Updated July 15, 2015.
If you’ve always wanted to be able to break free from the corporate world and make money from home, then you’re in the right place. I was in your exact position 12 years ago when I quit my job to become a full-time blogger, and want to show you how I did it so you can make this huge life change for yourself.
How I went from a crappy sales job to a money making blogger
My major in college was Marketing, and I never had any real expectation of being highly successful. By going to college, my goal was to get a job that paid me $50,000/year. With this salary, I could afford to go to Chipotle every day for lunch, and not have it break the bank.
My first real job was making 60 cold calls per day. I hate sales, I’m not a people person. I knew I wasn’t going to hit my $50,000 Chipotle goal.
I realized then that if I didn’t want my life to be like this forever, I needed to make a change. So one day after work, I started to research blogging, because I had heard from some friends in college that they were making some cash in their spare time.
I had ZERO programming skills
Mind you, I didn’t have any technical experience. No programming classes in high school or college, and I was never a math genius.
But what I did was set myself a goal: I wanted to launch my own “startup blog” (this blog you’re reading now), and every night I would make a little progress. My first goal would be to buy a domain name, then the next day, I would setup the blog, then the next day, I would create a logo, etc.
Anyway, fast forward 12 years, and I am running a million dollar network of blogs, work for myself, and do anything I want, whenever I want. Today, after writing this blog post, I’m going to go to the gym for 2 hours, then come home and read The New Yorker, GQ, and then watch some TV.
It’s a great life.
And this life can be yours, too. All you to do is take it day by day. Every night, read a new article, learn something new, and build your blog.
You’ve already setup your blog, right?
I hope you’re excited, because I am. Every time I retell my story, it helps me appreciate how great my life is. So first, before you start reading this guide, I want to make sure you have already setup your blog. If not, click on this link to use my step by step guide to starting your own blog.
How to Actually Make Money Blogging: The Guide
Getting Started
One of the best parts about blogging is that it requires virtually zero overhead costs. The only significant investment on your part is your time and creativity. If you are willing to put enough work and hustle into making your blog a success, you will experience results that quickly begin to snowball. While the first few months may not yield a whole lot of returns, once your blog gains traction and has a decent library of posts, you will find that business quickly picks up and more and more visitors start stopping by for a look.
What You Will Need
A Blog
If you have zero experience with purchasing a domain name and setting up an account with a hosting site, don’t worry. It is easier than you think. In fact, you can have your blog up and running in about 20 minutes. For step-by-step instructions, click here.
Time
The absolute most important part of starting and maintaining a blog is creating quality content. There is no way around it. Researching and writing articles will take time, but that is the only way you can achieve success. Put in the time and effort and you will see results.
Patience
The trick is to not get discouraged. Blogging is by no means a get rich quick scheme. It takes time and persistence, but the payoffs can be huge. Who doesn’t want to work from home and be their own boss?
4 Keys to a Successful Blog
To simplify things even more, every blog needs four essential components to achieve success. If just one of these components is missing, you will find yourself on rocky ground and unable to turn your vision into real profits.
1. Quality Content
This should go without saying, but if you aren’t publishing timely, engaging and informative content that is also well-written and mistake free, then any amount of work you put into promoting your blog will be a waste of time. The absolute best, and perhaps only way, to build a loyal following is to publish great posts. Don’t skimp on content. Take
2. Strong Relationships
While most bloggers sit at home and write by themselves, they are actually a part of a large network of writers that are actively engaged in promoting each others work, sharing ideas and building business relationships. You have to reach out to companies, writers and websites that are leaders in your industry. This will help you become an authority in your own right make sure that you don’t miss out on important opportunities.
3. Invest Time in Various Platforms
As you will learn later on in this article, the vast majority of bloggers don’t get paid a fee for every post they write. Instead, they make money by expanding their blog into other platforms. The blog simply acts as a home base and a way to promote other endeavors such as speaking engagements, ebooks, webinars, etc. Eventually, the blog becomes more of an address where followers can sign up for other valuable content.
4. Multiple Revenue Streams that Make Sense for Your Site
Why limit yourself to one approach or revenue stream? Take advantage of as many as possible and incorporate them into your blog and your long-term business plan. Multiple streams means multiple ways to earn revenue.
Bloggers are Salespeople
While you might not like the sound of it, bloggers are essentially salespeople. Whether you are using your website to sell your own product or expertise or you are using the site to advertise for other people, you are basically in the business of selling.
