Starting an English Blog in 2023: The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Monetization

Hi, I'm Takeo.

Our blog explains international marketing tools and techniques. A request we receive a lot, which is...

'Tell me how to make money blogging for international audiences.'

We are often asked.

I myself am not currently an affiliate in my own right. However,We also run an international blog for English-speaking readers.(Explained in detail in a YouTube video).

Therefore, this article will explain how to create an "international blog" to make money by disseminating information across borders. This is a fairly long article.

I will explain tips, strategies, and methods based on my experience in creating a blog for the international market. I have compiled a step-by-step guide to launching and monetizing a blog from scratch.

Technical terms and difficult content are avoided and explained in an easy-to-understand manner.

So let's learn together how to maximize the appeal of your blog for international audiences.

2. what is an international blog?

First, an "international blog" is literally a blog that targets an international audience.

This blog you are reading now is a "blog for Japanese people".

We usually explain how to use foreign tools in Japanese for Japanese people.

Blogging for foreign audiences, on the other hand, involves blogging to foreigners in English or other languages.

In my case, I run an English blog.

The English-language blog we operated is below.

The above blog has now been moved separately.

Decide on a blog theme (genre)

The first step to make money from blogging for foreign markets is,Decide on a blog theme, or genre.

This genre selection is critical to the success of the blog.

...If you fail in this genre selection, you will end up with no results at all even if you continue for one or two years.

A common pattern of failure is to start with "I want to disseminate information about what I like. It is understandable to want to transmit information about what you like. If it is a hobby, that is fine too.

However, when it comes to earning money, "liking" alone often does not work.

This is the same for starting a blog in Japan.

Should we target niche profitable blogging genres?

And a point to keep in mind when choosing a genre for your international blog. That is, do not try to find a "niche that no one else has found.

Many bloggers think that if they choose a niche genre, there will be less competition and it will be easier to monetize. That's what we all think.

No matter how niche the genre, there are many rivals in the genre where you can make money.

How to choose a genre is

• be profitable
• Figures.
• Rivals exist.

These are the three key points. If you try to find a market where there are no rivals, you will almost certainly fail. This is because it is a genre in which you cannot make money.

There are always rivals in a good genre.

In my case, I look up keywords on YouTube. I look at the number of views to determine if there is demand. I can determine the king of my competitors by how heated they are.

So how do you determine "profitable"? I will tell you how.

2) Think about monetization

For some reason, many people put monetization on the back burner. It is the first part that must be considered.

In other words.How do we make money?

There are a wide variety of ways to monetize your blog.

• Google Adsense
• affiliate
• Digital content sales
• Sell your services

Various monetization methods exist, such as This is the same in Japan.

Even in genres where there is demand, if there are no products to sell (low price per product), you will have a hard time.

Research other blogs that are making money.

What I consider most important to make money from blogging for international audiences isThoroughly observe your rivals."

Research and thoroughly refer to actual blogs that are already successful in terms of how they operate and monetize.

• What are you doing to attract customers to your blog?
• What keywords are you targeting?
• Articles that are attracting traffic are
• Other than blogging, how do you attract customers?
• How are you monetizing it?
• What is the name of the blog?

Make thorough observations. And take hints from them. While it's not working, this is the only way.

If you observe other blogs that are actually making money, you can clearly see what they are selling and how they are making money.

This "observation" is much more useful than buying strange educational materials.

(iii) Obtain a domain name

The key to starting an international blog is to have your own domain.

Your own domain is the address of your blog. A simple analogy is an "address".

For example, this blog is the domain "takeofujii.net". I use this domain name because my name is "Takeo Fujii".

'Do I just pick a domain that's easy for my readers to remember?'

That is also important. In addition, there are some tips on how to choose a domain for your international blog.

How to choose a domain name for an international blog

General,The ".com" domain is recommended for international blogs.

This is because of its international recognition and credibility.

On the other hand, ".jp" domains are not recommended.

