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If you’ve landed on my page, it’s probably because you’re trying to work out how to make money blogging, right? Or it could even be that you’re needing someone to actually write for you…but…we’ll save this part for later! Either way…you’ve come to the right place!
I also got a bit nosey when I first saw all these posts online about bloggers earning thousands every month, and just living the best life. So, my guess is that you want a piece of that too…Can’t say I blame you!
So, I’ve put together this article to help you out!
This is what I personally used to turn what I was doing on the side, into a career.
Before I go into detail, let me just tell you that blogging is a lot of hard work and needs consistency…If you thought you could just set up a free blog, and write an article here and there, and it would turn into a money machine…You are VERY WRONG!!!
But anyway, we’ll go into more detail later on, but as I was saying:
In today’s digital world, you can find absolutely anything online, from pregnancy and childbirth forums to videos on how to fix your toilet - the options are endless! Try using a popular search engine like Google, and hundreds of results will appear almost immediately. From How-To videos, providing historical information, or even different varieties of a product or service.
For example, cooking webpages will not only give you recipes but also provide links to relevant cookware, top chef blogs, and even forums where people talk about food around the world. And all of these websites are making money 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! Individuals are making a career from their blogs!
Don’t feel left out while others are profiting from countless readers on the Internet. Ensure that you too are successful by turning your hobby blog into a real career! Many individuals before you have been profitable, so be sure to join the ranks. It can be a lot easier than you may think.
There are many different ways you can earn money blogging, as a part-time and full-time career. Some may be quite profitable, while some may not be the best option; each is dependent on the niche of the market that you are choosing to corner. By doing a little research, you will be able to pinpoint exactly what will be the best route for your hobby blog to start turning a profit for you. It will not happen overnight, and you must be willing and prepared to do the work!
First Off – FOCUS!!!
This is often a tough one for most to carry on with!
I personally have never coped well with having a BOSS! I didn’t like being told when I had to be in the office and when I could go home…how long my lunch break had to be…and my worst was asking permission to go on holiday!
Like really…say whaaaaaat?!?!?!
That in itself just did not go down a treat with me at all…I’m not a kid, I shouldn't have to ask permission to do what I want to do!!!
But, one thing I will say is that with a 9-5 JOB, there is some kind of direction set out for you.
You clock in, and you clock out…no need to worry about work outside of those hours when you’re not getting paid.
And, when you working for someone else, there are fewer distractions!
This, of course, is a “best-case scenario” because we all know they not all that straightforward.
Now, working from home, and for yourself, is a whole different ball game! You’re surrounded by distractions. I know with me, as soon as I sit down to start writing, the washing machine will finish, or I’ll need to pack the dishwasher, I’ll need to drop off or collect the kids, make dinner, and we all know there's always errands to run…the list can go on and on…and somehow it NEVER seems to end!
It’s not easy to shut out the loud noise of our day-to-day life and FOCUS when working from home. But, if this is really what you want to do and make a decent living from it, then you have to be strong and do just that!
So, my suggestion here would be to treat your “Work from Home” situation like a 9-5 JOB and just FOCUS!
I know I’m super guilty of scrolling through Social Media, which totally sidetracks me, and I end up losing momentum completely. I have wasted so much time mindlessly scrolling through various platforms without achieving a single thing when I should have been putting all my time and effort into building my business!
It's super important to focus on your blog strategy and to create great content. And never stop learning new ways of building your business. Yes, Social Media will be needed to help you grow, but you don’t need to use it the right way…
Know Your Audience
I know a lot of us struggle with this one…I did for ages! So much so that I didn’t think I even had anything anyone would bother looking at. I had no idea how to narrow down my search to find my audience.
The confusion is real, lol.
And yes, while we are free to write about anything and everything on our own blogs, you must remember that when wanting to turn a hobby blog into a real business, you going to need to attract the right audience and the right customers.
Just think about it this way…Let’s say for instance your business is selling surfboard fins…what kind of customers do you think you’re going to try and reach? More than likely it’ll be men, women, and children who are into surfing. If you chuck a set of fins at a crowd of 5,000 women attending a hairstyling expo, do you think any of those women will want to spend money and take a set home?
I think NOT…
But, if you chuck that same set of fins at a crowd of 5,000 men, women and children who are keen surfers...I’ll bet you anything that the majority of them would be interested…
So, the moral of the story here is that if you’re putting out specific content to a particular audience, you’ll find success rather fast.
You want to be seen as the go-to person in the field/niche you’re writing about. That’s how your audience grows…and so will your bank account!
When you’re helping your audience with all their wants and needs, your words will have more meaning…they’ll have more weight! Therefore, everything that you share, recommend, and sell are more likely to be purchased and of course, used by your target market.
You Have To Build Your Blog The Right Way!
Turning your hobby blog into a real career is kinda like building a house - if you don’t have the right foundation…it’s gonna eventually crumble!!!
Your website has to be optimized right – for your readers.
Your site should be user-friendly and easy to navigate.
Your pages shouldn’t take ages to load.
Your content should be easy to read and laid out nicely so that it’s easy on the eye.
Potential new followers should be able to join your list, leave a comment, or contact you with not much effort.