For some people the idea of sales conjures up images of cheesy used car commercials full of gimmicks and questionable tactics. While the internet does have its fair share of scams, it also has the power to offer super convenient and affordable goods and services. Just take a moment to think about how online shopping may have made your life easier in a few instances.
As a blogger, you are also offering something of value by providing helpful information and presenting readers with deals and products that are relevant to their lives. Stick to publishing quality content and following advertising best practices and you might just start to rethink an initial reservations about “selling” online.
Even Nonprofits are in the Business of Selling
While some websites and organizations aren’t looking to turn a profit or cater to investors, they are still working to get people to support their cause or program. This takes a certain amount of convincing. Nonprofits have to motivate people to invest their time or money and that goes right being able to sell the importance of a certain cause of project.
But Sales Makes Me Uncomfortable …
Let go of the idea that sales is about talking people into something that don’t want or need. If you are good at what you do, then there are people out there looking for your goods, services or expertise. Think of your blog simply as a way to put yourself out there, to make your skills known and to connect with those who would benefit from your experience.
Once you have made the bold decision to commit to creating and maintaining a blog, you need to decide on a topic that will work for you. Sure, you want to write about something that will interest readers, but the more popular the topic, the more competition you will have from other blogs and websites. Be sure to take this into consideration and see if you can’t find a specific niche within in a broader topic that will make is easier to target an audience.
You also need to make sure that you are writing about something that truly interests you. If you are going to spend a good part of your week writing about this topic, you want a topic that excites you and gets you out of bed each morning. This is even more important than trying to choose a popular topic that you assume people will be interested in. If you aren’t passionate about your subject, that will come across in your writing and ultimately affect the success of your blog.
Take the time to really think about your own passions and why you would want to share them with the world.
What do you want readers to learn or take away from your blog?
Who do you want to reach?
Why should readers visit your blog instead of other available resources?
Once you have purchased a domain name and started your blog, you might be left wondering when the huge paychecks will start rolling in. The truth is that blogging, on its own, probably won’t turn a profit. The key to making money with your blog is to branch out and use your blog as a platform for other sources of revenue. If you are simply posting articles without working to promote your site or network with other writer and industries leaders, then you won’t get paid. Publishing alone isn’t enough to make money blogging.
Common Myths about Blogging
Myth: As soon as your blog goes live, it will start attracting visitors.
If it were that easy, there would be even more bloggers flooding the internet. With so many existing blogs and websites, you need to work to make sure that you get noticed by following the 4 keys to maintaining a successful blog.
Myth: Blogging is the best get rich scheme around.
If anyone tells you this, do not believe them. For most full-time bloggers, the road to success took several years. Establishing your site and generating income takes time, persistence and patience. There are no short-cuts.
Myth: Blogging for money is impossible.
There certainly may be days when you feel this way, but you can absolutely earn a great income through blogging. Just like any other business endeavor, you have to be willing to put in the sweat equity and create a product that people value.
Myth: Blogging is for business people and men.
Some of the most successful bloggers have been stay at home moms and regular people who have a true passion that they want to share with the world. Anyone can earn money blogging. There are other people out there who share your likes and interests.
Before we get into some more complicated and nuanced ways to use your blog to create various revenue streams, let’s begin with the established programs you can take advantage of to begin seeing some money as soon as possible.
There are a few specific ways you can use advertising to earn money. Some bloggers choose to stay away from these avenues because they think it affects the overall credibility of their site and turns readers away. However, if you use advertising wisely and don’t load your blog down with an excessive number of ads, advertising may actually help boost search rankings and help you start reaping some rewards.
Display Ads
The basic idea is that you sign up with a network that helps connect advertisers with publishers (you). Google Adsense is a popular choice that makes it easy to register and get paired up with relevant advertisers. Once you are signed up with a network, you add code to your site that dictates where display ads will appear on your blog. Typically, these ads will be placed in your sidebar or as banners at the top or bottom of your page. Every time a visitor clicks on an ad, you receive money.
Best Ad Networks for Bloggers
The good news is that while Google is a big player in the world of display advertising there are a lot of other options available that may make more sense based on the topic of your blog and your audience.
Here is a short list of some networks that are worth looking into:
Media.Net
This network works with Bing and Yahoo to provide a wide range of publishers. Whether you are writing about a broad topic or trying to target narrow niche, this site can help align your blog with the right ads for optimal performance. You place ads on your blog, and then whenever someone clicks on your ad, you get paid. It’s a CPC network which means “cost per click”.
