Why keep a free blog when you can do it for a few bucks? What's better than spending time doing something you love … and getting paid too? Even if you have to compete a little (who doesn't have a blog these days?), The internet always has room for new talent. We will start by finding the best platform to start from, then we will explain how to create a unique product that makes you big money. Your future will be satisfying and you will not be forced to work in a cubicle!
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Getting Started
Step 1. Do a search on other blogs
You will need to find a reliable, safe and professional platform. What is the most profitable site you can take care of your blog? What is the best background to grab the attention of visitors without burning their retina? What are the elements that can make it unique?
Virtually anyone who has a blog that allows them to support themselves will tell you that your reason for starting a blog shouldn't be money. It would be like taking a gambling addiction by choice and hoping one day to hit the big shot. So look for a site that allows you to do the things you love, accept the competition and get ready to get to know this new environment
Step 2. Plan your blog
You just passed the point of no return. Soon you'll find yourself late at night in the middle of a sugar-induced confusion, trying to figure out if all the commas in your post are in the right place and if the photo titles are hilarious enough. But, wait a minute. What is your blog about? You know, don't you?
- There will surely be a void that you can fill. The internet is so vast nowadays that people are not going to pay for something they can get for free or are not passionate about at all. People want to learn new things, be inspired, laugh out loud. The only way to get visitors to your blog is to offer something that no one else can. What is it that makes you unique? What do you know better than anyone else in the blogosphere? Find it, and start a blog for it.
- Before we go any further, you'll need to think about the name for your blog, what topic it focuses on, and who it's aimed at. Then you can go to the next step, which is …
Step 3. Hire a designer
It takes money to make money. Did not you know? And if you think about it, it's not that expensive - a hundred euros might be enough. You can also coerce a friend who is good at website design, an easy one to convince. It may seem like a useless step, but the degree of concentration of those who surf the internet is decreasing with each passing day. If the blog isn't pretty, the content won't matter.
Learn from your opponents. What is it that makes other blogs work? Which setting is the best from a navigability point of view? And the aesthetic choices that attract the most? Which color scheme best suits your blog content?
Step 4. Be patient and realistic
In 2013, Tumblr had 101 million blogs. Wordpress and Livejournal? 63 million each. All this without including Blogger, Weebly, and all other independent sites that exist. So, needless to say, you are not swimming in a puddle. And how many blogs manage to monetize their content? Let's say the average of a needle in a haystack. Therefore, do not give up your passions, but always remain realistic.
Even if you make some money, you certainly won't make it tomorrow. Not this week, not this month. Most likely not even this year. You need to build a reputation and create a full blog before you can start thinking about any entries. Would you spend some money on a smile and a promise? Probably not. So keep blogging
Step 5. Create good, useful and readable content
"Mo let's talk about serious things, okay? If your blog has no style it is likely that you will not attract many visitors, right? That is!?!?!?!?" … Already these two phrases alone are terrible So even if you have a good idea, write it down, and get it right. Here are some things to keep in mind:
- Your language skills must be precise. If you finished last in the spelling contest or can't write a legible email, you will need a friend to write for you.
- Think about the length of your posts. You have to enter enough content, but you don't have to go too far, otherwise no one will read you. Look for a way to make your content enjoyable for the masses.
- Images. The images are fabulous. Everyone loves them. Fix: Everyone loves beautiful images. Make sure that, in addition to your language skills, your photography skills are also perfect.
- Say something concrete. Talking about your ex girlfriend's strangely small nipple doesn't matter. Try to include content that people want to read for at least 10 minutes straight. And use conversational language, if you speak like the advertisers there won't be much queue to get into your blog.
Step 6. Don't quit your job
This is the peculiarity of blogs, if you keep them well, they become a full-time job. In any case, you must have a safe source of money, right? So keep your work and use your free time to run the blog. Sure, you will be a little overwhelmed at first, but when you start earning something you can also tell the boss where to put his weekly report.
