Harsh Agrawal is the Founder of ShoutMeLoud and an accidental blogger and engineer by education. He has dedicated his 13+ years to learning the nuances of digital marketing and helping numerous individuals and brands around the globe to grow in the field of online marketing. He completed engineering (Bachelor of Technology) in the I.T. stream and by the end of his final year, he was placed in one of the most reputed I.T. Companies: Accenture.
On December 1, 2021, ShoutMeLoud celebrated its 13th anniversary, and I wanted to share my journey to encourage others to pursue a niche blogging vocation seriously. I reveal many of my secrets in this article.
This will be lengthy, yet intriguing…
Grab a cup of coffee and come along for the voyage…
In this narrative, you will discover how a backseat passenger turned a fetal accident into a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
From Engineer to Successful Blogger
The greatest resource for learning about me is the ShoutMeLoud about page.
Many of you may not recognize me, but I am Harsh Agrawal, the founder of ShoutMeLoud.
I’m a blogger by happenstance and an engineer by training.
I never envisioned 13 years ago that I would be living without a supervisor and speaking at international forums such as Affiliate Summit West (Las Vegas), Indian affiliate Summit (New Delhi), MBSummit (Milan), InOrbit (Slovenia), and many others.
I have devoted over 13 years to mastering the nuances of digital marketing and assisting numerous individuals and companies in growing their online marketing efforts. Assisting others in their development has always been my primary motivation, and this narrative will describe the most significant period of this voyage.
To return to my educational heritage, I earned a Bachelor of Technology in the I.T. stream from Hindustan college of science and technology, and at the conclusion of my final year, I was hired by Accenture, one of the most prestigious I.T. firms.
Nevertheless, fate had other plans for me, as you will discover in the next section of this tale…
My Blogging Experience: How Everything Began
Three initial months of blogging:
In September 2008, I began blogging as a hobby and began writing about technology techniques. BlogSpot was where I launched my blogging journey. My first blog was about technology, as I had a keen interest in devices and computer security.
After three months of blogging under the domain virgintech.blogspot, I realized that my readers were enjoying it and I should take my blog more seriously and devote more time to it. I had no idea at the time how a simple blog might generate income.
I switched my BlogSpot blog to WordPress by purchasing Web hosting and a domain name from Dreamhost hosting. Because I had recently graduated from college and lacked access to a credit card to pay for the domain name and hosting, I enlisted a friend’s assistance and took out a loan on his card.
Making the switch to WordPress proved out to be a wise move since it helped ShoutMeLoud become known among writers who used the WordPress platform. WordPress wasn’t as well-known back then as it is now, but since it was one of the fastest-growing and most confusing blogging platforms, I seized the chance to teach other bloggers how to use and master it.
The Power of Perspective: How I Reframed My Life
I was involved in a tragic accident on June 28th, 2009, which forever altered my life. When the doctors informed me I would never be able to walk again, I all but gave up on having a happy life.
It crushed me for days, but the bizarre idea that “Am I the only one with the problem?” altered my life when I watched my parents sobbing.
At this point, I had the unusual insight that I’m not the only one experiencing this issue, and I should concentrate on finding ways to improve my situation and that of those around me.
I was just 22 at the time, but this profound insight gave my life, which has lasted to this day, new vigor and purpose.
I focused solely on blogging and SEO during those months I was bedridden since I had nothing else to do. I was in front of my laptop for about 14 hours every day, writing and studying much of the time.
My life was completely transformed during those seven months of bed rest, and I was given a new purpose. I researched all I could and used what I learned to my website. Because of my continuous, gradual improvement, I became a learning machine. Later, more on it…
Anyway, a message of appreciation to the superb surgeon for helping me recover from that life-altering injury so that I could eventually walk and run.
The Power of Niche Blogging
Domain name selection plus hosting
After three months, I understood the significance of branding. I first considered using a domain name that contained the term “tech,” but I ultimately went with “Shout-Me-Loud” due to its originality and superior branding.
Currently, Kinsta serves as ShoutMeLoud’s hosting provider.
How did ShoutMeLoud find its market?
I started off writing about the technology I had learned about due to my inquisitive nature. Later, when I learned that blogging might generate income, I was completely astounded by this concept.
I questioned why I had never been advised that I could pursue my passion while earning money. That’s where I decided to make it my goal to educate people about blogging and how they may pursue their passions and lead free of the constraints of an employer.
Living paycheck to paycheck and working for someone else are not the only options available in life.
I began sharing what I was learning about blogging and my experiences earning money through blogging here.
ShoutMeLoud visitors quickly began to enjoy the content because it was all based on my learning experiences and trials. As a result, ShoutMeLoud discovered its niche.
My first blogging income: As I’ve already indicated, I started blogging out of enthusiasm for the written word.
When I first started, I had no idea what SEO or AdSense were. As a side hustle blogger, I eventually learnt about AdSense and other ad networks. Prior to that, I studied SEO by reading several blogs and conducting daily experiments.
I vividly recall how I made my first $10 by assisting a 45-year-old Australian man with a WordPress problem. That was my first internet income, and it was also how I first learned about PayPal, which allows anybody to accept payments anywhere in the world. When I later added AdSense, I made $40 in the first month, which I still think is a terrific start.
