How Blogging Changed My Life in 2023: The Affiliate & Blogger Life

Updated: June 7, 2023

Written by Eddy Ballesteros

Welcome to my story on how blogging changed my life in 2023.

If you would've told me a few years ago that writing blog posts and turning into an SEO nerd would be my full-time job and source of income, I would've never believed you.

I didn't even start business blogging until early 2021 when I purchased a blogging course on how to make money blogging through affiliate marketing. And no, this isn't your typical blogging success story.

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I had dabbled in starting a website before for quite some time, but I never took it seriously as an online business or side hustle.

I've always tried different online business models and kept learning new skills, but I would either quit or move on to the next shiny object every time before taking any real action.

Yet, I knew I wanted to start helping people turn into successful bloggers and rank online.

Blogging? Affiliates? Marketing?

So, I have a few reasons why blogging stuck, and one of the reasons was the amazing blogging community and support I found online.

Side note:

You'll learn that it can feel lonely when starting a new journey online, but there are communities and courses everywhere to help you out.

I always recommend attending conventions or events to meet new bloggers and online businesses you can network with.

The Beginning of My Blogging Journey

A few short months after starting my blog, I made my first few affiliate sales for over $100.

published my very first blog post in December 2020. I had no idea what would happen in the future, but I'm glad I didn't give up.

Blogging Income First Sale

When I started this blog, it mainly focused on different side hustles and creating topic clusters for each one.

I started blogging about business ideas, online courses, ways to make money online, and personal finance tips.

The great thing about creating content using a personal brand is that I can freely pivot my niche or topics I write about without starting a new blog from scratch. 

Over time, I shifted my blogging focus more and more towards content creators and everything that has to do with blogging.

This is mainly because I saw the most blogging success with it, and it was also the topic I enjoyed writing about the most.

I'm now at a point where I'm blogging about blogging, SEO, and social media strategies to help other people grow their blogging businesses.

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I'm so grateful that all my hard work has allowed me to work from home, make my own schedule, and be in control of my income

A Huge Shift In My Blogging Business In 2022 & Beyond

Now that I could quit my job from my own blog, I started to help out other bloggers in different communities I was in.

I truly did it to give back to my fellow bloggers in my free time and make more partnerships online so I can start sharing ideas with others throughout the world.

Explaining to others how blogging has changed my career and life has been super motivating for others.

I started commenting on everyone's questions and answering them to the best of my ability. The course creators and admins of those groups noticed every comment.

Facebook Results Blogging

This got me recognized as a trustworthy blogger and allowed me to share my own thoughts and wins with many people in the blogging space.

A few months later, I was approached by my soon-to-be mentors, who wanted me to be a part of their team to help other bloggers one-on-one with their blogging road bumps. 

Even though I was still learning new skills myself, I ended up saying yes, and it has been the best decision I've made so far.

I'm now blogging, doing SEO consulting, and working as a blogging coach for Adam Enfroy.

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All the failures, regrets, blank google documents, and months of constant learning have finally turned into one of those success stories I always wanted to be.

I'm excited to see what the future holds for my blogging business, and I hope my story can inspire you to start your own blog today.

If you're thinking about starting a blog or are on the fence about it, blogging has changed my life completely.

Working With Jasper AI & Adam Enfroy As A Blogging Coach

You're probably wondering how I became a coach for the Jasper Mastermind community and Adam Enfroy.

After accepting the offer from Adam Enfroy's partner, they also secured a partnership with Jasper AI (An AI writing tool that helps with all things blogging). 

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I was then brought on as a blogging coach to help out the amazing community of Jasper (An AI Writing Software) with their blogging journey while also helping Adam Enfroy with his private group.

It has been an amazing experience so far and I've loved every minute of it.

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I'm excited to continue working with both Adam Enfroy and the Jasper Mastermind as it's an inspiration to see bloggers making a life-changing experience. 

I'm proof that if you work hard enough and don't give up, blogging can change your life completely in positive ways you never thought possible.

Yes, as corny as that sounds, I'm made some close friends and created partnerships with other blogs.

How I Make Money Blogging

I earn money through my blog in a few different ways.

Side note:

Making money through blogging does not happen overnight. I earned my first commission after 2 months. Don't think because you start a blog today, that you will start making revenue immediately. 

Affiliate Marketing

First, I have affiliate relationships with several companies. I promote products and services that I use and love and earn a commission on every sale I generate.

Becoming an affiliate for a company is easy; many new people can sign up for affiliate networks..

You can sign up for their affiliate program and promote their products on your blog or social media channels. 

You earn a commission when someone clicks on your affiliate link and makes a purchase. 

For example, I'm an affiliate for Credit Repair Cloud (A Credit Repair Software) and Thrive Suite (A WordPress Theme For Blogs). Both pay recurring commissions and have allowed me to scale my affiliate business.

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I also use PartnerStack, an affiliate network, to find other companies to work with. Trust me when I say every service or product offers an affiliate marketing program.

Since IE. Credit Repair Cloud is in the Partnerstack affiliate network, and I can bring in sales using their link-tracking system.

Consulting Services

Second, I offer consulting services to businesses and entrepreneurs who want to learn how to start and grow their own blogs.

Note: 

I work on a monthly retainer and one-time project basis.

I offer a blogging service package where I help my clients with everything from content creation to SEO to blog post templates.

