Writing For Money - Generate Cash With Niche Blogs

Want to generate real cash with your writing? Perhaps you've already discovered the lucrative field of creating niche blogs. As you may know, in niche blogging, choosing a great niche leads to success or failure.

So how do you choose a great niche?

1. Is the Niche Popular -- Are People Spending Money in It?

Firstly let's look at what a niche is.

"Niches" are topics. Almost anything can be a niche, but in the way we're using the term a "niche" is a topic for which there are online advertisers.

There are niches and sub-niches. For example, dog training is a niche. A sub-niche of dog training would be dog training classes. Other sub-niches include: dog training equipment, dog training collars, and dog training online.

Although niche research can tell you a great deal, your own experience, intuition and knowledge of a particular topic will tell you a great deal more. Therefore, when researching niches, try not to become too dependent on online search tools, remember that they're all historical, and can only tell you what people searched for in the past, not what they will search for in the future.

You'll know when you find a great niche: it has hundreds of thousands of searches, and people are spending money on the niche.

2. Do You Care About the Niche? (Boredom Sets in Quickly if You Don't)

There are some niches online which are hugely popular. People spend a great deal of money on them. You'd think that these niches would make a great topic for a blog.

But don't forget that your interest counts for a great deal. As you blog, you'll spend a lot of time thinking about this particular topic and writing about it. If you hate the topic, you'll procrastinate, and your niche blog will go nowhere.

3. How Much Do You Know About the Niche? (Research It First)

In addition to being interested in the niche, ask itself how much you know about this particular niche. For example dog training might be a good niche for you because you've owned a dog, and love dogs. If you've never owned a dog and you hate dogs it's unlikely that you'd know enough about the niche to be able to write about it with any kind of enthusiasm and authority.

4. Is the Niche Likely to Stay Popular?

Fads come and go. Today's hot topic may not be hot tomorrow. Once you get into the swing of creating niche blogs, you can certainly capitalize on current hot trends and fads. If you suspect that something is going to be hot for at least a month or two, throw up a quick blog and get the keyword traffic while you can.

However if you're new at creating niche blogs, don't try this. You need experience in blogging, and in getting traffic to your site. You'll tend to be attached to your first blog, so choosing a niche which will fade quickly is a big mistake. For one thing, you can't sell the niche blog once the topic is no longer fashionable.

You can generate a great deal of cash with niche blogs, if you enjoy writing. So get started niche blogging -- it may grow into an entire career.


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The Best Blog Tool to Use

There must be hundreds, if not thousands, of different blog tools to use to get started. From WordPress and Blogger to a blog tool provided by your host and a whole myriad of free blogging tools and systems that you can download. What is best for you? Well that's the problem, what's best for you might not be what's best for the next person, so there is not one simple answer.

What's Your Blogging Purpose?

If you are blogging to earn money, which seems to be the incentive of a lot of new bloggers, then many of the free tools are out as their terms and conditions prohibit advertising and sponsored posting. But, if you are blogging to inspire yourself and income is not in question, then the free blogs have other, hidden, great advantages.

Blogging To Fitness, And Others

Many people start blogging to keep themselves following a training plan, to lose weight or to get to a race correctly trained. This is a great use of blogs and will work best if you van share your experiences with others in the same situation. For these people, going to a free community system such as Real Buzz is best. But you cannot advertise.

Blogging For An Income

However, the majority of new bloggers seem to be interested in earning through blogging, which reduces the options. Having said that,,y favourite system for blogging is using the self hosted version of WordPress. It beats, in my opinion, all other blogging tools hands down. Nothing comes near it and I even know of web designers who use it on clients websites as a Content Management Tool to install websites in no time. Its popularity is part of its success, meaning that you can download free 'Theme' and plenty of plugins to enable you to customise your blog in minutes, even if you know nothing about websites.

The downsides? Well you do need to buy a URL and hosting and install WordPress. Actually, it is not that difficult once you are used to it, it just costs you with the hosting. Some hosts have a single click installation for WordPress whilst others require you to download the files, unzip them and then FTP them to the server. But that is not that difficult.

