7 Dos and Don'ts for Making a Living from Blogging ...

1. Be Realistic about Your Skills

Making a living from blogging may sound easy, but it takes a lot of hard work and determination. In addition, you need excellent writing skills. As a blogger, you're not only responsible for providing useful information, you need to engage your audience and provide content that's grammatically correct and free of typos. This seems like a dream occupation, but it’s not for everyone.

2. Discover Your Passions

Before jumping into blogging, consider the topics you want to write about. It's always best to write what you know, or to focus on topics that you're passionate about. This way, you’ll willingly research and dig deeper to provide your readers with useful, original information. The more you expand your knowledge, the more you can share with your audience.

3. Don’t Expect Overnight Success

I’ve read stories about bloggers who make $3,000+ a month. But after reading their testimonies, many admit that it took years to generate this type of income. Similarly, don't expect to earn money the first month from your own blog. And if you do earn money, it may only be enough to buy a cup of coffee.

4. Guest Blog or Work for a Company

It will take a while to get your own blog off the ground. As you build your traffic and income, consider guest blogging or blogging for a corporation. The truth is, there are many established blogs that pay their freelance writers fair compensation to provide engaging, informative content. Compensation varies depending on the particular blog and company. But you can realistically earn anywhere between $0.05 and $0.10 per word — maybe more depending on the popularity of the blog.

5. Get Your Own Domain

If you’re creating your own blog, purchase your own domain and an eye-catching theme for your blog. You can get started for free at blogger.com and WordPress.com. However, these free platforms don't always project the most professional image. There is an initial expense with buying a domain and template. You’ll pay about $10 a year for a .com domain. In addition, a blog theme will cost a minimum of about $20 or $30. Also, you’ll pay anywhere from $50 to $70 for one year of hosting.

6. Don’t Quit Your Day Job

If you quit your job and blog 12 hours a day, you'll grow your blog and income at a faster pace. But in reality, there's only so much you can say in a day. Rather than take a leap of faith, continue working your full time job — or at least part time — while you blog on the side. This way, you'll earn steady income as you grow your blog, thus reducing financial worries.

7. Don’t Give up

As mentioned, it can take months or years to build your readership and earn real income from your blog. Unfortunately, many bloggers give up after the first couple of months. However, if you continue to educate yourself on ways to create a winning blog, and if you provide your readers with useful, unique content, you can beat the odds and make a living from blogging.

The ability to work from home, or any location in the world, and provide others with information on topics that you love can be a dream job. However, for this to work, you need a plan in place and patience. What tips can you offer people who want to make a living from blogging?