For a blog to be profitable, you need to handle like as a business and not a hobby. So what does this really entail? The following are some vital things you need to consider.
1. Goals
Most conventional businesses operate using monthly, quarterly or annual goals which they have set. This should also be the case for blogging. If you wish to make a full-time or part-time income from blogging, you need to have clear goals of how much revenue you’d like to earn. Make sure your goals are time-bound, measurable and attainable. Many bloggers set unrealistic goals and end up getting disappointed and even giving up.
2. Accountability
Goals should be accompanied with accountability. People in formal employment are usually held accountable to the goals set for them. Failing to meet them can result in getting fired or losing bonuses. However, many bloggers fail to hold themselves accountable to the goals they have set. As a blogger, you need to regularly assess your productivity to find out if you are living up to your goals.
3. Priority
For most people in formal employment, work is their first priority. They earn their living by working all day for an employer. Blogging as a business should be handled with the same level of commitment. Even if it’s being done on a part-time basis, it needs to be given priority over other things. If your list of priorities does not include blogging, there will be little chance of you making money from it.
4. Scheduling
If you hope to make some money out of blogging, you need to set aside a specific time for it. It should not be something you engage in when you don’t have anything else to do. Think about the amount of time you are able and ready to commit to blogging each week and make sure that time is scheduled into your week. Scheduling your work will help you monitor how you are spending your time. You can use free tools such as Toggl to enhance your efficiency.
5. Bookkeeping
Keeping records of expenses and income is a vital aspect of any business. These records will help you evaluate how much progress you have made towards your goals. A simple spreadsheet program such as Excel could come in handy for this purpose. However, there are also other more sophisticated programs online.
6. Outsourcing
If you are running several blogs or handling multiple projects, you might want to consider outsourcing. Hiring other writers can be a very effective way of enhancing your business profits.
7. Spending
To make money as a business, you should also be ready to spend money. However, most bloggers are only interested in free solutions. To maximize your profits in blogging, you need to be willing to spend money on services and products which will make your work easier and improve your productivity.
Author bio: Charles Mburugu has a passion for web-based technologies and online business. He is presently writing for web design library. Click here to learn more.