How to Start a WordPress Blog (and How Long Until It Pays)

This guide covers what it really costs (not just the intro price), how to get set up on Bluehost, and how a blog actually turns into money.

I started blogging at the beginning of 2016 and I can tell you first hand it is possible to make money online. It just doesn’t happen fast.

What does it cost to start a WordPress blog?

WordPress itself is free. What you pay for is hosting (the server your site lives on) and a domain name. Here’s what Bluehost lists on its own pricing pages:

Two things to know before you pay. That low price is for a 36-month term, so check the total in your cart. And the renewal price is a lot higher, so budget for it when the term ends.

The plans come with a free domain for the first year and a free SSL certificate (the padlock in the browser bar). Bluehost also has a 30-day money-back guarantee on hosting. Cancel inside 30 days and you get a full refund. After that, no refund.

Bottom line: one blog on one site doesn’t need more than the cheapest plan. You can upgrade later if it takes off.

Bluehost

Best for: your first self-hosted blog

What it is

A web host with plans made for WordPress sites.

What you do

Pick a plan, grab a domain, then set up WordPress from your Bluehost dashboard.

How much it pays

It costs you, it doesn’t pay you. Plans start at $1.99/mo for one site on a 36-month term (renews at $8.99/mo). Free domain for the first year.

The catch

The intro price only lasts for the first term. Renewal is several times higher.

Worth it? Yes if you want a self-hosted WordPress blog without touching a server. Just know the renewal price going in.

Start on Bluehost

Want to compare hosts first? Our web hosting comparison lines up the other big names.

Why not just use a free blog site?

You can. Free platforms work fine for a diary. But if you want to make money, you want your own domain and your own WordPress install, so you control the ads, the links and the design.

You get what you pay for, and ultimately free isn’t always free when it comes to time and aggravation. You’ll thank me later that you started out on the right platform.

How to set up a WordPress blog on Bluehost

The whole thing is a checkout and a few clicks. Leave the Bluehost tab open and follow along.

Step 1: Pick a plan

Go to Bluehost and pick a WordPress hosting plan. For one blog, the cheapest plan is enough.

Step 2: Choose your domain

This is your blog’s address. It’s free for the first year with your plan. A few rules that save you headaches later:

• Go with a .com whenever you can
• Make it easy to spell and easy to say out loud
• Skip hyphens, numbers and weird spellings
• Not sure? Your own name works and never goes out of style

Already own a domain somewhere else? You can use it. You’ll just need to point it at Bluehost, and its help center walks you through that.

Step 3: Make your account and pay

Enter your details and your card. Use an email you actually check, because your login info goes there.

Step 4: Skip the upsells

At checkout you’ll be offered a pile of add-ons. Read them, but you don’t need them to start a blog. I did not bother with these.

Step 5: Set up WordPress

Log in to Bluehost and set up WordPress from your dashboard. Pick a username that isn’t “admin” and a strong password, because bots try that one first.

Step 6: Publish something

Pick a simple theme, write your About page and get your first real post up. Don’t spend a week on the logo. Nobody’s reading yet, and that’s fine.

How does a blog make money?

A blog doesn’t pay you for existing. It pays you when people show up, and people show up from Google (or another search engine) after you’ve written a lot of useful stuff. Once you have readers, the money comes from a few places:

• Ads: an ad network puts ads on your pages and pays you a share. You need real traffic before the good networks will take you.
• Affiliate links: you recommend a product, someone signs up or buys through your link, and the company pays you. This is how most money blogs earn.
• Your own stuff, like an ebook, a course, a template or a service. More work, but you keep most of the money.
• Sponsored posts: brands pay you to write about them once you have an audience they want.

If you like writing but don’t want to wait on your own site, you can get paid to write articles for other sites and get paid per piece.

How long until a blog pays?

Honest answer: months at the very least, and plenty of blogs never get there. Google takes its time trusting a new site, and you need a lot of posts before the traffic adds up.

So is it worth it? Only if you’ll keep writing when nobody’s reading for a while. If that sounds miserable, video or audio might suit you better. Here’s how to make money on YouTube and how starting a podcast pays.

Need money while the blog grows?

A blog is a long game. If you want some cash coming in this week, reward apps pay you for testing games and apps in your spare time. Not life-changing money, but it’s real.

I’d start with Testerup, then Freecash and Bigcash personally, but all are good and worth a free sign up to check which apps pay best.

Testerup

Best for: getting paid to test games

What it is

An app that pays you to test mobile games and take surveys.

What you do

Pick a game from the list (each one shows its reward before you start) and play to the goals.

How much it pays

$10 welcome bonus. Cash out to PayPal, Venmo (US only), a Visa virtual card or an Amazon gift card, usually within 24 hours and up to 3 business days. PayPal and Venmo payouts lose 5%.

The catch

You have to be 18, and your first payout needs a face check.

Worth it? Yes if you play mobile games anyway. It’s the one to start with.

Try Testerup

Freecash

Best for: instant cash-outs

What it is

A rewards site and app that pays for games, app trials, surveys and offers.

What you do

Pick an offer, finish it, cash out.

How much it pays

$10 welcome bonus after your first offer. Your first withdrawal needs an ID check and a $5 to $20 minimum depending on where you live, then PayPal is $5. Most PayPal, crypto and gift card withdrawals are instant.

The catch

The ID check before your first cash-out. 16 and up.

Worth it? Yes if you want the money fast once you’re verified.

Try Freecash

More options in our list of apps that pay you real money.

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