How do I make money by blogging in 6 months?
Aug, 1 2023
Finding Your Niche and Setting Up a Blog
It all begins there, folks! The world of blogging is like a vast bazaar. There are booths (blogs) for every imaginable stall (topic), yet there remain under-served or completely untouched niches. Don't get me wrong, the traditional niches like food, travel, and fashion will always be profitable. However, with the increase in competition, a unique niche can bring you a broader audience and more revenue. As a successful blogger living in sunny Melbourne, I can assuredly say that the journey begins with identifying your passion and marrying that with a unique niche.
After finding your niche, it's time to set up the blog. "But isn't that tricky?", you wonder. Well, not anymore and certainly not in 2023. There are many intuitive and cost-effective platforms such as WordPress, Wix, and Squarespace that can help you set up an aesthetically pleasing and functional blog within minutes.
An interesting story? Let's rewind to six months ago when my spouse, Cara, and I were brainstorming about starting a 'Culinary Science' blog. The idea behind it was to mix our passion for cooking with our never-ending curiosity about the science behind food. Fast forward to today, our blog is generating a pretty decent income. That's success for you!
Creating Valuable and Unique Content
No matter how unique your niche or how attractive your blog design is, the heart of your blog will always be its content. But how can you ensure your content stands out? Simple: Make it valuable and unique. Now, you might ask: "Caden, aren't those essentially the same thing?" Not quite. 'Valuable' means it provides something useful to your reader. 'Unique' means it has a fresh viewpoint, a new spin on things, a certain 'je ne sais quoi' that only you can provide. Blend those together, and you've got content gold.
Take the time to validate and contextualize your facts and ideas. After all, nothing spreads more swiftly on the internet than well-researched, qualifiable information. This authenticity helps build trust with your audience and ultimately, it makes them hang around you, just like kangaroos do around here in Melbourne!
Building an Engaged and Loyal Audience
Wouldn’t it be splendid to have a group of individuals who eagerly wait for your next blog post? Having an engaged and loyal audience converts to consistent traffic, which is the lifeline of any blog. Yet, how to go about building such an audience?
Begin by listening to your readers. Feedback is a great tool for growth. It's also crucial to interact with them, either through comment sections, replying to emails, or even on social media platforms. Remember, it's the two-way communication that fosters a sense of community among your readers.
When Cara and I started our blog, we included a 'Feedback Friday' segment, where we addressed our readers' comments, feedback, and suggestions, and boy, did they love it! Engagement soared, and people felt heard and appreciated.
Monetizing Your Blog
Now, let's tackle the elephant in the room - making money! In truth, there are many ways to monetize a blog. The popular ones are affiliate marketing, products, and services and last but not the least, ads. But before you traverse this path, remember that monetization should be proportionate to audience growth and trust.
Affiliate marketing is basically promoting other companies' products and earning a commission on any sales made via your blog. Not bad eh? Selling your own products or services, on the other hand, requires a significant investment of time but can be highly rewarding. And of course, ads, the OG of online earnings can be a passive source of income.
What worked for us? A mix of all three actually. Cara's recipe e-books are a sure shot hit, we are also affiliated with some well-known kitchen equipment brands, and have Google Ads running on the site. Remember, though, different strategies work for different blogs. The trick is to discover what aligns with your passion and your reader's interests.
Promoting Your Blog
What’s the point of having a blog if no one knows it exists, right? Promotion is imperative to ensure your blog sees the light of the day (well, more like the light of Google’s first search page!). If I were to cite one key lesson from my experience, here it is folks: SEO is your friend!
Know your keywords, optimize your blog’s metadata, ensure your site is mobile-friendly - this form of SEO witchcraft is truly effective in helping you climb those Google rankings. Alongside, using social media platforms for promotion also helps you reach a larger audience and build strong relationships with them.
Cara and I throw a cheeky 'Science of BBQ' Instagram live session now and then that brings in loads of traffic and has also helped us shape a community. Imagine having kangaroo steaks on the BBQ while discussing maillard reaction! It's fun, interactive and an excellent promotional tool.
In the end, dear friends, remember, success in the blogging world is not a sprint, it’s a marathon. With persistence, creativity and a generous dash of humour, even a seemingly mundane subject can turn into a blog making money quicker than a kangaroo on the run. So get started, and remember, when in doubt, think – What would Caden do?