Adsense
This is the largest ad network out there, and it’s run by Google. It’s very similar to Media.net, but they tend to be more strict with what sites they allow into the network, and have been known to shut down sites. Regardless, it is a CPC ad network that will be an awesome source of revenue for your blog.
Blogads
If your target audience is social media savvy, you may want to look into taking advantage of Blogads and capitalizing on the power of social sites.
BlogHer
For female bloggers, BlogHer is the perfect place to network, cultivate relationships, seek out sponsored posts and connect with display advertisers. BlogHer also holds conventions, seminars and other informational events that will help you stay inspired and up-to-date on current best practices.
Beacon
Looking to connect with a specific audience? Beacon may be solid option for you and your blog. It is free and features intelligent software and a user friendly interface. Setting up and managing your account is both quick and efficient.
Federated Media
Part of what makes display advertising a success is the network’s ability to connect your website with the right ads that are targeted to the needs and interest of your audience. Federated Media takes special care to make sure that you aren’t casting too wide of a net and that your site displays ads that are beneficial to both you publishers and advertisers.
Sovrn
Another strong choice that is striving to stay relevant by going to the extra mile to create the best possible matches between advertisers and publishers.
Rivit Media
Working on a DIY blog for those who love to work around the house and do their own projects? This network caters specifically to your target audience.
Sway Group
For a more comprehensive approach to networking, landing sponsored posts and connecting with your audience, check out Sway Group and their marketing tools. They provide a lot of helpful information and effective strategies that you can start implementing today.
For an even longer list of potential blog networks, click here. While Google is certainly a tried and trusted way to go, you may be able experience even better performance by signing up with a different network. They may not have the same colossal reach as Google, but a smaller network could be the answer to providing more meaningful connections and relevant ads.
Pros and Cons of Advertising
Pros:
Super easy to set up and low maintenance
You can make money!
A great way to gradually introduce ads onto your site so that you avoid “ad shock” down the road once you incorporate private ads.
Cons:
Pop-up blockers can interfere with ads.
Mobile devices also tend to remove ads in order to present a more navigable website.
Too many ads can make your site look cluttered and actually turn away readers.
Readers are so used to seeing ads that they actually block them out as they go through your site.
Advertising rates aren’t what they used to be and earning money is mostly dependent on high traffic numbers.
You run the risk of ending up with unwanted advertisers on your site. This could negatively effect your own image.
Where to Place Your Ads
The placement of ads on your website can not only affect whether people click on the ads, it can also influence overall website performance. Limiting the number of ads will actually work in your favor, but when it comes to best placement practices, there is no hard and fast rule. Be sure to experiment with different positions and ad sizes to see where you get the best results. You will be amazed at how even the smallest adjustments can make a big difference.
The catch is that most clicks are only worth a few sense each, so you will need a lot of visitors and a lot of click to earn a livable wage through display ads alone. Once again, the more popular the ad is, the less you will be paid per click. However, if you have a truly unique niche that can be used to advertise more obscure products that only a certain demographic are interested in, you will see much higher payments. Ultimately, this type of advertising is better used as just one tool in a comprehensive package.
More Resources
To learn more about how pay per click advertising works and how to bid on keywords, check out PPC 101 and other courses from Wordstream.
You can also get some great advice about ad placement and frequency from Google.
How to Sell Ad Space
If you blog is truly popular and receives a significant number of visitors on a daily basis, you may find yourself in a position to actually sell ad space directly to private companies. You can take the initiative to contact relevant companies who you think may be interested, or you may actually be directly contacted by interested parties. The best way to handle this type of agreement it to set up a yearly subscription. Essentially, the company will pay you a certain amount to have their ad displayed on your site for a certain amount of time. If you are lucky enough to find yourself in this position, selling ad space is an ideal way to bring earn money through blogging.
Affiliate Programs
This type of advertising work much like display ads, except that you earn a certain amount of money every time a sale is made as a direct result of customers visiting your site. If, for example, a reader clicks on an affiliate advertisement that is being displayed on your blog and they then end up purchasing an item from the advertiser, you will actually receive a commission for that sale. While the amount varies from company to company, some advertisers offer a 10% commission.
***** Warning! ****
While the prospect of packing your blog with advertisements can be exciting, be very careful about overdoing it. Google and other search engines will actually penalize you for having too many advertisements above the fold and throughout the rest of the site. Use display advertising wisely and sparingly in order to avoid detracting from your site and being slammed with penalties.
