A Guide To Earning Money Blogging

There has been a rapid increase of blogs over the last several years from people of all different backgrounds. These blogs are written about any topic imaginable, from the most mundane daily life to the most extraordinary travel adventures, politics, business, parenting, education, finance, and everything else in between.

People start blogs for a variety of reasons, too. Many of those individuals started blogging as a hobby to express themselves in a creative manner. Others started in order to get their names out there and further their primary business endeavors. The incredible thing about blogging is that it’s something you can do as little or as much as you would like and you can earn money with it from the comfort of your home if you should choose to take that route. In the next few posts, we will be looking at how to earn money blogging.

We will look at the first question one must ask themselves before stepping out into the blogging world:

Is blogging for me?

This isn't to say that not everyone should have a blog, but rather it gets to the heart of whether or not it is something that an individual would enjoy doing. Let's face it, not everyone would enjoy blogging. It just doesn't appeal to everyone. But there are many who find it very interesting and would love to start a blog. But to really understand whether or not blogging is for you, you must determine your motives for starting a blog.

Why Do You Want To Start A Blog?

Are you wanting to start a blog for the sole purpose of making a lot of money? If your answer to this question is "yes" then you're in for disappointment! Making a lot of money is not something that happens overnight (and it doesn't happen for most bloggers in the first year or more, to be honest). If you're in it for quick money, chances are extremely high that you will start a blog and not follow through because you will not see results instantly.

Blogging is definitely not an instant gratification type of venture. It is a great way to earn some extra money but it takes time to build readership. You may never make a ton of money, but a blog may provide you the opportunity to pay a few extra bills a month, or take your family on a nice vacation every now and then.

What else is there to determining whether blogging is for you? An individual must ask themselves the question:

Do I enjoy sharing my point of view/opinion/expertise?

We are all good at something. We all have expertise in at least one area (and some of us are blessed to be experts in more than one area). Blogging is a way to share what you know with the world. Do you feel the urge to share the vast amount of knowledge that is rolling around in your mind? Do you enjoy sharing your knowledge with others? Do your friends, family or coworkers often come to you asking your advice? Maybe you’ve been considering blogging as an opportunity to share the things that you’ve learned through experience.

It all boils down to your passion. The best advice for starting a blog is doing it because it's something you enjoy. If you don't enjoy it then you will never make money doing it! Don’t get into blogging because someone said you’d be good at it. Or because you want to make a quick buck. Do it because it’s something that energizes you. Do it because you’re passionate about it.

So what do you think? Is blogging for you? Let's dig a little deeper and look at some ideas on the type of blog you may like to start and how to do it.