The idea that you can make money blogging sounds like a dream. Not only do you get to work independently and skip the 9-to-5, but you can also blog from anywhere in the world about the topics of your choice. While it involves hard work, it’s perfectly achievable for anyone, including beginners, with the right strategy.
The first step, of course, is to create a blog. After that, you’ll need to grow your blog’s audience so that you can ultimately earn money from it.
Whether you’re simply looking for a side hustle or want to make a living from blogging, this comprehensive guide will walk you through actionable steps on how to start a blog, how to build your readership and grow your blog. Then, you’ll learn about the robust tools you can use to turn your website traffic into money.
-
Before you dive into writing, you’ll need to choose a niche. Pick one overarching theme for your blog so that you can hone in on a particular field and attract a targeted group of fans.
-
When selecting your niche, it’s important to start with your passions - after all, you’ll be dedicating lots of time and effort to this subject. But if you’re serious about making money blogging, you also need to think about subjects that people are interested in reading about, and that will ultimately be financially viable.
-
Now that you’ve selected your niche, it’s time to start creating content. As you begin, keep in mind that the strategy behind your articles is just as important as the writing itself. Your articles, of course, will involve a lot of writing - but they’ll also involve a great deal of research and planning.
On top of that, you’ll want to upload new content consistently and frequently without compromising on quality. Here’s what you should know as you start creating and scaling your content:02.Choose the right topics
Just as you selected a strategic blog niche, you’ll also want to choose strategic topics to write about. The best topics must accomplish two things:-
They address the needs of your target audience and offer them a thoughtful, actionable solution.
-
They target keywords with high search volumes - a number that indicates how many people are looking up a given word or topic during a selected time frame (typically one month). The idea here is that the higher the keyword volume, the more interested people are in that topic. When your articles provide a thorough answer to people’s search queries, the more likely it is to rank on search engines - which, in turn, will bring people to your site (more on that later in Step 4).
Writing headlines is also an important step you don't want to forget. Be sure to accompany all of your blog topics with catchy titles. The catchier your blog titles, the more likely it is that people will click to read the content.
03. Build a reputation
Once you’ve created a large amount of strategic content, the next step toward making money blogging is to establish yourself as an authority in your field. -
-
04. Promote and grow
At this point, you know that the more people read your blog, the easier it will be for you to earn an income from it. For that reason, growing your website traffic is an important stepping stone for making money from your blog.
Before we dive into how to promote your blog, keep in mind that marketing your work is an ongoing effort. You should promote your site alongside all other steps, from the very moment you publish your blog. -
05. Advertise within your blog
One way to make money blogging is to add Google AdSense ads to your blog posts - and generate income as a result.
What, exactly, is Google AdSense? It’s a program that allows you to place ad spaces on your site. Google then fills those spaces with advertisements that are relevant to your blog and site visitors. You, in turn, earn money when those ads are viewed or clicked.
06. Offer paid subscriptions
A second tip for how to make money blogging is through creating and selling subscription plans. This lets loyal readers buy access to exclusive content.
Of course, some of your content should remain free - after all, readers will want to explore your blog before deciding whether to buy. But you can supplement the freebies with in-depth posts that offer exclusive insights subscribers would be willing to pay for.
To pique your readers’ interest, be sure to give them a preview of each exclusive post, and then ask them to subscribe to continue reading.
07. Sell merchandise, e-books and more
Another profitable option is to sell products directly through their site. To do this, you can open an online store that takes visitors directly to your products. This lets you sell items related to your blog niche or personal brand.
Keep in mind that your products don’t have to be physical; many bloggers opt to sell digital goods as well.
Here are some options for the kinds of items you can sell:-
E-books
-
Online courses
-
Webinars and virtual events
-
T-shirts, stickers and merchandise with your blog logo
-
Handmade crafts and other goods
If you run a fitness blog, for example, you might sell branded sports equipment. If you've started a travel blog, on the other hand, you might try selling digital travel guides for download.
08. Become an affiliate
Remember when we looked at how much bloggers are actually making? Their expense reports show us that nearly all top bloggers use affiliate marketing as part of their monetization strategy. There’s a good reason for this: affiliate marketing is a relatively easy source of passive income.
Affiliate marketing essentially means that you make money blogging by promoting other people’s products. This involves adding affiliate links to various products or services within your posts, throughout your site, or across your social media accounts. When your site visitors click on those links and make a purchase, you’ll earn a commission from the sale.
To find brands to partner with as an affiliate, browse the web for affiliate marketing programs that can connect you with different products or companies. Some of the most popular programs include:-
CJ Affiliate: Connect with widely recognized brands and earn commissions by promoting their products.
-
ShareASale: Build profitable partnerships with brands across a variety of sectors.
-
Amazon Associates: Promote products sold on Amazon and earn up to 10% in associate commissions.
09. Write sponsored content
As your blog grows, you might even find yourself getting approached by companies who’d like to sponsor you. The company will compensate you for each post you create, as you’re essentially advertising their products to your audience. Often, these gigs come with extra perks, like free products from the company for you to review.
These posts tend to take the form of product reviews or other demonstrations of how you use a company’s products or services. A good practice is to recommend products you truly believe in so that you retain your readers’ trust. In addition, look for partnerships that enable you to create a series of sponsored posts across an extended period of time. This ensures a recurring source of revenue. -
-
10. Provide consulting services
The final way to make money blogging involves harnessing all the knowledge you’ve gained as a professional blogger. Using your blog as a portfolio, offer your own expertise as a service and promote yourself as a coach or consultant.
Depending on your field, you can either work with individuals or act as a consultant for companies. Many types of blogs, from marketing to nutrition and design, are a natural stepping stone for a full-fledged consulting business. For instance, you might build on your blogging experience to become a digital marketing consultant or a food coach.
To start, try offering services to individual clients, and entice them with special packages and discounts. You can also branch out into group services, such as conferences and public speaking events, webinars and online courses. If people find that your blog offers genuinely valuable insights, chances are they’ll be happy to pay for one-on-one advice that’s specifically tailored to their needs.
You must be logged in to post a comment.