I was talking to a girlfriend of mine one day and she asked me what SEO writing was. She’s in publishing, so I was kind of surprised that she didn’t know.
Many of us who spend a great deal of time online every day forget that we are light years ahead of most computer users. And, if you blog, you are probably more tech-savvy than 98% of the population. Really! Consider this:
According to a recent survey by Opinion Research Corp., only 42% of the 1,090 consumers interviewed by phone admitted to having made a purchase on the internet; 65% said they expected to do so in the future.
If you have a blog, you have more than likely shopped online. Moreover, it’s probably something you do quite frequently. Can you even imagine that there are those who have yet to make their first purchase online?
This means that if you are savvy enough to blog, you are primed to make money online, if you know how to capitalize on it.
3 Ways Bloggers Can Capitalize on Their Tech-Savviness
1) Cultivate a Passion: There’s practically no business under the sun that can’t be put online. If you have a passion, translate it into an online business. You can sell products and services to make online. If you . . .
2) Define Your Niche: Because the internet opens up the world as a market, it means there’s more competition – in a bigger pond. The key to success in globalization is to niche it to success. By focusing on a particular segment of a market, you can get very specialized and really differentiate yourself from the competition.
For example, if you were going to sell used books, which is a huge, competitive market, sell 19th century mysteries.
3) Prepare an Online Marketing Plan: Whether you plan to use pay-per-click, article marketing or email campaigns, use marketing you can afford to repeat. Just because it’s extremely easy to set up an online business doesn’t mean that it’s easy to grow one.
But, if you have a defined marketing plan that you adhere to consistently, you will be primed for online success.
When looked at from an entrepreneur’s perspective, the web is still in it’s infancy, especially when it comes to getting a jump on the competition. The fact is, 65% of your potential competition hasn’t even made an online purchase yet. Still think it’s too late to start a business and make money online?
Blogging always has and always will be a good way of making money online.
I agree blogging is a great way to make money online. Unfortunately, I have read on a lot of blogs about bloggers who are afraid to monetize their blogs for fear offending their readers.
I view blogging like a magazine which has advertising, so my blog has advertising too.
But selling advertising is not the main way I monetize my blog. I try to provide a lot of high-quality info… but also presell affiliate products and my own products.
Keeping with the magazine theme from above, it is like putting advertisements targeted to the specific reader of each post, where I get a cut (or all) of the profits when someone takes action. I find this to be better than just selling my blog real estate for advertising purposes.
Nearly half of my affiliate sales com from my blog.
The statistics are quite surprising in that I thought the percentage would be more like 65-70% of people had made an online purchase. That just goes to show you that there is so much money to be made from consumers on the net.
@Yuwanda: "There’s practically no business under the sun that can’t be put online."
So true. Most of us underestimate the size of a niche. Focusing on a niche is a must. Create a business and marketing plan (I like one page business plan) and take action consistently.
@Edward: If my audience doesn't want me to monetize, I don't want them to be part of my blog.
Seriously. With money, bloggers can have more time to work on the blog, produce better content, and have a better life.
Don't be afraid to fire the tire kickers.
It is just like running an email newsletter. It offended when people unsubscribe a few years ago. But now that's a good thing. Everything is faster when the list is smaller and lighter, response rate improves, etc.
We can't just please anyone.
I like your idea about viewing your blog as a magazine.
Good tips for us. I think those steps are easy to do because we can do those steps without getting difficulty. I hope others can do the steps and get successful with blog.
I will comment on "using a niche", so often i hear people trying to make encyclopedias from their blog or online business.
Spreading to thin and being mediocre at everything will only drag you down. Don't think your business like a super market.
@Edward: I think readers are getting used to bloggers monetizing their blogs, so that fear will dissipate substantially or go away altogether as more and more surfers come online. And, the way you’re doing it is great. As long as killer content remains your focus, you should do just fine.
@Hendry: Thanks for taking the proverbial words right out of my mouth!
@Movie Gift Baskets: Yeah, I was surprised too that the number was that high. But, I’ve been in publishing since 1987 and have to constantly remind myself that while being active online beyond email may be hold hat for me, it’s a completely new phenomenon for most.
Thanks everyone for your comments.
Yuwanda
Hadn’t thought of it in quiet that way. I tend to think everyone is already on line shopping, etc.