by Abby Way

Created on: June 10, 2009   Last Updated: May 22, 2010

More and more people are choosing to work from home online in order to pay the bills. It's an attractive option for so many reasons - the freedom, the time to spend with your family or pets, and perhaps best of all, being your own boss!

One of the best ways to start a work-at-home business and make money online is blogging, because it's easy to get going. Be warned, however, that blogging isn't an easy way to make money, so don't expect to see profits instantly. It will take time to build up to a profit level. It shouldn't be used as your only source of income for a long period of time.

A blog is a perfect thing to start while you're working on other opportunities, because it will grow with time and attention, until you eventually don't need the other opportunities.

Here are three big tips for making your blog profitable.

1. Formatting is important.
There are literally millions of blogs these days, and probably hundreds in your chosen niche. Make sure your blog is formatted easily enough for new readers to catch on quickly, rather than clicking back and leaving your blog forever. People are used to a certain layout, with the most recent post on top and extraneous information and links in the left or right margin.

Don't overwhelm them with links; only link to important sites that give additional information on the topic you blog about.

Try to choose a light background and dark text when it comes time to choose your blog's template. People are more likely to read this than light text on a dark background. A solid background is also more readable than a pattern or design. You want your reader's attention focused on what you're saying; the object of the blog's template is to facilitate readability, not make it harder to read.

2. Proofread twice.
Before posting to your blog, check for spelling and typos - and preferably more than once! Try to leave a little time after writing without looking at the post, then go back to reread and you'll be amazed at the typos you catch. Bad spelling and grammar destroy your credibility very quickly, and good writing catches and holds attention much better.

3. Do it often.
Don't post too infrequently. You want people to visit your blog often, and nothing's worse than visiting a blog to find no updates have been made for a while. Keep a list of topic ideas to refer to. Not every post has to be an epic, complicated one, but a poll, comment on a news story, or list of tips are quicker to write and sometimes more attention-catching.

Once you have a readable, interesting blog, you can get more visitors and your blog will begin growing. Always stay professional and keep creating more content for your readers to come back for, and your blog will eventually become profitable. You can create another blog or two and build a network of blogs to bring in profit!

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