This Is How to Monetize Your Knowledge & Make Money Blogging in 2023

By: | December 11, 2016 | Tags: , , , , |

Monetize your blog, tips from an expert #BlogMonetization #ContentMarketing

Do you want to know why most blogs fail, abandoned by their owners between three and nine months?

I’m sure you have many theories.

Lack of readers, lack of subscribers, lack of patience to wait for the readers and subscribers, and lack of time are likely causes.

However, according to successful blogger Minuca Elena, the reason most blogs fail has nothing to do with any of those things.

In a recent interview, Minuca explained that the reason most blogs fail is the blog owner has no idea how to make money blogging, also called blog monetization.

My recent content marketing post about how to monetize your blog was met with controversy.

For example, Gilly Madison responded that bloggers fall into two categories, those wishing to make money and those not wishing to monetize. I beg to differ. I believe there is a third category of bloggers– those who might want to monetize one day.

This post will offer two ways you can monetize should the desire to make money blogging ever come.

Fortunately, publisher Lois Hoffman is here to explain how you can make money writing on the Internet.

Lois’s forte is helping writers monetize, so she is an expert in this field.

Are You a Blogger Looking to Monetize Your Knowledge?

For many bloggers, writing is simply a creative pursuit. It’s a way to share what you know or what you’re experiencing and be part of a vibrant blogging community. But if you’re looking to your blog as a source of income, it’s important to think more strategically about your content marketing strategy. It’s not just about getting visitors to your site. Content marketing (or authority marketing) is about generating leads and then driving sales from your traffic.

What is Content Marketing?

The Content Marketing Institute describes content marketing like this:

Content marketing is a strategic marketing approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly-defined audience — and, ultimately, to drive profitable customer action.

Write valuable content

The first and most important part of content marketing is valuable content. You write content based on what your ideal reader wants and needs whether that is learning how to blog, figuring out what to cook for dinner, or giving your readers a good laugh. Stay laser-focused on solving their problem and consistently deliver the solution.

Drive traffic to your site

Blogs like Mostly Blogging provide tons of great information describing how to drive traffic to your site with catchy headlines, keyword-rich content, and various outreach strategies for getting people to visit and read your blog. If you follow her advice, visitors are compelled to click on links to other valuable content. Doing this consistently leads to a loyal audience who knows, likes, and trusts you and your expertise. If you do it well, your readers share the information with others to expand your circle of influence.

Capture reader emails

The next step is to capture emails of your readers. Why, you ask? The short answer is control. You own your list and control the messaging and timing. You have direct access to your ideal reader without the filter of finicky algorithms or even the whims of readers. People are busy. Deliver the content they want directly to them while giving them additional opportunities to solve their problem. Namely, they solve their problem by purchasing your product or services. But they need a reason to give you their email.

Create marketing assets

Marketing assets are customized content whose primary purpose is to capture email addresses. They include things like checklists, workbooks, webinars, reports, infographics, videos, SlideShare presentations, ebooks, podcasts, among lots of other types of content. Create branded assets (put your name on them) and tell them what to do next to get more info. Make them available on your blog as a sidebar widget, embed them in your blog posts, and use them for Facebook and Google ads to generate leads outside of your blog environment.

Write a compelling call to action

In order to get them to click through, you need a compelling call to action or CTA. UKLinkology shares these keys to converting blog traffic into leads.

  • Understand the needs of your audience – Get to know what they want. Find out their problems and provide solutions and include them as call to actions. If you don’t have the answer already, survey your audience to get some qualitative data.
  • Learn to turn normal visitors into subscribers – Add CTA’s using the language your audience will respond to and make those CTA’s visible.
  • Test and repeat – There’s no solid way to write effective call to actions. You have to test and try until you see the best results. Every industry is different.

On the blog Kissmetrics, the psychology driving readers’ behavior is this:

All human behavior, at its root, is driven by the need to avoid pain and the desire to gain pleasure. Even when we do something that appears to be painful, we do it because we associate pleasure with the action.

Effective CTAs offer the solution and a reason to do it now. The Daily Egg offers suggestions and examples of CTAs that work.

What is your product or service?

