How to Make Money Blogging in 2023: Ultimate Guide

Do you enjoy blogging and wish to supplement your income? Blogging is a low-cost business opportunity that may generate thousands of dollars every month. This book explains how to make money blogging, including 11 revenue streams that professional bloggers utilize to generate a full-time living from their blog.

How Much Money Can You Make as a Blogger?

Blogging has nearly limitless possibilities. Bloggers with a large following, such as Ryan Robinson, who maintains a site on blogging, may earn up to $30,000 each month. Adam Enfroy, who started blogging on the business of blogging as a side hustle in 2019, has already made $1.5 million from his site.

Bloggers may profit from more than simply monthly earnings. Blogs for sale are listed on marketplaces like Flippa, and many of them have six-figure price tags. When a blogger's creative endeavor gets purchased, they profit.

Regrettably, not every blogger can make a fortune from their blog. Your blog's earning potential is determined by two factors:

– Your niche. Do individuals in your industry spend a lot of money on products? Because many firms offer recurring commissions, the software sector, for example, may be lucrative. Bloggers can make a little amount of money each month, even if the client hasn't made a purchase yet. (I'll go into more detail about this later.)

– Your monetization strategies. For novice bloggers who wish to keep to their basic convictions, some blog monetization tactics are off the table, such as getting paid to post something you don't agree with. In the near term, this may have an influence on earning potential.

How Long Does it Take to Make Money Blogging?

People usually start blogging as a side hustle in the hopes of one day being able to quit their day employment. However, the time it takes to make a significant amount of money differs from blogger to blogger.

Some people with an entrepreneurial spirit earn their first $100 online in a matter of months, like Brittany Berger, the creator of Work Brighter, who made money almost immediately. Berger designed a $20 digital download that she advertised in her weekly email and on her subscription page. “I was able to convert a large chunk of the audience by starting so early in the blog's life,” she explains.

“I believe that waiting until you have a larger audience to debut anything might put you under greater pressure, therefore I'm pleased I tried with a little product while my following was tiny.”

Mushfiq Sarkar is another blogger who began blogging part-time in 2008 while working full-time. “I quit my job in April 2021 to focus on The Website Flip since it was growing considerably and I was more interested about building this website and writing,” Mushfiq adds, despite having no prior marketing expertise.

Despite being only a few years old, the blog already generates considerable revenue: “I debuted during the peak of the epidemic in April 2020. Many people recognized my name, but they had no idea I was a blogger or a journalist covering the sector. I was able to start making money within a month or two.”

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11 Ways to Make Money Blogging

Are you looking for a creative side business to supplement your income? Here are 11 methods to make money blogging, whether you're beginning a new blog or developing an existing one.

1- Choose a Profitable Niche

A niche is a subset of a larger subject, such as vegan dishes. Readers form a relationship with your site when you choose one for your blog. They know precisely what they'll receive when they come, so you're more likely to be their first port of contact when they need guidance.

“If you want to stand out before monetization, it's all about quality and competence,” says Mushfiq, creator of The Website Flip. “First, find out what your specialty is and why you should write about it, then create a persona to represent yourself in that field. After that, you'll gradually gain a following. “Monetization will happen later”.

Bloggers make money in a number of categories, ranging from business software to pet accessories. However, not all niches are suitable.

Three conditions must be met for a lucrative blog niche:

• It's something you're good at and/or passionate about. To grow an audience and become monetized, blogs require a lot of continuous high-quality material. Not only will blogging about something you care about be more pleasurable, but you'll also have a better chance of making money. It's much simpler to keep up with an activity that we like.
• Low levels of competitiveness. Others are generating money in your niche, as seen by popular blogs, companies, or forums. Similarly, to determine keyword ranking difficulties, conduct a Google search. If big-name businesses (with even higher marketing resources) dominate the first page of search results, it will be more difficult to attract organic visitors.
• Possibility of monetization Examines the monetization possibilities for each of the niches you've narrowed down. Do businesses in that area pay to have their items advertised on other blogs? Is there a large number of affiliate programs in that industry that sell products? Both are indicators of a lucrative blog niche.

2- Build an Email List

You'll need dedicated followers who respect your advice if you want to generate money from your blog.

Building an email list for your own blog is one of the finest methods to achieve this. When a reader signs up to receive emails from your site, you have permission to contact them in a location more precious than any other: their inbox.

