Blogging has taken off in a big way in recent years, with many now being able to earn real money from their sites in a fun, flexible way. Some utilise their site as side income while working full time or pursuing other forms of income such as freelancing- whereas others have been lucky enough (and worked hard enough) to be able to call this their full time job. As with anything, blogging takes hard work, and it can take years to reach a stage where you’re earning a decent amount from your site. However, since it’s fun, start it as a hobby and know that later down the line it’s something that you could make cash from. Here’s how to get started.
Which platform?
Two of the most popular sites to blog from are Blogger and WordPress, but there are others so do your research and think about what sites offer which services and which will be a best fit for you. For example, Blogger is a little more user friendly and easy to get started on if you’re not a tech genius, but WordPress has more options which could suit you better long term.
What’s your brand?
It doesnt matter what it is you blog about, it’s important to build your own brand. This is what sets you apart from other bloggers and can help you to receive more paid work later on. You don’t have to box yourself into a single niche, but having an idea of what kind of site you are, who your audience are and what you want to speak about can help you to find your own way in the blogging world. Are you an expert in your field giving advice about a subject? Even if you’re a general lifestyle blogger you can have a focus- such as being focused on luxury or focused on budget buys and experiences.
Where to work from?
If you’re just going to be blogging as a hobby to begin with then you can sit anywhere really- your bed, sofa, dining table, the garden. However, if you’ve reached the stage where you’re doing paid work and want to start taking things more seriously then it’s worth setting a desk up. If you have a spare room to turn into a home office then that’s great. Otherwise, put a desk somewhere in the home where you can sit and get things done when you need to.
How to make money?
Companies like working with bloggers to promote their stuff, because they know how influential they can be. However, sponsored opportunities are limited and advertisers can pick and choose the best bloggers to work with. Increase your chances by making your site look beautiful, have clear contact information and build backlinks to improve your domain authority. As well as waiting for advertisers to contact you, you could sign up to sponsored post websites, as well as affiliate marketing schemes or a PPC agency. These pay you a small amount of money each time someone clicks on your ads or links.