The Realistic Path to Turning Your Online Writing into Income
I used to think earning money meant working at a job. I thought blogs were just websites for writing about personal daily life. But you can actually make money from a blog. Not only can you earn income, but you can also build your personal brand. It’s never too late to start online writing that generates revenue.
WordPress Blog, Start Writing Online
My journey into online writing began with Naver and Tistory blogs. I started my blog using these two platforms and continue to operate them to this day.
Both are truly excellent blogs, but they have a fatal flaw: I cannot be the owner. That means even if Naver and Kakao (Tistory’s owner) change their policies overnight, there’s nothing we can do about it.
You need to start your own blog because it’s dirty and underhanded. I’m talking about a blog where you write in your own style without being swayed by anyone else and earn the income that matches it. That’s exactly what a WordPress blog is.
Getting Started with a WordPress Blog
For those new to WordPress blogging, it can feel challenging. I felt that way too.
1) Essential Elements for Starting a WordPress Blog
- Server
- Website (WordPress)
- Domain
When you use Naver Blog, Naver provides the server. And it even provides the website (Naver Blog) where you write your posts.
However, for my WordPress blog to be visible to people through search engines, I need a server to host it. This hosting server can be chosen just like we would select any other product.
WordPress is, simply put, a tool for creating websites. One type of website it can create is a blog. When you choose a hosting server and proceed with the setup, you can also select WordPress at that stage.
You will also need to purchase a domain name, which is the address (URL) that allows you to access your WordPress blog.
I’ve used two servers: Cloudways and Chemicloud. When I started my WordPress blog as a beginner in online writing, I began with Cloudways. If you’re curious about the installation process, please watch the video below carefully.
With all the server, WordPress, and domain settings mentioned above in place, you should be able to complete the process without significant difficulty by carefully following the video instructions.
2) Switching servers to ChemCloud
I was using a WordPress blog on a Cloudways server, but I switched to a ChemCloud server through the Woffle community.
The reason is simple: to reduce server costs. The downside of a WordPress blog is that, unlike Naver or Tistory, it incurs expenses. Server and domain costs are prime examples.
Still, I hated that I couldn’t do anything about the reckless policy changes, so I figured that cost was acceptable—but later on, it became a burden. If you’re curious about this, reading the post below should help you understand.
3) WordPress theme
If you’ve chosen a hosting server and WordPress, the next step is selecting a theme. As you can see above, I chose the Cadence theme and have since been using the official WordPress theme, the WordPress theme.
For reference, when using the Cloudways server, I used the One Press theme.
If you’re interested in starting online writing with the Woffle community, watching the video below should be helpful. We’ve uploaded all the lessons starting from Lesson 1, so once you finish watching the video, you can proceed to watch them one by one in order.
- Domain Purchase
- ChemCloud Server Payment and Setup
- Cadence and Waffle Theme Settings
- Now all that's left is the writing.
How I’ve Changed Since Starting Online Writing
Since I started writing online, I’ve changed quite a bit, even by my own standards. While it hasn’t been a huge income, I’ve managed to generate revenue from the digital world, separate from my main job (labor).
Income earned since starting online writing
- Naver AdPost Revenue
- Tistory AdSense Ad Revenue
- WordPress AdSense Ad Revenue
- Affiliate marketing commission income through blog posts (Coupang, Wise, Wopple, etc.)
Currently, the primary sources of income are AdSense ads on my WordPress blog and affiliate marketing commissions.
However, what I want to convey in this piece is that after I started writing online, I was able to find my identity. I think the best part was having time to explore who I am.
To build your blog’s brand, you must clearly understand what you enjoy and excel at. In doing so, you’ll also discover aspects of yourself you didn’t know existed. The very reason I recommend starting
online writing is that a single brand can unlock diverse opportunities beyond ad revenue.
- A child who loves English operates an English study blog and channel while building their brand.
- A real estate enthusiast branding their related blog
- Stock enthusiasts branding their stock blogs
- Travel around the world and share experiences through a blog to build a travel brand
- A plant enthusiast shares content on their blog to build their brand
Conclusion
Today I discussed starting online writing, specifically beginning a WordPress blog. To summarize once more, it is as follows.
- Hosting Server Selection
- Domain Purchase
- WordPress Theme Settings
If you’ve been watching YouTube finance channels lately, you’ll know that stories about people making money through blogging pop up quite often. Looking at the comments, I’ve seen so many people asking, “I want to start a blog too—how can I do it?”
Today’s post is written for those of you who are curious. I hope it answers many of your questions. If you find it difficult to do alone, consider joining the Woffle community. After all, don’t they say you can go further together than alone?
If you’ve started a WordPress blog and obtained AdSense approval but are struggling with ad placement, reading the post below will be helpful.
