Can you make money blogging?
It's a question that many ask, yet very few know how they can earn a living from running their own blog. While blogging requires time and dedication, making money from blogging full-time or a side hustle if possible. All it takes is the right blogging strategies.
In this guide, we not only reveal the strategies you need to launch and grow your blog successfully, but we also provide you with the top eight ways you can quickly and easily start making money blogging.
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How much money can bloggers make?
Blog owners with 10,000 to 100,000 monthly page views often earn between 2 cents and 10 cents for each page view from advertising, equating to $200 to $10,000 per month. Sponsored articles range in price from $25 to $750 for each post, depending on the size of the audience, genre, and individual sponsorship agreement.
Bloggers who sell digital items like online courses or guides often earn up to $10,000 per month or more. Affiliate marketing is an additional opportunity for a blogger to supplement their income. Christine Wang from TheSkiGirl.com, for example, currently earns six figures each month from affiliate marketing. Her top monetization strategy is utilizing Amazon Affiliates with product links in her blog reviews.
Bloggers don’t just have to earn money from monthly revenue. They can also grow and sell their website on sites like Flippa, which lists blogs available for sale. Some blogs sell online for six-figures.
15 ways to make money blogging
1. Choose a profitable niche
When creating a profitable blog, the first step is to choose your niche carefully, as it plays a key role in your potential for success.
Your niche is the main subject for your blog, allowing you to focus on a certain field and attract a specific set of readers.
It also allows readers to associate your blog with a particular topic. In doing so, they know exactly what to expect when they visit your blog. They'll also consider you an authority on the subject and make you their first port of call when they need relevant advice.
When choosing your blog's niche, ensure that it is:
1. Something you’re experienced with or passionate about
A blog requires regular and high-quality content to grow a large audience and earn consistent revenue. For your blog to stand the test of time, write about something you're interested in.
Consider your degree of professional expertise as well. If you have no previous experience in your niche, it'll be more difficult for you to establish yourself as a reputable source of information in that field.
2. A subject area that’s low in competition
Prominent blogs, companies, or forums in your niche imply that many are already profiting from it.
You can also conduct a Google search to determine the complexity of keyword ranking. Getting organic traffic to your blog will be more difficult if well-known businesses (with much larger marketing spend) dominate the first page of search engine results.
3. A niche with plenty of monetization opportunities
Start by considering the product promotion opportunities in that topic area. For example, if your niche is gardening, you can write a blog post about the best gardening tools and incorporate brand partnerships or affiliate links.
You should also determine whether or not there are enough affiliate programs that sell goods in that category. This is another strong indicator of a profitable blog niche.
2. Sell physical products
Once your blog has grown to the point where it’s a household name, you can capitalize on that success and start selling your own products. Doing so allows you to establish your brand further while generating even more awareness, recognition, and traffic for your blog.
Just some of the most popular types of merchandise include branded:
T-shirts
Hoodies or sweaters
Coffee mugs
Posters
Tote bags
Notguides
Stickers
You can use a print-on-demand service such as Society6, Printify, or Redbubble. Alternatively, you can have the merchandise produced through a manufacturer and sell and distribute it yourself.
3. Sell digital products
Along with offering services, you can also use your blog to sell digital products to your target audience.
Although a digital product will take some time and effort to initially create, it becomes passive income, as it can be sold an infinite number of times on auto-pilot, as long as you have great content attracting visitors to your online store.
Think about your target audience’s pain points and how you can create your own product to help them overcome these problems.
Popular types of digital products you can consider selling include:
Tutorial guides
Online courses
Templates
Printables, such as planners, worksheets, or artistic prints
Digital workbooks
Recorded masterclasses or workshops
Ryan Robinson, a popular blogger with experience in building online businesses, created an entire SaaS product called Right Blogger. Ryan uses his platform to promote the new product and earn extra income on the side.
4. Sell ad placements
Google AdSense is a service that allows you to display advertisem*nts on your blog. Google then inserts those areas with adverts relevant to your blog's niche and visitors. When those advertisem*nts are viewed or clicked, you receive money.
You have complete control over ad sizes, shapes, and placement, allowing you to maximize your chances of clicks and views while providing readers with a non-intrusive viewing experience.
5. Offer consulting services
Once you’ve successfully grown your own blog, you can easily start offering consulting services that walk others through how to make money blogging. Create a landing page on your website that shares details about your new services with a form or call-to-action so anyone who’s interested can get in touch to learn more.
Consulting services can range in pricing, but many consultants charge by the hour. When you’re first getting started, you might start between $30-50 per hour, but as you gain more experience and help more people, you can charge upwards of $100-150+ per hour, easily equating to a full-time income.
6. Create a membership community
Consulting services are offered as 1-on-1 calls and communication. Your time is finite, so the number of people you can work with is limited. If you’re starting to fill up your time slots—or you want to be able to help as many people as possible—you might consider creating a membership community instead.
