My Blogging Journey from Scratch
How to earn money from blogging — when I started my blogging journey, I had no experience, no roadmap. All I had been a small dream: to share my travel stories with the world.
Traveling has always been my passion. Every city I explored, every road I walked on, every conversation I had with strangers — it made me feel alive. With this passion burning inside me, I decided to step into the world of blogging.
But honestly, starting a blog was just a dream. Earning money from blogging? That felt like a distant fairy tale. I had no idea how it worked. I made countless mistakes, learned lessons, and even failed before finding my footing again.
Today, I’m not just sharing information. I’m sharing my journey — my real journey — in hopes that it helps you, inspires you, and maybe even saves you from making the mistakes I made.
This blog is not just a guide on how to earn money from blogging — it’s the story of how a regular person, just like you, started from zero and decided to dream big.
Why I Started Blogging
The real reason I started blogging was simple. Somehow I feel I am a little shy person to appear in videos like YouTube, that’s why I chose blogging
I loved traveling, photography, and storytelling.
Whenever I visited a new place, I would research everything about that place. I realized how much we all depend on real experiences before planning our trip. I thought, “Why not share my own experiences to help others?”
That simple idea gave birth to my travel blog. I am not a professional writer or an expert. In fact, before launching my current website, I had already made many mistakes and failed attempts.
But you know what? Those failures taught me a lot.
Today, my blog is a mix of passion and learning. My goal is not just to tell people about destinations – my goal is to make them feel the experience again through my words. That’s the beauty of blogging – it gives you a chance to relive your memories while helping others.
Common blogging mistakes I made (and you can avoid)
Before we dive into how to make money blogging, let’s talk about the mistakes that almost set me back:
Focusing only on writing, not marketing
I thought if I wrote good content, people would come automatically. But it didn’t.
Ignoring SEO in the beginning
I didn’t even know what keywords were!
(Quick tip: You can use SEO tools like this keyword research tool to make it easier.)
Expecting quick results
I thought I would earn in 3 months.
Reality check: Blogging is a marathon, not a sprint.
Ignoring affiliate marketing
I delayed adding affiliate links. Don’t make the same mistake! Just like a good microphone can make your travel videos and podcasts stand out.
Mistakes are okay. What matters is to learn from them and improve.
How to Earn Money From Blogging: Real Methods That Work
How do you actually make money blogging?
Here’s what I learned from my mistakes:
Advertising (Display Ads)
The easiest way to make money is by displaying ads on your blog. Once you have good traffic (around 10,000+ monthly visitors – there is no fixed number for this, I just wrote it for estimation), you can apply to ad networks like:
- Google AdSense
- Mediavine
- Ezoic
Ads are passive income. But the main thing is traffic. Without visitors, there is no ad income.
(Pro tip: Investing in a reliable laptop like this one can make content creation faster and easier.)
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is like gold for bloggers. It means recommending products and earning a commission when someone buys through your link.
For example, I love using a travel backpack like this one whenever I travel. Sharing it on my blog not only helps readers but also earns me small commissions.
Travel accessories, cameras, blogging tools – you can recommend anything related to your niche!
Sponsored Posts
Once your blog grows brands will pay you to write about their products or services.
But remember
Only promote what you truly believe in. Reader trust takes years to build and seconds to lose.
(Quick tip: for photography gear recommendations, a camera like this DSLR can be a great affiliate link!)
Sell digital products
Create and sell your own products:
- EBooks
- Travel guides
- Photography presets
- Online courses
You don’t need a ton of followers – you need a passionate audience.
You can also build a collection of travel stock images and sell them directly through your blog!
Freelance services through blogging
Blogging can be your portfolio!
You can offer:
- Content writing
- SEO consulting
- Photography services
- Social media management
Many bloggers get freelance gigs simply because brands like their blog writing style.
Sell stock images (my personal method)
Since I love photography, I started uploading my travel photos as stock images.
- Shutterstock
- Adobe Stock
- Getty Images
As soon as anyone downloads or purchases your images, we get a percentage commission as royalty and income.
You can also create your own store on your website (as I did) and sell high-quality travel stock photos.
Stock Images Collection
My Current Status in Blogging (Real Talk)
Right now, I haven’t received any payment through ads or affiliate marketing yet.
Why?
Because it takes time, traffic, and consistency to reach the minimum payment threshold.
But honestly?
I’m okay with it.
Because I know the foundation I’m building today will be stronger tomorrow. And if you’re also blogging right now and haven’t earned yet – don’t give up.
Growth is slow, but it’s happening every day as you post, learn, and connect. If you’ve started earning through blogging, I’d love to hear your story too! Let’s inspire each other!
FAQs
Yes! With consistent effort, smart strategies, and patience, you can build a blog from zero and start earning.
It usually takes 6–12 months to start earning, depending on your niche, traffic, and monetization methods.
Affiliate marketing and display ads are the easiest and fastest ways to start earning.
More traffic helps, but even with a small, loyal audience, you can earn through affiliate sales and digital products.
Absolutely! Many successful bloggers started blogging part-time while working full-time jobs.
Travel accessories, blogging tools, cameras, microphones, and laptops are great affiliate products.
Yes! Blogging is very much alive and growing, especially with SEO, affiliate marketing, and personal branding.
Your Journey Starts Now
Blogging is magical.
It allows you to share your voice, connect with people worldwide, and eventually earn a living doing what you love.
But here’s the truth:
Money is a by-product of value.
If you genuinely help people through your content, the money will follow.
You don’t need to be perfect.
You don’t need to know everything.
You just need to start — even if you are starting from zero, like me.
So go ahead, write your first post.
Learn SEO.
Invest in the right tools — like a travel-ready laptop this one or a sturdy backpack this one.
And remember
You have a story worth sharing.
Someone out there is waiting to hear it.
Cheers to New Adventures: Join Us at Travel Piq
Hello all adventurous travelers!
Thank you all for joining me on this wonderful journey through the blog of “How to Earn Money from Blogging Starting from Zero”
At Travel Piq, we are all about sharing our passion for travel, photography and exploring new places. Whether you are planning your next vacation or just love absorbing travel inspiration, you will find plenty to satisfy your travel cravings here.
Connect with us
Don’t forget to connect with us on social media! It’s the best way to stay updated on our latest adventures, photography tips.
Discover new additions to our vibrant stock image collection. Capture the essence of your travels with high-quality images. These images bring destinations to life and are available for purchase right here on our website.
Plus, you’ll be part of a vibrant community of fellow travel enthusiasts who share your excitement for exploring the world.
Until next time, keep snapping those pictures, keep exploring new horizons, and keep making memories that last a lifetime.
Safe travels, and see you soon on Travel Piq!
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[…] I started my travel blogging journey, I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I simply loved traveling and thought, “Why not share […]