If one of the big reasons you have a blog is to make money, then consider writing and posting product reviews. Product reviews are just what they sound like; a thorough review of a product – physical or digital. Your blog can go one of two ways – consist of only product reviews, or product reviews can be listed on a separate page or under their own topic heading on your blog.

The reason you should be interested in doing product reviews lies in the blue, underlined line of writing inside and at the bottom of your review. That link is your meal ticket because it’s your affiliate link to the product. If a person clicks through it and buys the product, you get the affiliate commission.

If your blog is all product reviews, then you are aiming to be an authority site on the products in your niche. For example, if your niche is dog training, you can post in-depth and thorough reviews of each dog training program that is currently being sold in the marketplace.

This is a good way to go if you remember to use keywords in your reviews and in the titles of the reviews. People who are looking to buy will want to read some reviews first and if they like what you have to say, they may end up buying through you. These product reviews should sound as unbiased as possible; pointing out the pros, as well as a few cons, of the product.

A product review should be longer than an average post, but make sure you keep the paragraphs short with plenty of white spaces for easy viewing/skimming. Use bullet points and subtitles in bold for a nice look. If you do a lot of product reviews, it would be helpful for you and your readers to set up a template for you to follow with each review.

It might look like:

Heading
Description
Pictures(s) of the product
Specifications (computer requirements or tools needed to put together, etc.)
Pros
Cons
Feedback or testimonials
Comparisons with other similar products
Rating

If your product reviews are only a part of your blog, I recommend that you don’t do them too often. Perhaps have a product review after every 5th- 7th post, depending on how often you post. These reviews don’t have to follow the above template, they can actually be more personal. The best review is the one where you have tried the product yourself and can report your results. Again, you do need to report any problems with the product to retain your credibility.

Posting product reviews on your blog is an excellent way to earn affiliate income. Take time to create and perfect a review template if you do a lot of reviews, and always remember to make your reviews look attractive and sound sincere.

In the beginning, when you first start blogging, you feel like you’re blogging to yourself. You even get your mom and brother to leave comments so it looks like you have people reading your blog. Eventually, you start getting real feedback, but it’s sporadic and lukewarm at best. You dream of writing a popular post that will not only make you feel good, but will get you a boat load of traffic – eyeballs looking at your blog and seeing what you’re selling.

Creating a popular post for your blog is like showing up at a potluck with the best tasting dish around. Everyone loves your casserole, it’s better than everyone else’s casserole, people ask you for the recipe, you’re seen as a successful cook, and they all want to invite you to their own potlucks. Word of your success travels and opportunities open up before you in ways you never dreamed of.

That’s what a popular post can do. People will bookmark your site because of the wow factor of the post, many will comment on your blog, others will blog about it, quite a few will Digg it, you’ll see a flood of unique traffic, your RSS subscribes and opt-ins will soar, and the monetizing strategies you have in place will start doing their thing.

So here’s what you do:

Write a catchy, witty, attention-grabbing headline. If your title doesn’t get their attention, they won’t read your post. It’s as straightforward as that.

Have a great first paragraph. This is make it or break it for most readers. If it’s full of fluff, they’re not going to want to read the rest of your piece. This is where you tell them what you’re going to tell them and why they need to hear it (what’s in it for them.)

You are probably not going to write all of your posts to be popular posts, but when you are aiming to write a grand piece, take your time writing it. Don’t rush. Think about it, write it, put it aside, come back and polish it til it shines. Keep your eye out for grammar and spelling errors.

The posts that become popular are the ones that give people what they really, really want to know. So help people, no major strings attached. Give them hot new info, not rehashed ho-hum they can find easily and everywhere. Give them more than they are expecting. Don’t be afraid to add some of your own personality or use a personal example when illustrating a point. Also, while you’re being so helpful, offer other resources and links in your post.

Linking to other info in your post also has the added benefit of the sites you linked to returning the favor. They could give their blog readers or list subscribers a heads up about your article or even permanently link to it in their sidebar.

Keep your formatting pleasing to the eye. Have a picture, use bullets or numbers, bold subheadings, and break up your paragraphs into smaller chunks.

If you want your readers to rate your post or Digg it – ask them to. If you had them at “hello”, then they’ll be happy to comply with your request.

There’s certainly no guarantee your post will become popular, but in order to stand a chance you should take a little extra time and thought and write it like a post you would really want to read.

It sounds pretty upscale, doesn’t it? Having a Content Planner for your blog must mean you’re pretty hot stuff. But it can make perfect business sense if you’ve got a growing internet business and your blog is only part of it. As a forward-thinker, you know that your blog can really add value to your business, help it grow, and help you earn money, but you also know you just don’t have the time to commit to the blog.

What
A Blog Content Planner is really the manager of your blog. If you have a large blog, the Content Planner will come up with topic ideas, divvy out the work to the blog writers, find examples to guide the writers, do keyword research to find keywords to write the posts around, and keep everything on a schedule. If your blog is small, the Content Planner might wear all the hats, including that of writer.

Who
Ideally, the blog manager should be someone who has been an avid follower of your blog, can write well, and understands the subject of your blog. He/she should be a self-starter, yet be part of your team. This manager should “get” the big picture of what you want and may even be able to enhance it.

When
What are your goals? If you think big and you have money to pay a Content Planner, hire him or her as soon as you possibly can. You can reach your earning goals much quicker with help. If you think small and think you should continue to do it all yourself, it will take you longer to get where you want to be.

Where
The first place to look is your own readers. Are there some that stand out for their thoughtful comments? Do they understand the topic and can add value? Can they write? Are they hungry for more? Most likely a Content Planner position is not a fulltime job and many new marketers would jump at the chance to write for you if they could not only get paid, but learn from you.

How
Yes, you need to pay them if you want someone who’s dedicated to you and your vision. You want them on your team. Perhaps start them with a base salary and give them a bonus if they get the blog to a predetermined number of daily unique visitors or a certain amount in sales or opt-ins. If they’re really good and your blog is flourishing in their hands, offer them a percentage or a partnership. Good people are hard to find and you want to keep them.

If you don’t have the time to commit to making your blog the success you envision, consider hiring a Content Planner. The right person can take your blog to the next level; get you traffic, opt-ins, and help your blog make some good money.