I failed for 3 straight years before I made my first $70 blogging

How I Failed at Blogging for 3 Years

This is a true story about my blogging journey in Cameroon. For three years, I tried and failed.

I started with excitement, lost everything more than once, and almost gave up. But in the end, I finally made my first $70 from blogging.

If you’re searching for why blogs fail in Cameroon, or you want to know how to start a blog in Cameroon the right way, my story will help you avoid the mistakes I made.

The Beginning: How I Got Into Blogging in Cameroon

In 2018, I was still a student in Cameroon, curious about how to make money online.

Blogging looked simple. All the YouTube tutorials said:

I believed it.

I started with a free WordPress blog, wrote for a year, but got no traffic and no money. Still, I kept going.

One day, I got lucky. A stranger on Twitter bought me a domain name. I thought that was my big breakthrough. I built my blog, applied for AdSense, and worked hard… but after one year, I made nothing.

When the domain expired, the person never renewed it for me. I lost everything.

Failure After Failure: Three Blogs, Zero Results

I refused to quit. I bought another domain with my own money. Failed again.

Then a third one. Tried a new niche. Still failed.

From 2018 to 2021, I launched three different blogs. And none succeeded.

Looking back, here are the reasons blogs don’t succeed in Cameroon:

1. Chasing shortcuts

I thought free tools and free help would take me far. They didn’t.

2. No clear focus

I was writing anything and everything. But blogging is not about being busy, it’s about being focused.

3. Waiting for someone else

I was waiting for people to give me domains, knowledge, or support. That mindset kept me stuck.

That’s why most people fail at blogging in Cameroon. It’s not because they’re not smart. It’s because they don’t take full ownership.

How I Finally Made My First $70 Blogging in Cameroon

In 2021, I made a simple but powerful decision.

I was in medical school, so I started a health blog. This time, I didn’t copy others. I wrote what I knew, in simple language.

I stayed consistent. I didn’t stress too much about SEO. I just kept creating value.

google adsense payment

After three months, I made my first $70 from Google AdSense. For me, that was proof.

By the end of the year, I made $2,400 from blogging in Cameroon. That money changed everything for me as a student.

What Blogging Taught Me About Success

Blogging taught me lessons I could never learn from school.

  • Success doesn’t come from luck.

  • It doesn’t come from free tools.

  • It doesn’t come from waiting.

It comes from ownership, focus, and consistency.

If you want to know how to grow a blog in Cameroon, start by asking yourself:

  • Am I treating this like a business?

  • Am I building something real, or just hoping for shortcuts?

Nothing worked for me until I took full responsibility.

Beginner Blogging Tips for Cameroon

If you’re serious about making money blogging in Cameroon, here’s my honest advice based on my own journey:

1. Pick a topic you know and care about

Many beginners make the mistake of chasing “profitable niches.” They pick a topic just because someone said it’s popular. That’s a shortcut to burnout.

Instead, focus on something you actually know or care about. For me, it was health because I was studying medicine. You’ll write better, stay consistent, and your readers will trust you.

Ask yourself: can I write 50+ posts on this topic without losing interest? If yes, that’s a good start.

2. Buy your own domain and hosting

A free WordPress or Blogger blog may seem like a safe start, but it’s not a business. You don’t own it. Domains can expire, platforms can ban you, and all your work can vanish overnight.

Invest in your own domain and hosting—even if it’s just $30–$50 a year. It teaches you responsibility, and it gives you credibility. People take a blog seriously when it looks professional, and Google ranks it better too.

3. Show up consistently

Consistency beats perfection. I made the mistake of thinking my posts had to be perfect or optimized for SEO before publishing. That led to delays and frustration.

Set a schedule that works for you, even if it’s one post a week. Keep showing up. Every post is a step closer to traffic, followers, and eventually revenue. Remember: a blog grows slowly, but it grows faster if you stay consistent.

4. Keep it simple and real

Blogging doesn’t have to be complicated. Avoid overthinking SEO, fancy designs, or long content formulas at the start.

Focus on clarity and value. Teach your readers something they can actually use. Write like you’re talking to a friend, not like you’re writing for Google. Simplicity builds trust, and trust builds traffic.

5. Stop waiting for permission

I wasted three years waiting for help, someone to give me a domain, teach me a secret, or show me a shortcut. That’s wasted time.

No one is coming to hand you success. Take full control. Buy your domain, pick your niche, publish your first post, and learn as you go. Once you take ownership, everything changes.