“Even the journey of thousand miles starts with a single step.”
All the ways of earning money through blogging and optimism I shared above, depends upon one very basic step i.e., Starting a blog.
How To Start A Blog
You do not need to be an IT expert to be a blogger but a good writer, who can engage audience by his / her expression, information or opinion.
I am here to take you on step-by-step journey of blogging career.
Choosing Your Niche
First of all, you have to decide on what niche / subject you will be writing. It is the most important decision in blogging. Selecting a niche for your blog can be a challenging task, but it’s important to choose a topic that you’re passionate about and knowledgeable about to make your content creation enjoyable and to attract readers who share your interests. Here are some steps you can follow to help you select your niche.
- Identify your interests and passions: Think about the topics that you enjoy reading and writing about and that you have a good understanding of. This will make your content creation process much easier and more enjoyable.
- Consider your expertise: Consider the areas in which you have experience and knowledge. This could be a hobby, a profession, or just a personal interest.
- Evaluate demand: Research your potential niche to determine if there is an audience for the type of content you want to create. You can use keyword research tools to see how many people are searching for information on your topic and what kind of content is currently available.
- Look for a unique angle: Try to find a unique angle or perspective on your topic that sets you apart from other bloggers. This could be a specific approach, a target audience, or a unique perspective on a well-covered topic.
- Evaluate your competition: Look at the other bloggers and websites in your potential niche to determine if there is room for a new voice and if you can compete effectively.
Remember, you do not have to stick with just one niche. You can have multiple niches or expand your niche over time, but it’s important to start with a focus and build your audience from there.
Building Free Blog
There are several ways to create a free blog:
- Use a blogging platform: Platforms like WordPress com, Blogger, and Wix offer free blogging options with limited features. These platforms provide a user-friendly interface and require no technical expertise to set up a blog.
- Host your own blog: If you want more control over your blog and have some technical knowledge, you can host your own blog using free open-source software like WordPress org. You will need to find a free web hosting service, install WordPress, and choose a theme to get started.
- Use a free website builder: Website builders like Weebly, Squarespace, and Jimdo offer free plans that allow you to create a blog with no technical skills required. These builders provide pre-designed templates and drag-and-drop tools to help you create your blog.
Regardless of the option you choose, you’ll need to come up with a unique domain name (the web address of your blog) and sign up for a free account. Once you have set up your blog, you can start creating content, adding images, and promoting your blog to your audience.
Investment Required In Blogging
Blogging can be started with very little investment or even for free, but to have a successful blog and monetize it, you might need to invest in some resources. Here are some of the expenses you may incur while starting a blog:
Domain Name and Hosting: You’ll need a domain name, which is the URL people will type to visit your website. This usually costs around $15 per year. You’ll also need hosting, which is a service that stores your website and makes it accessible to visitors. Hosting can cost anywhere from $2 to $50 per month, depending on the type of hosting you choose.
Content Creation: Writing high-quality blog posts takes time and effort. You may want to invest in a professional editor to proofread your content, or in a graphic designer to create images and other visual elements for your site.
Marketing and Advertising: You’ll need to get the word out about your blog and build a following. You can do this for free through social media and other online channels, but you may also want to invest in paid advertising, such as Google AdWords or Facebook Ads.
Premium Plugins and Themes: While there are many free plugins and themes available for WordPress, investing in a premium version can offer additional functionality and customization options that can enhance your blog.
The exact amount you’ll need to invest in your blog will depend on the size and scope of your project, as well as the level of monetization you want to achieve. However, you can start a basic blog for less than $100 and scale up your investment as you grow your audience and revenue.
Indexing Your Blog
Indexing refers to the process of making your blog’s pages and posts discoverable by search engines like Google, Bing, etc. This is important because it makes it easier for users to find your content when they search for relevant keywords. Here are some steps you can follow to index your blog:
Submit your sitemap to search engines: A sitemap is a file that lists all the pages on your website. Submitting your sitemap to search engines can help them quickly discover and index your blog.
