How to Grow Your New Blog

First Things First

Just because you are a new blogger with a small following doesn’t mean you can’t write moneitized content. Heres a little secret I’ll let you in on…

You have to write blog posts that people are searching for. Writing about topics that are actively being searched for is a key tip for new bloggers. Think about it. When you write about topics that people want/looking for your posts will most likely get more traffic.

This doesn’t mean you always have to write what is trending. But, writing about the current trends and searches will give your blog a better chance at being seen.

For instance, if you are a fashion blogger and you write a post about swimsuits when its fall time odds are that your post won’t get much attention. On the other hand if you write a post about “fall outfit Inspiration” or “fall fashion trends” your content will have a better chance at being seen because that is what people are looking for.

in the beginning it can seem a little confusing how to monetize your blog and where to begin with the whole process. Maybe you are even wondering what “monetize” even means. Basically “to monetize” means that you will make money from your blog or social media. 

Monetization Strategies

I. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of the best ways to monetize your blog as a new blogger. You don’t necessarily need a huge following or lots of page views to get started either. You can start using affiliate links as soon as your blog is up and running, you just want to make sure you are only linking to products and items that you love and use.

Nothing looks more scammy than having a blog post with lots of affiliate links to random products. Use them tastefully. Your readers will be able to see right through your intentions if you’re not recommending products that you genuinely love and trust.

If you build that trust with your readers from the beginning you’ll have a stronger blog in the long run which will lead to loyal readers. I’ts a win win.

Here are a few of my favorite affiliate networks:

• Amazon Associates
• ShareASale
• Rewards Style (LiketoKnowIt)

There are countless affiliate programs that new beginners can sign up for. Just google ‘affiliate networks’ and you’ll get a longer list that will give you a good idea of where to start. Happy linking!

II. Sponsored Posts

This is another great way to monetize your blog. Lots of bloggers use this strategy to make a good chunk of their income. A sponsored post is when a company pays you to write a review or blog post about their products/services. If you really love to write this might be a good option for you to monetize your blog.

III. Selling a Product or Service

This might be one of my favorite ways to monetize. When you sell a personal product you get to keep 100% of the profits and on top of that it’s passive income! Who doesn’t love to make money in their sleep? This can look like, having an online shop where you sell your courses or workshops. You also can make digital products such ebooks.

Here are a few examples of what a digital product can look like:

• printable spreadsheet
• printable planner
• meal plan
• checklists for dorm room, new school year etc.

The options for creating a digital product are truly endless. The best part about selling digital products is you don’t need a special degree or loads of experience. If you have advice that is helpful and will benefit people in a certain field or subject (e.i. cooking, blogging, fashion etc.) then you already have the qualifications to share it.

People are looking for someone to help them find a solution to their problems and if you can be that solution how cool is that?

IV. Helpful Content

New bloggers often ask, “how can I grow my following fast?”. Well, there really isn’t a cut and dry answer but one of the best pieces of advice I have heard for my own blogs growth is this. Create content that is helping your audience. Focus on meeting their needs and not just about the numbers.

If you create a space that is engaging, welcoming and one that builds a relationship with you readers, you will find that the numbers come naturally. Focus on others and it will be a whole lot easier to grow, I promise.

V. Email List

Having and email list is a great way to monetize your blog. Not only does it help connect to your readers on a more personal level but you can add affiliate links and other offers you might have within those emails. Here are a few tips that can help grow your email list as a new blogger:

• Include a email list opt-in freebie in your posts
• Add a freebie in your videos/stories

I would recommend using ConvertKit to start your email list. It’s affordable and easy to use. You can create email list opt-ins inside of ConvertKit or on Canva.

Final thoughts

Monetizing your blog will not just happen over night. Despite how easy others make it seem.

Blogging can be a slow but steady race. Just because you aren’t seeing the results you want immediately does’t mean you should quit. Keep at it and you will succeed. The only failure is not trying. It’s easy to look at other bloggers and influencers and compare their success to yours. Most, if not all of those people started somewhere just like you and me. It’s all to easy to judge their highlight reel and get discouraged, especially in the beginning stages of blogging.

Keep working at it and showing up and I promise you won’t regret it. Remember to keep creating amazing content that is helpful for your audience and you will start to see results. I believe in you!