Niche Guides / Business

How To Start a Business Blog That Stays in the Black

By Andrew Fiebert Updated September 19, 2023

If you have a passion for business and want to turn it into a side income or even a full-time gig, starting a business blog is the way to go.

Successful business bloggers make serious money each month by sharing their experiences. So, why not do the same?

In this post, I'll show you how to create a business blog that connects with readers and generates revenue.

If you're ready to become a business blogging authority, let's dive in!

Why You Can Trust Our Business Blogging Guide

Lasso is installed on over 8,000 websites, including many business blogs.

Our team has built multiple 7-figure blogs in a wide range of niches.

We have hands-on experience working with founders to grow and monetize their business blogs.

Business Blogging Basics

Starting a business blog can be a really fun and rewarding experience, but it's important to know what you're getting into.

Here are a few basic things to keep in mind before diving in:

What Is a Business Blog?

A business blog is a type of website that is specifically used for promoting a business or brand. It serves as a platform for the business to share information, updates, and insights with its target audience.

Unlike personal blogs, business blogs have a more professional tone and focus on topics related to the industry or niche of the business. They are often used to establish the business as an authority in its field and to engage with customers or potential customers.

Business blogs can include a variety of content such as articles, case studies, interviews, product reviews, and industry news. They can be a valuable tool for marketing, customer support, and building relationships with customers.

By regularly updating a business blog with relevant and informative content, a company can attract more traffic to its website, enhance its online presence, and ultimately drive more leads and sales.

How To Start a Business Blog That Stays in the Black homepage
Small Business Trends is a great example of a business blog.

Why Should You Start a Business Blog?

A business blog can be a valuable tool for entrepreneurs looking to grow their brand and connect with their audience. Here are a few reasons why starting a business blog is a smart move:

  • Increased website traffic: A blog can help drive more traffic to your website as you create valuable content that attracts visitors and encourages them to explore further.
  • Establishing expertise: By sharing your knowledge and insights through blog posts, you can position yourself as an expert in your industry and gain credibility among your target audience.
  • Building brand awareness: Regularly publishing blog content allows you to showcase your brand's personality, values, and unique selling points, helping to build awareness and recognition.
  • Engaging with customers: A blog provides a platform for interacting with your audience through comments and social media sharing, fostering engagement and building a community around your brand.
  • Generating leads: With strategic calls-to-action and lead generation forms, a business blog can be a powerful tool for capturing contact information from potential customers and nurturing them through the sales funnel.
  • Improving search engine rankings: By regularly creating high-quality content optimized for relevant keywords, you can improve your website's visibility in search engine results, attracting more organic traffic.
  • Staying ahead of the competition: A business blog can help you stay up-to-date with industry trends, share valuable insights before your competitors, and maintain a competitive edge.

Starting a business blog is a low-cost and effective way to boost your online presence, connect with your target market, and drive business growth. Don't miss out on the benefits it can bring to your brand!

Finding Your Business Niche

You’re probably thinking, 'I already picked a niche! Business' But for the purposes of blogging, that’s not nearly specific enough, at least in the beginning. If you want your blog to succeed, you need to niche down.

Why Choosing a Niche is Important

Choosing a business niche is important for a number of reasons.

First, it makes it easier for readers to find your content and for search engines to rank it. If your blog is too broad, it will be hard to compete with other established business bloggers and get organic traffic.

Second, having a specific niche will help you establish yourself as an expert in that area. Readers will come to trust your opinion and recommendations, and you'll be able to build a loyal following.

Finally, having a business niche will also make it easier for you to come up with content ideas. Rather than trying to cover every aspect of business, you can focus on the specific topics and recipes that your readers are most interested in.

How to Choose a Business Blog Niche

Choosing a business blog niche is an important decision that can greatly impact the success of your blog. Here are some tips to help you find the perfect niche:

  • Identify your interests: Start by brainstorming topics that you are passionate about. Consider your hobbies, skills, and areas of expertise.
  • Research market demand: Look for niches that have a high demand but relatively low competition. This will ensure that there is an audience for your content.
  • Consider profitability: Explore niches that have the potential for monetization. Look for niches where people are willing to spend money on products or services.
  • Target a specific audience: Narrow down your niche to focus on a specific target audience. This will help you tailor your content and attract a loyal following.
  • Explore your uniqueness: Find a niche that allows you to showcase your unique perspective or expertise. Differentiate yourself from competitors by offering something valuable and distinct.
  • Test and evaluate: Once you have identified a potential niche, test it out by creating some sample content. Evaluate the response and engagement from your audience to determine if it is the right fit.