“For me, email marketing is by far the most profitable sales channel. “I no longer try to sell directly through other channels; instead, I send individuals to my email list via social media, partnerships, and SEO,” explains Brittany Berger, CEO of WorkBrighter.

Using a pop-up window, encourage blog readers to join your mailing list. The objective is to persuade everyone who comes to your site for the first time to sign up to hear from you by offering an incentive, such as:

• Checklists are available for free.
• Lists of resources or items that are recommended
• The material of this blog has been packed as a PDF (such as printable recipes)
• Continue to nurture that connection with instructive or entertaining material once they've signed up. You'll establish a following of people who are eager to buy things based on your suggestions.

Take it from Lily Ugbaja, who founded the FindingBalance Blog. “I wanted to stay at home with my son, do something I enjoy, and yet generate money“, says the mother.

“I utilized emails to advertise my items and relevant affiliate products with tripwires and Facebook groups to earn money from the blog,” Lily says. You provide lead magnets on your website to encourage visitors to sign up after reading your post. You share a one-time offer—a low-end product at a greatly reduced rate, $7 in my case—instead of a success page.

Despite the fact that the site has less than 1,000 monthly page views, Lily claims that her first month brought in more than $100 and that $100 subsequently became “a few thousand” per month.

“Think of your blog as a tool to achieve a goal rather than the goal itself,” Lily advises. “The majority of successful bloggers monetize through goods and affiliates, yet neither of these revenue sources converts without careful preparation. Construct funnels backward. Begin with a product you want to sell, and then generate blog material to promote those sales.”

3- Write Sponsored Product Reviews

Every company wants social evidence to convince buyers that their products are worthwhile. They can get some of this money by paying bloggers to write reviews.

Contact your favorite brands and see if they'd be interested in sponsoring a blog review. This strategy is practically free if you utilize the product for reasons other than the review. You're just being compensated for sharing your thoughts on a product that you already possess.

This monetization method, however, becomes a bit ambiguous. Fashion Nova was recently fined $4.2 million by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) for concealing unfavorable reviews, despite the fact that they were allegedly solicited by a third-party business.

The Federal Trade Commission has issued a new set of rules that will affect e-commerce merchants and, in turn, the bloggers they pay to post sponsored reviews.

To keep your blog out of hot water, do the following:

• Whether or not you've been paid to write the review. Include the following disclaimer at the opening of your post if you've been paid to write a review: “I've been paid to write this review and may receive a commission if you purchase this product.”
• Being truthful. Share both the positive and negative aspects of the product you're reviewing so that readers may make an educated choice about whether or not to buy it.

4- Sell Advertising Placements

Companies are eager to pay bloggers for the placement of advertisements on their blogs. In return for a charge, lend them otherwise vacant space.

There are two ways to increase your blog's cash stream:

1. Individually negotiate with corporations. Find businesses in your niche and ask them if they'd want to advertise on your site. It's the most time-consuming option, and you'll need excellent negotiation abilities to pull it off, but if done well, it may yield you the most money.
2. Make use of a marketing network. Do you like to take a hands-off approach? Google AdSense, Mediavine, and AdThrive are examples of platforms that claim space on your site and manage the paying of advertising. Simply place their code on your website and you'll get compensated for displaying advertisements.

Display advertisements are the most profitable sales channel for Emily Brookes, a blogger at Emily May. “Display advertisements account for about 60% of my blog's earnings,” she explains. “Ads bring in money month after month, even if I don't create any new material.”

Driving website traffic should be a top goal if you want to turn advertising into a significant cash source for your blog.

Google AdSense and other ad networks charge per 1,000 impressions (CPM), with the average CPM for display advertising hovering around $1.25. The more people who see your blog's advertisements, the more money you'll make.

Before seeking to join the network, both Mediavine and AdThrive need bloggers to achieve minimum page-view criteria. It's a long-term investment that will pay off handsomely. Monica Lent, the creator of Not a Nomad Blog, makes the most money from this form of blog advertising.

On the side, Afoma Umesi operates her book blog, Reading Middle Grade. “I had no prior expertise and began writing as a pastime before choosing to actively monetize the site,” she explains.

“I wanted something to do in the background, so I went with advertisements and affiliate links.” Because I don't want to create or sell digital items or services right now, and I'm not a big fan of sponsored pieces, advertising was the ideal solution. All I need is some foot traffic.

