I started my blog in January 2023 with dreams of passive income. I’d read stories of bloggers making lakhs monthly, traveling while their websites generated money automatically. It seemed like the perfect side hustle.
Eight months later, I’d made exactly zero rupees. Not even a single rupee from AdSense, affiliates, or any monetization method. My traffic was pathetic – maybe 100-200 visitors monthly, mostly friends and family who checked out of courtesy.
I was ready to quit. The time invested felt wasted. Every article took 3-4 hours to write, and for what? No money, barely any readers, zero validation.
Then something shifted in month nine. Traffic suddenly jumped to 4,500 visitors. AdSense made 3,200 rupees. Affiliate commissions added 8,800 rupees. Some sponsored content brought 40,000 rupees. Total: 52,000 rupees in one month.
The next month was similar at 48,000 rupees. Month eleven hit 67,000 rupees. My blog was finally working.
What changed? Not luck. Not some secret hack. I’d finally stopped making the mistakes that kept me at zero for eight months.
Let me share what I was doing wrong and what actually worked, because most blogging advice online is either outdated or useless.
Month 1-3: I Wrote About Everything (Huge Mistake)
My blog had no niche. I wrote about productivity one day, travel the next, then tech reviews, personal finance, random thoughts, and cooking experiments. Whatever interested me that week became an article.
This seems logical when you’re starting. “I’ll cover multiple topics to attract wider audience,” I thought. “More topics means more potential readers.”
Completely wrong. Google doesn’t know what my blog is about when I’m writing about fifteen different subjects. Readers who find one article have no reason to read others because there’s no consistent theme.
I had 22 articles across completely unrelated topics. Each article was an island with no connection to others. Someone finding my phone review had zero interest in my productivity tips or travel stories.
Compare this to successful blogs I studied later. They obsessively focus on one niche. Travel blogs talk only about travel. Tech blogs only review technology. Finance blogs discuss only money topics.
This narrow focus seems limiting but is actually liberating. Google understands “this blog is about personal finance for Indians” and shows it to people searching finance topics. Readers interested in one article find ten more related articles to read.
My traffic stayed at 100-200 because Google couldn’t categorize my blog. It wasn’t showing up in searches because it had no clear topic area.
The fix: In month four, I deleted 18 articles and chose one niche – personal finance for Indians in their 20s-30s. Every article from that point focused on this specific audience and topic. This single decision changed everything.
Month 1-4: I Wrote for Myself, Not for Search Intent
My articles were what I wanted to write, not what people were searching for. I wrote “My thoughts on investing” instead of researching what people actually type into Google.
Search intent is everything for blog traffic. You need to write articles answering specific questions people search for. Not vague topics you find interesting.
I wrote “How I budget my money” – a personal story with no practical value. People search for “how to create a budget in India” or “best budgeting apps for Indians.” My article didn’t match these searches.
I wrote “Thoughts on credit cards” – generic rambling. People search “which credit card is best for beginners” or “how to improve credit score in India.” Specific questions with clear search intent.
In month five, I started using keyword research tools. Free ones like Google Keyword Planner and paid ones like Ahrefs. I searched for what people actually type into Google related to personal finance.
Found terms like “best investment options in India,” “how to save tax in India,” “fixed deposit vs mutual funds.” These had clear search volume – hundreds or thousands of people searching monthly.
I started writing articles specifically targeting these searches. Not “my investment journey” but “Best Investment Options in India for Beginners in 2023” – matching exact search intent.
This immediately changed my traffic trajectory. Articles targeting specific searches started ranking and bringing visitors. Articles written for myself got zero traffic.
The lesson: your blog exists to answer questions people are actively searching for. Use keyword research to find those questions, then answer them better than existing content.
Month 1-6: My Content Was Too Short and Thin
Most of my early articles were 500-800 words. I thought this was enough. Just answer the question quickly and publish.
Google rewards comprehensive content. When someone searches “best credit cards in India,” Google wants to show them a thorough guide covering different card types, features, fees, who they’re best for, and how to choose.
My 600-word article listing five cards with brief descriptions wasn’t competing with established sites publishing 2,500-word comprehensive guides covering everything.
In month six, I started writing longer, more thorough articles. Not padding with fluff – actually covering topics comprehensively.
Instead of listing investment options in 700 words, I wrote 2,800 words covering each option’s pros, cons, taxation, suitability for different goals, and step-by-step instructions for getting started.
These longer articles started ranking within weeks. Google could see they thoroughly addressed the topic. Readers spent more time on page because there was actual substance.
The shift from 500-800 word articles to 2,000-3,000 word comprehensive guides was when my traffic started growing. Not because word count matters inherently, but because thorough coverage requires more words.
Month 1-7: I Ignored On-Page SEO Completely
I’d write articles and publish them with zero attention to basic SEO. My titles were creative but not keyword-optimized. My meta descriptions were non-existent or auto-generated. My images had no alt text. My URLs were messy.
These technical details seem minor but compound to affect rankings significantly.
My article about budgeting had the title “Managing Your Money Better.” Creative but useless for SEO. People search “how to budget money” or “budgeting tips for Indians.” My title matched neither.
