HOW TO BECOME A SUCCESSFUL BLOGGER: A 14-STEP GUIDE
So, you want to become a successful blogger?
Well, I went from legit knowing nothing about blogging to becoming a full time blogger in a matter of 3 years.
I never thought it would be possible for me and here I am doing it.
The steps below were critical to my success as a blogger.
1. START A BLOG
You need to start a blog!
Every successful blogger I know started from nothing. They had to start somewhere. This is obvious, but it’s really important to remember. The big-time blogger that you look up to started from zero. It’s taking the risk and leap of faith to know that you can create something amazing that is required. You have to believe in yourself and actually follow through.
To be a successful blogger, you must start a blog. The faster you do this the better – time won’t wait for you!
Here are blogging tools to get started with:
2. CREATE A COHESIVE BRAND AND DESIGN
You need to have a cohesive brand and design.
Successful blogs look super duper professional.
But the truth is that you can do this with a basic theme – I love and recommend Divi Theme.
You don’t have to spend a ton of money or a ton of time on it. You can just do it yourself and be a pro. Kind of awesome.
3. USE HIGH QUALITY PHOTOS
You need to use high quality photos on your blog, but you don’t have to stress or freak out about them.
I use stock photos from Haute Chocolate, Deposit Photo, and iStock Photo on my blog – these are paid platforms.
You can always use Unsplash and Pixabay, which are free.
Ten Things To Try In Your First Six Months Of Blogging
I am so excited to introduce you to Anna from Learn Like A Mom. Anna is a client and friend, and she even contributed a chapter in my book! When Anna started her blog, she had so many questions. She was always thinking ahead to the next step, and had very small learning curve because of that-she’s a natural. Because of this, she is a valuable resource for new bloggers. I’m excited to be posting her list of 10 things to try in your first 6 months of blogging (but I think all bloggers could benefit from this list)!
TEN THINGS TO TRY IN YOUR FIRST SIX MONTHS OF BLOGGING
One: Get organized! Create or download a planner if that’s your style. Have a blogging bulletin board if that’s how you roll. Just try to contain all of those notes, ideas, and lists in one place.
Two: Follow other successful blogs. Study what they do and how they do it. Participate in some of the socializing aspects to get a feel for it even more. Simply commenting, liking, tweeting, or linking can help you network without any cost but time. Sometimes bloggers even share their secrets–keep your eyes out for these posts!
Make sure your
Three: Link Up! Find Linky Parties. Make sure your content is appropriate, follow their rules, and remember you are creating a name for yourself that will follow you everywhere! There are linky parties for content, social media follows, and even giveaways.
Four: Host a giveaway. This will give you a chance to learn how to use Rafflecopter if you so choose, learn how to make nofollow links, and advertise in this format if it appeals to you.
At first, you may have to hunt someone down and offer advertising in exchange for a review and/or giveaway. (I partnered up with people in direct sales.) People love free stuff, so it’s a great way to build the social reach for both of you.
Five: Attend a Twitter Party. As you follow people of interest on Twitter, you’ll find that many of them host, co-host, or participate in Twitter Parties. They are short and you’ll …..
How to start a blog
Learning how to start a blog was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. In less than a year, I was able to quit my full time job and make a full time living from my blog. Learning how to start a blog allows me to make thousands of dollars online! Blogging has also allowed me so many opportunities. With this tutorial, you will:
Learn how to start a blog with step-by-steps instructions
Hosting plans and options
Get a FREE domain name with your hosting plan
Bonus tips on what to do after you start a blog
When I started out as a new blogger, I made over $13,000 blogging in 6 months. This was all in my spare time, too! Today, I make over $10,000 online each month. In my first year of freelancing full time, I made over $80,000! You can read my blog income reports here.
If I can learn how to start a blog and make it successful, you can too!
There are so many reasons why you should start a blog.
For me, I wanted to share my experience trying to make extra money. I also wanted to start a blog to have a creative outlet, interact with other people and document my journey.
If you are really passionate about something and want to share your passion with others, blogging is definitely for you!
Here are some blog ideas:
Recipes
Mama / family life
#Adulting
Crafts / DIY / How-to steps
Book clubs and reviews
Healthy living and/or weight loss
Career / lifestyle
Homeschool / family life
Fashion
Personal Finance
Makeup and hair
Faith / religion / inspiration
Reviews/ direct sales – LuLaRoe, Scentsy, Essential Oils, R+F, Mary Kay
Product Sample Reviews
Pets – accessories, bakery, etc.
