So after blogging on Wordpress for some time, I've made the switch to Blogger. For as much as I like Wordpress, I have to hand it to Google.
Blogger just seems to have more options (uh, such as Adsense, duh) for customization. For FREE. As long as you know how to do it.
Blogging is the big thing today, and the more blogs I read, the more I find bloggers with six-figure incomes. That's all they do--they blog. I can't truthfully say that I'm not jealous. Heather Armstrong of Dooce, Jen Lancaster of Jennsylvania, the entire BlogHer network. They all start with a simple blog (and perhaps lose their job over it), garner a network of readers, and somehow come out with a fat paycheck and loads of fans. They're brilliant writers. I'm a (not-so brilliant) writer. Where's my paycheck?
What I've found is that you can truly make money while blogging about yourself.
3 simple tips to make money while blogging:
1. Add Google AdSense to your blog.
By simply hosting ads (you pick the style and size), Google will pay you each month for each user that clicks on the ad. Google, paying me? Hell yes! Let's face it: deep down, we all want to work for Google.
2. Get paid to post.
Once you've built up a solid following of readers, you can submit your blog to various sites that pay bloggers to post, such as Blogitive.com, LoudLaunch, and PayPerPost. While you may not like the idea of whoring yourself for content, in many cases you can pick what it is that you write about.
3. Join an affiliate program.
Akin to Google AdSense are affiliate programs. Say you like a particular company (I happen to like Amazon.com; is there truly a better store than one where you can purchase shoes, CDs, and books in the same place? It's like cocaine for me...). You can join their affiliate program. Any time you link back to their site or place one of their ads on your site (each program has their own set of guidelines) and someone clicks on it, you earn money! Just like that!
Is my goal with blogging to make money? No. It's simply a perk to augment my income in these trying times. Should yours be? That is something you need to decide with the inception of your blog. If your purpose isn't clear, your readers will know it (and quite possibly never return). My main piece of advice? Blog often, blog well, and watch your readership grow. It doesn't matter how many ads you place on your blog: if you have no readers, you have no money.
