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Career

Blogging 101: Make money blogging?

A lot of people blog. Some people do it for fun. Some do it as a resume boost. But some do it for a paycheck. Two months ago when I first started my beauty and fashion blog PinkBeautyBliss I had no idea I could get paid to blog. Then I discovered how. Here’s how you can do it too!
 
How can I do this?
By using AdSense of course! Google Adsense is a program that places advertisements on your website or blog. Adsense will pay you when your viewers click on the advertisements. This is called pay-per-click. You can also be paid per-impression. This means whenever a certain number of visitors see an advertisement on your site, Adsense will pay you. The ads are content-relevant, because Google searches your site and places ads that relate to your post as well as what your viewers normally search and view.
 
You’re first going to need an AdSense account. Go to google.com/adsense to sign up. Make sure you’ve created a blog and have your blog address on hand.
 
Read all the terms of agreement for AdSense. One of AdSense’s most important rules is that you cannot click your own ads. Google will find out and drop you from the program. Trust me on this. Follow all the instructions (it’s easy) and within minutes you can place ads on your blog and be on your way to making some extra cash!
 
Here’s how you can do it from your Blogger Dashboard:
1. If you have more than one blog, select the blog you’d like to display Adsense, and click Layout.
2. Click Add a Gadget, Scroll down to Adsense. Sign in to your Adsense account.
3. You will need to select your design preference from 18 different formats.
4. Customize colors. You’ll see an instant mock-up display of your ad.
5. Your unique publisher ID is located at the bottom of the pop-up page.
6. Save changes and you’re set to start making money.

Don’t worry about going back after your Adsense has been approved. Your account will automatically update itself.
 
Here are some tips when using Adsense:

  • Place your ads strategically around your site
    • I suggest placing 1 as a banner underneath your blog header
    • 1 long vertical banner in your sidebar
    • 1 text ad in between each of your posts (there is an option for this when you click Edit on your Blog Post widget in Design)
  • Do not bombard your visitors with too many ads.
  • You should not have more than 3 ads on your page (I don’t think AdSense lets you place anymore than that on blogger).
  • Never solicit visitors to click on your Adsense ads

It’s been about two months now and I’m surprised that I actually have made money through AdSense. Due to AdSense’s terms I can’t disclose how much I have made but let me tell you it is worth it. If you’re putting time and effort into running a blog why not get a little $$$ in return right?
 
Check out my beauty and fashion blog PinkBeautyBliss if you’re interested in seeing how I’ve placed my ads. (I love feedback!) 

Check out my other Blogging 101 posts:
Blogging 101: How to get Readers
So I’m a Blogger?
 
Do any of you run your own blog? Do you use AdSense? What tips do you have for monetizing your blog?

Sources: BrightHub

Katie Manwaring (Elon '12) is a Strategic Communications major with minors in Leadership and Sociology. Katie is originally from Allentown, Pennsylvania but after college hopes to live outside New York City. While not working as Director of PR for Elon's Kernodle Center for Service Learning or tutoring local elementary students, Katie spends the majority of her time planning out the best way to accomplish her lifetime career goal, CEO of an international PR firm. Summer 2010 she hopes to intern at a PR firm in New York City and Spring 2011 she plans on studying abroad at the University of Sussex in Brighton, England. When not being completely obsessed with her future, Katie enjoys watching trashy reality TV (Real Housewives, The Hills, Keeping up with the Kardashians), eating out at least 3 nights per week, purchasing large quantities of makeup from Sephora, and staying in on Friday nights just to beat her boyfriend in a video game.