The quickest way to start earning money online is to start a blog… Google loves them, so they generally get indexed and ranked faster than a standard website, there are countless free themes available on Wordpress, and hundreds of free plug-in tools to make them sing! Which is great… IF you pick a good niche.
You see, say for example you have this great idea for your topic… perhaps it’s “climbing mountains” because that’s what you’re into, and you’re aiming to sell “mountaineering equipment”. Ok, nothing wrong with that… So away you go, buy your domain name, buy your web hosting for a year, launch your blog and… Nothing!
Turns out, nobody’s interested in climbing mountains, or those that are go to “Mountains R Us” etc… So you’ve spent all that time and money on a blog you can’t get any visitors to!
Obviously, you need to research keywords, competition etc… But you will find that the expected results don’t always live up to reality, especially if you are relying on “free” analysis tools. Now assuming you’re working with a low operating budget (most people looking to earn online NEED the money), you need an reasonably accurate means of testing the interest in your potential blog topic BEFORE you spend any money… Which is why I suggest you visit Blogger.com (or Hubpages.com where you can post multiple “1 page hubs” and grab a share of their advertising revenue).
Also (even if you’re not looking to make money), for first time bloggers, a free blogging web site is a great way to get started in the blogosphere. Popular blogging web sites like blogger allow users to set up and host a blog without paying any fees at all.
This encourages people to start blogging, because the fact that one of these sites can provide you with all of the tools that you need to get your blog up and running without spending any money means that you have nothing to lose by starting a blog. The fact that it is so easy to find a way to blog for free is one of the reasons why so many people who have never had any other kind of web presence before find themselves drawn to blogging.
Then, if your blog attracts a large readership, you may want to consider moving your site. Many people feel that being hosted by a free blogging web site gives a blog a kind of amateur flavor that is fine for a new member of the “personal blog” fraternity, but is not appropriate for a high-profile blog. Having your own domain can help you make your blog feel professional, and finding a good domain host need not be difficult or expensive. Once your blog takes off, you will probably be able to sell enough advertising space to be able to afford to buy a domain and pay for a hosting package, and still have money left over. However, it does not make sense in most cases to invest in these glossy luxuries before you have tested you niche or have a sizable readership.
Starting your blog on a free blogging web site is a great way to build a following before you spend any money on your blog. If and when your blog becomes popular and you are ready to take the next step and purchase your own domain, your readers will follow you to your new home. The fact that it is possible to use a free blog host like Blogger, or Hubpages as a kind of incubator or “testing ground” for your blog is great news for bloggers everywhere. Learn more…





