Question: I have been running a blog for almost 3 months, during this period the blog changed the layout for a better one, then I was learning step by step how to build some backlinks and everyday a learn a little more, I even bought some ebooks like Blogging to the bank 2.0. However it looks everything I do and all my efforts doesn’t bring any solid results.
My average of visitors per day it is around 80 (once it went to 800 but it was one time only) my PR it is still 0, and all the time I read some websites saying how they increased they PR and how they get hundreds and sometimes thousands of visitors.
I would like some advice on how to get more traffic because I’m really desperate as I like to blog and stuff but it seems I’m blogging to nobody?
Ahh, the number one question we get here at Ask the Blogger.com. How do I get more traffic???
You CAN make indirect income from your blogging efforts by building your brand name and becoming a thought-leader or expert or guru in your niche industry. When that happens, it doesn’t matter how many people read you, it’s all about how many of the “right†people read you.
Advertisers want focused eyeballs from their direct target markets. So if you can provide them with a small readership of their exact target market, you can get them to value your blog, and then pay you to reach those readers.
In the previous article I wrote, link above, I defined some ways you get more traffic. Those are:
Solve Problems & Think Of The Reader
The best websites or blogs solve problems. People come to the Internet mostly for that reason, to have problems solved. Maybe they need a chicken recipe for dinner? Maybe they need to know how to put up drywall? Whatever, people like to get answers online.
So does your website or blog solve problems? If not, why are readers visiting your site? What are you offering them that they don’t have? Put yourself in a reader’s head. What do they want to know… then give it to them.
Try Digg
Digg.com is a fast way to get attention. Essentially, you write some content on your website of blog that you think is interesting. Then you submit it for free to Digg.com, where it could be exposed to hundreds of thousands of readers if it’s good enough. If it is, watch out, you can see thousands of visitors to your site very quickly, helping you build an audience.
Link Unto Others
Don’t be stingy with your links. If you want to get more traffic, you should be exchanging links with other websites or blogs that match your content. People follow links as that is the nature of the web.
Social Networking
Open up a Myspace.com and Linkedin account and network with similar people in your industry. Don’t spam people, but really go out and introduce yourself and make some friends. Ask those friends to visit your site and build relationships with them.
Things To Avoid
Stuff like traffic exchanges and webrings don’t really work. Sure, they’ll get you some hits, but what they don’t get you is targeted hits. Avoid trying to build a quick audience with tools that claim you’ll get “XXX†# of hits in “XXX†days. Usually it doesn’t work.
Question: How much money can I earn in my first month blogging?
It pains me to have to tell you what you don’t want to hear, but here goes. You’re not going to make much of anything for the first month of blogging and probably months and months after that.
To make money blogging you have to build a loyal audience of trusted readers who generate page views or affiliate sales or leads or tips, and that takes time.
My best advice to a new blogger is to spend the first six months writing as much high-quality niche content as possible, and don’t stop writing. Participate on other blogs in your niche and leave comments and introduce yourself via email to other bloggers and tell them about your blog. Don’t ask for a link, just make friends.
Soon enough, others will begin to do the same on your blog and you’ll be on your way. Then, and only then, can you start thinking about making money from your blog.
Note: There are exceptions. If you already have another site or list of readers (maybe newsletter subscribers) that you can immediately expose the blog to, then you could make money right away. But again, without traffic and readers, it’s going to be very hard to do.
Of course they do. Some… more than others, but every blogger has the opportunity to make money from their efforts. I get this question a lot because many new bloggers start blogging each and every day. Sometimes I forget that fact. So answering this question makes a lot of sense.
49% earned under $100
23% earned over $1000
16% earned over $2500
9% earned over $15000
For me the most striking ‘lesson’ from these surveys is that while there is significant hype around the idea of bloggers making money – that the vast majority earn very little (or nothing). A quarter of those who earn something make less than 0.33 cents per day. If that’s not a reality check then I don’t know what is.
On the flip side – a smaller group of bloggers are making good to great amounts of money. While I’m sure there are some votes that are put in the highest category falsely – I do believe that there are an increasing number of bloggers who making significant part time income through to full time income from their blogs. That top category is significant and seem to be growing.
