If only you had the keys earlier in 2012, you’d have made more money blogging!
But it’s never too late to take the right steps. Or is it?
Blogging is a wonderful model you can take advantage of.
From B2B to B2C, the impact that a well-structured blog can have on your business is priceless.
More so, reaching out to the right audience, without pushing sales down their neck is the best way to boost your profit.
The seven keys you’ll need to start making money online with your blog this New Year are:
1. Leverage Tools & Expertise
I don’t know about you, but I want to personally utilize all the free, premium and helpful marketing tools online. Most people still stick to the old-fashioned ways of promoting a website.
If you continue like that, the chances of making money online with your blog would be slim. To leverage means to use the available tools and expertise online to your advantage.
One of such is outsourcing. In 2012, a lot of bloggers were selfish. They actually made up their minds to run their blog alone – without asking for external support. But that’s the wrong way to start earning a living online.
You need others if you must succeed. Ask every successful blogger and they’d tell you; you can’t make money all by yourself.
You can automate your tweets with clicktotweet, social shares with ping.fm. That’s leverage at work. Use it and Profit Big.
2. Start a business and get serious
In November 2012, I finally registered my business with the Commission. As a wise marketer, the best way to start making money off your blog is when you wrap a business around it. Blogging is a serious business, no joke!
Don’t just be a blogger who wakes up every morning and begins to write article. Of course there is nothing wrong with updating your blog, but when it’s without a clear objective as to what you really want to achieve, blogging can drain you.
That’s why having a business of your own is the ultimate step to take this year. Get offline; register a real business that can solve a definite problem. Then get online and employ all “those” marketing techniques you know.
I’ve seen Floor Sanding companies make huge sales from their online audience. When you run your blog as a real business, only then can you be able to manage, organize, outsource, execute, monetize and solve real-life problems.
3. Create a product/service
Apart from starting a business that you can call your own, creating a product/service is equally important.
Because you need to sell to make money either offline or online. More importantly, your brand would grow exponentially if you bring VALUE to the market.
It begins with an idea that people can subscribe to. You should hang out with your target audience more often, so you can hear their heartbeat, their pains and how desperate they need solutions.
This way, aligning your product or service to meet their needs would be easier.
Do you really have a product or service that you’re proud of? It’s a BIG question and unless you can answer that, there is no saving grace whatsoever. Did I just say that?
Once you’ve built a sizable audience, pull a seat, put your brain to work and package the exact product they need. That’s how to make money online blogging.
4. Offer incentives to your readers
To really get your readers interested in your product and service, giving them incentives could work wonderfully. I’ve seen the effect of rewarding my readers.
It doesn’t really matter how small the incentive is, but human psychology shows that people like gifts. They want to be appreciated for their efforts.
If people visited your blog, supported you by leaving helpful comments, sharing and telling their friends and family about your blog, they need an incentive.
You could partner with a web hosting firm to offer free 1year hosting plan to the first 5 or 10 persons. Of course, readers have to take a step to attain this position.
In all, offering incentives would not only bring in more targeted traffic, but a handful of sales of your product/service.
5. Catch attention with content headline
I’m glad I didn’t ignore this point. Writing headline has never been easier, especially now that 85% of bloggers are prepared to embrace 2013 with a BIG BANG.
From people’s experiences, struggles and gains you could easily learn how to make your headline catchy.
That’s how to draw people in and encourage them to read the post. Most of the time, I usually spend more time rewriting the headline than I do with the article itself.
This means that if the headline isn’t powerful enough to catch attention, the purpose of the piece is defeated.
Ideally, include figures in your headline. Also, asking questions and wrapping the ‘answer’ in braces can hook the reader.
And when they’re hooked, the chances of engaging them are increased by 102%. Consequently, conversion rate would increase the moment engagement is up.
6. Don’t waste your visitors
I wouldn’t want to waste your precious time on this point. You already know what I’m talking about.
Building a list and starting a relationship with them is the easiest way to make money online. However, don’t be deceived by the quirky phrase which says, “The money is in the list.”
The truth is, that phrase isn’t 99% true. It’s true that collecting leads is wise for making money online, but if those leads are not targeted, it’d be difficult convincing subscribers to buy from you. Period!
That’s why people with thousands of members of their list are still broke, whereas a savvy marketer I know sent an exclusive email to her 448 subscribers, two days ago and got a conversion rate of 55%.
In other words, more than 200 people actually purchased the affiliate program she recommended.
Yes, by all legit means, strive to grow your list. But don’t be carried away. Build a relationship first and foremost. That’s my call to you this New Year!
7. Apply content marketing tact
I’d like to conclude this post by telling you the importance of content marketing.
If that term is new to you, it then means you’ve been living somewhere in the Antarctica. In order to make more money online with your blog, knowing your audience is more than important.
When you study them carefully, you’d discover their ultimate needs. Oftentimes, it’s not the result of a poor product or service that makes bloggers broke, but lack of understanding of who their target audience is.
At this point in your blogging career, you can’t afford to write nor network blindly. Before you publish a blog post or whatever content on your blog, make sure you’ve observed the trend.
Is it what your readers are expecting at the moment? The article might be informative and practicable, but if it’s published at the WRONG time, what difference would it make?
Make money takeaway
You may not have earned a decent income from your blog, and truly desire to change that ugly story. All I can say is to TAKE THINGS EASY at this stage. The year is still a virgin.
What you need more than anything is baby steps. One step at a time can net you tremendous success, providing that you’re consistent and walks in the light of the above keys.
If I made money through my blog in 2012, you too can earn a living from the internet this 2013.
Are you satisfied with the amount of money you made last year? Please share your comment below – I’m ready to help you in my own special way. See you ahead!
