Before the tips, a “quip”:

“One problem that I see a lot of bloggers…do is simply writing what everyone else is writing about on their blog – and doing it in the same way everyone else is,” says professional blogger Darren Rowse, of Problogger. “The term ‘echo chamber’ comes to mind.”

It’s like writing a book in an overcrowded niche: you set yourself apart by finding your writer’s voice and writing the book you’d like to read. And blogging, like writing a book, requires you to commit yourself for the long haul. To learn more about making money blogging from Rowse, read ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income. And, here are my ten tips for making money blogging…

Yes, Writers Can Make Money Blogging! 10 Tips for Monetizing Your Blog

1. Write solid content in a specific niche. Step out of Rowse’s “echo chamber” by not blogging about your year of cooking with Julia Child or your decade of doing everything Oprah Winfrey says. Instead, find a topic or niche that interests you, learn about it, and share what you learn in a unique, creative way. Solve problems, using your writer’s voice! Remember that making money as a blogger is a long-term process, and the money you earn grows slowly, like compound investment.

2. Be patient – but proactive – as your blog traffic s-l-o-w-l-y increases. Different bloggers find different ways to build traffic effective; what works for the blogger next door may not work for you! For instance, I find the usual “most popular ways to increase your blog readership” tips too time-consuming. Posting comments on forums, commenting on other blogs, staying active on StumbleUpon, participating in comment exchanges, and writing guest posts just doesn’t work for me! Instead, I focus on Search Engine Optimization, Twitter, and Yahoo Shine.

3. Find advertisements that appeal to your readers. What search terms do your readers use to find your blog? For example, readers often find Quips and Tips for Successful Writers by searching for “feature article ideas”, “how to end an article”, and “magazine writing tips.” So, my advertisements should focus on freelance writing, magazine articles, and writing tips. I also feature books, books, and more books because I love books! Plus, I like being an Amazon affiliate (read 5 Tips for Advertising Amazon Products on Your Blogs for specific info).

4. Explore the different types of affiliate advertising networks. The only way to find the best affiliate advertising network for your blog (eg, Commission Junction, LinkShare, AdBrite, Chikita, Google Affiliate Network, Kontera, ClickBank, etc) is to experiment with different ones! I just introduced ClickBank to Quips and Tips for Achieving Your Goals, and one eBook in particular is earning me hundreds of dollars a month. I earn $26 a pop, and sell about five a week. And, Mort Fertel’s MarriageMax is a profitable ad for my Quips and Tips for Love Relationships blog. It takes time to figure out what the best ads are – and whether they represent reputable, worthwhile products.

5. Approach companies directly about becoming an affiliate. I advertised PregnancyTests.org products on my Quips and Tips for Couples Coping With Infertility blog, until I realized they’re a middleman for a bigger pregnancy website! I applied to be a direct affiliate for that bigger website, and now earn more money when a reader buys a product. If you can cut out the middleman (an affiliate advertising network), do it. You’ll make more money blogging!

6. Apply to different types of advertising networks. Two of my blogs are with the BlogHer advertising network – I applied a few months before they actually accepted me (they had a waitlist). BlogHer isn’t my biggest source of income, but I like being part of the network. Monetizing a blog isn’t just about slapping up some Google Adsense ads and putting big banners everywhere; it’s also about finding quality advertising that you’re proud to be a part of.  

7. Experiment with different types and sizes of ads. So many choices! Banner ads, product images, text ads, in-text link ads, pixel/favicon ads, contextual links, eBook ads, exit ads, lions and tigers and bears, oh my! Start with the ad types and sizes that you dislike the least, let them run for a couple of months, and see if you make money. Keep in mind that you probably need over 1,000 page views a day before you earn $100 or even $50 a day with your blog. It depends on your niche and products.

8. Experiment with ad placement. The experts at Google Adsense say that the most profitable ads are “above the fold” and within the post itself. Find a balance between making your ads obvious, but not too distracting or annoying. I don’t love advertising in the middle of my articles, but I want to earn more than $50,000 this year from my blogs…so the ads stay where they are.

