Life at Gray Gables

First, let me say this, blogging is great. I put in my blogging efforts, have great stats and get the buzz topics out and about.

But, with all great things...comes a Downside to Blogging.

What is it? you ask...

Well, Blogging takes up a LOT of time! Luckily, there are a few ways that you, the writer, can be compensated for your blogging time and efforts.

How? you ask...

Here are a list of 5 EASY WAYS you can start making MONEY from YOUR Blog:

1) Advertising

This seems simple right? It is probably the first idea that comes to mind when we think about monetizing our blog site. But, there are some preliminary steps that need to be taken before we implement this strategy.

First, do not use a FREE Blogging Platform.(Yes, strike 1 for Life at Gray Gables, right!)

What this means is that you need to purchase your own domain name and hosting, so you can monetize as you wish.

The free version of WordPress is not intended for profit use. So selling ads and participating in affiliate marketing is out of the question if you're using the free platform.

Blogger, however, has a few perks to using their free platform.

Next step, you need to have a system in place for serving your ads. There are numerous plugins that you can download for free to add this functionality to your site. Once you download the plugin, you will be able to set up add zones, track clicks and impressions, as well as schedule run dates.

When you sell ad space, advertisers will want to know your blog's statistics, which is why this information is of importance. You can get all this information for free by adding Google Analytics to your site.

And lastly, you will need to set up a page for your advertising options. Usually this page will include your ad sizes and locations, traffic stats, and cost to run the promotion.

How to get started with advertising?

Now that you have the basics set up, there are basically two ways to get started with your advertising, 1) Direct Ad Sales and/or 2) Work with an Ad Network.

With Direct Ad Sales, you get 100% of the profit, but you also do 100% of the work. If you are just getting started, you will most likely need to do some prospecting for sponsors.

But, when you work with an Ad Network, they do all the legwork, but this means your cut is a lot smaller.

Here are just a few of the advertising networks you can work with:

2. Affiliate Marketing

Not only is affiliate marketing a great way to add some extra revenue to your blog, but it can also be your blog’s main source of income. With affiliate marketing, you promote products and services, and in exchange, you earn a commission on each sale that's generated from your site.

With this method, you’ll want to promote products and services that are within your niche and that you, yourself would use. A good rule of thumb is … if you wouldn’t use it or recommend it to friend, don’t promote it on your blog. Your integrity always trumps earning a quick buck, so don’t lose readers by promoting lousy products.

To find affiliate programs to promote, you can check out some of the bigger networks likeAmazon, ShareASale, or CJ. Or you can look on individual websites to see if they host their own affiliate program. Generally, this information will be on the footer of the website or on their contact page.

3. Add a Job Board

Many freelance, career, and niche-related blogs will add a job board to their site for additional income. Of course, to do this, you’ll need to create an area that accommodates this sort of function.

4. Paid Community

Many bloggers add private membership communities to their sites that offer advanced training. Depending on the resources and tools that your membership site offers, you may be able to charge an annual or monthly recurring fee.

To add a private community to your blog, you’ll need to purchase a premium plugin, like Member Mouse or Magic Members. Once the plugin is in place, you’ll be able to register, manage, and bill clients all in one spot.

5. Create and Sell an Information Product

Depending on your niche, writing an e-book or other information product may be an excellent way for you to cash in.

So how do you know whether or not selling an information product is right for you?

If you’re often asked about a certain subject over and over again — that’s a good clue. If you’re always asked, “Can I pick your brain?” that’s another good clue.

For this monetization method, you’ll need to add a shopping cart to your site. A plugin like WordPress Simple PayPal Shopping Cart or a service like E-Junkie can add this additional functionality to your blog … and you can start cashing in.

One final note:

Making money from your blog doesn’t happen overnight.

But with a little persistence and some well thought out content, you can reap financial rewards for your efforts.

I am still working towards the move to monetize. It is a tough one. One that requires planning and determination. I am building my blog. Re-scratching the surface and re-inventing myself and my blog to reflect these terms. I did not start blogging to make money. I started blogging to have something to leave to my kids, something that I am proud of, that is me, in essence. I would love to build this blog into something more, but I am taking baby steps, advise from others and trying to stay true to the love that I have for writing. I am having fun, sharing content and writing things that come from my heart, what better plan for the future can I have, than: