Find what type of blog you should start! Each type of blog has a different monetization and traffic generation strategy.
Depending on your personality and your skills, choose the blog type that fits you best.
This Blog Type Quiz Strategy Seeker will help to show you what type of blog to start, how to generate traffic and make money with that particular type of blog.
Not all blogs are the same. I want to set you up for success so that you can grow your successful online business!
Use the drop down in the answer column to fill out your responses.
Please use this tool on a computer. Most phone screens are too small to use the tool correctly.
Blog Strategy Seeker – What Type of Blog Should You Start
Starting a blog is an amazing adventure. But not only do you have to decide what to blog about, you should decide what type of blog you want to create. And most people do not consider the second part of the problem. After a few months of blogging, they feel lost, confused and without purpose. It’s not because they don’t love their topic, it’s because they don’t know what the purpose of their blog is and how to monetize it correctly.
The following six types of blogs are the most common. Each type has a different monetization and traffic generation strategy that I’ll share below. Depending on your personality and your skills, choose the blog type that fits you best. You’ll be investing months and potentially years into this online business. But of course, there are combinations and variations of the blog types below. Many bloggers start out with one type of blog and gradually evolve into a different type over time.
This Blog Strategy Seeker will help to show you what type of blog to start, how to generate traffic and make money with that particular type of blog. Not all blogs are the same. I want to set you up for success so that you can grow your successful online business!
CURATION BLOG
A curation blog can be focused on one topic or can have a hundred different topics. The general theme of the curation blog is aligned but the articles do not have to relate to each other.
This type of blog is best for people who love to browse the internet for great ideas and do not want to blog about a singular topic. The articles also do not have to contain in depth analysis or oceans of text. They can be short and to the point. Sharing great advice and ideas found from other places over the internet.
Curation blogs tend to post often, more than twice a week and generate a lot of traffic. Because of this technique, the best way to monetize a curation blog is through advertisements and affiliates.
What it is:
High traffic blog with frequent short posts covering different topics.
Monetization Strategy:
Ads & Affiliates
Examples:
http://whatmomslove.com/ – $8,000 per month
https://www.buzzfeed.com – $1,000,000+ per month
http://www.chasingfoxes.com/ – $19,000 per month
TEACHING BLOG
A teaching blog is a blog dedicated to educating and empowering a reader on a particular topic. It contains how to articles, in depth guides and step by step tutorials.
This type of blog is best for people who are an expert on a particular topic and want to teach others. The articles contain tutorial videos, detailed steps and lots of visuals to help the reader learn the new material. Most articles are over 1,000 words and take weeks to craft.
Posting frequency can range from once a month to once a week. Once a strong foundation is laid with posts covering all of the questions on the topic, then posting frequency can become less frequent.
The best way to monetize a teaching blog is through online products such as ebooks and courses and affiliates.
What it is:
Low traffic blog with in depth articles, videos and step by step tutorials.
Monetization Strategy:
Online Products & Affiliates
Examples:
https://startamomblog.com/ – $30,000 per month
http://backlinko.com/ – $100,000+ per month
LIFESTYLE BLOG
A lifestyle blog is a blog that contains a wide variety of topics all related to one general theme. The general theme allows you to write articles on different topics but tailored to one broad audience, such as mothers in general. A lifestyle blog is also heavily based on your own life experiences.
This type of blog is best for people who want to start blogging and share their own experiences. You have the flexibility to write about a wide range of topics and share your advice along the way. The articles contain lots of pictures and emotions to help build a relationship with your reader. Articles range from 500 – 1,000 words on average.
Posting frequency is most often 1-2 times per week because the articles are easier to come up with and are short. It’s also easier to write about your own life where you can draw from stories and experiences.
The best way to monetize a lifestyle blog is through affiliates, ads and sponsored posts. Because you are building strong relationships with your readers through sharing your life, they are more likely to purchase products you recommend through affiliate links.
What it is:
High traffic blog with frequent, short articles with a heavy emphasis on your own stories and experiences.