Once you’ve captured your readers’ emails, you’re in a position to convert your leads into sales. But what are you selling? If you’re like many bloggers, you offer consulting or coaching services to help your readers beyond your blog. Although you know your readers need what you have, many aren’t ready or able to go all in. Creating an info-product, like a book, is a smart way to leverage your knowledge and give readers an additional option for benefiting from your wisdom and insight.

Writing a book gives blog readers two options for solving their problem and gives you two ways to generate income. The beauty of a two-pronged approach is that promoting either your book or your services drives potential customers to explore the other. Readers of your book may find they need additional help once they read it and those receiving your services may want information written down for greater exploration.

If you’re a blogger, you probably have most of the information already written for a book. It’s a matter of organizing what you have in order to create a compelling narrative for the reader to follow. Being an author opens doors to speaking and presenting workshops. It also creates an event-worthy reason to be featured on various blogs and elsewhere in the news. Publishing a book features your expertise which drives clients to other products or services you offer.

Conclusion

In order to generate income from your blog, you need to create consistent valuable content to your ideal reader, create marketing assets to draw them closer, and build your email list. Once you do, you can offer them solutions to their problems through the services or products you offer. Writing a book is a valuable asset to generate income or establish yourself as an expert in order to drive sales and create access to new ways to promote yourself.

Congratulations to Janice for taking that step and publishing her book, The Insider’s Guide to Building a Successful Blog! She embodies what is possible for bloggers.

What part of the content marketing journey is the hardest for you?

Other content marketing resources:

http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/5-surprising-truths-about-content-marketing-for-brand-building.html

http://www.jeffbullas.com/2015/01/13/13-essential-content-marketing-tips-to-convert-website-traffic-into-sales/

Authority Marketing infographic

http://authoritymarketing.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/authority-marketing-infographic.png

http://authoritymarketing.com/blog/strategy/authority-marketing-infographic/

Lois Hoffman is the owner of The Happy Self-Publisher and author of Write a Book Grow Your Business: Build credibility, establish expertise and develop trust with your ideal client and The Self-Publishing Roadmap: A step-by-step guide to publishing the book of your dreams. She is a writer, speaker, workshop facilitator, and coach for new and experienced writers. She specializes in helping bloggers and business professionals build credibility and differentiate themselves in the market by writing and publishing books about their area of expertise.

Host Blogger’s Commentary:

Why You Should Monetize

Since AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL BLOG was published just one month ago, many exciting events have taken place.

Lois has already helped me monetize. People keep writing me to tell me they’ve purchased  my ebook and the confidence they have in my tips that the book will help them be more successful bloggers in the new year.

The last month has definitely been exciting.

  • Besides the new-found income, my exposure has increased.

Two well-known bloggers, Debby Kaye and Sally Cronin, interviewed me and reviewed my book. Tina Frisco reblogged Debby’s interview, so I received exposure on her blog as well. I was also interviewed by the NobleLoaded blog.

  • In addition, my Twitter followers have exploded. My Twitter count is growing at a rate of about 100 new followers a week.
  • Also, my MailChimp email list is getting new subscribers at a rapid rate.
  • Next, a digital media company wrote me and offered me a contract to freelance for them. They are guaranteeing to pay me for sponsored posts.
  • Furthermore, Matt (Kaboomis) Loomis has asked me to appear on his show. His guests include blogging influencers, so I am excited.
  • Finally, a well-respected blogger wrote and asked if he could advertise his blog in my sidebar.

I don’t know if those events would be occurring even if Lois hadn’t published my ebook last month, but the timing definitely coincides.

I took Lois’s advice and turned my blog into a book.  If you want help going from blogger to author, check out Lois’s website, The Happy Self-Publisher.  She offers coaching and consulting services for the aspiring author in addition to her books on self-publishing.

The Aftermath

An Insider's gUIDE TO Building a Successful Blog Making an #Ebook #BloggingTipsExciting News! The response to the free incentive for ordering AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO CREATING A SUCCESSFUL BLOG has been overwhelming! As a result, I am extending the offer of bonus material with proof of purchase of the book and doubling the bonuses for purchase.

