Many people start blogging with the dream of making money or turning their blog into their career.  However, it’s not as easy a thing to do as some people believe.  If you’re wondering how do bloggers make money then read on.  In this article, we will explore several of the ways a blog can generate income.

How do bloggers make money?

Blogging has become an increasingly popular way to share ideas, promote businesses, and connect with audiences around the world. For many, it's also an appealing way to make money. However, the idea of monetising a blog can seem daunting, especially for those new to the world of blogging. In this article, we will explore how bloggers make money, and discuss some of the different strategies they use to turn their blogs into a source of income. Whether you're a seasoned blogger or just starting out, this guide will help you understand the many ways you can earn money from your blog. 

Putting in the effort to create a money-making blog

Before we get started on the many ways to make money blogging, there's something we need to mention.

Blogging is a great side hustle, but it takes a lot of time, effort and patience.  Whilst some blogs can start making money after a few months, others find it can take years to get metrics up to the values that appeal to various advertisers.  Even if a blog starts making money quickly, it can also take years to build this into a full-time income. 

Therefore, it’s important to realise that blogging isn’t a get-rich-quick scheme.  If you want to blog to make money online, keep in mind that you will have to invest many hours, especially at the beginning. Maintaining a blog takes hard work and dedication, along with a lot of trial and error, as well as continuous learning. 

There’s a common misconception that bloggers get things for free.  If you’re looking for how to get free money and things then this isn’t the right career path for you!  Even if you are gifted as a blogger it’s in lieu of payment and requires some form of work in return, often hours spent researching, reviewing and creating content and images.  Plus, you’ll need to have built a blog with a substantial following or certain metrics before companies want to work with you in this way.

There are many ways bloggers earn money from their blogs. You can make money with affiliates, ads, sponsored posts and more; this article explains how.  Hopefully, this post will satisfy your curiosity about how do bloggers make money or give you the inspiration to monetise a blog!

Make money blogging with third-party advertising

Third-party advertising is a form of advertising that allows advertisers to reach their target audience by promoting their products on other websites. This type of advertising is done through an ad network, which finds and places ads on other websites with content related to the advertiser’s product or service.

Advertisers can choose from a variety of ad formats and placement options, such as banner ads, text links, or video ads. The main advantage of this type of advertising is that it allows advertisers to reach their target audience without having to create content themselves.

Monetising with third-party advertising such as Google Adsense is still one of the preferred ways for many bloggers for its simplicity. Although there is a belief that with advertising it is not possible to achieve high income, it really depends on the blogs’ volume of visitors. It will also depend on how many ads a blogger chooses to show on their blog.  More ads can result in more ad revenue, however, this can also give a bad user experience, so it’s about finding the right balance to generate enough revenue without disrupting the content and design of the blog too much.  

There are other ad platforms that usually pay more than Google Adsense and are often recommended by bloggers such as Ezoic, Mediavine and Monumetric.  Each has its own criteria such as a minimum number of page views per month and a certain quality of blog to be accepted onto the programs.  Once a blog has enough visitors, third-party display ads can be a nice way to generate a passive income each month without continuing to put in any extra work.  The ads simply show on a blog and generate income per view.

How bloggers make money with affiliate marketing

Bloggers make money with affiliate marketing by promoting other people's products, services, and content in their blog posts.

Affiliate marketing is a type of performance-based marketing in which a business rewards affiliates for each visitor or customer brought by the affiliate's own marketing efforts. Affiliate marketing is one of the most popular ways for bloggers to make money. The affiliate marketer (i.e. the blogger) promotes a product or service and earns a commission on any sales or leads generated from their promotional efforts.

Bloggers typically use one or more programs to track which visitors came from their own marketing efforts. When a sale is completed, they are paid a commission as part of the agreement. This can take weeks or months depending on the terms of each individual affiliate deal, usually to ensure the customer does not return the product they have purchased.

Types of affiliate programs

There are three types of affiliate programs - pay per click (PPC), pay per lead (PPL) and pay per sale (PPS):

• PPC affiliate marketing is a type of advertising that involves the use of affiliate marketing links. This is done by placing links to products or services on a website or blog. The product link will have a tracking code, which will tell the advertiser when someone clicks on the link. The advertiser will then pay the blogger a commission every time someone clicks on the link. This type of affiliate collaboration is much rarer as it doesn’t necessarily involve the purchase of a product, just a click. It’s also known as cost per click (CPC).  (There are lots of acronyms used in the world of blogging.  Check out these SEO acronyms and their definitions to learn more!)

