Make $500 a Month With AI Blogging: A Step-by-Step Guide

8 min readJul 1, 2024

For the past Three years, I’ve been immersed in the world of blogging, dedicating significant time to mastering it. My last project, which was entirely human-written, continues to generate good revenue. Now, with the advancements in AI technologies and tools, it’s time to embark on a new journey: starting an AI-driven blog from scratch.

In this post, I’ll share all the details on how I plan to launch this AI blog.

Essential Tools for Starting an AI Blog

1. Hostinger for Website Hosting

I’ve been using Hostinger for three years and have had a great experience with their web hosting service. Currently, I have a business plan since I host multiple websites. For this new blog, I’ll continue using Hostinger and purchase a new domain name.

Pro Tip: If you’re new to Hostinger, you can get a free domain name for the first year with your hosting plan.

Check out Hostinger

2. Koala for Article Generation

While I’ve tried using ChatGPT and Google Bard, Koala stands out. It generates entire articles and even includes a few images. So far, I haven’t needed to make any edits to the articles produced by Koala.

Cost: $25 per month for 45,000 words. With each article being around 1,300 to 1,700 words, I can generate approximately 30 articles per month, making it less than $1 per article.

Try Koala

3. LowFruits for Keyword Research

Keyword research is crucial for determining which topics to write about. In 2021, I purchased 2,000 credits from LowFruits, and I still have plenty left.

Recommendation: If you’re a beginner, buy a credit pack instead of a monthly subscription. It costs $25 for 2,000 credits, which are valid for a year.

Check out LowFruits

Initial Costs to Start the Blog

Hosting: $50 per year (includes a free domain name)
Koala Writer: $25 per month or $300 per year
LowFruits: $25 per year for 2,000 credits

Since I already have hosting and LowFruits credits, my only recurring cost is Koala AI at $25 per month.

Step-by-Step Plan from Start to Monetization

Step 1: Website Setup

If you’re new to WordPress and hosting, setting up the website can take a bit longer. With some experience, it should take 2–5 hours to get everything connected and running smoothly.

Choosing a Domain Name

Your domain name is your blog’s address on the internet. It should be memorable, relevant to your niche, and easy to spell. For an AI blog, consider names that reflect technology, innovation, or AI itself. Use domain name generators if you’re stuck, and check for availability using your hosting provider’s search tool.

Registering Your Domain and Hosting

Since I use Hostinger, I’ll explain the process with their service. The steps are similar for other hosting providers as well.

Sign Up for a Hosting Plan:

Visit Hostinger’s website and select a hosting plan that suits your needs. For a beginner, the Single Web Hosting or Premium Web Hosting plans are ideal. If you plan to host multiple websites, consider the Business Web Hosting plan.
During the sign-up process, you can register your domain name. If it’s your first time with Hostinger, you can get a free domain for the first year.

Set Up Your Account:

After purchasing the hosting plan, you’ll receive a confirmation email with your account details. Log in to your Hostinger account and go to the control panel (hPanel).

Installing WordPress

WordPress is the most popular blogging platform due to its flexibility, user-friendly interface, and extensive plugin ecosystem. Here’s how to install WordPress on Hostinger:

Access the Auto Installer:

In the hPanel, look for the Auto Installer tool under the Website section.

Install WordPress:

Select WordPress from the list of applications.
Fill in the necessary details such as your website title, admin username, password, and email. Choose the domain where you want to install WordPress.
Click on the Install button and wait for the process to complete.

Configuring WordPress

Once WordPress is installed, you’ll need to configure it to suit your blog’s needs:

Log In to Your WordPress Dashboard:

Access your WordPress dashboard by going to yourdomain.com/wp-admin and logging in with your admin credentials.

Select a Theme:

Navigate to Appearance > Themes and browse the available themes. Choose a theme that complements your blog’s niche and aesthetic.
Install and activate your chosen theme. You can customize it further by going to Appearance > Customize.

Install Essential Plugins:

Plugins enhance your website’s functionality. Here are some essential plugins for a new blog:
Yoast SEO: To optimize your blog for search engines.
Akismet: To protect your site from spam comments.
Jetpack: For security, performance, and site management tools.
WPForms: For creating contact forms.
Smush: To optimize images for faster loading times.

Set Up Key Pages:

Create essential pages such as Home, About, Contact, and Privacy Policy. You can do this by navigating to Pages > Add New.
Write compelling and informative content for each page to introduce your blog and provide necessary information to your visitors.

Configure Permalinks:

Go to Settings > Permalinks and select the Post name option. This makes your URLs clean and SEO-friendly.

Adjust General Settings:

In Settings > General, ensure your site title, tagline, and other general settings are correctly configured.

Securing Your Website

Security is paramount for any website. Here are some steps to enhance your blog’s security:

Install a Security Plugin:

Use plugins like Wordfence or Sucuri to add an extra layer of security to your site.

Enable SSL:

Hostinger provides free SSL certificates. Go to hPanel > SSL and enable SSL for your domain. This encrypts data transferred between your site and its visitors, making it more secure.