While advertising is a straightforward way to start earning money, there is also a long list of other options that may require a little more legwork, but can also be more reliable and profitable sources of income.
Sponsored Posts
If you are a truly great writer with a loyal following of readers, writing sponsored posts for companies can help you earn money. Again, this may be a more difficult relationship to finagle, but once your blog becomes established, it will be much more feasible. Essentially, you can write a post that talks about a company and their products of services. You want it to be as informative as possible without sounding too biased and you need to make sure that you make a note at the end informing readers that it is a sponsored post. This allows companies to earn solid links and get their name out there and it helps you earn money and create quality content.
Beyond Blogging
Successful bloggers who earn a great living have done so by going beyond blogging and offering their expertise through a variety of other mediums. Providing webinars, selling Ebooks and holding public speaking events are all creative ways to take your blog to the next level and establish yourself as an industry leader. Go beyond posts and create longer, more comprehensive types of content that can be sold at a reasonable price. Yes, this means a lot of time and work, but that is exactly how you will turn blogging into a career.
Different Ideas to Make Money Besides Advertising
Sponsored Reviews
When you hear the word revenue, your first thought is probably cold, hard cash, but for the blogger, revenue can come in a variety of different forms. Often times, companies will send you products for free and ask you to write a review. The same goes for trying out their services. Just remember that you are in no way obligated to write a positive review just because you got to test out a product or service. Give your honest opinion and provide readers with useful insights and information. While these perks might not be as quantifiable as money, they do provide their own value.
Product Giveaways
You can also generate different types of revenue by using your site to give away products, services and discounts that are provided by companies. Not only will you be able to draw visitors to your site with the chance to win a prize, most companies will also provide you with some payment or a free item in order to enlist your services.
Setup a Tip Jar
There is some controversy over whether bloggers should accept free swag for publishing reviews and offering giveaways. Google and other search engines do have the right to penalize your blog at their discretion. If they think that you are publishing disingenuous reviews and trying to solicit free products, then you will be penalized and move down the rankings. However, if you continue to publish material that is unbiased and helpful to your readers, you should be able to avoid any unintended consequences.
Network, Network, Network
The main thing to remember is that these types of revenue sources won’t simply fall into your lap. You have to put the time and effort into networking with other bloggers and companies. In the beginning, you may want to offer free guests posts and join blogging networks. Be sure to follow other writers and leave intelligent comments on their posts. Use the power of social media to establish relationships. The more visible you are and the more effort you put into networking, the more opportunities will come your way.
Best Advice for Making the Most of Advertising
Again – be patient. It will take time to establish and cultivate relationships with the right partners.
Don’t be afraid to negotiate rates. Remember that you are offering a service as well. You don’t have to settle for less than you think you are worth.
Partner with advertisers who share your values. You should feel good about who you are working with and what is displayed on your website.
Avoid text links. They tend to look spammy and major search engines tend to frown upon them
The best part about using your blog to post advertisements and earn money is that you can sit back and let the ads do all the work. You don’t have to worry about maintenance or adjusting accounts. Once you are registered and the ads are posted, it is up to the readers to start clicking and creating revenue. Your one job is to continue to create great content so that readers keep coming back for more.
Overcoming Hurdles
If you are having trouble getting off the ground or you have hit some obstacles along the way, the good news is that there are plenty of resources to help you overcome common hurdles. Chances are, no matter what type of problem you are running into, someone has faced the same challenge along the way. Bloggers tend to form a tight community and they are more than happy to share their experiences and offer advice.
School is in Session
If you haven’t written anything in years and you want to start blogging, it probably isn’t a bad idea to take a refresher English course at a local community college. This is more to help you brush up on your grammar and syntax than to help you come up with blog topics.Just a few hours a week of guided practice with an instructor will go a long way towards improving the quality of your work. Not only will you be able to create clean and interesting copy faster, the more polished your writing it, the more likely you are to register with readers as a trusted and authoritative source. As with any other field, readers are going to judge your credibility based on the perceived quality of your writing.
Hire Freelancers to Write Content
Whether you simply don’t have the time to create new and engaging content on a regular basis or you don’t feel confident enough in your own writing skills, you might consider enlisting the help of talented freelancers. There’s no reason why the average blogger shouldn’t reach out for a little help. Having a fresh pair of eyes to look over your work, help you brainstorm ideas, create content or make other suggestions can help you stay on schedule and make sure that your blog only contains the highest quality content.
