Starting a profitable blog doesn’t happen overnight; it takes hard work, dedication and the right know-how.
If you are looking to build a blog that can earn you a side income, or you are aiming to become a full-time blogger, here are 5 proven strategies that will help make it a success.
Strategies for Starting a Profitable Blog
Truly Knowing Your Audience
Starting simply, if you don’t truly understand your audience, the content you post may not be as successful as you think.
Building a great connection with your readers will leave them coming back for more, so as a blogger, you need to know what they want.
Many bloggers write as they please, and whilst this is a great way to get your thoughts and ideas out into the world, you should take ideas from your audience too.
Remember – when starting a profitable blog, you are no longer just writing for yourself.
Put yourself in the readers’ shoes and be sure to check out which posts drove the most traffic to your site.
If you can understand why readers are coming to your blog, you can understand what they may want to see.
An easy way to make your blog more audience-friendly is to simply ask them what they want. Here you can get plenty of ideas and inspiration, and your readers will appreciate the effort.
Showing Your Readers Who You Are
Nobody wants to buy into an anonymous blogger. If you want to make the most from your blog and allow your readers to get to know you, you need to show them who you are.
This makes you relatable, and people are more likely to buy into a real person than a hidden writer.
Once you are open about who you are, your own mistakes and why you want to help others, your audience can see that you are a genuine person, with struggles much like everyone else.
If you are giving advice, you must be a person they can trust.
Read also: How to Make $50,000 a Year Blogging
Having the Right Qualifications
Bloggers can write about anything they please and many writers delve into subjects they aren’t qualified in. This is where bloggers make mistakes.
If you are starting a blog relevant to a career field that you work in and relating to qualifications you have earned, make this known on your blog.
Readers are going to be swayed more towards reading a blog post written by a blogger with a postgraduate degree in their subject, rather than someone with no qualifications.
If you want to get far and give up-to-date information and advice, consider earning a postgraduate degree. There are plenty of postgraduate universities, so you are sure to find one close by.
If you aren’t writing about a niche, you may want to take a postgraduate degree in marketing research or applied economics. These will enable you to understand more about to how make your blog the most profitable.
Compiling an Email List
From the very start, you should be compiling an email list for readers who are interested in your blog.
Anyone that has come to your site has done so because something has piqued their interests. In a matter of seconds, they could be gone, forgetting your blog was ever there to help them or entertain them.
If you offer the opportunity to sign up to a mailing list, they can get regular updates and may well become a regular reader of your blog.
If you want a great following from the get-go, there should be an incentive for joining your mailing list, such as a free guide or perhaps a discount on a product or service, if you sell anything.
Affiliate Marketing
A great way to earn more income and work with other like-minded companies is through affiliate marketing.
This involves writing about or testing a product and promoting that product to your audience. For many niches that don’t have their own product, this is how to make money and get noticed.
When you start working with big companies, not only will you promote their product, they may well post about you on their social media, increasing traffic to your blog.
Affiliate marketing can be hard to get into and you must ensure you only work with companies that resonate with the meaning of your blog. As soon as readers see promotional content that is no longer in keeping with the tone of your blog, you could lose them.
Whilst affiliate marketing is a great way to earn income, be sure not to promote just for the sake of money.
Starting a profitable blog is, for many, a dream come true. Following these 5 proven strategies can help you get ahead and earn money with your blog. Good luck and happy blogging!
