Have you been thinking about starting a blog but prefer to stay behind the scenes with a pen name? You’re not alone! Let me show you exactly how to start an anonymous blog.
Blogging is such a rewarding experience. You get to share your thoughts, ideas, and passions with the world, but it’s not just about creativity. It can also be a way to build authority in your niche and even make money.
And guess what? You don’t have to do it under your real name! You can blog anonymously if you’d rather keep your personal life private. By using a pen name, you can protect your identity while enjoying all the benefits of blogging, just like everyone else.
You can also blog semi-anonymously, like I do! While I use my real name on my blog, I don’t share much about my personal life. I value my family’s privacy and for now, protecting it is non-negotiable for me. And that’s totally okay! I’m still able to make money and run a successful blog without putting my entire life online.
So, how do you make this work? How can you blog anonymously and still earn money from it? I break it all down for you in my latest post! If you’re ready to start blogging but want to stay under the radar, this is for you.
What is an anonymous blog?
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An anonymous blog is a blog wherein the author or blogger does not divulge personal details of his/her life.
An anonymous blogger often operates under a pseudonym or fake name. Just as some novelists and authors write anonymously, it is also possible for anyone to blog anonymously.
But apart from using a fake name, anonymous bloggers also try to keep their personal life separate from their blogging profiles.
For instance, you must create separate profiles for your social media accounts if you wish to stay anonymous. Otherwise, people would find it easy to find your real identity if your anonymous blog is connected to your personal social media accounts.
Reasons for starting a blog anonymously
There are plenty of reasons why you might want to start an anonymous blog.
- You want to protect your identity. Blogging anonymously allows you to hide under a fake name so that people won’t be able to “attack” you if they don’t agree with your content. For example, political opinions and religion-related content could be put in a tight spot if they do not resonate with some of your readers.
- You are freer to express yourself. Blogging anonymously also gives you more freedom to express yourself without fear of being judged, harassed, bashed, or criticized. Whether writing about personal stories or sensitive topics, blogging under a pen name gives you an extra dose of confidence to write without those inhibitions.
- Keep your blogging and personal life separate. Running an anonymous blog allows you to write on topics that are unrelated to your profession, hence protecting your professional image. For example, you can run an anonymous WordPress blog on liquor while working as a doctor.
Who are successful anonymous bloggers
If you’re aiming to become a successful anonymous blogger, you should check out these successful bloggers who have earned fame (and perhaps more money) from their anonymous blogs.
- J Money – if you are a huge fan of personal finance, then you’ve probably encountered J Money, the author behind Rockstar Finance, and Budgets are Sexy. We still don’t know who J Money is up to this day, but his witty and informational writing has earned him recognition in the personal finance space.
- Waiter Rant – this site started out as an anonymous blog. The author is a waiter at a bistro in New York. He used this anonymous blog as a platform to rant about customers. Later on, the author had to reveal himself when he launched his first bestseller book and had to appear in public appearances.
- Disease Called Debt – this is a personal finance blog wherein the author writes about dealing with debt. She even goes into depth about how they got into debt and eventually got out of debt after 15 years.
Pros and Cons of Anonymous blogging
Is anonymous blogging right for you? Here are the pros and cons to consider if you’d like to start an anonymous blog:
Pros
- You can write freely without getting attacked or judged by people with dissimilar opinions.
- You can blog on a totally different niche without affecting your professional image.
- Protect others. Blogging anonymously not just protects you but also others who are mentioned on your blog.
Cons
- Establishing yourself as an authority in your field can be much more challenging than it is for public bloggers.
- You need to manage your login credentials. You need to input a different set of email addresses, usernames, and passwords when you’re switching between accounts.
- You can use your own social media to promote your blog. Instead, you must build and manage a separate community for your anonymous blog.
How to start an anonymous blog
Are you ready to launch an anonymous blog? Well, it doesn’t take much time and effort. Here are six easy steps to follow to get into anonymous blogging.
1. Choose an anonymous blogging platform
The first thing to consider is your blogging platform. There are plenty of anonymous blogging platforms to choose from where you could set yourself as an anonymous user. Here are some of your options for blogging platforms:
- write.as – Simply write your blog post, and it gets published instantly, all while keeping your identity anonymous.
