My interview Taken by Siddharth Rajsekar at DomainX Conference 2015

“Nobody taught me blogging. I learned it by myself.” 📚

At DomainX 2015 at the Taj West End in Bangalore, my good friend Siddharth Rajsekar interviewed me. We’d been connected on social media for months, and this was our first time meeting in person. 🎙️

He asked how I got into blogging, what beginners should focus on, how to monetize a blog and where I saw myself in a few years. 💡

📊 In this episode, we unpacked:

• ✨ How my blogging journey began
• 🧱 How to start a blog the right way
• 💰 Ways to monetize a blog
• 🎬 Hobbies and my vision

🎥 Watch the full episode:

✨ How My Blogging Journey Began

I was following top Indian bloggers from the start, watching what kind of blogs they ran and how they made money. Seeing them blog full time made me think, “Why can’t I?” ✨

I learned everything by reading and experimenting on my own blogs, with no training. Blogs like Quick Sprout, Search Engine Roundtable and Search Engine Land shaped my knowledge of blogging, SEO and digital marketing. 📚

I blogged while still working my job, because I always had a passion for running my own business. 💼

🧱 How to Start a Blog the Right Way

My advice for someone starting tomorrow:

• 🖥️ Use WordPress.org, the best platform for blogging
• 🌐 Get a good domain name, especially if you want to build a big brand
• ⚡ Don’t buy cheap hosting. Cheap hosts go down, can’t handle traffic or plugins, and load slowly
• 🎯 Pick one niche and master it, whether it’s health, technology or blogging
• 🧭 Follow good mentors in your field. Most new bloggers get stuck because they follow the wrong people
• 🔍 Learn SEO basics from top blogs like Neil Patel’s

For more on choosing domains, read my tips on expired domains and backlinks. 🔗

💰 Ways to Monetize a Blog

• 📝 Sponsored reviews from targeted companies
• 🖼️ Banner space in the header and footer
• 🤝 Affiliate marketing, one of the best ways. Focus on one niche and start with networks like ClickBank, ShareASale and CJ
• 🛠️ Selling services, like I do on BloggersIdeas with social media, content writing and digital marketing
• 🌟 Personal branding to attract big clients from other countries
• 🌐 Premium domains, consulting and speaking

For a young blogger’s results with these methods, read 15-year-old Umer Qureshi on blogging and affiliate marketing. 🔗

🎬 Hobbies and My Vision

My stress buster back then was making funny Dubsmash videos of Bollywood and Hollywood scenes, and hanging out with like-minded friends. 🎬

My plan for the next three to five years was to build my portfolio as a speaker and digital marketing consultant, because speaking boosts your reach and brings clients. 🎤

Siddharth and I also planned workshops in Delhi to show more Indian bloggers they can turn words into cash and live the internet lifestyle. For more domain industry stories from that era, read Manmeet Pal Singh on domain investing. 🔗

📝 Key Takeaways From My DomainX 2015 Interview

• 📚 You can learn blogging by reading and experimenting
• 🌐 Domain, hosting and niche are the foundation
• ⚡ Never skimp on hosting
• 🧭 Follow the right mentors in your niche
• 💰 Monetize with reviews, ads, affiliates, services and branding
• 🎤 Speaking builds reach and brings clients

❓ FAQs About Siddharth Rajsekar

What should beginners focus on when starting a blog?

Use WordPress.org, get a good domain, invest in good hosting, pick one niche to master, follow good mentors and learn SEO basics.

How can you monetize a blog?

Sponsored reviews, banner ads, affiliate marketing, selling services, personal branding, premium domains, consulting and speaking.

Where was this interview recorded?

At the DomainX conference in 2015, at the Taj West End in Bangalore.

🎙️ More Inside A Hustler’s Brain Interviews You’ll Love

• Chai With Kj #4:From Rags to Riches: How Jitendra Vaswani Earns 6 Figures in Affiliate Marketing!
• Interview with Anshul Goyal Owner of Big .Biz Domains at Domainfest 2015
• Domainer Deepak Ramani & Aishwin Vikhona on How to Make Money With Domains
• Swati Bhargava CashKaro CEO tells Why Bloggers are Important for Brands

Which monetization method are you using on your blog? Share this with someone starting their first blog. 💬

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