Once upon a time, blogs were set up primarily by people who wanted the world to know about one thing or the other: events, reflections upon events, personal tastes and passions, new ideas and more. The veteran bloggers say they started posting pieces on their blogs because they loved to do so. Over time, their eyes opened (gradually or suddenly, depending on the individual whose story you read or listen to) to the potential to make money out of what they had considered little more than a hobby. And, so the popular account goes, the rest is history. Success stories of this kind resonate with a good number of people; it is therefore not surprising that blogging now attracts an ever expanding force of enthusiasts. Including some who put up horribly disjointed content, just to earn some naira.
People will patronise you if they believe that you’re offering them what they need: high-quality service at an affordable cost. This applies to blogging. So, before you think about making money from a blog, be sure that you define your niche, that you are sufficiently knowledgeable and skilled in your area of interest, and that your posts are as creative and engaging as can be. They should add value to the reader in some way. A yacht doesn’t become one because it has a price tag; it has a price tag because it is a yacht- someone considers it valuable. Your communication with the reader is key; they should get the impression through your posts and responses to comments that they know you, and can trust you. This takes time, drive, and sensitivity. Merely having your eyes on the money won’t really help your cause. In fact, it might wreck it.
After setting up a blog, a network should be built- a network of real, living and breathing humans. It’s not just about hits. Publicize the work you do through social media (build a social media profile for yourself using Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), physical contact with friends, and other possible means; link up with people with whom you share similar interests; make valuable contributions to online forums in which things related to your area of expertise are discussed; offer to be a guest writer for online publications. And while doing all of these, you may refer those with whom you interact to your blog. And if you are able to create a loyal following, they will almost certainly tell people they know about what you do.
And here comes the money making part of it. Advertising is one means by which income is earned from blogging. Advertisers may offer to publicise their goods and services on your blog if they think that your audience is large enough and provides an avenue for reaching new customers. Ad networks like Google Ad-Sense help get adverts to run on blogs with a smaller readership. You may also recommend certain products to your readers on your blog, and put up a link to the product’s parent company’s site. You earn a commission on sales which results from customers being directed to the product’s site from your blog- depending of course on the agreement you have reached with the company. You can also use your blog as a springboard to launch other products or services which could generate income for you. For example, you could sell books, or get paid to speak at events. By making your expertise known to a wide audience via your publications, you create a potential demand for your services and accompanying monetary gains.
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