Monetization Strategy:
Affiliates, Ads and Sponsored Posts
Examples:
https://www.lovinglivinglancaster.com/ – $3,000 per month
http://www.mystayathomeadventures.com
NICHE BLOG
A niche blog is a blog that focuses on one particular topic, such as cake pops, farmhouse decor, printables or Christianity. It is more focused than a lifestyle blog but the article lengths and structure are similar.
Just like a lifestyle blog, the articles contain lots of pictures and range from 500 – 1,000 words on average.
Posting frequency is most often 1-2 times per week because the articles are easier to come up with and are short. A niche blog has a target focus on one particular topic.
The best way to monetize a niche blog is through affiliates, ads and sponsored posts. Because you are building a strong community around one particular topic, they are more likely to purchase products you recommend through affiliate links on that specific topic.
A niche blog is a boutique shop where a lifestyle blog is a general store. So you can recommend more expensive affiliates and get higher conversions.
What it is:
Medium traffic blog with highly focused articles.
Monetization Strategy:
Affiliates, Ads and Sponsored Posts
Examples:
http://www.theharperhouse.com/ – $6,000 per month
http://arabahjoy.com/ – $6,000 per month
JOURNEY BLOG
A journey blog is a blog that documents a change in your life. It could be your journey to lose 30 pounds, your journey as a new mom, the steps you take to become debt free or your homesteading adventures. As you’re going through a transformation you teach your readers what works and what doesn’t for you. They cheer you on and become invested in your progress.
This type of blog is very popular as it is a way to keep yourself accountable while building an online audience.
Like a lifestyle blog, the articles contain lots of pictures and range from 500 – 1,000 words on average. But the structure of the posts are more similar to a teaching blog, where you show your readers how you tried and succeeded at a new strategy or technique.
A journey blog contains a lot of “how to” and “before and after” posts. You have to be comfortable being very transparent with your readers so they can learn from your mistakes and model your successes.
Posting frequency is most often 1-2 times per week because the articles are easy to write – it’s all about how your journey can help others!
The best way to monetize a journey blog is through affiliates, products and services. In the beginning you can recommend affiliates that work well for you. And since your readers are following your progress, you’ll have the before and after results to prove to them that your recommendations work. After you’ve gained success, you can teach others your methods by creating online products or offering 1:1 coaching services.
What it is:
High traffic blog with frequent posts sharing the lessons you learn on your journey.
Monetization Strategy:
Affiliates, Products and Services
Examples:
http://www.thecookierookie.com
https://www.smartpassiveincome.com/ $320,000+ per month
GUEST BLOG
A guest blog is a blog or website where most of the articles are submissions from other writers. The owner of the blog contributes articles on a rare occasion.
This type of blog takes time to establish but it can be amazingly lucrative.
The articles can range from in depth “how to” posts to quick lifestyle posts, it all depends on what type of blog you want to create.
As you grow your blog and page views you can reach out to larger writers and ask for guest posts. Your site will grow quickly because the post will be shared through your channels and the guest poster’s channels.
New blog posts can be published frequently, up to a few posts per day, as the blog grows in size.
The majority of the work comes from establishing the site as a desirable place to guest post, and then monitoring and editing new submissions.
The best way to monetize a guest blog is through ads and affiliates. Since the posting frequency is very high on a guest post blog, you’ll be able to grow quickly in page views which will help increase your ad revenue tremendously.
What it is:
High traffic blog with very frequent posts submitted by other writers.
Monetization Strategy:
Ads and Affiliates
Examples:
Total Per Month: $1,000,000+
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/
Could a blog be more than one type of blog?
Yes! Most blogs are a combination of a few of the variations above. For example, www.justagirlandherblog.com, is both a niche lifestyle blog and a teaching blog. ProductiveandPretty.com is a curation, niche and guest blog. It helps to know what your main focus is for your blog strategy, but you can always overlap into different techniques as you grow and build your online business.