If you’re a new blogger, then don’t fear, there is money in blogging. You should focus on writing great content now at first, and building a readership. Then you figure out how to make money with it.
Question: Can I make lots of money blogging if I don’t have any hits?
Lots of money? No. I’ll be honest. The very few bloggers that make “lots of money” are professional bloggers who have been doing it for years.
Making money blogging takes time, and effort. There is no quick fix. You need to build a readership over time through high-quality content, while being very consistent in your delivery of your posts and topics.
But here’s the very best piece of advice I can give you. Solve problems for your readers. Give them answers to problems (like I’m doing here, right)? Think about what you know that can help people and write a blog like that.
Now, on to your second question.
Can I make money without any “hits”?
Yes, but it’s hard to do. Without tons of “hits”, or better known as traffic/visitors/readers, you’ll never be able to sell enough advertising to make bank. But… there is hope.
You CAN make indirect income from your blogging efforts by building your brand name and becoming a thought-leader or expert or guru in your niche industry. When that happens, it doesn’t matter how many people read you, it’s all about how many of the “right” people read you.
Advertisers want focused eyeballs from their direct target markets. So if you can provide them with a small readership of their exact target market, you can get them to value your blog, and then pay you to reach those readers.
Is the Reviewme.com Affiliate Program a good program to join to make money with on my blog?
Yes! As a matter of fact it is, and especially right now because it’s very new and fresh, so if you sign up now you have a better chance at referring new signups.
What Does ReviewMe Pay?
That’s the beauty of it, ReviewMe pays you $25.00 for every new advertiser you refer to ReviewMe who purchases a blog review. So if you can generate enough referrals, you can rack up quite a bit of commissions pretty fast.
Here’s a tip, also signup for Text Link Ads because they pay on both publishers and advertisers. Promote them both.
Should I Start Paying For Reviews?
Heck yes. AsktheBlogger has bought many reviews and it’s worth the time, effort and little money you have to spend. The trick is to simply buy what you can afford, on the right blog.
You don’t have to spend a ton. Just sign up for free, and look for blogs that match your audience.
Sign Up Today, Before It’s Too Late!
Like I said, this program is new, so there is lots of opportunity to get some signups before it hits the mainstream blogs. It’s free to sign up, give it a go.
I have a niche content site and I’m starting to get some traffic, and I’ve identified my first affiliate offer to promote. Now I need to know what is the best technique for making my affiliate ad work best. The product will be of interest to my audience, but is not directly relevant to the site’s niche. Can you give me some advice?
Being successful using affiliate marketing is very possible, sure, if you know how to position your affiliate ads. So let’s talk about that.
The very best way to make maximum referrals from your affiliate marketing ads is to presell the ad. In other words, you can’t just throw a banner ad up and expect it to work. You need to engage your readers with reasons why you’re recommending whatever it is you’re recommending. For example, you can see this on almost every post here at AsktheBlogger.
Good example: I came across this product the other day that I really liked, it’s called the “ABC Product” (put in affiliate link to product) and here’s why I liked it. If you are in the market for a product like this, you might be interested in (link here).
Bad example: This product is awesome, go buy it now.
But Don’t Lie Just To Make A Buck!
Here’s the big ethical issue. Are you simply trying to make money, or are you trying to build trust and relationships? Because that’s what affiliate marketing is all about, trust and relationships. If you are writing bogus content on your site or blog just to sell a product, well, then, your readers are eventually going to catch on and probably not trust you.
You should know that everything AsktheBlogger recommends is something that he has used or experienced. You won’t see any fake content here just to make a buck.
You may want to learn more about how to become an successful affiliate marketer. Check out the AsktheBlogger previous post about how you can quit your day job!
Don’t forget, you can always Ask The Blogger for help anytime!
What’s the best way to find quality products and services to resell as an affiliate on my blog or website?
That’s a great question, and one that EVERY new affiliate faces when they start their career in affiliate marketing. AsktheBlogger has been involved in the affiliate business since 2001, as an affiliate, a merchant and has worked on the agency side of the business. So I should know a little bit about this topic. :)
Where Do I Start?
