Blogging Hacks: How I Got My Free Blogger Blog Monetized

In this post I will show you steps by steps, how I created a free Blogger blog in February, 2018 as junior student in STASS and got it monetized the same year. Funny enough, I had neither personal smartphone nor PC. Have a good read!

I stumbled upon blogging business while I inquisitively searched the Internet seeking for means of earning some bucks online as a student. I was motivated by the story of Linda Ikeji, one of the popular Nigerian bloggers whose net worth raked billions of naira and the eagerness to be ahead of my mates in school.

The most interesting part of Linda Ikeji’s story that fueled my desire for blogging is that she started her first blog with Blogger free hosting and domain and grew it to worth billions of naira today. Her story is quite relatable. So, I subconsciously told my poor self: ‘If she could do that, then I too can. I still have all the time’.

 

On February, 2018, I took a bold step, created and set up my first blog:  https://www.awusacollinsworld.blogspot.com with few clicks. It’s a completely FREE (free hosting and domain) blog site.

Recall that in 2018, I was a junior student in St Thomas Aquinas School and funny enough, I had no personal smartphone or laptop. And even if I had, smartphones and laptop usage are prohibited in my school.  I was opportune to be appointed my school computer lab prefect in 2018, therefore presenting me with access to the computer during my free time.

Few weeks after I created my blog, I start publishing all sorts of posts – related and unrelated topics. Of course, I never carved out a niche for myself – one of the mistakes I made.  It was sort of a lifestyle blog. While in school, I write articles on weekly basis on different topics. These articles are what I published on my blog at my spare time.

After my BECE, the final exam I took as junior student, I went all in into blogging. This time I had a different intention. I wanted to get my blog monetized by every possible means. I went on to research different ways to get my blog monetized. As usual, I got tons of options which included:

1. Affiliate Marketing
2. Sponsored Posts or Reviews
3.  Google Adsense
4. Contents Sales (e-books, courses and other digital products)
5. Email Marketing, etc.

I had no course or other digital products to sell.

I had no good knowledge of affiliating marketing or email marketing and how to leverage it to make some dollars. Sponsored Posts or Reviews as you know isn’t for beginners; therefore, Google Adsense was the only choice left.

I took out time to read and implement the requirements for monetization through Google Adsense. I optimized my theme, published more than ten blog posts, shared my blog posts with my friends on social media to attract visitors.

 

I applied for Google Adsense. After Google’s reviews, my blog was rejected. I got feedback stating that my blog isn’t qualified to run ads yet. I contacted Stan, my friend and a senior colleague in online business and affiliate marketing.

Stan went through my blog and encouraged me to change my blog theme. He advised me to search for a better theme and that I could find free professional themes if I search the Internet thoroughly. Fortunately, I got a better theme, the same theme I use now and submitted another application to Google Adsense. It was rejected too.

 

I kept publishing new blog posts and sharing them on different social platforms. I began to get 300 and more views daily. I applied again and was accepted to run ads.

 

screenshot of my first earnings

I became more interested in the business to see how much I could earn in a month.

Something happened before the first month runs out.

It made me quit blogging totally. Guess what?

Any question? Let me know in the comment section.