Blogging An Income, For Free

Finally, if you really cannot face installing WordPress or cannot afford hosting and your own URL, what options are left for you? Well of the free blogging tools that I know about the only one that still allows advertising is Google's Blogger. Head over there, sign up for an account, choose your blog name and you are up and running and ready to blog. Simple!

But why doesn't everyone who is blogging for an income use Blogger? The answer is easy, many advertisers will not pay for blogs with a Blogger domain name. Therefore, you quite often still end up paying for a domain name anyway.

So, if you want to know what is the best blogging tool, then I would say WordPress, But if you want to do it for free, then there are alternatives that might be suitable, but reducing any chances of an income.

Written by Keith Lunt

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Keith_Lunt/19581

Why I Love Blogging

People blog for many reasons. Originally, I started my blog the end of 2013 as an author platform.

But as time passed, I realized my blog provided much more than an author platform and it wasn't all about the numbers. Blogging served a different and more profound purpose. I would even say that it's changed the way I look at and live my life.

That's why if you're thinking about starting a blog, I'd highly recommend it. That is, if you're blogging for the right reasons.

If you're starting a blog to get rich or even to eke out a living, well, don't count on it. Monetizing a blog is super hard these days. In fact, after three years, I'm still not making money from my blog. By the way, don't believe all the hype from people selling online courses that try to convince you blogging is a great way to make passive income. Make no mistake, writing and promoting a blog is a ton of work. There is nothing passive about it.

In fact, it's so easy to get frustrated when you first start a blog. As a technically-challenged person, I had to learn WordPress. Then, I spent a lot of time promoting my blog and trying to find an audience. Something else I knew little about. As with most bloggers, I quickly became obsessed - and depressed - with the numbers and how many visitors, subscribers, and Facebook followers I had on any given day. Turns out building up readership for a blog takes a LOT of time, effort, and patience.

So Why Blog?

Some people may disagree with me, but I think blogging shouldn't just be about making money, drumming up business, gathering a huge following, chasing fame, or trying to sell books.

Blogging can serve as a creative channel to voice ideas, thoughts, opinions, beliefs, and feelings. On top of that, writing a blog provides a wonderful opportunity to inspire and touch the lives of other people in a positive way.

How Blogging Changed My Life

My blog has certainly seen me through many ups and downs these past few years. I've written about joyful moments like a trip to Chicago with my husband to celebrate our anniversary, a day spent playing in the snow with my grandchildren, watching Paul McCartney and the Rolling Stones at Desert Trip, and a quick weekend trip with my kids to San Francisco.

I've also poured my heart out while caregiving for my Mom who suffered from Lewy Body dementia and wrote about her eventual death. I shared my angst when my mother-in-law died from ovarian cancer and my son went through a painful divorce and custody battle that same year. (Ironically, shortly after I started writing a blog about happiness, I had the worst year of my life.)

Yes, I love reading, which provides a welcome respite from my troubles, but writing is my real escape, outlet, and passion. When I write, I become so focused, my problems fade away for awhile, giving me a much needed break. In fact, if you're truly a writer, believe me, it is a life-long addiction!

The process of putting my thoughts and feelings into writing has brought me comfort as well as help me relive happy moments.writer

As I've written about my life, my blog helped me think about what's important to me and determine if my life is headed in the right direction.

Since I can't write about every event, idea, thought, and feeling, blogging provides a sort of filter, clarifying my life. My blogs have helped me understand what is most meaningful to me. I've discovered along the way that sometimes it's the simplest moments that make me the happiest.

Embracing Creativity

As a professional writer, my blog gives me wonderful creative freedom to express myself. Not to pop anyone's balloon, but writing sounds more glamorous than it is in reality. For most of the past 25 years, I've written articles on subjects that magazines, newspapers, publishers, and clients choose for me.  

True, I've written two young adult books, travel articles, humorous pieces, and feature stories on fascinating people that were fun. On the other hand, in order to make a living, I've also written articles that bored me to tears. I've tackled technical articles - and one technical book - that gave me an Excedrin headache and drove me nuts. I've written on demand, meeting other people's deadlines, writing late into the night as my brain is desperately trying to call it quits.

Don't get me wrong. I may sound whiny, but I fully realize that I'm darn lucky to have made a living at something I love. I wouldn't have had it any other way.

