Make Money with a Blog
This blog is getting regular visitors – although nothing like some of the sites that I visit. And there has even been an offer to run some ads on the site – although the offer was almost insulting.
It makes me wonder if it’s possible to have a website that makes money that doesn’t focus on gossip or shock. If it is I have not yet figured out the magic bullet. I have found a few tips though.
1. Build your visitors before you monetize. This is something I work on every month by experimenting with different set ups (from one or more article every day to just one a week). I keep up with my stats and what I’m doing to see if there is one thing that makes a huge difference.
2. Focus your website. There are so many ideas running around my head that I haven’t been able to hone in on one subject for this site. I’m leaning towards the writing side, but I will probably have to either start a new site for the family focused articles to give myself a release of all that pressure.
3. Be passionate. There are days when it is my sheer will that pushes me to write. This venture is much more time consuming and painstaking than I though it would be. If you aren’t writing about something you love then it will show – either by your lack of understanding of the subject or by your lack of desire to write.
4. Be patient. Creating a blog is like writing a novel – very few people get their final draft the first time through. After two years of working on my website I’m still working on my website. Be prepared to change your format, to redesign your site and to funnel your material to the articles and keywords that are getting the most attention.
5. Know the odds. My website has made me exactly NO money since I first set it up. Because I’m a writer, I do use my domain fees and hosting fees as a tax write off so technically it hasn’t cost me anything either. The truth is that few blogs on the market today are actual money makers. If you are in it for the cash only then you might want to find a different avenue for seeking your fortune.
While it is possible to make money from a blog (or to win the lottery or write a best selling novel) it is not something that happens to everyone. It will largely depend on your audience, your material and your site. The more time you take on developing these three aspects then the more likely you are to begin earning some money from your site.