Blogging has been all the rage for some time now.

Some folk’s blog for fun while others have turned blogging into a full-time cash machine.

If you are interested in blogging for money, here is a run down on how to get started. Remember, this is just an overview of the basics to get you going.

First of all, you will need to set-up a blog. You can sign-up for a free blog at a variety of places, but if you are wanting to make serious profit, I recommend you host your own blog. The start-up fees are minimal but money well spent.

To host your own blog you will first need to register a domain name. I personally recommend (and use myself) GoDaddy to register your domain name. It will cost you a little over $10 for a .com extension. Once you register your domain name, you will need a web host. I use HostGator myself, paying under $10 per month for excellent service with the ability to host unlimited websites.

An added bonus is that they will install WordPress (a blogging system) for free – just one click and it’s installed.

You can find cheaper hosts, as well as more expensive. You can read my personal reviews of web hosts I have used and make your own choice.

Once you have your domain name and web hosting set-up, you will need to choose a blog platform. There are more than one platforms available, and some of these include WordPress, Movable Type, Greymatter and Express Engine. You can choose whichever you prefer. For the sake of this article, I am going to tell you what I recommend: WordPress. It’s free, and it’s easy to set-up, manage and enhance.

Okay, so your domain is registered, web hosting paid for and your blog is now live. How exactly do you make money with it?

Affiliate Programs. You can use your blog to promote programs you belong to. This can be done via reviews, articles, tips, etc. or by placing straight ads on your blog. You can read more about the basics of affiliate programs here.

Advertising Programs. This seems to be the most popular, I hardly ever run into a blog that does not display Google Ads or similar. You can add ads on your blog like those from Google Adsense, earning money each time the ad or link is clicked.

Text Links. Similar to the above, except you usually receive a flat amount per link displayed. You can place links to other websites, receiving payment for the link, using programs like Text Link Ads, or from private advertisers who contact you directly.

Paid Posts. Some companies are paying bloggers to write about their products and/or services. A company may contact you directly with this opportunity, or you can find opportunities at websites like PayPerPost and Blogvertise. It’s free to register and posts can earn you anywhere from $2 to $25 per post.

Donations. You may have seen these on other blogs, where you can donate any amount to the owner of the blog (usually through PayPal). Basically a tip jar.

I have personally utilized affiliate programs, Google Adsense and text links on my blogs. I have been paid to review products for another of my regular (aka non-blog) websites but I have not yet ventured into any other revenue sources for my blogs.

Blogging is a great way to earn extra income online. It’s super cheap to start, easy to market and costs very little to maintain.