You can monetize your blog in many different ways.
If they can do it, we can do it.
In …16 Experts Reveal Their Secrets, I interviewed professional bloggers who monetize their blogs.
If they can make money from blogging, so can we. This post will explain 13 ways to make money from blogging.
Excited? Wait until the end of this post. I will offer ethical considerations that may make you think twice before you accept anything from anyone let alone cash.
13 Ways to Make Money From Blogging
1. Turn your blog posts into a book.
It is easier and cheaper than even before to self-publish. Here are 10 Ways to Market Your Book.
I am delighted to say that many of my followers are published writers that sell their books on Amazon.
One day I plan on making money from blogging in this way myself. A possibility for me is to divide my posts into three categories–beginning blogging, intermediate blogging, and advanced blogging topics. In this way, I would be able to publish, and ultimately sell, three different blogging books.
How much to charge? I have seen electronic books (E-Books) for sale for as little as $1.00 or as much as $10.00.
You might wrestle with the decision whether to publish your book electronically or the traditional way, in print.
A Beginners Guide to Getting Published Online describes how to publish an E-book.
How to Get Your Book Into a Library explains the latter option.
2. Write a sponsored post.
A sponsored post is when a person or company sponsors your writing. They pay you to advertise for them on your blog post.
The SITSGirls Blog often advertises sponsored posts.
Here is a link to be able to pursue paid opportunities through their SWAY Corporation.
The SITSGirls Sway Corporation offers paid opportunities.
Susan Maccarelli at Beyond Your Blog has devoted her blogging career to advertising opportunities for people outside of their own blogs. Many of these include paid opportunities.
The Ultimate Guide to Finding Sponsored Posts is a great resource for finding other opportunities. However, some have restrictions such as you need to have a minimum amount of followers in order to apply.
3. Write a product review.
Technically, this is an example of a sponsored post.
Bloggers are great writers. Companies pay a blogger either in money or free products to review their product on the blog.
I know several bloggers who earn income this way.
My friend Scott over at SahmReviews offers examples of product reviews on his site.
4. Become an affiliate.
You could be a partner (affiliate) with a company that advertises on your site. Each time someone clicks on the ad, you get paid. I have not investigated how much. It could be as little as pennies for 50 hits, but it might be worth exploring if this interests you. Many bloggers I know are affiliated with Amazon.com. Click the link to connect to their affiliate program.
5. Accept other types of advertising.
BeautyThroughImperfection has ads on the site. The admin explains in her post How to Grow Your Blog and Make $1,000 a Month how she was able to earn $1,000 a month through advertising once she got her page views up above 500 per day.
Tammy Bleck at WittyWomanWriting was approached about having ads on her site when her readership grew above 5,000 followers.
I do not believe WordPress.com users can have ads on their site.
6. Sell a product on your blog.
Stuart Walker of nichehacks.com was selling his niche kit.
If you end up publishing a book, you could sell your book on your blog.
Sell a product relevant to your niche. Kveller is a Jewish site, so it sells Jewish products.
Bloggers use PayPal to set up an account. The consumer pays PayPal and PayPal pays the blogger.
The best part, you get to keep 100% of the sales* in contrast to an ad where you only get paid commission on the sale.
7. Be a coach.
Karissa Ancell from AFreshStartonaBudget offers people 20 minutes of free coaching time on the phone. If they like what they hear and want more, she charges for additional coaching time.
8. Be a motivational or inspirational speaker.
A Battered Hope‘s Carol Graham combines her blog with a radio program she hosts. She is also an inspirational speaker and published author.
Opportunities to speak can be found in several ways. You could speak at blogging conferences. Also, places look for motivational speakers. By searching for motivational speakers in your genre on the Internet, you could get on a speaker’s list.
9. Accept donations
Some very successful bloggers accept credit cards from people wishing to make donations to their sites.
How to Accept Donations Online is the link if this interests you.
10. Hold a blogging conference.
Prices for conferences vary. I have only been to one blogging conference which cost $10.00. It was complete with goodie bags, prizes, networking opportunities, and, of course, great instruction.
11. Have a webinar.
Instead of a conference where guests arrive in person, hold a webinar. Technology exists where you and the guests can be at the computer at the same time.
I have attended several of Jon Morrow’s webinars. Although I didn’t pay to attend, he explains their lucrative value in his article Make Money Blogging. Scroll down to Lesson #11 for the information on webinars.
12. Write a paid guest post.
I know a blogger who wrote paid guests posts. It was a win-win situation. She explained she received increased readership as a result of her guest posts and got paid as well.
Here is the link to paid guest post opportunities. Scroll down to Paid Posts.
13. Monetize your subscriber list.
I hear some bloggers get paid $1.00 for each new subscriber.
AfterOffers is the link if you are interested.
Other Considerations
I was told that if I had 5,000 eyes on my blog, I would be approached by people wanting to use my audience for their own purposes.
The word “panderer” comes to my mind. Panderer often has sleazy connotations.
At the time of this writing, I don’t have 5,000 eyes on my blog, yet I have already been approached three times by people wanting to spam my community.
Did anyone ever offer me money? Yes. Did I accept it? No.
I told him he could keep his $25.00.
$25.00?! I live in California. $25.00 wouldn’t pay for two movie tickets and a tub of popcorn on a Saturday night. (Readers who came to my May Meet and Greet know how much I like popcorn.)
I guess I should be flattered. I read on Facebook that the head of the Southern California Bloggers Association was offered $10.00, and she’s the head of the association.
Tammy Bleck of Witty Woman Writing accepted $500.00 per month by a reputable company to let them advertise on her site.
Eventually, they criticized a headline to one of her posts and asked that she take the post down. She refused and stopped accepting their advertising money.
Trust me, with two daughters contemplating graduate school, and one of them contemplating medical school, I have nothing against money. I’m just saying considerations need to be made before you decide how much you will accept and for what purpose.
Anne at Ethical Thinker discusses how “dangerous” having a big following can be because of the panderers this post discusses.
To close, I am editorializing. In my humble opinion, blogging is fun, but not necessarily lucrative.
Many bloggers have chimed in on whether the money matters. Of course, my time is worth money. However, currently, blogging is my hobby. I blog because the experience is rewarding for me in other ways, and, like all hobbies should be, it’s fun.
According to WeBlogBetter.com,
Blogging is fantastic. The ability to reach and communicate with thousands of people from around the world is just amazing! If you could earn money while you’re blogging that’s great, but if money is the reason you’re blogging, you may consider getting an actual job. Because blogging isn’t going to make you rich, and can barely pay your bills.
This post was written at the request of a reader. If you think any other readers could benefit from these blog monetization tips, please share.
Readers, what are your experiences with blog monetization? Do you have any other ideas for paid experiences you can share? I look forward to your views.
Related Post:
Do You Want To Make Money From Your Blog…
Sources:
Five Ways to Make Money With My Blog*
The Ultimate Guide to Finding Sponsored Posts
Why I Abandoned My Social Media Presence
