Every now and then I get someone who asks me how to monetize a blog. It’s a good question, because it’s not apparent from the get-go how a blog makes money.
You can guess at how other people make their money, but unless you’ve been in the blogging and online business world for awhile, you don’t really know.
In this short video on how to monetize a blog I will dispel one of the biggest myths of blogging, and show you how I think anyone who is just getting started blogging should monetize their blog.
How to monetize a blog video
The truth comes out: how to monetize a blog
When it comes to blogging, it’s easy to look for the quick fix solution. In my post about how to make investments in your business, I discussed my own past with trying to make money blogging online. What I’ve come to learn along the way is that one of the best ways to monetize a project, is to start with the revenue model in mind.
It’s so easy to rush into a project without knowing exactly how you’re going to make income from it. There’s a reason that businesses are asked for a business plan before receiving any funding.
It shouldn’t be any different for blogs, except that instead of being responsible to an outside funder, you are responsible to yourself and you need to prove to yourself that your venture is going to be successful. (This doesn’t mean your blog needs to make 6 figures right from the start.)
The cynical professor?
One of my university professors used to speak to students about potential businesses on a regular basis. He would often ask them what their revenue model was, and most of them said that they would just slap AdSense on the site. This professor would then yell “ads are not a business model” during classes, which gave him quite the reputation.
At the time, I thought he was a bit cynical, and now I fully agree with that statement. If you’re just starting out, you cannot expect to monetize a blog using ads.
You need to focus on your blog as if it were a real deal business. That means speaking to potential customers and clients, coming up with services and products that they actually want and need, and learning how to market your offerings.
Hopefully this quick video on how to monetize a blog did not turn you off to the idea of blogging. I truly believe that blogging is one of the best ways to get your name out there, to create fame, and to build up a reputation that allows you to connect with your ideal clients.
That being said, it’s time to stop reading articles on how to monetize a blog, and start thinking about proper business models that can underpin your existing blog.
Over to you now…
Thanks for reading, please leave a comment below if you have anything to add to the discussion. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the advertising revenue model, as it pertains to big media and small blogs.
Before you go, make sure you grab your free Get Techy Now “tech-made-simple” videos for more how-to videos and anti “how to monetize a blog” advice. ;)
