Currently, there are over 70 million ongoing attempts to make money blogging.
That means there's obviously something to this whole Blogging Bonanza, but it also means there is a lot of competition out there.
The great thing about trying your hand at creating a successful and profitable blog is that there is little to no risk and very low startup costs involved.
For example, a domain name (which you probably already have) can be had for $5 to $10.
Hosting (a place to "house" your website, like buying a lot for your store or shop) also runs between $5 and $10 (per month) for more than enough space required for a new blog.
Pick a Platform Once you have your domain name and website hosting set up, it's time to choose your blogging platform.
There are several websites that offer you easy to use tools and information to get your blog up and running as quickly as possible.
The most popular, and my personal favorite, is WordPress.
Not only do they offer quick set up and easy to understand instructions, but there are literally hundreds of useful plugins and tools, and it's all completely free.
Some other well-known platforms to consider are Blogger, TypePad, and MovableType.
What Next? Now that you've chosen a platform and have everything up and running with your desired hosting service, the next logical step is, of course, to "blog.
" Whatever topic or niche you are most passionate about is what you should focus your blog around.
You don't have to be an absolute expert right away, but if you are truly interested in your own content, then you will begin to attract regular visitors and traffic.
That very same traffic is what's going to help you make money blogging, so that's you're first goal: Build a large and dedicated readership.