Why shouldn't I use a .jp domain?

These forms of domains indicate which country the website belongs to and are unique to each country.

For example, the Japanese ccTLD is ".jp" and the British one is ".uk". Just by looking at the domain, you can see at a glance which country the website is operating from.

The ease of appearing in search results for a particular country or region varies with the ccTLD for that country or region.

When U.S. users use the U.S. version of Google search, websites with .us domains are more likely to appear in search results, etc. This is the same in Japan. This is why .jp domains are more likely to appear in Japanese Google searches.

Of course, it is not generally true that jp domains are detrimental to blogs for international markets. Domain name is not the only decisive factor in SEO.

However.It is better to avoid .jp domains for international blogs!The same goes for co.jp domains.

If in doubt, get a .com and you're good to go.

4) Actually create a blog

Now for the actual steps of creating a blog. This is the foundation of blogging.

First of all, how do we get started in blogging for foreign markets?

In fact, there are many different ways to create a blog. Free blogs (Medium) exist even abroad. There are other options besides getting your own domain and running it with WordPress.

My conclusion,Sign up for overseas hosting service & create a blog with WordPress.

Choose International Hosting

To run an international blog, you will need a hosting service.

For example, in order to publish a blog on the Internet in Japan, a place to store the data, or "server," is required.

If this server is located in Japan, it is called "domestic hosting".

Many Japanese people use "rental servers" to run their blogs, renting servers in Japan.

The same is true for a blog for international use. You need a place to publish that overseas-oriented blog online and store the data.

In the case of overseasOffshore Hosting."He says.

Why should I use international hosting?

Japanese domestic rental servers are suitable for running a blog for the domestic market. However, if you want to start a blog for overseas, we recommend using overseas hosting.

International hosting services are,Provide fast access speeds for international visitors.

Visitors can read blog posts without waiting, which also reduces site abandonment rates.

And to add to that.Overseas hosting services are often cheaper than Japanese rental servers.The hosting service costs $3/month (about $450). Hosting service is also available for $3/month (about $450/month).

Because of the weak yen, people tend to think that purchasing overseas services will be expensive, but in fact, some overseas hosting services are inexpensive.

• for beginners
• cheap
• begin easily
• Well known (many users)

Recommended international hosting services that meet these requirements areHostinger.It is.

If the timing is right, it is available at a reasonable price.

399 yen per month is cheap.

There are other international hosting services, but you start out not knowing if your blog for international use will work. That is why we want to make it easy for you to get started.

We will not introduce offshore hosting or bulletproof hosting here. We will introduce them when we still have a chance. If you just want to create a general offshore blog, you don't need these hosting services; you can use Bluehost or Hostinger.

WordPress is the recommended way to create a blog.

I don't know in 5 or 10 years, but for now, if you use WordPress to make your blog, it will be fine.

I myself use WordPress for 90% of my international blogs.

In fact, analyzing international bloggers,Most are WordPress.It is used all over the world.

Data show that about 30% of websites on the Internet do not use any kind of content management system (CMS). In contrast, almost half of all websites, or 43.11 TP34T, utilize WordPress. This means that WordPress has a market share of 63.01 TP34T in the content management system market.

Usage statistics of content management systems

These figures show that WordPress' ease of use and versatility are highly valued around the world.

WordPress is available in English and other languages.

Medium (international blogging platform) no?

The free blogging platform Medium is popular abroad, though,I do not recommend it.

It is possible to use it as a side blog.

WordPress is recommended for serious bloggers because of its many limitations in terms of monetization.

Above all, a blog is an asset. We recommend that you keep it at your fingertips.

Risk of blog posts disappearing when service ends.

In the unlikely event that Medium's service is terminated, there is a risk that blog posts will disappear as well.

You may think that's ridiculous. Yahoo! Blog has ended in Japan, right? Ameblo posts are often deleted or made private without permission.

That's why.I recommend running a blog on your own.

5) Select a WordPress theme

There is also a note on how to choose a WordPress theme to make money blogging for international markets.