The point is, my blog is my baby. I write on subjects I'm interested in and feel passionate about and hope my audience will enjoy as well. My blog allows me to stretch as a writer, explore, experiment, and try new things whenever the muse hits. Writing professionally has given me the discipline to publish a blog every week, but I write my blogs when I choose. And believe me, that's not at the crack of dawn or 10:00 at night! That is luxurious.

So, those are some of the ways blogging has changed my life. But, as I mentioned earlier, the huge bonus is that blogging can change other people's lives as well.

Some people have left comments letting me know that I have in some small way inspired them or provided useful information and that always brings me such joy. Writing a blog has provided an opportunity to connect with readers and other bloggers, which has been so rewarding.

What kind of blogs have proven to be most popular? It's always interesting to see what resonates and hits home. My top ten blogs in order of popularity:

1. Five Ways to Become a Happy-Go-Lucky Person

Every year, this is my top-performing blog by far. Merriam-Webster defines happy-go-lucky as blithely unconcerned and carefree. Synonyms include affable, laid-back, low-pressure, and mellow. I guess we all want some of that!

2. Golden Boys in Concert: Bobby Rydell, Frankie Avalon, and Fabian

I was asked to do a book review of Bobby Rydell's autobiography. This led to an interview, free tickets to his Golden Boys concert with Frankie Avalon and Fabian, and a backstage pass to meet Rydell in person. This was a nice perk that came from blogging! The day they posted my concert review on Rydell's Facebook page, my visitors increased by 3000% for the day. No joke!

3. Keep Laughing with the Seven Dwarfs of Menopause

This blog has held a top-three spot since I began blogging. Hey, it's either laugh or cry through menopause, and wouldn't we all prefer to laugh?

4. Staying Positive Despite Problems

Everyone has problems that make us feel powerless and defeated, so I'm not surprised this blog made the top ten. I offer three simple tips on how we can control our outlook and still choose to be happy despite our troubles.

5. What Are Your Life's Happiest Moments?

If you look back on your life, which moments would you count as your happiest? What would be your biggest regrets? That's the question one study asked participants aged 70 and older. I share the results of their insightful answers in this blog.

6. Why Older People Are Happier Than Baby Boomers

Aww, my very first blog that got my blog off the ground. The idea for this blog was based on studies that show, in general, older people - and even the younger generation - are happier than us baby boomers. One study confirmed there is a U-shaped happiness curve with the early 50's as the lowest point of well-being.

7. Happy as Easy as 1-2-3

"I want my day to feel like there is boundless beauty and possibilities and joy to be felt, discovered, explored, and expressed. And you know what? I can and so can you," I wrote. This article got discovered on Stumble Upon, bringing me my second (after the Rydell concert review) all-time record high number of visitors for one day.

8. Staying Happy Through Menopause

I wrote this article after Hot Flash Daily hired me to write humorous articles about menopause to launch their new website. I had never written humor before, but had a blast doing it for them! I happily shared it all - the scorching hot flashes, insane insomnia, annoying forgetfulness, and crazy panic attacks that ensued for years. Yes, YEARS!

9. Finding Happiness with Grandchildren

This blog was an easy one to write. To be needed and wanted by these delightful little beings is a wonderful treat and privilege. Like many people, I find that the rewards of family life only grew richer and more fulfilling as each new grandchild was born.

10. Five Happy Snoopy Quotes

Okay, this one surprised me a little bit. But hey, don't we all still love Snoopy? Now that I write a happiness blog, I'm impressed with how much wisdom Charles M. Schultz cartoons contain on the subject.

I loved writing all these articles that proved to be popular with readers. With that in my mind, what's my basic advice to all of you who are thinking about blogging? Write about your passions. Let your blog teach you life lessons. And, finally, enjoy the process. Then you can love blogging as much as I do!


Julie Gorges is an author, freelance writer, and blogger. During the past 20 years of professional writing, she has authored three books, had hundreds of article published in national and regional magazines, and won three journalism awards while working as a newspaper reporter. You can visit her blog at http://www.babyboomerbliss.net.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Julie_Gorges/1755531