A sole proprietorship can be a business with only one member that has not been incorporated by state filing. There are pros and cons to sole proprietorships. However, there is no distinction between owner and business and no liability protection. While sole proprietorships can reduce startup costs, they won’t limit your personal liability.

No matter how your business structure is set up, it is important to keep your personal and business finances separate. Combining funds can lead to huge tax, accounting, and liability headaches. Chase ranked first in our review of the best business bank options. A $300 bonus is available to new customers.

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Sole Proprietorship: Pros and cons

 

The advantages of a sole proprietorship	Cons of Sole Proprietorship
Simple Setup and Affordable	Unlimitable Liability
No corporate business taxes	There is no ongoing business life
There are no annual reports/filings	It is difficult to raise money
No restrictions on the use of formal business structures	Inability to take on business debt
Simple Recordkeeping	It can be regarded as unprofessional

 

 

5 Advantages of a Sole Proprietorship

The easiest type of business is a sole proprietorship. This type of business does not require any formal setup, annual administration, dedicated taxes or formal record keeping. A sole proprietorship allows you to simply sell goods and services. All bills and debts are your responsibility. All income from business is pass-through, and can be filed on your personal tax returns.

These are the five benefits of being a sole proprietorship:

1. 1. Easy setup and low cost

A sole proprietorship does not require you to file any paperwork or complete formal business structures. The only thing you need to do is start your business. You don’t even have to pay any filing fees or incorporation fees. You may need a permit, special license, surety bonds or business insurance policy depending on your industry. However, you don’t have to file any filings with the state.

This ease of setup and low cost of administration/management makes sole proprietorships great for cottage industries and seasonal businesses. It can be very beneficial to start a new venture, especially one that does not have significant liability.

Sole proprietorships are so easy to establish that they don’t require owners to take the necessary steps to incorporate. This would give them liability protection and other benefits. These steps are not required for sole proprietorships, and they also forfeit the liability protection that comes with formal business structures.

You can protect your liability by incorporating as an LLC using a service such as Rocket Lawyer. You can legally seperate yourself from your business by having them assist you with federal and state filings.

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2. 2.

You don’t have to pay 21% corporate taxes on your business profits as a sole proprietor. You simply keep filing personal tax returns, and any income you receive from your business is claimed as pass-through taxes. All income is subject to your normal income tax rate. Solo proprietors often are exempted from the state franchise and excises taxes.

These exemptions make taxes for sole proprietorships much simpler and less expensive than those of C-corps. Revenue is taxed at company level, and then again when dividends are paid to shareholders. The current dividend tax rate is between 15-20% and 41%, meaning you can pay up to 41% on your taxable profits. This does not include income tax that you pay on your salary.

Pass-through tax benefits are not only available to sole proprietorships. Both LLCs and Scorps can be considered pass-through entities. They avoid double taxation as well as the corporate tax rate. However, LLCs can be subject to franchise or excises tax depending on their operations. This means that taxes may still be higher than sole proprietorships depending on the level of profit.

As a sole proprietor, you might be subject to the following taxes:

• Normal income tax – As a sole proprietor, there is no salary. All profits are instead filed on your personal tax return, and taxed at the ordinary income tax rate.
• Self-employment taxes – If you own a business, you will have to pay self employment tax on all income earned by that business. This is the employer-portion FICAtax. This means that you will pay 7.65% additional taxes, or 15.3-16.2% FICA taxes.
• Sales Tax – Depending on the nature of your business, you might need to collect and pay sales taxes if you sell goods. The amount varies from one state to another, but is usually between 6-9%.

3. There are no annual reports or filings

Solo proprietorships don’t need to file annual reports with the state. You don’t even have to file any other tax returns. This is in contrast with LLCs or S-corporations which generally have to file an annual report after they are formed. This report usually requires the updating of managers or members’ lists.

You would need to file many additional filings if you decide to use an LLC or LLP, Scorp, C-corp, or other entity instead of a sole proprietorship.

• When you officially establish a company.
• Annual filing- Charged in most states to keep you company current
• You must notify the state if you are changing managers or directors.
• List members –Many types companies must inform the state when their members change
• An annual audit – Some companies must submit an audit every year
• Company tax returns Certain types of companies must prepare corporate tax returns, and pay separate taxes for business profits

It is beneficial that sole proprietorships do not have to file an annual return. This saves time and headaches. However, most states charge a fee of $50-$200 for annual filings. Solo proprietors need only file their annual tax returns.

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4. 4.

Others, which are more structured, have certain restrictions on their operations and must meet additional requirements. These requirements do not apply to sole proprietorships. As a sole proprietor, you are free to make any business decision you like, provided it is legal. There is no approval or formal review.

You can skip certain requirements for other business types if you are sole proprietor:

• Annual meetings –Companies like LLCs must hold an annual meeting to review the lists of members and managers
• Board Meetings – Some companies must have certain business decisions officially approved by directors
• Recorded Minutes –Formal minutes must be kept for these meetings of LLCs and corporations
• Shareholder votes Any formal actions by the company, such as appointing new managers or admitting members, must be voted upon
• Formal Reviews – Managers need to be formally re-appointed and certain actions must be reviewed.

5. Simple Record Keeping

An LLC or other formal-structured business requires you to separate your personal and business finances. You run the risk of being open to unlimited liability. This is known as “piercing corporate veil.”

Sole proprietors are subject to unlimited liability so many sole proprietors don’t separate their finances. Sole proprietors deposit their business income directly into personal accounts and pay all bills and debts themselves. They treat the business as an extension to their personal finances. This could make it easier to run a sole proprietorship than an LLC.

Although it is simpler to keep business and personal finances separate, it is often not a good idea. Separate records allow you to monitor cash flow and help you manage your business better. First, open a checking account for your business.

Separating finances in a sole proprietorship won’t protect your assets, but it can assist with bookkeeping, as the business grows. If you choose to change to an LLC, or any other type of business structure, it will make things easier. Chase was voted the best business account by us after we reviewed them all. Bonuses are available to new customers.

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5 Con’s of a Sole Proprietorship

Consider the pros and cons of sole proprietorship. One of the biggest disadvantages to sole proprietorship is that it allows for unlimited liability. The business owner can be held responsible for all obligations. If you are looking to grow your business, it is possible that W2 employees won’t be available (only 1099 contract employees).

The following are major disadvantages to sole proprietorships:

1. 1. Unlimited Liability

You don’t have the limited liability protections that an LLP, LLC or S-corporation offers if you are a sole proprietor. If someone is hurt by your business, a product you sell, or a mistake that you make, then you are personally responsible for any business expenses or debts. This means there is no legal distinction between you and your company.

You’ll be responsible for some liabilities in a sole proprietorship.

• Your business’s expenses
• Business-related debts
• Product-related Liability
• Property-related injuries
• Insufficient or inappropriate service can result in civil damages

A sole proprietorship has unlimited personal liability. Customers, vendors, and lenders can seek your personal assets to pay any business obligations. This is in contrast with LLCs, Scorps and C-corps which provide a shield of liability between the business and its owners.

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The personal assets of the company owners are protected in an LLC or Ccorp. They cannot be taken by customers, lenders, or vendors to meet the company’s obligations unless the business owners do anything that would allow the corporate veil be lifted or if the owner signed a personal guarantee. A sole proprietorship may not be the right choice if you are looking to legally protect yourself.

Rocket Lawyer can help you form a single-member LLC. This will protect you from any liabilities that may arise from your company. You can visit them right away and receive legal documents in no time.

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 An LLC is a limited-liability company that protects your personal assets from creditors and lawsuits. Others entities, such as sole proprietorships and general partnerships, are unlimited liability companies. These businesses have the same owner and company. Therefore, you are liable for all debts of the business, even if the partner takes them on.”

– Josh Zimmelman, President, Westwood Tax & Consulting

2. 2.

Your business will survive if you set it up as an LLC or C-corp. Your business can continue to exist as long as your business files are current and you have proper licensing. However, if you are a sole proprietor and you have to go bankrupt, it is the end of your business.

There is no way to ensure continuity in a sole proprietorship. A family member or employee may be able to continue working in your business but they would be starting a brand new company. They wouldn’t be sustaining your operations. This makes it difficult to plan for the long-term and make succession plans for your eventual exit.

Sole proprietorships cannot hire full-time employees or W2 employees. Although you can hire 1099 independent contractors to work for you, it is not possible to manage payroll or retain employees over the long-term. You will need to incorporate an S-corporation or C-corp if you plan to hire employees in future.

3. It is difficult to raise capital

If you need to raise capital from outside investors, structuring your business as a sole proprietorship may not be a good idea. Because there is no business to sell, it is almost impossible to raise capital unless you have tangible assets and intellectual property that investors could buy into.

Sole proprietorships do not have equity shares and are not licensed businesses. There is no formal process for reviewing business decisions and approvals. Shareholders in sole proprietorships have virtually no rights. These concerns are why investors don’t usually invest in sole proprietorships.

Even an LLC can make it difficult to raise capital. However, you can elect an S-corp, which makes it much easier. A C-corporation is the best option if you need to raise capital, particularly from angel investors or venture capital firms.

4. You can’t take on business debt

A sole proprietorship is not a company that has been established. Therefore, it is not possible to obtain a loan for a business. All debt, even those you borrow to grow your business or run it, is considered personal debt. Lenders may require that all loans are personally guaranteed by the sole proprietor. This means they have the right to seize your personal assets in the event of default.

Because a sole proprietorship does not constitute a separate business entity, you own the business. You are personally guaranteeing the repayment of any business loans to sole proprietorships.

This may not be the case for other business structures. Even if you are an LLC, you will likely need to personally guarantee any type or loan you get, including an SBA Loan. When you take on business debt, make sure that you understand all of your personal responsibilities.

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5. 5. Perceived lack of professionalism

Customers and business partners often think sole proprietors lack professionalism. This may not be an issue for people who want to start a small business from home or make extra money. It is worth taking into consideration the pros and cons associated with a sole proprietorship when you are deciding on the type of business structure that you would like to use.

C-corporations, which are at the opposite end of the spectrum of sole proprietorships and partnerships, are commonly used by large companies around the globe. They are considered the most professional and well-respected. These entities are known for having the most rigid organizational structure and oversight regulations. However, they offer the best opportunity to raise outside capital and provide the highest liability protection.

Solo proprietorships on the other side do not have any form of oversight or management. A sole proprietorship simply means that someone is selling products or working for themselves. Sole proprietors often receive income from their business. Many bills are paid out of their personal accounts.

You can avoid some of this unprofessionalism by opening a small business checking bank in your business’s name. Many providers allow you to use an “doing business under” (DBA) alias. This will depend on the institution. You can find more information in our article on the Best Checking Accounts.

