$100 a Day Blogging! Discover My Top 5 Action Steps

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This post has been submitted to ProBlogger’s latest Group Writing Project. It is also a part of a feature article series here on Art of Money, called the make $100 a Day Blogging project, in which I attempt to grow this site’s earnings to the $100 a day level and document all the steps along the way (so you can boost the earnings on your own blog.)

#5 - Perform Great Market Research

The sad fact is that most blogs are doomed to low earnings before they ever begin.


Most bloggers “choose a niche” for their blog, but that is only a small fraction of the legwork needed to tell if a topic is going to be profitable. You’ll need to know:

  • how many people are searching for your topic?
  • what kinds of products are changing hands in your topic market?
  • how does it compare with other niches in terms of traffic and money changing hands. This means devise a metric and use it to measure a few potential niches, that way you begin to have an understanding of the relative value of each niche.

#4 - Carry Out Competitive Analysis

What value to visitors can you provide that your competition are missing? This is your competitive advantage. If you want to succeed and make decent money, you’ll need one.

Don’t be afraid to compete with the big boys, or an already entrenched site, but know that in order to do so, you’ll have to be better than they are at something important (SEO, quantity of posts, quality of posts, breaking news, insider info etc.)

How are the sites you are going to compete with making money? Do you see room for improvement?

Steal (not their content :) ) from your competition: don’t be afraid to borrow category names, ad positions, title tags etc. The web is an open book, once someone is successful the evidence is there for you to use to your benefit.

#3 - Use Great Tools

Using freebie or low cost tools, like hosting for example, often represents a lack of confidence more than a lack of money. If you knew that you were going to make $100 a day from your blog, wouldn’t you spend $10 a month on hosting and $10 a year for your own domain name.

Other tools that can make a big difference:

  • off-line blog editors (Ecto, Windows Live Writer etc)
  • keyword research tools
  • affiliate link cloaking software
  • subscriptions to industry only publications
  • ad servers
  • educational products related to blogging, online business or your topic area

#2 - Develop a ‘Succeed at All Costs’ Attitude

Most people expect success and money to come to them easily, but the fact is that it doesn’t work like that. 99% of the time, money and any other forms of success go to whoever earns them.

Whoever has done the best preparation and developed an advantage and can best execute a plan will make the most money. Competition is a good thing, when you’re on top you’ll be glad it isn’t easy for others to make it too.

Success if for people who have ruled out failure as an option. Most people hold onto comfort and the status quo and then wonder why their blog doesn’t make any money.

Entertain this ‘what if’ scenario…

Tomorrow you wake up and you’ve been fired from your job, and you HAD TO make enough money from blogging to pay your daily expenses, what would you do differently? How would it change your approach?

I’m guessing you would:

  • write better content
  • be more creative
  • work smarter
  • network more

Personally I have just increased my expenses dramatically (to purchase a condo in a city where real estate prices are through the roof) and I’ve decided to make money on this blog to make up the difference.

Pressure can bring out the best in us; I’m already enjoying working on this site more than I ever have as I embrace the challenge.

#1 - Monetize Like Your Life Depends on It

A lot of bloggers are shy about putting ads on their site. In my opinion this represents a lack of confidence more than anything else.

Would you be shy about asking for your paycheck at your job?

If you have decided to blog with the intention of making money, then produce valuable content and expect to be compensated for it.

That’s if for my top 5 action steps to make $100 a day blogging. If you want to follow my whole series on blogging towards $100 a day you can grab my feed, or bookmark the project home page.


Related Stories:

« Previous: Practical WordPress Link Managing Plug-in
Next: Money Making Tips from Top 5 Project »

Posted on Wednesday, May 9th, 2007 at 7:21 am In $100 A Day, blogging, psychology of money |

45 Responses to “$100 a Day Blogging! Discover My Top 5 Action Steps”

  1. By Leroy Brown, May 9th, 2007 at 10:45 am

    #1, and this part - “Would you be shy about asking for your paycheck at your job?” - is something that every blogger should read. There’s no shame in making money from your blog… it’s hard work.

  2. By Top 5 - Group Writing Project Day 3, May 10th, 2007 at 1:14 am

    [...] $100 a Day Blogging! Discover My Top 5 Action Steps by Jon [...]

  3. By Group Writing Project - Day 3, May 10th, 2007 at 1:29 am

    [...] $100 a Day Blogging! Discover My Top 5 Action Steps by Jon [...]

  4. By Karlo Licudine, May 10th, 2007 at 2:29 am

    A great and helpful post!

    It is true that many blogs are doomed to low earnings even before they could begin. This is what I am experiencing on my site right now. I took up a niche on Mobile Phone Apps and Games without thinking ahead. Now my blog is in danger of being closed or reconstructed.

    Sigh. I wish I had read your post sooner. ^_^

    Thanks for your post.

    If you have time, why don’t you drop by my post:
    http://mobileko.blogspot.com/2007/05/snatch-top-5-tips-on-how-to-be.html

    It’s also an entry for the problogger top 5- group writing project. ^^ Goodluck to us all!