The design of the blog is not that important. As long as it is easy to read, it doesn't matter.

More importantly.Don't use Japanese WordPress themes."It is.

Avoid Japanese WordPress themes, even if they are paid for.

It's not that "the level of Japanese domestic WordPress themes is low," but that they may not be suitable for blogs for overseas.

For example, the WordPress theme "Stork19" used in our blog is one of them. Each part of the theme is not supported except Japanese.

For this reason, some of the items displayed on the site cannot be changed to a language other than Japanese.

Thus, other parts can be made into English, but some parts are still in Japanese, right?

For blogs aimed at international audiences, please avoid Japanese domestic themes.

There are Japanese WordPress themes that say, "We support blogs for overseas," but I personally thinkIt is better to use a foreign WordPress theme from the beginning.

WordPress Themes for International Blogs!

Below are my recommended international WordPress themes. I have experience using all of them.

• Astra: Lightweight and fast theme. Highly customizable and easy to handle for beginners. Popular overseas.
• Blocksy: Modern design, responsive. Multifunctional yet lightweight. Excellent compatibility with page builders (Brizy, Elementor, etc.)
• GeneratePress: Simple, fast, and SEO friendly.
• Divi (Paying): Features a drag-and-drop builder. High degree of freedom in design. Popular overseas despite the fee.

See below for more information about GeneratePress. My clients are crazy GeneratePress loyalists.

Who buys WordPress themes at Themeforest?

Themeforestis a marketplace where you can find many international WordPress themes for sale.

Besides that, you can also purchase themes and templates for various platforms such as Joomla, Drupal, Magento, Shopify, etc.

We also offer design materials, fonts, and music materials.

It's cheap to buy WordPress themes from Themeforest.

You can purchase a great looking WordPress theme for $39.

One idea is to buy a WordPress theme from Themeforest to run an international blog.

However, the WordPress themes sold on Themeforest,Development may suddenly be abandoned.

There are many themes that are paid for and then become completely unusable, with no updated functionality at all.

When you buy a WordPress theme from Themeforest, we recommend that you buy from our popularity rankings.

Don't buy cheap but minor WordPress themes through ThemeForest. Chances are you will regret it.

6) Add a WordPress plugin.

One of the attractions of WordPress is the ability to customize the functionality of your blog using a wide variety of WordPress plug-ins.

In particular, a wealth of features can be added, including SEO, site acceleration, and image optimization.

...although,International blogs also do not require special plug-ins.In fact, free WordPress plugins alone are sufficient.

To begin with, there is no single plugin that is considered "absolutely necessary. The plug-ins you choose will depend on the purpose of your blog.

Recommended WordPress Plugins

In this issue, I will introduce a WordPress plugin that I particularly recommend.

• ShortPixel:. Reduced image weight and increased site loading speed.
• Autoptimize:. Site acceleration, CSS and JavaScript optimization.
• Squirrly SEO:. SEO enhancements. SEO scores for each article can also be checked.
• Affiliate Booster (paid):. Full of affiliate-specific features.

See below for ShortPixel.

We will soon publish a detailed explanation of the "Affiliate Booster," so please look forward to it!

7) How to create a blog post for an international audience

There are several points to consider when writing blog posts for overseas markets that are different from those for Japanese markets

Keyword Research & SEO Enhancement

In blogging, both nationally and internationally,Keyword research is an essential part of the process.

Thoroughly research which keywords are being searched for and which keywords to write articles about to catch the reader's attention.

As a result of the research, strategies can be developed to increase traffic.

Then, try to consider what articles your competitors are writing and what approach you need to take to achieve higher rankings.

It is important to choose keywords that lead to actual product sales, not just traffic.

Recommended SEO & Keyword Research Tools

I especially recommend the keyword research toolsSquirrly SEO."It is.

This tool is provided as a WordPress plugin and allows keyword research directly from the admin panel.

