Can You Earn Money Blogging?

You're probably wondering who Perez Hilton is and what he has to do with blogging (I know who he is, but then I'm a celebrity gossip addict and I adore Perez for his non-PC approach).

Perez Hilton, also known as Mario Armando Lavandeira, Jr. is a blogger who typically writes gossip articles about actors, celebrities, and musicians. While Hilton has been called one of the most hated figures in Hollywood, he may also be one of the most active bloggers. Hilton averages 24 posts per day to his website and pulls in millions of hits.

According to Business Week, it's estimated that Hilton takes in an average of $111,000 per month from his blog, based on ad rates for his site as well as his own reported traffic data.

So how can you earn money from blogging? One way is to sell ad space. When starting out with a new blog, or one that isn't very well known, services such as Google's AdSense, or BlogAds help bloggers establish ad programs.

These services let you select several ads that mesh with the topic of your blog and pays you based on how many of your visitors click the ad's link to get further information. Another way to earn money is to help others sell their products.

This is a type of affiliate program that lets your blog serve as a medium between your visitors and other online websites offering various goods and services. Blogging is an easy way to potentially earn extra income. With just a little effort and some creativity, you might just be able to become the next Perez Hilton on a topic of your chosing!

** Pick a topic that you are passionate about--something that you will enjoy making frequent and consistent updates about. Make sure your information is interesting and helpful or gives solutions to a problem.

** Write to your audience as a highly regarded friend--someone who can trust you and pays attention to your opinions and ideas.

** Be consistent and regular in your posts. Commit to a schedule for your updates. When your audience finds your posts informative and interesting, they will want to return for new information.

** Have your favorite affiliate items displayed on your blog--items that relate to the theme of your blog. Share only those items you have evaluated and personally know will be of value to your readers.

** Make your website visually appealing. Add appropriate pictures and images to enhance your blog. Let your blog reflect what you're about.