How to Make Money Blogging (Proven Ways)

Right now blogging has become an incredibly popular way for people to share their thoughts, opinions, and expertise with the world. It’s also now like a dream job for some people while for others it’s a full-time job with a stable income. According to this analysis by Founder Jar, highly paid bloggers make between $30,000-250,000 per month. So, you might wonder how to make money blogging.

In this post, we’ll discuss how bloggers make money blogging and how you can do the same on your blog to increase your earning potential. 

Proven Ways Bloggers Earn Money Blogging

If you’re aspiring to turn your blog into a profitable online business, then, understanding how to monetize is crucial. This post outlines proven ways that bloggers make money and how you can implement them on your blog.

Advertising 

With the right strategy and enough effort and traffic, advertising is a great way to make money blogging. But for this to work, you must work with Ad companies like Google AdSense, AdThrive, and Ezoic that will pay you for displaying ads on your blog. For example, Google AdSense pays bloggers a percentage of the revenue earned from ads through CPC and CPM payment models. 

On the other hand, AdThrive requires a minimum of 100,000 monthly pageviews and pays bloggers for CPM. Ezoic uses machine learning to optimize ad placement and pays bloggers for CPM. Challenges of using this method to make money include:

•  High traffic requirements – For instance, Ad Thrive requires a minimum of 100,000 monthly pageviews, which is huge. 
• Low payout rates- For example, Monumetric has one of the lowest commissions 15-30%
•  High setup fees -for instance, Monumetric will require you to pay a $99 set up fee for the most basic package  
• Slow site speed due to ads( Google AdSense is notorious for this ) 

So before you follow what every blogger is using, it’s essential to research and select an ad network that fits your blog’s niche, traffic, and revenue goals. For example, if you’re starting and don’t want to pay for setup fees, Ezoic or Google Adsense would be a great option because they are free and have a high payout rate.

Affiliate Marketing 

Now, here’s what you must be waiting to hear all about life. There are bloggers out there who are making triple your salary or even ten times more through affiliate marketing alone.

Take Pat Flynn from Smart Passive Income For example. He’s an online business aficionado who makes over $200,000 per month through his blog using various online income streams, like affiliate marketing. He earns commissions by recommending products and services that he uses and trusts like the Bluehost. So here is how affiliate marketing works : 

Let’s say you have got a food blog, you can recommend a particular brand of kitchen gadget in one of your recipes. However, you must start by signing up for the affiliate program of that particular brand which gives you a special link to their product. This means that whenever you post content and assure your readers to buy that cutlery set through that link, you earn a commission. For example, if you’re promoting a $50 cutlery set and the commission rate is 10%, you would earn $5 for each cutlery set bought through your special affiliate link.

So the next thing is where do you find affiliate programs to join? It’s simple, search for products or services that align with your niche. For example, if you blog about top traveling destinations, you could promote travel essentials like bags, hotels, luggage services, Airbnb, or even travel insurance. You’ll find that most of these companies are ready to partner with you through their affiliate programs. Use affiliate networks such as Amazon Associates, Clickbank, ShareASale, or Commission Junction that offer you multiple programs in one place.

Email List

An email list is simply people who permit you to send them email updates about your blog. Most bloggers usually offer something of value, such as a free ebook or course, in exchange for their email address. You can connect your email list to your website using marketing platforms like Mailchimp, Mailerlite, or ConvertKit. These platforms also allow you to create beautiful sign-up forms on your blog so your readers can easily join your list.

So, how can an email list help you make money blogging online? Well, there are a few ways:

• Promote affiliate products: As we mentioned earlier you can recommend your favorite products or services to your subscribers. This is because people who sign up for your email updates are interested in your niche and you can promote affiliate products to them. 
• Sell your products: Do you’ve e-books or courses? Your subscribers are likely to be interested in what you have to offer.
• Sponsored content: Send out an email featuring a product review or sponsored post and encourage them to buy from that brand. 

