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Hey Middle Child Money Crew! Seems like everyone out there is trying to make an extra buck here or there. The side hustle crazy continues, and does not appear to be slowing down. We are going to do deep dive on a few of the opportunities that are out there.
Today we will walk through how to start a blog and make money with it. This one will not make you a ton day one, but over time this seems to be a very profitable endeavor. Do you always see those constant ADs on social media trying to get you to buy their next online course, so they can tell you how to make money? I get hit by those ADs all the time. Well today I am going to breakdown one of those. How to create a blog. There is more to it than just popping up a website, writing a few posts and crossing your fingers and hoping people will come by.
Blogs had exploded in popularity. People were making real money online. Sharing their passions, building audiences. Maybe I could too?
Step 1: Choosing a Profitable Niche to start a blog and make money
Start a Blog and make Money. That is the goal. People everywhere are starting (and continuing) blogs and making money writing about things they already know and love. You need a focused topic people care about.
Choosing the right blogging niche is crucial for success, especially if your goal is to make money. The niche you select will determine your target audience, content strategy, and monetization opportunities. Here are some key considerations when picking a profitable niche for your blog:
First, look for topics that align with your interests and expertise. It’s much easier to consistently create high-quality content when you’re passionate about the subject matter. At the same time, ensure there is a demand for that niche by researching search trends and analyzing the competition. Ideally, you want a niche that has an engaged audience but isn’t overly saturated.
Second, evaluate the monetization potential within your chosen niche. Some topics lend themselves better to affiliate marketing, display advertising, sponsored content, or selling digital products. Look for niches with an audience willing to spend money on relevant products or services. Analyze how other bloggers in that space are generating income to validate the profit potential. Don’t forget to consider your target audience’s demographics and spending habits when assessing monetization opportunities.
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Step 2: Choosing a Domain Name to start a blog and make money
Selecting a brandable domain name for your blog is a crucial step in establishing a strong online presence within your chosen niche. The guidelines you outlined are excellent considerations to keep in mind during this process.
First, it’s important to have a domain name that is memorable and easy for your target audience to spell and pronounce. This helps with brand recognition and makes it more likely that potential readers will be able to easily find and remember your website.
Second, ensuring the domain name is relevant to your gardening niche is essential. This helps to immediately convey the focus and expertise of your blog, making it more appealing and trustworthy to your intended audience. The name “middlechildmoney.com” effectively communicates the money and family finances as my focus of content.
Additionally, it’s wise to avoid overly narrow or limiting domain names. While specificity can be beneficial, you want to leave room for your blog to grow and evolve over time. A more broad and versatile domain name, like the one you selected, provides flexibility to expand the scope of your content as your expertise and audience develops.
There are many options out there, but Blue Host is a great one for beginners.
A web host plays a crucial role in the process of starting a blog. Without a web host, your blog would have no home on the internet. Here’s how a web host fits into the blog creation process:
A web host provides the technology and services required for your blog to be viewable on the internet. Essentially, it’s a company that has powerful computers called servers that store websites and blogs, making them accessible to anyone online. When you sign up for a web hosting plan, you rent space on one of these servers to host your blog’s files – including text, images, videos, etc. The web host ensures your blog is available 24/7 to anyone who visits your domain name.
If you are looking to start a blog and make money, then this step cannot be missed. Contact BlueHost today.
Step 4: Building a Site
One of the most popular platforms to build a site on is WordPress. Many web hosts like Blue Host will offer WordPress as an option to begin to build out your site. For those of you that are not WordPress ninjas you might need some help build something like this. For a few hundred dollars, maybe less, you can go over to FIVERR and locate find someone to build out the blog of your dreams. Be sure you have some examples to send them.
Step 5: Plan and Start Writing
Before publishing random posts, I focused on some core content. These are long in-depth articles covering your core topics that you want to focus on. Some may call these cornerstone pieces. These are pieces that you will build off of. You will point back to this article with others you write, and you will continue to update this to link out to other articles you write on your blog. This strategy cross-links your website. Remember the longer you are able to retain an audience the more you are able to monetize.
It is recommended that you keep a publishing calendar. Don’t be overly ambitious at the jump. Get into a rhythm. This is a long game, not a “get rich quick” (if ever). Start aiming to have a quality piece ready every week. If that feels too much aim to have a few pieces every month.
Step 5: Marketing and Growth
Creating a solid marketing and growth plan is essential for any successful blog. Without a strategy in place, it’s easy for your blog to get lost in the vast sea of online content.
Here are some key elements to include in your blog’s marketing and growth plan:
First, identify your target audience and define your unique value proposition. Who are you trying to reach with your blog content? What specific problems or needs does your blog aim to solve? Having a clear understanding of your ideal reader will shape the topics you cover, the voice and tone you use, and the channels you leverage to promote your blog. Conduct market research, create reader personas, and differentiate yourself from competitors.
Second, develop a comprehensive content strategy that aligns with your goals. Will you publish new posts on a consistent schedule? What content formats will you utilize (articles, videos, podcasts)? How will you optimize for search engines and incorporate keyword research? Plan to create a mix of evergreen pillar content and trending, topical posts. Consider repurposing and updating existing content too. The goal is to build a valuable, authoritative library that keeps readers engaged.
Finally, outline your promotional tactics across multiple channels. Leverage search engine optimization (SEO) to increase organic traffic from Google and other search engines. Implement an email marketing strategy to nurture leads and build a loyal subscriber base. Be active on relevant social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Look into paid advertising opportunities like Google Ads or influencer marketing. Don’t forget about guest posting on other blogs to tap into new audiences. Continuously analyze your results and adjust your marketing approach as needed.
