How to Start an Anonymous Blog INCOGNITO and Make Money in 2024

Want to know how to start an anonymous blog AND make money?

You’re in the right place. Whoosh let’s dive in!

Head’s up: this is a long guide PACKED with information, if you’re short on time save it for later by pinning it here!

This post may contain affiliate links at no extra cost to you, I may earn a small commission. This allows me to keep this blog going and provides you with free content. All opinions are my own.

Table of Contents

My Blogging Story

I was always one of those people who didn’t know what they were supposed to do in life. I think doing a master’s was even a way to delay getting a real job because the thought of it terrified me.

While sitting on a plane in Manchester, I felt like the person next to me was in my space. Their legs were into my area. I asked them if they could kindly stick to their side. They initially didn’t get it. Then I drew an imaginary line with my hand. My side. Your side. They apologized and it turned out they were a couple.

I took out my ‘How to Write a Business Plan’ and began to read. The couple remarked: “So what you’re trying to get on the Apprentice?”. “No this if just for a class”, I responded. So what do you want to do in life? I responded with: “I don’t know”.

Then they said you must be good at something, I responded: “I’m not good at anything”. They resorted: “everyone’s good at something”. I guess they were right I just didn’t know it yet.

I’m not sure how the discussion evolved to Paris and the movie ‘Taken’ and I was like you should avoid “rue du Paradis”, and they got a good laugh at the French pronunciation of it.

Fast forward: After working in marketing, I wasn’t super satisfied with my job. It was ok. As much as I like marketing, I didn’t feel like my creativity nor fun nature could run wild. The pay was not great. I was doing client work, for the client advancing them not me. I didn’t feel like my best skills were being used. I was just fitting into an industry box meaning all my other qualities were being scraped off to fit in this ‘mold’.

How long was I going to build someone else’s legacy and not mine. I was being “just another brick in the wall”. All that time wasted I could be doing something that I love and living off of it- but WHAT?

So it BEGINS

That summer I decided to research a way to make ‘easy money fast’. Haha yes I was lazy and I wanted things quick.

I wanted it to be passive income. The thought of making money while sleeping seemed like a dream and so attractive. So I looked up ways to make passive income.

I also knew I was someone who didn’t like putting myself out there on camera. Everyone seemed to be on Instagram and Snapchat detailing their every life detail. And that was my biggest ick.

My privacy is everything to me. Also I knew the whole social media influencer wouldn’t work for me because of the short-lived nature of the content. An Instagram story or Snapchat typically lasts 1 day and then no one sees it again. This means you CONSTANTLY need to be pumping out new content for your audience, not exactly the best for your mental health.

This influencer model didn’t align with passive income at all. Remember I wanted to sleep on it. I wanted to write something/ create content and then forget about it.

Then I discovered blogging. It checked all my boxes.

Why you should you start an anonymous blog:

✅ Passive income

✅ Ability to stay anonymous and protect your identity

✅ Can showcase your personality without judgment

✅ Share your Voice Freely [Freedom of Expression]

✅ Build a community of support with others

✅ Build your own empire

✅ Be your own boss

In blogging, I find 80% of success comes from consistency. You don’t need to be the smartest, have the best writing, visuals, or even SEO (if you don’t know wth this is right now that’s ok, it’s not that intimidating- you will easily learn), you just need to be consistent.

“Travel and tell no one, live a true love story and tell no one, live happily and tell no one, people ruin beautiful things.” – Khalil Gibran.

Sometimes being out of the limelight is a good thing. You want to think I’m jobless okay. You want to think I’m not in a relationship okay. I am doing all of these things in secret and living my best life and meanwhile you don’t know it. More power to me.

I know people who’ve told their families and friends about their blog and instantly regretted it. Because it kept coming up as discussions in barbecues: “like so how your blog is going”. Also, people knowing all these details about you, and you knowing nothing about them. My worst nightmare.

Not to mention, when it comes down to writing, the whole pressure of people knowing it’s you so you’re not being able to freely express yourself as much.

I also know people who’ve had to deal with their fair share of rando’s and sometimes even stalkers. It’s not as uncommon as you think. The internet can be a dark place sometimes. And I’ve seen how it has affected their mental health.

Maybe you’re not an introvert like me, and actually like putting yourself out there. That’s cool. I still recommend starting anonymously and once you get a following then you can decide to reveal yourself at the best time for you.