9. Branch out into private ad sales. Advertisers have asked me for my “rate card” (a summary of how much different ad spaces sell for on Quips and Tips). I created one, but haven’t taken the time to pursue selling ad space. Many bloggers sell a 125×125 spot on their blog for X dollars per month (the “X” depends on how much traffic the blog gets, the type of blog it is, the number of pages it runs on, etc). Some bloggers also sell ad space in their newsletters.

10. Pay attention to your readers, and to Google Analytics. I created my fifth blog – Quips and Tips for Love Relationships – because so many readers on Quips and Tips for Achieving Your Goals were asking about marriage, infidelity, breaking up, making up, etc. My readers told me what the needed: a whole separate blog about love! When you’re monetizing your blog, listen to what your readers want. And, install and learn how to read Google Analytics.

Bonus quick tips for making money blogging:

• Learn the lingo, such as PPC, CPC, CPM, EPC, scrubbing, shaving, cookie durations, etc.
• Sell your own products or services, such as eBooks.
• Monetize your blog feeds
• Treat your blogging like a job. For instance, post your articles consistently (for example, I post to Successful Writers every Tuesday and Thursday – unless there’s a special occasion like today, when I’m working on course content for a “make money blogging” class that I know my readers would benefit from!).
• Put all your advertisements in one section of your blog? This is new to me – I tend to sprinkle ads all over my blog – and I’d love to know what you think!

How do you monetize your blog? I welcome your thoughts and questions below…

If ProBlogger Darren Rowse was starting out in blogging right now, he said he’d use these five strategies together (not just one or two of them): guest posting, networking, advertising, social media, and viral content.

The takeaway? Successfully promoting your blog requires a combination of efforts — not just one or two web writing strategies. For more blog building and web writing tips, click on Rowse’s ProBlogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income, which he wrote with Chris Garrett (it’s “two thumbs up” material, fellow bloggers). And, read on for my eight unusual tips for promoting your blog…

Increasing Blog Readership – 8 Different Ways to Promote Your Blog

1. Figure out your reasons for promoting your blog. If you want to earn money from your blog, then you might want to focus primarily on search engine optimization tactics. Why? Because if an internet surfer has a specific problem (“How do I self-publish my book?”), and if your blog post (“5 Ways to Self-Publish Your Books”) is optimized for search engines, then readers who find your article might be more likely to click the “self-publish your book” ads on your blog. If your goal is to network with other writers/bloggers and improve your writing skills, then you might promote your blog on social media sites like Twitter or StumbleUpon. To promote your blog effectively, think about your long-term goals.

2. Don’t force “unnatural” ways to increase your blog readership. I’ve tried adding to discussion forums and commenting on other writers’ blogs for the sole purpose of promoting my own blog – and it doesn’t work. It’s not natural for me. To increase your readership, implement strategies that are part of the natural course of your day. For instance, I check Facebook every day to see how my friends and family are; I also upload a blog post to Facebook every time I log in. The more natural your blog promotion is, the more successful it’ll be.

3. Experiment with blog networks, such as Yahoo Shine. My favorite blog network for women is Yahoo Shine. Bloggers can post part or all of their articles there; I usually post my newest articles twice a week. Most of the traffic stays on Shine, but some readers do click over to my blog – it depends on how well I write my Shine post!

4. Try new affiliate programs. I’ve just been accepted into the BlogHer advertising program (yay!), and I think they highlight their affiliates’ blogs regularly. It’s all new to me – I’ll keep you posted – but suffice to say that some affiliate advertising programs do promote their affiliates’ blogs.

5. Pay to advertise your blog. I haven’t tried this tip for promoting any of my blogs, but I’ve heard it can be effective. You pay a few cents (or even one penny) per click when readers find you on big sites such as Facebook, Google AdWords, etc. You could also consider advertising on small but popular blogs in your niche.

6. Write for a big online magazine. It’s difficult to do, but this is a great way to make your blog more popular! When the MSN Health editors include my blog links at the end of the articles I write for them, I definitely get more traffic. A more stable stream of readers comes from my Feature Writer profile on Suite101 – which is a great reason to write for them! For more info, read 10 Reasons to Write for Suite101.