By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to choosing a business blog niche that aligns with your interests, has market demand, and has the potential for profitability. Happy niche hunting!

We’ve written extensively about niche research for bloggers, but you should look for these qualities in your final choice:

  • A mix of big and small competitors. If the niche doesn’t have big sites, there isn’t much money to be made. If there aren’t small sites, you won’t be able to compete.
  • Income potential. A healthy mix of affiliate offers, display ads, and original products will allow you to diversify your income.
  • Keywords and link-building opportunities. You’ll do more extensive keyword research later, so right now you’re just looking for content gaps. Are there keywords you could realistically rank for and get traffic early?

Popular Business Blog Niches

How To Start a Business Blog That Stays in the Black homepage
Young Upstarts has niched down by focusing on startup content

When it comes to popular business blog niches, there are several areas that attract a large audience. These niches cater to different interests and offer valuable insights for entrepreneurs, business professionals, and enthusiasts.

One popular business blog niche is Entrepreneurship. This niche focuses on providing guidance and inspiration to aspiring entrepreneurs. It covers topics such as starting a business, raising capital, developing a business plan, and managing a startup. Subniches within entrepreneurship include:

  • Online Business: This subniche explores the world of e-commerce, digital marketing, and online entrepreneurship.
  • Social Entrepreneurship: This subniche focuses on businesses that have a social or environmental mission alongside profit-making.
  • Female Entrepreneurship: This subniche highlights the experiences and challenges faced by women in the business world.

Another popular business blog niche is Finance and Investing. This niche provides valuable information on personal finance, investing strategies, and money management. It covers topics such as budgeting, saving, stocks, real estate, and retirement planning. Subniches within finance and investing include:

  • Stock Market Investing: This subniche focuses on analyzing and understanding the stock market to make informed investment decisions.
  • Real Estate Investing: This subniche explores strategies for investing in residential and commercial real estate properties.
  • Personal Finance for Millennials: This subniche targets the financial concerns and challenges faced by the millennial generation.

Lastly, Marketing and Branding is a popular business blog niche that provides insights into effective marketing strategies, branding techniques, and customer engagement. It covers topics such as content marketing, social media marketing, search engine optimization (SEO), and brand building. Subniches within marketing and branding include:

  • Influencer Marketing: This subniche focuses on leveraging the power of influencers to promote products and services.
  • Email Marketing: This subniche explores strategies for effective email marketing campaigns and lead generation.
  • Personal Branding: This subniche helps individuals build and manage their personal brand to enhance career opportunities.

These popular business blog niches offer a wealth of information and insights for anyone interested in entrepreneurship, finance, investing, marketing, and branding. Whether you're starting a business, looking to grow your wealth, or seeking marketing strategies, these niches have you covered.

Planning Out Your Business Blog

So you've picked a niche for your blog, that's amazing! But don't forget,'failing to plan is planning to fail.'

Before you run off and start posting, let's take a moment to plan out your business strategy.

Set Your Blog Goals

Setting goals for your Business blog is essential to its success. It gives you direction and helps you stay focused on what matters most.

When setting your goals, it's important to consider your audience, your niche, and what you realistically hope to achieve.

This can include things like increasing your readership, building your email list, or monetizing your blog.

By setting clear and achievable goals for your business blog, you'll be able to create content that resonates with your audience, establish yourself as an authority in your niche, and achieve the success you're looking for.

