So you think you can make money with a blog, huh? Well, you might. The truth of the matter is that there are over 164 million blogs out there on the internet, and most of these only get a few hundred visitors each month. Do you still think you have what it takes to make money with a blog?
In this guide, we’re going to talk about:
- How to choose a blog idea that will lead to success and earn you money
- How to monetize your blog to earn you some passive income
- What it takes to start a successful blog that will continue to gain traffic and generate income
We’re not going to tell you it’s easy to make money with a blog – it’s certainly not! But for the best chance of surviving the online jungle of bloggers, these are the tips you’ll need to follow.
1. Learn about search engine optimization
The first thing you’ll need to do if you want to make money with a blog is to learn about search engine optimization, or SEO. We’re not going to go into a lot of detail here; that’s not what this guide is about. In fact, if you’re not familiar with SEO then it’s best you do a bit of research on that before you even begin to formulate your blog’s content.
Search engine optimization is simple in definition, but complicated in practice. If you have “good” SEO, the search engines like Google will be able to find you easily and so will your readers. If your SEO isn’t good, you won’t be found on the top of the search results pages.
There’s a lot that goes into SEO, including the quality of your writing, the keywords you use and how long visitors stay on your page. So before you begin thinking about making money with a blog, look into and do a little research on SEO.
- Search engine optimization will play a large part in whether your blog is a success
- Do some research on good SEO practices before you begin writing and publishing your blog
- Many factors influence whether you have good SEO, from the quality of your writing to how long your readers stay on your website
2. Choose a niche
Long gone are the days where people could just ramble on about what they had for breakfast and actually gain readers. If you don’t have a niche, or topic, in mind for your blog, it’s not going to make money.
Think about your interests. Whether they be local politics or global warming, you can use those interests to create a blog that will make money. Choose just one topic, no matter how small (niche) it is, and focus on that. You could choose stocks and investing, cat care or haunted houses – it doesn’t matter. Whatever sounds exciting to you is just fine!
You’re going to be immersed in your blog topic for a very long time if you want to make money, so it’s better to choose something you know a little about. For instance, don’t chose horse care just because you think it sounds good if you’ve never even seen a horse in person.
You can research popular niches online, but remember – you don’t have to choose something that’s popular. For every interest and niche out there, there are readers who will visit your page.
- You’re going to need to choose a niche for your blog to attract a subscriber base
- Choose a niche you’re interested in to avoid getting bored in the future
- You don’t have to choose something that’s supposed to be popular, every niche will have a following
3. Improve your writing skills
The better your writing, the longer people will want to stay on your page, subscribe to your blog and receive email updates from you. Keep it clean and stay away from sloppy writing. And please – if you’re not a native speaker of the language you intend to blog in, think twice before you publish that first post.
See, people are inundated with information online. They’re going to want to visit the sites that make sense, are easy to follow and that offer valuable information in a way that’s presented professionally. Avoid txtspk, use a grammar checker and run your blog posts through copyright infringement tools. There are a number of these online, and many are free to use.
In simple terms, if you want to make money with your blog, you’re going to want to sound like you know what you’re talking about. Think about it: Would you visit a doctor who couldn’t pronounce the word pneumonia? Probably not. In the same way, people won’t want to visit your blog if you can’t spell the word blog.
We’re not trying to be mean, but there are so many writers out there who think they can post a blog post and immediately make money. That’s just not so. The quality of your blog is a reflection on your knowledge and your professionalism, so work on your writing skills before you try to monetize your blog – or before you even post it.
- Your writing is a reflection of yourself, so keep it professional
- People don’t want to visit your blog if you don’t have a command of the language you’re writing in
- You don’t have to be formal, but you should avoid txtspk and should always run your work through a grammar checker
4. Update your site regularly
Google and the other search engines (generally) look more favorably on blogs that are updated regularly. See, there are several types of content, but at this point there are two you need to know about: evergreen and seasonal.
Evergreen content is content that is static. You won’t change these pages much – they’ll be a staple of your blog and your website. For instance, let’s imagine you have a blog about eco-friendly clothing. Your evergreen content may include material about whether polyester is recyclable or how modal is made.
That same blog will also have seasonal content. That’s the content you regularly update and add to. For instance, you might have a blog post about the “top eco-friendly cotton shirts for men” on your blog. This information could – and will – change, and it’s up to you to keep it updated!
You don’t have to go crazy. Most blog owners will select a frequency of posts and then stick with it. That doesn’t mean you’re posting every day – usually a few times per week is just fine. Choose a frequency you’re comfortable with, then mark your calendar.
- There are several types of content, but evergreen and seasonal will be the most important to you
- You can make money with your blog more easily if you regularly update your blog
- You don’t have to post every day – usually a few times per week is just fine
5. Consider affiliate marketing
There are many ways you can make money from your blog. One of the most popular – and arguably easiest – ways is to use affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing can earn you a passive income with minimal upkeep. You’ll simply link to merchants from your site and you’ll earn a commission when those products that you’re advertising sell. It’s best to garner relationships with merchants – in this way, you can earn a higher percentage.
This isn’t as difficult as it sounds, but you won’t make guaranteed money from your blog. Instead, you’re going to have to be a dang good salesman and an even better writer. You can write reviews of products you’ve never used, for example. But you’d better be pretty convincing!
