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So, you decided to get started with blogging? You set up a blog, begin publishing articles every now and then and you are pretty much done…

But even if you are an amateur blogger, one question that’ll certainly start boggling you one day is how do you make money blogging.

There are many ways to monetize a blog…

If you are a Blogger user, the easiest is to try the integrated Google AdSense. You can also do paid reviews or post sponsored banner ads. My preferred method however is affiliate marketing.

NOTE: To make the most out of affiliate marketing you’ll be better off working on a WordPress-powered blog (look at my guide to moving from Blogger to WordPress).

Anyway, that is not the topic of today’s post. What I am going to cover in the next paragraphs are six facts about how to actually make money blogging and the kind of attitude you need!

So, let’s get started! 

1. Three Months Aren’t Enough
to Make Money Blogging

The one thing you need is patience. You’ve probably heard that already. I also did when I started, yet still thought about giving up more than once…

It actually took me more than a year to start earning from Reviewz N Tips. And no, the whole process is not complicated.

For me it all came down to:

1. Publishing quality content
2. Attracting a targeted audience
3. Finding and reviewing products
4. Promoting those products

The real problem is that making things happen requires a steady focus. You need to put all of your attention into it. And even if you succeed, generating enough content and building an audience around it takes months.

So in brief, don’t start with thinking you’re going to make it big real soon. It all looks deceivingly easy when you see the big picture. It isn’t though. Better spend some time into research to see if what you will be promoting is really worth it. Both for you and for the visitor. 

2. Successful Monetization Doesn’t
Come Down to Writing Only

Without having published say 40-50 articles, getting into affiliate marketing would probably have to wait. But it’s not all about the content base…

I’d not recommend dealing with any kind of monetization before you get a consistent flow of traffic AND fans.

The reason…

Once you start earning a revenue, you will start feeling the criticism. I did get into quite some of it after publishing short reviews of three blogging e-books. They are all genuine, but many didn’t understand that… I even got emails from readers, telling me that’s not the way to go.

What I am saying is readers should not feel like you are selling them short! 

The first step is to build an audience. You have to play it “clean” for some time. You have to try to build people’s trust through things like engaging on Twitter, asking questions on your Facebook fan page and replying to comments on your own blog. You solidify relationships and show others you are “real”.

Once we’ve passed that critical stage, we move to the next point…

3. You Can’t Make Money Blogging
without a Good Layout

I believe these days many bloggers neglect the importance of a good-looking layout… And before you make money blogging, you have to predispose your visitors. You have to show them that you are not there to simply seal the deal and make some cash.

It doesn’t matter if we are talking about placing contextual ads or selling products for a commission. The thing is that if you expect someone to spend say 100$ on your offer, you need to show them that you aren’t playing it cheap.

To show my readers just that I bought a custom domain and moved to WordPress. When we talk about building trust, the small details often prove decisive.

NOTE: Remember when it comes to looks, simplicity is key. Flashy elements are a thing of the past. It all comes down to creating a functional design that improves navigation. Eye-candy is good, but only if doesn’t make finding one’s way around difficult.

4. You Must not be Scared to
Actually Promote Your Offers

That’s right! I have always said that self-promotion isn’t all that bad if done the right way. Hearing self-promotion, your first association are probably those Twitter eggs, sharing stupid links every five minutes. Well that’s not quite what I’m referring to.

What I do is treat the products I am promoting as any other post on my blog. They get the same amount of sharing on all Twitter, Facebook and Google Plus as every other post I have written does. Of course all those updates are mixed with other quality posts I’ve read throughout the day. Occasionally I share my favorite quotes and ask questions on my Facebook page.

Now It’s Your Turn!

On to you guys! Have you began monetizing your blog? If so, do you agree to the advice I covered in the above paragraphs? I’d really appreciate to hear your two cents on the topic!