Monetizing your Blog

entrepreneurs.about.com

Monetizing Your Blog Amanda McCormick

entrepreneurs.about.com

entrepreneurs.about.com

A little bit of background on me.

• Working in digital media exclusively since 2007

• I’m the guide to Entrepreneurship on About.com

• Have a client-based business where I work with startups, small businesses and nonprofits

• My specialities: copywriting for the web, social media, web production, WordPress, email marketing, content marketing.

• I blog at Jellybeanboom.com

• I teach: mediabistro.com

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Some common questions about blogging

• What should I blog about? • Which platforms are the best -- Tumblr, WordPress, or Blogger?• How do I get people to my blog? • How do I actually make money with this?

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A few good examples...

marieforleo.com

barkpost.com

brainpickings.org

pinchofyum.com

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What We’ll Cover Today

• Content Planning• Finding & Growing Your Audience• Getting Set Up• Monetizing• Evaluating Your Success

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What Should I Blog About

• Something that you’re an expert in or know a lot about• Something that you can sustain over several years• Something where there is an audience you can grow over time

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How Do I Know If There’s An Audience?

• http://www.google.com/trends/• Search social networks like Pinterest and Twitter• Look at the competition

Finding Your Content Focus

• What is the competition doing?

• What topics do you think would be interesting to your audience?

• What sort of content is timely

• How often can I blog?

entrepreneurs.about.com

entrepreneurs.about.com

Content Strategy

Jeff F:

To become strong one needs to exercise an hour a day. Is this true of blogging?

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Content Strategy

Cynthia T:

How to get started? What will it cost? Are there any tips on how to get started for

free?

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Getting Set Up

Understand these distinctions!

•A “software as a service” platform, a bit like a social network•You are bound by their TOS•Can be a great place to get started with blogging and even sometimes site design•Limited control of the backend -- underlying software is not available to you.

•Where developers, designers and advanced users go to use WordPress as the software base of whatever they want to design and develop. •Allows complete customization. •Requires you to “self-host” or bring your own hosting plan

WordPress.org

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WordPress

Get a hosting account

Buy a domain

Install WordPress

Start blogging!

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Monetizing

• Advertising/Sponsored Posts • Consulting• Products/Informational Products• Affiliate marketing

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Advertising

entrepreneurs.about.combrainpickings.org

Affiliate

Amazon

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Other Affiliate Programs

LinkshareCommission JunctionWeb hostsSoftware that you use

entrepreneurs.about.commarieforleo.com

Information Products

Classes, books, seminars

entrepreneurs.about.combarkpost.com

Products

entrepreneurs.about.compinchofyum.com

Combination

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Growing Your Audience

Mary K:

What methods other than Twitter and Facebook can I use to get people to my

blog?

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Growing Your Audience

• SEO • Guest blogging• Email marketing

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Evaluating Your Success

RevenueTrafficEmail SubscribersSocial media shares

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Why Isn’t My Blog Making Money?

• Is your blog too general or covering too many subjects?

• Have you looked at every possible way to productize your expertise?

• Have you explored niche advertising networks and affiliate opportunities?

• Are you spending the right amount of time on your blog?

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Get more help monetizing your blog

• Tons of FREE resources at entrepreneurs.about.com• Take my class on Tumblr marketing at mediabistro.com• Visit my blog at jellybeanboom.com