally, blogging can potentially bring in extra income if done right. Blogging comes with a lot of opportunities to make money, not only in the blog itself but also in VA work, blogging assistant services, freelance writing gigs, and the new kid in the block—blog flipping. It seems like blogging has the potential to unlock a lot of extra cash if you’re dedicated enough.

Is Blogging A Good Side Hustle?

Although the answer is always YES, there are several factors and considerations to take into account before you get started. To be honest, blogging isn’t for everyone, and though it may appear like a simple side hustle, the truth is it requires hard work, dedication, and consistency in order to achieve any kind of success.

How much time can you dedicate to it?

This is a simple yet tricky question that many people overlook. Blogging can be time-consuming, and you need to make sure that you will have enough free time to work on it, even if it’s just a few hours per week.

Before the pandemic, I used to blog every week. Traveling at that time was as easy as buying a bus ticket, and it was also that cheap if you were savvy enough to look for cheap tickets (that came with awkward schedules). I ended up spending at least one or two weekends at the airports every single month.

During the pandemic, I learned about blog flipping and got completely hooked! It’s the perfect way to make money out of blogging while not having to worry about product reviews, sponsored posts, or any other content. You don’t need to write anything or find an audience. You just have to make and sell websites. Pretty cool, right?

But then, the problem is that everything takes time, and everything is very, very time-consuming. Blogging and blog flipping were actually my 9-to-5 at that time since I worked 8+ hours every day to make sure that everything would be done properly. So, if you really want to make this a side hustle, think twice and make sure you are willing to commit enough time for it.

How much do you want to earn?

Your mindset will decide how much you can earn from your business. Let’s say you start blogging thinking you’ll just earn enough to pay your bills or cover a few fancy dinners per month. Then it will be exactly what you can get out of it. However, if you put in the same amount of time and focus but think bigger—you can earn much more.

When I first started to monetize my blog, I was naive enough to set a goal to just cover my extra expenses, like a nice dinner here and a fancy trip there. But then I saw people paying off their debt, making it a full-time income, and eventually retiring in their early 40s just by blogging.

Needless to say, it was the moment when I realized I was setting myself too low goals. Then, when I finally decided to hit the ground running and committed more time and energy, I was able to make it a full-time job within around one year.

I did everything I could within the field—I offered blog writing services, WordPress theme customizing, blogging assistant services, and blog flipping. All for my bigger goal: to become a full-time blogger and earn six figures.

How much can you commit to learning?

I think this is another crucial factor for people to consider. Blogging is a complex field with lots of moving parts, so you must be willing to learn different aspects and keep up with the industry trends.

When I started, I had no experience in graphic design, coding, marketing, or anything related to digital businesses. So, I was forced to learn it all from scratch. And yes, it took a lot of time and effort to master them—but in the end, it was worth it!

It also depends on how much you’re willing to spend on courses and materials that will help you understand the topics better. You don’t have to invest heavily in courses or tutorials, but having the right resources at hand will save you a lot of time and effort.

Think about a brick-and-mortar business. A cafe, for example. You have the idea of running your own cafe shop. Then, you rent a place, buy the equipment and furniture, hire a staff, get all the permits—all of these things take time and money. But still, you need to learn how to manage the shop, make sure the food is good, and be able to reach out to customers.

Blogging works in a similar way—you need to set up your blog properly, create content that people want to read, promote it effectively, and know how to monetize it. All of these things require a learning curve, and you should be willing to commit your time and energy to it.

But once you’ve mastered these skills, the sky is the limit! You can use your knowledge to create a blog empire that generates multiple income streams every month. I believe in this idea so much because it changed my life for the better—and it can change yours, too!

Side Hustle Ideas You Can Start with Blogging

Apart from making money straight from your blog, here are other side hustle ideas you can start with blogging as your background. Although they may require more time and effort in the beginning, especially the learning phase, it will certainly pay off if you pursue them with passion and dedication.

Freelance Blogging

With your experience in writing blogs, you can offer your freelance blogging service to other bloggers who are way too busy to keep up with their own blogs.

Basically, freelance blogging is not that different from freelance writing. However, you’ll need some concrete knowledge and experience in the blogging world, for example, keyword research, WordPress, SEO optimization, and so on, to thrive in this business.

Blog Consulting

Similar to freelance blogging, you can offer your blog consulting service as a side hustle. You will be providing advice to bloggers or website owners who are struggling with their blogs—whether it’s from the technical aspect (like improving the speed) or the content creation process (like creating better headlines). As a bonus, you can also provide training or create an online course on the topic.

Blog consulting services can be quite lucrative, especially if you offer exclusive coaching for aspiring bloggers who want to have the blueprint of success. You can charge a premium for your service, so make sure to provide the best value you can offer!

Social Media Management Services

Another great side hustle for bloggers is social media management. As we all know, blogging and social media go hand in hand, so having the knowledge and experience in both fields can give you an added advantage.

You can offer your services to established companies or small businesses that want to increase their reach on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc.

You will be responsible for creating content, running campaigns, scheduling posts, creating content, engaging with the audience—all of these tasks will require a lot of time and energy. That said, you can charge a premium for your services and be paid handsomely in return.

Digital Marketing Services

As a blogger who understands how to create content, optimize SEO, and promote your work—you can help companies with their digital marketing efforts, for example, running campaigns on Google Ads or creating YouTube videos.

You can offer to manage their digital marketing strategies and help them increase their website traffic and overall visibility online. You can choose to specialize either in SEO or conversion rate optimization (CRO). You will be helping companies increase their lead generation, rank higher on search engine results pages (SERPs), and increase their website traffic.

This side hustle requires a fair bit of knowledge, so it’s important that you stay up-to-date with the latest trends in digital marketing. But if you can manage your time and resources well, this can be a very lucrative side hustle and you can pivot it into a full-time job.

Blog Flipping

Blog flipping is another side hustle you can start with your blog skillset and is definitely is one of my favorite side hustle ideas.

This is a business where you buy a pre-existing blog (or create one from scratch), revamp it, and make it more profitable before selling it for a profit.

It may sound complicated, but this could be a great way to make money on the side in addition to your full-time job. You can buy an underperforming blog and give it a boost by creating more content, optimizing SEO, and increasing visibility through social media channels. Once you’ve done that, you can sell the blog at a much higher price than what you initially paid for it and make a substantial amount of money.

Wanna learn more about blog flipping? Head to Websites Flipping Official—you can find all the resources you need to start your own blog flipping business.

My Final Thought

A Chinese proverb says:

The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago; the second best time is now.

That same concept applies to blogging, too. It’s never too late to start a blog and make money on the side, as long as you have the right skill set and the right resources.

The above side hustle ideas are just a few of the many opportunities to make money with your blog, so be sure to explore other avenues as well.

Start with a side hustle in blogging, invest your time and energy, use your skillset for something new, and you’ll be able to reap the financial rewards of your hard work.

And, remember, you don’t need to quit your job for these side hustles—you can do them during your spare time and eventually build a successful business.

Happy hustling!