Potential to Monetize in the Future

I have interviews scheduled for two dates in December. Matt (Kaboomis) Loomis, the second interviewer, has offered to try to sell copies of my book, AN INSIDER’S GUIDE TO CREATING A SUCCESSFUL BLOG when I appear on his show.

Consider this comment from Akaahan Terungwa, a published author on Amazon:

Congratulations for publishing your first work on Amazon. As a prolific author on that platform myself, I heartily welcome you and can authoritatively tell you that, a million doors are already open for you!

It’s true! “A million doors” can be open for you, too, if you monetize.

Readers, please share so others wishing to monetize know about Lois’s expertise and the value of monetization.

What has your monetization journey been like? I look forward to your answer in the comments section.

UPDATE: More Ways to Monetize Your Knowledge

Since the publication, of this post, my business partner and I started the Mostly Blogging Academy of Blogging Courses.

We have 8 courses to help bloggers and marketers of all levels.

Starting a course for newcomers in your niche could be a way for you to monetize as well.

Related Posts

How to Make Big Money Blogging, 15 Tips

How To Make Money From Blogging Even If No One Is Paying You Part I

How To Make Money From Blogging Even If No One Is Paying You Part II

How to Easily Make Money by Promoting Your Blog at Niume

How to Make Money in 2016 and Beyond as a Beginner

Blogger Meet and Greet: Ebook’s Birthday Party

  1. Donna DeGuglielmo

    Thank you Janice for another great post very educational and supportive. I am with you and have to say that “For example, Gilly Madison responded that bloggers fall into two categories, those wishing to make money and those not wishing to monetize. I beg to differ. I believe there is a third category of bloggers– those who might want to monetize one day.” I really did not want to make any money at all when i started blogging. then realized i am blogging my memoir and need to make some money but also, in the beginning give a way for free. Now formatting book ugh long sigh! well, slowly … i will sell other things too. happy blogging to all. To help others in their faith and wellness… writing …. blessings donna maria

    • Lois Hoffman

      HI Donna,
      It’s great that there are different ways to approach blogging. I agree that you can start out one way and through need or desire switch to a different mode. You aren’t alone in your feelings about book formatting. That’s what keeps me in business! But, I learned it at one point from scratch. People need what you are writing and, eventually, selling, too!

      • Amanda

        Hi Lois,

        Read your reply, very insightful.. Want more tips on book formatting

        thanks

        Amanda

  2. Akaahan Terungwa

    Hi Lois,

    Having you over at MB is a sincere pleasure; your mastery of the monetization process has certainly enriched the lives of the audience of this awesome blog.

    I know this because I picked up a tip or two myself 🙂

    As for your question, the hardest part for me was actually two-fold: getting visitors to return and then, getting them to sign up and remain signed up.

    After struggling for what seem like an eternity, I finally figured out that returning visitors are gained by providing value that cannot be got anywhere else and on a fixed, constant and predictable basis.

    As for getting readers to subscribe and remain subscribers, an awesome freebie (in the form of an eBook) worked like magic, getting me more than 30 new organic subscribers daily.

    To keep them on the list, I made sure not to spam them and provided a ton of free information that was exclusive. This way, there was always a reason to stay 🙂

    I’ll hop over and take a look at your site…your genius is simply irresistible!

    Janice, the million doors have started opening…a huge congratulations to you. And, lest I forget, a million thanks for both the link and mention – you are very kind 🙂

    Do make the day great, Lois and Janice!

    Always,
    Akaahan Terungwa

    • Lois Hoffman

      Thanks, Akaahan. There are a lot of things you CAN do to promote yourself and your blog. The trick is to find repeat and lasting credibility. I’m big fan of the blogging, email marketing, and book trifecta. Thanks for your kind words. I love your energy!

  3. Kim Smith

    I picked up some great advice and pinned a few pins from your site. I am ready to learn all that I can.

  4. Mark

    Thanks for sharing an outstanding blog post Lois!

    You really have put things in the proper perspective, and offered several
    extremely viable marketing options.

    And you laid out in an easy to understand matter, exactly what needs to
    be done, if you’re attempting to monetize your blogging
    activities.

    Thanks! Hopefully your expert advice will be implemented asap!