It may not be suitable for a Japanese-oriented blog, but it is ideal for an English-language blog.

In Japan, tools such as Rank Math and All in One SEO are well known, but Squirrly SEO is really useful for blogs for overseas.

The tool also tracks the search rankings of articles you write and provides specific advice on how to improve SEO.

It suggests necessary SEO measures such as "Please do this work to raise this article to the first position in the search results. It is very useful.

Again, it is definitely better to use "Rank Math" or "All in One SEO" for blogs for Japan!

Create high quality articles

How to make money from blogging for international audiencesContinue to provide "high quality content.Is. It is repetition. It is accumulation.

DeepL translations or Google Translate not read?

In particular, articles must be read naturally by native readers.

If you think that the contents of the site have been forcibly translated by Google Translate, the site will be immediately browsed back.

That's a big challenge for non-native speakers.

When I myself first started writing blogs in English, there were no AI writing tools like there are today. Therefore, I had a hard time writing English articles manually.

AI tools x blogs for international audiences are a good match.

However, times have changed, and todayChatGPT and other AI tools are evolving.Blog posts in English and other languages can now be created more naturally and with higher quality.

I especially recommend Katteb and ChatGPT as blog post writing tools.

Katteb.is suitable for creating fact-based, accurate blog posts. ChatGPT, on the other hand, can produce articles of sufficient quality even in its free version.

Personally, I'd like to see an even more sophisticatedChatGPT Plus"It is recommended that you

This is especially recommended for serious international bloggers, as it allows you to create native articles in the local language without incurring such high costs.

Words that sell will always be stocked.

When running a blog for an international audience, the same natural level of copywriting skill is required abroad as it is in Japan.

For example, a button that says "Learn More" versus "Grab This Deal" can make a big difference in click-through rates.

It really is a small difference. I can understand those feelings. However, the click-through rate can vary quite a bit.

A real test will reveal which expressions are more common in English-speaking countries and which are more likely to be clicked on.

My method for making sales, is to thoroughly analyze my competitors' blogs.

It is important to investigate in detail what language is used, how the product is presented, and the structure and writing style of the sales pitch.

Observe your competitors anyway.

When I myself first started blogging for the international market, sales were sluggish.

To be clear, sales were zero. So there,We made a list of rival international bloggers and thoroughly studied their strategies and writing styles.

And by incorporating the appropriate parts into my own blog, I have now launched several blogs for international audiences. The results have been successful.

Refer to and imitate the best practices of others. Then customize it to your own style, which is the key to success in blogging for international audiences.

Points of Failure in Blogging for Foreign Countries

Continuation is the key to blogging, but the following points are considered to be the most likely points of failure.

The first challenge for international blogs is to "attract customers.

The biggest challenges in running an international blog areAttracting CustomersIt is.

Obtaining a domain and doing keyword research are relatively easy, and writing blog posts in English is not difficult once you get used to it.

However.Writing articles does not attract traffic.But this is the problem many bloggers face.

No wonder they fail to attract customers.

There was a time when I myself could write 100 articles and still attract only 100 hits per month.

At such times, I often wondered if my methods and keyword selection were wrong.

However, once you succeed in attracting visitors, access to your site will increase rapidly. Therefore, it is important to assume failure when managing a blog for the international market for the first time, and to keep trying.

It is not uncommon for a native English speaker to write a blog post in fluent English and not get any traffic.

After all, everyone makes mistakes at first.

Trial and error is inevitable.

An example is the choice of title for an article.

Initially I chose the title "How to start a blog and earn money".

As we continued to operate, we noticed that "How to start a blogging and make money" got more clicks.

And then you realize that it would be more effective to further "How to Start a Blogging and Make Money".

like thisIt's all about trial and error in the details.It is.

Attracting international bloggers requires a detailed trial and error process.There is so much to learn from failure, and there is really no end to it if you fail once or twice.

There were thousands of times when I experienced many failures and wanted to quit, saying "I can't do this after all. I was really stressed all the time back then.