• PPL affiliate marketing is a type of affiliate marketing where the blogger is paid based on the number of leads they generate. Instead of being paid per sale, or per click, or per impression, they are paid for each lead. They might be referring people to a company's website and making them sign up for newsletters or other offers.

• PPS affiliate marketing is where a blogger recommends a product on their blog and when someone buys it, the blogger gets a commission from the affiliate program. The commission will be a pre-agreed percentage of the sale or sometimes a fixed amount.

There are two main types of affiliate marketing programs:

1. Affiliate networks: These companies have thousands of merchants who offer their products to affiliates for a commission such as Awin.

2. Individual merchants: These are sometimes smaller companies with fewer resources and they often provide more personal support to their affiliates through their own unique affiliate program. Some large companies have their own affiliate programs too, such as Amazon Associates or eBay Partner Network.

The best way to make money as a blogger as an affiliate marketer is by finding the right niche and building a loyal audience that trusts you as an expert in your field. It’s also better to recommend products and services you have actually used yourself and trust, as you can provide your honest review and get paid.

We love Awin for affiliate marketing!  Click here to learn more.

Some bloggers make money selling their own digital products

Bloggers can create and sell digital products such as e-books, courses, and printables to their readers. If the blogger has a large and engaged audience that trusts their expertise, they can generate a significant amount of revenue from these products.

For example, a food blogger can create an e-book of their best recipes, while a finance blogger can create a course on how to manage money effectively. Bloggers often offer courses that teach people how to achieve their goals in life or how to be successful in business such as blogging. 

When it comes to something to sell digitally on a blog, it can be anything related to the blog niche that is valuable. For example, my husband sells downloadable shed building plans on his blog. He offers a thorough step by step guide as a free blog post, but also offers digital downloadable plans for a nominal fee.

Expert bloggers can make money selling their services

Bloggers can offer services related to their area of expertise, such as coaching, consulting, or freelance writing. They can use their blog to showcase their skills and attract clients. For instance, a fitness blogger can offer coaching services to help readers achieve their fitness goals, while a marketing blogger can offer consulting services to businesses that want to improve their marketing strategies.

A popular service that bloggers may offer is coaching if the blogger is an expert in their field. This can be done through a blog post or through live sessions with the blogger.  It can also be turned into a course to create a passive form of income for those who don't require the personalisation of a one-to-one session.

Creating a membership site

Bloggers can create a membership site where readers can access exclusive content and resources for a monthly or yearly fee. This can be a great way to build a community around the blog and generate recurring revenue. For example, a personal development blogger can create a membership site that offers exclusive video courses, webinars, and Q&A sessions for members.  To make money in this way will require a large following and for the blogger to become established first.

How bloggers make money from brand collaborations

If you were previously wondering is it really possible to make money blogging then you should now realise there are lots of different ways that bloggers earn a living.  One thing we haven’t touched on yet is one of the ways bloggers are usually most excited to make money and that’s through working with brands in their niche.  Bloggers are often contacted by brands who want them to promote their product or service on their blog. Here are a few ways that bloggers make money from brands:

• Bloggers can be paid for sponsored content (paid posts) which is usually a post that is written by the blogger about a product or service that they like and want to share their opinion about or an informational article.
• Bloggers can also get paid for video content, which can take the form of an interview with the brand's CEO or a product review.
• Bloggers can be paid for event coverage, which includes attending an event and writing about it on their blog afterwards.
• Bloggers may also be paid by brands to write ad copy, such as social media posts or email campaigns.
• Bloggers can be paid by brands to host a giveaway for a prize provided by a brand that raises brand awareness.

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to brand collaborations with bloggers.  Each collaboration is often unique in its contract, depending on the services offered by the blogger and the brand’s desired outcomes.

We love Publisuites for monetising our websites.  Click here to learn more!

Donations

Some bloggers accept donations from their readers in exchange for providing valuable content. Platforms like Patreon and Buy Me a Coffee make it easy for bloggers to accept donations from their followers. While this method may not generate significant revenue on its own, it can be a way for bloggers to earn additional income and support their work. For example, a travel blogger can offer exclusive content or personalised travel advice to readers who make a donation.

Fancy buying us a coffee?  We accept donations for coffee if you find our content helpful via Patreon or Direct.Me - thank you 🙂

Bloggers can sell physical products in an online store on their blog

Creating an online store is a great way for bloggers to monetise their blog and sell physical products that are related to their niche. For example, a food blogger could sell their own line of cooking utensils or a travel blogger could sell travel guides and merchandise.This can be an effective way to generate additional income and expand their brand. 