I changed it to “How to Budget Money in India: Step-by-Step Guide for Beginners (2023).” Boring but effective. It includes the main keyword, clarifies what the article covers, and targets Indian audience.
Meta descriptions matter because they appear in search results. Mine were either missing or auto-generated nonsense. I started writing compelling descriptions that included keywords and made people want to click.
URLs matter too. My article URLs were like “tipsguru.in/post-234” or “tipsguru.in/managing-money-better-2023-update-final.” Changed to clean URLs like “tipsguru.in/how-to-budget-money-india.”
Alt text for images helps Google understand content and improves accessibility. I added descriptive alt text to every image: “Budget planning spreadsheet for Indian families” instead of “image1.jpg.”
These small technical improvements across all articles helped rankings improve. SEO isn’t one big thing – it’s hundreds of small optimizations that compound.
Month 1-8: I Published Inconsistently and Gave Up Too Early
I’d publish three articles one week, then nothing for two weeks, then one article, then nothing for a month. Completely inconsistent schedule.
Google rewards fresh, regularly updated sites. My sporadic publishing signaled I wasn’t serious or committed. Readers who found one article couldn’t rely on new content appearing regularly.
Also, I was ready to quit at month eight. Zero earnings after eight months of work felt like failure. I’d invested maybe 200 hours total and earned nothing.
What I didn’t understand: SEO takes time. Articles published today won’t rank tomorrow. They need 3-6 months to climb in rankings as Google evaluates them.
My month one articles started ranking in month six. Month three articles started ranking in month eight. The traffic growth in month nine wasn’t from articles published that month – it was from articles published months earlier finally gaining traction.
I was quitting right before my early work was about to pay off. If I’d stopped at month eight, I’d have abandoned the blog weeks before it would’ve started succeeding.
The lesson: commit to at least 12-18 months before judging blogging success. Publish consistently – even one article weekly is better than irregular bursts. The compound effect of consistent publishing takes months to manifest.
What Actually Made Money (The Monetization Reality)
When traffic finally came, I had multiple income sources ready. Here’s what actually made money:
Google AdSense was easiest but lowest earning. Month nine made 3,200 rupees from 4,500 visitors. That’s roughly 70 paisa per visitor. Not impressive, but it’s passive once set up.
AdSense works better with more traffic. At 20,000 monthly visitors now, I make 12,000-15,000 from AdSense alone. Still not huge, but stable passive income.
Affiliate marketing made more money with less traffic. I review credit cards, investment apps, and financial products with affiliate links. When someone applies through my link, I earn commission.
Month nine, three people applied for credit cards through my links. Earned 8,800 rupees from those three conversions. That’s 2,900 rupees per conversion – much better than AdSense.
Now with 20,000 monthly visitors, affiliate commissions range from 25,000-40,000 monthly. This requires trust and genuine recommendations. I only promote products I’d actually recommend to friends.
Sponsored content was unexpected but most lucrative. A fintech startup approached me to write an article featuring their app. Paid 40,000 rupees for one article.
This only happens with traffic and credibility. No one pays for sponsored content on blogs with 100 visitors. At 4,500 visitors, companies started noticing and reaching out.
Now at 20,000+ visitors, I get 2-3 sponsored content requests monthly at 30,000-60,000 rupees each. This is the highest earning method but least predictable.
The Traffic Sources That Actually Work
Not all traffic is equal. Here’s what actually brings readers:
Google organic search is 85% of my traffic. This is people searching keywords and finding my articles in results. This is why SEO matters – if you’re not ranking in Google, you’re invisible.
Pinterest sends about 8% of traffic. I create pins for each article with attractive graphics. Pinterest users search for finance tips and find my pins linking to articles. This required learning Pinterest strategy but pays off.
Direct traffic is 4% – people typing my URL or having it bookmarked. This grows slowly but represents loyal readers.
Social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) is 3% combined. Despite what social media marketers claim, social traffic is tiny and inconsistent. I post there for engagement, not traffic.
Email list is small but valuable. About 400 subscribers who get new article notifications. This drives some traffic but more importantly, they’re most likely to click affiliate links or buy products I recommend.
Relying on social media for blog traffic is a mistake many new bloggers make. Social posts are temporary – seen for a day then buried. Search engine rankings can last years.
What I’d Do Differently If Starting Over
Knowing what I know now, here’s how I’d approach blogging from day one:
Choose one specific niche immediately. Not “personal finance” but “personal finance for Indian software engineers in their 20s.” Hyper-specific beats broad.
Do keyword research before writing anything. Every article targets a specific keyword phrase people search for. No random topics or personal musings.
Write comprehensive 2,000+ word articles from the start. Forget short posts. Thorough guides rank better and provide more value.
Optimize every article for SEO. Keyword in title, meta description, first paragraph, headers, and naturally throughout. Alt text on images. Clean URLs.
Publish consistently. Two quality articles weekly on a fixed schedule. Consistency matters more than quantity.
Build an email list from day one. I waited six months to add email signup. Should’ve started immediately. Email subscribers are your most valuable readers.
