One of the biggest problems with people that want to get started with their own blog or online business, is that they start a blog but really have no clear direction on where they want to go with it. Unfortunately this usually ends up in the blog owner losing interest in their site, writing content and just wasting their time and efforts.

Before even registering your domain name or writing the first post for your site, you need to set clear intentions on why you are blogging in the first place. It’s very likely that the reason will fall within one of the variables below.

You simply want to start a blog and see what it’s all about
You have a passion and want to create a blog because it seems like a fun hobby
You want to make money online and blogging seems like a good way to start
You already have a business in place and are starting a blog to grow awareness

Those are four of the most common reasons for starting a blog.

Each of them needs to be addressed accordingly and in the right matter to find longterm success. However, in this article we are focusing on just a money factor.

Road To Riches

So what are some of the methods you need to look at before even starting a “for profit” blog.
Find Something People Want or Need

The first thing you are going to need to do is find something to blog about. Since we are focusing strictly on making money, this doesn’t necessarily have to be something you are passionate about… but if you can find something that fits, even better!
Is There Already Money Being Made in this Niche

Once you’ve found something worthwhile to blog about and it seems like it’s a service that people either research online, buy or need, then you are on your way. The next step is for you to see what the market currently looks like for your niche market. A good way to see if advertisers are spending money in this area is to simply search for your blog topic on Google. If you see a lot of ads within the search results, there is a good chance that your blog idea can make good money.
How Can You Target Your Audience

Now that you are on the right path and have chosen a niche topic that is something people want and advertisers are willing to spend money to get their sites and products in the face of your audience, you need to figure out how you are going to cater to that audience. One of the best ways to do this is through the use of a resource site. Just think about the last time you wanted to purchase something online… you probably did some research on this product first. If you can create enough quality content around a product or service and become a value to your audience, this is the perfect example of how to get on the right path for creating a profitable blog.
Best Ways to Monetize Your Blog to Make Money

The last step in the process is to create a solid monetization strategy for your blog — in short, how are you going to make money? Most blogs will monetize their sites through the use of on site advertising, affiliate marketing and by creating their own products. Depending on the direction you go with your site, any or all of these methods may apply. Going back to when I was talking about looking for advertisers in the search results for your specific blog topic, you can either contact these same advertisers to see if they would like to advertise on your blog or see if they have an existing affiliate program in place. The key thing here is to make sure you site has a lot of traffic and content before trying to sell ad spots on your site. You can implement affiliate marketing and your own products at any given time.

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