When I discovered affiliate marketing and earned my first $47 from it, things really took off. That transaction opened my eyes to the potential of writing as a means of income, and I came to the realization that blogging offers the opportunity to lead the life of your dreams.
From a Hobby Blogger to a Professional Blogger: In March 2009, I quit my full-time job and focused only on professional blogging for six months.
It was not an easy choice, and persuading my family was not simple, but I took a gamble and went with what I enjoyed.
I had at that point begun to earn enough money to cover my basic necessities.
Let me start by saying that I’m not a planned man. I tend to go with the flow more than anything else.
Partnership with another Blogger: In order to further blogging, I teamed up with Rahul Bansal, a blogger from Pune, in the beginning of 2011. We considered doing this jointly since we both share a similar goal for empowering young people through online earning potential and digital marketing.
Later, things didn’t go as planned, so I moved back to Delhi to launch my business. Rahul taught me a lot, and I have the utmost respect for him.
Turning Blogging into a Full-Time Company
My current ambition and vision are to turn blogging into a full-time company and to assist others all over the world in learning the craft of specialized blogging.
I got to know several of India’s professional bloggers before they set out on their trip since I was extremely open to assisting others. I’m pleased to note that many of them have developed into their bosses after receiving the proper guidance.
In 2015, ShoutMeLoud also arranged a road show, during which my team and I toured throughout India (from Delhi to Kanyakumari) and held a number of blogger gatherings. The goal of this was to enable bloggers and people in nearby small cities to connect with one another and learn about the opportunities offered by blogging and digital marketing. We held more than 14 bloggers’ meetups (non-profit) with the aid of ambassadors in various places.
More resources for emerging people: By 2016, I was seeking for something else. Although I was pleased with how ShoutMeLoud was developing, I yearned to do more and assist more individuals. I first started making information items here. I came to see that for many people, e-books may be a fantastic learning tool.
I wrote an eBook in the first one to two years that is a distilled version of all I know. Some of the books available from the ShoutMeLoud shop at the time this route was updated are:
The Affiliate Marketing Handbook
$1 million specialized blog enterprise
The Guide to Google AdSense
That was my first time introducing a product, and my customers were really happy. These books helped many of them discover how to monetize specialized websites, and they then sought more information. I was happy to help anyone who was eager to learn, so they asked me to mentor them more.
This is how the concept for ShoutUniversity first entered my head. I started teaching the participants of this online course what I knew about blogging and affiliate marketing in a video course that I had just developed. The structure was to provide immediate access to the course along with a monthly team call to assist my students in overcoming the difficulties of niche blogging and learning what is effective right now.
My team and I am working hard to support ShoutUniversity members as they develop and succeed in the niche blogging industry when you read this in 2022.
I’ve been questioned a lot about how I run several excellent specialized blogs. I’ll tell you, it’s not simple. But because I choose the blog’s topics based on my interests, it never gets dull. I don’t do it for the money; rather, I think that your passion should be what drives you.
Every time I recruit someone (an editor, a writer, or a designer), I make sure they are motivated by their work.
Future Challenges: The biggest challenge in starting a business is recruiting the proper staff. The destiny of your organization is determined by its basis.
Moreover, having a physical office is no longer necessary. For professionals like us who work in the creative industry and want a flexible working environment, the scattered team works best.
Although it has advantages and disadvantages, I have so far liked working with my remote colleagues. Three to four of us work on different facets of the ShoutDreams Blog network.
The most exciting aspect of my blogging career is making money from niche blogging. I would be making $40–50,000 a year if I had continued doing my 9–6 job.
I’ve been able to generate over a million dollars a year with my blog and other internet endeavors.
And at the end, I’m in charge and can do whatever I want. I wish you could experience this type of life one day as well. I had no idea blogging could be so beneficial, and I still only feel like I’m getting started.
My Recognition: Dose of Inspiration
I don’t enjoy receiving prizes since I’m a backbencher. To be honest, I’m not a huge fan of awards, but the fact that ShoutMeLoud repeatedly won the best blog awards made me think that I could be on to something special.
Although I spent four years of my life at “Hindustan College of Science and Technology,” earning the “entrepreneurship award” from that institution brought me the greatest amount of happiness.
The biggest difficulty I’ve had as a blogger is that, although the past 14 years have been amazing, they have also come at a high cost. If you decide to go the way of a blogger, independent contractor, or someone who works from home, this part is more of a recommendation.
The little social connection, less physical activity, and lack of cheering required by our work style have both advantages and serious drawbacks. You must thus strike a balance to make sure you include adequate social connection, such as through podcast and YouTube interviews, community social events, and joining interest clubs like Toastmaster.
To keep going forward, you must develop a system that constantly shines a light on inspiration and motivation.
What Will Happen to ShoutMeLoud Next?
We’ll continue to develop as a site to impart knowledge on SEO, blogging, and how to establish, develop, and monetize a business. I’ll keep you informed about what occurs or when it happens.
ShoutMeLoud is my home, not a place where I conduct business. I spend time here because I am confident that ShoutMeLoud will enrich the lives of all who come.
These are the channels by which you may get in touch with me:
Linkedin user @denharsh
Twitter user @denharsh
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