The Lady Programmer

These past weeks I had been able to find old classmates and friends in real life. They’ve always asked what I do. I kept telling them that I am earning both from my blogs as well as with freelancing.

For now I can just list down steps on how to get started in blogging.

How to get started in blogging

1. Decent writing skills. I started out using a word editor with a spell checker to help me out.
2. Knowledge of using the computer and the internet. Obviously.
3. Decent internet connection. Believe me, I started blogging and even freelancing using 56kbps free internet connection that came with my telephone line.
4. (optional) Your own computer. Here in my country (Philippines) you can always blog at any internet cafe for a  minimum of P10/hour.

Of course, the next thing to do is to open up a blog for free.

1. Blogger.com: The site is great for starters (and even advanced users) to start earning money from blogs. They allow placement of advertisements and other useful codes into the blog.
2. WordPress.com: Their blogs may look better and have better comment management, but they don’t allow advertisements and other codes to be placed on their blogs. If you don’t really intend to make money, then this may be a wiser choice.
3. There are more free blogging platforms out there such as Blogsome, but performance-wise, the first two options are still the best ones to start blogging.

What’s next?

1. Choose a topic for your blog. Most often people think of blogs as a place to write down personal thoughts: but blogging had matured and evolved, so it is now easy for one to pick a topic. It is best to write topics that revolve around your personal interest if you want to earn from your own blog: cars, technology, gadgets, fashion, kids and parenting, news and commentary – the list is endless.
2. Learn the technicalities of blogging, such as HTML. Or pay an expert to help you out in coding your blog. Or ask the help of a friend in doing simple HTML tweaks on your blog. Sometimes you want to insert advertisements and other useful codes into your blog.

Making Money from Blogs

1. Learn SEO techniques. If you want to attract huge amounts of traffic to your advertisements or offers.
2. If SEO is too technical to understand do occasional paid reviews and link selling instead in addition to SEO. You may even have to invest in a domain name just to qualify for these offers. Please visit this link to learn more.
3. Do not stop at the first two steps. Making money online doesn’t stop there. There’s always a new trick or technique that comes along the way.

29 Responses so far | Have Your Say!

1. 

   Ade
   November 30th, 2009 at 11:59 am #

   I would like to add that http://www.i.ph is also a great platform for beginners. Its advanced drag-and-drop interface lets you customize your blog easily in no time! Also, it’s 100 percent Filipino-made.
   .-= Ade´s last blog ..Review: Turtles Forever =-.

2. 

   Heather Kephart
   November 30th, 2009 at 11:03 pm #

   Thank you Gem! What a great, concise article with a funny little photo to amuse us. Tweeted.

   Have a great day!
   .-= Heather Kephart´s last blog ..My Cyber Cabin in the Woods =-.

3. 

   DiTesco
   December 1st, 2009 at 12:04 am #

   Very concise and straight to the point. Now all that is left is for us to act on it. Thanks
   .-= DiTesco´s last blog ..Using Google’s AdSense Channels – Video Tutorials =-.

4. 

   Ambo
   December 1st, 2009 at 12:38 am #

   Thanks for sharing Gem. A very helpful post! Btw, can i have a copy of your wallpaper? Love it as well as your desk!
   .-= Ambo´s last blog ..Make Money with Paypal Wishlist on Facebook and Earn up to US$100 =-.

5. 

   Hesham @ FamousBloggers
   December 1st, 2009 at 8:20 am #

   I believe the success for people who follow these steps in your post Gem!
   and making money doesn’t stop anywhere!
   .-= Hesham @ FamousBloggers´s last blog ..What Famous Bloggers do at Facebook? =-.

6. 

   Kelvin Servigon
   December 2nd, 2009 at 12:38 am #

   Indeed.

   *loving the attached photo in this post.
   .-= Kelvin Servigon´s last blog ..It’s Christmas! =-.

7. 

   Dexter | Techathand.net
   December 2nd, 2009 at 4:39 am #

   Galing.. I like the term ” Huge Traffic ” , keep it up Gem
   .-= Dexter | Techathand.net´s last blog ..Test =-.

8. 

   Selboy
   December 2nd, 2009 at 9:15 am #

   amazed by the gadgets on the table (shown at the photo). a poor blogger like is still dreaming of owning one of those…
   .-= Selboy´s last blog ..The Chronicle – Chapter 1 =-.

9. 

   Louis Dizon
   December 2nd, 2009 at 9:32 am #

   Very quick and easy to follow guide. Recommended to those who are itching to start blogging asap without hulking on a bunch of long articles.
   .-= Louis Dizon´s last blog ..World AIDS Day in Detroit =-.

10. 

    Kristine - Freelance Writing Philippines
    December 3rd, 2009 at 2:24 am #

    Hey, nice read, Ate Gem.

    A nice layout or theme is also a must, and the way you present information to your readers. As what somebody from the Problogger forums told me, people do not care about your personal life (except if you are a big thing) but they need and want information. Keep your posts informational (like this one) and you’d have more people coming back for more – and therefore give you more money ;p
    .-= Kristine – Freelance Writing Philippines´s last blog ..Music Reviewer/Entertainment Writer Needed =-.

11. 

