Better Blogging Tips for Your #SideHustle

When you’re consistently working a 9-to-5 job but your pockets are still discouragingly empty, you might strongly consider branching into a new gig that allows you to boost your bank account balance. If you’re like many people, you’ll find a job that could be performed in your PJs is particularly appealing — and that makes blogging a worthy pursuit.

Even if you’re not a writer, it’s possible to start a side income based on maintaining a blog that includes advertising as a revenue stream. Below, you can pick up tips that should demonstrate taking this route isn’t as overwhelming as it might initially seem.

Develop Your Goals

Obviously if you’ve read this far, one of your primary intentions is to use blogging as a moneymaker. It’s also important to clarify more specific goals that might help shape your approach.

For example, you might be a single mom who’s become impressively skilled at finding great deals that keep your kids happy and your bills low. You could start a blog that shares insight with interested readers who are in similar situations. On the other hand, perhaps you’re someone who has a strong passion for emerging musicians and want to offer the scoop on bands that have captured your attention recently.

In the first instance, you could write your blog with a very instructional but easy-to-read tone. Doing that could allow you to fulfill a desire to help others by gladly spreading things you’ve learned.

The second instance, a blog that focuses on bands of note, could feature content that acts as a platform to establish you as a tastemaker and reliable resource in the world of indie music. This approach could offer an easy way to include MP3s and YouTube clips in the posts.

No matter what your topic, blogging always involves this preliminary step of figuring out exactly what you want to achieve. Once you’ve established that detail, you’ll have a much sharper focus.

Showcase Your Voice

Don’t be discouraged if you’re finding it harder than expected to get to the point where you can publish your first post. Even professional bloggers sometimes feel hesitant when starting their blogs. A little nervousness is natural simply because you’re stepping into new territory. If you find fear of the unknown is making the content seem unnatural, pretend you’re explaining the topic to a friend. That should help you come across as relatable and authentic.

The stronger you can develop your blogging voice, the more likely it is people will embrace what you’re trying to do. Better yet, they’ll hopefully become loyal return visitors, which could mean you earn more money.

Carefully Consider Affiliate Marketing

At the start of this piece, there was a reference to using advertising on your blog as a source of revenue. Your thoughts may have gone straight to the idea of getting in touch with retailers who’ll pay you in exchange for placing ads on your blog. That’s a definite possibility, but it’s not likely to be a very lucrative one at the start. That’s because you’ll have to prove you have a decent-sized readership, and it takes a while to build up that following.

In the meantime, you can start to monetize your blog through affiliate marketing, a term for promoting other people’s products in order to earn a portion of each sale. Affiliate marketing is something that needs to be done very carefully for maximum effectiveness.

Ideally, you’ll only offer to discuss products that match the tone and content of your blog. If you have a blog geared towards wheelchair users, it would be counterproductive and show a gross lack of understanding try and sell a brand of running shoes through affiliate marketing. However, if you have a blog that centers on travel and you get the opportunity to insert an affiliate marketing link for a new line of lightweight luggage, that’d be a near-perfect fit.

Go for Simplicity

Being concise with your writing is another worthy aim. You don’t need to fill the lines with fancy vocabulary and ideas that seem completely innovative. Try to pick topics that are close to your heart and within your realm of expertise. Then, be as narrow as possible in your scope so you don’t get carried away by trying to pack too many concepts into a single post.

If you find it’s truly not possible to discuss all the necessary points in one post, consider writing a series of posts that focus on a theme. That’s a good way to show expertise and suggest that you’re a thought leader.

Sell Your Own Products Through the Blog

Your blog might also help you earn some extra dough by selling your own products. Many people who are professional writers do that by selling e-books, but there are alternatives if a blog is your first foray into writing.

Some examples include:

• Selling iPhone and Android apps that relate to your primary field
• Teaching lessons via Skype
• Giving web conferences that relate to a topic you know well
• Offering constructive critics on work people submit to you

Be Open to Receiving Feedback

You can publish high-quality content on a consistent basis, but it still might not get enough traction unless you’re willing to hear what readers have to say about what you’re doing. You can do that by allowing comments on each post, or by making your e-mail readily available so people can get in contact. When you make it clear you really care about what readers think and are taking it seriously with the intent to make improvements, you build rapport.

Hopefully these tips will give you the confidence needed to dive into blogging with gusto. The more you blog, the easier it should become to create worthwhile posts that’ll eventually help you earn some extra cash. Before long, you may discover you love blogging so much you’ll make it your main source of income.