With a membership community, you create resources like an online forum, courses, educational video content, and more that walks people through the types of information you share in your consulting meetings. But you’re able to invite an endless number of members in.
Yes, membership communities do cost less in general than consulting fees, but look at it this way. Let’s say you’re only able to work with 10 consulting clients per month, charging $100 per hour for up to 10 hours per month. That’s a maximum of $10,000 per month—if you have that many clients each month.
There’s no maximum number of members for a membership site. If you charge $50 per month for full access to your membership site, you need 200 monthly members to reach $10,000—but you can also make so much more.
7. Write sponsored product reviews
Every company wants social evidence to convince buyers that their products are worthwhile investments. One of the ways they can do this is by sponsoring successful bloggers to produce product reviews.
You can start by contacting any brands you use regularly and asking if they want to sponsor you to review their product on your site. This enables you to earn money by sharing your opinion on a product you already use.
Just ensure that you disclose you’re being paid to write the post. Additionally, share both the positives and negatives of the product so you’re providing your readers with an honest review.
8. Offer podcast sponsorships
Do you have a podcast? Offering podcast sponsorships and incorporating podcast ads into each episode can also be a great way to make money online. You can easily work with ad networks offered by different podcast hosts, like Spotify, Apple, and the like.
Or, you can create your own sponsorship packages and allow brands to sponsor different episodes with brand mentions and product promotions throughout. Creating a podcast and offering advertising on top of your blog’s revenue stream can help you to create even more monetization methods for your ecommerce business.
9. Monetize YouTube videos
Next, we have yet another avenue for bloggers and entrepreneurs. While writing new blog topics can consistently increase your blog’s income, using other outlets (like a podcast) or your YouTube channel can help you make even more money.
You can join the basic ranks of YouTube monetization when you meet the following threshold:
500 subscribers
3 public uploads in the last 90 days
3,000 public watch hours on long form videos in the last 365 days OR 3 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days
That includes channel memberships, Super Thanks, Shopping, and Super Stickers. To get access to ads monetization, you need to meet the following criteria:
1,000 subscribers
4,000 public watch hours on long form videos in the last 365 days OR 10 million public Shorts views in the last 90 days
The average YouTuber appears to make around $0.01-0.03 per view, or $10-30 per 1,000 views. So the more you create video content and increase your viewership, the more you stand to make.
10. Join affiliate marketing programs
Affiliate marketing lets you receive a commission for generating sales of a brand’s products or services. As a result, affiliate marketing is a fairly easy form of passive income.
All you have to do is include affiliate links to various items or services. You can do so by placing affiliate banners or using relevant links to these products or services within the text of your blog posts.
You can search online for affiliate networks relevant to your blog’s niche. Some of the most popular affiliate networks include:
CJ Affiliate
Awin
ShareASale
eBay Partner Network
Amazon Associates
11. Take on speaking gigs
Using your blog to establish yourself as an authority within your niche increases your chances of obtaining speaking gigs at events such as industry conferences. An opportunity like this can generate a lot of income from your blog and often allows you to travel to different cities or countries as part of your job.
Ensure you prepare your material as much as possible in the lead-up to your speech. Impressing your audience will help you to get more speaking gigs down the line.
12. Build an email list
Building an email list is yet another way to increase your overall income from your blog. Many professional bloggers choose to share new content with their readers via email as well as on their blogs.
You can create a completely free email newsletter via platforms like Mailchimp or ConvertKit, then offer sponsorships and ad space in your newsletter as a revenue stream. Or, you can use a platform like Substack and charge a monthly fee for your newsletter.
Substack includes a calculator to help you figure out how much you could make each month based on the number of subscribers you generate and the cost of your newsletter. Even a newsletter as low as $5-7/month could bring in thousands of dollars in revenue if you grow a large enough email list.
13. Partner with brands
Work as an influencer and partner with big and small businesses to create sponsored posts on your blog, social media, email, podcast, etc. These sponsored posts can include a brief mention of the brand, or can focus on the brand’s product and why it would be of value to your readers.
For example, you could partner with brands to share paid reviews or step-by-step guides of different software with your audience. The amount you can charge for these partnerships will vary based on your blog traffic, engagement rates, and other metrics, but the bigger your blog, the more you can charge.
14. Provide freelance services
A successful blog can also give you the expertise and platform required to sell relevant freelance services. This opens up a higher-paying income stream and can ensure a large amount of money through your blog.
Just some of the services you can consider offering through your blog include:
Graphic design services
Social media assistance services
Writing services
Virtual assistance services
Depending on your niche, the opportunities can be plentiful and bring in much money over time. Sign up for Fiverr today and start offering your freelance services at the right price for you.