Optimize your content for search engines: This involves using relevant keywords in your blog’s content, meta tags, and headings, as well as ensuring that your content is well-structured and easy to read.
Get backlinks from other websites: Backlinks from other websites to your blog can help increase its visibility and credibility in the eyes of search engines.
Use social media to promote your blog: Sharing your blog posts on social media can help increase their visibility and drive traffic to your website.
Monitor your blog’s search engine performance: Use tools like Google Search Console to monitor your blog’s search engine performance and make sure that it’s being properly indexed.
Note: While these steps can help you get your blog indexed by search engines, there’s no guarantee that your blog will rank well in search results. This is because search engines use complex algorithms to determine which pages to show for a given search query, and there are many factors that can impact a page’s ranking.
Setting Up Google AdSense On Your Blog
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up AdSense on your blog:
Create a Google AdSense account: If you don’t have one, go to https://www google com/adsense/start and sign up for a new account.
Verify your website: Add your website information to AdSense and verify that you own it. AdSense will provide you with a unique code to paste on your website. This code will verify that you own the website and enable AdSense to start serving ads on it.
Choose ad units: Decide on the type of ads you want to display, such as display ads, text ads, or link units. AdSense provides you with a variety of ad unit sizes and styles to choose from.
Customize ad units: Customize the look and feel of your ad units to match the look and feel of your website. You can change the colors, borders, and fonts to make the ads blend in seamlessly with your website.
Add ad units to your website: Copy and paste the AdSense code into the HTML of your website where you want the ads to appear. Make sure to place the ad code in a prominent location where it will receive a lot of impressions.
Monitor earnings: Once your ads are live, you can monitor your earnings and performance from the AdSense dashboard. Make sure to check your earnings regularly and adjust your ad units as necessary to optimize their performance.
Get paid: AdSense will send you payments for the earnings generated by your ads. Payments are made through electronic transfer to your bank account, or by check if you live in a country where electronic transfer is not available.
That’s it! By following these steps, you can set up AdSense on your blog and start earning money from your content.
Joining Affiliate Program
Bloggers can join affiliate programs in the following steps:
Choose an affiliate program: Research different affiliate programs in your niche to find the ones that offer products or services that match the theme of your blog.
Sign up for the program: Once you have chosen a program, sign up for it by filling out an application form. This process typically involves providing your personal information, blog details, and payment information.
Get approved: After submitting your application, wait for the affiliate program to approve you. Some programs may require further information or clarification before approving your application.
Get your affiliate link: Once approved, you will receive an affiliate link or code that you can use to promote the product or service. This link is unique to you and tracks any sales made through it.
Start promoting: Add affiliate links to your blog in the form of text links, banners, or product reviews. Make sure to follow the guidelines provided by the affiliate program, as well as disclose that you are using affiliate links to your audience.
Track your performance: Regularly check the performance of your affiliate links to see which ones are performing well and adjust your strategy accordingly.
Get paid: You will receive a commission for any sales made through your affiliate links. The commission rate and payment terms vary from program to program, so be sure to familiarize yourself with these details before joining.
Consistency and Quality Of Content Is Key To Success In Blogging
Consistency and content quality are both important factors in blogging that can greatly impact the success and growth of a blog.
Consistency refers to regularly publishing new content on your blog, which can help establish your blog as a reliable source of information and attract and retain a dedicated readership. Consistent blogging can also help improve search engine rankings, as search engines favor websites that regularly add fresh content.
Content quality refers to the value and relevance of the information you provide on your blog. Quality content engages and informs readers, encourages them to return to your blog for more information, and can lead to increased traffic and higher search engine rankings.
By combining consistency and quality in your blogging efforts, you can create a successful and sustainable blog that resonates with your target audience and stands out from the competition. Additionally, quality content can be shared and recommended, leading to an increase in visibility and credibility for your blog. In conclusion, focusing on both consistency and content quality is crucial for the growth and success of a blog. By providing valuable and regular information, you can build a strong online presence, attract and retain a loyal audience, and establish your blog as a trusted source of information.