How to Start a Home-based Blogging Business

by Brett Snyder

Overview

Having passion about a topic is a great reason to start blogging, but there is a lot more to it than that. This book will be able to help potential bloggers by asking the important questions needed to focus the blog. It will also set expectations so there are fewer surprises along the way. Making a blog a success can be a challenge, but it’s not out of reach for those who are determined.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780762790944
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	11/06/2012
Series:	Home-Based Business Series
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	176
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Brett Snyder is the author of the award-winning consumer air travel blog The Cranky Flier. Brett’s background is in the airline industry, so he focused his blog on explaining what happens in the airlines for consumers from the perspective of someone on the inside. The result is that Brett now works full time as President and Chief Airline Dork of Cranky Flier LLC.

Brett’s success with The Cranky Flier has led to other opportunities to complement his work, including a weekly air travel column for CNN.com. He has appeared on radio and television programs on CNN, Bloomberg Television, and NPR-affiliated stations among others. He is regularly quoted as an airline expert in news media including The New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and in many local papers. He is also known internationally. In the UK, The Cranky Flier was named one of the 50 most powerful blogs in the world by the Observer Magazine.

The credibility he has built using The Cranky Flier as a platform has allowed him to make a good living doing what he loves. Visit him at http:crankyflier.com.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments ix

Introduction xi

01 Is a Blogging Business For You? 1

The Big World of Blogging 1

Why Do You Want to Blog? 2

Checking Your Writing Skills 3

Do You Like to Write? 3

Will People Want to Read You? 5

Understanding the Time Commitment 5

Being Your Own Boss 6

02 Envisioning the Business 8

Where Do You Fit In? 8

What Angle Will You Use? 9

Is It Just a Blog? 10

Full Time versus Part Time 12

Setting a Timeframe 13

03 What You Need in Your Home Office 15

Your Weapon of Choice 15

Portability 16

Getting Connected 19

A Comfortable Space 21

Setting Up Your Daily Ritual 24

04 Starting Your Blog 26

Naming Your Blog 26

Registering Your Name 28

Choosing Your Blog Software 30

Your Blog Design 33

Microblogging and Podcasting 34

Implementing the Design 37

05 Structuring Your Business 38

Setting Up Your Business Entity/Biz License 38

Your Address 40

Bank Accounts 41

Getting a Loan 44

Insurance 44

Setting a Writing Schedule 46

Taking a Test Drive 47

Be Ready to Change 48

06 Spending Money 49

Hosting Fees 49

Paying for Content 50

Other Costs 51

07 Making Money 53

Charging Your Readers 53

The Freemium Model 55

Donations 56

Advertising 57

Analytics 61

Directory 63

Sponsorships 65

Licensing Your Content 66

Selling Products 67

08 Taxes and Record Keeping 70

Individual, LLC, or Corporation 70

Good Record Keeping 72

Cash versus Accrual Accounting 76

Financial Statements 77

What You Can Deduct 81

Do You Need Accounting Software? 82

How Long to Keep Documents 84

09 Legal and Ethical Issues 85

Terms of Use 85

Accepting Free Products and Services 89

Disclosure to Your Readers 89

Plagiarism and Sources 92

Using Images 93

Liability-Is Libel an Issue? 98

Are You a Journalist? 102

Copyright 102

Trademark Registration 108

10 Growing Your Audience 111

Sharing with E-mail and Feeds 111

Social Media 115

Encouraging Conversation (Comments) 117

Friends and Family 118

Introduction to Fellow Bloggers 119

Finding the Right Forums 121

Attending Conferences 122

Arranging Speaking Engagements 124

Become a Source 126

SEO 128

Paying for Advertising 134

Online Advertising 135

Decide What Works for You 138

11 Where Do You Go From Here? 140

Should I Stay or Should I Grow? 140

Adding Writers 141

Building Staff or Keeping Control 143

Revisiting the Time Commitment 146

Appendix: Resources 148

Glossary 153

Index 157

About the Author 162