This can be a great side hustle alongside a blog, if done right.  Here are some tips for selling actual products on a blog:

• Choosing products to sell: Bloggers need to choose products that are relevant to their niche and will appeal to their readers. They can consider creating their own line of products, partnering with other brands to sell their products, or using drop-shipping services to sell products without needing to hold inventory.
• Setting up an e-commerce website: Bloggers need to set up an e-commerce website to sell their products. They can use platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or BigCommerce to set up an online store quickly and easily.  Many have plugins which can be used directly on a WordPress blog so the store is easy to manage in the blogger's admin dashboard along with the rest of the blog posts and backend stuff.
• Shipping and handling: Bloggers need to decide on shipping and handling options, including the countries they will ship to, shipping rates, and the methods they will use to package and ship their products.
• Marketing their online store: Bloggers need to market their online store effectively to drive traffic and sales. They can use social media, email marketing, and other online marketing tactics to promote their store and reach a wider audience.

Public speaking as a successful blogger

Successful bloggers can be invited to speak at conferences and events related to their niche. This can be a great way to build credibility and generate additional income.  Bloggers can generate income from speaking engagements by charging a speaking fee, selling their books or merchandise at the event, or by securing sponsorships for their presentations. If a blogger has a strong personal brand, they can use their speaking engagements to promote their blog to a wider audience. Speaking at conferences and events can also be a great opportunity for bloggers to build their personal brand and establish themselves as an authority in their niche.  These events may be in person, at conferences or festivals, or even as virtual online events. 

Once bloggers have become established and have a large audience, they can use a celebrity speakers agency to arrange paid speaking gigs. A celebrity speakers agency can help connect successful bloggers with high-profile speaking opportunities, opening doors to prestigious events and conferences. These agencies have extensive networks and can negotiate higher speaking fees and secure lucrative sponsorships on behalf of the bloggers. By working with a reputable agency, bloggers can focus on honing their speaking skills and delivering impactful presentations, while the agency handles the logistics and negotiations.

Speaking engagements not only provide financial benefits but also offer opportunities for networking and collaboration. Bloggers can connect with fellow experts, industry leaders, and potential collaborators, expanding their professional network and opening doors to new partnerships. These connections can lead to guest posting opportunities, joint ventures, or even book deals, further enhancing the blogger's authority and reach within their niche.

In addition to conferences and events, bloggers can also explore other avenues for public speaking. They can host their own workshops or webinars, sharing their knowledge and expertise with an engaged audience. By offering valuable content and insights, bloggers can attract attendees and potentially convert them into loyal readers or customers.

To maximise the impact of their speaking engagements, successful bloggers can leverage various promotional strategies. They can use their blog, social media platforms, and email newsletters to inform their audience about upcoming speaking engagements, encouraging them to attend or watch the event online. Bloggers can also collaborate with event organisers to create exclusive discounts or offers for their followers, incentivising attendance and boosting their personal brand.

Overall, public speaking can be a powerful tool for successful bloggers to enhance their influence, expand their audience, and generate additional income. By sharing their expertise and connecting with like-minded individuals in their field, bloggers can solidify their position as thought leaders and continue to thrive in the ever-evolving digital landscape.

Refer a friend schemes

Refer a friend schemes are another way many bloggers make money from their influence.  These are different to affiliate schemes in that anyone can take part in referral schemes and they are usually a way for a consumer to share a product they have already bought, or a service they already use, with their friends and family to earn a commission. 

Bloggers can widen their reach by sharing their refer a friend scheme links and codes to their audience via their blog.  Some of these schemes are strictly for friends and family only and the terms and conditions will say the links cannot be shared publicly, so it's up to the blogger whether they take the risk.  Many companies are just keen to grow their customer base, so they won't penalise people for sharing refer a friend links far and wide. 

Here's a huge list of refer a friend schemes that pay money or offer a discount for successful referrals.

Conclusion: how do bloggers make money?

There are many ways that bloggers make money. Some bloggers may have their own product or service that they sell via their blogs, such as a digital download, coaching or ebook. Other bloggers may receive an income from advertisements on their sites. The more traffic they have to their site, the more money they will make in advertising revenue.

Also, bloggers earn money through affiliate marketing programs with other companies and products as well as dedicated brand collaborations and sponsorships.  Other ways include donations such as buying the blogger a coffee through a dedicated platform to thank them for their hard work and expertise, or to get access to unique content.  Other ways are selling actual physical products or even coaching others in their niche.

Most bloggers will use a variety of methods at once to generate several income streams from their blog rather than putting all their eggs in one basket. Blogging is a great way to make money online, but don’t underestimate the time and effort that is needed to succeed.

Want to learn more?  Here are 10 ways to make money blogging!

 

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