If you’re considering starting a blog, there’s no better time or month than April. April can be particularly inspiring for launching your blog and starting your blogging journey as it coincides with spring, a season known for renewal and fresh starts. This fresh energy can fuel your creativity and guide your blog’s direction. With people feeling more invigorated and open to new ideas, you may see a surge in engagement with your blog.
In this article, I will discuss how to make money blogging in April, offer a few tips to help you get started, and, hopefully, inspire you to keep writing well into the years. Assuming you have more knowledge than a beginner, this article will be broad as I want to drive home some important tips while keeping it short and sweet. But before I begin, there are a few prerequisites that I want to make sure I cover.
For starters, blogging is NOT dead…
In fact, blogging is far from extinction and will continue to evolve for years to come, which is one of the reasons I write today. Even with the advent of ChatGPT and AI-powered writing assistants, blogging will continue to thrive well into the future. AI has exposed many bloggers and created new trusted bloggers, but that is another topic for another day.
What blogging is and what blogging is not
As a prerequisite, it’s important to understand what blogging is and is not. Despite what gurus say, blogging is a form of communicating with people who are interested in a topic or a subject that you may be interested in. It’s really that simple.
Removing the business side from blogging becomes a way for us to connect and share with each other. Remember those two words: connect and share.
You can start blogging anytime, anywhere
As with anything we discuss, there has to be a point of discussion or a topic. When it comes to blogging, many people will say that you need to find a niche to start. Understandably so; however, that is not entirely correct. You do not need a niche to start, but it is important for people to quickly understand who you are and what you’re writing about.
You can start blogging just about anywhere and with any topic. Spring brings unique topics you can explore in your blog posts, capitalizing on your target’s interests. For example, you could create content on spring fashion trends, spring cleaning or gardening tips, or even spring-themed recipes.
Bluehost is good for beginners
Assuming that you want to start and grow this into a lucrative business, Bluehost is hard not to recommend. Even with a few minor quirks, Bluehost is a popular choice for beginners because of its affordability, user-friendly interface, and bundled features like a free domain name and SSL certificate. This combination makes it easy and cost-effective to get started with website hosting.
Now that we’ve done some housekeeping, let’s jump right into the nitty gritty. You may already be asking yourself—what are the best niches for blogging?
The best niches in April
April offers a nice mix of spring-related topics and evergreen niches that do well year-round. Here’s a breakdown of some good options to consider:
Spring-inspired niches
With spring’s arrival comes a surge in interest in related topics, from gardening tips to spring fashion trends that can translate to potential traffic growth for your blog. Plus, spring offers a wealth of content inspiration, allowing you to cater to readers’ seasonal interests and keep your content fresh.
- Gardening: As spring kicks off the planting season, people are eager for tips on seed selection, planting techniques, and garden design. You can target specific demographics, such as beginner gardeners, or focus on niche areas like vegetable or container gardening.
- Landscaping: As the weather warms, people are eager to get outside and tend to their yards. You could share tips on landscaping projects.
- Home Improvement: Spring cleaning and home improvement projects often go hand-in-hand with landscaping. You can provide guides on DIY projects, spring cleaning checklists, or even reviews of home improvement tools.
- Outdoor Activities & Travel: April is a great time to explore outside. You could write about hiking trails, camping tips, gear reviews, spring travel destinations, tips for planning outdoor adventures, or even recipes for outdoor picnics.
Evergreen niches
Evergreen niches are goldmines for bloggers. Unlike seasonal topics, evergreen content stays relevant year-round, attracting consistent traffic without constant trend-chasing. Evergreen niches also have long-term SEO benefits, as search engines favor content that consistently provides value to users. Therefore, your content will continue to attract new readers while keeping existing ones engaged.
- Health & Wellness: Spring is a great time to promote healthy habits and fitness routines. You can create content on healthy meal plans for spring, spring detox programs, or light and outdoor exercise routines.
- Food & Drinks: People love food year-round, so this is always a safe bet. You could share springtime recipes, outdoor grilling tips, or refreshing beverages.
- Personal Finance & Self-Improvement: In April, for example, you could write about tips for cleaning your finances, setting goals for the new quarter, or productivity hacks.
- Spring Fashion & Style: Spring often brings a desire to refresh wardrobes. You could write about spring fashion trends, tips for putting together spring outfits, or budget-friendly ways to update your seasonal look.
The worst niches in April
As with any niche, there are some niches that you may want to avoid for obvious seasonality reasons. Based on seasonality, here are some niches that might see a decrease in interest in April (Northern Hemisphere):
- Winter sports and activities: As spring arrives, interest in winter-related topics like skiing, snowboarding, or snowmobiling might decline.
- Holiday-specific niches: If your niche is centered around a winter holiday like Christmas or Hanukkah, you might see a decrease in engagement in April.
- Indoor hobbies: People tend to spend more time outdoors in the spring weather. Niches focused on indoor hobbies like board games or home improvement projects might see a slight dip in interest.
Best free SEO tools
Assuming you’re well underway with setting up your website through Bluehost or another web host, these are the best free SEO tools you can have.
1. Google Analytics
Google Analytics is a free and powerful website traffic analyzer that goes beyond counting visitors. It provides insights into user behavior, such as time spent on pages and bounce rate, helping you understand how visitors interact with your site.
