Blogging is a great way to earn income as a stay at home mom, as many successful mothers have already discovered. With flexible hours and the freedom to write about whatever you want, it’s certainly appealing. While setting up a blog and starting to write is easy, it won’t make you rich instantly. You can really make money online, but like any job, you need passion and you have to work at it. However, here are some tips to help you generate a profit with your blog:

1) Pick a good Domain Name

Having a short, witty domain name is easier for readers to remember. It also helps to buy your own domain name, instead of using something at blogspot.com or wordpress.com. It doesn’t cost much at all, looks much more professional, and is therefore worth the cost. Plus, advertisers tend to prefer domain names. Chances are, further down the line, you’d want your own domain name eventually. Transferring your blog to a new name can be difficult, tedious, and confusing for your readers. Getting one from the beginning avoids all of these issues.

2) Customize Your Layout

Don’t just use a default layout. Tweak the design as much as you can, so that it reflects your personality. Make your own banner for the top (there are plenty of free, easy to use image editing programs and sites). Use colors and fonts that are easy for your visitors to read and pleasing to the eyes. (For example, red text on a bright blue background can hurt the eyes).

3) Write quality content

Writing articles with substance attracts readers and keeps them coming back. Don’t just do giveaways and coupon lists. Pick a niche that is something you enjoy and something you know a lot about. The passion you have will find its way into your writing, make your blog posts enjoyable and appealing to readers.

Advertiser’s like to see blogs with good content and lots of followers. Providing knowledgeable, helpful tips to your readers give them a reason to keep coming back. Writing quality content will help you build a stronger, more loyal reader base. With more consistent traffic, your blog will be more appealing to advertisers and they’ll be more eager to advertise on your blog, helping you earn more just from working at home.

4) Do Your Research

If blogging is going to be your business, take the time to read up on strategies for getting traffic and optimizing your blog. Learn how to use an analytics program so you can measure your traffic. It’s not just about writing great content – you can write tons of great posts and not one of them will be read if you don’t learn how to get traffic to your blog.

If you were running any other business, you would want to stay up to date with anything going on in order to stay competitive. Blogging is no different. Following several blogs about blogging can help you stay current. Attending conferences and meeting with other bloggers is also helpful, and you can learn a lot about how to make your blog more successful.

5) Learn Basic HTML

Understanding how your layout works can get you much more flexibility with design and ultimately enhance your readers’ experience on your blog. While many blogging platforms have easy to use, customizable layout templates, having a basic understanding of code can be beneficial not just in understanding how your layout works, but also in your individual posts (for example, if you want to wrap text around a picture).

6) Keep It Simple

Don’t go overboard with gadgets and crazy, complicated layouts. Many mommy blogs have a ton of gadgets in the side bar. Keep in mind that sometimes gadgets slow down the load time of your blog. Readers don’t like waiting forever and they’ll leave your site if it takes too long to load.  Here are suggestions for how to decrease your load time. Be careful about what you put on your blog and don’t go crazy with gadgets. Also when using gadgets, take care to keep in mind the look of your blog… sometimes gadgets don’t fit in the navigation bar, etc. so make sure that if you are using gadgets, you accommodate your layout to fit them in a pleasing way.

7) Be Outgoing and Network!

Don’t be shy. Find other blogs within your niche and comment on them. Join forums and be active in blogging communities. You need to promote your blog to get traffic.  More traffic means higher income – especially if you use any kind of pay per click or pay per action ads.

Blogging is a fun, rewarding way to make money for a stay at home mom.  Keep these tips in mind when you’re blogging, and they’ll be sure to help you earn more with your blog.