How to make money from blogging

Blogging is not very old, as far as professions go, but it has quickly become one of the most misunderstood but fastest-growing ways of making a living. There are all kinds of misconceptions about what blogging really entails, and how people become superstars in their niche to the point of being able to really make money. Here are some tips on how those who do it get results.

Find a great topic

The first thing you need to decide on is the topic of your blog. It’s very rare that a blogger would become well-known for a general, rambling blog about their life, covering anything that comes into their minds. Instead, you should blog in a certain niche that will attract followers who want to know more about it.

Some of the most common and popular niches include parenting, fashion, food, toys, collectibles, entertainment such as films or television, and makeup or beauty. Your niche should be something you know a lot about, you’re passionate about, and you can talk about for hours. If you can’t tick off all three, your blog might not have legs.

Find an angle

Next, what’s your unique angle? With so many blogs out there, you need something that will make you stand out. Makeup, for example, is a really oversaturated niche, so you need something special to give you an edge. Maybe you have facial scars and want to show how to cover them up; maybe you can create art with makeup; maybe you can use different materials as makeup, or use makeup for different uses. Think of a unique angle for yourself that no one else brings to the table.

Be regular and persistent

Now it’s time to start blogging. On your own domain, post regularly updates – perhaps once or more per week on set days – and keep going. Connect all your social profiles with the same username, which should echo your domain name, and post there just as frequently as your blog (if not daily).

Talk to other bloggers on social and interact with your readers, and you will start to be noticed little by little. Keep going, even if it takes a long while. Even if you still aren’t making money after the first year, you should consider that it might take longer to get the right momentum going.

Get sponsors or affiliates

Finally, you will want to attract sponsors or become an affiliate. These are the two ways in which bloggers most often make money.

A sponsor will send you gifts or cash in return for exposure. If you are an affiliate, you will include shopping links on your site and receive a payment when your followers use them. To make either option work, you need a dedicated audience who are hanging on your every word and a clear demographic. Without these, you may struggle to profit.

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Blogging is not for everyone, as it requires a lot of hard work and persistence. Follow these steps over time, however, and it may just work for you.