A couple of years back I decided it was time to learn more about the world of blogging. I was intrigued by this trend that had taken over so many of my friends’ lives, and I decided to give it a try as well. I created my blog, and was pleasantly surprised by how quickly I began to develop a following. I became a part of a few blogging communities, which helped me reach new readers, and connect with other bloggers.
As I learned more and more about the blogger community, I grew fascinated by the idea that many of them were being paid to blog . My blog was somewhat popular, but I was by no means making any money from the hobby I had become so involved in. It sounded like a dream job: living a lifestyle full of free time and creative writing, and making money from it. I was determined to figure out how it worked. I started seeking out the answers and found that, while it is by no means an exact science, there are some good places to start. Here are some suggestions to help your blog make an extra couple of bucks.
1. To begin: work on growing your followers and your fan base. The more individuals you have following your blog, or going to your site, the more desirable you will be to advertisers who may be interested in paying to use your blog for ad placements. With that being said, here are the 3 most effective ways to grow your blog’s “fan base”:
First, join a variety of blogging networks. Blogging networks can focus on a certain subject , (ex: all sports related blogs), or they can be more generalized and include a variety of different types of blogs. Joining blogging networks will help you increase your your exposure and gain readers. Second, partake in all forms of social media. And when I say partake, let me be clear that this does not mean you simply need to set-up a Twitter account. It is important that you constantly interact with people on all of your social media outlets. Stay engaged with your fans or followers by re-tweeting their tweets, responding to them, and asking questions. Make sure to communicate fully and post comments, etc, but avoid being spammy by constantly promoting your blog. Third, realize your content is crucial to your success. Find a niche and writing style. Whether you fancy yourself sarcastic yet humorous, witty and honest, or sweet and sincere, create content that people want to read.
2. Next you must set up an account with Google AdSense . Google AdSense is an application that allows Google to choose relevant, text-based ads to display on your site. There are two options for payment in regards to Google AdSense: Pay Per Click (PPC) or Pay Per Impression basis (CPI) of your ad. Pay Per Click (PPC) is a marketing term meaning that if an ad on your blog is clicked by a reader- you will be paid a percentage for each click the ad receives. Pay Per Impression basis (CPI or CPM) means that you will be paid each time a certain ad makes an appearance on your blog.
3. Another step you may want to take requires setting up Affiliate Links . This is my preferred method for monetizing a blog. To do this, you must first sign up for an affiliate program (Linkshare, Connect Commerce, Commission Junction, to name a few). Then simply apply to a variety of different retailers. Upon approval, these retailers will supply you with customized links and banners created for your page only.
A perfect example of this would be how I used affiliates for my fashion blog. First, I signed up for LinkShare, Connect Commerce, and Commission Junction. Once I got signed up, I searched for a variety of different fashion related companies that had their own affiliate programs within these different networks. Some retailers I found included Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Nordstrom- which all clearly relate to my blog’s content. I chose some really great looking banner ads to place on the side of my blog, and now when one of my readers clicks on any of those advertisements and purchases something, that purchase is tracked via my personal tracking number, and I receive a percentage of the sale!
4. Finally, be on the lookout for other companies and websites who need guest bloggers to enhance and add to their site content. Many times they will offer to pay guest bloggers to write for them, and other times websites host great contests for guest blogging spots. I recently came across a contest paying a $100,000 salary for the winner to guest blog for a year. Can you say #dreamjob? For those of you who are confident that you can write a fun, knowledgeable blog about saving tips, tricks, discounts, and deals you might consider checking out CheapSally.com’s Bring Home the Bacon Contest. Or alternatively, visit contest sites like ContestHound, ContestPad, or ContestBlogger to find a something that appeals to you.
So there you have it, the secrets to having a profitable blog have just been exposed- and now it is your turn to start raking in the dough! With all of these tips you have just learned about, as well as some effort on your part, I am confident that you will soon reap the rewards