- Ghost – Unlike many other platforms that focus solely on anonymous blogging, Ghost offers anonymity along with the added advantage of SEO features, helping your content get discovered by search engines.
- telegra.ph – you can sign in immediately without using your social media applications. However, you want to take note of the links to the published post if you want to see readers’ comments.
These blogging platforms are already great in their own ways, but most bloggers would still opt for a self-hosted WordPress blog. I have a self-hosted blog, and I also recommend this option! It’s cheap to start, more versatile, and there are tons of tutorials online to help you run and maintain a self-hosted WordPress blog.
Yes, you can post anonymously on WordPress blogs, and the blogging process is straightforward. You can enjoy all the advantages of using WordPress while running an anonymous blog.
You get online privacy, encourage internet traffic, build a personal brand, generate revenue through Google AdSense, pick and customize your WordPress theme, get SSL support, and more.
If you want to learn how to start a self-hosted WordPress blog, check out my detailed blogging tutorial. In this guide, you’ll learn not only how to start your own blog for cheap, but also how to generate traffic so you can start earning money blogging soon!
2. Create an anonymous email account
You also need a new email account when you buy your own custom domain and really, to do everything related to your anonymous blog. You don’t want to use your personal email when reaching out to others for guest posting opportunities, right?
You can easily make one on Gmail or Yahoomail. Just make sure to use a fake name when you register. Another way is to get a private email service provider because it does not require your personal information.
3. Pick your web hosting site
Next, you need to choose your web host. Think of it as the space where you’ll be self-publishing your blog content. Some of the best web hosts are BlueHost, HostGator, and GoDaddy. I used Hostgator for two years when I first started and I can highly recommend it for beginners!
Now, you must choose a domain name, make sure it is available from the web host and finalize the registration. After that, you can install your WordPress blog.
4. Make sure to avail of domain privacy
Getting domain privacy from your web host is the only practical way to protect your identity in the online world.
When you purchase your domain, sensitive personal information such as your full name, email address, and phone number are made public. Domain privacy hides this information so you can keep your real-life identity private. You should be able to purchase domain privacy as an add-on feature when you purchase a new domain.
5. Set up anonymous social media accounts
Cross-linking your blog with your social media accounts is a great way to increase your blog’s traffic. But before you do that, you must also keep your social media accounts anonymous. Otherwise, what’s the use of blogging anonymously when they know who you are on Instagram?
Since setting up social media accounts is completely free, it is better to build new ones that carry your pen name or blog name. Also, do not use your personal account to promote your anonymous social media accounts, as that would only jeopardize your identity.
An alternative way of doing so is to hire a social media manager who can focus on increasing your follower counts and promoting your blog.
6. Start blogging anonymously
Now that you have put everything together, you are ready to publish your first anonymous blog post.
Remember not to reveal any information that would give away your identity. Personal stories, physical characteristics, and other personal details like where you live, should not be mentioned on your blog.
How to make money as an anonymous blogger
Other users might want to maintain an anonymous blog as a creative and personal outlet. But if you take anonymous blogging seriously, you could make money from it.
Here are some of the best ways to make money from your anonymous blog:
- Sponsored Posts: Companies pay you to publish content featuring their products or services. You don’t need to reveal your personal identity. I typically charge a minimum of $1,000 per sponsored post. However, in one instance, I earned $12,000 through a three-month partnership with a company using this method.
- Advertising: One of the easiest ways to monetize a blog is through ad placements. This is actually my favorite method of making money from my blog because it offers a steady income stream with minimal effort. I earn between $50,000 and close to $100,000 per year through advertising.
- Affiliate Marketing: You can earn commissions by promoting affiliate products on your blog. When readers make purchases through your affiliate links, you earn a percentage of the sale. Read how I make money with affiliate marketing.
Conclusion
If you want to keep your personal life private and write about controversial topics, then anonymous blogging might be for you. By taking a few extra steps in setting up your blog, you should be able to maintain and enjoy your anonymity.
What do you think about anonymous blogging? Do share your thoughts in the comments.
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