Now, let’s look at some bloggers who are successfully making money with their email lists:

• Jon Morrow of Smart Blogger: Jon has a massive email list of over 300,000 subscribers. He uses his list to promote his writing courses ( free and paid ), as well as affiliate products.
• Melyssa Griffin of MelyssaGriffin.com: Melyssa has a list of over 20,000 subscribers, which she uses to promote her courses, and share her success stories and podcasts.
• Jeff Goins of GoinsWriter.com: Jeff has a list of over 73,000 subscribers, which he uses to promote his books, courses, and podcast ‘Hey Creator ‘. 

As you can see,  an email list can be another viable way to earn money blogging. So, if you are still confused or just procrastinating, start building your list today.

Sponsored Posts or ​​Paid Guest Posts

Writing Sponsored posts aka paid guest posts is also another way for bloggers to add an extra income stream. How this one works is that a blogger will collaborate with a brand or agency that is interested in promoting their product or service through them. A perfect example would be that the company provides an outline with the key talking points that they want the blogger to cover. Finally, the blogger will then be required to create content that follows the brand’s messaging as per their agreement.

The best example of a blogger who has successfully monetized their website through sponsored content is this Italian law student turned fashion blogger Chiara Ferragni. She’s the founder of The Blonde Salad blog and has managed to partner with high-profile Italian fashion brands. For example, one of her partnerships with TOD’s artisan helped her get over 9.6 million Instagram followers, by posting custom-made versions of its iconic Gommino Shoes and Diodon bag.

However, keep in mind that sponsored posts come with their share of controversy in the blogging community. You’ll find that some readers may feel cheated since the information they read might not be entirely true or seems to compromise the blogger’s independence and objectivity. Contently this study dubbed “Sponsored Content Has a Trust Problem” reveals striking takes people may have on sponsored content such as :

• A whopping two-thirds of readers feel cheated after reading a sponsored article or video.
• A startling 54 percent of readers believe sponsored content isn’t to be trusted.
• Another 59 percent of readers of a news site are biased if it runs articles sponsored by a brand.
• Mistrust of sponsored content increases with higher levels of education.

This is not to scare you from using this tactic but just a heads up that your readers are not a bunch of clueless people so they deserve transparency about your sponsored content. To make this even easier for you, only recommend brands and products that you can trust and use.

Freelance Services

This is one of the easiest routes for a blogger to make money since it doesn’t require much to get started. However, you need to be willing to put yourself to land clients. For example, some platforms have opportunities for bloggers such as Pro blogger jobs, Upwork, and Facebook groups. Twitter, Reddit, and many more. Some services you can sell include : 

• Writing blog posts, articles, and website copy for companies.
• Website management services.
• Social media or virtual admin roles. 
• Website and graphic design services. 
• Coaching bloggers and companies.

In case you feel like this doesn’t happen, many successful bloggers have built their careers by offering freelance services to companies. For example,  Elna Cain is a technology freelance writer and blogger who sells her writing services to top technology blogs like Blogging Wizard and companies like WordTune. So she has a strong reputation for herself in the blogging community and is one of the highest-paid freelancers.  Gina Horkey is yet another example of a blogger who’s killing it by selling her services. Gina started as a freelance writer and virtual assistant but now she has a thriving business based on coaching others on how to start their freelance businesses.

 So yes, start selling your services online now and get some money. All you need to do is identify your skills and expertise.  For instance, What are you good at? What do you enjoy doing? Once you have a clear understanding of your strengths, you can start to promote your services to your followers.

Online Courses and Workshops

Do you’ve something that you love to talk about or a skill you’ve learned about? You can create courses or workshops around it and sell it on your blog. Let’s say you’re good at social media marketing, designing social media graphics, and writing or designing WordPress websites. These are great ideas you can use to create instructional content and customers can access it from anywhere in the world. Mostly, courses and workshops can be hosted on streaming platforms such as Streamyard( best for live workshops) or learning management services such as Teachable to host courses.

Let’s talk about Jon Morrow again because one of the best examples of bloggers who have had great success with online courses and workshops. Jon offers courses and workshops, teaching people how to start and grow a successful blog and a content marketing business. These courses and workshops have motivated thousands of people to launch blogs and writing businesses while also generating passive income for Jon.

