Blogging 101: Where to start, how to monetize and watch for scams
If you recently or have been thinking about starting a blog online, you are not alone. To be completely honest, I started my blog to reach out to people and help them with resources in finding their goals, achieving their dreams and getting out of debt because I barely had any help and had to find my way. Life is hard when you are young with a family and still trying to grow up, and I want to show people that your life does not have to be a product of your mistakes. Turn your unaccomplishments into success. Other than that I needed another way to make money. Youtubers make so much money through affiliate marketing and building their brands because they can grow their customer base by using their followers. I wanted to do that, but I'm a little camera shy. So I figured why don't I start with a blog? The old-fashioned vlog. Then I researched how to monetize my blog and found out there is more to it then just typing for fun. It can get pretty complicated and pricey if you are not vigilant. So I am going to share my experiences and tips.
1. Come up with a niche.
Your going to see this on every "how to blog" post, because in order to blog you need something to blog about! From what I researched through various blogs, the top money making niches are:
- How to make money blogging (go figure)
- How to finance and save money
- Lifestyle blogs
-Travel blogs
1. Come up with a niche.
Your going to see this on every "how to blog" post, because in order to blog you need something to blog about! From what I researched through various blogs, the top money making niches are:
- How to make money blogging (go figure)
- How to finance and save money
- Lifestyle blogs
-Travel blogs
-DIY (Do-it-yourself) blogs
The broadest niche is pretty much a lifestyle blog where you talk about your life, your family and your interests. Or you can be more specific and talk about crafting, boating, or fashion. It's really up to you and what you want to express to your audiences. If you cant decide, jot down ideas or even combine them.
2. Pick domain name.
What is your website going to be called? And if your buying your own domain, where are you going to host your website? If you don't have a clue of what I just said, let me break it down for you. You can write your blog for free on website builders such as Wix, Blogger, Wordpress, Weebly, Squarespace and GoDaddy. With Wordpress though, there are two options: Wordpress.com and Wordpress.org. Wordpress.com is where you can sign up for a free website, but wordpress.org is a hosting webpage. A hosting webpage is pretty much where your website will be. Like renting an office space. Oh you thought the internet was free? If you want your own domain which is a website without the ".blogspot, .wordpress"you have to pay to host it online and you have to pay to register your domain. This is where it gets tricky. For example, the blog your reading right now is "mylifeisbogus.blogspot.com". If I bought my domain it would be "mylifeisbogus.com" and I can host it on a website hosting page for however much they charge per month. Some examples of web hosting pages are Bluehost, Siteground, Wordpress.org, GoDaddy, Hostinger and many more. From what I have heard and seen, Siteground is relatively the cheapest. I wanted to check to see how much it would be to register my domain and host it on Siteground and the total came out to $65/mo. Whereas bluehost was $250/mo including all the plug ins you need (domain privacy, email list and bunch of other HTML codes to make your site "better"). I think for the basic package its $59 but you will need those additional plug ins to make your website and blog more successful. Or just stick to free blogging until you reach a bigger audience size and invest in purchasing a domain. I am currently using Blogger.com to create my blog, but I will soon switch to wordpress.org. I got a great deal on MailChimp (a email marketing company), where I got to have my own domain for free for 5 years. However, trying to work their website builder has been a pain in the butt. Baby steps though, baby steps. Once I go official, I think I will name my website theuntraditionalnurse.com or thenontraditionalnurse.com. Which one do you like better? Leave your answer in the comments below!
3. Watch for ads.
Now I am going to tell you have to avoid getting scammed. Now that you have researched "how to make money online" or "how to make money blogging" your going to see ads relating to your search on social media. You might click on one that catches your eye and next thing you know, you put your email address for more information and your getting a "step-by-step how to make money blogging, click here!" from so and so who is making 100k a month blogging. Here is where the deception is. They are not making that 100k from blogging alone. They are making it from your purchase to their affiliate web hosting page. They make commissions off of advertising their web hosting page by telling you this is where you need to start making money for your blog, but first you need to click "MY LINK". And boy there are so many people that are making millions a minute off of commissions by false advertising. I guess its not really false, but more like indirect. Sure your going to make money through affiliate marketing by posting ads on your blog like Amazon Affiliates or Adsense; but your not going to make nearly as much as they are. Unless you become a web hosting affiliate yourself. It also takes time because you need to reach A LOT of people to make the big bucks. On the flip side, it wouldn't hurt to purchase through their affiliate link because they also probably have support groups on Facebook and mentors to help you with your process while expanding your readers and giving you feedback.