Part 2 of 3: Cultivating your Work
Step 1. Blog on one topic, maximum two
In order to attract many loyal readers, your blog doesn't have to be about everything and everyone, no matter how enticing it may be. It has to be researched, and it has to attract a certain type of web users. If you have a life full of adventures and a great story to tell, it can also be a memorial. The important thing is that you have something to say.
Online advertising companies won't know what to do with your blog if it's not about something definable. What kind of people do you want to reach? What would attract them? Whatever the topic of your blog, being a mom, your first business or the life of a paparazzo in Rome, stay true to your content, especially for the main reason: the money you will make
Step 2. Gain credibility and gather a small circle of people
Perhaps it has already been said, but it is better to repeat it. When you start your blog, choose a topic to cover. A subject you know so well that it has no rivals. There are several ways to gain credibility:
- Weather. It can be awful, but a blog's longevity often represents its reputation and wisdom.
- Avoid stealing other people's content. If something inspires you, always remember to cite sources. They could do the same!
- Do the necessary research. Imagine if you were writing for a newspaper: you have to document the facts as much as possible. You need to be sure you have conflicting points of view. So before you go and write that Laura Pausini was a man, search Google. It will be worth it.
Step 3. Share your blog URL as much as possible
If you've gotten to this point and done all of the above, you're definitely now a valued member of some blogging community. Now you need to share your blog within that community. Leave your URL everywhere. Make friends, participate in the life of other blogs. When you share each other's URLs, there's a chance they'll share yours, starting a great symbiotic relationship.
So remember that if Lucrezia has the salty spinach and sausage pie recipe and you have the salty spinach and sausage pie recipe, then you better let them know! He comments on her post with: "Lucrezia, as always, I love everything you share. I made this dish last week with some modifications, and I created my own recipe for salted sausage and spinach pie. You should check it out [link] and let me know what you think! ". Do you think Lucrezia will resist the curiosity to read it?
Step 4. Spill blood and sweat on your blog
The blogs that make money are the ones that their bloggers work on for 30-40 hours a week. It's easy to think that blogging means spending the morning at home in your pajamas waiting for creative ideas to arrive. Unfortunately, this is not the case at all, little Padawan. It means taking pictures, processing them on the computer, writing notes and posts, editing, dealing with e-mails, writing e-mails and finding inspiration. It's like a full-fledged office job, aside from yoga classes and the ability to work in pajamas.
And that's only half the job. You will have to deal with advertisements, sponsors, lawyers, agents, fans, stalkers, you will have to sign books, have conversations and deal with the inevitable technical problems of PayPal. Remember when we told you you could eventually quit your job? Well, we're getting there
Step 5. Take some classes
Being a blogger is not an uncommon hobby. You can take some private courses or at the local university. You don't have to try hard, but if you want to make money, it's always best to know everything there is to know. Then take a course in design, HTML or CSS and try to understand how marketing works. You will invest in yourself, seriously.
This is a hot topic for an adult. I don't have to go back to school! Check if your municipality organizes any courses or if there are other small educational institutions nearby. Who knows, maybe you will be the one organizing the seminars someday
Step 6. Create a media kit
We're getting to the gist of the article: making money. Since you are not likely to fall out of the sky, you will need to create a media kit to let advertising agencies know who you are and who they are dealing with. You basically have to summarize your job and the reasons why you think they should pay you. You can also add a business card if you want. Here's what to include in your media kit:
- Blog name, address and tag line (a phrase that summarizes the purpose of your blog).
- A brief description of the content of your blog, the niche topic you cover, and the author (or authors).
- Who is your blog for and how many are your contacts (from Twitter, to LinkedIn, through subscribers).
- Significant ratings, media citations, awards and accolades.
- Contact info.
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Choice of type of advertising (you will find more information below).
Write a very nice summary and don't be afraid to brag a little. After all, you are selling yourself. Update it continuously and get inspired by other bloggers' media kits if needed
Step 7. Promote your blog
This is the last step before making any money - do a good job of promoting and your visitors will start growing like climbing ivy. The more visitors you have, the easier it will be to sell advertising space. Here are some ideas:
- Share your posts on Twitter and Facebook. Use social networks as if there is no tomorrow.