Meet another set of two amazing creators Elisa Larson and Emma Chapman. The two are the founders of a blog called A Beautiful Mess where they focus on content around DIY tips and digital businesses. On their blog, you’ll have digital Courses and workshops on topics like Photoshop, blogging, and Instagram Strategy. 

So, how can you become like those bloggers? Well, you need to get organized first. Take all the time you need to identify your interests ( you know those that could make you look like an expert when you talk ). This could be anything from drawing, your career specialization, writing,  marketing, or personal finance. Once you do that create, promote and enjoy collecting those dollars.

Books and Ebooks

If you have a passion or expertise to share with the world, books and ebooks can become yet another way to monetize your blog. The benefit of using this method is that you don’t have to sweat it looking for book ideas. You can just leverage the knowledge that’s already within your reach and still make money from it. So what you do to make this possible is publish your books on platforms such as Amazon, Apple Books, or Barnes & Noble. Once you publish your book on these platforms,  anyone can access your book and write reviews so if you did a good job your sales will improve with time.

For instance, this travel blogger Nomadic Matt wrote a book called “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day” which is now one of the bestsellers on Amazon and New York. It’s obvious he’s earning great money from this book because he has 800+ reviews on Amazon and a couple of media features on sites like CNN, BBC, and Wall Street Journal.    

Another way to sell books is to write, design, and sell them directly from your blog. However, if you follow this route ensure you have a strong reputation and traffic because it will be easier to sell your books. For example, personal finance blogger Ramit Sethi offers a range of courses and eBooks on his blog, including “Earnable,” which teaches readers how to start and grow an online business.

If you want to succeed in selling books and eBooks, ensure to have a solid marketing strategy and a budget in place to promote your products, especially on social media platforms. Alternatively, you can also leverage your email list, social media communities, and running ads to drive traffic to your sales pages.

Consulting and Coaching 

Consulting involves offering expert advice to individuals or a brand for a fee.  For instance, if you run a travel blog, you could offer consulting services to tour companies and airline insurance companies looking to improve their customer experience or market their products and services properly. You can do this in person, over the phone, or online, and rates also depend on the scope of the work involved. 

Coaching, on the other hand, is where you assist your clients to achieve specific goals or develop specific skills. So that means you can offer coaching services related to blogs. For example, if you blog about women’s fitness and leading a healthy life, you can offer coaching services to women looking to lose weight or follow a certain diet. Again you can always be in person, over the phone, or online. Don’t forget to set offerings or rates that clearly state the scope and duration of the sessions you offer to clients.

Also, check Brooke Castillo of The Life Coach School who has monetized her blog through her coaching business. She is famous for her five-step framework that uses causal coaching to help her clientele to improve their quality of life or ‘solve any problem’ as she puts it on her official website. Her coaching services have helped reach hundreds of people looking to improve their personal and professional lives. Not to mention she has also built a successful business around her blog and podcast -the life school coach. However note this has to be done through consistency, posting high-quality content on your blog and social media channels, as well as establishing a strong personal brand.

Sell Physical Products

Looking to make a deeper connection with your readers? Selling physical products can be a great way to do that as you make some dollars on the side. It can also quickly help earn the trust of your audience since they get to experience you in person.  But if you’ve no idea what you can sell  here are some examples of products that bloggers can sell : 

• Merchandise -This can work for bloggers who have managed to get a cult following and their followers feel inspired by their content. If this is you you can create merchandise like t-shirts, mugs, and stickers featuring your branding or popular phrases from your blog.
• Handmade items – You have magical hands and you can DIY products that could change or improve a life then sell handmade items. The marketable ones are jewelry, and home decor stuff like mats, or clothes.
• Digital products – You also transform your digital products into physical ones. For example, you can print eBooks or sell printables. 
• Subscription boxes – The subscription boxes business is booming and now they are a hot way to sell physical products on a recurring basis. You can create and sell a bunch of these boxes featuring products related to your clientele base. 

