Whenever you’re starting a new venture, it’s natural to have questions. The same is the case with blogging. There are a lot of people out there who love to write and starting a blog is their dream.
Yet, they are stuck at a 9 to 5 job, doing what drains them. Why? Well, putting out pieces that you write and earning through it are two different things. The latter allows you to do exactly what you love and make a living out of it. If we’re talking numbers, only 20% of the people are passionate about their jobs in America. You may be a part of the 80% for now but by the end of this article, you’ll be A LOT closer to having your passion and work aligned. Currently, some of the questions you have may look like the following:
- Will it be worth the effort?
- How can I make money blogging?
- Is the competition too much?
- What are the types of blogs that make money?
The Hard Work Behind the Scenes – Steps to Blog the Right Way
Success stories are just the tip of the iceberg. If it was possible for you to see the hard work and persistence that goes into these success stories, you’d believe how well-deserved every penny is.
One thing to remember here is that if they did it, you can too. All the bloggers who are now earning well went through, more or less, the same steps when they started out. Here are some of the initial steps that every successful blogger took while starting out:
- They selected a niche
- They set up their own blogs
- They created compelling content
Yes, that’s all that needs to be done to have a successful blog up. BUT- there is always a but -if it really was that simple, the rat race wouldn’t exist.
People who don’t make it as bloggers are lacking in one of these steps and the others who aren’t lacking give up too soon. Make sure that you do the steps right and have patience. With that out of the way, let’s dive right in!
1.Select a Niche
The niche you go with will be the foundation of your blog. It’s the first step, and building an income stream will be challenging if you’re not thorough with it. The most common advice you will receive while selecting a niche is to write about something you’re passionate about. Even though this sounds nice, there are a few things you need to consider.
- You shouldn’t start with a niche with a lot of competition
- You shouldn’t start a blog that has no demand
- You shouldn’t select a niche just because it’s in demand
- The niche you choose must be something that you’re interested in yourself
The niche should be a combination of topics you enjoy talking about, has at least a moderate demand and doesn’t have too many competitors. Even with these limitations, you can find the perfect niche that checks all the boxes with just a bit of brainstorming and research.
Here’s a simple exercise. I’d suggest a week, but you tweak it as per your liking. For seven days straight, sit down for 30 to 45 minutes and write down things you enjoy talking about. This exercise will leave you with many ideas, and all that’s left will be crossing off the ones that don’t fit the combo we discussed.
2.Set Up Your Blog
Setting up a website may sound technical, but it is one of the most straightforward tasks of this journey. Gone are the days when you had to break your bank account to hire a web designer. All you have to do is choose a domain name, a hosting service, and the ideal blogging platform.
Some of the great options you have are shown below:
| Hosting Services | Blogging Software |
| Bluehost | WordPress |
| HostGator | Wix |
| SiteGround | Squarespace |
| Hostinger | |
| DreamHost | Medium |
| Tips for Choosing the Right Domain Name | Tips for Choosing the Right Hosting Service | Tips For Choosing the Ideal Blogging Platform |
| Keep it simple Make it distinctive Have it carry a reflection of what the blog is about Aim for “.com” | Prioritize hosting services that offer uptime of over 99% Ensure the storage they offer is sufficient for the kind of content you’ll upload Ensure the service offers a fast loading speed Look at your budget and observe the packages they’re offering | Consider its ease of use Investigate its level of customer service Ensure it has sufficient templates Ensure the platform is suitable for blogging |
3.Create Awesome Content
Sure, a creative domain name, a pleasing template, and Google ranking will attract traffic. By following tips from experts and advertising the right way, you will eventually start seeing results, but you have to make sure visitors stay and not just pass by.
You want visitors who fall in love with your blog because of the value it adds to their lives. For this purpose, the content you write should be well-researched, well-structured, and informative with a touch of your unique voice.
let the experts help you
AMPLIFY YOUR REACH
Unlock the power of targeted online strategies. Subscribe to our free newsletter for exclusive insider tips and timely insights, and stay in the loop to power your digital success.
How to Make Money by Blogging
There are all types of blogs that make money and many different niches to choose from. If you’re putting in effort and research, there are several ways that you can monetize your blog. Following are several tested ways you can make money by blogging!
1.Create a Business Directory
Once you have a decent following, you can start reaching out to businesses relevant to your blog. For instance, if you’re running a blog on pets, readers that visit your blog frequently would love pet product suggestions or recommendations from you.
If you reach out to businesses providing these services, most of them will gladly pay a commission for a place in your blog’s business directory. There is no need to feel overwhelmed if you aren’t tech-savvy because you can easily create a web directory in WordPress through their plug-in.
2.Take Advantage of Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the most common ways bloggers are earning today. Have you ever received a gift card because you brought a new customer to a business? Well, affiliate marketing is a digital form of that.
If you like a product or service, you can set up a meeting and talk about advertising the company’s products for a fixed commission. Every time the company sells something through a link on your blog, you will receive a small commission from it.
3.Use AdSense
You can also get paid for advertising via AdSense. If you decide to utilize this option, how it works is that you can rent out specific spaces on your blog. The spaces will be used to run ads relevant to your niche.
It works just as any other advertising platform does. The more in-demand your blog becomes, the higher the price you can charge.
However, there are certain drawbacks attached to this. You lose control of what is being shown on your website, and usually, visitors don’t appreciate ads, and most use adblockers.
4.Create Sponsored Posts!
