How to Make Money from Blogs

Webopedia defines a blog as “a Web page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author.”

Blogs have become a popular tool for both businesses and individuals to share their voice, thoughts and musings to the world. Some blogs are created to give a more “humane” face to a business, allow interaction with customers, even as a tool to generate traffic. Others write blogs to share their passions and attract like-minded individuals.

Whatever the reason for creating a blog, the next question is: What can you do to make money from your blog?

Here are steps to starting a blog and earning money from your writings:

1. Set up your blog. You can have the option of using their URL (e.g. http://widgetsblog.blogger.com) or use the blog software in your own domain name (http://www.widgetsblog.com). Some of these are free, while some has monthly/annual subscription

Here are some places that will allow you to create your own blog

• Blogger http://www.blogger.com
• Typepad http://www.typepad.com/
• Moveable Type http://www.sixapart.com/movabletype/
• Wordpress http://www.wordpress.org/

However, if you are thinking of using your blog to earn money, you need to check first with the blog platform whether they allow ads to be put on the blogs. Some blog platforms have strict policies and will delete your blog if you put ads on them. Blogger.com, being owned by Google which also runs the contextual advertising program Adsense, is one of the ads-friendly blog platforms around.

2. Create great content. Everything starts with content. With great content, you can attract more traffic and more engaged visitors, which gives you higher likelihood of monetizing your blog.

Why will they want to read your blog? Why will they want to spend their time in your blog? Provide value, useful information and other benefits to the readers. Your blog can contain up-to-the-minute news and analysis; or it could be a witty and amusing look at pop culture. Give a reason why visitors will frequent your blog.

3. Get traffic to your blog.
You can't earn from your blog if the blog does not have traffic. Many make the mistake of believing that once they create a blog, people will immediately flock to it. There are millions out there so why would they visit your blog?

Getting traffic is going to be your biggest challenge. Here is a comprehensive list of places where you can list your blogs and syndicate its content - Resources for Marketing Your Blogs and RSS Feeds

One useful technique for getting traffic to your blog is to use carnivals. Carnivals are a technique for showcasing your blog. Carnivals occur once a week to once a month, and you need to submit your blog post to the carnival moderator. Find blog carnivals that fit your topic at BlogCarnival.com http://blogcarnival.com/bc/

4. Think of how to monetize your blog. One of the most common ways of earning money from blogs is through advertising and donations. Here are some ways you can earn money from your blog:

Contextual advertising programs

• Google Adsense  = Adsense is one of the easiest to join and best way to make money from blogs, and Google’s ownership of Blogger.com makes it easy to start earning from blogs
• Yahoo Publisher Network  = in addition to their contextual advertising program, also offers RSS advertising
• Chitika eMinimalls   = contextual advertising that pays per click and focuses on product-based advertisers

Blog-specific ad networks

• Federated Media Publishing   = ad network that represents high traffic and most influential blogs offering mostly through CPM and flat rate advertising
• AdGridwork   = an advertising network offering text ads; as well as a traffic exchange network

RSS Advertising

• Feedburner   = text link ads in RSS feeds are offered by CPM basis
• Moreover’s Feed Direct   = advertising program which inserts contextual ads in the RSS feeds (in partnership with Kanoodle)
• Pheedo  = RSS ads are both CPM and CPC basis, and appear at the end of each post
• BidVertiser Ads For Feed   = the contextual ad agency now offers an advertising program for RSS feeds
• Feedvertising  = run text link ads in RSS feeds via flat rate pricing (not CPM or CPC)

Other sources of income

• Text link ads - you can sell for fixed price for a fixed period of time
• Donations (yes, you can beg)
• Affiliate programs such as Commission Junction http://www.cj.com  and the Amazon Associates program

 See more: www.powerhomebiz.com