Reading Middle Grade presently generates between $800 and $1,000 every month, with this form of advertising accounting for three-quarters of that. “Don't be frightened or ashamed to employ advertisements,” Afoma advises. Some consumers find them irritating, but if you give value and use them responsibly, most users will hardly notice the adverts.”

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5- Join an Affiliate Marketing Program

The technique of promoting items to your blog's readership is known as affiliate Marketing. When customers buy the goods using your customized link, you'll get paid.

Because the material you provide will already be affecting their purchasing decisions, it's a wonderful revenue possibility for bloggers. Make your blog a hub for instructional information, and you'll get the know, like, and trust you need to close the deal.

Affiliate Marketing has the advantage of not requiring you to manufacture your own items. Connect with an established e-commerce company and work as a virtual salesperson for them. You won't have to bother about creating marketing materials, transporting items, or handling customer support.

Join an affiliate marketing network like Impact, ShareASale, AWIN, or ClickBank to make money blogging this way. Through the dashboard, you can search for suitable programs in your business, apply to join them, create unique links, and track affiliate earnings.

You may also look for high-ticket affiliate programs from companies that offer high-ticket items like electronics, jewelry, or software. Bloggers may earn a lot of money by suggesting those products to their followers. Affiliates that promote Shopify receive a 100% commission on the first two payments of any subscription plan.

6- Offer Services

As a result of growing your following, more people will identify your name with the things you write about on your blog. That's an excellent method to establish authority, which is what people seek when employing individuals to do a service.

“Consulting is a huge income source if you're in the B2B area like me. What type of consulting can you do if you have some experience and people are really reading your content? According to Mushfiq, founder of The Website Flip, “it's a high-revenue, low-commitment approach to Make Money Blogging.”

While owning and operating a service-based business takes time, it may be a rapid method to generate money online. By demonstrating your knowledge through your blog material, you may command a higher hourly rate and attract high-paying clients.

You may sell the following services in addition to your blog:

• Advisory services
• Freelance writing and graphic design
• Assistive technology
• Workshops or classes

With applications like Acuity and Calendly, you can save time arranging appointments and accepting payments. Start booking new clients by promoting your service on your blog, whether through a single landing page or a display ad in your sidebar.

7- Sell Digital Products

Selling Digital Products alongside your blog is a more scalable approach to generating money. You don't swap time for money as you would in a service-based firm. There are also no shipping or production charges, unlike with selling tangible things.

The slogan “develop once, sell twice” refers to the ability to produce digital items once and sell an endless number of them via your blog.

“To diversify my revenue and give myself more flexibility, I decided to include printables—and soon other digital items.” So far, I've allowed readers to choose how much they want to pay for my printables, which explains why my income statistics haven't been very high. However, I'm proud of the fact that I've had over 800 downloads.” —Dylan Houlihan, Swift Salary's creator.

Use a reader survey to find out what digital items your audience might buy by asking, “What problem do you require help with that the blog isn't presently solving for you?” Answers may reveal concepts that may be packaged and sold as:

• ebooks
• Printables
• Workbooks
• Courses available over the internet

For the past eight years, Benjamin Houy has worked full-time on the blog French Together. Digital products, notably the French course, which generates 90% of the blog's income, are an element of the blog's monetization strategy.

“Depending on the topic, ads and affiliate links can be effective monetization tactics, but building a product is both easier and more successful than most bloggers believe,” Benjamin explains. “When you launch your product, it doesn't have to be the finest product ever; it just needs to be something your audience would find really helpful and willing to pay for.”

“Selling your own product is fantastic because you can enhance it based on customer feedback and you don't have to worry about affiliate programs being phased out or people using ad blockers increasing.”

8- Sell Physical Products

Do you have a cult following for your blog? Loyal blog readers rapidly turn into ardent fans, willing to back their favorite influencer. By selling tangible things, you may assist them in doing so while also making revenue for your blog.

Because you only pay manufacturing expenses when a reader orders a product, the print-on-demand approach is ideal for small blogging enterprises. When bulk producing items, there is no surplus inventory, storage fees, or large upfront expenditures.

Create bespoke products using a service like Printful or Printify, such as:

• Mugs
• T-shirts, Posters, and Stickers
• Bags for tote
• Cases for mobile phones

Are you looking for some motivation? Her First $100K sells goods with messages that her target audience agrees with. On branded tote bags and t-shirts, you'll notice statements like “Smash the Patriarchy” and “Financial Feminist,” which are popular on the site.

Do you want to do something more hands-on? Create your first online store and use the readers of your blog as your initial consumer base.

