If you’re looking for a relatively easy way to make money from home, you’ve probably considered exploring the lucrative world of blogging. Launching a blog can be a profitable venture, but carving out a successful niche in today’s crowded marketplace can be difficult. In this article, we’ll examine how to make money from a writing blog—including what platforms to utilize and the tactics for generating revenue.
The Basics Of Blogging
To successfully monetize a writing blog, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with a number of basic concepts. Familiarity with the following will serve as a springboard to further explore the world of blogging and monetization:
- Blogging Platforms
- Content Management Systems (CMS)
- Monetization
- Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
- Domain Names
- Traffic
- Cost-Effective
- Viral Marketing
- Backlinks
- Content Calendars
- And More…
The Basics Of Blogging Platforms
If you’re fortunate enough to have a decent amount of disposable income, investing in high-quality WordPress hosting is a sound financial move. And let’s be honest, the software is quite easy to use, even for those seeking to establish their first blog. Once you’ve launched your WordPress blog, take a few moments to familiarize yourself with the platform’s user-friendly features.
WordPress powers over a billion websites, making it the world’s most popular blogging tool. And with good reason—the software is extremely versatile and provides advanced features for even the most seasoned bloggers. Not only that, but WordPress is currently the #1 affiliate program, #2 search engine, and #4 social media network platform, earning you significant revenue potential if you implement the right monetization tactics.
Content Management Systems (CMS)
A content management system (CMS) is software that allows you to easily build and manage your blog’s content from one central location. With a content management system, your entire blog can be monitored from a single dashboard, ensuring consistent content and a streamlined publishing process. To learn more, consult our in-depth guide to choosing a CMS.
Monetization
Blogs have vast revenue potential, as they provide a steady stream of largely uncontested content that is both relevant and popular among readers. In 2017 alone, Forbes estimated that blogs brought in $16.9 billion in revenue, up from $15.4 billion in 2016 and $13.2 billion in 2015. So if you’re looking to explore the lucrative world of blogging, you’re in the right place.
The most effective way to monetize a blog is through affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is a type of performance marketing in which you’ll earn a commission if a visitor clicks a monetized link or buys a product that’s promoted on your blog. The most popular affiliate networks include Bluehost, and Amazon Associates.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO)
SEO—short for search engine optimization—is the process of making your website and content discoverable by search engines (e.g., Google, Bing, and etc.). If your site has a robust offering of high-quality content, with unique and engaging articles, you’ll enjoy great success with SEO. Creating an attractive and informative website is only the beginning of a successful SEO strategy.
Backlinks are a vital part of any SEO strategy. Backlinks are inbound links or mentions to your site from other websites. When your site gains a good amount of backlinks, search engines recognize that you have something valuable to offer and may even elevate your site to the top of search engine results.
To get started on the right foot, create a strategy for building backlinks to your site. There are three main ways to obtain backlinks:
- Create content that’s attractive to, and helpful for, webmasters. This could include helpful how-to articles, infographics, or videos.
- Engage with other bloggers in a genuine way, sharing valuable content and engaging in a conversation about related topics.
- Incorporate keywords into your blog posts and make sure to include relevant anchor text (e.g., ‘click here’ or ‘visit this link’ in a review).
Domain Names
A domain name is a digital address that is easier to remember (e.g., joe.blog instead of the lengthy hostname www.joe-blog.com). You’ll need to register your domain name with a hosting company, as the name you choose will appear digitally next to your website’s content.
Traffic
Web traffic is the quantity of visitors to your site. To generate web traffic, you’ll need to pursue a strategy that combines SEO with social media. Social media is the presence of social networks such as Twitter and Facebook on the web. To attract potential readers to your site, engage with others in a social media forum (e.g., Twitter handle @joeblog). You can also consider using social media to promote and grow your email list, as many websites and services can help you automate the process of acquiring new subscribers.
Cost-Effective
The cost-effective strategy for monetizing a blog is focused on generating as much revenue as possible while keeping your expenses low. For example, you might decide to self-host your blog on a robust content management system such as WordPress, rather than paying for hosting on a regular basis. Other options include selling and displaying ads on your site or using a free, tier-based blogging platform such as Blogger or HubSpot.
Viral Marketing
Viral marketing, or the use of social media to promote a brand or product, is one of the most lucrative forms of Internet marketing. As the name suggests, viral marketing spreads your content virally, or through word of mouth, via social media networks. The key to effective viral marketing is to create content that is both engaging and shareable.
To learn more, check out our in-depth guide to viral marketing.
Backlinks
Backlinks are important for any website—they help bring in traffic and, when used efficiently, can raise your search ranking within a search engine. To learn more, check out our in-depth guide to earning backlinks.
Content Calendars
A content calendar is a simple yet effective tool for managing your blog’s content. By regularly planning and publishing content, you’ll ensure that you stay fresh and keep your audience interested. Before you begin your blog, take the time to set an initial content calendar, and then utilize the software’s scheduling tool to ensure that each piece of content is released at the right time.
And More…
Above all else, a successful monetization strategy for a blog will include several other tactics, such as: