How much money can a virgin blogger make in their first year online?

That was the question put to me in a frank and enthusiastic email earlier today. More specifically, the emailer wanted to know if it was possible for a young newbie to make a full time living in their first year online.

Dear Mr. Upstart,

I read your blog every day and have done for a few months. I found you via Google. I guess I could be described as yet another person who wants to make money online.

I’d like to get your opinion on something.

In 12 months time I start college. I have decided to take a year out so that I can work and make some money to fund the next stage of my education.

As an 18 year old virgin blogger I am planning a blog that charts my year out and my first year online as I try to successfully navigate the pro blogosphere.

Do you think this is a good idea? How much money could I make? Is it really possible for a newbie to make a decent income from a blog?

Thanks!

I answered a similar question, how much money do you need to make money online, in an earlier post. But this time the question is, in my eyes at least, a little more serious. Every day thousands of people think about whether or not they will be able to make money online. They are painfully aware that there is a real opportunity cost involved in blogging. There are, after all, only 24 hours in a day.

The emailer is clearly weighing up their options. Should they take a typical student job for typically low pay or enter a new arena, one that is potentially infinitely more profitable and rewarding? For anyone who is already running a successful blog the answer is screamingly obvious. But for a newbie, any concern, indecision or confusion is entirely understandable.

Personally, I think that a blog by a student, documenting their time in an income generating year online, would be a potential gold mine. Inspirational and aspirational blogs are especially successful when they are aimed at a focussed audience.

Thankfully the answers to the questions posed in the title and the email are very positive. A virgin blogger can make a full time living from their blog in their first year online. The size of that income is governed by, among other things, the amount of time that can be devoted to blogging, the level of monetization and the attractiveness of the niche.

The bottom line is that blogging is a great way for anyone to make money, either on the side in a part time capacity or as a full time career.

My advice to the emailer was simple and can be easily summarized in two short sentences.

Start blogging now. The sooner you start blogging the more money you will make.

Ashley Morgan is a UK jazz trumpet player and owner of independent record label 447 Records. Ashley Morgan is the trumpet player with Enormous.