Define Your Target Audience

Defining your target audience is crucial when starting a business blog. By understanding who your audience is, you can create content that resonates with them and helps you achieve your business goals. Here are some important points to consider:

  • Demographics: Identify the key demographic characteristics of your target audience, such as age, gender, location, and occupation. This will help you tailor your content to their specific needs and preferences.
  • Interests and Pain Points: Gain insights into what topics and issues your target audience is interested in and what challenges they face. This will allow you to address their pain points and provide valuable solutions through your blog content.
  • Online Behavior: Understand where your target audience spends their time online, whether it's social media platforms, industry forums, or specific websites. This will help you determine the best channels to promote your blog and engage with your audience.
  • Competitor Analysis: Analyze your competitors' blogs to see who their target audience is and what type of content they are producing. This can give you valuable insights and ideas for your own blog, while also helping you differentiate yourself from the competition.
  • Feedback and Analytics: Continuously gather feedback from your audience through comments, surveys, or social media interactions. Additionally, use analytics tools to track metrics like website traffic, engagement, and conversion rates. This data will provide valuable insights into your audience's preferences and behavior.

Remember, your target audience may evolve over time, so it's important to regularly reassess and adjust your content strategy to ensure you are effectively reaching and engaging with the right people.

Do Your Keyword Research

Keyword research is an important aspect of creating content for your Food blog. It helps you understand the phrases and questions people use to search for information on the topic you're writing about. That way, you can use those phrases and questions to optimize your content for search engines.

Identify the keywords that are most relevant to your niche. These are your “seed keywords.”

Seed keywords are broad terms used to generate super-specific long-tail keywords.

  • Business strategy
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Marketing
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Startups
  • Technology
  • Management
  • Productivity
  • Sales

Take your seed keywords and feed them into your keyword tool of choice. I like using Ahrefs.

Ahrefs is the best keyword research tool for Business bloggers

Add them to the report and hit search. Then, go to “Keyword Ideas” and click “Matching Terms.”

This list will contain thousands of possible terms for you to write about. I recommend targeting the lowest-volume keywords possible, no matter the traffic.

When you first start your business blog, it’ll be hard to get traffic. But you can get it by targeting keywords that other site owners ignore.

TIP: When you first start your business blog, focus on info content (question keywords). The content will be more helpful for your audience and less competitive since monetizing it is more challenging.

By doing your keyword research, you can improve your chances of ranking higher in search engine results pages and attracting more traffic to your Food blog.

Start Your Business Blog On the Right Foot

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How to Start a Business Blog | Step-by-Step Guide

Now that you're done with the business plan, let's get to the fun part.

Here's how to start a Business blog:

Step 1. Pick a Blogging Platform

Choosing the right blogging platform is crucial for the success of your Business blog.

I strongly recommend building your blog with WordPress. It’s open-source, so your blog won't be dependent on a private company, and it’s fully customizable.

WordPress is the best platform for Business bloggers

Some bloggers are intimidated by the number of features WordPress offers, but the best way to learn is just to jump in and start.

Here are some other options to consider:

  • Blogger: A free platform owned by Google. Offers simple templates and easy integration with Google AdSense for monetization.
  • Squarespace: A premium platform known for its design-centric approach. Offers visually appealing templates and in-depth customization options along with integrated eCommerce solutions for monetization.
  • Wix: A free platform with a drag-and-drop website builder and customizable templates. Offers e-commerce options for selling products.

Consider the features, ease of use, and cost when choosing a platform that fits your needs. Each platform has its own strengths and weaknesses, so it's important to do your research before making a decision.

Step 2. Register a Domain Name

Registering a domain name gives your blog a unique online identity. When choosing a domain name for your business blog, there are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Make it easy to remember
  • Keep it short and sweet
  • Include your main keyword
  • Avoid using numbers and hyphens

Also, please don’t create an exact-match domain name, like businessfinance101.com.

It’s limiting, has terrible branding potential, and just looks amateurish. You can do much better.

Instead, spend some time brainstorming business blog names that have the following:

  1. A keyword related to your niche
  2. A feeling, emotion, or quality you want your website to communicate
  3. Three words or less

So, instead of the example used above, you could use one of these:

  • SuccessJoy.com
  • InspireHappy.com
  • PassionBliss.com
  • MotivateThrill.com
  • AchieveSmile.com

All of those are available at the time I’m writing this, and all would be easy to build a brand around (not to mention better for Search Engine Optimization or SEO).

You can also use a domain name generator tool for inspiration.