    Anne
    December 3rd, 2009 at 8:51 am #

    Simple and a great way to introduce anyone looking to venture into blogging. I started with Blogger & WordPress. I even placed ads on WordPress before realizing that was a no-no. Trial and error at its finest.
    .-= Anne´s last blog ..Bath & Body Works ~ $1 Shipping Today Only =-.

12. 

    Jena Isle
    December 3rd, 2009 at 7:09 pm #

    Very good pointers, thanks Gem .
    .-= Jena Isle´s last blog ..An Immortal Relationship : Friendship =-.

13. 

    Gem
    December 5th, 2009 at 10:28 pm #

    LOL. That’s not my own desktop. I got the entire picture from some free stock photo site. But I agree, the picture looks interesting!

14. 

    Eljon
    December 7th, 2009 at 8:50 am #

    Hello. Great post you have Ms. Gem. Simple but very informative. Are you from Baguio? I am currently studying here in Baguio City.
    .-= Eljon´s last blog ..Paramore Brick By Boring Brick Video And Lyrics =-.

15. 

    Sire
    December 8th, 2009 at 7:04 pm #

    Whilst Blogger is a good platform to start and learn your blogging skills, I suggest that if you want to take it seriously one should consider hosting their own blog, choosing a domain that has good SEO attributes.

    Also, while it is possible to blog for money you have to keep it mind that it all takes time, and that it still involves a fair bit of work.
    .-= Sire´s last blog ..The New FTC Guidelines, How Fair Is It? =-.

16. 

    cor
    December 9th, 2009 at 5:50 pm #

    hope to follow your footsteps
    .-= cor´s last blog ..Beautiful Sunset Over at Zamboanga del Norte =-.

17. 

    Holly Jahangiri
    December 10th, 2009 at 2:11 am #

    What about Vox? I really haven’t used that one in a while, but I liked it a lot – not sure if it allows ad codes and such, but it’s got great access control (from private to selected to wide open to the public – on each post) and seems a little more flexible for most customizations than WordPress.com.
    .-= Holly Jahangiri´s last blog ..Win an Autographed Copy of A Puppy, Not a Guppy =-.

18. 

    Jhong Medina
    December 11th, 2009 at 7:35 am #

    I’ll take note everything you have here Gem, Hoping to earn something soon. Wish me luck.

    I thought you were kidding that you been dropping entrecard using dialup connection. What’s the secret?
    .-= Jhong Medina´s last blog ..Why name it the Lunch Break Blogger? =-.

19. 

    ConnieFoggles
    December 11th, 2009 at 3:35 pm #

    Good starting points. So many people wait to blog thinking that they have to be an expert, but they just need to get started! You learn along the way, especially from other bloggers.

20. Featured Blogger: The Precious Gem as the Lady Programmer | Bloggista.com
    December 12th, 2009 at 8:56 pm #

    [...] If you want to earn additional income through blogging, start your own blog. Learn to write along with some monetization techniques. [...]

21. 

    archondigital
    December 13th, 2009 at 1:42 am #

    Decent writing skills. It definitely is a must, the rest are skills you pick up along the way will follow.

22. 

    elmot
    December 14th, 2009 at 2:13 pm #

    decent writing skills is big must…if one cannot write, a high-speed internet connection is still of no use

23. 

    Jason
    December 19th, 2009 at 11:51 am #

    number one requirement for blogging is patience. some might have the technical know how but if they dont have the patience to write, then their blogs wont take them anywhere.

    same is for brilliant writers who write the most moving blog posts but if their blogs don’t appear in search engines, only a few friends would appreciate them.

24. 

    Jannie Funster
    December 26th, 2009 at 2:28 am #

    Hi!!

    I know quite a few bloggers who ultimately switch from blogger to a self- hosted blog with WordPress, because WordPress offers a lot more features.

    I use the SEOPlug-in for WordPress, do you think that stands alone or should I be supplementing it with an additional something??

    Great “meeting” you.

25. 

    Gem
    December 27th, 2009 at 1:33 am #

    I use either All-in-one SEO or Platinum SEO (they are very similar, with Platinum SEO offering more features). Depending on what you want for your blog I think one SEO plugin is just enough.

    Thanks for dropping by.

26. 

    Jannie Funster
    December 30th, 2009 at 12:22 am #

    Cool! Looks like I’m covered on my SEO — whoo-hoo!!!

27. 

    betchai
    January 1st, 2010 at 11:30 am #

    wow, i missed this post before, Gem, this is really good read, especially for me who is still struggling with how to optimize blogging opportunities, thanks for the tips.
    .-= betchai´s last blog ..Toadstool Trail, Paria Rimrock Hoodoos, UT =-.

28. 

    Gem
    January 7th, 2010 at 8:52 pm #

    Thanks. With this comment of yours I should now do recaps at least once a year.

29. 

    juliet
    January 8th, 2010 at 1:19 pm #

    I used blogger.com for my blog. With their text editor, I don’t have to be an expert with the html codes (but now I’m learning the basics). All I have to do is encode my article. After setting up my blog with blogger.com, I started earning a few cents through adsense. It took me a very long time to realize that I could earn money through my blog other than adsense. I just started earning a few dollars from Inpostlinks and ODesk. I would be visiting your site during my spare time for some helpful tips on ODesk. Thanks for sharing your views!
    .-= juliet´s last blog ..Consider Logos =-.