Are You Getting the Most Out of Your Blog? Start #Monetizing With #Markerly's Blogging Network! #ad

DISCLOSURE: This is a sponsored post, written by me, on behalf of Markerly. All opinions are my own and yours may differ.

 Since becoming a blogger almost two years ago, I have been asked a bazillion times... "Do you really make money just for writing stuff and putting it on your blog?!". The short answer is, "Yes", I do make money from my blog, but it's not just as easy as writing a cool post and getting paid for it. It takes a lot of work and requires a lot of effort on the part of the blogger. I am definitely not a marketing genius, but I have picked up a few pointers along the way that will help you, if you are looking for ways to monetize your blog.

What Exactly is "Monetizing"?!

 Monetizing is just a fancy schmancy way to say "making money". It is simply bringing in an income from your blog. There are many ways to make money blogging and some bloggers even make enough to help support their families.  Be it from using tools like Google Adsense, selling ad space on your blog, affiliate marketing or even by writing sponsored posts (my personal favorite).  I personally don't use tools like Adsense, because I think they look spammy and the amount of revenue (for me) is not worth it, I prefer to stick with sponsored posts.
 In order to monetize your blog by writing sponsored posts, you must first make sure you grow your social media numbers and monthly page views. The more fans/followers you have, the larger your reach, which means you can negotiate your rates with companies looking to hire you for sponsored posts. The main goal of sponsored posting is to get information about the product/service in front of as many potential customers as possible.

What is a Sponsored Post?!

 A sponsored post is simply an article that you are contracted to write, about a particular subject. Payment can range from a free product or service to actual cash or Paypal funds.  The post can be pre-written copy/paste or the sponsor may ask you to write the article for them. The post will usually contain a couple of links, one to the product/service's homepage and one to buy the product/service.
 To write a good sponsored post, you need to do your research, both about the product/service you're writing about and also educate yourself about the proper practices of sponsored posting.
 Google's terms of service clearly state that any post that contains links where a complimentary product/service or any kind of payment or compensation is received, the links must be coded as "no follow" and FTC rules state all compensated posts must contain the proper disclosure, before the first outgoing link. Failure to follow the rules can and probably will result in losing your page rank, but it also makes you appear that you lack integrity, which is paramount in the blogging world. If your readers can't trust you, why would they continue to read? They wouldn't and without your readers, a blog is nothing more than an online diary, which is fine, but not if you want to monetize.

Tips for Writing a Good Sponsored Post...

1. Be authentic. People will be more likely to read what you have to say, if they feel like they know you.
   
2. Write as you speak. Don't try to use "big words" in your post, if you're not really a "big words" speaker in "real life", people will know as soon as you try to "conversate" (sic) with them. 
3. Write about what you know. If you are asked to write a post about cars and you think a 454 tranny is a fat guy in a dress, politely decline the offer and move on, you can't win them all.
   
4. Use the 5 "W's"... Who, what, when, where & why. Give as much relevant info as possible, about your topic, without going overboard. If your post is all long and rambling, the reader will lose interest and click away from your site.
5. Spell check, proof read and re-proof read each post at least twice. Read it out loud, if necessary, to make sure it flows properly.  I can not emphasize this one enough.  Not only is it embarrassing for you, it is also very unprofessional and will probably result in you not getting offers for sponsored posts in the future. 
   

Where to Find Sponsored Posting Opportunities...

 So, now that you know how to write a sponsored post, where do you find one?! There are tons of services offering to find you sponsored opps, but how do you know who to trust or where to start?!
  When I was a newbie blogger, I relied heavily on advice from some of the more experienced bloggers and on word of mouth from the "blogosphere". We bloggers are a very tight knit bunch and if we find a "good thing", you can best believe we will share it with our closest blogging buddies. Same is true if we find a company that treats bloggers poorly, we share that info as well.
 Over the last two years, I have had the opportunity to work with a few really great blogger's networks and Markerly is by far one of my favorites. My favorite thing about Markerly, is they pay within 48 hours of completion of your assignment. Some other networks can take up to 45-60 days. Markerly also has 24/7 blogger support, which is amazing, because most times, blogging doesn't always take place between 9-5. Personally, I know I get a ton of work done when all the kids are asleep and the house is quiet. Another really cool thing, is Markerly gives you a heat map, showing you exactly where your readers are clicking, on your page. These analytics are super valuable when it comes to gauging interest in a campaign or buttons or links on your sidebar.

 So, if you want to work with brands like Levi's, Super Bowl, TruMoo, eMeals and get free products to review like wine from companies like Last Bottle Wines and Invino or cool earbuds from Jaybird, join Markerly's blogging network.
  Markerly's network is open to anybody that has over 10,000 page views a month OR an average of 3 comments per post. Markerly is very focused on quality blog posts and bloggers that have engaged audiences, so if you think you fit the bill, join Markerly today and start earning the money you deserve.
 Markerly is offering a $250 American Express Gift Card giveaway with this contest. They will be choosing a winner Feb 27, 2014. Details are included in the giveaway form below.