Sole Proprietorship Examples

The pros and cons of sole proprietorships make them ideal for small-scale entrepreneurs just starting out in low cost, low-liability ventures. This is also a better option for small-business owners with no substantial assets, which a creditor could pursue if the business fails.

These are some examples of sole proprietorships that are worth mentioning:

Amazon Businesses

Amazon businesses are often started by people who white label products. This can be done easily as a sole proprietor. You can find more information in our article How to Sell on Amazon.

Etsy Shops

To avoid the expense of setting up and managing a formal business entity, many sellers using Etsy are sole proprietors. You can find more information in our How to Sell on Etsy article.

Other Personal Business

Solo proprietorships can be used to run a variety of other businesses. Sole proprietorships can also be suited to independent service providers such as massage therapists or consultants via platforms like Upwork.

A sole proprietorship can work well for even a small snow-shoving or lawn-mowing business. In these instances, it is important to change to a business that offers liability protection prior to purchasing trucks and other equipment. For example, moving to an LLC or Scorp would protect you against personal liability in the event of injury.

If their business is only a small, part-time venture or a weekend business, some small business owners prefer to be sole proprietors. This allows them to avoid having to register or manage an LLC. However, those who grow eventually opt for a more formal structure which provides greater liability protection.

Alternatives to Sole Proprietorship

There are many business structures that can be used in place of a sole proprietorship.

Limited Liability Company

LLCs make it easy to create and manage a company. You can create them online in most states in as little as 5-10 minutes for $150-$200. Although LLCs offer limited liability protection for company owners, they require annual filings, up-to-date member lists, tax filings with K-1s issued members, and more formal administration.

Limited Liability Partnership

Limited liability partnerships are not available in all states. They can only be used to practice a licensed profession. They are tax-exempt entities and tax liability is passed to their owners based upon the ownership stake.

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Although LLPs function in the same way as LLCs, they can only be used within certain industries.

• Accounting
• Architecture
• Law

S-Corporations

S-corps, closely held corporations, are generally considered pass-throughs and receive special tax treatment in some areas. S-corps owners can pay their own salary, but the IRS doesn’t recognize LLC owners being entitled to a salary. However, they may deduct this expense from the corporate profit.

You can find more information in our article C-corps.

C-Corporations

C-corps are the most stable and expensive of all the business structures. C-corps are subjected to double taxation. Corporate profits are taxed at 21%. These profits are then subject to double taxation once they are distributed as dividends to owners of the company, at the individual income tax rate.

You can find more information in our article Ccorps and S-corps .

Is a Sole Proprietorship Right for

The pros and cons of sole proprietorships are beneficial for new business owners who are just starting out. They should not be entering a risky field or needing a lot of capital. They shouldn’t have to borrow money or be at risk of injury. Ideal would be a cottage industry.

Solo proprietorships work best for those business owners who do not have significant assets that could be taken over by creditors, vendors, or customers as a result of debts or liabilities incurred from the operation. This type of business is ideal for entrepreneurs who are just starting their business and plan to move to a formal structure later.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs

1. What are the advantages of an LLC over a sole proprietorship?

An LLC is a better option than a sole proprietorship because it limits your liability as business owner. The sole proprietor of a business is responsible for all its debts and obligations. An LLC allows business assets to be segregated from personal financial accounts. You are personally responsible for any business obligations only if you give a personal guarantee or do anything that would allow “piercing” the corporate veil.

2. 2.Why is it good to be a sole proprietor?

There are pros and cons to sole proprietorships. They can be very beneficial for small businesses or new ones. Unfortunately, many businesses fail. So it’s a good idea to start as a sole proprietorship until you know if your business will succeed. This is especially true for businesses that don’t require large amounts of outside investment or involve a lot of liability.

3. Are You Required to Register as a Sole Proprietor

You don’t need to register as sole proprietor. Depending on the industry you work in, you may need to register for specific licenses.

4. What is the best way to pay taxes as sole proprietor?

You can structure your business as sole proprietorship and continue to pay your personal taxes. You can claim any income you earn from business operations and pay self-employment taxes. Depending on the location of your business, you may need to collect and pay local and state sales tax for any goods that are sold.

Bottom Line

The sole proprietorship is an informal, great structure for small business owners. It is important to weigh the pros and cons when choosing a business structure. These businesses don’t offer liability protection or make it difficult for their owners to raise funds, but they are easy to set up and manage.

A solid marketing strategy is essential to help build your customer base and create a compelling concept for a food truck. A food truck is an excellent money-making venture idea. Food trucks that are successful can make more than $500,000 annually, and the startup cost is around $40,000.

It takes approximately three to twelve months to start a food truck. These nine steps are necessary:

1. Find out more about local food trucks and the laws that govern them
2. Select a name and a concept
3. Register your company and open a bank accounts
4. Fundraise for your food truck
5. Licenses, permits, or insurance?
6. Get your food truck registered
7. Equipment and supplies can be purchased
8. Train and hire staff
9. Your food truck can be marketed

Let’s look at each step.

1. 1.

Restaurant MBA estimates that the failure rate for food truck businesses is 60% within three years. Planning is often the key to a successful food truck or a failure. It is important to plan your food truck business so that you fill a gap in the market, supply a demand and operate within the law. Do your initial research and find out about the local food truck scene. Also, research local regulations and laws. These facts will help you determine if a food cart is the right business model for you.

Well-targeted food trucks draw big crowds.
(Image by James Frid from Pexels)

Evaluation of the Food Truck Scene

There are many food trucks in different areas. Before you start sketching your menu business plan, it is important to get an idea of the type of food trucks that are available in your area. Local food trucks can be found at festivals, farmers’ markets, and food truck festivals. You can start your search by simply searching the internet for “food trucks” along with the name of your county.

Take note of the following:

• Cuisine You want to choose a food idea that isn’t being offered by other food trucks around your area. You don’t want to be the only falafel food truck operating in a small community. You also want to choose a cuisine that is popular.
• Prices If most food trucks in your neighborhood sell food between $5 and $8, you won’t be able to go too far from this price range. If your area has many gourmet-style, higher-priced trucks, you’ll be able to let your imagination run wild.
• Parking Location This will allow you to see which neighborhoods are truck-friendly and which ones aren’t.
• Hours of operation: Breakfast or lunch is a popular time for trucks if many people commute to your area for work. It is a smart idea to develop a breakfast or lunch menu. You might prefer a late-night snack or dinner menu if you’re in a college or tourist town.

Take note of the service style and menu sizes at local trucks. Also, take note of where they park and how busy they are. You can also check out their social media accounts to see how well local trucks market themselves. Ask truck owners about their most pressing operational issues. They will be eager to share their experience with a new food trucker. The camaraderie and support from other food truck operators is one of the greatest aspects of most food truck networks.

Investigating Local Food Truck Laws

There are three main categories of regulations for food trucks: health, zoning and vehicle requirements. The health regulations regulate what equipment you must have for your truck, what permits your employees require, and whether or not you need a commissary. Zoning regulations dictate where your truck can be parked for service, in what areas, and how long you can leave it there overnight. You will need to register your truck, get a commercial driver’s licence (CDL), and determine what vehicle type you can use.

Each state, county, or major city has its own regulations for street vending and food trucks.

New York City requires that every person who works on a food truck must have a mobile food vendor license. Los Angeles requires all food trucks to display No Smoking signs on their trucks. All food trucks must have a current contract with the commissary kitchen in many major cities.

The Commissary Kitchen is A commercial kitchen that can be rented by the hour or daily and which supports mobile food operations. The kitchens in commissaries have refrigeration equipment and cooking equipment. They also have storage areas that can be used to meet the needs of local health departments. Many provide grease disposal and greywater areas, truck maintenance areas, and secure overnight parking.

You can usually find your local regulations by making a few phone calls to your county or city health department, and one to your county clerk’s or city department. You should always ask questions when you speak to someone.

• What permits and licenses are required for a food truck? And what does it cost?
• Are separate food safety certificates required for each employee or can one safety license suffice?
• What equipment is required for on-truck refrigeration and cooking?
• Do all pieces of equipment have to be professionally installed
• Do I have to use a registered commissary chef?
• Are separate vending licenses required for each employee or for the entire business?
• Is there a limit on vehicle size?
• What regulations must street vending trucks adhere to?
• Is it necessary to have a commercial driver’s licence in order to drive a food truck?

These questions will impact how much it costs to open a food truck in your area and how long it takes to complete the process.

2. 2.

Once you have an idea of the regulations that you will need to follow and what food types work in your area, it is possible to narrow down your options and name your food truck. While you need to take into account consumer demand, food trucks are well-known for their creative mixes and personal flavour. Food trucks that are successful reflect the owner’s personal interests and experiences. Buldogis is a popular Las Vegas food truck that serves Korean-inflected gourmet hot dog. Its owners are both American and Korean.

These are some of the most popular food truck concepts:

• Fusion dishes This concept combines two distinct cuisines in order to create dishes that appeal more to a wider audience, such as Tex-Mex and sushi burritos.
• Regional cuisine: Popular dishes like breakfast tacos from Texas or lobster rolls from New England are always a big hit, especially when they’re in tourist areas.
• Health and organic foods:Acai Bowls, cold-pressed juice and intriguing salad combinations are just a few examples of trendy health food options.
• Comfort food: From fried chicken to mac & cheese, grilled cheese and tacos, comfort foods often equal big food truck business.
• Gourmet sandwiches Who doesn’t like a good sandwich! Use non-traditional ingredients, or a theme to make your sandwich stand out.
• Pizza: A wood-fired pizza cart is very popular. However, it might require a permit from the fire department.

Name your food truck

Once you have a basic idea of the concept, you can choose a name that best describes your food. The truck name will be your logo and social media handle. It will also be displayed on the truck’s side. This guide to naming a business provides a detailed overview. Our restaurant name generator will get you started.

Here are some tips to help you choose a name for your food truck.

• Use a unique name. If another restaurant or food truck uses the same name, you risk violating a trademark. To check if your name has been taken, you can use the United States Patent and Trademark Office online search tool.
• Be descriptive of your name: Your name should be descriptive of your food, theme and concept. This will make it easy for potential customers to understand what you offer.
• Be memorable in your name and easy to pronounce Food trucks rely heavily on word-of mouth for a lot of their business. Avoid confusing names. Aim for four words.
• Select a name that is scalable: A business name that is catchy and fun will help you grow your business, whether you open new restaurants, add more trucks or create new menu items.

Create your Food Truck Logo

A business logo is the final piece of your food truck concept puzzle. It should be able to evoke quality food and compete with other food truck operators. Your logo will be used on all marketing materials, including menus, business cards and social media. If you have uniforms or truck designs, it will be the foundation for them.

