People often ask “Will I make money blogging?” The short answer: it depends.

If your income is affected by the public’s perception of your reputation, brand and expertise, then yes, blogging will increase your income, indirectly. Once you’ve built a reputation as a blogger then PPC, sponsors and links to affiliate programs on your blog can directly add to the bottom line. But don’t expect this to happen overnight.

The decision to start a blog should not be taken lightly. Writing a blog may be easy but creating a successful one is not. You have be comfortable expressing yourself in writing. To attract readers, you need to develop a distinctive point of view. You need to commit to posting regularly to keep your readers engaged. Anything less than one post a week damages your credibility. The good news is that speakers have volumes of material to blog about.

Use your blog as a platform to share your insights and experiences on your core expertise.

You can review books and movies, radio stations and restaurants. You can piggyback on topics that are in the news.

You can make announcements about future speaking events. You can share links and references with your readers.

You can report on meetings you attend, speeches you give, comments from the audience and chance encounters from the road.

You can use your blog to compile top 10 lists, conduct surveys (asking for comments on a topic), respond to other blogs or invite guest bloggers to post on your blog.

Remember to keep a clear focus. If you have multiple areas of expertise consider creating multiple blogs.

Don’t give-up.

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