Career News 24/7: The Cynical Girl: How To Make Money As A Blogger

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The Cynical Girl: How To Make Money As A Blogger

How To Make Money As A Blogger

Posted: 19 Sep 2011 06:45 AM PDT

The number one question in my email inbox?

“I want to make money as a blogger. How do you do it?”

The simple answer? Not by giving you a free roadmap, buddy.

The number two question in my email inbox?

“How much money do you make?”

Right. Okay. Some people have no tact or initiative. Sheesh.

You don’t see me driving a Ferrari but there are a few core ways to make money as a blogger. Here are my thoughts.

Write compelling content. Nothing boring will ever sell… unless it’s a movie script and your dad is in the business.
Tell people how they can pay you. The Bloggess tells you exactly how you can give her money. That reminds me… I need to do that, too.
Believe in the power of ad networks. BlogHer has a great ad network. I used to run it on Punk Rock HR and it was very profitable.
Sell text links. I earn a couple hundred bucks/week by selling links on my blogs. SEO companies are out there. Optimize your blog, get connected, and see what they can do for you.
Think like a media conglomerate. There’s a reason why media companies own networks, film studios, radio stations, and even billboards. Think about your distribution methods. Are you blogging on a group site that promises some kind of future profit sharing? Don’t believe the hype. Do it on your own terms. Own your brand and maximize it.
Learn to speak. I earn more money speaking than I do on my blog. It’s weird how that happens. I am a better writer than speaker. Suckers. I’ll cash your check and keep blogging.
Ask to be paid for your content. You won’t always get paid but you should learn how to ask. Don’t leave money on the table.

I always try to remind people that blogging is not a form of passive income. (Well, okay, fine. It’s passive compared to coal mining.) Just like life, hard work yields rewards. Before you even think about a monetization strategy, make sure that your blog is interesting, compelling, and fun.

Now stop emailing me and quit asking me to do the hard work for you.