  5. By Ali, May 10th, 2007 at 2:48 am

    Hopefully I’ll get to a point where a $100 is the min. expected from spending a day at the computer.

    Personally I’m getting there myself.

    Great tips, have a look at my group writing project as well if you get the time.

  6. By Top Five Group Writing Project: Day 3, May 10th, 2007 at 3:54 am

    [...] $100 a Day Blogging! Discover My Top 5 Action Steps by Jon [...]

  7. By Top Five Group Writing Project: Day 3, May 10th, 2007 at 3:54 am

    [...] $100 a Day Blogging! Discover My Top 5 Action Steps by Jon [...]

  8. By Janette Toral, May 10th, 2007 at 3:57 am

    Thank you for these great tips. I agree that most bloggers, including myself, tend to forget about #5 and #4 as most of us just want to have our own piece of the blogosphere, then worry about monetizing it later.

  9. By ear sucker » Blog Archive » Group Writing Project Day Three, May 10th, 2007 at 5:40 am

    [...] $100 a Day Blogging! Discover My Top 5 Action Steps by Jon [...]

  10. By Robert Falden, May 10th, 2007 at 5:57 am

    This is some great motivation seeing that i just started blogging, you’re going straight to my blogroll!

  11. By Ray Johnson, May 10th, 2007 at 6:26 am

    #1 and #2 will help me get that $100 a day attitude. I mean I have develop the now attitude but I have to learn how to monetize like my life depended it on it . Thanks for the post.

  12. By Marshall Middle, May 10th, 2007 at 6:30 am

    Be confident, I believe the mental is half the battle.

  13. By Mjuboy, May 10th, 2007 at 7:20 am

    I think $100 a day is too high an expectation for me, I should probably aim for $100 a month.

  14. By George, May 10th, 2007 at 7:47 am

    Nice entry. Your blog looks pretty good. I am surprised that this is the first time I have come across it.

    My entry can found be here:

    http://www.canimakebigmoneyonline.com/index.php/20070509-top-5-reasons-you-should-participate-in-problogger-group-writing-projects/

    All the best,
    George

  15. By Group Writing Project - Top 5 Day 3 | Techie Buzz, May 10th, 2007 at 7:51 am

    [...] $100 a Day Blogging! Discover My Top 5 Action Steps by Jon [...]

  16. By Loretta, May 10th, 2007 at 8:05 am

    I agree with using good tools, but I’m not sure I agree with the link cloaking recommendation. Good list overall though. Blogging for $ is definitely possible.

  17. By Robert Falden, May 10th, 2007 at 8:12 am

    $100 a month? C’mon that’s not a good attitude to have, I think you should think on a per day basis anyway, let’s say $10 a day. That’s what I started with, and it’s not that hard. Most days I reach that goal.

  18. By charlie, May 10th, 2007 at 8:40 am

    Very encouraging. I will be back. Good luck in the contest.

  19. By Group Writing Project - Top 5 Day 3 : WinonBet.org, May 10th, 2007 at 9:21 am

    [...] $100 a Day Blogging! Discover My Top 5 Action Steps by Jon [...]

  20. By Melissa, May 10th, 2007 at 9:27 am

    Taking ACTION is definitely a key to success and persistence helps too. Great post - got me thinking about ways to add to my SEO. Thanks!

    Here’s my group writing project: Want to Make Real Change? Stop Making These 5 Mistakes

  21. By KNau, May 10th, 2007 at 9:43 am

    One of the old wisdoms is that you should “right size” your life before starting a new business, giving up the superfluous comforts in your life because the early years are tough. The more experience I gather the more I think that may be wrong attitude to take.

    A better way to “stay hungry” might be to move out of your comfort zone and into a larger lifestyle. You mentioned moving into an expensive new condominium, I’m in the same boat and I find that the “step up” combined with new, improved surroundings is inspiring me more than I’ve been in years.

    Sure, there’s a higher maintenance level and it’s a little scary but that nervousness (I wouldn’t call it “fear”) is pure energy being put towards the business.

  22. By Bella, May 10th, 2007 at 11:54 am

    This was a helpful post. I read back some and found you also read Steve Pavlina-the very post you referenced was one that had spoken to me as well. Best of luck!
    bella

  23. By Everyday Randomness » Group Writing Project Update, May 10th, 2007 at 12:26 pm

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  25. By Joseph Bernard, May 11th, 2007 at 8:19 am

    I need to come back here and learn more. You have a lot of wisdom about the tech part of blogging that I would benefit from. I have much to share about the mind, heart and soul you might find of interest. I have a Top 5 to check out also.

    Joseph http://www.explorelifeblog.com

  26. By Top 5 Group Writing Project, May 11th, 2007 at 8:43 am

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  28. By Lynn, May 11th, 2007 at 1:45 pm

    A great and helpful post. Makes me motivated to try harder and earn more money. It’d be great to if I could surpass my husband’s salary with the money I make online.

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  35. By Web Design Minneapolis, May 12th, 2007 at 8:54 pm

    Thanks! We are just about to start a new blog and this will really come in handy in helping us start on the right foot. Thanks again!

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