I can tell you I clicked on a lot of ads I came across on Facebook and Instagram, joined their mailing lists and their Facebook groups but did not have the money to invest in their, what essentially looked like, a “get rich quick scheme”. Blogging is definitely not a “get rich quick scheme”. It will take months to YEARS as you build your followers and readers. Stay consistent! Right now, I follow various Facebook groups, read other people’s posts, look at their blogs and ask questions. Pinterest is also a great resource for growing your blog and I am soon to learn how to work it. Some of the biggest blogger influencers I follow are "momsmakecents" and "itsalovelylife".
4. Create a logo.
This isn't really necessary if your blogging for free without purchasing your domain. But your blog is essentially your brand and depending on your niche it could relate to what your writing about in your blog. We're getting into graphic design and computer science now. Fiverr is a great freelancing website where you can pay people to make logos and a whole bunch of other stuff, including website building if you don't want to deal with all that tech savy business. Canva is another great resource to create your own logos as well as Picmonkey, GIMP, and even Microsoft word. Make it pretty and easy to read, remember its a representation of you!
5. Post on your blog.
This is where you create your content. Make sure you proof-read! You could also have someone else look at your writing and get feedback. Or even hire a freelance writer. Or become a freelance writer yourself! Advertise yourself of Fiverr, or even on your own blog in a "About me" page if your into writing as a career. If your using Google Adsense, you can choose where to put the ads. You can also post the HTML codes on your website (I am not that tech savvy yet but I will be just give me a minute) where you can post the link of the product on your website with the picture of it so they can easily click on it and make a purchase (and you get commission!). This is great for recommendations or product reviews. These are the different "plug ins" (apps) you can purchase for additional fees and costs. Constant contact is an add on that continuously emails your subscribers to keep them updated (don't you hate those?). There are also add ons that display your social media profiles so they can just click on them. Pretty much all the accessories you see on a website is what you want on yours to be more legit and bring in more readers. You can even pay to "boost" your page on Facebook so it shows up on peoples timeline as an ad (yup that's how they do it). Got to spend money to make money!
6. Market and grow your readers.
Social media!! You know how the famous youtubers and social media influencers post that they have new post? Now its your turn. When you reach a lot of subscribers, brands and other bloggers may want to sponsor you! Or pay you to feature on their blog. When you start getting those 100,000 viewers daily and a couple hundred or thousand subscribers that's when the real money will be reeling in. Make sure to post interesting content that keeps your readers engaged and post 1-2 times a week if not more. It can quickly turn into a full-time job the more people get involved and follow you on social media. Make sure to watermark your pictures and follow Copyright and Creative Common laws. Like they taught us in school, always site your sources and give credit where credit is due. You can even start expanding to YouTube to receive more money now that you have a fan base. And even start your own business selling your own products of your choice! Entrepreneurship can be very rewarding and is ultimately my goal.
Hope this helped!
The broadest niche is pretty much a lifestyle blog where you talk about your life, your family and your interests. Or you can be more specific and talk about crafting, boating, or fashion. It's really up to you and what you want to express to your audiences. If you cant decide, jot down ideas or even combine them.
2. Pick domain name.
What is your website going to be called? And if your buying your own domain, where are you going to host your website? If you don't have a clue of what I just said, let me break it down for you. You can write your blog for free on website builders such as Wix, Blogger, Wordpress, Weebly, Squarespace and GoDaddy. With Wordpress though, there are two options: Wordpress.com and Wordpress.org. Wordpress.com is where you can sign up for a free website, but wordpress.org is a hosting webpage. A hosting webpage is pretty much where your website will be. Like renting an office space. Oh you thought the internet was free? If you want your own domain which is a website without the ".blogspot, .wordpress"you have to pay to host it online and you have to pay to register your domain. This is where it gets tricky. For example, the blog your reading right now is "mylifeisbogus.blogspot.com". If I bought my domain it would be "mylifeisbogus.com" and I can host it on a website hosting page for however much they charge per month. Some examples of web hosting pages are Bluehost, Siteground, Wordpress.org, GoDaddy, Hostinger and many more. From what I have heard and seen, Siteground is relatively the cheapest. I wanted to check to see how much it would be to register my domain and host it on Siteground and the total came out to $65/mo. Whereas bluehost was $250/mo including all the plug ins you need (domain privacy, email list and bunch of other HTML codes to make your site "better"). I think for the basic package its $59 but you will need those additional plug ins to make your website and blog more successful. Or just stick to free blogging until you reach a bigger audience size and invest in purchasing a domain. I am currently using Blogger.com to create my blog, but I will soon switch to wordpress.org. I got a great deal on MailChimp (a email marketing company), where I got to have my own domain for free for 5 years. However, trying to work their website builder has been a pain in the butt. Baby steps though, baby steps. Once I go official, I think I will name my website theuntraditionalnurse.com or thenontraditionalnurse.com. Which one do you like better? Leave your answer in the comments below!
