How to Start and Monetize Your Blog in 90 Days

How to Start and Monetize Your Blog in 90 Days

With over 600 million blogs as of 2022, around 10% manage to secure over $10,000 annually. While various avenues like ads, sponsored posts, subscriptions, and product sales offer earnings, affiliate marketing is a potent monetization method. By endorsing products or services pertinent to your readers, you stand to gain a portion of the sales made through your affiliate links. This method can yield substantial income, particularly for bloggers commanding a significant and active following.With blogging being such a profitable venture, it’s safe to say it’s here to stay. And if you think you’re late into the game, fear not. You can still start a blog and monetize it in as little as 90 days. This post and our 90-day step-by-step action plan will give you the foundation to create your blog, drive traffic, and scale into a profitable affiliate marketing hub. Let’s begin.

Steps to Start Scaling and Monetizing Your Blog

Many people set out to create a blog but have yet to make it. In fact, 33% of bloggers earn nothing from their efforts. Don’t be part of that statistic. You’re here to gain from your blogs; these steps will help you scale and monetize it.

Choose your niche wisely.

Defining your blog’s mission begins with a niche selection driven by your passion and the value you wish to provide. Choose a topic aligned with your interests and potential products to promote. While general focus areas like health, wealth, and relationships are popular, they’re fiercely competitive. Opting for a hobby niche with specialized knowledge can ease the way.

Craft your blog’s niche by balancing your passion, expertise, and earning potential. Dive deeper into audience problems via platforms like Facebook, Reddit, Quora, and forums to tailor your content effectively. For monetization, consider creating your products, doing affiliate marketing, or placing ads.

Target relevant, profitable segments with solvable problems and explore high-commission, low-refund, well-supported products. Check rivals, keywords, and trends to identify gaps and optimal chances within your chosen niche.

Cultivate a returning audience.

SEO drives valuable traffic. If you’re unsure about how to optimize your site correctly, check out Fiverr’s extensive list of SEO freelance experts. They are ready to lend a hand with anything SEO-related.

Having numerous returning visitors puts you in an advantageous position. But these audiences can be fleeting, so prioritize retention over one-time clicks on affiliate links. Start by delivering exceptional value to meet the needs of your readers. Although writing about trending topics or breaking news is appealing, such content lacks longevity. Traffic might spike initially, yet it dwindles as interest in the information or trend subsides.

To sustain traffic, focus on evergreen topics people search for. This can help ensure consistent organic traffic as long as your content ranks high on Google. Do thorough keyword research, which uncovers what your audience seeks on search engines. Since 51% of shoppers research products on Google before buying, search is the critical route for content discovery.

Also, set up effective email conversion systems, consider social media, or create paid memberships or niche-specific platforms like Discord to engage your fans.

Determine your 90-day content strategy.

Quality content is the bedrock of a thriving blog. Even when you post affiliate content, make sure the products seamlessly fit and leave a meaningful impression. Develop a 90-day content plan with core topics. Tap into your creativity for ideas. After brainstorming, refine your list. Prioritize impactful and enjoyable topics.

Maintain a consistent blogging schedule, be it daily, alternate days, or thrice weekly—consistency matters. Have a schedule of various content, like a how-to every Monday or video content every Friday. Moreover, stay genuinely curious about your niche. Ongoing learning is also critical. Absorb insights from experts and share your findings.

Establish your expertise with informative content that enriches your funnel, providing valuable resources for solution-seeking readers. Use informational content to attract email subscribers by tailoring lead magnets. These posts can earn organic backlinks and bolster the authority of profit-oriented articles through internal linking. While not high-profit drivers, informative posts reinforce credibility, boosting the potential for affiliate posts to rank well and yield substantial income.

Apply to affiliate marketing programs.

Join affiliate marketing programs to monetize your blog, particularly if you don’t sell products. These programs offer exclusive content and deals, boosting your income. Fiverr Affiliates, for instance, has an ideal program for bloggers, content creators, and freelancers.

Promote Fiverr’s offerings, such as Fiverr Pro and Fiverr Learn, on your site. Commissions vary ($15-$150) based on what your buyer gets. You’ll earn CPA commissions for their first purchase, called FTB (first-time buyer). You can also access several tools, like eye-catching display banners, beautiful widgets, and intuitive search boxes, which will help convert your readers to paying customers.

Joining an affiliate program is simple. Once approved, you become an official affiliate marketer. The challenge lies in earning through your affiliate links. If you lack an audience or struggle to convert your FTBs, here are some tips to assist you:

• Use external forums. Using external platforms can prove advantageous when starting or scaling your affiliate blogging venture. Online forums and user-generated content platforms like Reddit, which is widely used for seeking quick solutions, can be beneficial. Participating on these platforms positions you as a bridge between problems and solutions.

For instance, if you encounter a Reddit post seeking a web designer for a coffee shop, tactfully respond or send a direct message suggesting a skilled designer and sharing a relevant link. Always ensure that your contributions enhance discussions rather than detract from them. Also, familiarize yourself with the platform’s terms and conditions to align with their guidelines for affiliate promotions.

• Provide help through reviews and tutorials. Helping your audience with detailed product reviews and valuable tutorials is an effective way to guide them in making informed purchases. Keep your reviews fair—highlight positives and negatives for balanced decisions. Tutorials, on the other hand, provide practical instructions for using products effectively or achieving tasks. This not only boosts understanding but also displays your expertise. Addressing potential questions and concerns in your reviews and tutorials builds trust with your audience.

This effort goes beyond promotion – it creates a helpful resource for readers. This makes them more confident in their purchases and values your content, increasing their chances of becoming first-time buyers.