The very first place to start finding programs is by joining the Affiliate Networks. Now, here’s where it gets scary for new people. There are tons of affiliate networks to choose from, and joining them all can take a lot of time.
Don’t get scared away, start with one of the best.
Once you join ShareaSale, you simply need to search for programs that match your website or blog. For example.
If you have a blog about debt consolidation, you would find an advertiser inside ShareaSale that offers free debt consolidation help. All you do then is apply to join the program, get approved, then grab either banner or text links and put those ads on your blog.
AsktheBlogger suggests you look at the following affiliate network resource lists, written by long-time and respected affiliate guru Allan Gardyne. Associate Programs Affiliate Network List.
I have signed up for a Google Adsense account and got a number, but can I use it on my blog?
Absolutely! Google Adsense is an amazing tool that can help your blog earn either just a few bucks or millions! It depends on your blog’s traffic levels of course. But everyone who has a blog should at least try to use Adsense and see if they can make some money from their blogging efforts.
Once you’ve signed up and have an account, you need to create a piece of code to fit within your blog. You’ll then need to copy that code and paste it into your blog’s theme or template. You can find an explanation on how to edit your Wordpress blog themes here.
If you’re not using Wordpress, please consult the help files from your blog software provider. Look for “how to edit blog templates” or “how to put ads in my blog”. They should provide some level of documentation that can help you along.
I’ve got a free blog with wordpress. Am I allowed to put ads on my Wordpress blog, and if so how do I do it?
Answer: Yes, if you are using the free blog software from Wordpress.org, you can put anything you want on your blog, including ads. If you’re using Wordpress.com, which is the hosted version, you are limited to what you can put on your blog.
To put ads on your wordpress blog, you need to be able to edit your themes. A theme is the design of your blog, and they are located in the “wp-content” folder, then inside “themes”. Locate the theme you are using and login to your blog via FTP (file transfer protocol).
You will need to locate the files in your theme that you want to edit and change permissions on them to 755, which means they are now editable. To do this, right click on them (on a PC) and choose “permissions”, make change and hit ok.
Now, you can edit your theme files directly through your Wordpress login in your browser. Login, go to “presentation”, choose “theme editor” and you’ll see a list of the files your blog uses. You can now edit those files.
AsktheBlogger Short Video Explanation!
Now comes the tricky part. Where do I place the ads?
This can be a tad scary for people who aren’t Internet geeks. If you’re placing an ad in your sidebar, you locate the theme file probably called “sidebar”, then place the ad code (for example Google Adsense) in that file, wherever you wish it to appear. You may have to place it and save the page and then view it to see how it looks, then come back and move it around till you get it where you want it to appear.
It’s gets even more tricky when you want to put ads in or around your blog content. AskTheBlogger suggests looking into the Wordpress support community for answers. Here is a link to get you started.
This is probably the #1 question I get these days. How do I make money blogging, or how do I become a professional blogger, can it be done, really? It’s true, there are many professional bloggers earn lots of money from blogging. In fact, I’ve seen people build entire new lives around blogging success and income. Anyone can do it, and that’s no bull.
I can help if you’ll listen! Here’s a short video of me talking about Six Figure Blogging!
You Can Become A Professional Blogger Too!
There’s a lot of lame information out there about ‘how to be a professional blogger’. The key is figuring out who’s got the real information and who’s trying to b.s. you.
It’s called Six Figure Blogging. (That is my personal affiliate link, if you sign up I will get a commission)
What Is Six Figure Blogging?
It’s a 6 part course with Andy Wibbels and Darren Rowse from Problogger.net and the b5media Network. Included is about six 1-hour audio recordings + extensive, annotated transcripts in PDF format.
How Exactly Will This Course Help Me Become A Professional Blogger?
It’ll teach you how blogs make money – sometimes thousands of dollars. It’ll teach you how to drive and convert blog traffic. It will show you how to blog as an occupation (not just a marketing activity).
That’s how this works! You’re making a lifestyle change for your own good!
The very best way to make maximum referrals from your affiliate marketing ads is to presell the ad. In other words, you can’t just throw a banner ad up and expect it to work. You need to engage your readers with reasons why you’re recommending whatever it is you’re recommending. For example, you can see this on almost every post here at AsktheBlogger.
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