How To Make Money Blogging
By Eileen Hebert

If you've been on the Internet for a while, you may be familiar with "blogs" and "blogging". A blog (originally "web log") is essentially a ready-made website that you can add content to, any time you wish. Designed to function like an online journal, you can easily upload text, images, videos or other content to your blog and within a few seconds your latest blog entry will be live on the Internet. Unless you personally want to customize the look and feel of your blog, there's no need to know or play around with HTML - just type in your text and wham! it will be up on your blog. And, as more Internet marketers are discovering, you can also make money blogging!

Blogs can be a great tool for Internet marketers for a number of reasons. Not only are they ready-made websites, but they are designed to attract the attention of search engines more so than any other kind of website. This is due to two main reasons. Firstly, blogs typically have a feature that "pings" the search engines each time you add content to your blog. In other words, the search engines receive a "message" that tells them you've updated your blog. Secondly, blogs also enable people to "subscribe" to your blog, so they also receive a message every time you update your blog. With both the search engines and blog subscribers being alert to changes in your blog, you will, over time, receive more traffic to your website. And if you've designed your blog correctly, more traffic means more sales... and more money!
 
So how do you make money blogging? Well, there are a number of ways. Firstly, you (or someone you hire) can customize your blog so that it not only includes an online journal, but also functions like a normal site that sells products and services. People who visit your website can then buy from you. Secondly, a blog is a great way to build a relationship with your target market. By regularly writing entries that your prospects find valuable, they will come to know, like, trust and be more likely to buy from you. And if you wish to separate your blog from your sales website(s), you can still link to those sites from your blog. That way, people interested in what you have to offer can click on your links to find out more, and hopefully buy something from you.

On the other hand, you can treat blogging as a business in itself. For instance, you can allow  advertising on your blog, such as Google Adsense. Each time someone clicks on one of the ads that appear on your blog, you will earn income. Or perhaps you could use a blog in your affiliate marketing. One popular option open to you is to use your blog to review different products. By being an affiliate for a given merchant and including your affiliate link with the product review, you will earn income each time someone clicks on that link and buys from the merchant. So yes, you can literally be blogging for money!

So how to blog successfully? Well, to achieve the search engine benefits of a blog, attract traffic and make money, you need to ensure that you: (1) provide useful, informative content; (2) regularly update your blog; and (3) sound like a human being. That last tip may sound funny, but one of the ideas behind - and great appeals of - blogs is that they are informal, personal communications... not slick, advertising promotions.

With both free services and software available to help you create a blog, it can be relatively easy to set up a blog. So definitely consider blogging as a potential way of enhancing your Internet marketing efforts.

Eileen Hebert©
TrueCallingCareers.com
Make Money Doing What You Love

About The Author
Find out how to break free from the corporate world. Eileen Hebert is a happy corporate escapee who helps individuals create happiness without 9 to 5 jobs. Visit TrueCallingCareers.com for free tips on career change, home based businesses, and making money doing what you love!