• Write a compelling, high-quality article on established websites. A brilliant strategy that taps into Google traffic involves writing affiliate articles on writing platforms. Medium.com boasts a vast audience of over 100 million global readers, providing a platform for sharing stories, case studies, and articles. Medium is a high-authority website, which results in swift Google indexing and better chances for higher rankings than new standalone blogs.

Build an email list.

Why opt for email communication? The answer is simple: email enables consistent interaction with your audience. Unlike platforms like Facebook, which might restrict your reach, email allows a direct connection.

Building an email list is vital in scaling your affiliate marketing efforts. These subscribers are your dedicated followers, permitting you to share niche-related updates and exciting offers directly with them. Email lists hold immense power for affiliate sites. They offer a dedicated audience for targeted Product Review updates, resilient against potential Google updates. Your email list remains under your control, fostering ongoing reader relationships.

Employ enticing lead magnets such as checklists, white papers, guides, and eBooks. These valuable resources create goodwill by offering valuable content for free. By optimizing your welcome sequence, you build trust and rapport, ensuring effective conversion of affiliate offer emails.

Sustain engagement by sending ongoing emails. This strategy can drive traffic to your site or affiliate offers. Imagine having a tens of thousands email list generating hundreds of clicks weekly, propelling your affiliate blogs to greater heights.To learn more, check out the detailed guide Fiverr provides on boosting affiliate earnings with email marketing.

Promote your content with online communities.

Leveraging Facebook groups or Discord servers is an efficient way to connect with people interested in your niche. Success in community promotion hinges on preparation. Before you promote anything, join the group and understand its dynamics. Learn common topics, popular posts, and rules.

Also, engage actively by leaving comments, participating in discussions, and asking questions. It’s imperative to approach this carefully to avoid any actions that might lead to being kicked out.

As you become active, administrators will take note. Build rapport with them, and seek ways to contribute beyond self-promotion. Following this approach can build a positive presence within most communities. This paves the way for you to share your content without fear of negative reactions.

You can also use other audience-heavy social platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Effectively leveraging these platforms involves maintaining a social calendar to enhance brand visibility and drives sales. For example, you can post a product carousel on Instagram, offer sneak peeks of new items on TikTok, and provide informative articles about the struggles of a small business owner on LinkedIn.

Expand your affiliate traffic avenues.

As your content vault grows, it’s crucial to widen your outreach. While affiliate blogs often excel in SEO, relying solely on one traffic source is unwise. Identifying where your audience is vital. Understanding the products you promote influences your traffic choice. Knowing your audience’s preferences aids focus.

Look into site visitors. Track demographics, location, time of day, device, browser, and operating system via tools like Google Analytics. Identify top traffic sources. This insight lets you optimize campaigns and target affiliate products effectively.

Certain content thrives on different channels. Pinterest and YouTube shine for affiliate marketing. But opportunities also exist on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Medium, and Reddit, though strategy refinement is necessary. The great thing is that you can easily link your blog on these platforms too.

Use retargeting as a powerful scaling tactic.

Retargeting focuses on users who’ve previously visited your site or engaged with your content, displaying ads to them on other platforms. This serves as a reminder of their interaction with your business, possibly prompting a return. If using the same offer, consider attracting users with discounts or bonuses. Here are some tips to help you retarget effectively:

• Set up a retargeting campaign on platforms like Facebook, Google Ads, or AdRoll.
• Different platforms offer distinct advantages for retargeting. Opt for the one aligning with your objectives.
• Design visually appealing ads with clear messages that encourage action.
• Leverage platform targeting options based on demographics, interests, and behaviors to reach your desired audience.

Streamline your efforts through automation.

Employ tools and systems to automate tasks, saving both time and money. Simplify content creation, distribution, promotion, and tracking. Leverage content management systems like WordPress to efficiently craft and publish content. Utilize email marketing platforms such as Mailchimp to send emails to your subscribers automatically. Employ social media schedulers like Buffer to post and share content across platforms efficiently. Gauge your performance using analytics tools like Google Analytics to enhance your strategies.

By embracing automation, you optimize your processes, enhance efficiency, and gain valuable insights for scaling your affiliate efforts.

Delegate non-essential tasks.

Prioritize your strengths, like content creation, relationship building, and sales closing. Outsource non-core activities such as graphic design, web development, copywriting, and customer service to experts through Fiverr and Upwork. This allows you to maintain high quality and productivity across all fronts.

Best Practices for Monetizing and Scaling Your Blog

Maintaining the status quo in your campaign might cause you to overlook numerous opportunities. On the other hand, pushing it too far could harm your business. Thus, it’s crucial to discover the optimal method for expanding your campaign effectively.

• Start with gradual improvements, not abrupt changes.
• Collaborate to expand the reach and boost visibility. Forge partnerships for mutual content promotion.
• Plan and organize your content creation with a well-structured content calendar.
• Experiment with different elements like headlines, CTAs, and layouts to optimize conversion rates.
• Create a visually appealing and user-friendly website layout that enhances the user experience.
• Ensure your website is responsive and mobile-friendly to cater to users on various devices.
• Stay updated on trends and know the latest in affiliate marketing for informed scaling decisions.
• Track your metrics using analytics for insights, guiding strategic scaling choices.

Final Thoughts

Starting, scaling, and monetizing a blog in 90 days is achievable if you approach it with a strategic plan, dedication, and passion. Remember that success won’t happen overnight, but with consistent effort and a willingness to learn and adapt, you can scale your blog into a profitable venture.