15. Do paid webinars
Last, but certainly not least, consider hosting paid webinars. A webinar is like an online seminar—you come up with a topic and put together a detailed presentation on it. Many bloggers and business owners will put on free webinars that are meant as sales pitches.
However, you can use paid webinars as yet another alternative to consulting. Put together one or more of your consulting lessons for your webinar and use this as an opportunity to share your knowledge to a large group of people.
Depending on how much information you want to share, you can charge up to a few hundred dollars for entry into your webinar. As part of this, it’s a good idea to make sure that:
You have about an hour’s worth of actionable information
You provide a Q&A at the end so viewers can ask questions
You make the webinar recording available for all viewers to access again later
How to start a blog that makes money
Choose a blogging platform: This is where you'll create, design, and manage your blog content. While several platforms are available, WordPress is a top choice because it's user-friendly, customizable, and perfect for those serious about monetizing their blog. Other platforms, like Blogger, Squarespace, or Wix, might appeal to those looking for a simpler or more streamlined experience.
Claim a domain name: Think of this as your blog's personal address on the web. Your domain should encapsulate the essence of your blog and be easy for readers to remember. It's best if it's concise and hints about the blog's content or theme. Use domain-checking tools to ensure your preferred name is available and not registered by someone else.
Purchase web hosting: Every blog needs a host – a service that stores your blog online. Reliable hosting ensures your blog loads quickly and remains accessible. Companies like Hostinger or Bluehost often come recommended due to their reliability and excellent customer service. Some hosting services also offer domain registration, making the setup process smoother.
Install your blog: The installation process can be straightforward with platforms like WordPress. Many hosting services offer a one-click installation feature for WordPress, minimizing the technical hassle.
Choose a theme: Your theme determines how your blog looks. Whether you opt for a free theme or purchase a premium one, choose a mobile-friendly responsive design. It should resonate with your brand and appeal to your target audience.
Customize your blog: Beyond the basic theme, you can further tailor your blog's appearance with custom colors, fonts, and layouts. Plugins, especially on WordPress, can enhance functionality, such as adding contact forms, SEO tools, or e-commerce features.
Set up essential pages:
About Me: Introduce yourself and share your story or mission.
Contact: Offer a way for readers or online business partners to get in touch.
Privacy Policy: Essential for legal reasons, this page informs visitors what personal data you collect and how you use it.
Plan your content: A consistent and well-planned content strategy can set your blog up for success. Determine your target audience’s needs and interests, brainstorm topic ideas, and set a schedule. A content calendar can help you stay organized and consistent.
Write and publish: Quality is paramount. Craft posts that offer value to your readers, whether that's through information, entertainment, or inspiration. Proper formatting, compelling visuals, and meticulous proofreading can set your content apart.
Promote your blog: Creating content is just one part of blogging. Getting it in front of your eyes is another. Use social media, engage with other new bloggers through comments or guest posting, and consider strategies like email marketing or even paid ads for bigger boosts.
How long does it take to make money blogging?
Technically, you can begin monetization as soon as you start blogging. However, to attract advertisers, affiliate programs, or sell products effectively, you'd want a consistent traffic flow. Building an audience and establishing trust first can lead to more effective and sustainable monetization in the long run.
Monitor your traffic using free tools like Google Analytics and offer ad space through AdSense networks. It can take a lot of time and hard work to generate traffic, but once you do, you'll have a successful blogging business with a large readership.
Tips for promoting your blog and getting more views
As you know, increasing your website traffic is a vital step toward earning money from your blog. Therefore, you'll also need to effectively utilize a mix of digital marketing strategies to boost your chances of success.
Here are some ideas for getting the word out and increasing the popularity of your blog. First, try focusing on just 1-2 traffic sources to increase engagement.
1. Leverage AI In your content creation process
While it shouldn't replace the human touch and authenticity in your content, AI can aid in streamlining the content creation process. Here’s how you can utilize AI for enhanced efficiency:
Content Ideation: AI tools can analyze current trends, popular topics, and past performance data, suggesting potential content ideas that resonate with your audience. (Recommended tools: ChatGPT, Bard, Crisp)
Content Optimization: Use AI-driven tools to get suggestions for optimizing SEO content. They can provide recommendations on keyword usage, content structure, and readability. (Recommended tools: Clearscope, Frase.io)
Drafting: If you're experiencing writer's block, AI can help kickstart the writing process. You can use AI to generate outlines, topic sentences, or even introductory paragraphs, which you can expand upon. (Recommended tools: Chatgpt, Jasper)
Content Scheduling and Distribution: AI tools can analyze when your audience is most active, suggesting the best times to publish and share content to maximize visibility. (Recommended tools: Hubspot, Hootsuite)
2. Promote your content organically (SEO)
In this guide, we've already covered an important part of SEO: keyword research. However, you'll also want to embrace other SEO strategies to put your blog content in front of the largest audience possible.SEO refers to techniques and strategies that increase the visibility of your website in Google search results.
