A Simple Plan for Older Adults Starting Online
If you’re an older adult wondering:
- “Where do I even start?”
- “What should I do first?”
- “Is this realistic for someone my age?”
…this page is for you.
I’ve put together a simple 90-day roadmap you can follow at your own pace. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme. It’s a realistic, step-by-step path to get your online foundation built and moving toward your first bit of retirement income.
You don’t need to be techy. You just need to be willing to:
- Follow clear steps
- Give yourself some grace
- Keep going, even if you move slower some weeks
Let’s walk through it together.
Overview: What We’ll Do in 90 Days
Here’s the big picture of the roadmap:
- Weeks 1–2: Clarify your topic and your goals
- Weeks 3–4: Set up your website (WordPress)
- Weeks 5–6: Publish your first helpful content
- Weeks 7–8: Join 1–2 beginner-friendly affiliate programs
- Weeks 9–10: Start simple traffic-building habits
- Weeks 11–12: Review, refine, and plan your next 90 days
You can stretch this out if you need more time. The important thing is steady progress, not speed.
Weeks 1–2: Get Clear on Your Topic and Your Goals
Before we touch a website, we answer two key questions:
- Who do you want to help?
- Retirees with small pensions
- Grandparents who love crafts
- People with arthritis who need gentle work-from-home ideas
- What do you want to help them with?
- Simple ways to earn extra income
- A specific hobby (gardening, RV travel, quilting, etc.)
- Practical tips for working online with health limitations
Simple exercise (grab a notebook):
- Write one sentence that starts with: “I want to help _________ with __________.”
- Then write: “In 6–12 months, I’d love to be earning about $______ per month online.”
This doesn’t lock you in forever, but it gives you direction.
Weeks 3–4: Set Up Your WordPress Website
Next, we give your ideas a home on the internet.
Step 1: Use the WordPress Startup Guide
On Boomer Biz HQ, I’ve created a full page called “WordPress Startup” that walks you through:
- Choosing a domain name
- Picking your hosting path
- Installing WordPress
- Logging into your dashboard
- Creating your first pages
You can follow that guide step by step, at your own pace.
Step 2: Choose Your Hosting Path
You have two simple options:
- Option 1 – Wealthy Affiliate path:
Build your WordPress site inside Wealthy Affiliate, where you get hosting, training, and a built-in community. In my WordPress Startup guide, I show you exactly where to click in WA to set everything up. - Option 2 – Other hosting path:
Use another hosting company (like Bluehost, SiteGround, Hostinger, etc.) and install WordPress there. The guide also walks you through that.
Either way, by the end of Week 4, your goal is:
- You have a basic WordPress site online
- You can log into your WordPress dashboard
- You’ve created at least one simple page (like “About” or “Home”)
Weeks 5–6: Create Your First Helpful Content
Now we start publishing content that can serve your readers and eventually earn income.
Aim to create 3 simple, helpful pieces:
- Your About page
- Who you are
- Why you started this site
- Who it’s for
- A friendly picture if you’re comfortable
- Your Start Here or Home page
- Welcome your visitors
- Briefly explain what they’ll find on your site
- Point them to a few key posts or resources
- Your first blog post
- A story: “Why I Started This Site as a Retiree”
- Or something helpful: “5 Simple Ways Retirees Can Earn a Little Extra Online”
Don’t worry about perfection. Think friendly, honest, and clear, not fancy.
Weeks 7–8: Join 1–2 Beginner-Friendly Affiliate Programs
To turn your website into potential retirement income, you’ll eventually want to recommend tools, services, or products you trust.
This is where affiliate programs come in.
During Weeks 7–8, you can:
- Make a short list of tools or services you already like and use.
- Check if they have an affiliate program.
- Apply to 1–2 programs that fit your audience.
Examples:
- A learning platform (like Wealthy Affiliate)
- Tools you use for writing, graphics, or planning
- Simple products related to your topic (books, physical products, etc.)
As you’re accepted, you’ll receive special links (affiliate links) you can use in your content.
Important: Always be open that you may earn a small commission if they buy through your link. Honesty builds trust.
Weeks 9–10: Start Simple Traffic-Building Habits
A website without visitors is like a store with no customers.
During Weeks 9–10, we start some gentle traffic-building habits.
Pick 1–2 to start with:
- Publish 1 blog post per week
- Answer a common question your audience has.
- Share your posts with friends and family
- Email them a link.
- Ask if they know someone who might benefit.
- Learn basic keyword research
- In Wealthy Affiliate (or using a tool like Jaaxy), look for simple phrases people search for, and write posts around those topics.
The goal is not to become a marketing expert overnight. The goal is to start being visible.
Weeks 11–12: Review, Refine, and Plan Your Next 90 Days
In the final stretch of this roadmap, we pause and review.
Ask yourself:
- What have I accomplished so far?
- New website?
- Pages and posts published?
- Joined any affiliate programs?
- What felt easy and enjoyable?
- What felt confusing or frustrating?
Then, plan your next 90 days:
- Maybe you want to publish 6 more posts.
- Maybe you want to improve your “Start Here” page.
- Maybe you want to try a simple email newsletter.
Whatever it is, keep it realistic and gentle. This is not a race. It’s a new chapter.
Where This Roadmap Fits With Your Other Resources
Here’s how this 90-Day Roadmap connects with the rest of Boomer Biz HQ:
- Use the WordPress Startup page when you’re in Weeks 3–4.
- Use Jeff’s Trusted Tools when you’re in Weeks 7–8 and looking for tools to recommend.
- Visit the Free Resource Library anytime you want worksheets, checklists, or large-print PDFs to help you stay organized.
- If you want more hand-holding, consider the Wealthy Affiliate path from the WordPress Startup guide.
Everything is designed to work together so you always know what to do next.
Jeff Shares
If you’re an older adult reading this and you’ve made it this far, I want you to really hear this:
This is a realistic goal for you.
Building a simple WordPress website and moving toward retirement income is not just for “tech people” or “young people.” It’s for anyone who’s willing to:
- Learn slowly
- Follow a clear plan
- Keep going, even when it feels new and awkward
You’ve already navigated plenty of big changes in your life — new jobs, raising families, health challenges, financial ups and downs. Learning how to publish a blog post or join an affiliate program is small compared to those.
This 90-day roadmap isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress:
- One page at a time
- One post at a time
- One simple action at a time
And you don’t have to do it alone. Boomer Biz HQ is here to walk with you, cheer you on, and give you tools that are designed with older adults in mind.
So take a deep breath, pick the week you’re on, and start with just the next step.
You really can do this.
And I’m honored to be part of your journey.
