A lot of people are making good money these days, simply by publishing their own blogs. There are a few ways that you can make money with a blog, and let’s face it, this is pretty easy work once you know what you are doing. Of course, you need to make sure that you are targeting the right audience, and that your blog is going to be seen. Here are some tips on how to start your own blog and make extra money.
One of the first things you need to do is decide what you are going to blog about. For instance, if you are doing this for a business, your blog should be centered around the products and services provided by the business. At the same time, it should not come off as advertising, because that is going to turn people off. Instead, find a way to offer people what they need. If your business sells pianos, write blog posts that are music-related.
You will find plenty of free services for your blog, which may be very tempting, but avoid this temptation. The paid services aren’t very expensive, and they are worth every penny. The old saying is true, and you really do get what you pay for. WordPress is a popular option for many bloggers, because it is flexible and offers plenty of functionality. You have the option to use hosted or self-hosted blogs if you use WordPress.
Once you have your platform, you need to find a host. Again, there are many to choose from, and the less expensive options may not always be the best ones. You need a good host that is going to make it easy for people to find your website online. Once you choose a host, you will need to select a plan, and then choose a domain name. When you have completed the process, you can install WordPress and start blogging. You can learn more about this, and other things you need to know about blogging, by reading The Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Money-Making Blog.
Now you need to grow your audience. In order to do this, you need to establish trust with people. You will need to present yourself as an authority in order to grow a loyal audience, and you need to make sure that you are blogging to the right target audience. This is where the money is going to come from. Give people value with your content, and you are going to be able to attract even more traffic because word will spread that you are an authority on the subject and have something valuable to offer visitors.
You would be surprised at the many thousands of companies that will pay bloggers a commission for any sales created through blog content. All you have to do is join an affiliate program, and then post the links on your blog. When someone clicks on the links and buys a product, you will receive a commission. It’s as easy as that. Look for markets and products that you know, and that is relevant to your own blog and what your audience wants. Show them how using the product can make their lives easier.
Most people never click on banner ads, and even use programs like AdBlock so they won’t see them in the first place. So, don’t use them in your blog. Instead, create content that your readers will find interesting, and that they will want to share with others. This is a less intrusive way to advertise, and you won’t be annoying your readers with flashy advertising that they don’t want to see.
Jane Hurst, writer from San Francisco. Find her on Twitter!