This can include updates and optimizations to the blog's content and changes to the site's structure. These changes involve navigation, connections to and from blog pages, and even behind-the-scenes coding.
To help you with your SEO effort, we’ve written a helpful guide to help you learn the Basics of SEO. If you need further guidance, you can always use Fiverr’s SEO services, offered by freelance marketers.
3 Email marketing with a newsletter
Creating an email newsletter to promote your blog content is another approach to generating traffic to your site and making money. This also ensures visitors return to your blog to read additional content.
To get readers to sign up for your newsletter, try the following two tactics:
Use an Incentive: People are much more inclined to sign up if something worthwhile is given in exchange. Known as a "lead magnet," this incentive could be a free guide, masterclass, workbook, or discount code you provide as a gift when a reader signs up for your newsletter.
Utilize Pop-Up Opt-in Forms: An opt-in form is a banner on your blog that allows readers to quickly and easily type in their information to subscribe to your newsletter. When this opt-in form is displayed as a pop-up, it's hard to ignore. You can also use your opt-in form to showcase your lead magnet and show readers what they can receive simply by entering their name and email address.
4. Promote your blog on social media
Social media marketing is another effective and free way to attract more exposure to your blog content. You can share your blog posts on your personal social media profiles. Still, we also highly recommend creating separate business accounts or pages purely for your blog – especially on Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and/or YouTube.
You can even create social media-specific material to support your blog content, like photos or infographics that link to your blog articles. Similarly, you can repurpose your blog material into YouTube videos on a dedicated YouTube channel, with a link to the corresponding post underneath each video.
5. Use Taboola and Outbrain
Both Taboola and Outbrain are third-party platforms that offer native advertising. This type of advertising matches the form and function of the platform upon which it appears. This means it is a less obtrusive and, therefore, more effective type of advertising.
By enabling advertising to show in certain sections of your site, you can use Taboola and Outbrain to monetize your blog.
These advertisem*nts appear in the sidebar, below the content, inside the content, or as a banner. You then receive compensation depending on the number of desired actions, such as the clicks, impressions, or video views the advertisem*nt received.
Start earning with your blog
Many dream of leaving their traditional 9-to-5 to become full-time bloggers, and thankfully, this is easy to achieve. All it takes is an in-depth knowledge of how you can make money blogging, which starts with choosing the right niche, understanding your audience, and being able to create and promote your content effectively.
Once your blog generates plenty of buzz, all you need to do is monetize it through the best methods, whether creating sponsored content for brands, selling your own merch, offering digital products, embracing affiliate marketing, or more.
By dedicating this time and effort to your content, you will soon be successfully making money from your blog—creating a fulfilling blogging journey.
Make money with blogging FAQ
Can you make $1,000 a month blogging?
Yes! Some of the top bloggers make thousands of dollars per month. But many experts believe bloggers can make $500-2,000 per month within their first year of blogging. Consistently post, promote your content, build your readership, and implement some of these monetization tactics to get started.
Is blogging a good way to make money?
Blogging is not a get-rich-quick scheme. To make money blogging, you have to have the ability to write high-quality content, you have to have essential knowledge that other people would be looking for, and you have to have a lot of time to dedicate to building up your blog.
However, if you do have all of those things, blogging can be a great way to build a full-time income with the ability to work from anywhere.
How does a blogger get paid?
There are many different ways that a blogger can get paid:
Ads on their blog
Brand sponsorships/partnerships
Monetization on social media sites
Podcast ads/sponsorships
Paid webinars and email content
And more
Decide which monetization tactics you want to utilize, and those will be the different ways you can get paid.
How long does it take to make $100 blogging?
If you’re blogging consistently, you should be able to hit your first $100 within the first 6-12 months of starting. When you start your blog, the first monetization tactic you use should be AdSense to add paid display ads onto your website. Google will then send you monthly paychecks—so long as you reach over $100.
However, once you have a solid readership, you can also add on some of these other monetization strategies, like podcasting, email newsletters, selling products, and more.
What blogging niches are the most profitable?
According to a blog income report, the blogging niches that make the most money include:
Food blog, with a median monthly income of $9,169
Personal finance blog, with a median monthly income of $9,100
Lifestyle blog, with a median monthly income of $5,199
Motherhood blog, with a median monthly income of $5,150
Travel blog, with a median monthly income of $5,000
Marketing blog, with a median monthly income of $4,269
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Melanie Clarke is a freelance writer based in Sydney, Australia. She has obtained university degrees in both creative arts and journalism and possesses over a decade of experience in creating educational online content. She is particularly passionate about helping small business owners learn about the intricacies of graphic design and branding.