When you start your blog, I would suggest you go with a self-hosted site, rather than a free blog.
Reason being - With a free blog:
You don’t have much room to move.
You are very limited to what you can actually do with your site, and you’ll have the host’s ads all over your pages.
Plus your blog won’t grow nearly as fast.
You can’t take it with you if you want to move it to another platform because the host owns it…You don’t!
Whereas, if you choose self-hosted websites:
You will be able to customise your site to how you want it.
You can monetize it.
You can grow your blog easier and faster.
There’ll be no unwanted ads on your pages.
And if you want to move to another platform, you can because you own it!
Here’s a list of various Hosting companies to choose from:
When you choose to use my referral link, you can get your hosting for as little as $1.40/month.
Now To Focus On Your Strategy & Create That Awesome Content!
As I mentioned earlier, you’ll need to focus on your blog strategy and creating awesome content…
Every business needs a plan. Ask yourself the following –
How do you plan on financing your business?
Who is your ideal reader/client/customer?
So what is your ideal market?
Who are you helping?
How are you going to help them?
Are you going to focus on revenue streams, if so, what?
Are you going to build an email list?
Are you going to take advantage of affiliate marketing?
Are you going to create your content yourself, or are you going to outsource?
Where would you like to see yourself and your business 1 year from now, and 5 years from now?
These are just some questions you need to be asking yourself…but you’ll need to always remember that you’re running a business and you have to be consistent.
Here Are Some Ideas You Can Use To Help Increase Your Income From Your Blog
Using 3rd Party Banners To Your Advantage
When your hobby involves something you make, or that someone can try themselves at home, like cooking or knitting, soliciting advertisers to place banners on your blog that are relevant to obtaining supplies can be a game-changer. Creating a hobby blog post about crocheting a blanket could bring in hundreds or thousands of visitors depending on how charismatic and engaging it is. BUT it will not turn a profit unless your readers have somewhere to click and buy products from a supplier that can provide the exact items you have used in your blog post. By giving your audience a place to easily click and purchase the exact tools needed to replicate what you have done, they are more often apt to point and click to make that impulse buy, giving you a new income stream.
Brand Yourself And Your Blog For Profit
If your hobby blog falls in a niche where you have your own personality or brand, you could try selling personalized items such as hats, shirts, or even mugs! If you have a large following of individuals that feel connected to you personally, you can profit from that quite easily. Not only will you increase your bank account, but you will benefit immensely by the free advertising of these individuals who wear your branded clothing and use your branded cups. Others will see your brand and talk to those who wear it, therefore generating more website traffic and the possibility of generating more revenue for you and building your career while you sleep!
Sell Advertising Space For Additional Income
One simple way to make money with your blog is by selling advertising space. You could tailor advertising to mimic what your online readers could be interested in as well, aligning with the niche of your hobby blog. For example, if you enjoy writing about fishing and have a loyal following of fishermen around the world that read your blogs, you may want to entertain the idea of selling advertising space for hunting and camping supply companies. Many individuals who enjoy fishing also enjoy many other outdoor activities. This could turn a profit for your blog if they click on these advertising banners and make purchases this way. Be sure to do some research on your audience and try to customise your advertising to get the best results possible.
Utilize Paid Subscriptions And Membership Benefits To Increase Revenue
Depending on the type of blog you have, you could make a great deal of income from providing private subscriptions or memberships to your loyal audience. Many online fitness bloggers today will have links included for those who are looking for help to maintain a good healthy diet or change to a new exercise program. If you are willing to spend the time and provide personalized services in your niche to build a solid career, you could reap the benefits very easily. Many blogs have exclusive Members Only Pages that include customized plans, or additional tips that aren’t available to individuals surfing online for free. While some content is free on your blog, making premium content only for Members, you can quickly see how this can add up in your bank account!
These are just a few great ideas to help set up your own hobby blog, with many more that I could sit here writing about because the list does go on and on. But just remember that nothing will come to you without hard work and dedication, so be sure you are willing to put forth the effort, and you will not be disappointed with the results!
The most critical pieces to the puzzle are “CONSISTENCY & STRATEGY”. If you’re trying to make a decent living from your blog, then there is a right and a wrong way of going about it all. But please don’t let that stop you…because you need to be prepared for the time and effort that you are going to have to put in, to see results and profit. And trust me when I say, the time and effort that all of this takes will also test your patience! But if you push through and keep at it, it'll be worth your while and you'll be pleased with the results!
Hopefully, you’ve taken away something awesome from this article…
If not, please just remember that the only thing that is going to make your readers love you and motivate them to keep coming back is that kick-ass, excellent, helpful content that you create!
Final Say…
I just want to say that it all might seem quite overwhelming, but just know that blogging is fun! It’s an awesome way of having your say, helping others, making money, and of course being your own boss. The flexibility is insane and if you push through…you won’t regret it!
But just remember that you have to do everything daily. Trust me when I say that because I lost momentum and I had to start all over…It was not fun!!!
If you need help creating your content for your website, or writing your articles, get in touch with me right here.
And if you found this article helpful, please share it and then Pin it for later!
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I have more time for blogging now, more than ever. Great things to keep in mind!