The impact of your logo on how people approach your truck can be huge. A skilled designer is the best person to help you with this crucial marketing element. This doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. Fiverr lets you view portfolios of freelance graphic artists. They can design simple logos for food trucks or full vehicle wraps starting at $5.

3. Register your business and open a bank account

You will need to register your state and create a business entity before you can start a food truck. There are many business structures available, including sole proprietorship, partnership and corporation. An LLC is the best choice for most food truck operators. It protects you and your assets in the event that your business goes under, or becomes bankrupt.

While filing fees can vary from one state to the next, forming an LLC doesn’t have to be expensive. The cost of filing an LLC can range from $40 to $500. You can find all the forms on the state’s website for business offices. However, it can be difficult and complicated to file LLC paperwork. We recommend that you use a legal website such as Incfile if you require assistance. Incfile does not charge additional fees for filing your LLC. They can often process LLC paperwork within the next business day.

Register for a Business Bank Account

A business bank account will allow you to seperate your personal and business finances. The account will contain funds that you have invested in your company and can be used to pay licensing fees, permits, and vendor fees. Once your truck is operational, credit card deposits will be transferred to this account. You will also pay your employees and suppliers from the account. Ask your bank about business banking options. You can also see our list of the best checking accounts .

4. 4.

The cost of starting a food truck company can vary depending on where you live, what type of equipment you use, and what truck you buy. The table below, based on data from mobile–cuisine.com gives an estimate of the estimated costs for starting a food truck company.

Food Truck Startup Costs

Food Truck Startup Idea	Estimated Cost
One-time charges
Buying a Food Truck	$5,000 to $125,000
Vehicle Inspection	From $100 to $500
Retrofitting your Truck to Code	$25,000. – $50,000
Generator	From $1,500 to $10,000
POS Software System and Hardware	From $500 to $1,500
Paint	From $1,000 to $3,000
Truck Wrap	From $2,500 to $5,000
First Food Purchases	500 to $2,000
Papers, Utensils and Goods	500 to $2,000
Website Design	From $500 to $3,500
Initial Office Equipment and Supplies	From $200 to $1,000
Advertising and Public Relations	500 to $2,000
Consulting, Professional, and Legal Fees	500 to $2,000
Recurring startup expenses
Payroll (Up To Four Staff Members)	From $1,500 to 3,500
Commissary and Commercial Kitchen Rent	From $500 to $3,000
Monthly Credit Card Processing Fees	The average sales price is 3%
Fuel	$250 to $400
Insurance	$5,000
Permits & Licensing	50 to $10,000 depending on where you live
Total Estimated Costs	$40,000 – $200,000

Write a Food Truck Business Plan

If you want your food truck to succeed, it will need a well-written business plan. A business plan is what you put on paper to show potential investors and loan officers that your food truck can be a viable investment. A plan to become profitable will help you understand how long it will take your food truck turn a profit, and what funding you need to keep your business going until then. The food truck business plan is a blueprint for how your business will start, grow, and run.

These sections should be included in your food truck business plan:

• Executive Summary: Briefly discuss the current and future prospects of the food truck industry in your area, as well as your concept and theme. Also, consider other markets and industries that could have a direct impact on your business. This should not exceed a page.
• Competitive analysis Determine market trends and analyze your competitors in the food truck market. Are there other food trucks selling similar food or traditional restaurants serving the same type of food in your local area? This will help you to explain how your truck can appeal to these people by offering a unique take on a favorite dish, or spiced it up with a secret sauce.
• Organizational and management: Describe how you intend to manage your business. This includes standard operating procedures, staffing and the responsibilities of each key employee and partner. Is your truck only street-side or will it cater to private events? What will you use to prepare and store most of your food? Please describe the layout of your truck. What number of customers can you service in an hour?
• Product line List your menu and ingredients. Also, list the cost of cooking the food and the price you intend to sell it. Note if you’re sourcing ingredients from a notable vendor or local farm. This section should demonstrate that you are well-versed in food costs and profitability.
• Market plan: Describe your plans to market your food truck company. Word-of-mouth and influencer marketing are important marketing channels for food trucks. Your marketing efforts can be boosted by attending well-attended festivals featuring food trucks.
• Financial projections Break down your projected expenses and profits for the first three to five year. You should have a monthly breakdown of busy and slow months if you live in an area with many seasonal changes.
• Financial requirements: Describe how much money you will need to fund your food truck. When applying for a loan, indicate how much money you require.

Make sure you include every detail when preparing your business plan. In other words, you should list your marketing strategy and explain how each line item will reach the target audience, what it will cost, and how many customers they will bring in. Your product line should include all food items. The ingredients and price of each item must be listed. Include logos and branded menus. Include photos of the truck as well as a rendering by an artist if you have purchased a truck.

Food Truck Funding

Many people don’t have the capital to start a food truck. A key step in financing your business is financing. A majority of lenders will require you to prepare a business plan prior to issuing a loan. Make sure that you have this plan, as well as the amount and credit history.

These are some financing options for food truck owners who want to start their own business:

• Loan/finance program for equipment: You can borrow money from truck sellers or equipment financiers to buy the truck.
• Rollover to business startups (ROBS: If you have more than $50,000 in retirement accounts, you can create a ROBS. This will allow you to use retirement funds to fund your business without having to pay early withdrawal penalties.
• Business credit cards If your ability to pay off debt is a strong point, a company credit card might be a good choice.
• Personal Loan: This is an option for those with good credit and less than $50,000.
• Microloan From Small Business Administration (SBA: Although microloans are smaller than traditional business loans, they may still be large enough to cover startup costs for food trucks. For loans less than $50,000, check out the Microloan Program of SBA.
• Find investors: It doesn’t matter if it’s a family member or a friend, finding investors to fund your food truck venture requires strategy. To convince investors to finance your venture, prepare your business plan and your concept.

Some funding is not provided by banks or big investors. Crowdfunding can help you to cover some or all your initial budget if your friends and family are supportive of your food truck idea. The business plan can be used as a starting point for creating a convincing crowdfunding page. Crowdfunding for food trucks is a great way to get a crowd of people excited about your truck.

Our How to Crowdfund a Small Business guide will provide a more detailed explanation of crowdfunding.

5. 5.Obtain Licenses, Permits and Insurance

Did you do the same research as in step 1? This is the time to take action and get all required licenses and permits, as well as insurance. There are three types of licenses or permits you will need: general business licenses; food service licenses; and vehicle licenses. Most food truck permits and licenses will cost $100 to $500 depending on where you live.

A mobile food vending permit is one of the licenses your truck needs.
(Image from Charleston-SC.gov)

• General Business Licenses
• Foodservice Licences
• Vehicle Licences
• Food Truck Insurance

Licenses for general business include:

• Doing business as (DBA) registration: If you want to operate your truck in a sole proprietorship, or under a different name than the LLC registered with the state you will need to obtain a DBA.
• Employer Identification number (EIN), This number is given by the IRS to your business and serves as your identification for tax purposes. You will need an EIN if you are going to hire employees. Register for free at the IRS Website.
• Business license All small business owners need a licence to operate in the state where they are located. The cost of this license varies from one state to the next, but is usually less than $500. Some states combine the process of obtaining a business license with business registrations, but this is not the case in all cases. To find out the requirements in your area, you should consult your state’s business agencies.
• State sales permit: This license registers you business with the state’s sales tax authority. All food truck sales are subjected to local and state sales taxes. To ensure that you accurately log your sales tax payments, you must register with your state. This permit is usually free.
• Reseller’s License: This license allows you to buy wholesale goods and resell them tax-free.

6. Get your food truck registered

Many of the licenses and permits you will need depend on what type of vehicle you buy. This step usually occurs simultaneously with your permit process. A food truck can run from $3,250 to $300,000 depending on its condition.

No matter what your budget is, it’s important to invest in the highest quality food truck that you can afford. You can reduce the risk of having to repair the truck later. Look for a local builder to make sure that your requirements are met.

You should ensure that your truck has the latest equipment, such as:

• Ovens and refrigerators work properly
• With the right pressure, hot and cold water can be obtained
• First aid kits and fire extinguishers are available at board
• Proper food storage
• Professional installation of critical equipment

Some places require proof that the truck’s gas and electric equipment was installed by licensed professionals. Ask for documentation if you’re looking at a used truck.

Where can I buy a food truck?

There are many options available for buying a food truck. A seller can sell a used truck on eBay, Craigslist or through an online directory. A fully equipped truck can be purchased for as low as $50,000. However, it will require that you paint the outside and renovate the interior to suit your business.

Here are some good websites to locate used food trucks:

• Commercial Truck Trader
• Vending
• Road Stoves
• Miami Trailer & Equipment Company

An escrow service is recommended if you buy a truck online. An escrow service will hold your funds until the seller delivers the truck. They will release the funds only when the truck is accepted by you. eBay, for example, offers an integrated option to pay via Escrow.com in order to protect both buyers and sellers.

A manufacturer such as 800BuyCart can also sell a new food truck. Their standard trucks are priced at approximately $18,000. Ford, Nissan, Mercedes-Benz, and Mercedes-Benz are major car manufacturers. For pricing and other options, you will need to contact your local dealer. Prices for new cars from major manufacturers should start at $40,000 plus any equipment.

Construction of a Food Truck

If you have the funds, custom-built food trucks will set your food truck apart. Northwest Mobile Kitchens, Cruising Kitchens and Prestige Food Trucks are experts in building custom food trucks to your specifications. Custom food trucks can cost anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000. Everything is brand new and purpose-built. It doesn’t matter if the previous owners took care of the truck, or if the gas lines were installed by a professional.

Lease a Food Truck

You might consider leasing a food truck if you are only operating sporadically or have limited funds. Trucks are leased by brands like RoadStoves and Mobi Munch, both based in Los Angeles. Leasing is a good option if there are truck agencies in your area. Leases often include a lot of included services. RoadStoves customers get access to a commissary and truck parking as part of their truck lease. Food truck leases are often between $3,000 and $4,500 per month.

Leasing is not an option because the truck can’t be customized to meet your specific needs. Magnetic decals are a great way to personalize the truck with your logo or menu. You may have to stop your business until you find another truck.

7. Buy Equipment & Supplies

Now that you have your truck, permits, and menu in hand, it is time to set up wholesale accounts and finalize equipment requirements. You will still need additional tools, even if your truck has all the necessary equipment. Food truck equipment includes generators, condiment tables and registers. To avoid sales tax and bulk purchases, you will need to open accounts with food suppliers.

If you use your truck to cater event, you may want to purchase tables and chafing dishes.
(Image from Border Grill Truck and Catering)

Exterior and Truck Wraps

The truck wrap covers those bright trucks with nose to tail designs. Professionals should install a full truck wrap. It can last from three to five year. A truck wrap installation costs anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000, including design and installation. If you don’t have the funds, you can get smaller vinyl decals printed at your local sign shop and then install them yourself. You should not leave any area larger than 2 to 3 feet for the professionals.