Thanks for providing such a nice article, now days internet marketing is highly increased day by day each and every one can think about how to make money online with easy way from home.
Nice to see a young man from Nigeria making waves where some would prefer to do 419. Keep up the good work jare!
Nice tips thanks for share this information – i love all money making ideas.
Will try and put this tips to work, most especially; giving out gifts. That in itself builds trust within audience/costumers, that when you come out with a paid stuff, they wont hesitate in buying. Michael, I can’t thank you enough for the insights.
Regards: WorldWebSurfers.com
Hi Michael
Good Article.. thanks for posting.
i think you forget one basic thing any blog or article content is king.so it is better to add a point regarding “Content”.
Thanks
What a great and very good article and the post is very good for making money online.Very useful information… thnax a lot for sharing
Thank you for the information, I truly enjoyed reading it and would be interested in seeing more. I also wanted to let you know about this, participate if you get a chance.
As a blogger, it is really hard for me to create content for my blog. And I believe this is really a challenge not only on me but also to some other bloggers. When I read your post, I found interesting points that I have to keep so that I may continue my passion on blogging. Actually, you nailed everything on this post!
Yes of course, Google is still in love with SEO friendly content, and I don’t see that love fading any time soon. I’m so happy for you James. Keep the flag flying.
Thanks you all dude!
This coming year provides new opportunities for bloggers to monetize their blogs. What bloggers must do is to consider also what they could give to their readers. In a long run, this will benefit their blogs
the real fact, i’m weak in this are “marketing factor”
Why are you weak Juan?
Can I really make money online with my niche blog? I’ve tried my possible best but it seems I’m not going forward. What do I do?
Yes, you could earn a living with your niche blog, if you focus on writing quality content, and promoting your website. There are other factors also, like having a product to sell and solving people’s problem. Check through my archive, and I betcha, you’ll find helpful posts as to this respect.
Very useful information…I have tried almost every trick and method to earn money online but none of them really worked, until i got these 15 Best Money Making Books and now i am earning good money every day…You too can earn like me, get these 15 Best Money Making Books for free:
Are you really serious about your offer?
Hey Michael !
Nice post. Would you please recommend, what kind of incentives we can offer to our readers.
I shall be very thankful to you.
And thanks for the information.
Matt
You could offer your readers ebook, short reports, software, membership access or one-on-one coaching to the first 10 persons. It all depends on your niche and what you sell. I’d do a post on this next month. Keep reading the blog.
What a great and very good article and the post is very good for making money online. Thank you for the indepth research and blog post.
I do my best to bring you the best content ever. I hope you’d a wonderful New Year Celebration?
Hi Michael! You couldn’t have said it better: You need to have a business to make more money as a blogger. It’s important that many bloggers understand what a blog is, in the first place — A platform. Once that distinction is made, you can easily decide upon how you want to use the platform for customer acquisition.
Do have a prosperous New Year!
You got my point Bro. A blog is just a platform for reaching out to your target audience. Having a business could boost your professionalism and consequently bring in more money. Thanks for your prays and support throughout last year. This 2013 is yours – take it and achieve great success!
This post is the best I’ve ever read in January 2013. I hope you’d provide more insightful articles on money making and especially organic traffic generation. I like your writing style, being able to take my knowledge to the next level is priceless. I’m going to try monetizing my blog this year and work hard to promote it.
Yes, you guess I’m already working on some SEO blog posts that would totally blow your mind. Thanks a bunch for wishing yourself well this New Year. I could feel your success already. Lol!
Hi,
This blog has more interesting taught’s about how money making using nice and good blogs for specified for entire blogging with help to making money with blog’s.
Thanking you
It’s my pleasure to have you visit, read and comment on my blog post. Thanks a million.
This year is going to be great, just as you’ve pointed out. I need to start making money with my blog as well. I’m going to start a business then get online and begin to manage, organize and solve problems. Happy New Year, Michael.
That’s a very good step to take this New Year – starting an offline business, and using the skills to run your blog. I must say Kudos to you.
Great Article. Can you Explain more about been the middleman/agent. Like how you became Content marketing consultant. Would you be kind enough to give some tips for someone who’s willing to do this kind of work.
If you want to become an agent, first and foremost, you MUST ask yourself what is it you love doing. Because if you’re not passionate about the niche you selected, it’d be difficult to start in the gap between potential customers and the product you’re promoting. Anyways, look out for more indepth post this Year on this subject. Happy New Year Saanvi.
Now these are some very useful money making tips if you ask me. Which is why I’m taking my Hats off, as a sign of my appreciation on a job well done. Making a living online might seem difficult but it’s equally doable. We just need to stay focus, monetize wisely, drive targeted traffic and lead them through the sales funnel. How about that?
Yep, Paane you’re absolutely right. Believe me, leading prospects down the sales funnels is powerful. I’ve used it on several occasions and still do, it works like magic. I like your comment man. Have a prosperous 2013!
Can’t you make good money with affiliate marketing? I’m asking this because huge numbers of bloggers relies on affiliate marketing as they don’t have their own product or service.
Of course, you can make money with affiliate marketing. But this post is about creating your own product. It’s not going to be easy, but it’s achievable if you work hard.
This is your first post in 2013 and I love the tips, especially the point about starting a business. That could help a lot so that bloggers can have the mindset of an entrepreneur and not just writers.
You got the point I was trying to put across Pullman. Do you’ve a business yet?
I think the biggest mistake I made was putting too much stock in content. Google has an advanced algorithm but I was able to rank on page one for a competitive keyword when I focused on SEO and content. This happened in 4 days.
EMD and Panda were brutal but google still love SEO friendly content.
Yes of course, Google is still in love with SEO friendly content, and I don’t see that love fading any time soon. I’m so happy for you James. Keep the flag flying.