Starting a blogging business and earning money from it sounds like a simple enough task to accomplish. After all, there are a staggering 600 millions blogs already out there, whether they are standalone ones or created as part of a company website.

Individuals and businesses use blogging as a way of creating an audience with the hope of being able to monetise their traffic and create an income or promote an interest in their products. In fact, many bloggers begin simply with a blog and eventually end up starting a blogging business as a result of that.

The biggest challenge that anyone starting a blog faces is growing their audience in order to make sure that their blog is a sustainable enterprise. If you are looking for ways in which to make money from your blog then read on as we look at how to successfully set up your blog for success.

What is a blog?

A blog is essentially a website. Its content is usually focused on a particular topic, and it is regularly updated by the blogger. It can often be content that has a more personal tone which offers the audience a deeper connection to the blogger. Many people start blogs to:

• Share a glimpse of their loves, share opinions and passions
• Teach others about what they know
• Develop their identity as an expert
• Make money

Blogging can be very rewarding, but it is also a commitment that requires a degree of consistency. Whether you choose to publish daily, weekly or even monthly once you have built up a following, if you miss posting to your schedule then you risk losing followers, and therefore money. Be warned it is rare to see results from a blog immediately, so it is important to remain motivated in the early days.

Find your niche

Before you can start your blog, you need to consider what your niche is. It might be a hobby, something you are passionate about or even personal experiences. With so many blogs out there once you have found your niche it can be a good idea to see what others are blogging about on the same topic. This will help you to carve out your own unique direction which will help you to stand out from the crowd.

Whatever you do choose, consider what you might be hoping to achieve with your blog. For example, will you be teaching people something, making them laugh or hoping to help others who have faced a similar situation to you?

Your blog name

Having chosen your niche, you need to think about your blog name, and this should be the same as your domain name. If possible, this should also be something that will stand out from other blogs. If you can link it to your niche that is good but not essential; short and memorable is best.

It is important to check that the name you want isn’t already taken and it can be a good idea to register everything properly, which can be done via a company like Your Company Formations.

Choose a platform

There are a number of different blogging platforms out there that you may want to consider including Blogger, Tumblr and WordPress. They will help you to write and design your blog posts and also publish them online.

WordPress is one of the most popular choices with new bloggers and it is really simple to use. You will find plenty of easy to follow instructions and YouTube tutorials to help you get started. Once you have the basics you will be able to work on adding those personal touches to your blog.

Designing your blog

First impressions count so the design of your blog is important. There are themes that you can buy within your platform that will help you create the design you want, and you can also find free plug-ins that can be handy if you want to create a homepage that is standalone.

It can be a good idea to keep your theme simple and instead concentrate on creating a blog that is user-friendly. You should make sure that you include a call-to-action that alerts your audience to where you can be found. You may want to include links to your social media platforms as well.

A good logo, whether you opt for something professionally designed or something you have created yourself, can also be a good idea.

Look for your audience

Depending on your niche you will need to look for where your potential audience might be. You might find them in specific groups on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or even TikTok. It can be a good idea to follow blogs with a similar subject, tweet your posts and start conversations.

Unfortunately, sharing links isnt enough to build your audience. You need to be getting involved in conversations, both joining in other conversations and starting your own, This will help to gain you a following.

Consider other channels

Some people prefer to watch or listen rather than read so once you have got into a pattern of posting your blog posts you may want to think about adding podcasts or YouTube videos to your blog. Podcasts are great for marketing your blog and you may also want to consider featuring guests on your podcast and being a guest on other peoples’ in return.

Keep improving your blog

Once you are up and running you will want to focus your attention on getting your brand known, and producing quality content that helps you do that. Networking can help you build the links that will help you to start monetising your blog.

Learn how to use SEO properly to help you ensure that your blog is as visible as possible.

Monetising your blog

There are a number of ways to make money from your blog. Companies who are relevant to the subject of your blog may buy space to advertise through a banner or box. You may also want to look into collaborations with certain brands that link to subjects you are passionate about. It is important that you make it very clear when posts are sponsored.

Sponsored links can also help you with your money but again you need to be very clear that a post is sponsored.

Affiliate marketing, the placing of links in your posts or on your blog page that direct your audience to a website where something is being sold are another option. These links allow you to earn commission on any sales that result from a “click through”. There are sites where you can find companies who want to do this.

Hopefully you’ve got all the basics you need when starting a blogging business. When it comes to the legalities and tax implications, getting expert accountants and company formation experts on hand can help take the technicalities so you can concentrate on growing your reach.