WP Engine is the best hosting provider for Business bloggers
Domain Wheel allows you to search for available domain names by keyword.

Once you have a few ideas for a domain name, you can check if they are available using a domain registrar.

Many services can help you register a domain name, but I recommend getting one from your hosting provider. (They usually include a free domain name when you buy hosting.)

When you find the perfect domain name, register it right away before someone else takes it.

Step 3. Secure Reliable Hosting

Once you’ve chosen a domain name, you have to purchase website hosting to make your business blog accessible online. (As I mentioned earlier, you can usually purchase both simultaneously.)

Website hosting is a service that allows your website to be stored on a server and accessed by Internet users.

CAUTION: I recommend staying away from Godaddy. They have awful customer service and a history of alleged predatory behavior

WP Engine is the best hosting provider for Business bloggers

Here are some popular website hosts for business blogs:

  • WP Engine: I host all my sites with WP Engine. It's lightning quick and super easy to use. I've tried almost every shared hosting provider, and WP Engine is by far the best.
  • Kinsta: A premium hosting provider known for its high performance and managed WordPress hosting solutions.
  • Hostgator: A popular host that offers affordable pricing and easy WordPress integration.

After you’ve chosen and registered your domain (following the instructions from your hosting company), you’re ready to install WordPress and start building your site.

Step 4. Install WordPress

The first step to setting up your business site is to install WordPress.

NOTE: WordPress is an open-source software found on WordPress.org. WordPress.com is a premium blogging platform, but you never need to pay to install WordPress on your website, even if it’s self-hosted.

Any legitimate host these days will offer automated WordPress installation with the click of a button. Follow their instructions, and reach out to their support if you get stuck.

Once you’ve installed WordPress, go to your WordPress Admin Dashboard and start customizing your site.

TIP: You can find your dashboard login page at yoursite.com/wp-admin

Step 5. Pick a Theme for Your Business Blog

When choosing a theme for your website, it's essential to consider your niche and target audience. Your theme should reflect your content's style and tone while being visually appealing and easy to navigate.

Carbonate is a great starter theme for new Business blogs

There are thousands of themes available to choose from, both free and paid. These are the free themes I recommend for new bloggers:

  • Carbonate - Carbonate is a simple WordPress theme designed for online businesses. It makes it easy to create a stunning niche website without all the fluff.
  • GeneratePress - GeneratePress is one of the most popular WordPress themes on the market. It's lean, fast, and easy to customize. There's free and paid versions available.
  • Kadence - Kadence is an extremely fast and lightweight theme, with a wide range of free customizations, although it does fall behind in updates from time to time.

You could also buy a premium theme, but free themes are fine in the beginning.

Step 6. Install Essential Plugins

A lot of people are afraid of plugins because they think more plugins will slow their site down.

However, any good plugin these days is built for speed, so you shouldn’t worry too much about it.

If you’re still worried about site speed, our Cloudflare review shows how to perfect it.

To install a new plugin, click on “Plugins” in your WordPress dashboard sidebar. Then, click on “Add New” and either upload a plugin ZIP file or search for free plugins in the WordPress Plugin Repository.

Here are a few plugins that I recommend for every new Business blog:

  • Lasso Lite - The best way to insert product displays and affiliate links into your content is to use Lasso. Lasso Lite is the free version of Lasso and is great for new sites.
  • Cloudflare - I recommend the paid Cloudflare plan, but even the free CDN will do wonders for your site speed.
  • Imagify – Big images are the biggest thing that slows down websites, and an image optimization plugin like Imagify fixes them instantly.
  • RankMath – RankMath is my favorite SEO plugin, but you could also use Yoast SEO or All-In-One SEO. SEO plugins provide guidelines rather than done-for-you solutions.

Now that you’ve installed and set up WordPress and your plugins, it’s time for some branding.

Step 7. Design Your Site

I’m not a web designer, but here are a few guidelines for beginners to create a professional-looking site:

Use Coolors to quickly find a great color palette for your business blog.
  • Use two colors: You only need two colors for your brand, a primary and an emphasis color. The emphasis color should contrast your primary color and only be used for CTA buttons. I use Coolors to quickly find a color palette that works for me.
  • Use one or two fonts: You don’t want to overwhelm your audience. A tried and true technique is to use one font for your headings and one for your body text. It also helps to have one serif font and one sans serif font, so they stand apart. Fontpair is a great tool for this.
  • Start with a text logo: Too many marketers get hung up on details like logos. You don’t even know what your site is going to be yet. Give your brand time to develop by starting with a simple text logo.
Use Fontpair to quickly find a pair of fonts for your business blog.