Finding a Market That Wants Your Articles
Once you decide that you’re ready to start writing, take a moment to check out the current edition of “Writer’s Market.” This resource till help you connect with different types of publications that are looking for good writing. If you are still a shy about starting and promoting your own blog, look into guest blogging for existing sites. This is a perfect way to cut your teeth. There’s a lot of competition among blogs but it’s not as hard as you might think and it call all be done from the comfort of home.
Know Your Audience: Online Surveys
If you’re not sure exactly who your target audience is, it is important to take some steps to figure that out. There are many online surveys that can help put you develop specific strategies and approaches for that will allow you to more effectively target your audience and relevant demographics. Using paid online surveys is a common way to get in touch with potential readers. Think of your blog as a product and you want your product to appeal to audiences as best it can. Large companies often employ these same tools and pay tons of money to gather data, but you don’t have to spend a fortune. Identifying the your audience will prove invaluable and allow you to stay competitive and be successful.
Ask Questions
When in doubt, ask. If you’re wondering if you’re reaching your public then you might want to create a forum or threat posts for people to reply and post questions. You’ll always fare better if your audience feels that they’re being listened to. Many people get paid to answer questions but their input is likely to be skewed because there’s money involved. What you want is to get honest and helpful feedback and interacting with your readers is the best compass that will guide you to success.
Start Small
Remember that it can take a year or more to be able to earn an substantial income through your blog. Don’t run out and quit your day job as soon as your blog goes live. Think about how and when you can transition to part time work and set the goals of eventually going out on your own when the time is right.
Fill an Information Gap
There is a ton of competition out there. Set yourself apart by trying to meet a very specific need and stay away from providing more general information that can be found on dozens of other sites.
Stay ahead of the Curve
Blogging is a dynamic field that is constantly changing. If you keep doing the same thing, it won’t’ long before you are left behind. Be aware of trends. Read up on changes to search engine algorithms, social media and other important topics. Make sure that you are constantly adapting and staying relevant in an ever-changing market.
Don’t Be Afraid to Experiment
If you don’t take risks, you won’t see big rewards. This is especially important as you are beginning your blog. Try out different things. See what works and don’t be discouraged when you find something that doesn’t work.
Diversify
As the saying goes, don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Take advantage of different revenue streams. If one dries up, make sure that you are on the lookout for new ideas and creative ways to generate income.
Don’t Forget the Big Picture
It can be all too easy to end up with your nose to the grindstone and forget to step back and take a wider view at what is going on around you. If you aren’t being observant and adapting along the way, you will run into trouble.
Don’t Just Work to Live
There is a big difference between having a hobby, a job and an obsession. In a best case scenario, you can find the intersection between all three so that you can enjoy profits, be productive and continue to keep that spark of passion alive and well.
Create a Routine and Stick to It
The more organized and diligent you are about blogging, the more success you will enjoy. Try writing at the same time every day and posting on a regular schedule to help stay on track.
Stay True to Yourself
Use your unique personality as an asset. Put your voice into your work. It will help you establish an online persona and repackage material in a way that may be more interesting to your readers. This will also help you be memorable and stand out in what might be an already crowded market.
Pay Your Taxes
Don’t forget that any income you make through blogging needs to be claimed on your taxes. Do yourself a favor and keep detailed records so that tax time goes as smoothly as possible.
Be Ready to Work Hard
If you truly want to transform you life and earn a living through blogging, then you are going to have to put in the time and effort. Be prepared to work hard and you will see results.
With the right research and approach, anyone can work from home and launch a successful blog. All you need is sweat equity and you can create a profitable business. Be sure to learn about all the different tools at your disposal and develop a comprehensive strategy that takes advantage of all the available revenue streams. It can be a lot to juggle, but if you start with great content, incorporate advertising and work hard to establish relationships with other bloggers and relevant companies, you will quickly become a trusted source and enjoy real profits that allow you to live the life you have always wanted.
Next Steps
Congrats! You just educated yourself on how to make money blogging. Here are your next action items.
Setup your blog. You’re super diligent so I know you already did this. If not, use our free blog setup guide.
Start writing great content. Focus on creating killer articles that people in your niche are going to love. Quality over quantity is the idea, so take your time and make them great.
Build relationships on social media. Once you’ve written great content, start spreading that content to others on social media.
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