Truck wraps can be purchased from a variety of companies including:

• Wrap Solutions
• Custom Vehicle Wraps
• Flash Forward Wraps

You can also paint your truck’s exterior. Although this is cheaper than vinyl wrap (ranging from $1,000 to $3,000), it should be done professionally. Painted decorations may not last as long and are less durable than vinyl wraps.

Your contact information and logo should be displayed on your truck’s exterior. Handwritten chalkboards or dry erase boards can be used to display food truck menus that are subject to change. A professionally printed, professionally designed menu is a good option if your menu changes little from day to day. A menu design can usually be requested from the person who designed your food truck logo. You can also use an app-based menu maker like the one provided by Canva.

Cooking and serving equipment

You may be able to cover most of your primary equipment requirements with your truck or commercial kitchen. You may have to buy additional cooking equipment if you require unique elements such as wood smoke, rotisseries or metal skewers. While commercial kitchens may have blenders, spatulas and tongs that you can use, the supplies available in a shared space are often limited. Cambro containers are a good option to transport your prepared food to your truck. Cambro also sells small equipment such as a food processor and baking sheets. Secure storage is a must in a commercial kitchen lease so that you don’t have the hassle of lugging your food processor from one place to another.

Catering will require you to have a few sturdy, collapsible tables as well as chafing dishes. This will allow you to keep your food warm outside. Most small equipment can be found at your local kitchen supply or restaurant. Sur La Table, a popular cooking brand, offers 10% off to professional chefs. These items can be found through Sysco or other mainline distributors. Table linens are the only type of equipment it is not worth investing in. These can be rented by you or your caterers to match the event’s color scheme.

POS Equipment

Consumers are increasingly relying on mobile wallet, credit and debit payments. Recent restudies have shown that 80% of consumers have used contactless payments in the last year. Up to 70% of millennials use smartphones for payment. Although it technically is possible to run a cash-only food truck you will be severely affected by inability to accept debit, credit and mobile wallet payments. A cloud-based mobile POS system is the best way to accept digital and card payments.

These tools have advanced significantly over the last few years, and are now more accessible to food truck owners. Many of our top-ranked food-truck POS systems are wireless and cellular-network-compatible, and many can be used for free. Square For Restaurants is our favorite food truck POS system. You can download the Apple App Store software and get started taking payments within a few hours.

However, POS systems can do more than just pay for payments. A good POS system for food trucks will help you track your inventory levels, alert you when stock is low, count inventory and track cash transactions (reducing the risk of employee theft). Modern POS systems can also be used to log customer information, manage social media accounts, monitor internet reviews, and more.

Setting up Vendor Accounts

Sysco is a mainline distributor. If your food truck is busy, you should open wholesale accounts. You will get a discount on food and beverages, and you can save time driving as many distributors will deliver directly into your commercial kitchen. Once your credit application has been approved, most vendors work on a net 30-system, which means that you have 30 days to pay the invoice. If you wish, you can still pay by check at delivery.

It may be more beneficial to open accounts with local wholesalers than national distributor chains. You should find one that supplies the majority of your food and beverages. The fewer suppliers you have, the less invoices you will need to process each month.

Tip: Create a single sheet that contains your credit application information to speed up vendor account creation. Your name, truck name, address, EIN and banking information should be included.

How to start a blog in 7 easy steps

How to make money with a blog is as easy as seven steps. Although you can launch a blog within a day, it will take three to six months for your blog to gain traction on Google and become profitable. These steps can help you accelerate the success of your blog.

You will need to select a platform for blogging and a hosting provider. Bluehost is a great place to host your WordPress blog. It costs only $2.95 per month.

Visit Bluehost

To start a blog that makes money, you only need to follow seven steps:

1. 1. Decide what type of blog you want to start

First, decide what topic you want to blog about. Perhaps you already know what your blog will be about. You need to be aware of the basics to make sure you choose a niche with real earnings potential.

You need to narrow down a niche you are able to serve well. This will allow you to significantly reduce your competition. It is better to provide content that caters to your specific needs than a generalized piece of content at any given time. Nerdfitness, for example, was a blog that became very popular quickly despite the fact that there were many fitness blogs. It appealed to nerds who wanted to be fit.

— Ted Chong, Blogger, Digital Senior

Types of blogs

There are many different types of blogs that you can create and each one appeals to a specific niche audience. A blog where you are already proficient in the topic or have deep knowledge and experience is the best.

These are some of the most popular blogs:

• Food blogs If you are passionate about cooking and creating new recipes, you might consider starting a food blog. This niche is very popular on the internet.
• Wellness and health blogs: If your passion is for fitness and health, you might want to start a blog about it.
• Business blogs These blogs are focused on a specific set of business interests and needs, such as leadership or entrepreneurship.
• Start a Travel Blog if you are passionate about adventure and travel.
• Lifestyle blogs A popular niche in blogging, lifestyle blogs discuss a set of lifestyle choices, interests and unique tastes from the blogger’s perspective.
• Craft blogs If you find the idea of sharing your craft knowledge appealing and there is a large demand for DIY craft ideas, then you might consider starting a blog.
• Finance blogs: These blogs discuss how to save money, invest your money, live within a budget, as well as other topics related to personal and business finances.
• Blogs about sports: If your passion is for the game of football, you might want to create a blog about it.
• Mommy blogs These blogs are focused on parenting, homemaking and personal challenges that mothers face.
• Entertainment blogs You may blog about movies, television and music as well as theater and celebrities.
• Beauty and fashion blogs: These blogs usually discuss fashion trends, hair, makeup, and other beauty products.
• Hobby blogs You have the option to blog about any hobby you choose, including model trains and gardening.

It is entirely up to you what type of blog you want. You can make money blogging by choosing a niche you are comfortable with.

Lifestyle blogger Joanna Goddard talks about a variety of topics on her popular blog

Keyword Research

Because people are searching for these topics most often, you want to write about them. This will help your blog get more traffic. If people don’t find you blog, you won’t make any money.

It is important to research keywords if you want your blog posts to rank on the first page in search engine results. You can also research keywords to find out how competitive the terms you are targeting.

Google’s Keyword Planner is the best tool to do keyword research. Although it is simple to use, you will need to create a Google AdWords Account to access the Keyword Planner tool.

Blog posts that are focused on high traffic terms and low competition terms can improve the likelihood of your posts ranking highly in Google’s search results. is our guide to the best ways to rank highly on Google.

Google’s Keyword Planner helps you discover volume and competition levels for keywords

2. How to make money with your blog

Many new bloggers make the biggest mistake of not deciding how to monetize their blogs. Before you launch your blog, you need to plan how you will generate income.

Affiliate marketing is one of the most successful ways to make money blogging. You can add advertisements to your website, sell products or services, or get paid sponsorships to promote your blog posts.

You don’t have to sell anything on your blog if you are not selling products or services. If you want to monetize your blog in six months, however, you should have something to sell within six months.

 Bloggers don’t necessarily need to have a product to market in the beginning. However, it is a good idea to have a product or service you can launch within six months to avoid making a hobby out of blogging. From the beginning, a clear revenue stream is essential. It is very competitive in the blogging world so it is important to do your homework early on to ensure that you are successful.

— Alexis Mathews, Marketing Strategist & SEO Specialist, Premier Executive Media

You can read our popular article How bloggers make to learn more about how you can generate income blogging. These ideas will help you get started with your money-making blogging endeavors.

3. Choose Your Blogging Platform

There are two main types of blog platforms. You can have your blog hosted on a different website. Although this is often free, there are significant restrictions in blog design, monetization and visibility in search engines. You can also create a self-hosted website with a content management software (CMS), and a hosting company for as low as $2.95 using BlueHost. The best way to make money online is to create your own blog.

Create Your Blog on another Website

Many free blogging platforms are available, including WordPress.com and Blogger. These websites connect you to other bloggers.

Hosting your blog on another site has its downsides.

• No custom domain: Since you don’t get your own custom domain name (ex: yourbusiness.com vs yourwebsite.wordpress.com). This could lower your authority as an authoritative blogger.
• Monetization issues: Your blog won’t be fully monetized. There are strict guidelines for making money on free blogging sites.
• You have limited control. You don’t have complete control over your website. Your personal blog will also disappear if the website hosting it is shut down.
• Lower search rankings: SEO may not be as easy to control, which can negatively affect your page rankings on Google.
• Design limitations for blogs: These sites have design and HTMLcoding restrictions. You won’t be in a position to design your blog exactly the way you want it to look.

If you’re not serious about building a blog, or just want to have fun sharing your thoughts and experiences with others, then consider creating a blog on another website. You can open a blog account free of charge on WordPress.com. This site also has many upgrade options that will help you grow your blog.

The WordPress.com dashboard lets you customize the look of your blog

Create Your Own Blog

Self-hosted blogs offer great flexibility in site design and monetization. A self-hosted blog is the best way to make money from your blog. Remember that every company needs a website. A blog should be part of your business plan.

These are the most popular self-hosted blogging sites:

• Bluehost and WordPress: WordPress has become the most widely used blogging platform. Bluehost is a low-cost option for hosting a WordPress site. It costs only $2.95 per monthly. Bluehost is quick and easy to set up your blog.
• Squarespace is an all-in one website platform that includes hosting. Squarespace’s easy-to use website-building interface makes it possible to create beautiful blogs. Prices start at $12 per month.
• Wix This all-in-one website creator is well-known for making it easy to create a blog. Wix sites can be started for just $13 per month. Compare Wix and WordPress .
• DreamHost and WordPress: DreamHost is another hosting provider you can use with WordPress. Plans start at $2.59 per month and don’t require a year commitment.

You can also consider other blogging platforms. These options will help you get your blog up and running quickly.

4. 4.

You will need to choose a domain if you decide to host your own blog. Bluehost offers a free domain during the first year of hosting.

Your hosting vendor can also sell your domain separately at sites such as Namecheap and Hover, where the average annual domain cost is $8 to $15. Domain renewal rates tend to be lower with domain-registration sites than with hosting providers.

These are the essential elements of a domain name:

• Description for your blog: People will be able to identify what you’re writing about by simply looking at the name of your site. minimalistbaker.com, for example, is a food blog that features recipes with less than 10 ingredients.
• Keywords You want people searching Google for information related to your expertise to find your blog. People who search on Google will see your primary keyword in the domain.
• A domain that is easy to spell and pronounce If your website is difficult to spell or pronounce, it will make it more difficult for people to remember. When choosing your domain, be clear and use standard spellings.

