Turning your hobby into a business can feel tough. You’re essentially creating a business for yourself and trying to make a livelihood out of it, but this is the era of blogging and it’s never been easier to break into blogging and become the next big thing. The one thing you’ve got to remember is to plan everything! Especially if you’re balancing blogging with a full-time job or a jam-packed personal life.
Don’t worry, though, there are some resources that will make it so much easier to earn money from your hard work, and you might be able to make your blog your full-time thing!
#1. Start with a plan
If you want to make a smart investment for your blog, you might want to look into The Ultimate Blog Plan. It’s not your average blogging book, it’s more about you. We’ve packed this book full of strategies and workbook exercises so you can stop reading about success and start working for it. It’s designed to be like a course you can follow in the comfort of your own home and will teach you how to make money from day one! Find out more here.
Available here
#2. Figure out who you’re targeting and what they like
We go in-depth into all this in Boss Blog Planner, but if you want to make money, you need to look at your audience and figure out who they are, where they come from and what they want/need. Make a list of everything you know about your readers and then make a second list of products and services you think would interest them. From there, you can tailor a post to mention certain products or start working on something you can offer your readers to fill a gap in the market!
#3. Choose programs that fit your blog
If you’re signing up to an ad network or an affiliate program, make sure they fit with your blog. Make sure your ad programs use adverts that don’t look spammy, and be aware that where you place your ads matters, too (it will affect your SEO!). When it comes to choosing affiliate programs, look into whether you want CPC (cost per click) or CPM (cost per thousand), and see which products or brands they have listed.
Some affiliate programs require an application, while others are open to anyone, so do some research and look at reviews to see what works best for you (and your blog!).
#4. Up your social media game
Yep, you’re gonna need to grow your audience. The more people you have on your website, the better. Not just for affiliate programs, but for collaborations with brands and businesses. So if you’re polishing up your media kit, you need to know how to reach a wider audience.
Don’t underestimate social media, Pinterest is one of our top referrals and we definitely underestimated it in the beginning. To grow your traffic you’ll need a social media plan (we include a free 12-month plan in the book too btw!). Start by listing all the sites you want to post on, then create content to go on those sites. Try not to post too much of the same thing, remember that people want to see behind-the-scenes posts too.
#5. Don’t sell your soul
People buy from people, so if you recommend something to them, make sure it’s something you really believe in. One of the top tips we can give is staying true to yourself and trying not to overdo it. Focus on creating great content and putting it out there, and don’t lose your focus!
