Blog Networks have become popular for a good reason. By collaborating with other bloggers, either as independent bloggers or as company bloggers, blog syndication becomes a lot easier giving you a wider readership as well as more incoming links.

Joining blog networks is not always easy though since many of the bigger and more established networks do not just let anyone join with new bloggers’ only able to jump in on the band wagon after being invited by a member blogger. There are even blog networks that do not allow new bloggers to join at all and simply encourage participation from non-member bloggers in the comment section. Although networks like this won’t give you much exposure in terms of writing by commenting regularly on such blog networks you can hope to gain much too since other readers will probably check your blog out. Despite the difficulty in joining the more established blog networks there is really no dearth of networks to join since there are plenty of newer ones that are looking for new bloggers to join them. However, when signing up to join newer blog networks make sure that they satisfy the following criteria:

1. They are composed of reputable bloggers - You do not want to be associated to spammy, low quality bloggers.
2. The network generates a healthy amount of traffic - Otherwise the network (hence you) won’t really make any money.
3. The payment model used makes sense - The network might make money but will you be properly compensated for it?
4. Their reputation regarding payouts is good - Will the money reflected on your account actually reach you?

Blogs that have a loyal following can offer “premium services” to people who are willing to become members or subscribers. A perfect example of a blog that makes money through memberships is the Daring Fireball. One of the ways the blog makes a profit is by offering members a little extra including access to the:

• full-content RSS feed;
• feed for the Linked List; and
• John Gruber’s daily list of links and blurbs related to Mac, web, and design nerdery.

If you notice the perks are not that extraordinary. However, readers that really do enjoy your blog will be willing to fork out a little extra dough to be able to access this feeds and lists. If you feel that you haven’t developed such a loyal fan-base as John Gruber has (which realistically speaking is probably the truth) then you can offer other added features for members such as adding them in the blogroll, giving access to members-only articles, occasional newsletters, etc.

The point is that if you do maintain a worthy blog people will not feel ripped off at all for shelling out money and in fact will be more than willing to help you make sure that finances don’t get in the way so that you can devote ample time for your blog.

Asking for donations is one way that your blog can generate income for you. This method is often not taken that seriously, which is a mistake many bloggers make.

Bloggers often make the assumption that donations will not earn you any real money since no one will really bother giving anything more than a couple of bucks. While it is true that donations will not earn you a really hefty profit the few dollars that each impressed reader shells out still does add to your overall revenue. A business savvy person will realize that revenue from donations should not be disregarded and that every penny counts.

More than the several dollars it will add to your pocket though a major bonus of donations is that it can also serve as a measure of how much people value your blog and your writing. If you really do write that well and your subject matter is deemed relevant and worthy by your readers then more people will be inclined to give you donations so as to encourage you to keep churning out pieces for them to read.

Note though that this type of income stream is something that works best in conjunction with other ways of generating income. Do put a donation button on your blog but do not forget to use other methods if you plan to make lots of money.

Aside from the reputation, commission, costumer base, and statistics other factors that you should consider when joining affiliate programs include:

• Availability of New Products - Some affiliate programs offer a limited number of products. It is more desirable to join a program with a good product line and that updates its product line frequently enough. If the affiliate program you belong to does not offer new products your regular visitors will not have anything new to buy. Looking at the big picture it just won’t work. You might make hefty profit at the outset but your income will peter out towards the end. What you want to join is something that will prove to be sustainable in the long run. Make sure though that they also have very good quality control and that the new products they offer continue to be of good quality.
• Program Reward Schemes - Find out the other ways you can increase you income when you joining that affiliate program. More often than not the good affiliate programs pay you not just the flat commission but added commission for traffic sent by your referrals. Find out how good their referral program is as well.
• Payout Details - Before signing up learn about their payment scheme. How often will they send you money? What are the withdrawal options? How much are the fees associated with these options? How long does it take to process withdrawals?

And last but not the least when it comes to anything about money make sure you always read the fine print. If you miss something important you won’t have anyone to blame but yourself.

Joining affiliate programs was once the most popular way of making an incoming through blogging, until targeted ads came along. Now affiliate ads are still very much widely used as is just as profitable, if you join the right program and get the traffic you need to make a profit.

When choosing an affiliate program to join here are some factors you should always take into consideration:

• Reputation - What is the reputation of the affiliate program you are considering to join? There are plenty of affiliate programs boasting an incredible amount of revenue but if they are not reputable then don’t believe their promises. The amount they are stating is not incredible but incredulous.
• Commission - After weeding out the non-reputable ones it is time to look at the figures. Which program offers a good commission rate? Compare the commission rates and compute how much you are likely to make in each program.
• Costumer Base - Sure the commission rates may be high but if their target customers is different from your readers then more likely than not you won’t be making any money for them or for you. Some affiliate programs have a variety of products and different commission rates depending on the product you help them sell. Compare the commission you get with the kind of readers you have in mind.
• Statistics - Checkout the statistics they provide. Opt for an affiliate program that gives you the actual numbers. Not only will the statistics provide you with more information as to the probability of success with that affiliate program but it also shows that they do know what they are doing.

to be continued…

It is somewhat ironic that after contextual advertising took off giving businesses an alternative to the traditional way of advertising (renting ad space from websites) it was then that businesses, both large and small, came to realize the power of blogs in advertising and thus became more willing to rent ad space. The difference this time though is that advertisers have become more picky in the websites and blogs they choose to “rent ad space” from.