Don’t worry too much about your site’s design in the early stages. You can change all this stuff later when sales start coming in.

Step 8. Set Up Your Basic Blog Pages

You'll need to create a few key pages before you can start publishing awesome Business content.

The first page is your homepage, which should introduce your blog and give readers an idea of what they can expect to find on your site.

You should also create an "About" page, which provides more information about you and your blog. This is a great place to share your story and give readers a sense of your personality.

Another important page is the "Contact" page, which makes it easy for readers to get in touch with you. You can include a simple contact form or provide your email address and social media links.

You can create these pages by using your blogging platform's built-in categories or by creating custom pages that link to your posts.

By providing readers with clear navigation and easy access to your content, you'll be on your way to building a loyal following.

Step 9. Write Your First Blog Posts

Once you've set up your blog and have a clear idea of what you want to write about, it's time to start publishing your first blog posts.

Here are some tips to get you started:

  1. Choose a topic you're passionate about and that your audience will find interesting. Research what's already out there and offer a fresh perspective or unique insights.
  2. Plan out your post by creating an outline or mind map. This will help you stay focused and ensure that your post flows logically.
  3. Write your post in a conversational tone and avoid using jargon or overly technical language. Use short paragraphs and sentences to make your post easy to read and scan.
  4. Include images or other media to break up the text and make your post more visually appealing.
  5. Use subheadings and bullet points to organize your content and make it easier to read.
  6. Edit your post carefully for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Read it aloud to ensure it sounds natural and flows well.
  7. Once you're happy with your post, hit the publish button! Share it on social media and other channels to get it to as many people as possible.

How to Write Great Business Blog Posts

Now that you officially have a site, it’s time to fill it with top-notch content.

You won’t get really good at it until you’ve done it for a while, so it’s best to write as much as possible in the early days

Here’s how to publish better business articles from day one.

Brainstorm Ideas

Coming up with great blog post ideas based on your niche and your audience's needs can be very tough.

What I like to do is start by writing word clouds with pen and paper. It helps me quickly move from one topic to the next without thinking about it.

Once I have a good list of topics, I organize the keywords and put them into Ahrefs. Then I prioritize my content production based on what I think I have the best chance of ranking for (and what sounds like the most fun to write about).

Build a Solid Framework

Before I ever write a blog post, I build an outline using Dynalist.

I look at what competitors have published for my keyword, write down my version of the headings, and move the structure around until the flow makes sense.

Not only does this give me a solid foundation to build my article upon, but it helps me pace my article. If I’ve written 300 words under an H3 heading, I need to wrap it up and move on to the next point.

If you establish solid guidelines, your posts will practically write themselves.

Write Without Stopping

Once you have an outline of where you want your article to go, it’s time to just sit down and write.

I like to shut out any distractions and write in silence, or put on very quiet music. It’s insane how quickly you can write when you don’t have anything else to think about.

You shouldn’t even care about quality when writing your first draft. Just get your words down on paper.

Once you’re finished, step away for a bit, then come back and start editing. Correct any grammar mistakes and make sure your ideas make sense (it helps to read the content out loud).

TIP: I use Grammarly Pro to speed up the editing process for all my content. It’s probably the most valuable tool I use (aside from Lasso, of course 😉).

Optimize Your Content for On-Page SEO

Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of optimizing your content to rank higher in search engine results.

Make sure you do these things when writing your business blog posts:

  • Properly structure your headings. Headings are like a map that search engines like Google use to decipher what your content is about. Make sure your headings make sense (nest smaller ideas under larger ideas), and that you’ve included keywords.
  • Use your target keyword naturally and often. It’s common knowledge that keyword stuffing doesn’t work anymore, but it’s still important to use your target keyword often. It will help your readers stay on track and help search engines better understand what you’re talking about.
  • Add Photos and Videos. Images and videos increase the time readers spend on your page. That signals to Google that your article fits what readers are looking for. They also break up a post and allow your readers to breathe before reading the rest of the article.
  • Promote the post immediately after publishing. There’s some disagreement about whether traffic is a ranking factor, but I’ve definitely had faster rankings when I got early traffic to my blog posts. And, if you have a mailing list, your subscribers want to know about your content anyway!

