Written by on June 26, 2009 – 2:53 am
I’ve been thinking about my method of monetizing my blogs that I’ve adopted and I’m not sure if I like it. I have random Amazon ads, top spots, and reviews scattered here and there. I honestly think I jumped the gun with it. Promoting affiliate programs and other monetization methods are fine but I failed to execute the game plan properly.
I’m leaving all my affiliate links that are in the posts I made. But, I am taking everything down until I sort it all out. Instead, I am going to take a step back and really think about how to monetize while still providing value. That is an important consideration when it comes to internet marketing. Value first, monetizing last.
So, here’s what I am doing:
Step One - Provide Value
- Determine my exact site concept - I know what it is, but I need to define it
- Working on creating awesome posts that are helpful and entertaining.
- Give stuff away.
I know I can think of some way to do this…
Step Two - Get traffic
- I’ve been really lax about keyword research. My keyword numbers are pretty small, too - and some of the keywords that people use to find my blog are just plain strange.
- I’ll also need to build more backlinks.
Step Three - Monetize
- Come up with a plan to monetize the site that still provides the reader with value and is helpful to them.
- Introduce the monetization methods one at a time a but only after my analysis is complete.
I think I am going to do this for most of my sites. In the past, I would throw ads up without really thinking about what I wanted or even where I wanted the site to go.
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Planning ahead is the very BEST thing you can do for blogging success. The second is to approach your blogging project without expecting it to turn over a profit from day one. It’s never too soon to monetize a blog, having those links available from your first post will generate a large portion of your blog income once your blog is firmly established. But, in the early days, your monetizing efforts won’t give you the kind of return you might like.
The most important aspect when it comes to monetizing your blog is to remember the readers first and foremost. Anything you advertise or affiliate with needs to be something that your readers are interested in and will find beneficial. Focus on those products that match your niche. If you have a blog about parenting, don’t try to sell sports cars. Parents want economy vehicles that have room for family. If you’ve got a mid-life blog, the sports car mightn’t be such a bad plug.
But, it looks like you’re putting things into order now. The first concern is to create a blog people WANT to read. Most readers can’t stand websites that are advertising heavy. Aim for a 90/10 balance. 90% content, 10% advertising. As your readership increases you can increase the percentage of advertising.
Best of luck restructuring your blogging projects, Katherine! I’m looking forward to reading about how the changes you are making now bring you success in the coming months.
Thank you Rebecca for your thoughtful post. Yes, the 90/10 rule is why I kept the links in my posts. I thought hard about which ones to include. When I recommend something and leave a link it’s because I’ve tried it and liked it… even with clickbank products I always buy them.
But for the sidebar and other spots like the header and footer? I just don’t know what to put there so I’m going to leave it out for now. Part of the problem is that this blog is about many things. I think I need to wait as the blog’s character develops.
I know, the amazon link is still there. Lol. It’s going as soon as I find the code!