8 Steps to Start a Blog That Makes Money

Blogging is an excellent way to position yourself in the market and gain exposure. If you have a blog, it's important that you know how to make money from it.

This article will show you how to get started building and monetizing a successful blog. If you want to earn some extra cash from home, then starting a blog might be exactly what you need.

There is no doubt that blogging has become very lucrative over the years. The idea of earning a living at home via writing and sharing interesting information is now becoming a reality. Whether you love writing about DIY projects, parenting, travel, lifestyle or anything else, you can easily turn your passion into a profitable side gig.

Here are the 9 steps to get started blogging.

1. Pick a niche that you're passionate about

Once you have decided what type of content you want to create, your next step should be selecting a niche market. A niche is a group of people who share similar interests and values. If you pick a market that you aren't interested in or don't know anything about, then how do you expect to gain a loyal audience? By choosing a niche that you are passionate about, you'll find yourself drawn to it and eager to learn more. When you have the passion, it's easier to stick to your plan and develop a blog around your passions. And you'll have the added benefit of loving what you're creating.

2. Choose an Appropriate Domain Name

Now that you've chosen your niche, it's time to find a domain name that represents who you are, what you're doing, and provides readers with the information they need. When choosing your domain name, keep in mind that you want it to be short, simple, memorable, and preferably be related to your business. When people search for information, they type keywords into a search engine. And using misspelled words makes your site harder to find. Also, keep in mind that a lot of .com domains are taken so choose one that isn't taken. Or simply use a different extension like .net, .org, etc.

3. Choose a blogging platform

There are many different platforms out there for bloggers. Each platform has its own pros and cons. Before we start any type of business, we want to make sure our choices are well thought out. Choosing a blogging platform (or website builder) should be done carefully and research is necessary. If you're not careful, you could end up with something that's too complicated to use. A good way to choose is to think about how you would operate your own site. I suggest starting off simple until you gain experience. You don't want to learn advanced features if you aren't going to use them. Most platforms offer excellent tutorials online, so it's always best to look at what others have done before creating your own.

4. Setup web hosting

Once you've chosen a platform, you'll need to find a web host that works well with your chosen software. There are many different types of hosts, so you will need to narrow down your options. I recommend choosing a service that provides both shared hosting and WordPress hosting. Shared hosting gives you access to several sites hosted under the same account while WordPress hosting provides the tools to set up your own site. If you're looking for high performance, you might consider VPS hosting instead of shared hosting.

5. Setup your blog

After choosing your domain and hosting, it's time to select a theme. When selecting a theme, look for simplicity along with versatility. You don't want things to be too hard to customize, however, you also don't want them to look boring or old. Once you've chosen your theme, make sure you install it correctly and configure everything properly.

6. Create content that is valuable, useful, and well-written

Blogging is about providing value to others. When you start a blog, you want to make sure that you are providing value for your readers. If you aren’t providing something useful to people, then they won’t stick around long enough to read anything else you write. When writing your posts try not to think about how many followers you have. Instead, focus on providing valuable information to your readers.

7. Promote Your Site Through Social Media

It is now time to start promoting your blog! One effective way is to use social media. There are many different platforms out there, including Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, and others. Try to interact with other users and start building relationships with influencers in your niche.

8. Build an Audience for Your Blog

Once you create content that provides value for people, it's time to build an audience. This step requires patience, dedication, and persistence. Building an audience means getting people interested in your niche. While building a following isn't always easy, there are many ways to attract viewers without spending money. In my opinion, it's imperative to start with building an email list. Most bloggers have learned that email lists are a powerful tool for driving traffic and increasing sales. To attract new subscribers, offer incentives to sign up for your list. There are plenty of ways to do this, including discounts to your products, freebies, and contests. Do whatever works best for your niche.

9. Monetize Your Blog

There are lots of different ways to monetize your blog. You can sell products related to your niche, host affiliate programs where readers buy products after clicking through your link and even set up ads.