Use AI to Speed Things Up

At the time I'm writing this, AI still isn't able to replace a skilled, knowledgable writer.

But it's getting really close.

As AI tools continue to improve, you're going to find more and more content online that's produced without a human writer. And that content will rank in Google. There's no consolation prize for human-written content.

For the time being, here's my advice; use AI to write the first draft of your content. Then edit it thoroughly before publishing.

Copy.ai offers the best ai written content for business bloggers.

To get the best AI content out of the gate, I recommend Copy.AI.

Out of all the AI writing tools I've tested (which is a lot), Copy.AI produces the best, most natural content, and also has the most reasonable pricing.

Promoting Your Business Blog

Once you publish a blog post, you need to promote it.

Seriously, most business bloggers post and pray. If you use even one of these promotional methods, you’re doing more than 99% of the competition.

Make the Most of Social Media

Social media and blogging go hand-in-hand. Social media can be a game changer, especially in the business niche, where readers care about the person behind the blog.

I don’t recommend spending all day on Twitter, but comment on popular threads, respond to outreach and share helpful things.

Also, shout out when you have a new blog post! Your followers want to know when you put out new content.

Build an Email List for Business Enthusiasts

There’s a reason why email marketing is the only form of online marketing that’s barely changed in the past 15 years. It works.

It’s also challenging. Most business blogs ask readers to join their mailing lists, so give them a special reason to sign up for yours.

It could be a workout plan, equipment guide, or anything else that sets you apart from other business bloggers.

Why go through all this headache? Because anyone who signs up for your mailing list is devoted to what you have to say. These people are your congregation.

If you recommend a product to your mailing list, they’ll likely purchase it. At a bare minimum, send your new blog posts to your mailing list to pump up early traffic numbers.

Be ethical, but find things your mailing list will appreciate and sell, sell, sell!

TIP: You can find a bunch of premium sales email templates on Canva. Work smarter, not harder!

Collaborate with Other Business Bloggers

As website owners, we tend to think of our competitors as enemies, which is a bit silly. When you think about it, they’re just like us, trying their best to hustle and make things work.

Instead of worrying about how other business bloggers will outrank you, reach out and see if you can work together.

If you build a network of small business bloggers who all promote each other’s content, you’ll stand a much better chance of competing with established business authorities.

Engaging in Business Communities

Join online communities related to your niche and engage with other members. This will help you establish yourself as an expert and build relationships with potential readers.

Monetizing Your Business Blog

Food blogs can earn thousands of dollars per month. Screenshot from Lasso Performance

Ok, so your blog is up and running, and you're gaining a following. How do you monetize a business blog?

Here are the best ways to earn a real income from your new business blog.

Affiliate Marketing

I recommend business bloggers start with affiliate marketing before any other monetization method.

I love affiliate marketing because it’s a low-effort way to monetize your website without ruining your reader’s experience.

To monetize your business blog with affiliate marketing, first, you have to identify products your audience will find helpful. Then, find the affiliate program for those products, and write thourough product reviews.

For beginners, I recommend focusing on the Amazon Associates affiliate program. The conversion rate is incredible, and you can diversify when your site is more successful.

For products that aren’t available on Amazon, just do a Google search for “[Product] affiliate program,” and you’ll find their program’s signup page.

Another way to find affiliate programs is by checking Lasso's database.

To save you some time, here are a few of the best affiliate networks for business bloggers:

  1. Lasso

    Lasso

    Commission Rate: 20%, Up to $700+ per sale

    Cookie Duration: 30 Days

    Lasso is a WordPress plugin that allows you to quickly create affiliate link displays that earn more money. Manage all your affiliate links in one place.