Regular Backups:

Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus to schedule regular backups of your website. This ensures you can restore your site quickly if anything goes wrong.

Customizing Your Blog

Make your blog unique by customizing its appearance and functionality:

Widgets and Menus:

Go to Appearance > Widgets to add or remove widgets from your sidebar or footer.
Set up your website’s navigation menu by going to Appearance > Menus.

Customize the Theme:

Use the Theme Customizer to tweak colors, fonts, and other design elements.

Launching Your Blog

Before launching, review everything to ensure your site is ready for visitors:

Proofread Content:

Ensure all your content is error-free and polished.

Test Functionality:

Check all links, forms, and interactive elements to ensure they work correctly.

Announce Your Launch:

Use social media, email newsletters, and other channels to announce your blog’s launch and attract initial visitors.

By following these steps, you’ll have a solid foundation for your AI blog, ready to start generating content and attracting an audience.

Step 2: Keyword Research

Keyword research is crucial for understanding what your target audience is searching for and ensuring your content ranks well on search engines. Here’s a detailed guide on how to conduct effective keyword research for your AI blog:

Setting Up LowFruits

Create an Account:

If you haven’t already, create an account on LowFruits. You can start with the $25 plan for 2,000 credits, which is ideal for beginners.

Access the Dashboard:

Define Your Niche:

Clearly define your blog’s niche. For an AI blog, consider focusing on subtopics like AI tools, tutorials, industry news, or case studies.

Generate Keyword Ideas:

Use LowFruits’ keyword generator tool. Enter broad topics related to your niche, such as “AI tools for businesses” or “AI in healthcare.”

Analyze Keyword Metrics:

LowFruits provides important metrics like search volume, keyword difficulty, and trends. Focus on keywords with:
High Search Volume: Indicates a popular topic.
Low to Medium Difficulty: Easier to rank for as a new blog.
Trending Keywords: Topics that are gaining popularity.

Identify Long-Tail Keywords:

Long-tail keywords are specific phrases that are less competitive and easier to rank for. For example, instead of targeting “AI tools,” consider “best AI tools for small businesses.”

Organizing Keywords

Create a Spreadsheet:

Organize your keywords in a spreadsheet. Include columns for keyword, search volume, difficulty, and any notes on content ideas.

Categorize Keywords:

Group your keywords into categories based on the type of content they will generate. This helps in planning your content calendar.

Monthly Keyword Research

Regular Updates:

Conduct keyword research once a month to stay updated with trends and new opportunities.

Refine and Expand:

Continuously refine your keyword list and look for new keywords to expand your content reach.

By conducting thorough keyword research using LowFruits, you’ll ensure your AI blog targets the right audience and covers topics that have high search potential, setting a strong foundation for your blog’s growth and monetization.

Step 3: Generate Articles

Generating articles efficiently is crucial for maintaining a steady flow of content on your blog. Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to do it using Koala AI:

Preparing for Article Generation

Define Topics:

Use LowFruits for keyword research to identify trending topics and relevant keywords. Create a list of article ideas and focus keywords.

Outline Articles:

Draft a basic outline for each article. This should include the introduction, main points, subheadings, and conclusion. An outline helps guide the AI and ensures the article stays on track.

Using Koala AI

Log In to Koala:

Access Koala AI and log in with your credentials.

Input Article Details:

Enter the article title, focus keywords, and outline into Koala AI. The more specific you are, the better the output.

Generate Content:

Initiate the article generation process. Koala AI will produce a draft based on your inputs, including text and images.

Editing and SEO Optimization

Review and Edit:

Carefully review the generated article. Make necessary edits to ensure the content is accurate, coherent, and engaging.

SEO Optimization:

Use Yoast SEO or a similar plugin to optimize the article. Ensure proper keyword placement, meta descriptions, and internal/external links.

Scheduling and Publishing

Schedule Posts:

In WordPress, go to the post editor and set the publication date and time. This allows you to maintain a consistent posting schedule.

Publish:

Once everything is set, hit the publish button or let WordPress handle the scheduled posting.

By following these steps, you can efficiently generate high-quality articles for your AI blog, keeping your content fresh and engaging.

Step 4: External Links and Store Setup

For the first 3–4 months, I won’t focus on building external links. After that period, I’ll start creating templates based on readers’ needs and sell them for $5-$30 per template.

Monetization Strategy

Affiliate marketing will be the primary monetization method for my niche. I’ll incorporate affiliate links from the first article onwards. Additionally, after 4–6 months, I’ll set up a store on platforms like Gumroad or LemonSqueezy to sell my templates.

Revenue Expectations

I estimate that the blog will earn an average of $25 per 1,000 visitors. With a goal of attracting 15,000–18,000 visitors per month, the revenue could reach approximately $400 monthly.

Selling the Blog and Its Potential

If everything goes as planned, the blog’s value could be 30–45 times its monthly revenue. With a monthly income of $400, the blog could potentially be sold for $13,000.

I plan to start this build-in-public project in January 2024. Stay tuned for updates.

Additional Resources:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nazmul-shishir
Quora: https://www.quora.com/profile/Nazmul-Shishir