It may take some time to find a domain name with millions of blogs online. You have a better chance of acquiring the domain name you desire if your blog name is unique.

You should immediately purchase a domain that you find. Domain registration websites are well-known for monitoring domain search queries and increasing the price for those that were not purchased.

5. 5.

After you have completed steps 1 through 4, it is time to design your blog. This will depend on which platform you use. Squarespace and Wix offer standard themes that you can customize your website.

You will need to install WordPress if you decide to use a WordPress website. Bluehost makes it easy. Navigate to the BlueHost dashboard and scroll down to the website section. Click “Install WordPress” to follow the instructions.

Bluehost makes it easy to install WordPress from its dashboard

Personalize your blog with design and personalization

You can choose from the many templates available through SquareSpace and Wix. These templates take care of key design elements for you so you don’t need to be a designer to launch your blog.

Because of its stunning modern templates, Squarespace is a popular choice for bloggers. Squarespace is an excellent choice for bloggers with minimal design skills who want to create a beautiful blog. SquareSpace has 21 templates families, which means that there are 92 designs available. This is a list of top free Squarespace templates.

When creating a blog on SquareSpace, simply choose a template and start designing your blog

The Wix ADI will assist you in designing a website based on the answers to a few questions. Wix also offers a variety of templates. Wix offers more than 300 templates. Be careful, however, because you can’t change templates once your blog is live.

Wix is one of the most user-friendly blog platforms. Wix is a great platform for people with little technical knowledge.

Wix offers more than 300 different blog templates

You will need to choose a theme to your website if you opt for a WordPress blog hosted on your own server (WordPress.org). This is the best option for bloggers looking to make a profit. A WordPress theme is a template or design framework that allows you to customize your website. There are many WordPress themes, many of them free. Premium themes offer more design options and flexibility than free themes.

Bluehost allows you to access a variety of premium and free themes when you host your blog. It’s quick and easy to install and you don’t have to stick with one theme. You can also change your theme at any time.

Example of a responsive WordPress theme available through Bluehost

Divi is a premium theme that offers more customization options to your blog’s design. It comes from Elegant Themes. Divi is not only a theme but also offers a page builder that’s easier than WordPress’s default post editor. Divi’s page-builder tool makes it easy to create beautiful pages that are customized. This is why Divi is so popular among non-technical bloggers. Divi is $89/year for annual access.

You can also hire a web developer or designer to design your blog. Fiverr makes it easy to find the right freelancer to help build your blog. Fiverr freelancers can be found for almost any budget.

Example of a website design freelancer on Fiverr

6. Develop Blog Content

After your website is built, you can start to add content to your blog. This is the most important step in starting a blog. Content marketing allows you to give your audience something valuable, build trust and convert customers into readers.

Types of blog posts

To engage your readers and make money, there are many types of blog posts that you can add to your site. For maximum appeal to new and returning visitors, the most successful bloggers mix their content.

These are some popular formats for blog posts that you can add to your site.

• How to posts: Show people how to do something. These are the most common how-to posts.
• Expert roundup post: Get input from experts on a particular topic or about a particular theme. Post all the expert responses in one post and add your own perspective.
• Reviews:Choose one product or service to review and provide an objective assessment. Compare features, options, price, etc. Next, tell blog readers whether you recommend the product or service and why.
• Success stories: Everyone enjoys a success story. Please share a story about a successful experience and the factors that led to it. This is a great way for blog readers to be inspired.
• Interview postsInterview other people on a topic that interests you. Interview experts in your field, or anyone who has an opinion about what you are writing and wants to share their views.

You’ll quickly discover which posts are most popular and which convert visitors into buyers by experimenting with different types. Take what you have learned and use it to improve your posts.

Example of a roundup post on Fit Small Business

Other types of blog content

Your blog will not only contain blog posts. A page about you, strong calls for action (CTAs), as well as some lead magnets-based email capture devices will be important. You may need to add more content depending on what type of blog you have. The best blogging tips are not just about content creation.

Your “About Me Page”

Your blog needs a strong About Me page (or About Us). Your About page will likely be the most popular on your site. Make sure to include compelling content to show visitors why they should stay on your blog.

Your About Me page is likely to be the most popular on your website. You want it to greet your visitors and confirm that they have found the right blog. Keep it conversational and original. Your visitors should know why you created your blog and what it can do for them. Give your visitors a glimpse into your past and experiences to increase your credibility.

Strong CTAs

Strong CTAs should be included in all of your pages and blog posts. CTAs tell your visitors what they should do next. You might send your visitors to a “pillar” post. This is a post that best describes the purpose of your blog.

A second step you might want site visitors to take is downloading a resource or tool you offer. These resources and tools are known as lead magnets and can be a great way to build your email list.

Lead magnets

It doesn’t suffice to bring new visitors to your website. You need to retain them once they are there. Although email marketing is a great method, you must have an email list in order to effectively do so.

Bluehost offers a free business email account. You will need to set this up. This is an important step, since getting an email from [email protected] will look more professional than getting an email from [email protected].

Here are some ways to get email addresses from your business once you have it set up.

• Create an electronic book or PDF: Make an ebook or a PDF that contains information not found on your website. Before sharing the information and resources, ask people to enter their email address.
• Send out a weekly newsletter to people. To get people to sign up for your newsletter, you can either have a pop-up on your site or a box at your top asking them to subscribe to your weekly tips.

You are motivating people to visit your site by sending them regular emails about the latest updates on your blog.

Example of an email capture form featuring a lead magnet from the Minimalist Baker blog

Other site content

Your site’s other content will contain any additional information you wish your visitors to see. Images and links to products or services that you wish to promote, ads, and affiliate promotions are all examples. You can also include videos, infographics, links to related social media channels, testimonials and other content. It is a good idea to have content that helps site visitors and leads to sales.

 “The best advice that I can give new bloggers is consistency, consistent, consistency. As a blogger, I’ve seen bloggers who desire immediate results. After posting several blogs, but not reaching a million views, many bloggers quit. You can set a posting schedule, plan your strategy, and then batch your content. Share it with everyone, more than anything, and keep going!

— Bri Seeley, Entrepreneur Coach

7. Get more traffic to your blog

In Step 6, we mentioned that creating an email list can be a great way of generating high-quality traffic to your blog. A great way to make money is to learn search engine optimization (SEO), and then implement SEO strategies on your site.

SEO strategies can be used to optimize your blog so search engines like Google recognize your pages and rank them high in search engine results. Your blog will get more traffic if you rank higher on Google’s search engine pages rankings.

Yoast SEO, a powerful plugin for WordPress that integrates with your site, is highly recommended by top bloggers. Yoast offers both a premium and free option.

A popular way to increase blog traffic is to post on social media, directing people to your blog. Facebook and Twitter are the top platforms for driving blog traffic.

Make sure you are targeting the right visitors to your blog with all traffic-generating methods . This means that you are only attracting people who are interested and qualified to use them. A website that attracts traffic to your blog from people not interested in it will increase its bounce rate. This is the number of visitors who leave your site immediately after they have finished reading. Google page rankings suffer from high bounce rates.

How to start a blog Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

What is the cost of starting a blog?

You can start blogging free of charge on many sites like Medium and WordPress.com. Self-hosted websites are popular for people who want to make money with their blogs. With Bluehost, you can create a self-hosted website for as low as $2.95 per month.

How can you make money from a blog?

Sites like Squarespace and Wix are great options for starting a blog. Affiliate marketing, selling products and creating sponsored posts are some of the most popular ways to make a living blogging. You can make the most of your blog by choosing a profitable niche that has enough demand over time.

How much money do bloggers make?

Bloggers make an average of $100 per month, but this is only because they don’t have sites that are optimized for making money. Smart blog monetization strategies can help even new bloggers earn between $500 and $3,000 per month. Bloggers who are successful earn anywhere from $10,000 to six figures per month. Some blogging statistics indicate that marketers who concentrate on blogging are 13x more likely to see positive returns on their investment (ROI).

Can I create a blog without paying anything?

WordPress.com Medium, Blogger, Wix, and Wix are the top places to start a blog for free. Although you can create a blog without paying for hosting, the best bloggers make their sites through WordPress.org or DreamHost.

Bottom line

A blog can be a great way for you to share your passions with other people who are interested in the same topic. If you are passionate about the topic, your blog could become more than a hobby. It can even be a source of income.

Vlogging and blogging are two popular ways to make money online. Which one is best for you? You need to know the differences between blogging and vlogging if you are unsure whether to start a blog or a vlog. To achieve great success, you’ll want to learn the best practices used by top bloggers and vloggers today.

What is a blog?

A blog, originally called a “weblog”, is a collection of content that has been created and published online. Although blogs are usually managed by individuals, they are popular on business websites as well. Bloggers are people who create blog posts.

Although there are many blogs that can be of general interest, the majority of blogs are targeted at a particular niche market, or group who have similar interests, needs, and wants. Blogs are not static documents. They are an ongoing communication channel that provides new and relevant content.

Blogs often contain dynamic links to other internet content. They may also have interactive or community engagement components, such as comments sections. While blogs started as simple text documents, today’s sophisticated blogs feature dynamic visuals or videos.

Esther and Jacob, bloggers at LocalAdventurer.com, generate over $20,000 per month blogging.
(Source: Localadventurer.com)

What is a Vlog?

A vlog (or video log) is the video equivalent to a blog. Vlogs are similar to blogs in that they target a specific audience with common interests and needs. Vlogs can and should include metadata text, but the star of any vlog is the person/people who are talking about it.

Vlogging has seen a boom in two ways. YouTube’s 2005 launch was the first. It is still the most used platform for vloggers. The second was the rise in popularity and use of smartphones, especially after smartphone video capabilities improved to the point that anyone can record high quality videos from anywhere.

Ryan Kaji of the Ryan’s World YouTube channel has earned $26 million as a vlogger making him the highest-paid vlogger to date. He started vlogging when he was three.

When you should blog vs when you should vlog

Vlogging and blogging are different in that the content creator uses video, as well as the location where it is hosted. Vlogging is a great option if you enjoy talking with people and are comfortable in front of the camera, but don’t necessarily plan to create a website. Blogging may be for you if you are a writer and want to build your own website.

Many people blog and vlog because they feel that video and text-based content allows them to reach the largest audience.

