It's been a hugely popular way to make money on the internet, and many writers get very excited when they hear it's possible to make money blogging.
"Really? I can write about whatever I want and make money?" Well...
no...
and yes.
The answer can be a bit complicated, but rest assured there are dozens and dozens of ways to make money blogging.
The basic steps involve finding a topic you are interested in and you think people may be interested in reading.
If it happens to be a topic which already has several blogs, you may need to spice yours up with a different angle to cover.
Then you begin your blog and write consistent, quality posts, monetize, and earn! The trouble comes when you realize that people have to actually want to read your blog.
It can't be about any old thing! #1: Choose an Interesting Topic For example, writing a blog about your daily life and what you eat for breakfast probably make you very much money.
But if it happens to be an interesting take on Latino life in Georgia, you may get a specific group of loyal readers, and can earn a handsome sum each month! The only way you will make money blogging is if you target a specific audience creatively.
That said, there are hundreds of thousands of audiences you can target with blogs.
The trick is to choose something you are passionate about, have a bit of knowledge in or are able to learn about quickly, and figure out if others are interested enough to read about it.
Start with a list of your hobbies, personal obsessions, or careers.
Be completely honest! If you really can't live without a certain TV show, put that on your list.
#2: Make a List of Targeted Keywords Many new bloggers make the mistake of thinking the whole keyword research business is for site owners and marketers.
This is a very big mistake! Doing some keyword research helps you find specific areas of your subject people are interested in and others that they aren't.
This will help you come up with a title for your blog a stick with relevant posts your audience will love.
#3: Create Your "Post Idea List" and Update it Often Now you may have only a short list of ideas at first, and that is where your keyword research comes in.
Be sure to update your keyword and post topic list every so often, as trends in interests can change.
This will all come in handy on days you are staring at a blank screen and thinking "so...
what do I write?" #4: Find a Your Blog a Home Many people start with this step, but it pays over and over again to get all of the above steps out of the way first.
Once you've got a very good idea of what your blog is going to be about, it's time to actually create it.
There are currently two different ways you can make money blogging: purchase your hosting and domain, or get a free blog.
Personally, I recommend you go with a free version only as long as it takes to make a little money, then buying your own domain and hosting.
Many claim riches to be found on free sites, but there is always to scary possibility that it can get shut down at any time for pretty much any reason, and a hosted site of your own is easier to customize and more professional.
#5: Monetize! Finally, there are many ways to monetize your blog using things like affiliate promotions, AdSense, creating your own products, webinars, etc.
The best method is to find a happy balance between at least three.
The best thing about it is most affiliate programs and AdSense free and available to everyone.
You can write a review of a product you love or hate, post a link for others to check it out, and make a profit of at least 30% of the selling price when they do - most times higher.
Easy, right? Well AdSense is even easier! Just sign up for a free account, link it to your blog, and earn money every time someone clicks on the ads on your page.
Once you've set up your very own blog, there are about a million unique methods open to you to make money blogging.
The possibilities could turn into a blog all on their own, actually.
Thankfully there are several programs and resources which can give you step by step instructions and tons of support.
You just have to know where to look!
"Really? I can write about whatever I want and make money?" Well...
no...
and yes.
The answer can be a bit complicated, but rest assured there are dozens and dozens of ways to make money blogging.
The basic steps involve finding a topic you are interested in and you think people may be interested in reading.
If it happens to be a topic which already has several blogs, you may need to spice yours up with a different angle to cover.
Then you begin your blog and write consistent, quality posts, monetize, and earn! The trouble comes when you realize that people have to actually want to read your blog.
It can't be about any old thing! #1: Choose an Interesting Topic For example, writing a blog about your daily life and what you eat for breakfast probably make you very much money.
But if it happens to be an interesting take on Latino life in Georgia, you may get a specific group of loyal readers, and can earn a handsome sum each month! The only way you will make money blogging is if you target a specific audience creatively.
That said, there are hundreds of thousands of audiences you can target with blogs.
The trick is to choose something you are passionate about, have a bit of knowledge in or are able to learn about quickly, and figure out if others are interested enough to read about it.
Start with a list of your hobbies, personal obsessions, or careers.
Be completely honest! If you really can't live without a certain TV show, put that on your list.
#2: Make a List of Targeted Keywords Many new bloggers make the mistake of thinking the whole keyword research business is for site owners and marketers.
This is a very big mistake! Doing some keyword research helps you find specific areas of your subject people are interested in and others that they aren't.
This will help you come up with a title for your blog a stick with relevant posts your audience will love.
#3: Create Your "Post Idea List" and Update it Often Now you may have only a short list of ideas at first, and that is where your keyword research comes in.
Be sure to update your keyword and post topic list every so often, as trends in interests can change.
This will all come in handy on days you are staring at a blank screen and thinking "so...
what do I write?" #4: Find a Your Blog a Home Many people start with this step, but it pays over and over again to get all of the above steps out of the way first.
Once you've got a very good idea of what your blog is going to be about, it's time to actually create it.
There are currently two different ways you can make money blogging: purchase your hosting and domain, or get a free blog.
Personally, I recommend you go with a free version only as long as it takes to make a little money, then buying your own domain and hosting.
Many claim riches to be found on free sites, but there is always to scary possibility that it can get shut down at any time for pretty much any reason, and a hosted site of your own is easier to customize and more professional.
#5: Monetize! Finally, there are many ways to monetize your blog using things like affiliate promotions, AdSense, creating your own products, webinars, etc.
The best method is to find a happy balance between at least three.
The best thing about it is most affiliate programs and AdSense free and available to everyone.
You can write a review of a product you love or hate, post a link for others to check it out, and make a profit of at least 30% of the selling price when they do - most times higher.
Easy, right? Well AdSense is even easier! Just sign up for a free account, link it to your blog, and earn money every time someone clicks on the ads on your page.
Once you've set up your very own blog, there are about a million unique methods open to you to make money blogging.
The possibilities could turn into a blog all on their own, actually.
Thankfully there are several programs and resources which can give you step by step instructions and tons of support.
You just have to know where to look!