Making money from blogging – a 3-step how-to guide

Creating your own presence on a blog or online magazine is fun and rewarding. This is especially true for creative individuals who are tired of wearing three-piece suits and attending boardroom meetings. The internet has afforded us the freedom to turn into digital nomads and earn an income from any part of the world. Many creative heads are starting their own blogs and making money from them. However, as more and more of the global population saturates the internet, earning income online becomes more difficult with time.

Image: Shutterstock

Here's a three-step guide on how you can start a blog and make money online:

Choose your niche

Ask yourself what you're good at, and more importantly, what it is that you love doing? Are you a connoisseur of fashion, or do you love experimenting with technology? Blogging is a passion, and therefore you should start a blog about something you're passionate about. The niche you select will be your content angle going forward.

However, also remember that mass appeal to a large audience should be the goal of every blogger. You might be tempted to start a blog about crocheting or playing a specific musical instrument. However, refrain from doing so in the beginning as these topics hold a very limited appeal. While it is true that the marketplace is saturated with popular content, starting with a smaller audience won't help you either.

Create your blog

The next step is to find an excellent home for your blog. There are loads of great hosting companies on the internet. Select your hosting provider wisely, as they will essentially be your partner in your blogging venture. Search for reviews and see if there have been any major issues associated with the hosting provider. Most providers will give you a WordPress plugin and make it relatively easy for you to install WordPress on your hosting account. You might not need a high-capacity account in the beginning, but as you grow, you'll have to make sure you have the right amount of space and bandwidth to support your traffic.

Decide how you'll earn your income

Your blog won't make money right from the get-go. Without the right audience and saturation on search engines, you will be unable to pull in traffic. However, you still need to pick an income stream. Will you sell products, run ads, or do both? Whatever it is, you will have to keep at it and produce amazing content if you want to see your blog take off sooner rather than later. The biggest difference between people who make outlandish money and those who fail is that they don't stop till they ultimately reach their goals. Remember, affiliate sales are going to be your best bet at the outset.

The idea is to never stop learning and do your best to understand more and more about blogging. Some of the most successful blogs earn millions and you can be one of them too if you just stay at it.

Read Also: How to start and run a successful blog