Blogging vs Vlogging Comparison

	Blogging	Vlogging
Popularity	There are 31.7 million U.S. bloggers1 and 77% read blogs2.	Worldwide, there are 2 billion YouTube users and 5 billion videos viewed daily.
Is Editing Possible after Publishing?	Yes	You cannot, but you can reuse footage that has been previously recorded.
Content Hosting Costs	Up to $29 per Month	YouTube, Instagram (IGTV), Facebook and TikTok are free
Content Length Supported	From short to long	Video lengths are allowed to vary from short to long depending on the platform.
Equipment required	A computer or smartphone, an internet connection and a blogging platform	Smartphone with video capabilities, microphone and lighting equipment, internet connection, video editor software
Potential for Search Engine Optimization (SEO).	Search engine optimization is simple for text-based content	Optimizing video-based content can be more challenging
Popular Monetization Options	Advertising, brand sponsorships and affiliate marketing. Product and service sales.	Advertising, brand sponsorships and affiliate marketing. Product and service sales.
Demographics of Audience	Varies by niche	Variable depending on niche. In general, video is more popular than text-based material with audiences below 30.
Potential for earning	$0 to six figures and more	$0 to six figures and more

1Statista; 2OptinMonster; 3Statista

Another option to explore podcasts

It would be remiss of me to tell you that content development options are limited to blogs and vlogs. A podcast is another popular way to connect and build an audience. Podcasts are typically audio-based but can be audio-plus-video-based. Podcasts are a great way to reach a large audience who prefer to listen on the go.

Use	What Your Audience Prefers to
Blog	Check out your content
A vlog	Pay attention to your content
A podcast	Listen to what you have to say

How to Start a Blog

There are many ways to start blogging. Blogs can be made on Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr. Blogs can also be published on other general publishing sites, such as Medium.

A self-hosted WordPress blog is a good choice if you want to make a living as a blogger. WordPress is the most flexible and popular blogging platform. You can even launch your WordPress blog using Bluehost, your web hosting provider, for as low $2.95 per month.

Visit Bluehost

Choose a Profitable Blogging Niche

There are many niches that you can choose from. However, some niches are more lucrative than others. You want to be successful as an entrepreneur by choosing a niche that is compatible with your skills and interests.

These are the top 11 blogging niches.

1. Blogs for moms and parents
2. Food and cooking blogs
3. Lifestyle blogs
4. Blogs for business
5. Blogs about fitness and wellness
6. Entertainment blogs
7. Blogs about personal finance
8. Hobby, craft, and DIY blogs
9. Travel blogs
10. Blogs about product reviews
11. Fashion and beauty blogs

Cookie + Kate is an example of a popular food blog that also has active YouTube channel.
(Source: Cookieandkate.com)

Create Excellent Blog Content

The blog’s overall content strategy can have a significant impact on how successful it performs. It is important to write amazing content about topics that are highly sought-after. This is the key to blogging success. You can create a blog that is both successful and lasts the test of time by consistently creating high-quality content.

Blog content can be mostly text-based, which is quite common. Blogs that are well-respected tend to be more creative in how they present their content. They often include interactive quizzes, videos and high-impact graphics.

Repurposing blog content is a great way to get the most from your content development efforts. You can convert blog posts into scripts that you can use to create videos for your vlog.

How do bloggers make money?

Bloggers can make money in many ways. Your blog’s income will depend on your audience, the traffic to it, and the monetization strategies that you use.

These are the top ways that bloggers make money.

• Affiliate marketing is where you are paid a commission to promote other products and services.
• Advertising
• Sponsored content
• Online courses can be developed and sold
• Sell e-books and books.
• You can sell professional or freelance services
• You can sell physical products – your own products or those of others

What is the Average Salary of Bloggers?

Bloggers who treat their blogs as a business and have a solid blog business plan will make more than those who treat them like hobbies. While some bloggers make very little, others are able to earn between $200 and $2,500 per month.

Bloggers can make five figures per month. Many bloggers have quit their 9-to-5 jobs to start successful blogs that let them work remotely. Although you may not make a lot of money blogging overnight, it is possible to make a living. Although it takes hard work to create a blog that is profitable, it is possible.

The Show Me the Yummy Food blog is an example of a six-figure-earning blog.
(Source: Showmetheyummy.com)

How to Start Vlogging

It is easy to get started as a YouTube vlogger by simply holding your phone in front of your face, pressing the record button and then uploading your video on YouTube or any other popular vlogging platform. The truth is that successful vloggers spend a lot more effort in creating shareable videos and coming up with their overall strategy for vlogging.

 

Tip How To Start a Vlog In 8 Steps for more information on how to launch your vlog

 

Choose Your Vlogging Platforms

Bloggers who are most successful usually build their blogs on the websites they own. Bloggers are not as successful as vloggers who post videos on sites that host them.

YouTube is the most popular platform for vloggers because of its large active user base. More than 30,000,000 YouTube channels are available with 15 million creators uploading over 80 million videos each month. Around 16,000 YouTube channels have over a million subscribers, which is a sign that many people are becoming vloggers.

Beauty vlogger Michelle’ Phan’s YouTube channel has nearly 9 million subscribers.
(Source: Youtube.com)

YouTube is the most popular place to vlog, but it’s not all that. You can vlog via IGTV on Instagram, which stands to represent Instagram TV. You can also vlog via Facebook’s live video option. Or, host videos on Facebook via Facebook View.

TikTok is the most popular and exciting trend in vlogging. It’s a video-sharing social network service. TikTok videos are only 15 seconds long. However, you can combine four 15-second videos for up to 60 seconds. TikTok’s most popular videos are fun and entertaining.

Ryan O’connell has millions of likes on TikTok for his roller-skating vlogs.
(Source: Tiktok.com)

Choose a Profitable Vlogging Niche

Vloggers and bloggers have a lot in common, but there are also some differences. Both blogs and vlogs are popular niches in beauty, fashion, finance, lifestyle, finance and travel. Vloggers also enjoy comedy, entertainment, and gaming.

The Markiplier YouTube channel has over 26 million subscribers and specializes in gaming and entertainment videos. (Source: Youtube.com)

Are You a Suitable Audience for a Person Under 30?

Vlogging is different from blogging in that the audience is older. Particularly millennials prefer video content to text-based content. Vlogging is a great option if your target audience is younger than 30.

60% of millennials are binge-watching videos on YouTube
(Source: Mediakix.com)

Create Excellent Vlog Content

Quality content is essential for bloggers and vloggers. However, the process of creating quality content is very different.

Make sure you have the right equipment for vlogging

Even newbie vloggers sometimes underestimate the importance of creating a shareworthy clip. It can be difficult to create the kind of videos that today’s viewers expect. However, a video that provides viewers with extreme value doesn’t necessarily have to be as polished and professional as a Hollywood production.

Here’s a list of common equipment used for vlogging.

• A smartphone/camera with video capabilities
• A microphone that captures your voice and doesn’t pick up background noise
• A tripod is a sturdy support for your camera.
• When the natural light is not sufficient, there are auxiliary lighting options
• Teleprompter software can be downloaded to a tablet and laptop.
• Professional backgrounds
• Software for video editing such as iMovie or Windows Movie Maker or Filmora9

Show Charisma to the Camera

You’ll also need to improve your video delivery skills. It is not common for people to be charismatic on video. To be able to speak on video with flair and finesse, it may take some practice. You will be more engaging as a vlogger if you have more experience.

To save time and create content, you can create a Vlog script

While some vloggers seem to “wing it” when speaking on camera, others are skilled at creating the illusion that they’re speaking from a script. You can cut down on the time it takes to film your vlog as well as the time spent editing it. A script helps you to stay focused on what you want to show on your vlog and serves your audience better.

Example of a vlogger video shoot
(Source: Spectrum-Brand.com)

How do Vloggers make money?

Vloggers, for the most part, make money using the same monetization methods bloggers use. This includes advertising, affiliate marketing and selling all kinds of products and services.

YouTube content can be used to earn advertising revenue through Google AdSense . Vloggers are eligible for advertising income. To join YouTube’s AdSense program, you will need at least 1,000 subscribers.

Estimated Google AdSense earnings for a vlogger with 50,000 daily ad views on YouTube.
(Source: Influence Marketing Hub)

What is the Average Salary of Vloggers?

Because very few vloggers publish this information, it is difficult to determine what an average vlogger makes. Vlogger income can vary greatly, just like bloggers. I mean from $0 to millions.

YouTube vloggers get paid between $10 and $33 for every thousand views. Most successful vloggers diversify income streams by using sponsored videos or product sales to generate the majority of their income.

A recent YouTuber survey found that vloggers can earn $100 to $1,000 in sponsorship fees when they have videos with at least 10,000 views per month. Vloggers who have millions of views per month can make six- to seven-figures in sponsorship fees for one vlog post.

Alpha M., a men’s lifestyle vlogger, monetizes his video with product sponsorships. He has 6 million subscribers. Source: Youtube.com

Bottom line

Your personal preference for content development will determine whether you blog or vlog. Some people are naturally suited for video while others are natural writers. While you can make a living as a blogger or vlogger, it is possible to make more money by blogging and creating vlogs.

The bounce rate is the percentage that people visit your blog and do not take any action, such as clicking a link, filling in a form, purchasing, commenting, or making a purchase. You must create engaging content and improve the user experience to maintain a good bounce rate.

What is a good bounce rate?

Your industry and type of website will determine your bounce rate. Blogs can be described as “content” websites. This means that you create content for your readers to read. You can also monetize your blog content through affiliate links, or selling products and/or services. Bloggers have an average bounce rate of 40% to 60%, which is considered a “good” bounce rate.

Good and normal bounce rates across industries
(Source: Kissmetrics)

Accurate Data & Analytics

You should also be aware that Google Analytics data may not reflect the correct information if multiple plugins are feeding into the tool. This was something I had to learn the hard way even though I’ve been blogging for years. One day, I installed a plugin that fed data to Google Analytics. (Read the fine print! Even though I already had a Google Analytics plug-in, it was still installed.

My bounce rate dropped to 50%. It is not common to see a bounce rate this high for bloggers, so it was a sign that something had happened. Look at the plugins you have and check for duplicates if you notice a high bounce rate. If your bounce rate is between 40-60% (good for bloggers), then you may just be creating great content that people enjoy reading.

You can see that sometime in February, I downloaded a plugin that gave me duplicate data in Google Analytics, resulting in a sharp drop in my bounce rate. This wasn’t discovered until the end of April. I removed the plugin and my bounce rate came back up literally overnight.

9 ways to lower your blog’s bounce rate

A high bounce rate on your blog means that your content is poor, readers encounter errors when viewing content, the blog is slow or user experience is poor. You can identify the reasons your bounce rate is high and make improvements to your content to increase traffic and income.

1. 1. Increase blog speed

Have you ever visited a blog that took forever to load? You want to learn how to make challah bread. But there are so many ads, pop-ups and data-rich features that it is impossible to even access the content. Instead, you look for a new challah recipe. This is not what you want for your readers.

Here are some ways to speed up your blog:

• Reduce the number of elements on your pages: pop-ups and ads, HTML, tables and JavaScript.
• Use a caching plugin.
• Limit your plugins to the essentials.
• You can choose a fast web host like Bluehost, or Dreamhost.
• Instead of uploading the videos directly to your website, use an external video host and embed them.