Focus on Google traffic, not social media. Social media for engagement is fine, but don’t rely on it for traffic. SEO is where blog traffic comes from.
Be patient and commit for 18 months minimum. Don’t judge success at six months. My blog seemed like a failure at month eight and was making 50,000+ by month ten.
The Harsh Truths About Blogging Most People Ignore
Blogging isn’t passive income initially. It’s active work for months with zero return. The passive part comes later once you have traffic and content library.
Most blogs fail because people quit before month six. They expect results fast and quit when traffic stays low. SEO takes 4-6 months minimum to show results.
You need 50-100 quality articles before serious income. My first money came at 28 articles. Real income started at 40+ articles. This takes time and consistent work.
Traffic matters more than writing quality. A mediocre article targeting the right keyword outperforms a beautifully written article on a topic nobody searches for.
Monetization requires traffic first. You need thousands of monthly visitors before affiliate commissions or sponsored content become significant. AdSense works with low traffic but pays poorly until you scale.
Competition is intense. Every profitable niche has established blogs with hundreds of articles and strong SEO. You’re competing against them as a brand new blog with three articles.
Success requires both good content and good SEO. Great writing without SEO gets no traffic. Perfect SEO with thin content doesn’t rank well. You need both.
Where My Blog Stands Today (18 Months In)
Current monthly stats: 22,000-25,000 visitors, AdSense: 12,000-15,000 rupees, affiliate commissions: 25,000-40,000 rupees, sponsored content: 30,000-60,000 rupees, and total monthly income: 70,000-110,000 rupees.
I have 68 published articles now. Publishing 2-3 articles weekly consistently. Some old articles rank first page Google for competitive keywords. Others get zero traffic – not every article succeeds.
Time investment is about 15-20 hours weekly. Writing articles, SEO optimization, responding to emails, managing monetization. Still work, but better return on time than my early months.
The income isn’t fully passive. I need to maintain the blog, update old articles, publish new content. But it’s more passive than a job – I can take a week off and income continues from existing articles.
This isn’t quit-your-job money yet. Combined with my freelance work, it’s substantial secondary income. Some months the blog earns more than my freelancing.
Is Blogging Still Worth Starting in 2024?
Honest answer: maybe. Depends on your expectations and commitment level.
If you expect quick money or passive income in six months, no. You’ll be disappointed and quit.
If you can commit to 18-24 months of consistent work with zero income initially, and you’re genuinely knowledgeable about a specific topic people search for, and you’re willing to learn SEO and keyword research, then yes, blogging can work.
The landscape is more competitive now. Every profitable niche has established blogs. But there are still opportunities, especially for hyper-specific niches in Indian context.
“Personal finance for Indian remote workers” or “fitness for Indian software engineers” or “parenting tips for Indian millennials” – specific angles can still find audiences.
The blogs making millions monthly started years ago with first-mover advantage. But blogs earning 50,000-150,000 monthly? That’s still achievable with focused effort and patience.
My Advice If You’re Starting a Blog
Don’t start a blog unless you can commit to at least 50 articles over 12 months. This is minimum viable commitment for seeing results.
Choose a niche so specific that established blogs aren’t dominating every keyword. “Digital marketing” is too broad. “Instagram marketing for Indian small businesses” is specific enough.
Learn SEO basics before publishing anything. Understand keywords, search intent, on-page optimization. Publish SEO-optimized articles from day one.
Write for search engines first, readers second. This sounds backwards but search engines bring readers. Beautiful writing nobody finds helps nobody.
Track everything. Google Analytics for traffic sources and behavior. Google Search Console for keyword rankings. Know what’s working and what isn’t.
Be patient and consistent. Results take 6-12 months minimum. Publish weekly without fail. Consistency compounds better than sporadic bursts.
Focus on quality over quantity. One well-researched, comprehensive, SEO-optimized article beats five rushed thin articles.
Don’t obsess over design or logo initially. Focus on content and SEO. Pretty design doesn’t bring traffic. Good content ranking in Google does.
Build email list from day one. Every visitor should see email signup option. Your list is the most valuable asset.
Final Thoughts
My blog made zero rupees for eight months. I was ready to quit, convinced I’d wasted time on a failed project. Glad I pushed through a few more months.
The transition from zero to 52,000 in month nine wasn’t luck or magic. It was articles published months earlier finally ranking in Google and bringing traffic.
If I’d quit at month seven or eight, I’d have abandoned the blog right before success. The compound effect of consistent publishing takes longer than expected but works if you persist.
Blogging isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme or easy passive income. It’s a long-term content business requiring patience, consistency, and strategic thinking.
But it works. I’m proof. My blog went from embarrassing failure to legitimate income source. Not because I’m exceptional – because I learned from mistakes and kept publishing.
If you’re currently at month three with no traffic feeling discouraged, keep going. Month six with minimal earnings wondering if it’s worth it, keep going. Month eight ready to quit, keep going.
Your month nine might be around the corner. Mine was. The work you’re doing now pays off months later when you least expect it.
Just make sure you’re doing the right work – targeting keywords, writing comprehensive content, optimizing for SEO, and publishing consistently. Do that, and your month nine will come eventually.