At some point, I began to think naturally, "It's natural that things don't go well. I made this mistake, so let's try this next time." After that, my blog for the international market started to do well.

Language differences between Japan and other countries

When affiliate and advertising revenues are slow to grow, it becomes difficult to keep the blog going.

I say this as someone who has been there.Blogging for international audiences can be quite a challenge at first.Especially if you are not good at English.

Needless to say, it is more difficult than starting a blog in Japan and earning money. Even if you make 100 articles with Japanese forcibly translated into English using DeepL translation, they will not be read at all. ...I am the one who experienced that.

For example, the terms used in English-speaking countries differ from those in Japan. In Japan, "SNS" is commonly used, while "Social media" is used overseas.

The word "social networking" is also used in English, but most of the time the term "social media" is used.

In Japan, it is "Internet Business"; in English-speaking countries, it is "Online Business.

It's a minor difference. But there are many such minor differences.

My strategy/method for "earning money from blogs for overseas".

Definitely use AI for international blogs (ChatGPT recommended)

If you are not good at English, it may be difficult to manage an international blog at first.

But don't worry. In the past few years, translation tools and AI technology have already developed at a rapid pace. By using these tools, you can get closer to monetizing your international blog efficiently.

DeepLand ... andGoogle Translate, ,ChatGPTTools such as the following are powerful supports for international blogging

Of these, ChatGPT in particular is highly recommended. There is a free version, but the paid version offers even more features.

I have also subscribed to ChatGPT Plus to help me manage my blog for overseas.

Attack from YouTube videos.

Rather than using the blog alone to attract customers, we recommend that you combine it with YouTube.

See the video below.

Here is my video. It is translated into English. It has only 140 views. It's not much.

However, even on my Japanese YouTube channel, the average number of views is about 150. It is no different in English or Japanese.

And in my case, in terms of the products I handle, it is easier to sell overseas. Even if the number of views is small, I can sell overseas.

The number of views is small, but we get decent comments from viewers.

Recommended methods are,

• Create a YouTube video explaining the process in English.
• Transcribe the content of that video.
• Turn "transcription" into a blog post on ChatGPT.

I recommend this method. It is what I am doing now to rave reviews.

As we enter the year 2023, there are many apps available that can dub videos with AI. I use Dubverse AI to automatically dub Japanese to English.

Instead of just writing a blog, it is more efficient to post a YouTube video, transcribe the content, and post it as a blog in English.

Anyway, I'll be honest with you.

I always try to keep in mind that,Sincere communication with readersIt is.

We reply to each and every question on our blog and YouTube videos.

To be honest, it takes a lot of time to answer each and every question. Nevertheless, I would like to thank those who read my content.

This is the same for blogs for overseas readers. We will reply to English comments from overseas readers in English, and we will reply to them in English.

And we never fail to follow up with them until they are satisfied. We believe that this attitude gives the impression that the person is trustworthy and earns the trust of many readers.

👇Look at this guy.

This is the photo I use in my profile. What do you think? It's suspicious, isn't it?

I myself am not confident in my appearance or appearance. I don't think I have the elements to be trusted as a human being.

That's why.We go above and beyond to communicate with our readers.I want to provide the best service to everyone who reads my blog.

In the future, the deciding factor will be whether or not you can "thoroughly engage in a muddy way this time around.

AI will also automate customer support. Product creation will also be automated. Even email communication is all AI.

This is true not only in Japan but also overseas. That is why I would like to continue to face the other party as a human being.

I am not denying AI. Rather, I believe that communication can be done even more thoroughly and honestly while utilizing AI.

Now in this article, I have written about my focus on running a blog for the international market. I have made various mistakes. I still don't consider it a success.

I can do better than I did as a beginner in 2019.

We have also been able to get some revenue there from blogs for foreign countries. We have talked about muddy ways, but "these muddy ways" will help you in practice.

When we have another opportunity, we will provide a more in-depth explanation.