Many who start a blog, do so to make money. As a result, money often becomes the focus of the blog. They place ads in the header, sidebar and within or between posts. They do paid reviews. They continuously search for money-making options that can be added to to the site. The problem is that too often these blogs lose start looking like the Las Vegas strip and stop providing value to readers.
People who read blogs do so to get information, advice or to be entertained. While they don’t mind reviews or ads, they don’t want to be sold all the time. To make sure your blog attracts readers and makes money:
1. Keep your readers in mind at all times. Does your content add value to your readers’ lives? Is the content easy to find and understand?
2. Check out the products and services you promote, advertise, recommend or review. Your readers trust you. Don’t ruin that trust in effort to earn a buck. A loyal, regular follower is worth a great deal of money. Don’t lose her by having poor quality products or services promoted on your site.
3. Be honest with your readers. If you got something for free, say so. If you’re recommending a product and will get paid if your readers buy it, say so. Again, it’s about trust.
Making money with your blog isn’t bad. Similar to how magazines make money with ads, you can do the same. But think of a magazine that had so many ads that you couldn’t find the content. Or the content was suspiciously like an advertorial. That’s what you want to avoid. The more value you offer your readers, the more likely they’ll keep coming back and the more they’ll buy.
