Blogging can be more than just a way to rant on politics, Paris Hilton and the latest PlayStation.
It can also be an income stream, whether for a fancy dinner each week or an early retirement. Here are some money-making basics:
Google it
Google's free AdSense service is how many Web sites make money -- blogs included. Based on your blog¹s content and target audience, Google displays context-related ads along the top and side of the site. For example, if your blog is about fashion, ads for clothing retailers may appear on the site.
Google doesn't disclose the exact percent of revenue you'll receive other than to say that when a reader clicks the ad, you make some money. To get more information, visit www.google.com/adsense.
'Ad' it up
In addition to Google's help, you can draw advertisers on your own and set your own rates. To make your site attractive, market your blog's distinctive audience and niche content. Prove to would-be advertisers that you've got a constant flow of targeted readers.
"The key really is traffic. Without it, a blog can't support itself from an advertising standpoint," says Paul Chaney, vice president of marketing for Blogging Systems Group, a consultancy for blogs.
To get help tracking your site's page views, try Web site services like Statcounter.com, Gvisit.com and Sitemeter.com.
Get paid per post
Many online businesses pay bloggers to write about products, Web sites and companies. The arrangement has its critics, though, because some sites do not disclose that their bloggers are getting paid and that there may be a conflict of interest.
Recently, some sites have been more upfront. PayPerPost.com, for example, requires its bloggers to disclose they're getting paid.
Another pay-per-post site, Weblogs.com, swears the opinions of its bloggers are independent.
Click through and cash in
You can also make money by sending or referring your blog¹s readers to other sites.
For example, at fashion blog SheFinds.com, owner Michelle Madhok makes money every time someone clicks through her site to get to Nordstrom.com or Shopbop.com and purchases items from those retailers upon her blog¹s referral. For example, her blog once cashed in after linking readers to BareNecessities.com, an online lingerie retailer. SheFinds.com readers bought about $10,000 of the retailer¹s merchandise in one day.
(with Tim Chan)
Farnoosh Torabi is a video correspondent for thestreet.com. E-mail her at AMPersonalFinance@yahoo.com.