7. Be search engine friendly, with strong content. This is by far my favorite way of promoting my Quips and Tips blogs! I want to help writers (and bloggers) find the answers they need, so I need to make sure my blog posts are optimized for search engines. If you’re curious about keywords and key phrases, read SEO Tips for Web Writers and Bloggers.

8. Spend an hour a week trying different ways to promote your blog. I’ve tried blog carnivals (with so-so success, but it depends on which blog carnival you try), StumbleUpon (high traffic, no ad revenue because readers seem to be hopping all over the place), FaceBook (good for sharing your posts with friends), and Twitter (pretty good for sharing posts, but I find it similar to StumbleUpon. Read Twitter Benefits for Freelance Writers for more info).

What have I missed, fellow scribes - and did you learn anything new? If you have any questions or thoughts on these tips for promoting your blog, please share below…

Before the tips, a quip about writing that totally applies to blogging:

“Write while the heat is in you,” said Henry David Thoreau. “The writer who postpones the recording of his thoughts uses an iron which has cooled to burn a hole with. He cannot inflame the minds of his audience.” 

When you have an idea for your blog, book, or writing career – act on it now, fellow scribes! Don’t let your iron get cold, don’t let your inspiration die. If you want to create a blog button or widget (or write your book, or pitch an article), then start now! Okay, here are nine tips for creating a blog button or widget on WordPress…

3 Benefits of a Blog Button or Widget

1. A blog button is a personal brand that represents who you are at a glance (like Nike’s whoosh or lululemon’s curvy symbol).
2. A blog button allows other bloggers to feature or advertise your blog on theirs – and you can barter for ad space more effectively if you have your own widget (read 6 Ways to Improve Your Blog Karma to see how it works for me).
3. A blog button establishes your presence as a successful writer or blogger a bit more firmly.

Generally, a blog button or widget is a powerful way to increase your blog readership and establish your online writer’s platform.

9 Tips for Creating a “Blog Button” or Widget in WordPress

There are many ways to skin a cat or create a widget – this is just what worked for me! If you have a better or different way, I welcome your thoughts below.

1. Create a logo or brand. I don’t have a logo as such, since I need words to describe each of my Quips & Tips blogs. I also didn’t put alot of thought into my widget style.  That said, I believe that creating your own specific symbol is better than just using text or using a common icon that’s open for all to use (such as a typewriter or feather pen). You should probably use a symbol that’s not already on the internet. If you decide to use words, make sure your font is clean and easy to read.

2. Determine the size of your blog button or widget. I recommend 125×125 (that’s the size of my Quips & Tips buttons, and it’s a standard size for many widget ads). It’s not too big, and it’s not too little…it’s just right. You could also create different sizes for different purposes.

3. Use a drawing program to create your button or widget. I used my husband’s ArcView program to create my Quips & Tips buttons – you can use any drawing program, such as Corel. Consider using a words-only widget for now…you can always change it later, if your blog changes or you come up with something better.

4. Convert your picture to a .gif or .jpg file. Your drawing program may automatically save your blog button in a gif or jpg file. ArcView didn’t, so I used MicroSoft Paint to save it as a gif file.

5. Resize your blog button if necessary. The widget I created in ArcView wasn’t exactly 125×125, so I used a free online resizer tool to make it fit. I can’t remember which one I used – I can’t find it now, after 2 months! Crazy. But, you need only find a free online resize tool — there are tons out there.

6. Learn how to attach links to images. Here’s a valuable piece of code: <ahref=”linkURL”><img src=”ImageURL”>.  To attach your blog button jpg to an actual website, you need only insert your link in the “linkURL” spot, and your jpg link in the ImageURL spot. If you have a WordPress blog, you get your ImageURL by uploading a picture to any blog post, and copying the URL link from there.

Note: you can copy and paste code, but don’t add to code in Word (use Notepad or something similar). The curly Word quotations and stuff don’t convert well to computer code.