This is a great way to earn money blogging because you can charge premium rates for your services. 

CPA Deals

And finally, I work with a few select brands on CPA Deals (cost-per-acquisition).

This involves promoting special offers and coupons in exchange for a commission on every successful sign-up or purchase.

Here's a great example: Let's say you are ranking for a post that isn't converting well with affiliates, so you decide to work on a CPA deal with a brand.

They give you a special link, and you promote the offer on your blog.

If someone clicks on your link and signs up for the free trial or purchases the product, you earn a commission no matter what.

CPA deals are great because they can be more profitable than affiliates when you do not have any other options.

Overall

By combining these strategies, I can keep my blog running while earning a significant income.

So don't put all of your eggs into one basket. This makes a huge difference when it comes to my blogging success.

I can also take on freelance writing clients if one stream of income drops.

Don't forget that there are more ways to earn money online, but I'm barely scraping the surface.

Pros & Cons Of My Blogging Journey

After a few years of blogging and consulting over 400 students, I've realized that there are some pros and some cons to this business model. 

Pros

  • First, it allows you to develop your writing style and build an audience for your work. 
  • Second, it can be a great way to generate leads and conversions for your business. 
  • Third, it can be a great source of supplemental income. 
  • And fourth, it can help you build credibility and authority in your industry. 

All of these factors make blogging a viable option for those looking to start their own business.

If you're thinking of starting a blog, be sure to weigh the pros and cons carefully to decide if it's the right decision for you.

Cons

While there are many benefits to blogging, there are also some potential disadvantages.

One potential downside is that blogs are often used for the same reasons as traditional corporate websites.

For example, businesses may use blogs to promote their products or services or to share company news and information. As a result, blogs may sometimes be perceived as "self-promoting" or "salesy."

Another potential disadvantage is that bloggers must consistently create SEO-optimized articles and do link-building to maintain a successful blog.

This can be challenging, particularly for busy individuals who may not have the time or energy to update their blogs regularly.

Finally, blogging can also be competitive, as there are millions of bloggers trying to secure their spots on the first page of Google's SERPs. You can use AI tools to help you scale, but you still need to learn the process.

Should You Try Blogging For Yourself?

Depending on your pain tolerance with income, patience, and building your brand. I think you should try out blogging for yourself.

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FAQ About My Blogging Journey

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Can I Blog About My Daily Life?

If you want to make money through a blog, you won't want to write about your daily life.

Blogging and content marketing is a career where businesses need to make money.

There are many ways to make money blogging, but writing about your day-to-day life will not generate income. 

I wrote about topics in the credit repair space first and then moved on to sub-niches.

Why I Haven't signed up for Ad Networks Yet

I'm currently putting all my efforts into affiliate marketing and digital products, so I haven't signed up for any ad networks yet.

I may eventually do so, but I'm currently focused on other ways to monetize my blog. 

Is Blogging Worth It?

Yes, blogging is completely worth it once you get the hang of it and start seeing results.

Learn everything you can about search intent, keyword research, and how to create a great post that converts readers into buyers.

If you can learn how to rank on Google and promote your own products or affiliate products, it's completely worth it.

Can I Blog Anonymously?

I would not recommend blogging anonymously if you're trying to grow a personal brand and become a high-paid content creator.

You want people to know who you are and what you're blogging about and be able to find you easily online.

This is important regarding email outreach and growing on different social media platforms.

Why Do Bloggers Quit?

Blogging can be incredibly rewarding, allowing affiliates or business owners to connect with their customers and build relationships whenever you write blog posts.

Unfortunately, many bloggers find that the road to business success is not always easy. With difficulty in becoming profitable from blogging and all of the hard work it takes to build a blogging business, it's no wonder many bloggers give up and quit.

Most people put in a lot of hard work for months or years with no immediate reward, meaning stopping can start to look like the better option after that time.

Is Blogging Easy To Learn?

Starting a profitable blog can be easy to learn but difficult to implement. In the blogging world, I've even seen newbies quit before setting up their web hosting.

How Useful Is Blogging In Today's Life?

Blogging has become an increasingly popular way to share information with blog readers and audiences worldwide. It is an online business to connect people from many different backgrounds, providing blog writers an avenue to voice their thoughts and passions online.

On top of that, blogging has even become a viable source of passive income. Writing affiliate posts or informational content can help capture attention from search engines, exposing blog content to many international viewers.

It's no wonder why your average writer uses a WordPress blog to express their creativity in various fields and make money through ad revenue. From artists looking for recognition to stay-at-home moms sharing tips on parenting, the uses of blogging have made their mark in today's online life.

Overview How Blogging Changed My Life

So you now know how blogging changed my life in 2022, the pros and cons of blogging, and some frequently asked questions.

If you're thinking about starting a blog, I hope this information was helpful.

Blogging has been an amazing journey for me so far, and it's kept me from going back into the corporate world.

If you ever want to chat about this, feel free to email me. I would love to hear your story and read blogs within the same niche.


About the Author

Eddy is an AI, SEO, and personal finance blogger who uses and tests products to help others improve their lives through AI and financial literacy. With years of experience in online business, he deeply understands the latest AI and SEO trends. Eddy is also well-knowledged in personal finance and committed to sharing his knowledge and expertise with his readers.