Thanks to the founder's blog, one of the most well-known beauty businesses in the world were born. Emily Weiss created a dedicated following on her blog, Into The Gloss, by sharing beauty suggestions. She went on to create a skincare brand for the blog's subscribers. Glossier, a cosmetics firm worth over $1 billion, got its start in this way.

Another entrepreneur who chose this method is Richard Belton. For over eight years, he's been posting about maple syrup on his blog, Kaito Ridge, and earning money through Amazon associate commissions.

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9- Create a Membership Community

Give your most devoted readers a VIP experience for which they must pay a nominal price.

This form of community is a vital aspect of social interaction, which is becoming increasingly crucial in an increasingly online-first society. Not only have communities been found to boost mental health, but 52 percent of buyers are willing to pay more for companies (or blogs) that share similar beliefs.

“If you want a continuous money source for your blogging activities, build a membership program,” says Michael Keenan, who operates a membership community alongside the Peak Freelance Blog. You may provide unique material, such as handbooks and courses, exclusive deals, and even a Slack channel, similar to the one we provide for Peak Freelancer members.

“Configure your membership costs to be paid on a monthly or annual basis. Offer a little discount to individuals who pay on an annual basis. This provides you with a significant financial infusion that you can put towards creating new content and items for your subscribers.”

10- Monetize YouTube Videos

Have you tried to monetize your blog by joining an affiliate program? Diversify your content to broaden your audience and, as a result, your revenue sources.

To increase affiliate revenue, include video marketing in your list. After seeing a sponsored video, 88% of individuals are convinced to buy something. Make it your instructional, review, or haul, and you'll be compensated if someone buys something because of your suggestion.

Treat each piece of content like the basis of a video script to increase the amount of money you make from your blog. Record yourself speaking on the same subject, then edit and publish the video on YouTube.

For example, the bloggers at A Beautiful Mess created a YouTube video that shows How to Create Built-in shelves. The video description refers viewers to the blog post, which includes affiliate connections to the tutorial's items.

This method is effective for a variety of reasons. To begin with, not everyone loves reading internet material. Some folks would rather watch movies than reading. By merely generating textual material, you risk alienating thousands of people.

Second, the two most popular search engines in the world are Google and YouTube. Sharing material on both platforms enhances the chances that your target reader will find it and, as a result, buy things from you as an affiliate.

Google's algorithm includes YouTube videos on the search engine results page for selected queries (SERP). For example, if you search for “how to groom your dog at home“, the first result will be a YouTube video on the subject.

What's the best part? Your earning potential is increased if you have a popular YouTube channel.

The YouTube Partner program, which is offered to vloggers with more than 1,000 subscribers and 4,000 view hours, is one of the platform's revenues options. YouTube will show adverts before your video loads once you've signed up. Every time a viewer sees it, you'll be paid—a fantastic way to augment your blog income.

11- Produce a Podcast and Get a Sponsor

Podcasts, when it comes to alternative forms, are more popular than ever. More than half of customers in the United States have listened to a podcast, up from 33% in 2015.

Episodes, on the other hand, don't only pass the time on morning commutes. According to studies, 53% of listeners would look for more information about a product after hearing about it on a podcast. Another 35% will initiate a conversation about the item in question with a friend. Both of these factors make them appealing to companies trying to broaden their audience.

Produce your own podcast to capitalize on your audience's interest. Record yourself talking about a topic relevant to your industry and upload each episode to a podcasting service like Apple Podcasts or Spotify.

Inquire about sponsorship possibilities with brands in your specialty. In exchange for a sponsorship fee, sell ad space and provide corporations with a shortcut to reach their desired demographic.

This podcast revenue calculator displays a blogger with the following earnings:

• Downloads of 10,000 episodes
• Every month, four new episodes are released.
• There are two advertisements (one pre-roll)

may generate earnings of up to $16,000 each year.

The disadvantage of this podcast strategy is that it may be time and money-consuming. Building a relationship with a new audience takes time. To create the podcast, you'll also need equipment like a high-quality microphone and editing software.

However, if you do it correctly, you may be able to add another lucrative cash source to your blogging business.

Turn Your Blog into a Money Maker

Building a blog isn't a straightforward procedure. The ideal revenue generator is determined by your specialty, audience relationship, and content forms you produce. Focus on creating outstanding content and a dedicated readership first, and then try out these monetization strategies.

Making Money Blogging FAQ