3. Watch for ads.
Now I am going to tell you have to avoid getting scammed. Now that you have researched "how to make money online" or "how to make money blogging" your going to see ads relating to your search on social media. You might click on one that catches your eye and next thing you know, you put your email address for more information and your getting a "step-by-step how to make money blogging, click here!" from so and so who is making 100k a month blogging. Here is where the deception is. They are not making that 100k from blogging alone. They are making it from your purchase to their affiliate web hosting page. They make commissions off of advertising their web hosting page by telling you this is where you need to start making money for your blog, but first you need to click "MY LINK". And boy there are so many people that are making millions a minute off of commissions by false advertising. I guess its not really false, but more like indirect. Sure your going to make money through affiliate marketing by posting ads on your blog like Amazon Affiliates or Adsense; but your not going to make nearly as much as they are. Unless you become a web hosting affiliate yourself. It also takes time because you need to reach A LOT of people to make the big bucks. On the flip side, it wouldn't hurt to purchase through their affiliate link because they also probably have support groups on Facebook and mentors to help you with your process while expanding your readers and giving you feedback.
I can tell you I clicked on a lot of ads I came across on Facebook and Instagram, joined their mailing lists and their Facebook groups but did not have the money to invest in their, what essentially looked like, a “get rich quick scheme”. Blogging is definitely not a “get rich quick scheme”. It will take months to YEARS as you build your followers and readers. Stay consistent! Right now, I follow various Facebook groups, read other people’s posts, look at their blogs and ask questions. Pinterest is also a great resource for growing your blog and I am soon to learn how to work it. Some of the biggest blogger influencers I follow are "momsmakecents" and "itsalovelylife".
4. Create a logo.
This isn't really necessary if your blogging for free without purchasing your domain. But your blog is essentially your brand and depending on your niche it could relate to what your writing about in your blog. We're getting into graphic design and computer science now. Fiverr is a great freelancing website where you can pay people to make logos and a whole bunch of other stuff, including website building if you don't want to deal with all that tech savy business. Canva is another great resource to create your own logos as well as Picmonkey, GIMP, and even Microsoft word. Make it pretty and easy to read, remember its a representation of you!
5. Post on your blog.
This is where you create your content. Make sure you proof-read! You could also have someone else look at your writing and get feedback. Or even hire a freelance writer. Or become a freelance writer yourself! Advertise yourself of Fiverr, or even on your own blog in a "About me" page if your into writing as a career. If your using Google Adsense, you can choose where to put the ads. You can also post the HTML codes on your website (I am not that tech savvy yet but I will be just give me a minute) where you can post the link of the product on your website with the picture of it so they can easily click on it and make a purchase (and you get commission!). This is great for recommendations or product reviews. These are the different "plug ins" (apps) you can purchase for additional fees and costs. Constant contact is an add on that continuously emails your subscribers to keep them updated (don't you hate those?). There are also add ons that display your social media profiles so they can just click on them. Pretty much all the accessories you see on a website is what you want on yours to be more legit and bring in more readers. You can even pay to "boost" your page on Facebook so it shows up on peoples timeline as an ad (yup that's how they do it). Got to spend money to make money!
6. Market and grow your readers.
Social media!! You know how the famous youtubers and social media influencers post that they have new post? Now its your turn. When you reach a lot of subscribers, brands and other bloggers may want to sponsor you! Or pay you to feature on their blog. When you start getting those 100,000 viewers daily and a couple hundred or thousand subscribers that's when the real money will be reeling in. Make sure to post interesting content that keeps your readers engaged and post 1-2 times a week if not more. It can quickly turn into a full-time job the more people get involved and follow you on social media. Make sure to watermark your pictures and follow Copyright and Creative Common laws. Like they taught us in school, always site your sources and give credit where credit is due. You can even start expanding to YouTube to receive more money now that you have a fan base. And even start your own business selling your own products of your choice! Entrepreneurship can be very rewarding and is ultimately my goal.
Hope this helped!
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