Blogger makes millions! Seriously. 5 ways you can too.

I just read Dave Winer's latest post on making over $2 million dollars through blogging. Indirectly, you see. If you have never heard of him before, he's a pioneer in blogs, RSS, podcasting, and other Internet innovations. I tend to listen when a man like him shares his ideas on making money.

He's right about his main point: to make money using a blog, you sell yourself. Advertising and direct sales pitches will never be the big payday. Talk about you, what you're doing, what your company is doing, how it's changing the world and helping people... and helping people make money by changing the world. Did you click on this blog because you wanted to make money yourself? I clicked on his for the same reason.

Here are 5 ways to make your blog better - so you can make money from you blog.

1) Talk about what's going on. Not as a sales or marketing pitch, really talk about what's going on. Introducing a new product? Tell your audience about it. Hiring people? Maybe the person you want to hire is reading your blog and doesn't know you're even hiring. Market affecting your sales? Tell your audience about it - which leads to #2.

2) Write down what you're doing about a current situation. Offer your insights and tips. The economy is down. Want some ideas on how to increase sales or cut costs? So do your readers. What are you doing to increase sales or cut costs, things your readers might be able to do themselves?

3) Offer some "trade secrets", things most of your readers would like to know. People are always looking for ways to do things better. Even if you offer a list of 10 things and they only get an idea or 2 out of it, that's an idea or 2 YOU gave them, and they'll remember it IF you can do it time and time again. Are you reading my tips for fun, or because you're hoping for a few ideas?

4) Do not sell advertising on your blog. You're trying to deliver a message. I know some blogs sell advertising and that's how they make money, and they are typically the Internet version of newspapers. Focus on YOUR message. Whose message are your readers interested in - yours or that banner ad's?

5) Have a conversation as a human being. Even though you are the expert on the topic, come across as an expert giving a talk to friends. No one wants to feel like an idiot because some snobbish know-it-all told them how it REALLY is. What is the tone of your blog saying to your readers?

Go read top-notch blogs and you'll see them doing all of these things. Constantly. So should you.