Affiliate marketing is easier when you’re very niched and very committed. For instance, focusing on “compression socks” might make you more money with your blog than a topic like “cat supplies.” You might reach a smaller audience, but they’ll be looking for exactly what you’re trying to promote, improving the chances that they’ll buy through your links.
- Affiliate marketing is one of the most hassle free ways of earning money with your blog
- For the best results, choose a concentrated niche
- Sell your product on your site, whether through personal experience reviews or simply making up a killer review for the product
6. Then there are sponsored ads
If your blog gets popular – and we mean really popular – you can start thinking about sponsored ads. How do they work? Well, let’s look at a few examples.
- A blog about the stock market, once successful, could host ads for financial advisory companies or online brokerages
- A blog about cooking could host ads for cookware or meal service plans
- A blog about travel to Disney World could host ads for travel agencies, booking services or park services
- A blog about home aquariums could host ads from big name pet suppliers or even national aquariums
You get the point. You can ask people if they’d like to pay for space to advertise on your website. And if your blog is super popular, those names might even come to you!
It’s incredibly important for you to keep your writing clean and factual if you want ad sponsorships. No large company is going to want to be affiliated with your site if your grammar and spelling is atrocious. That’s just a fact.
Instead, if you’re no confident about your writing skills, run your articles and blog posts by a friend who’s better at grammar than you are. They can objectively tell you whether your content is ready to post or needs a little more work.
- Sponsored ads can give you guaranteed income if you do it right
- Be sure your content is a match for the ads you’re hosting
- Your grammar and spelling must be 100% accurate, so if you have doubts, run your work by a friend
7. Sell something
There’s nothing wrong with creating a blog with the intent to sell something through it. People do it all the time, and it’s called content marketing. You can create a blog that promotes a book, a movie, an invention or a service. And if that product is yours, it’s that much easier to get your blog up and running.
To make money with your blog through content marketing, it’s best to have a good handle on the product you’re selling. Again, if it’s a product you’ve created, great! Let’s say you’ve invented a new, fancy, antibacterial stroller. It’s eco friendly and compact, and kids are comfy when they sit in it.
Market that stuff! Use your blog to promote your product. Here are some sample blog posts you could write:
- Grocery Store Germs: 10 Ways Your Child is at Risk
- Mom on the Go? Here’s How to Keep Your Child Comfy
- Dads Need Strollers Too! Here’s Why
- Is Your Stroller Earth Friendly? Six Simple Ways to Tell
See? Easy peasy! These blog posts will attract visitors who are looking for eco-friendly options that are safe for their little ones, and you’re providing the information hey need to find it. Of course, the optimal goal is for them to buy your stroller, but a bit of affiliate marketing in the mix certainly won’t hurt you!
- You can market a product of your own through content marketing
- Your blog posts will be geared toward helping others find your product and seeing the benefits
- Even if they choose another product than yours, affiliate marketing with your content marketing will certainly not go amiss
8. Be credible
People, please. Be credible when you create your blog. You’re not going to gain followers if you’re not a credible source – readers will click away from your site just as quickly as you found it. We’ve mentioned that you need to check your grammar and your spelling. But you’re going to have to fact check yourself, as well.
If you were sick and had a bunch of symptoms, you’d likely hop online to try to find out what was wrong, right? Well, people are looking for information just like you are. They want to know that the resources they’re using are credible and knowledgeable, so it’s important that you be just that.
Facts, facts, facts. Research, too. If you have some valuable bit of information to share with your readers, they’re going to be more likely to read – and share – your content. If you sound like you have no idea what on earth you’re talking about, you won’t have any readers at all.
So, let’s look at an example. Let’s say you want to start a blog about investing, but you don’t know the difference between a stop order and a short squeeze, you’re probably in the wrong niche. You’re only as intelligent as you sound in the world of blogging, and you’re not going to make a single cent if you don’t know what you’re talking about.
- Choose a niche in which you have some knowledge or credibility
- You don’t have to be an expert, but you have to know a bit more than the basics
- Choose a niche you know something about to avoid the possibility that you lose readers due to your lack of knowledge
9. Be realistic
You’re excited about your new blog, and you have every right to be. Blogs can definitely make money online, and you can literally work from home in your pajamas if you want to. But be realistic. The average blog is making enough to buy coffee (we’re talking a can of grounds, not the premium stuff) after 6 months. It will take about a year to make a part time income and it will take much longer to substitute your full time income.
In other words, don’t quit your day job. You don’t know if your blog is going to succeed. And sometimes if it doesn’t it’s not even your fault! You can be doing everything right, but your blog just simply doesn’t take off. If that happens, don’t give up, just try again.
Blogging isn’t yet a tried and true method of income. There are certainly “proven” ways to make money with your blog, but it’s going to require some smarts and some planning on your part. Don’t jump in feet first. Instead, take your time and learn the ropes before you start to publish your blog posts. Taking it slow and having realistic expectations can mean the difference between the success and the failure of your blog.
- You’re not going to become an overnight blogging success – these things take time
- Don’t quit your day job just yet – it can take over a year for you to substitute your income with a blog
- Stay optimistic, and if your blog fails just try again!
Conclusion
You want to make money by starting a blog, and you certainly can! Be sure, though, that you know what you’re getting into first. Blogs take a lot of work and a lot of knowledge. Much of blogging is also trial and error!
Choose a niche that you love and then start writing. Eventually, you can begin to monetize your blog and replace your full time income. Don’t give up – start blogging and watch your words and ideas convert to cash and a passive income!
