For people like me who love to write, earning money could be a hassle. We are creative with words, no doubt, but writing business has lost the charm it held about two decades ago. Nevertheless, you can still make a few bucks if you put in a little bit of effort. Having your own blog gives you the freedom to write about anything, and have creative control over your website.
With hard work and dedication, you can touch the hearts of millions of people. If you Google search “on how to make money through blogging”, you are most likely to receive similar answers: write about what you love, express your passion, create quality content to attract an audience, and eventually monetize the audience with ads and affiliate marketing.
However, building a business around your blog demands monetization strategy from day one. It is not a goal, nor is it the afterthought.
How Much Can You Earn from Your Blog?
Before going further, let me address the elephant in the room. The money you earn depends on several factors:
- Niche
- Audience Demographics
- Monetization Methods
- Traffic
- Whether your Blog is Full time or Part time
However, the answer is still not written in stone. If you are really good at your blog, and select the right niche, you can earn anywhere from zero USD to a 1,000,000 USD.
Figure out Your Niche
The first thing you need to figure out is decide what your blog is going to be about. You can write about almost anything, and are likely to find an audience for it, where it is about veganism, random stories, or marketing. Figure it Out!
However, you do need to keep two things in mind while selecting and deciding on your niche:
- Picking out something you would enjoy.
- Assessing the audience for the prospective niche.
Pick Something You Would Enjoy
I suggest you write about something that you enjoy. Sounds like a cliché. But think long term. If you are not going to enjoy long term writing on a specific topic, how will you grow your blog?
Assess the Audience of the Prospective Niche
Selecting your niche is just the beginning. You also need to find out whether it has a readership or not. Writing about subjects that people won’t enjoy will reap zero benefits.
Naming Your Blog
Once you have decided on your niche, you have to select a name for your blog. It should be catchy, but not complex. Do you know Peter Gene Hernandez? Or does Calvin Broadus Jr. ring a bell?
How about Bruno Mars, and Snoop Dogg? Peter Gene Hernandez and Calvin Broads Jr. are Bruno Mars’ and Snoop Dogg’s real names respectively
These singers went with stage names because it suits their genre, and stage personality. Keep in mind the following questions when deciding on a name:
- Does it reflect what your blog is going to be about?
- Would your target audience like it?
- Is the name easy to say and spell?
- Is it short and concise?
Focus on Building Organic Traffic
Building an organic traffic is important for your blog. It is the bedrock for successful monetization. Your monetization strategies will work if you do not build an audience for your blog. Focus on
- Search Engine Optimization
- Building Backlinks
- Email Marketing
Search Engine Optimization
You need to create content SEO optimized content. It can provide value to your audience if you engage them in your blog. It is a crucial step for earning money through blogging. Optimize your website to rank higher in search engines for certain keywords, and phrases.
If you have read my previous blogs, you would know how much I emphasize on the need for having an SEO strategy.
Build Backlinks
Another thing you can do is build backlinks by posting or running guest posting outreach campaigns.
Email Marketing
You need to build relationship with your audience. The best way is to do through email. (please insert the hyperlink to email marketing blog I wrote earlier)
Start building your email list from the day you launch your blog site.
Social Media Marketing
Another platform you can use to build a following is through social media. With almost four billion active users, you can attract a huge audience through social media to your blog.
Selecting your Blog Monetization Methods
Now that you have covered the basics, it is time for you to select the monetization methods. I used the plural form of method. It means you can opt for more than a single monetization method. These could include
- Affiliate marketing
- Creating and selling your own products
- Displaying advertisements
- Sponsoring posts
- Selling your Services
Affiliate Marketing
You can use your platform to sell products and services. These could include almost everything made by others. However, the wise thing to do would be marketing apropos or relevant products.
Creating and Selling your Own Products
Technology has advanced dramatically. Now almost everyone can create digital and physical goods to sell your products. You can also create merchandise such as mugs, T-shirts etc. to your audience.
Displaying Advertisements
Ads are a sure way of monetizing your blog, especially if you have a large audience. However, the revenue depends on the traffic on your blog.
Sponsoring Posts
You can sponsor posts of other bloggers, and businesses by mentioning them in your article for a certain fee.
Selling Your Services
You can use your blog to sell various services such as interior design, writing, photography and even virtual assistant, etc.
Conclusion
Writing is an art. Not everyone knows how to do it. It is a natural talent, and only a few have the knack for it. If you are blessed with this talent, I suggest you get started on creating your own blog to make a few extra dollars.
Blogging is fun, and can be a great way of starting a business. Who knows, you can become the market expert in the niche you have chosen and eventually become the world’s top blogger and influence.
Just be genuine, committed, and honest with your blog. Do not rush things, take it step by step, and you will definitely find the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.