7. Spread your blog button or widget around! Put your blog button on your own blog, and/or at the end of your posts (the code above should work in most html boxes).  Barter with your friends: ask them to publish your blog button on their blog or website, and feature their widget on yours. If you guest post for someone, ask if they’ll publish your blog button in the post you wrote ( I haven’t thought of doing this until now). Be creative, fellow scribes!

8. Expect it to take longer than you think. I’ve created and am running five blogs. My biggest lesson? The more you expect things to go wrong and take long, the less frustration and anger you feel when they do! So, if you’re creating blog button or widget, be prepared to get confused and stuck. In Starting a New Blog for Freelance Writers, I offer tips on dealing with blogging and website problems.

9. Remember: the answers are within reach! I ran into several snags while creating my widgets, and help came when I Googled my question. Working with widgets, blog buttons, computer code, WordPress and computers in general requires attention to detail and patience. I also found it extremely helpful to explain to my husband exactly what I needed to do and where I was having trouble. He has no experience with writing code, but his objective eyes and analytical thinking patterns were just what I needed!

If you have any questions, thoughts or tips on creating widgets or blog buttons for your blog, please comment below…

Before the tips, a quip:

“Blogging is best learned by blogging…and by reading other bloggers.” – George Siemens.

It’s the same with writing! The more you write or blog, the better you’ll become. Like any muscle, good blogging and writing takes practice – and constant reading of blogs and writers you enjoy. For more blog writing tips, click No One Cares What You Had for Lunch: 100 Ideas for Your Blog by Margaret Mason. And, read on for five ways to revive old blog posts…

Get More Blog Readers – 5 Tips for Reviving Old Blog Posts

1. Add a new twist to an old blog post. Consider, for example, my 7 Traits of Successful Writers blog post. To revive it and attract new readers, I could add a new introduction describing why traits of successful writers are especially relevant now. I could find a current hook that will satisfy my old readers and intrigue new ones. I wouldn’t have to rewrite the whole thing — just enough to make it different — and I could even link back to the original post at the end of the new one (interlinking is a great way to build a stronger blog!).

2. Change your mind about something in your old post. One of my traits of successful writers is “enjoys working independently.” But maybe I’ve changed my mind: now, I think successful writers don’t necessarily need to enjoy working independently – they just need to find ways to stay connected with other writers or bloggers. This satisfies their need for interdependence and their desire to be a successful writer! Disagreeing with myself allows me to keep most of my original post, rewrite a few points, and thus effectively revive old blog post.

3. Modify old blog posts for new readers. This is an easy tip for reviving old blog posts and getting more readers! For instance, I could simply change “7 Traits for Successful Writers” to “7 Traits for Successful Bloggers” (and offer new information, of course). I wouldn’t simply slap a new title on an old blog post, but I could rewrite it with a different audience in mind.

4. Update the content in old blog post. If the info in my Amazon Advertising Tips for Writing Blogs and Websites is outdated, I could update the content and call the post “Updated Amazon Advertising Tips for Blogs and Websites.” Or, if enough readers made solid comments on my How to Make Money Blogging for Writers article, I could use their tips, credit them, and call my new post “Updated – How to Make Money Blogging for Writers.”

5. Turn a guest writer’s post into something new. This is a fun way to revive old blog posts and attract new readers…for example, Mark Richard Webb wrote 10 Tips for Achieving Your Writing Goals on Quips and Tips for Successful Writers about six months ago. If I wanted to repurpose that post, I could write “10 Ways Not to Achieve Your Writing Goals” and turn his tips around (sort of a satirical spin on his original ideas).

If you’ve revived your old blog posts, I’d love to hear from you! Share your quips and tips

First, a quip from Sylvia Plath:

“And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise,” she said. “The worst enemy to creativity is self-doubt.”

Got guts? Blog away, fellow scribes. Click on Darren Rowse’s Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income for a detailed description of how to make big bucks blogging, and read on for my tips…

Tips for Writers Who Want to Blog Full-Time

Make sure you’re behind yourself. I was reluctant to delve into blogging full-time, and I think it’s partly because it’s not as prestigious as magazine writing. When I say I freelance for magazines such as Reader’s Digest, Health, MSN Health, and Woman’s Day, people get it. They understand what I do, and they’re impressed. The last time I told someone I’m a blogger, she asked if people go to my blog to see my picture. Granted, she’s almost 80 years old – but even for younger people, the respect level isn’t the same. Anyone can blog, but not everyone can get paid $2 a word to write articles for print magazines. I haven’t been behind my own self…and that has negatively impacted my progress.