  2. QuickBooks

    QuickBooks

    Commission Rate: 10% Per Sale

    Cookie Duration: 45 Days

    QuickBooks is an accounting software package developed and marketed by the company Intuit. Earn a referral fee by selling QuickBooks software!

  3. FreshBooks

    FreshBooks

    Commission Rate: $88.00 Per Sale and $8.00 Per Lead

    Cookie Duration: 120 Days

    FreshBooks is an online accounting solution designed for small business owners. Get $100 per sale with a 45-day cookie window.

TIP: We maintain a database of the best affiliate programs. Click here to see the best business affiliate programs.

Once approved for your chosen affiliate program, add your affiliate link to products and images, and you’re good to go. You’ll earn a commission if a reader clicks on your link and makes a purchase.

If you're still wondering how to earn money with affiliate marketing, check out these affiliate marketing website examples for inspiration.

Earn More Affiliate Income With Lasso

If you want to take your affiliate marketing strategy to the next level, I recommend you sign up for Lasso.

Lasso is a WordPress plugin that helps affiliate marketers manage links and create product displays that convert.

All you need to do is paste the affiliate link in your Lasso dashboard, add some interesting sales copy, and you’re ready to insert that Display into your blog posts.

Your product displays could look like this one:

Best Plugin for Affiliate Marketers
Lasso
$39/mo

Lasso is the best WordPress plugin for affiliate marketing. If you want to earn more affiliate income and grow your niche site, you need Lasso!

Create Displays Like This Learn More

Great Displays Increase Conversions!

If you ever need to change the link, you can change it once in your Lasso dashboard, which will update the link across your entire website.

Lasso will also handle your link cloaking and attributes, so your site will always be optimized and compliant.

That’s not even mentioning things like Tables, Grids, Lists, Link Alerts, and more.

Our Pick
 
Budget Pick
Starting at $30 a month
Starting at $30 a month
Starting at $2.75 a month
Our Pick
Starting at $30 a month
Starting at $30 a month
Budget Pick
Starting at $2.75 a month

If you want to monetize your business blog the easy way, sign up for Lasso today.

Display Ads

Another great way to monetize your business blog is with display ads. Display ads use cookies to advertise products your readers will love, so it’s a very individualized experience.

Display ads are also the most passive way to monetize a business blog. You turn them on, configure the settings, and wait for the money to roll in.

The drawback to display ads is that nobody likes them. It’s why so many people install ad blockers in their browsers (which stop you from making money, by the way).

TIP: If you use display ads on your business blog, configure the settings to prioritize user experience. By being selective with your ad placements, you’ll make more money in the long run.

Here are the best ad networks to join based on your site’s page views:

  • 50,000+ Visitors per month - Mediavine
  • 10,000-50,000 Visitors per month - Ezoic
  • <10,000 Visitors per month - Google Adsense / waiting to grow

NOTE: With the low rates ad networks pay, it won’t be worth running display ads if you have less than 10,000 monthly visitors. You’re better off focusing on affiliate offers and creating more content to grow your following.

Digital Products

Selling digital products is the easiest way to transition from advertising other people’s products to selling your own.

That’s a great step to take because it means instead of earning 3-8% of the profit, you’re taking 100% of the profit.

The drawback to selling anything is that you’re responsible for the bulk of the work. You need to provide customer service, handle returns, and find a way to process payments and distribute products.

High-potential digital products in the business blog niche:

  • Interactive Infographics: Engaging visual representations of data that help readers understand complex concepts.
  • Expert E-books: In-depth guides written by industry leaders that provide valuable insights and actionable advice.
  • Online Courses: Comprehensive educational programs that teach specific business skills and strategies.
  • Webinars: Live or recorded presentations featuring industry experts, offering valuable knowledge and networking opportunities.
  • Podcasts: Audio content featuring interviews and discussions with influential figures in the business world.
  • Templates and Checklists: Ready-to-use resources that help readers streamline their business processes and improve efficiency.
  • Case Studies: In-depth analyses of real-life business scenarios, providing valuable insights and lessons learned.
  • Business Tools and Software: Digital solutions that assist entrepreneurs in managing their operations, finances, and marketing efforts.
  • Whitepapers: Research reports that delve into specific business topics, offering in-depth analysis and expert opinions.
  • Video Tutorials: Step-by-step guides that visually demonstrate various business techniques and strategies.