Renting ad space is really profitable. However, not all blogs will be able to really profit from this scheme. To be able to make a profit after all you need to be able to attract advertisers and prove to them that the space you are offering them will be worth the money they fork out. To be able to do this your blog must be/have:

• Really popular. Big companies (meaning big bucks) will only sponsor blogs that have high volume of traffic. This means that if your blog is really new and you’re still building readership then you’d better forget about this for the moment.
• Updated regularly and frequently. Advertisers want a constant stream of traffic for more ad exposure. While you might have tons of readers, if you only post once a week then your regular readers will only be visiting that frequently as well. Advertisers prefer blogs that are updated daily.
• A very good reputation. Some blogs may be popular but if they’re popular for all the wrong reasons then most advertisers will shy away from being linked to that blog. After all, your blog’s reputation will reflect on theirs.
• A solid theme. Businesses with the same target audience as you will be the ones attracted to your site. Without a solid theme your blog will not be as attractive since the ads might not be as effective.

Profiting through ads is no new concept. When targeted ads entered the scene though ads became a whole lot more profitable both for the advertisers and publishers. What’s even better is that anyone can now become a “publisher”. Bloggers are a prime example of ordinary people cashing in on ads. There are lots of opportunities out there for bloggers but only if you know where to look or at least how to look for them.

To help you get started making cash here are some ad opportunities you might want to check out.

Advertising Programs

• Google Adsense - They paved the way for contextual ads. Since veryone knows about Google Adsense there really isn’t any need to say more. You can also try Yahoo! Publisher Network and MSN Adcenter, which are both still in Beta.
• BlogAds - BlogAds blggers realy do make money. Right now the average blogger earns $50 a month although there are some that do earn up to $5000 a month! The problem with joining BlogAds is that it is by invite only. Of course, you can squeeze out an invite from one of your online friends.

Consumer Generated Ads

Consumer generated ads are ads made by the bloggers. Instead of depending on the advertiser to make a pitch, YOU will be the one to make the pitch and add a link to the website of the company or product you are promoting. If you are interested in this highly controversial ad technique then the best place to start is PayPerPost. Other consumer generated ad sites include LoudLaunch, Blogitive, and Blogsvertise.

The previous week I discussed the three traits that I have observed among people who earn a substantial profit through their blogs. Aside from being great writers, web savvy, and updated though blog earners are also…

Adaptable - The internet is such a volatile medium and its users evolve rapidly. Anyone who wants to make a nice profit should not only be able to detect the shift in their readers’ needs but also adapt and develop new strategies. Successful bloggers should not only be able to adapt to change but should thrive on change. If you drag you feet when it comes to embracing new internet trends you will probably be able to make money by simply being a copycat but the early adapters will be the ones that will make the most money out of anything.

Statistics Conscious - Successful bloggers keep track of their statistics, analyze them, and USE the findings to IMPROVE on their blogs. This is where being web savvy again comes in since gathering and analyzing statistical data requires knowledge of existing analytics software available on the net. The pitfall of many bloggers though is that thought they may be aware of the statistics but do not really do anything to understand what it means for their blog and what they can do to to make it better. It is such a waste since there are so many free analytical software that will not only churn out number but have help sections to explain the importance of each and every metric they analyzed.

Last time I discussed why not everyone can make a huge profit through blogging. This time, having supposedly weeded out the wishy washy, I will be focusing on those who CAN making a nice profit through blogging. I have found that the blogs that DO earn money are those of bloggers that are…

• Great writers - While blogs do not require impeccable grammar and a highly sophisticated writing style you will find that the blogs that DO make money are usually written by people who have a certain way with words. Whatever the blog theme may be, from mommy blogs to tech blogs, the blogger has found a way for their readers to really enjoy what they write and to be reeled into discussions.
• Web Savvy - No matter how great a writer a blogger might be a blog will not take off if the blogger does not understand the web technologies that will enable to make his blog earn. By web technologies I mean stuff like RSS feeds, blog analytics, SEO, tagging, social bookmarking, monetization schemes like affiliate programs and ads, etc. Basically a blogger should learn how to use the tools available on the internet to his advantage and put them into practice.
• Updated - These blogger knows the latest things going on in their field. It may be the fact that the iPhone is now really unlocked, or that Google has a hidden flight simulator on Google Earth, or that this and that is the new way to make money online. Whatever the news may be these bloggers are often among the first to blog about it. They are the kind of people that are blurring the line between news sites and blogs and are why people rely on blogs as much as news sites for the news.

to be continued…

If I wanted to write an entry just to make people feel good the answer to the question above would be a resounding “YES”. However, making people feel good is not my primary motive. My motive is to help people find a way to earn money through blogging and because of that I have to give an honest answer, which is a disappointing “MOST PROBABLY NOT”.

With the huge phenomenon blogging has become, millions of people flock on the web nowadays not just to check their emails but to check the blogs they subscribe to and read religiously. Blogs have become the morning paper of this generation. With such a large market it is no wonder many people fall into the trap of thinking that anyone can earn enough to make it as a full time blogger. The problem is that while there is a huge potential to earn big bucks, more often than not, the potential goes unrealized. Many bloggers earn enough extra money to making blogging worthwhile money-wise but not enough to quit their day jobs. Statistically speaking a vast majority of bloggers who try to earn serious income through blogs will not reach their target income.

The reason for this is simple. Like any line of business, many are just copycats who jump in on the bandwagon in hopes of getting rich fast but without any real notion of the work and skill it entails to be successful, and even worse, without any intention of DOING the work needed to make their blogs a success. So before you go quit your day job think about this and figure out whether you are ready to take on the challenge of blogging. If you know that you have the knowledge and skills to be a full time blogger then go ahead. If not I suggest you stick to your day job while learning the ropes until your blog starts earning and you can be pretty sure that you are ready to be a full time blogger.