- Use StumbleUpon. It has millions of users who are looking for interesting content. Add your site and you could become their next gem on the web.
- Create an RSS Feed. This way every time you post something new, your users will be automatically notified.
- Pinterest, Google+, Digg, and Reddit are also great sites for promoting your blog.
Part 3 of 3: Earning Money
Step 1. Improve your position on search engines (page rank)
It doesn't matter that your blog content is the best you can find on this side of the Milky Way if no one sees it. You have to be able to make yourself localizable. How to do? You have to try to make Google friends. The better the rank of a page, the easier it is to find it.
- To do this you will need to use search engine optimization (SEO). When someone searches for "spinach and sausage pie" they will have to find you in first place, not fifth.
- Keywords are also a hot topic. If you know what your users are looking for, then you can adapt your content to make it easier for them to find you. The more your content matches your users' searches, the more relevant it will become to search engines. Just try not to overdo it or your blog will look like one that's made to earn on clicks.
Step 2. Join a community
Going into other people's pages and leaving the URL without a single comment is a bit rude. You need to develop friendship, gain a reputation, and become an honorable member of the community you belong to. Get busy! Talk to other bloggers, and respond to emails you receive. Stay active with your readers. Be a real person. The more you get involved, the more you get into the world of blogging.
Someone might start putting something on you. It would be great! If you have already done something, others will link it, probably modify it and let you know. It's all about knowledge, both in the real world and in the virtual one
Step 3. Find out what to charge
Really, "costs" are an idea someone came up with. It is all based on how much you are willing to pay and, in this case, how much you are willing to charge. If you think you are at a loss compared to how much a blog like yours should earn, then check out similar blogs. Email their authors and ask if they can make it even without an offer collection page. By the way, you should have one!
- Another method for this is to go to BlogAds.com. They seem to have an endless list of blogs divided by category and traffic - you can find one similar to yours and look at the prices by week or month.
- Also think about renewal rates and all-inclusive packages. Do they give you a special offer if they post advertisements for six months in a row? What if they put advertising on several of your blogs? Try to contact them to find out if you can start partnering with them.
- Try to understand if the payment is made through PayPal, usually they take a commission, try to take it into account.
Step 4. Advertising
This is where things start to get serious. You can make the following choices:
- Sell advertising space. What are the best companies? Google Adsense (the largest), Kontera, AdBrite, Adgenta, Text Link Ads, and Tribal Fusion.
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Affiliate programs (you have a product, their site sells it). You can choose from Amazon Associates, LinkShare, eBay Associates, Commission Junction, and AllPosters.
Then you will have to think about the "type" of advertising you want on your site. Banner? Text advertising? Paid link? Turret banner?
Step 5. Choose to be privately sponsored
These are advertisements that you will have to go look for for yourself. If your blog is well-known enough, then it can become a good source of income. You just have to know who to ask.
Your media kit will come in handy now. When you find a company compatible with your blog, you will need to convince them that you can get them new customers with your content
Step 6. Review of the products
There are thousands of companies willing to pay to get a review of their products. PayPerPost, PayU2Blog, SocialSpark, ReviewMe, and Sverve, just to name a few. Look for one that is appropriate for your blog, otherwise it will lose the features that make it unique. Make sure your reviews are relevant, accurate, and fun.
Each site is slightly different, as is each product. Some reviews might get you a lot of money, while others like it just a little bit. It's not a lot of money, but enough to keep the shack going
Step 7. Paid membership
Another way to be able to make money without advertising is to charge for membership. This means that some content is free, but for others you have to pay a subscription fee. Members have access to content that regular readers can't see (that mob), that way they will feel special, and you will be able to make money. Just make sure you offer him something better!
Step 8. Sell a product
Many people have started creating their own products: eBooks for example. If you enjoy cooking, you could sell a cookbook in the form of an eBook, filled with new recipes that aren't available on your site. If you are going to teach people how to start a business, you can provide them with a comprehensive guide. You can also consider inventing the new iPhone, but that would be a bit ambitious and by then you would be too famous for your blog.