Once you’ve created a digital product, connect a payment processor like Paypal or Stripe to your site with a plugin like Woocommerce.

Then you can use a tool like ConvertKit to automatically email the lead magnet to customers after they’ve finished checking out.

It’s a lot of work, but the extra profit is well worth it.

Consulting

Consulting services are highly valuable in the business niche.

If you've immersed yourself in the business world, you now have valuable knowledge to offer your readers.

The best part is, your audience will tell you exactly what they need help with.

As your audience grows, people will reach out and ask for guidance on specific topics.

For just $100, offer them an hour of your time.

And remember, the worst they can say is no!

If you find you’re selling a lot of consulting services, you can even create a section of your site dedicated to your services.

TIP: You can use Lasso to increase your consulting sales. Set the destination link to your contact page, and you’re all set!

FAQs on Starting a Business Blog

How Much Money Do Business Bloggers Make?

The income range for business bloggers is enormous. Many bloggers make no revenue, while some business blogs make over six figures per month. It all depends on traffic and how well you present your offers.

How Can I Monetize a Business Blog?

The best way to monetize a business blog is with affiliate marketing, but you can also use display ads, sell digital downloads, or even sell coaching services.

How Do Business Bloggers Get Paid?

Most business bloggers make money through affiliate commissions and advertising fees. Both of these monetization methods pay out one or two months after the fees have been generated.

Some business bloggers also sell sponsored posts, consulting services, or their own products. In these cases, a payment processor like PayPal or Stripe is necessary.

Is Business Blogging Easy?

Nothing worth doing is truly easy, but that doesn’t mean business blogging isn’t fun.

As a business blogger, you’ll get to go places, try new things, and meet new people. And it will be part of your business! What could be cooler than that?

Is It Worth Starting A Business Blog?

It’s absolutely worth it to start a business blog. Not only can you make a living from it, but you can also build a community and control the conversation.

Once you’re an established authority, people in business-related industries will take you seriously.

Final Thoughts on Starting a Business Blog

So, that's all the advice I have for someone wondering how to start a business blog.

Starting a business blog can be tough. It takes time and effort before you start making any sales. You might even lose money in the beginning. But trust me, it's worth it.

If you want to be a successful business blogger, just follow the tips in this guide, stay persistent, and write the kind of content you enjoy reading. It's hard work, but you can definitely do it.

Just remember to stay consistent, engage with your readers, and most importantly, have fun along the way!

Why You Should Trust Our Business Blogging Content

You may be thinking, "that's all great, but what does Lasso know about business blogging?"

Quite a lot, actually.

Here's why you can trust our process for building a successful business blog:

We've Built Wildly Successful Blogs

Lasso is built for affiliate marketers, by affiliate marketers. We're not gurus; we've walked the walk.

Our team members have built multiple blogs from the ground up, some of them earning over seven figures in revenue.

We put that experience into every guide we write, so you can trust we're giving you a process that works.

We Talk To Business Bloggers Every Day

Lasso's WordPress plugin is installed on over 8,000 websites, including a lot of business blogs.

Our team supports those bloggers every day as they create awesome content and earn lots of money.

These communications give us a bird's-eye view of what's new in the business industry. We take that information and use it to keep these guides as up-to-date and accurate as possible.

We're Super Nerds

We've put a lot of company focus into learning everything we can about blogging, affiliate marketing, SEO, and anything to do with online entrpreneurship.

We attend conferences, collect high-level contacts, read tons of books, and distill all of that information into our content. We pass information onto you that was previously only available to industry insiders.

Earn More from Your Business Blog

Why Lasso Is The Best Affiliate Marketing Plugin For WordPress

Tired of using 3-4 plugins to manage your affiliate links? Lasso is THE all-in-one WordPress plugin made for affiliate marketers.

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
A Simple Product Review Template That You Should Steal

We created a practical, step-by-step approach to creating effective product reviews so you can generate more affiliate income.

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Using a Secondary CTA Button to Improve Your Conversion Rate

Just putting a CTA button on your site is not enough. You need to optimize for all types of visitors and not everyone is ready to buy today.

We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
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