Use the WordPress.org plugin search to find a cache plugin. You can see if the plugin is compatible to your version of WordPress and review ratings.

2. Make your post easy-to-read

Which is easier to read? What is easier to read? A long textbook with few images and long paragraphs, or a magazine article that has many pictures and lots of short paragraphs. The brain is drawn to order, symmetry, and patterns. It will be hard to read if your blog post has a lot of text. Most likely, the reader will search for a blog post with less text.

These features can be added to blog posts to make them easier to read:

• Bullet points (see what? there?
• Images
• Video
• Numbered lists (Pro tip: Search engines hate when you include more than one number list in a blog post)
• Lesser paragraphs
• Pop-ups and ads are minimal (consider other business plan strategies).

Here are two examples of the same article. Which one do you find easier-to-read?

3. Take a look at other metrics

Are you having a bad bounce rate on one page or the entire blog? You should adjust the content of pages that have a low bounce rate for the whole site.

Google Analytics also offers other metrics to help you understand the state of your blog. If you are concerned about your bounce rate, look at the blog analytics “session duration” which tells how long an average person spends on your website. Low duration could indicate that your content is not great or is irrelevant to your reader.

22 minutes is a fantastic session duration. This shows that readers spend a lot of time reading blog posts in a single visit.

4. Enhance the navigation of your blog

It is easy to find other areas of interest on your blog, which will make it easier for readers to stay with you. You need a fantastic navigation menu to do this. Bloggers often include a “STARTHERE” button in their menu. This button tells the reader about you and your blog’s purpose. It also indicates what steps they should take (e.g., read this blog first, then this one next). This is the end of this article.

A button should be included for each topic that you blog about to create a great blog menu. It shouldn’t exceed three to five topics. A page about you and a search engine for your readers will be required.

An example of a start here page

5. 5. Make your content hyper-relevant

You probably have a keyword or phrase that you want to rank in search engines every time you write a blog post. It is important to pay attention to keywords that rank for terms you don’t mean to.

Let’s take, for example, a blog post about Voyageurs National Park at the Minnesota-Canada border. While you write about backcountry camping, you mention that the park also offers houseboat rentals. You might be #1 in the keyword “Voyageurs National Park Houseboat Rentals” if there is less competition than “Voyageurs National Park National Park,” but only #7 for your intended target.

Do you think this means that houseboats should be ignored? No. This can be tackled in several ways:

• You can write a bit more about houseboat rentals, and then create an entire guide to houseboat rentals at Voyageurs National Park. This ultimate guide can be linked to in your article about Voyageurs National Park.

OR

• You can increase the section that you discuss houseboat rentals. This can be a whole section in the original article.

You will remain at the top of search results for this keyword and can answer any questions a reader may have about houseboat rentals in that national park. Because you answered all their questions, they don’t have any reason to click on another blogger’s article.

Using Ahrefs.com, we can see that the keyword difficulty rating of the term “voyageur national park houseboat rentals” is only 15. The original term, “voyageur national park” has a difficulty rating of 50.

6. 6.

Your ultimate guide to credit cards and travel has been created. The reader deserves and wants more. To encourage your reader’s exploration of the topic, share related blog posts in your Ultimate Guide.

You might link to a post about the best travel rewards credit card cards in 2020, for example. A blog post that you wrote about improving credit scores can be linked to so that readers can apply for rewards cards.

An example of linking to relevant blog posts within an article
(Source: Idyllic Pursuit)

7. Optimize Your Blog for Mobile Viewers

The percentage of global web traffic from mobile devices has been around 50% since 2017. You can expect to see a lot more mobile traffic to your blog. Make sure you optimize your layout to accommodate these visitors. You will need a responsive theme for your blog (sometimes called mobile-responsive).

Many themes are mobile-responsive, but others aren’t. Mobile responsive themes will look great on any device, whether it’s a tablet, a mobile phone or a desktop computer. Look for a theme that offers this option when choosing a blog theme.

A responsive theme for a blog is an example
Source: MiniJeannie

8. 8.

The reader will leave your site if you link to another website from your blog post. They can only return to your website if they click on the back button or if they remember the name of the blog. Readers shouldn’t be able to do this. Instead, set your links so that they open in a new tab/window.

Just below where you insert your URL is an option to mark whether you want the link to open in a new tab.

9. 9.

When you attempt to navigate to a blog site that is no longer available, a 404 page will be displayed. This occurs when you unpublish a post or delete a blog entry. Many blog themes include a default page called 404. This page simply tells the reader that the page they are looking for cannot be found. Most likely, the reader will leave the blog to find another answer to their question.

It would be great if you could give the reader reasons to stay on your site, even if they land on a 404 page. Include links to your blog’s categories pages or “START HERE.” pages. A search tool can be included to allow the reader to locate a blog post that is relevant.

An example of a helpful 404 page
(Source: The Blonde Abroad)

Bottom line

A bounce rate is a barometer of how responsive your readers are to your blog content. A high bounce rate means that your site’s navigation menu, content, and user experience need to be improved. These changes are usually quick and easy.

Joining an ad network is a popular way to make money from blogging. There are many networks to choose from, so it can be hard to find the right one for you.

To find the best ad networks, we’ve done extensive research on all available options. The network that is right for you depends on your level of experience, whether you are just starting out, have over 100,000 page views per month or fall somewhere in the middle.

After a thorough analysis of all options and looking at hundreds real-life income reports from bloggers, we found that the top five ad networks are:

• MediaVine The Best Overall Ad Network for Bloggers with 50,000-100,000.00 sessions per month
• Google adSense:Best if you are a beginner or have less than 10,000 page views per year
• Ezoic Best for bloggers with 10,000-50,000 page views per monthly
• AdThrive Best for those who have more than 100,000 page views per month
• Media.Net The Best Google AdSense Alternative for Bloggers with Less Than 10,000 Page Views per Month

How Ad Networks Work

An ad network is a direct contact with advertisers and handles all details related to advertiser negotiation, creation of ads, and management. You will be provided code to use on your site when you sign up for a network. This code can often be done through a plugin that makes it easy to control where the ads appear on your blog. You have control over the location and number of ads that appear on your website in most cases.

You receive a percentage of the fees that the advertiser pays to the ad network as an ad publisher. The amount you make depends on many factors, such as your website traffic, blog niche, quality of content and the perceived appeal of your site to potential advertisers. You can make more money if you have more success with advertisers placing ads on your blog.

Pricing models for the Common Ad Network

The average blogger receives between 50% and 75% of total ad revenue from networks. The rest of the fee is retained by the network for the effort they put into acquiring advertisers and managing this process. Each network has its own terms. Some networks do not disclose the formula for ad compensation.

There are many ways to advertise, but these are the most common.

• Cost Per Thousand (CPM).Advertisers are charged a fee for each thousand impressions that a single ad gets.
• Cost Per Click (CPC), Advertisers are charged a fee for each click on an ad.
• Cost Per Acquisition (CPA) Advertisers are charged a fee when someone clicks on an advertisement and makes a purchase.

You will be called a publisher when you post ads to your site via a network. Ad networks may discuss publisher compensation in terms like Revenue-Per-Thousand (RPM), Revenue-Per-Click (RPC), or Revenue-Per-Acquisition (RPA). This is the other side of the coin. Networks may discuss what publishers receive, minus the cut that the ad networks take for managing the advertising process.

How we evaluated Ad Networks

The number one reason people join ad network is to make money from blogging. So you need to optimize the amount of ads you receive on your blog. When evaluating the options, we focused on their potential to make money.

We also considered the following factors when reviewing our findings:

• Easy setup: You want to quickly start making ad revenues with an ad network.
• Support The most reliable ad networks provide significant support for their publishers and respond promptly to questions.
• Timing and payout threshold : Bloggers need to be paid promptly. It is not a good idea to put up with long hold times on your earnings while you wait for a payout threshold to reach.
• Reporting and Dashboard: It is important to be able quickly to see the performance of advertisements on your blog.
• Traffic requirements Many ad networks have minimal traffic requirements that can sometimes be quite high. We took a look at each network’s traffic requirements.

For this article on the top ad networks to use for bloggers, we analyzed hundreds of income reports from bloggers. MediaVine is the most popular ad platform.

Mediavine is the preferred ad network for bloggers who are successful. To join, you need to have at least 50k sessions per month.

Mediavine uses sessions to get into many ad networks that require page views. Sessions are one-time visits to your website. If a visitor visits your blog but views three pages, their session count is one, while their page view count is three. Mediavine’s strict requirements for session count mean that not all bloggers are eligible to join the network, especially if they are just starting out.

Five of the Best Advertising Networks For Bloggers

Your monthly blog traffic will determine which ad network is best for you. Your earnings potential will increase the more traffic you have. We reviewed dozens of ad networks and found MediaVine was the best choice. Each one has its own reasons, which we will discuss.

1. MediaVine – Best Ad Network for Bloggers With 50,000 – 100,000 Sessions Each Month

MediaVine is a top ad network because its payouts are much more generous than many others. Mediavine is reported to have earned bloggers 200-400 times more than Google AdSense.

Mediavine pays 75% to publishers, while Mediavine keeps 25%. After year one, you can earn an annual loyalty bonus of between 1% and 5%. Bloggers who have high traffic sites and generate five to fifteen million impressions in a 30-day period are eligible for a revenue share between 80% and 85%.

Mediavine is well-known for its fast-loading ads. This is essential to ensure that your website loads quickly. It’s easy to sign up. Simply complete the Google form, and you will be notified within days whether or not you have been accepted. To be accepted, you will need a website of high quality that meets MediaVine standards. Mediavine requires you to verify that your Google Analytics has recorded at least 25,000 sessions within the last 30 days.

Mediavine requires at least a 90-day commitment. Mediavine membership requires a minimum 90-day commitment.

Bloggers who don’t reach the MediaVine minimum of 50,000 monthly sessions traffic threshold are often disappointed. Bloggers often take months, if not years to reach this volume.

MediaVine at a Glance
Minimum traffic:	25,000 sessions per month
Acceptance is difficult	It is not easy
Easy account setup	Simple
Publisher dashboard:	It is intuitive and very easy to use.
Customer support:	Good
Potential income:	Better than the average
Limitations on payouts	Minimum payout threshold $25-$200
Methods of payout	ACH, PayPal and paper check. Wire transfer fees apply.
Timing of payout:	Net 65 is 65 days between the time money is earned and the time when the publisher receives ad revenue.
Google Certified Partner in Publishing?	To join MediaVine, you will need to be in good standing at AdSense

Example of an ad served through the MediaVine network
(Source: TheWalletMoth.com)

MediaVine offers income potential

We gathered real-world examples from income reports of bloggers to give you an idea of the potential earnings you could make with MediaVine. These are just a few examples where bloggers have made money using MediaVine.