Middle Child Money's Marketing playbook
Yes we are pulling back the curtain a little bit here. We believe that this book by Pat Flynn is something that can and will change how you look to connect with your community.
Step 6: Start Making Money
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular and effective ways to monetize a blog, especially in the early stages. The concept is simple – you promote other companies’ products or services on your blog, and when a reader makes a purchase through your unique affiliate link, you earn a commission. Here’s how to get started with affiliate marketing:
First, you’ll need to join affiliate programs that are relevant to your blog’s niche. Some great options include Amazon Associates for almost any type of physical product, ShareASale and CJ Affiliate for a wide range of digital and physical offerings, and niche-specific programs like Bluehost for web hosting.
Once approved, you’ll receive special tracking links to use on your blog and in your content. When promoting products, provide honest reviews, use compelling calls-to-action, and only recommend items that genuinely help your audience.
As your blog grows in traffic and authority, affiliate marketing income can really add up. The key is to consistently create high-quality content that naturally incorporates your affiliate links. You can write product roundups, tutorials, gift guides, and more – as long as the affiliate promotions feel like a helpful resource rather than a pushy sales pitch. With some blogs earning thousands per month from affiliate marketing alone, it’s a monetization strategy worth prioritizing from day one.
Display Advertising
Display advertising is another popular way to monetize your blog and earn passive income. With this model, you allow third-party advertisers to place banners, videos, or other promotional content on your website. You get paid based on metrics like impressions (how many times the ad is shown) or clicks.
To get started with display ads, you’ll want to join one of the major ad networks like Google AdSense, Mediavine, or Monumetric. Each has its own eligibility requirements in terms of traffic volume, content policies, etc. Once approved, you’ll be able to implement their ad code on your blog. The network will then automatically display relevant ads matched to your content and audience.
While display ads don’t typically pay as much as affiliate marketing, they provide a nice supplemental income stream with very little effort required on your part. The key is driving as much targeted traffic as possible to your blog and optimizing your ad placements. Most bloggers experiment with different ad sizes, locations, and traffic sources to maximize their display earnings over time.
Sponsored Content
Monetizing your blog through sponsored content can be an incredibly lucrative strategy once you’ve built up a solid audience and authority in your niche. Sponsored content involves companies paying you to create posts, videos, or other content that promotes their products or services.
To land sponsored content deals, you’ll want to grow your blog’s traffic, email list, and social media following as much as possible. The larger your platform, the more valuable you become to potential sponsors. You can then reach out directly to relevant brands about paid promotion opportunities. Or, sign up for influencer networks like IZEA, TapInfluence, or BlogMeet that connect you with companies looking for influencers in your niche.
When negotiating sponsored content rates, factors like your audience size, content format, promotion period, and number of assets will all come into play. Rates can range from a few hundred dollars for a simple product review to thousands for a comprehensive brand campaign across multiple channels. Be sure to comply with disclosure requirements and only work with companies and products that are a genuine fit for your audience.
Digital Products
Monetizing your blog by creating and selling digital products is a great way to diversify your income streams and generate recurring revenue. Digital products like ebooks, online courses, printables, and more allow you to package your expertise into a valuable resource for your audience.
One effective approach is to create less expensive lead magnets or tripwire products priced at $7-$27 to help build your customer base. For example, you could offer a downloadable PDF checklist, workbook, or mini ebook relevant to your niche. This makes it a low-risk purchase for new customers while introducing them to your paid offerings.
From there, you can develop and sell more premium digital products like comprehensive ebooks ($37-$97), video courses ($97-$497), or subscription packages. These higher-priced products allow you to really maximize the earnings from your most engaged audience members. Just be sure to create high-quality products that deliver immense value to your customers.
To sell your digital products, you can use a platform like SendOwl, Gumroad, or even WooCommerce on a self-hosted WordPress site. Promote them through your blog content, email list, social media, and even paid advertising campaigns for maximum reach.
Conclusion
If you’re reading this, chances are you have a passion, hobby, or area of expertise that you’re incredibly knowledgeable about. Why not turn that passion into profit by starting a niche blog? As you’ve learned throughout this guide, blogging provides an incredible opportunity to share your voice with the world while earning a very healthy income stream.
Just think about it – by consistently creating high-quality content focused on your niche topic, you can build a loyal audience of readers who value your insights. And by implementing smart monetization strategies like affiliate marketing, display advertising, sponsored content, and digital products, you can turn that audience into a lucrative revenue source.
The beauty of blogging is that it provides you with multiple income avenues that can really add up. Sure, affiliate earnings may start out modest, but as your traffic grows, so do your commissions. The same goes for display ads – as you attract more readers, those ad dollars increase. And once you establish yourself as an authority, there’s tremendous potential for sponsored content deals and digital product sales.
Perhaps the biggest benefit of all is the lifestyle that blogging affords. Unlike a traditional 9-to-5 job, blogging allows you to be your own boss, set your own schedule, and even work remotely from anywhere in the world. Your income isn’t tied to trading hours for dollars – instead, it’s based on the value you provide through your content.
So if you’re looking for a way to transform your passion into profits while gaining more freedom, flexibility, and financial security, look no further than niche blogging. With focus, hard work, and a willingness to learn, there’s no limit to how much you can earn by educating, inspiring, and serving your audience. The blogging world is wide open and waiting for your unique voice.
Disclaimer
The content provided on Middle Child Money is for informational and entertainment purposes only. We are not licensed financial advisors, and the information shared on this blog should not be considered professional financial advice. We encourage all readers to consult with a licensed financial professional to discuss their individual financial situations and needs. The opinions expressed on this blog are solely those of the author, Nate Bradley, and do not reflect the views of any affiliated organizations. Middle Child Money cannot be held liable for any actions taken based on the information provided on this site.