Another popular way to get paid for advertising is through sponsored posts. Sponsored posts are an excellent way to dodge the downsides of Adsense. If you score sponsorships, you’ll be able to earn good bucks through sponsored blog posts.
You must be wondering how sponsorships work. It’s simple. Businesses pay you to talk about their products. If your blog is on hair care, your readers are potential customers for all the companies that sell hair care products!
Get in touch with such businesses, show them your blog’s statistics, and you’ll soon be making money through sponsored posts.
5.Launch an eStore
If you run a blog that you’re passionate about, you know a lot more about the niche than most! For instance, if you have a blog that talks about curly hair, you have knowledge and experience on what is best for curly hair types.
Readers will trust you because your writing reflects that passion. If you launch Curly Girl products, you already have potential customers who’d gladly purchase them.
Just a warning here: only sell quality items; otherwise, your blog may lose its credibility.
6.Offer Membership Plans
A lot of websites offer a free version and a paid one. Countless blogs also use this technique to monetize. You can create some content that’s just accessible to readers who have a membership.
Readers who genuinely LOVE your work will gladly pay to get access to more valuable content and to support you too.
7.Sell eBooks
Selling eBooks online can become a source of passive income with a decent turnover. It’s one of the most uncomplicated products a writer can feel confident in selling online. All you need to do is choose a topic and make it as valuable as you can.
You can either hire a designer for the cover or create one by yourself through websites like Canva.
8.Create Paid Event Calendar Slots
Over time, you’ll have a good following and a strong position in that niche’s community. When you’re at that level, you can open up an event calendar (WordPress offers a plugin) where people can pay to promote their events.
9.Offer Personalized Plans or Freelance Services
Another great way to earn through your blog is by offering services.
- If you have a blog on dieting, you can offer customized diet plans
- If you have a hair care blog, you can provide a personalized hair care routine
- If you have a blog on freelancing services, you can provide mentorship
The possibilities are endless! Running a successful blog means that you’re an expert in that field, and people would gladly pay for your expertise. Hence, offering freelancing services is a lucrative option to earn through your blog.
10.Offer Paid Webinars
A paid webinar is just like giving an online class, but it’s live. A few days before the webinar, announce it on the blog, and readers who religiously follow it will be excited to join in. You can also host a questionnaire before D-day, asking people what they want you to address and discuss in the session. Include a live Q&A session so that people have a chance to interact with you too.
7 Tips to Attract Organic Traffic to Your Website
You thought we’d let you go before addressing the essential part? Here are seven tips to help you attract organic traffic and get a decent amount of followers!
1.Write Attractive Titles
More often than not, while going for one search result, I change my mind and click on another one just because the title is on point! Hence, spend a reasonable amount of time while you’re creating headings and subheadings as they can be a game-changer.
2.Optimize On-page SEO
Search engine optimization is hands down one of the top ways to get organic traffic in the long-term. For this purpose, you need to stay updated on what people are searching for frequently. Countless tools can help you in this case. Don’t skip this step! If you’re attempting to make a career at blogging, you must have a decent knowledge of On-page SEO.
3.Get Social
Build a brand around your blog and create a page for your blog on socials. People are scrolling for hours on these platforms every day! Staying active with promotions will attract people who love the content you’re posting.
Ask yourself, how many memes do you share with your friends while you’re scrolling? Yes, quite a lot. Suppose your blog is on Tall Girl Fashion with an Instagram page of the same name. Imagine how many people would share a single meme with #tallgirlproblems with their tall friends?
4.Blog Regularly
Regularly blogging is one of the most effective ways to attract organic traffic. This technique allows you to address more topics in your niche and creates an extensive catalog. When you’re frequently posting, your visitors get quality content regularly while you stabilize your position in the market niche.
Warning – if blogging regularly will lower the content quality, don’t do it. Choose quality over quantity every time!
5.Advertise
If you can afford it, paid advertising is a great way to attract organic traffic. Algorithms work in a way that ads are shown to people who have taken an interest in that specific niche at some point. This means if advertised right and if the headline is eye-catching, you’re bound to get traffic through this channel.
6.Answer Questions On Quora
If you’re looking to get exposure for your blog, Quora has over 300m active users. It’s a website where people are asking questions or answering them every day. With Quora, you have a platform with people who may want answers to questions you have already addressed in your blog.
Suppose you’ve written a blog on ‘5 Suitable Products for Curly Hair.’ earch for questions from people that are concerned about their locks or are curious about what products will suit their curls. Answer away, and don’t forget to leave a link to your blog!
7.Seek Collaborations
There are a lot of brands that love advertising with bloggers. In the beginning, you may not receive paid offers right away. This phase requires you to prioritize exposure. During this time, look for brands that collaborate with blogs. Offer writing blogs in exchange for shoutouts on their social media platforms.
A Word of Advice
We no longer live where one has to invest a lot to create a website and get it designed. Today, you are just a couple of clicks away from having your blog up. If bloggers made it decades ago, you most certainly can now.
Starting things is easy. Being persistent and patient is where a lot of people back down. You have to be all in and keep moving even when you do not see results immediately. Trust me; every venture comes with risks and rewards. In this case, all the stakes will be worth it with dedication and hard work.
Just be sure to stay connected to your inner voice throughout the journey. Never compromise on the quality or go against your beliefs because authenticity reflects in the pieces you write. The more authentic, the more readers will connect with you and stay for the journey ahead.
Now that you know how to make money by blogging, how to set up your first blog the right way, and how to attract organic traffic to it – what are you waiting for?