Blogging is a popular pastime. It’s an easy way to share your thoughts with the rest of the world whilst retaining a degree of anonymity. Unless you are open about your identity or link the blog with a Facebook profile, nobody will know who you are, so you can write your innermost thoughts without fear of anyone working out it’s you. But although blogging is fun, it is even more fun if you are able to earn money from doing something you enjoy, so what is the best way to monetize a blog?
How to Create a Blog
There are lots of free blog providers, but if you want to monetize your blog, their terms and conditions normally prevent blog owners from inserting advertisements. So, the best way to create a blog you can place ads on is to purchase a domain and hosting services, and then install a popular free blogging software platform such as WordPress. Setting up a simple website really isn’t as complicated as it sounds, but if this is beyond your skills, ask someone with more technical ability to do it for you.
Build Your Blog
In order to generate any kind of income from a blog, it has to have lots of traffic. The best way to enjoy a steady stream of visitors is to write stuff people actually want to read. Stick to a subject you are knowledgeable on and write about that. If you are lucky enough to tap into a subject people are passionate about, over time visitor numbers will increase. However, although great content is important, practicing simple SEO techniques is also important.
- Build backlinks – There are lots of ways to do this. You could write guest blogs for other people to create links back to your website or include a link in your signature if you post on related forums.
- Promote your blog – Forum posting is one way to promote a blog. You should also include a link to your blog in your email signature and be active on social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter.
- Use keywords – Keywords help users find your blog when they type keywords and key phrases into search engines, so make sure you target relevant ones when you write blogs.
- Social links – Always include social and share buttons on any posts you write. This makes it easier for readers to share your content and talk about it on social networking sites.
SEE ALSO: Most Important SEO Ranking Factors 2013
Make Money from Your Blog
Enrolling for Google AdSense is one way to earn money from a blog. All you have to do is open an AdSense account and once your application has been accepted, you can start placing ads on your blog. Another way is to sign up for a free website ads service, of which there are many. Each time someone clicks on an ad, you are paid a small amount. Over time this adds up and if your blog generates a lot of traffic, you can earn a decent income.
It takes time to earn money from a blog, so don’t expect to earn a fortune overnight. You will have to work hard at website monetization, but it is possible to make a successful blog pay, so why not give it a try today?
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