It’s almost 2025, and blogging is one of the most popular and scaling businesses than ever. But have you ever thought about how a ‘blog’ first started? How does blogging even work?
If not, the answer is quite interesting to read. Let’s explore the history of blogging — from where it all started.
At 1MillionBlogs, we’ve helped 60+ bloggers scale up — even with the falling algorithm dynamics. And so, we can help you too. Book a free consultation with our mentor.
History of Blogging!
Although the term “blog” was coined in 1999, the first personal blog happened to be in 1994. Justin Hall, a university student, created diary-like notes on the web. His ‘notes’ quickly gained popularity.
It was also one of the first personal blogs. Then in 1997, John Barger coined the term “weblog”. Think of weblog as: Web + Log. It means log on to your web. By 1999, the term was shortened to a “blog,” as we know it today.
From 23 small blogs in 1999, the number has now scaled up to over 600 million blogs in 2024. It’s a massive growth!
But, to achieve so, a lot has happened since 1999. Let’s have a look at it.
As the word of ‘blogging’ spread in 1999, new platforms emerged. LiveJournal, Blogger, and Open Diary came for people to try a blog.
Just as the potential grew, Google purchased Blogger.com in 2003. Meanwhile, politicians started using blogs as a ‘news source’ for the public.
2006 saw the rise with the TIME Magazine naming bloggers and UGC as the ‘Person of the Year’. Just the next year, the State Department created the first-ever official blog.
How to Start Blogging in the 20s Decade?
Starting a blog in 2025 isn’t as easy as it used to be. New (and seasoned bloggers) have to comply with Google’s evolving algorithm.
The new blogging method is all about strategy, persistence and taking action. Here’s a 7-step guide on how to start blogging:
1. Pick Your Niche
Finalise the industry that you want to write about. It could be fashion, food, marketing, or anything you’re passionate about. Don’t stick with something, but explore.
One of our mentees found a profitable niche through exploration only! Now her site gets affiliate sales and impressive traffic within 6 months of starting.
So, explore and then settle with something.
2. Purchase Domain & Hosting
Once you’ve picked your niche, select a unique domain name and purchase hosting for the site. To tell you, a domain name is the name for your site. The hosting is a space for your site on the web.
Choose an interesting domain name that’s also memorable to your audience.
Learn the steps to purchase Hostinger hosting: Click Here
3. Build a Website
Then, build a website on a CMS such as WordPress. At 1MillionBlogs, we suggest using WordPress because of its easy interface and free plugins.
4. Publish Blog Posts
Once your website is ready, write your first blog post and publish it. You can also strategise your content with a calendar as a more result-oriented approach.
5. Focus on SEO
Blogging is nothing without SEO — whether it’s on-page, off-page, or technical. Once you’ve published enough blog posts on your site, focus on building backlinks.
6. Promote the Blog
Gain traffic from both search results and socials. Promote your blog on the platforms that suit your niche the best. For instance, Pinterest marketing works very nicely for lifestyle blogs.
7. Monetise It
Once your blog starts gaining enough traffic, you can monetise it through Google AdSense. Other ways to earn include digital products, courses, and coaching programs.
The Blogging Success ‘Mantra’
The key to acing at blogging is ‘execution’. In short, “Start Now. Figure it out later.”
Most bloggers start by planning to achieve perfectionism. But the truth is, perfection doesn’t exist. It’s a myth. You’ll never start if you keep waiting for the ‘perfect’ moment.
Instead of planning for the long term, start with just a week. Prepare your week’s content calendar and a short to-do list. Make sure to break down big tasks into smaller ones.
Remember, the harder your tasks are, the more you’ll think before taking action. Thus, break your tasks down and take action.
Keep these 5 blogging success mantras in mind:
- Plan less, do more.
- Achieve consistency. Dump perfection.
- Focus on learning.
- Write quality content.
- Create short-term goals.
If you still find any hurdles, meet Satya — a mentor to 60+ bloggers. Schedule a free discovery call, or reach out to him directly to resolve any queries.
Can You Build a Scalable Income From Blogging?
The answer depends on your efforts, but mostly, yes!
Our mentor, Satya Prakash, has scaled up 3 websites since 2020, all in different niches. The money is in the niches. For instance, a new market has more potential than a saturated one.
In the first 8 months of blogging, Satya made $1,500 by tapping into interviews. Here’s two screenshots of his earnings:
His website also got AdSense approved easily. However, he kept the Ads minimum on his site “NxtDecade” to keep the user experience smooth.
All of this comes down to: Consistent blog posts, outreach, and promotion. This is the only formula for blogging. In addition, ensure to stick to white-hat SEO practices only. Google penalises websites that use black-hat practices and doesn’t recognise them either.
5 Must-Know Blogging Stats in 2024
Blogging feels easier when statistics tell you the best. Here are the top 5 blogging statistics for you in 2024:
- 55% more website visitors:
According to Social Media Today, the average company that blogs generates 55% more website visitors than those who don’t. - A high frequency of publishing is preferred:
Bloggers who publish more frequently are most likely to report “strong results”, according to Orbit Media. - 72% of high-earning bloggers don’t use Google AdSense:
72% of high-earning bloggers (making more than $2,000/month) use either Mediavine or Adthrive as their ad management company, as per RankIQ - The money is in the niches:
According to RankIQ, the niches that have the highest percentage of blogs with over 50,000 monthly sessions include food (42.8%), lifestyle (13.3%), and travel (10%). - Pay attention to keywords:
Orbit Media reports that bloggers who pay attention to keywords more often are more likely to report success than those who don’t.
Wrapping Up
Blogging isn’t as easy as it seems. It’s a game of commitment and passion — those who fulfil it, win it. However, if you’ve got the will to begin, it may not be the same case for you.
At 1MillionBlogs, we help bloggers and businesses gain traffic and scale up. In case you want to start a new blog, our blogging mentorship program is open. Otherwise, we offer a set of services as well.