    • Lois Hoffman

      Thanks for your comments, Mark I definitely like to look at the big picture and work down to the details. Writing a book definitely forces you to consider why you’re writing it, who you’re writing it for, and what you hope to get out of it. I found it life-changing!

  5. Alana

    It never hurts to keep options open. Although I do not need to make money now through my blog, I will be retiring one day and the extra income may just be what I need to do the travel my husband and I desire to do. And I will know, thanks to you, where to get the information I need to plan.

    • Lois Hoffman

      Alana,
      It’s great that you’re enjoying blogging without the extra pressure of it being a money-maker. Keeping your options open is a great strategy for all things in life! My dad published his first of 11 books at 80! I don’t think he thought about it while he was working. Thanks for stopping by.

      • Janice Wald

        Hi Alana and Lois,
        I, too, originally thought of blogging as something I’d do in my retirement. I thought I’d start now, so when I retire my blog would be up and running. Since my daughters left for college, I have the time. I am not yet close to retirement but happy my blog is up and running.
        Alana, that’s amazing how your father wrote 11 books starting at the age of 80. Thanks for writing.
        Janice

  6. Terri Webster Schrandt

    Nice to meet you, Lois, and thank you to Janice for another fab article! I so admire those who can make a living blogging. Very few people can really pull it off. I had dreams of making money with my blog, but have decided it is too much work. I’m semi-retired and teach part-time at a university. Dealing with 100-145 students per semester pays the bills, lets me live the lifestyle I want, but keeps me very busy 9 months out of the year. Having published an eBook (more for the fun and experience rather than expecting to make $$), I thought I could do more of that. Nope, again, too much work! What my blog has done is open other doors to freelance writing gigs, of which I can pick and choose when (and where) I write for $$. I hope people blog because they love to write FIRST, build a readership and keep interested. That is the true enjoyment for most bloggers like myself.

    • Lois Hoffman

      Terri,
      You are so right. People must blog first because they love sharing what they know or how they experience life. There is so much to love about blogging: being creative, sharing what you love, and, of course, the blogging community. The business side of blogging is not for everyone, but I happen to love that part, too! I love learning something everyday, which is how I came to know Janice. The challenge of creating and growing a business stimulates my mind and curiosity. I’m a fan! Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Terri.

    • Janice Wald

      Hi Terri,
      Our journey to monetize is similar; also, we are both teachers. We have many commonalities. I am also stimulated by the challenge of creating and growing a business which is why I’ve started to write about content marketing as well as partake in it. Thanks for commenting.
      Janice

  7. Marsha Ingrao

    Congratulations on all your success with your book. You have certainly worked hard for it. 🙂

  8. Tanya

    I’ve monetized for about a year now but am starting to be more intentional about it and seeing good results. I’ve got the incentives for email subscribers some and it’s drawing subscribers….I just need to do better sending out consistent newsletters! Stopping by from #SITSBlogging

  9. Julie Syl Pit Stop Crew

    Thanks Janice for a great Guest post on Monetizing a blog. Great for beginner Bloggers and those who wish to get things going. The only thing I would add is. One has to have the patience of a Farmer as they get systems in place to attract an income via blogging!
    Congrats on all the exciting stuff going on in your life and the extra income from the book sales 🙂

  10. charan

    spent a great time on your blog, almost more than 15 min. am surfing your blog posts.. Well, the majority of the bloggers start a blog with a good purpose to make money online, but 99% bloggers failed to earn money through a blog. Monetizing a blog is a time taken process need a good knowledge on chosen niche with powerful content on your blog. Thanks for sharing your valuable knowledge.. will visit again !

    • Janice Wald

      Hi
      99% is a high number. I make money through sponsored posts and I just rented space in my sidebar. I also make money as a blogging coach. I will make back some of the money I spent on my ebook which doesn’t count if I’m still in the red, but it gives me a nice back end offer for people who can’t afford my blog coaching. Do you feel I am the exception?
      Thanks for writing. I am glad you are enjoying my blog.
      Janice

  11. Nick Carter

    Wow! that was an amazing list, just buzzing after reading that. Very informative, rich in details and easy read. I will try out your awesome techniques and let you know how it goes. Thanks! https://www.magenet.com/

  12. Pingback: Make Money Online! Few Lessons To Learn From Others! ~ Philipscom

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