No matter what writing genre you choose, fellow scribes…you have to get behind your own self.

Start slowly. I’m becoming a full-time blogger the same way I became a full-time freelance writer: I started part-time, began to realize that the more time and energy I spent, the more I earned – and so I started to work full-time hours. Few people can afford to quit their day jobs and blog or write full-time…but we can all find a few minutes a day to chase our dreams!

Be prepared to put in a lot of time. I just added my Ask a Question button to all four of my blogs – and it took almost four hours! I couldn’t believe it; it was my own fault for forgetting a simple – but key - step. If you’re a writer who wants to blog full-time, be prepared to spend hours on programming and blog details that should be simple but aren’t – and it’ll drive you crazy! But it’s just part of running an online business.

Dedicate a specific part of every day to blogging. Successful bloggers need to stick to their schedule, whether it’s an hour before work or four hours before bedtime. If you want to blog full-time, you need to stick to your schedule.

Pick a sustainable blog topic. A friend of mine blogged for a few months, then deleted the whole thing because she couldn’t think of anything else to say. I love my Quips and Tips for Achieving Your Goals blog because it’s so general – I can blog about lending money to friends one day, and surviving a breakup the next! My other two Quips and Tips blogs are more specific, but still general enough that I can find lots to write about. If you’re a writer who wants to blog full-time, find a general – but not too general – topic that you will enjoy for years to come.

Focus on all aspects of your blog. A successful blog – one that actually earns you money – isn’t just about adding regular content. It’s about making sure the RSS Feed works, your pages load correctly, your readers can comment easily, and your advertising is effective but not garish. I spend just as much time tweaking my blog layout, plugins, and old posts as I do writing new articles…and I think this type of maintenance is almost as important.

Experiment with ads. I’ve created four blogs now (the Quips and Tips series, and See Jane Soar – see the boxes on the right) – and each blog has different types of advertising. To learn what I’ve learned, read How to Make Money Blogging for Writers.

Don’t box yourself in. To earn a consistent living as a writer and blogger, consider developing multiple channels of online income, in addition to your blog. I personally wouldn’t blog for other websites or work for the other online possibilities – other than Suite101. I love writing for that ezine because it’s taught me so much about web writing. Plus, I earn several hundred dollars a month there. Here’s my 10 Reasons to Write for Suite101.

Do you have any tips for writers who want to blog full-time – or any questions? I welcome your comments below!

Before the tips, a quip:

“Better to write for yourself and have no public, than to write for the public and have no self.” – Cyril Connolly.

Whether you’re blogging for yourself or “the masses”, make sure you’re not adding information to the world that you wouldn’t want to see in the world. Your blog needs to be useful, helpful, relevant…and financially successful! Blogging 100 Success Secrets – 100 Most Asked Questions on Building, Optimizing, Publishing, Marketing and How to Make Money with Blogs is a great resource for bloggers and writers…and here are five tips to monetize your blog…

Make Money Blogging for Writers – 5 Tips for Creating Passive Income

1. Balance keyword strategy with voice. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) may attract readers to your blog – which can increase the money you make – but it’s difficult to balance SEO with your writing voice and style. This is still a struggle for me; sometimes I feel like my voice is lost in my keywords! But, if you want to make money blogging, you need to practice until you find your balance. Just like non-web writing, skillful blog writing takes years of practice. For help with search engine optimization, read SEO Tips for Writers and Bloggers.

2. Put Google Ads inside your blog posts. I know some writers and bloggers think ads are tacky – and I myself don’t love an ad smack in the middle of my articles – but, I really want to earn a living as a writer and blogger, so in they go. Maybe I’m selling out, maybe I’m making a smart business decision…I don’t know yet. But I do know that my Google revenues increase when ads are in the middle of my posts.

