Blogging is an important part of establishing your platform as an author. Having a popular blog will make it much easier to interest an agent or a publisher, and if you are going the self-publishing route, it will be an important part of your marketing strategy for selling your book.
But long before your book is finished, your blog can start make you money. There are thousands of writers who see blogging as a way to make an income, working anytime and anywhere. Here are some of the most popular ways to use your blog to make extra income.
· Sell a product you have made. This can of course be your book, but it could be other products as well. For example, one author made a series of clever mugs produced at 4imprint.com which he then sold on his website making several thousand dollars with this venture.
· Sell your consulting or coaching services. If you are an expert, there are likely many people who would pay your for your advice and consultation.
· Advertise that you are available as a speaker. Good speakers are always in demand. Make sure you do research to determine the best rate you should be charging.
· Sell affiliate programs. These are banners from other companies placed on your blog, and when someone clicks on a banner and buys from that company, you get a percentage of the purchase.
· Direct ad sales. Most people think that this is a great way to make money, but of course you first have to have lots of traffic to your blog. Probably the easiest way to get started is with Google’s Adsense.
· Write sponsored reviews. ReviewMe allows advertisers to buy sponsored reviews on your blog. The only requirement is that a review post must be at least 200 words long.
There are many other ideas for monetizing your blog. Many of these are for sophisticated bloggers only; however if you are interested in making money you might soon be one of them.
See a list of additional ideas at: http://www.subhub.com/articles/making-money-from-your-blog-or-website
