Blogging for Beginners

As much as you might like to be an overnight blogging success story, the fact is that blogging to make money requires more than witty and insightful commentary. It is, albeit surprisingly, much more complicated than that.

In order to make money blogging, you will want to follow a few simple rules:

1. Keep it polished. If you want to be perceived as an expert in your field, good design is critical. There are so many blogs on the Internet today that readers may take only seconds to decide if they will continue reading your blog or go on to the next. A well-designed site can grab the reader’s attention and help you get past the initial “judging the book by its cover” issue. Also, remember that you are an authority; your site should reflect that and look professional.
2. Have a plan. If you are going to make money from your blog, you simply cannot write about your cat one day and the world economy the next. As a blogger, you are an authority. Readers go to your blog in order to read your own personal take, or unique spin, on a specific subject. However much you might think that people care about your weight loss struggles or your problems with your in-laws, if you are a real estate blogger, write about real estate and related subjects only. Writing about unrelated subjects to your primary topic can alienate certain readers, while it may simply annoy others. Either way, keeping your niche narrow is a good way to retain your readers. You can always keep a separate, non-primary blog if your fingers just can’t keep their proverbial mouths shut!
3. Be consistent. You may not think that it matters when or how often you post but it does to your readers. Readers become used to checking favorite blogs just as they would any other periodical, like a newspaper or magazine. If you only have time to post once a week, post on the same day each week. If you have a daily blog, post daily.
4. Post frequently. The more often you post, the more that potential readers will come across your content in search engines.
5. Write to every audience. You may be an expert in your field, but your reader probably isn’t. Using too many trade-specific words can detract from your writing and make a potential reader go on to another blog. The same is true of using buzzwords; they do not add any value. You will engage more readers by writing on a level that can be enjoyed by all audiences.
6. Comments matter. Approach any comment your blog receives, good or bad, in such a way that adds to the discussion or opens a conversation, whether it directed at you or not. Over time, your readers will notice this special touch and it can help differentiate you from other blogs. Addressing comments made on your blog can also help make sure that your blog is bookmarked for daily reading. Consider integrating comments into Twitter or a social networking site, such as Facebook or LinkedIn. Doing so will help gain your blog more exposure and help build a personal connection between you and your readers.