Grab Your Free Blog Launch Checklist

Includes Printable!

YES I WANT IT!

How to Choose an Anonymous Blog Profile Picture:

If you don’t want to show your face on your blog. You can use an avatar or cartoon of yourself. Even a zoomed out picture of yourself, your half profile or your back will work.

Can blogging anonymously hurt your blog?

There is a concern that with ChatGPT Google is cracking down on ai written content and want credibility and favors blogs with visible people. While there may be come truth in that. I think it all comes down to VALUE. What value are you creating and offering the readers?

An ai article written by someone with a profile picture won’t do as well as an article written by someone with no profile picture but offering value. Remember Google recognizes VALUE.

The truth is there are many successful bloggers who are KILLING it without showing their faces.

Blogging is not for you if:

1. You Want Fast Rewards: Ironically, while looking for fast ways to make money, I quickly learned blogging is not one of them. Blogging is not a get rich quick scheme. Blogging typically requires time and effort, but once you do it’s SO worth it.

2. You Lack Patience: Building an audience and monetizing a blog takes time. Most people quit after 12-18 months, but that’s when you start to get traction. If you’re not patient enough to wait for results, it might not be suitable.

3. You Don’t Enjoy Writing: Blogging primarily involves written content. If you dislike writing or find it a chore, it may not be enjoyable for you.

4. You’re Not Willing to Learn: Blogging involves various skills like writing, SEO, marketing, and more. If you’re not open to continuous learning and improvement, you may find it challenging to succeed. Luckily, there are many free resources and courses that can teach you.

How to Pick a Niche to Blog About:

If you’d like to Start a Blog but feel like you have no experience or skills, read:

“I want to start a blog but I’m not skilled enough at anything. What should I blog about?” + [Worst Blog Niches to Avoid]

Come up With a Domain Name:

So what the heck is a domain name? It’s basically a complicated way of saying website name: www. Websitename .com

If you need help coming up with a domain name you can get the perfect suggestions in less than 3 minutes here:

Find the PERFECT Blog Name with ChatGPT [Free Ai Domain Name Generator Tool]

What is a blogging platform?

A blogging platform is like a website where you can easily create and manage your blog. It’s where you write and publish your articles for people to read on the internet.

Some examples of blogging platforms:

1. WordPress.com (free, but limited features)

2. WordPress.org : (self-hosted, paid)

3. Blogger

4. Tumblr

5. Wix

6. Medium

WordPress.com vs wordpress.org- What’s the Difference?

Many beginners make the mistake of confusing WordPress.com and WordPress.org. They are actually two totally different platforms. There is a massive difference.

Basically what it comes down to:

Using WordPress.com is like renting a home. You have limited decision making in terms of what you can and can’t do. Like permission to paint the walls, getting a pet, building an attic.

Using WordPress.org on the other hand, is like owning your home. You’re free to do whatever you want and no one can kick you out. You OWN your content.

Here’s the catch:

I recommend you steer clear of Free blogging platforms like wordpress.com if you want to make money blogging. Make sure to install WordPress.org NOT wordpress.com if you want to monetize your blog.

Here’s why:

Cons of Using Free Blogging Platforms

Ownership and Control: With free platforms, you DON’T have full ownership and control over your content. Think of the platform changing their policies or shutting down without warning. You can lose everything.
Ads: Free platforms may display their own ads on your blog, which you have little control over. This not only makes you lose money when you could be gaining from the ads but it can distract your readers and make for a bad user experience.
Limited Monetization: If you plan to make money from your blog, free platforms may have limitations on things like on advertising or affiliate marketing.
Domain Name: With free platforms, your blog’s web address usually includes the platform’s name (e.g., yourblog.wordpress.com or yourblog.blogspot.com). This can make your blog appear less professional.

The good news is you can get hosting without breaking the bank for as little as $2.99. That’s like a coffee at Starbucks (even less).

Set up Your Anonymous Blog to Make Money

One of the most important decisions you can make for a successful website launch is to select a good WordPress hosting that is not a free service (see why below).

Consider Hosting Providers

I personally use Hostinger (not a sponsored ad- they have no clue who I am) and have been very satisfied with them. All hosting plans purchased with Hostinger are powered by WordPress. Org which is what you want if you plan to make money from your blog.

