Make Blogging Your Business

Filed in archive business ideas on February 24, 2010

© Annie Mole


Over 133,000,000 blogs have been indexed by Technorati since 2002. So if you keep a personal or educational blog you might wonder what's the point of trying to monetize your work? It certainly can't become its own business!

If you're already blogging, you probably wondered about how to turn your work into cash. Even a "just for fun" project probably has some earning potential. While it takes serious long term dedication to take a personal blog from a side project to a full time income, if you're willing to do the work it can be very rewarding. Here are some tips on taking your blog from hobby to business:

1. Be regular: Start a schedule you can stick to. 3 times a week? Every day? Pick a plan and make it happen.

2. Sharpen Your Skills. Take some time to really hone your writing technique. Learn about sentence structure, how to craft a post and even ways to grab attention with your titles.

3. Know Your Audience. Who reads your blog? Who do you want to write for? (Hint: "everyone" is not an acceptable answer.)

4. Comment. Comment on other people's blogs with meaningful thoughts and a link back to your posts. This is a great way to build a relationship with others and to get more hits.

5. Get Involved in Your Community. Reply to comments on your blog, read and comment on other people's blogs, respond to email. Talk to people you know in person.

6. Find ads that work for you: Sure, you can hope for donations or sell a book but ads really make the money on blogs. It doesn't have to be Google ads either. Do some research!

7. Promote the heck out of yourself. Everywhere you can! Try social media, guest blogging, your email signature and your friends.

8. Feel free to take baby steps. A blog is simple to start monetizing before you quit your job. Start working on things right now so you'll have a good headstart.