For inspiration check out these bloggers who are making money by selling physical products. Here are a few examples:

• Elsie Larson and Emma Chapman – The sisters behind the blog A Beautiful Mess I mentioned earlier sell a lot of physical products, like clothing, home decor, and craft supplies.
• Jeff Sheldon – Jeff Sheldon, is a successful blogger who sells minimalist clothing featuring his branding ‘Ugmonk’ and other home items such mugs, water bottles, and toolboxes.  

Monetize YouTube Videos

Monetizing YouTube videos requires you to create engaging and informative video content and publish them. It’s similar to blogging; you can make money by displaying ads, sponsorships, affiliate marketing, promoting your online shop, etc. To make money from this, you first need to create a channel and upload refined videos that appeal to your target audience. You can make videos based on how-to tutorials, product reviews for products you love and trust, or vlogs that showcase your everyday life,  personality, and interests.

However, you’ve to wait till you have a decent following and regular viewership, to monetize your videos through several methods. One such method is  YouTube’s Partner Program, which allows you to place ads on your videos and earn a percentage of the money generated from those ads.

Another way to monetize your videos is through sponsorships and brand deals. This involves partnering with brands that are relevant to your audience and featuring their products or services in your videos. You can also promote affiliate products in your videos and earn a commission for any sales generated through your unique affiliate link.

Next, check out this super blogger who will inspire you to monetize your YouTube videos immediately. Zoella has over 11 million subscribers and works with huge companies like L’Oreal.  She also uses affiliate marketing to promote skin care products for example and services that align with her lifestyle brand and interests.

Personal Podcasts

According to statistics posted by Demand Sage, the number of podcasts has exceeded 5 million, with over 70 million episodes as of February 2023. However the number cuts across various podcast hosting platforms. Notably, Spotify itself features about 5 million podcast titles on its platform. This is evident that people all over the world are heavily consuming podcasts and you can successfully make passive income from posting a few episodes in a month. 

You can achieve that through sponsorships or advertisements in your episodes. Most bloggers will partner with companies relevant to their audience by including a brief ad or mention in between their episodes.  Another strategy that seems to be working magic is making your content exclusive or adding bonus episodes to your listeners in exchange for a small fee. To make this work, sign up for an account on a platform like Patreon or by creating a membership program on your website.

For some motivation to start your own podcast, check out Ryan Robbinson, a blogger who has found success with personal podcasts. His podcast, The Side Hustle Project has become a go-to resource for entrepreneurs and online business owners looking to start and grow a side project. This podcast is thriving courtesy of his blog ryrob.com where he talks about growing profitable blogs and freelance writing. To start a podcast, host your podcast via Anchor or  Buzzsprout and use platforms like Apple Podcasts and Spotify to distribute your content.

How to Make Money Blogging Online?

Blogging can be a great way to make money, but it takes some work to get started. Here are four key steps to take:

1. Actually start a blog: This may seem obvious, but the first step to making money from your blog is to actually start one. 

2. Choose a niche: Focus on what you are passionate about and knowledgeable in, and start creating content. Then use platforms like WordPress or Squarespace to create your blog and start publishing your posts.

3. Promote your blog: You’ll need to start promoting your content to get traffic and get loyal readers. For example, share your posts on social media, actively participate in online communities related to your niche, and guest post on other blogs to get your name out there. 

4.  Monetize it:  Once you’ve achieved high traffic coming to your blog, you can start monetizing it. There are a few different ways to do this:

• Advertising
• Affiliate marketing 
•  Sponsored content 
• Create and sell your own products

FAQ

Conclusion

If you are looking to make money through blogging, this year is the perfect time to make that first step. Mostly we are waiting for the ‘perfect moment’ to start a  blog. However, you only need time and patience, to finally reap the benefits of monetizing your blog.

Share your thoughts in the comments and spread the word to your fellow bloggers. They might finally find the reasons to start a blog. Let’s work together to achieve our blogging goals this year and beyond!