You can also track visitor origins and optimize landing pages for search engines. Google Analytics reveals website strengths and weaknesses, making it an essential tool for maximizing your website’s search ranking and organic traffic.
2. Traffic Analytics by SimilarWeb
SimilarWeb’s free Traffic Analytics goes beyond basic traffic stats, offering website owners a powerful toolbox to understand their audience and boost organic traffic. It dissects user behavior with metrics like visit duration and landing page performance while revealing traffic sources (organic, link, direct) to identify the most valuable channels for growth.
You can even benchmark your site against competitors and industry standards, making SimilarWeb an essential tool for attracting organic traffic and optimizing your website’s overall performance.
3. Google Search Console
Google Search Console is a free tool that helps website owners monitor and improve their site’s position in Google’s search results. It provides valuable information about search terms, organic traffic, and each web page’s performance.
Google Search Console lets users keep an eye on their website’s search results, find technical problems that are making it hard for people to see, and improve their website content to make it rank higher in search engines.
4. Ubersuggest
Ubersuggest is a free keyword research tool that provides helpful information about how often people search for a keyword, how hard it is to rank for it, and related keywords.
Ubersuggest helps website owners find promising keywords to use in their marketing and content. It also has tools for examining rival websites and determining what keywords and backlink strategies work best for them.
5. AnswerThePublic
That’s right. AnswerThePublic is a free phrase research tool that helps people find what they want online. It tells you what topics and themes your target audience is interested in so you can write material that meets their needs and fulfills their desires. AnswerThePublic presents search results in an appealing way that makes it simple to spot patterns and trends.
Best paid SEO tools
1. Semrush
Semrush offers robust capabilities, including keyword research, competitor analysis, site auditing, backlink analysis, and content optimization tools.
Pros
- Comprehensive SEO toolkit.
- In-depth competitor analysis.
- Advanced features for site optimization.
Cons
- The steeper learning curve for beginners.
- Higher pricing compared to some alternatives.
Pricing
Semrush has different price plans. The Pro plan costs $119.95 per month, the Guru plan costs $229.95, and the Business plan costs $449.95 monthly.
2. Ahrefs
Ahrefs provides features such as backlink analysis, keyword research, site audits, and content exploration.
Pros
- Extensive backlink analysis.
- Detailed keyword research data.
- User-friendly interface.
Cons
- Relatively higher pricing.
- Limited keyword tracking compared to some competitors.
Pricing
Ahrefs offers pricing plans starting from $99 per month for the Lite plan, $179 per month for the Standard plan, $399 per month for the Advanced plan, and $999 for the Agency plan.
3. Moz Pro
Moz Pro provides keyword research tools, rank tracking, site audits, local SEO tools, and on-page optimization recommendations.
Pros
- Wide range of SEO tools.
- Local SEO capabilities.
- Regular updates and improvements.
Cons
- Limited backlink analysis compared to competitors.
- The interface can be overwhelming for beginners.
Pricing
Moz Pro offers pricing plans starting from $99 per month for the Standard plan, $179 per month for the Medium plan, $249 per month for the Large plan, and $599 for the Premium plan.
4. SE Ranking
SE Ranking offers keyword tracking, competitor analysis, website auditing, social media management, and white-label reporting options.
Pros
- Affordable pricing plans.
- Social media management features.
- White-label reporting for agencies.
Cons
- The interface could be more intuitive.
- Limited advanced features compared to some competitors.
Pricing
SE Ranking offers pricing plans starting from $31 per month for the Optimum plan, $71 per month for the Plus plan, $15 for the Enterprise plan per month, and custom pricing for larger businesses.
5. SpyFu
SpyFu offers competitor keyword analysis, ad campaign monitoring, backlink tracking, PPC analysis, and custom reporting options.
Pros
- Extensive competitor analysis features.
- PPC analysis for optimizing advertising campaigns.
- Custom reporting options.
Cons
- Limited keyword tracking compared to some alternatives.
- The interface may feel overwhelming for beginners.
Pricing
SpyFu offers pricing plans starting from $33 per month for the Basic plan, $58 per month for the Professional plan, and $199 per month for the Team plan.
What do you need to do exactly to make money online?
Building a profitable blog takes dedication and strategy. Here’s the gist: Choose a niche you’re passionate about, create high-quality content that attracts and informs your audience, and then leverage various monetization methods like affiliate marketing, selling your own products or services, or offering premium content. Consistency is key to building trust and a loyal following, ultimately converting your audience into a revenue stream.
Step 1: Pick one product or service
Find a company that offers a product or service relevant to your blog’s niche. Join their affiliate program and promote their product through blog posts, reviews, and comparisons. You’ll earn a commission for every sale your unique affiliate link generates.
Step 2: Create one high-quality piece of content
If your chosen product or service is complex or requires in-depth knowledge, you can offer exclusive content like tutorials, guides, or consultations (paid webinars/courses) to your audience who want to learn more.
Step 3: Connect and share!
I told you I’d bring this up later! Believe it or not, this is the easiest part of the entire process. Therefore, it’s important to know your audience and be ready to engage them.
In Conclusion…
There is not much to it. The formula, down to the atomic level, is straightforward: customer, problem, answer. I would add that the hardest part is truly understanding your audience’s needs. Understanding provides digestible content that solves problems, entertains them, or both.
What do you think about this particular article? Do you agree or disagree? Did we miss any niches? Leave a comment below!