Back when I started my first online journal, people thought I was a little crazy. It was the late ’90s and the term ‘blog’ hadn’t even been invented yet. I was just a lonely teenager sharing my high-school dramas with the world.

Fast-forward 10 years. Bloggers have gone from being slightly eccentric to hugely influential. Collectively, their opinions can make or break entire brands. Because of this, companies are starting to work with bloggers by sponsoring blog posts, purchasing ad space on blogs, and rewarding good press.

You can make money blogging  in several ways:

♦  Writing sponsored blog posts

♦  Selling ad space on your blog

♦  Earning commission on sales you make for others

Your Most Valuable Asset

Some paid blogging tactics are more controversial than others, but most can be beneficial when used judiciously. ‘Judiciously’ is the key word. Social media expert Chris Brogan recently came under fire for writing a blog post sponsored by Kmart. He and several other high-profile bloggers received a $500 Kmart shopping spree in return for posting about their purchases.

Brogan did disclose the sponsorship. But many blog readers still thought the shopping spree cost Brogan his credibility—one of a blogger’s greatest assets.

I had a similar experience when an acquaintance e-mailed me to recommend a product she thought I’d like. It seemed innocent enough until I spotted the affiliate ID at the end of the URL. Had she sent me the link because she thought it was helpful, or because she was hoping to make a profit?

I don’t know, but I never trusted her after that.

5 Keys To Keeping Blog Readers Happy

Obviously, disclosure is one key to keeping your blog readers happy. Here are a few other things to keep in mind when you’re blogging for dollars:

→   Choose blog sponsors you believe in, and share that passion with your audience. People can spot a fake a mile away. They can also tell when you’re being sincere—so when you’re blogging about a brand you love, it’ll come across much better than if you just pick blog sponsors at random.

→   Choose blog sponsors that are relevant to your blog and its readers. That way, your money-making blog posts will seem less like a commercial break and more like a related resource. You may even help blog readers by turning them on to a needed product or service.

→   Be mindful of links. You may be tempted to fill a blog post with paid links. But remember: each link is like a giant siphon drawing readers away from your site. And who knows when they’ll be back—if they come back at all.

→   Keep sponsored blog content limited to 5 or 10 percent of your blog. If you’ve ever turned off a TV show because of too many commercials, you know that everyone has a tolerance level for ads.

→   Don’t expect to get rich quick. If you want your blog to replace your salary, you must to be in it for the long haul—and you MUST provide good content. The better your blog content, the more readers you’ll have. The more readers you have, the more influential you’ll be. And the more influential you are, the more valuable you are to potential sponsors. But it all takes serious time and effort.

The Bottom Line

Ultimately, blogging for profit is like any other business venture: it takes an initial investment. Only in this case, the investment isn’t monetary. (At least not if you’re using free software like WordPress or Blogger.) The investment is the time you spend researching blog topics, writing good blog content, and forming connections within your niche.

If you’re not willing to make that investment, don’t bother trying to make money blogging. You’ll only waste your energy and get frustrated in the process. But if you are willing to make the investment, there’s no limit to what you can earn from your blog.

Like this post? Check back Friday for the second installment of How To Make Money Blogging, where I’ll list the ten best places to get started earning money with your blog.