Wedding / wedding planning / event planning
Shopping
Garden / homestead
Coupons / save money
Car / woodworking / building / ‘shop’ hobbies
Student / college / Greek life
Home decor
Everyday lifestyle
Mental well being / self help / depression / chronic illness
Travel / RV / Vacation
You can also start a blog and share your experiences in multiple ways. You don’t have to be a writer either!
Here are different ways you can use your blog as a creative outlet:
Write blog posts
Create videos
Record audio, like a podcast
Have other bloggers write guest posts on your site
Partner with brands to share videos and content
Before we get to all the exciting things about blogging, first you ….
How to Start A Blog in 2018 (Step-by-step Newbie Guide)
1. Finding the Right Niche
Credit: Dave Walker
There are many different reasons people start blogs.
Some people blog as a hobby. Some blog to expand their business reach online. Some wish to make more money and see blogging as the platform to do that.
Most individual bloggers started a blog because they have a passion for the topic and they have something to say. They also believe they can make money from this topic, either through selling memberships, selling products, or through advertising.
What is your reason?
No matter the purpose of the blog, figuring out a niche market is vital.
A blog simply can’t be everything to everyone. Instead, you need to figure out who you are writing to and what topics you’re writing about.
A good blogging niche should fulfill the following three criteria.
1. Fill a need
If you’ve ever thought “I wish someone would blog about this”, that’s the a-ha moment. If it is a topic that you’d like to know more about, then it is likely a topic that other people want to know about.
What is your unique knowledge? How can you provide something unique to the topic that no one else can? It could even be through an interview with an expert.
2. Something you are passionate about
Whatever subject you choose as your niche will be something you have to write about frequently. If you really care about the subject, it will be easier to come up with multiple topics.
Plus, you’ll enjoy writing on those topics.
There is nothing worse than writing about something you really don’t care that much about. While you can learn enough about almost any topic to write a short article, if you don’t like what you’re writing, it will show.
3. Profitable
Your blog needs to be able to stand alone by itself. That means that your blog needs to be in a niche that you can make money from.
Ask yourself if it is a topic that will attract readers and create income – whether through advertising or sales. If you are blogging to support your existing………
HOW TO MAKE MONEY ON PINTEREST WITHOUT A BLOG (A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE)
by Regina | Affiliate Marketing, Online Business, Pinterest Marketing |
Disclosure: This guide may contain affiliate links to relevant services I’ve used or highly recommend.
One of the easiest ways to monetize online — without having a blog — is by using Pinterest.
If you don’t own a blog, you may have associated Pinterest with being a place to share recipes, DIY projects, or fashion inspiration — but it’s so much more.
Simply type in the words make money online in the Pinterest search field and watch your feed fill up with tips, strategies, and real-life success stories on the subject.
The point is, Pinterest is more than a social media platform — it’s a visual search engine.
When we think of search engines, we typically think of Google, but today millions use Pinterest to search for products and make final purchase decisions.
Even better, now that Pinterest allows affiliate links, it’s also a place where monetizers (like us) can earn a serious profit from promoting other companies’ products through affiliate links.
Which brings us to the first way you can start making money on Pinterest without a blog…
JOIN AFFILIATE PROGRAMS
Is there a product you enjoy so much you’d share it with your closest friends? Would your Pinterest audience find that same product useful? If the answer is yes to both of those questions and you’re ready to start monetizing — you should consider joining affiliate programs.
If you’re new to affiliate marketing, it’s simply a way for you to earn a commission from selling a company’s (or person’s) products.
Neil Patel describes affiliate networks as “a database of lots of products, out of which affiliate marketers can choose which products to promote.”
Affiliate program
To join an affiliate program, you can send the company an email expressing your interest in promoting their products or you can register through affiliate networks.
When applying to affiliate programs, be sure to provide the link to your Pinterest profile or a specific board that most relates to the products you want to promote.
AFFILIATE PAY MODELS
Before signing up to become an affiliate for a company or brand, you first need to understand what actions are required to earn a commission.
On the off chance you’re not familiar with what CPC, CPA, or CPS stands for in affiliate marketing, here’s a brief explanation to reference:
CPC stands for cost-per-click which means you’ll earn a commission when viewers click on your affiliate link or ad. CPCs are the most ideal for Pinterest if your posts have lots of repins.
CPA stands for cost-per-action which means companies will pay you if a potential customer