3. Don’t fill your sidebars with ads. My Quips and Tips for Achieving Your Goals blog once was littered with all manner of gigantic flashing, blinking, and bleeping ads along the sides. It was painful even for me – and completely ineffective! To make money with your blog, keep your ads to a minimum.

4. Place a specific, relevant affiliate ad inside your post. Let’s face it: if you want to make money blogging (and not be another starving writer), you need ads. Explore the affiliate programs at ClickBank, Commission Junction, or LinkShare; put a small link or banner in your post after ensuring it’s relevant to your topic. Amazon also has a great affiliate program – read Amazon Advertising Tips for Bloggers and Writers.

5. Experiment with Chitika Ads. Darren Rowse at ProBlogger has said that Chitika is his number 2 way to make money blogging. I tried Chitika on my blogs for a couple of weeks, decided there were too many ads in my sidebars, and eliminated them….without checking to see if they were earning money! I discovered that they were earning money, and decided to give them another try.

Building a blog that actually makes money is a long process. It takes time to figure out what ads work on your blog, where they work best, and why. But, once you figure out your “secret formula”, all you have to do is write your blog posts and check your earnings! You may not reach hundreds of dollars a day for a year or two…but that’s not an impossible writing or blogging goal.

What did I miss about making money blogging for writers? Is putting ads on your blog as a writer a sell-out? Is your blog ad-free…and you’d have it no other way? I welcome your thoughts below.

Before my tips, a quip:

“You must want to enough,” said mystery writer Phyllis Whitney. “Enough to take all the rejections, enough to pay the price in disappointment and discouragement while you are learning. Like any other artist you must learn your craft — then you can add all the genius you like.”

This advice for novelists, freelance writers, and poets also applies to building a financially successful writing blog! Bloggers have to slog through the rejections, disappointments, and feelings of dejection first. Then, after they’ve learned the ropes as bloggers, they can add their own brand of genius. For an unbeatable array of blogging tips, click Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income. And, read on for five tips for advertising Amazon products on writing blogs…

5 Tips for Advertising Amazon Products on Writing Blogs

1. Use a WordPress plugin to upload your products or books. I use the Amazon Reloaded plugin for this WordPress blog, which automatically uploads book covers and links. Alternatively, you could go through the Associates site to advertise Amazon products, but it’s a little more complicated.

2. Double check your Amazon Reloaded settings! This was my Big Mistake: when I uploaded a new version of Amazon Reloaded SIX months ago, I didn’t re-enter my Amazon Associates ID. This meant I lost six months of potential revenue from all three of my “Quips and Tips” blogs, because I wasn’t being credited when readers clicked on my book links. *&%$#@*!!!! And it also meant I had to go back and re-upload the book covers and links on hundreds of my old blog posts. #@&(())!!!

3. Find the benefits in your blogging mistakes. This isn’t exactly a tip for advertising Amazon products specifically, but it’s a great life tip: learn how to make your failures work for you. Since I had to fix all my Amazon book links, I decided to revive my blog posts at the same time — which will help attract more readers. I edited them to be more search engine optimized, cleaned up my tags, and strengthened “Quips and Tips for Successful Writers” as a whole. It took me five days of full-time work to clean up my blogs, but in the long run it’s time well spent!

4. Advertise Amazon products that match your blog posts. This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s one of the top advertising tips that Amazon gives. If you’re advertising products or books on your blog, choose ones that align with your content. My inclusion of Problogger: Secrets for Blogging Your Way to a Six-Figure Income is a good example of an Amazon product matching my blog post. Even better would be tips on making money on Amazon products through your writing blog or Web site, but I couldn’t find such a book.

5. Review your ”orders report” for the best Amazon products to advertise to writers. What products or books that you’ve linked to are top sellers? If you can spot a trend – such as high sales on books that offer web writing tips from bloggers – then focus on those products and topics a little more often. Be aware of what your readers are looking for…and find ways to give it to them.

Do have any Amazon advertising tips for writing blogs and Web sites? Or, do you avoid advertising on your blog? I’d love to hear from you below!