Factors to Keep in Mind when Choosing Hosting:

• Reliability and Cost: Choosing the right hosting provider will guarantee how smooth sailing your blogging adventure will be in terms of security, customer support, and cost (remember you will be paying a cost for your hosting which can quickly add up).

So make sure you select reliable hosting with the best rates, even when your subscription ends and your rates go back to normal- make sure they are manageable. Hostinger has some of the lowest rates (starting at $2.99 for very reliable hosting).

• Security and Uptime: This is a deal breaker for me. You want to make sure your website is managed, safe, and secure with a 100% uptime rate, and a team of support you can trust. I mean let’s face it, your blog is your baby. Would you entrust your baby to just anyone?

• Hosting Features: Hostinger has the lowest prices for their offer (which includes some things like Whoisprivacy a.ka. keeping your private information from going public which other companies charge extra for). Whoisprivacy is included for free in the domain cost whereas other companies charge $10-20 a year. Hostinger also has a reactive and smooth and helpful customer service.

• Server Locations: Hostinger’s advantage is its server locations. Unlike other hosts, Hostinger has servers in Europe, Asia, North & South America. So once you grow your audience and have enough stats on your demographic you can use the server transfer tool to migrate your hosting closest to your audience. This is so important for page speed and user experience.

One of the deal breakers that made me go with Hostinger was that one company other bloggers were recommending only had hosting servers in the U.S, so if you or your audience are based in the EU like me or other international countries that wasn’t ideal.

Why I Recommend Hostinger

I was hesitant between Hostinger and another popular company (many bloggers were recommending) however, while it looked good on the outside that OTHER company had so many people complaining about their quality and customer service.

Not to mention, the options that Hostinger offered in their base deals were add-ons for other hosts. For ex: I’m get a free domain professional emails in my Hostinger package

For other companies, their costs seemed attractive but once I included the add-ons which were free in Hostinger it actually ended up being higher.

In the end I’m very happy I didn’t listen to the other bloggers and did my own research (they must have had an insanely attractive affiliation program or something because literally everyone was recommending them). I’m so glad I did a simple Facebook and Reddit search which made me realize how many complaints the other company I was going to go with (based on other bloggers) customer service had.

Reasons you Should Use Hostinger:

Affordable for Beginners: Hostinger is the best value for your money for new bloggers on a tight budget.

Free Domain Name: You get a free domain name when you purchase a plan (12 months+).

Reliability: Hostinger makes sure your website is always available + loads quickly for your visitors. Their customer service is also very reactive.

Head over to Hostinger and click on the blue button Claim Deal to choose your package.

For only $2.99 you also get a free domain + 2 months free.

Hostinger: Which Plan to Choose?

The premium plan is enough to get you started.

I got the ‘business plan’ mainly because I knew daily backups were important to me. I’m glad I did because I benefited a lot from it. Having to backup to a version from a week ago would have been so frustrating. Also the price difference was only a dollar more- so the choice was easy for me.

I recommend getting at least the 24 months plan if you’re serious about blogging- this is what I got. I wish I had gotten the 48 months plan to lock in that price. Note: After that the price will renew at regular price. So keep that in mind.

Honestly, there aren’t many businesses you can start with such a small investment. You might pay a bit more at the start, but in the long term, you’ll save a lot.

After getting your plan, you will be prompted to enter the domain name you want.

Set up WordPress and Select a Theme

Next, set up WordPress. You will be able to set up WordPress directly from Hostinger.

Hostinger will ask you to create a password for your WordPress.

Finally, Hostinger will ask you to choose a theme for your blog. Select whichever theme you like. You can always change it.

Here’s the link to access your WordPress dashboard: https://yourblogname.com/wp-admin/

For example, if your domain is “flyingmintbunny.com,” simply type this URL into your web browser to begin creating your blog using WordPress powered by Hostinger: https://flyingmintbunny.com/wp-admin

Congratulations!

You did it- you started your anonymous blog! Aren’t you stoked?

You’re officially a blogger now. It’s time to celebrate!

*throws sprinkles in the air*

You can now begin your blogging journey today.

Don’t miss my checklist to make sure you have done EVERYTHING properly to set up your anonymous blog. There’s a TON more helpful content I didn’t cover here.