• Money Dot Calm’s average earned between $323 to $922 per monthly with sessions counts of 25,502 and 48,999 each month.
• From 1,066,534 pageviews in a single month, the Chasing Foxes blog made $7,595
• Living the Dream blog made $299 with 25,360 page views per month.
• The Twin Cooking Project blog generated $782 and 140,820 page views in a single-month.

The intuitive MediaVine dashboard makes it easy to track ad performance and earnings. (Source: MediaVine.com)

2. Google AdSense – Best Ad Network for Bloggers with Less Than 10,000 Page Views

Google AdSense is one the most straightforward ad networks to join. It is also the largest network, with more than 2 million publishers. Google is the king in online ads. Millions of advertisers are competing for Google ad space. This could lead to more revenue opportunities.

Signing up for Google AdSense is simple and straightforward. You will usually hear if you have been approved within 48 hours. Once you have been approved, you have two options: manually place ads on your blog, or add code to your site to automatically post ads that are tailored to your website’s content and layout.

Google shares 68% of total Ad Revenue with publishers for display ads, and 51% to search ads. They do not disclose their revenue share for AdSense products. Google offers both CPC ads and CPM ads. Advertisers can choose the method they wish to pay for ads. Google then delivers ads to your website that it believes will be most profitable for you (and Google).

Google’s intuitive dashboard makes it easy to track earnings and ad performance.
(Source: Google.com/Adsense)

Google Certified Publishing Partners are the most prominent ad networks. This means that you must be in good standing with Google AdSense. AdSense is an excellent place to start if you are a beginner blogger. Bloggers often move to other networks when their traffic exceeds 10,000 pageviews per month.

AdSense’s biggest drawback is the fact that you won’t likely make much money. It’s still a great way for your audience to become used to seeing ads on your website as you increase your blog traffic.

Google AdSense at a Glance
Minimum traffic:	No, although you will need to submit a reasonable amount of content to be approved.
Acceptance is difficult	Simple
Easy account setup	Simple
Publisher dashboard:	It’s easy to use and good looking
Customer support:	Fair to the Poor
Potential income:	Low
Limitations on payouts	Minimum $100
Methods of payment	EFT, wire transfer, Western Union Quick cash, Rapida, checks by post, EFT
Timing of payout:	Each month, earnings are finalized and paid between 21 and 26 of the next month

Google AdSense Offers Income Potential

We compiled real-world examples from income reports of bloggers to give you an idea of how others make money with AdSense. These are just a few examples where bloggers have made money using Google AdSense.

• The Money Ninja blog made $158 with 47,594 pageviews in a single month.
• Evolving Table made $87.30 with 100,340 pageviews in one month using AdSense and an additional $191.48 via Gourmet Ads (an advertising network for food bloggers).
• The She Dreams of Alpine blog made $20 in just one month from 762 sessions.
• This Online World generated $166.17 with just over 20,000 page views per month.

Google offers a calculator on its site that helps you see how much you could earn for various niches and traffic volumes. (Source: Google AdSense)

3. Ezoic – Best Ad Network Bloggers with at Least 10,000 Monthly Pages Views but Less Than 50,000 Sessions

Ezoic recommends that your page views per month average 10,000. If you do not meet this threshold, admittance to their network is unlikely. Ezoic asks for original content and a track record that shows identifiable traffic. In other words, Ezoic wants you to know where your traffic comes from.

Ezoic has been certified as a Google Publishing Partner. To join Ezoic, you will need to follow Google Ad policies.

Ezoic’s ad network is easy to use. Ezoic’s support for publishers is outstanding. They offer 24/7 online support and you even get your own account manager. This is rare among low-traffic ad networks. You have full control over the location and number of ads that are placed on your website.

Ezoic features an easy-to-use dashboard and simple-to-understand monetization reports. (Source: Ezoic)

Ezoic is proud to offer a site speed accelerator that it claims can improve website speed, unlike some other networks with slow ad server that can slow down your site. Ezoic offers fast payouts for an ad network, with a Net 30-payout schedule. Ezoic also has a $20 payment threshold, which is lower than Google’s $100 requirement. Ezoic is not tied to MediaVine, which requires a commitment of 90 days. You can leave or join Ezoic at any time.

Ezoic at a Glance
Minimum traffic:	Minimum 10,000
Acceptance is difficult	Medium
Easy account setup	Simple
Publisher dashboard:	Excellent, intuitive, and simple to use
Customer support:	Excellent
Potential income:	Bloggers with 10,000-25,000 page views per month are well served
Limitations on payouts	$20
Methods of payment	PayPal, check and direct bank transfer (Payoneer).
Timing of payout:	30 Day Net
Google Certified Publishing Partner	Yes

Ezoic has the potential to generate income

Ezoic doesn’t release the exact formula for publisher payouts but it is well-known for producing earnings that are up to four times more than Adsense. Ezoic’s superior payouts can be attributed to its data-driven machine intelligence functionality, which optimizes ad types as well as ad placement on the site.

These are just a few examples from what Ezoic users report making with Ezoic.

• Ezoic makes 95% of the Johnny Africa blog’s ad revenue. is an average $450 per month and has about 2500 pageviews per day.
• From 13,454 pageviews in one month, The Mathers on the Map made $129
• From 223,322 pageviews in one month, the Alluring Souls blog earned $1.304

Capital Matters did a head-to-head comparison of earnings results from AdSense and Google and found Ezoic was dramatically superior in terms of earnings per thousand visitors.
(Source: Capital Matters)

4. AdThrive – Best Ad Network for Those With 100,000+ Page Views per Month

AdThrive is a network that you should seriously consider joining if your blog receives more than 100,000 page views per month. AdThrive works in the same way as other ad networks. AdThrive manages all aspects of your site, including ad optimization, advertiser relationship management, and even ad optimization. AdThrive offers free video hosting and the AdThrive video player allows you to start making money from your website.

Blog owners who have blogs that generate a lot of traffic often think about working with advertisers to create custom ad contracts. AdThrive claims it can provide a 173% increase in revenue over self managed ads. You get paid regardless of whether the advertiser pays AdThrive (which isn’t always true when you sell your ads).

AdThrive requires that traffic come from the US at least 50% and that you are in good standing with AdSense as AdThrive has been certified by Google. Although it is easy to apply for Adthrive though, this premier network may be strict about reviewing your site’s content and quality.

 

Tip You will need a blog of high quality with excellent content to be admitted into the AdThrive network.

 

The AdThrive publisher dashboard makes it easy to track earnings and ad performance. (Source: AdThrive)

AdThrive publishers will earn a 75% ad revenue share. AdThrive keeps 25% for its services. This payout model is very similar with MediaVine’s, except that there are bonus incomes and higher traffic.

AdThrive is a network that works with many high-quality partners. This means that you can make more per thousand page views with AdThrive as opposed to MediaVine. Each blog is unique, so it’s worth running a test to determine which network best monetizes your site.

AdThrive At A Glance
Minimum traffic:	100,000 page views per month
Acceptance is difficult	It is not easy
Easy account setup	Simple
Publisher dashboard:	Excellent, easy to read and navigate
Customer support:	Excellent
Potential income:	High
Limitations on payouts	$25 for all other methods, except wire transfer which requires a minimum of $100
Methods of payout	ACH, echeck and PayPal. Paper check and wire transfer. Feels apply to wire transfers and paper checks.
Timing of payout:	Net 45
Google Certified Publishing Partner	Yes

Income Potential with AdThrive

AdThrive has a very high income potential. AdThrive’s payout is Net 45, compared to MediaVine’s Net 65. This means you get paid 20 times faster. Many MediaVine publishers switch to AdThrive after they reach AdThrive’s high traffic requirements.

These are just a few examples from blogs that have made money through the AdThrive network.

• The Thrive/Strive blog earned $3,779 and had 435,2981 pageviews in a single month.
• Kate Kordsmeier made $3,516 and had 137,925 pageviews in a single month.
• From approximately 700,000 page visits in a single month, the SuzanRose.com blog earned $8.686
• Living the Blog made $11,268 in just one month from more than 4 million sessions.

AdThrive has a simple three-step application process to join the ad network. (Source: AdThrive)

5. Media.net is the best alternative to Google AdSense on new and low-traffic blogs

All of the ad networks we have mentioned so far are Google Certified Publishing Partners. Media.net is not Google Certified Publishing Partners (GCPPs). This makes it an excellent alternative for anyone having problems with AdSense. You will need to use a non-GCPP network if you are ever banned from AdSense.

Media.net is a specialist in contextual ads from Yahoo!Bing. Display, video and native ads are also used by the network. These ads can be customized to your website’s look.

Contextual ads show ads that are related to your website’s content based on keywords used. A contextual ad might be displayed for products that help with stress relief if someone searches for “stress management” on Google.

 

Tip To increase traffic and increase your ad revenues, you must understand the proper use of keywords.

 

Although Yahoo-Bing’s network is smaller than Google, the quality of Yahoo-Bing’s ads is almost as good. Some even say that it is better.

Media.net does not require minimum traffic, but you will need to have a good website design and intuitive navigation. You also need to have several pages and posts on the site before applying for this ad network. It’s quick and easy to sign up and you will be notified about your acceptance in 48 hours.

Media.Net at a Glance
Minimum traffic:	None
Acceptance is difficult	Simple
Easy account setup	Simple
Publisher dashboard:	Average
Customer support:	It’s great that you get a dedicated account manger
Potential income:	Google AdSense is comparable to Google AdSense, but slightly better
Limitations on payouts	$100
Methods of payment	PayPal and wire transfer
Timing of payout:	30 days net
Google Certified Publishing Partner	No

Media.Net offers income potential

Media.net doesn’t disclose the exact payout structure, but many bloggers claim they get between $3 and $6 per thousand impressions via the network. This means that you might earn a little more or less than AdSense, but not nearly as much as AdThrive or MediaVine.

Because income reports from Media.net publishers are difficult to find, successful bloggers tend to increase their traffic quickly. They move to higher-paying networks such as MediaVine and AdThrive once they have accumulated more page views.

Here are some examples of bloggers who have used the Media.net network.

• The Ladies Making Money blog made $621 in a quarter (page views unknown). After it reached the minimum of 25,000 sessions, Media.net switched to MediaVine.
• The Simply Organized Home blog made $62.33 with 36,016 pageviews in one month. It also earned $91.33 AdSense from the same month. This is permissible since neither network has an exclusive policy.

With Media.net, you have access to all types of ads, including display, native, contextual, and video ads. (Source: Media.net)