Revealed: The 4 Strategic Steps to Making Money From Your Blog

Jenna Dalton

10 years ago

Do you ever feel like you’re just waving your hands around hoping that potential buyers will notice you?

That one day your blog will just take off and money will come pouring in?

I hear you. Blogging is a great marketing strategy. And it’s smart that you want to use your blog to grow your business.

But do you wanna know something crazy?

Blogging doesn’t actually get you more sales.

I know, I know you’re thinking,

“Wait, what?! I thought that’s why I did marketing stuff – like blogging – doesn’t it make people wanna buy from me?”

But here’s the truth – blogging doesn’t actually get you more sales. It simply creates awareness about you and what you’re offering.

It’s what you do with that awareness that gets you those sales.

And that’s the secret to making money from your blog – knowing how to create that awareness, and then knowing what to do once people are aware of you.

You want to know how to turn a curious blog reader into a buyer.

I’ll show you how in 4 steps.

Step 1: Make sure that your foundation is rock solid

No one will buy from you if you have a shaky business foundation.

So you want to make sure that your foundation is strong by getting clear on…

Who your target market is: who do you want to help?
What they want and need: what desires, goals, pains and problems do they have?
The big result you can help them get: what do you help people do or have? What’s your niche?

If you don’t know these 3 key things, people are going to come to your blog and have no idea whether it’s meant for them or someone else. They won't know whether you understand what they're going through. And they'll wonder what you can actually help them achieve.

They'll be confused.

That means they probably won’t stick around, and they probably won’t end up buying from you.

So work on getting crazy clear on those three things before you take the next step.

Step 2: Earn their trust and showcase your credibility

There are 4 main reasons someone would buy from you:

1. You prove to them that you understand what they're going through

2. You show them that you can help them

3. They like you

4. They trust you

So how do you earn their trust, showcase your credibility, and make them believe you understand them and can help them? Well you…

Blog about topics your readers are passionate about. People read about stuff they care about. So give them something to care about.

Bond with your readers by sharing your values. People are naturally attracted to others who share the same values. Make it easy for your ideal readers to like you by sharing your beliefs. Live video is a great way to form bonds with your readers.

Look the part of a credible expert. Get professional photos taken, make sure your website doesn’t look like a two-year-old made it, post testimonials. All these things will help people believe you’re someone they should listen to.

Actually help them on your blog. To prove that you can actually help someone when they buy from you, start by helping them for free on your blog. Give them free tips, tools and resources that’ll actually make a difference for them.

Featured podcast: Here are some additional tips for monetizing your content from Ms. Ileane!

Step 3: Sell something awesome

If you want people to buy from you, you need to sell something they want to buy.

I know this sounds so simple but often we try to sell something we feel like selling, instead of selling something our target market actually wants or needs.

So, before you go making assumptions about what people will buy, do your homework. Talk to potential buyers. Do the market research.

Once you know your customers so well they'll think you can read their mind, you’ll be able to create an offering that blows them away.

Step 4: Blog smartly to create loads of awareness

I have this catchphrase I say whenever someone tells me they’re not a good enough writer – “It’s not about being good, it’s about being smart.”

You see, you don't need to be the best writer to capture a lot of attention. You simply need to be a smart writer.

You want to make sure that you blog smartly by:

Not blogging about the same-old-same-old. Brainstorm what you think people are going to expect you to say, and give them something a little different. You'll stand out and get noticed a lot more when you do.

Coming across as relatable. Share pieces of your personality and insights into your life – especially any mistakes you’ve made. This will help make you more relatable – which makes you more likeable.

Getting off of your own website and onto others. One of the fastest ways to grow your email list and get more leads and sales is through guest blogging. Find websites that target the same people as you and see if you can get a post on their site.

Put do a quick recap and it all together

Now that you know all 4 steps, here’s how they work together…

You create awareness by blogging about topics that your target market is passionate about. Maybe it’s even something that keeps them up at night. A problem they're dying to overcome.

They stumble upon your blog – from Google, a recommendation from a friend, social media, or something else – and they check out your foundation. They read your about page and a couple posts, and realize that your blog was made for them.

Then they give you the opportunity to earn their trust and show them that you’re a credible expert who can help them. This might mean that they sign up for your email list to give you the chance to be someone they trust to help them.

Once you’ve earned their trust – and you've made the right offer, at the right time – you'll get the sale.

It doesn’t have to be complicated

I get that figuring out how to make money from your blog can seem tough and overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.

Simplify things by going back to the basics and focusing on these 4 key things.

And remember – blogging doesn't actually get you more sales. It simply creates awareness. It's what you do with that awareness that gets you more sales.

So start using your blog as a smart marketing tool today. Before you know it, maybe one day your blog will take off and money will start pouring in.

For now, just get started. Pick one thing you need to do to start making money from your blog – whether it's picking a target market, creating an irresistible offer, or something else.

Then go do it. Make it happen.

And make the impact you know you're meant to make.