CommPRO Editorial Staff

There are so many gurus out there these days claiming that blogging is dead. Well, the good news is that blogging is still very much alive and is indeed a viable way to make money. 

Is blogging to make money as easy as it used to be? Things have changed a lot in blogging and it isn’t as easy as it used to be. But, there is still a lot of money to be made. You just have to do things the right way.

The internet changes at a constant pace so it makes sense that what worked a few years ago won’t work today. If you try to use the blogging techniques that were promoted in 2015, then you’re making a big mistake. You have to do what is relevant today. 

In this article, we will go over what some of the things are that you have to do to be a profitable blogger in 2021.

Get technical

Years ago, everybody could start a blog and make money without knowing much about the tech behind it. Bloggers could use platforms like Blogger and Squidoo for publishing their content and still make money. These days it is not quite so simple.

It takes hosting your own site on a platform like Wordpress or Wix. And it means you have to understand some technical aspects of running a website. There will be a lot more involvement in the backend of the site to make sure that it works and that it helps your SEO. 

You’ll need to understand how to make sure that your site isn’t bogged down with too much code so it doesn’t slow down. Google's Core Web Vitals is a metric that focuses on site speed and other usability factors that impact the user experience. It’s extremely important that you understand how those things work so you can build your site the proper way otherwise your success is not likely. 

Taking charge of the operation of the site from a technical standpoint doesn’t mean that you have to do all of these things yourself. You just have to know what needs to be done so you can then outsource if need be.

Outsourcing

Following up on the last line in the last section, outsourcing is the key to success in blogging these days. You may feel like the blog is your baby and want to do it all yourself. That attitude is going to seriously hold you back.

You’ll need to understand the ins and outs of what goes into a blog but at a certain point you have to hand over some of the work to others. 

What you should do is to find the parts of blogging that you like best and have the time to do well and focus there. Then, the less desirable aspects of running a website can be given to others to do. 

For instance, if you really dread writing the content then this is an obvious area to outsource. Then you can focus on the technical aspects of the website if that is your thing. 

By letting somebody else take on some of the work, you are able to spend time growing the business side of it so you can make more money. Doing it all yourself takes far too long and you can’t do everything necessary to properly grow a site and make a full time living. 

The money is still in the list

One thing that has remained the same since the early days of blogging for profit is how important an email list is. Lots of things change during the lifetime of your blog. It could be an algorithm update that wipes out much of your traffic overnight, or it could be a social media platform that shuts down and leaves you hanging on. 

One thing that you own is your list. And those people on your list are avid fans or they wouldn’t have handed over their email address. 

The best marketing happens on an almost one on one basis by sending the right email drip campaign to your list. You still need to make sure that you aren’t overly promotional as they don’t want to be bombarded with emails getting them to spend. Keep them informational and then once in a while send an offer that they will actually want to take advantage of. 

Cast a wide net

The truth about blogging these days is that having a site that relies on organic traffic only is not going to cut it in most niches. To really break through you will need to be an authority so you have to get your blog out there. 

This involves the obligatory social media presence but it goes beyond that. You should be seen as the best person that represents the topic your blog is about so you have to take advantage of several mediums. 

You should have a Youtube channel that attracts visits to your blog since many people are using it as a search engine. Often, people with a question will start their search on Youtube since they want to see a video rather than read a blog post. Capture these people and then send them to your blog so they can get more information. 

Also, having a podcast will cement you as an authority on the subject. For those people that commute to work, you can have their ear for the duration with good content that people want to download. Then, again, you can promote your blog there. 

Conclusion

If you are determined and can see your idea and passion through then you can still make a living as a blogger. Treat it like it is the business that it actually is and you will see profits that others may be saying are impossible to make. The one thing to remember is to have an exit plan. After some time, you will be able to sell the site and make a very nice bundle out of your hard work.