Blogging is not just a hobby anymore. It’s an industry that can generate significant revenue for people willing to put in the work. So If you’re looking for something new or looking for extra ways to make money, then this blog post is for you! I will discuss all the ways that blogging CAN make you money and a quick start guide as to how to do so!
Disclaimer: Blogging is NOT a “get rich quick scheme”. It can sometimes take months or even years before you see your first payout. But, with time and dedication, blogging can definitely make you money!
This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links at no extra cost to you. There are only products included that I truly love. I APPRECIATE your support!
What is Blogging?
Blogging is a form of content marketing where you create and share your thoughts, experiences, or insights on a particular topic with your audience.
It can be done in many different ways, but the most common is through articles, videos, or podcasts.
Why Blog?
There are many reasons why people start blogging. Some do it for personal reasons, such as documenting their lives or sharing their thoughts and ideas. Others start blogs to make money. Some start a blog as a supplement to their other home business.
Regardless of your reason for starting a blog, there are several benefits (beyond the monetary gain) that you can reap from it:
•Establish yourself as an expert in your field:
When you blog consistently about a specific topic, people will see you as an authority on that subject. This can help you land speaking engagements, get published in other publications, or even get hired for jobs related to your blog topic.
•Attract new customers and clients:
By sharing valuable content on your blog, you can attract new customers and clients who are interested in what you have to offer. When they see that you’re an expert in your field, they will be more likely to do business with you.
•Build relationships with others in your industry:
The blogging community is a great place to connect with others who share similar interests. When you build relationships with other bloggers, you can exchange ideas, collaborate on projects, and learn from each other.
How do I start a blog (crash course)
Honestly, starting a blog is relatively easy (I know, I know…easy for me to say now), BUT it is really not as complicated as you may think. As long as you take some time to read the steps and watch some free Youtube videos, you’ll be able to have your blog up and running in no time. Just follow these simple steps:
Tip! If you are serious about starting a blog, make sure you read my complete guide to starting for beginners!
•Pick a topic/Niche :
The first step is to choose a topic/ niche for your blog. So basically, what will your blog be about? It can be anything, but it’s essential that you are passionate about it and have knowledge about it. You do not need to have a 4-year degree in the topic, BUT you should know more than the average person. AND make sure you enjoy writing about it, otherwise, you will burn out quickly.
•Create a blog name:
The next step is to come up with a name for your blog. This can be personal or business-related, but make sure it’s easy to remember and catchy.
•Register a domain name and set up hosting:
After you’ve chosen a name, you need to register a domain name (which is your website address) and set up hosting (where your blog will be stored). One of the great parts of starting a blog is how inexpensive it is. All you really need to pay for is a good host, for example, site ground, Bluehost, Hostgator, etc.
I use Bluehost for all my blogs and have never had any issues with them. It is very affordable, and their customer service has been helpful whenever a problem (usually user-error), does arise!
Tip! You can search for available domain names (for free) right on Bluehost.com!
•Install a blogging platform (WordPress)
The next step is to install a blogging platform. This will allow you to create and publish your blog posts.
The most popular platform is WordPress. If you purchase Bluehost as your hosting, they will do this all for you!
•Install a theme
You can start with a free theme; all you need to do is customize it and make it pretty for your audience. Hint:: do not spend all your time making sure it looks perfect, the content is more important!
•Create your first blog post and important pages
The final step is to create your first blog post and important pages (Privacy Policy, terms and conditions, about me).
When writing blog posts, be sure to include a catchy headline, an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. You should also add images and videos for extra visual appeal. Tip! Make sure the images are compressed (you can easily do this with Canva Pro or different image plugins).
Tip2: When first using WordPress you will see an option to add a new page and add a new post. These are different (I didn’t know this). Posts are for your ongoing blog posts, pages are for static pages (about me, privacy policy, category home pages…WP Beginners does a great job explaining this.).
•Drive traffic to your blog
This can be done through SEO (search engine optimization) or social media platforms. I HIGHLY recommend that you take some time to learn about SEO BEFORE writing too many posts. Trust me, it will save you A LOT of time in updating if you just do it right the first time.
How Can You Make Money Blogging?
There are a number of ways that you can make money blogging and you definitely do not have to do them all…especially right away. Try to become an expert in one of the ways, then expand out. Here are the most common methods of monetizing your blog.
Advertising
You can make money from advertising by having ads on your blog site.
All you do is simply place an advertisement on your site and be paid for it. It is a common method of monetizing your blog and a great way of getting passive income from your blog.
With advertisements, the more page view you receive on your blog, the more money you can make.
Here are some popular ad companies to use on your blog.
- Google Ads
- Monumetric
- Media.net
- Mediavine
- Sovrn
- AdThrive
- She Media
Note:: Each company has specific page view requirements to join their ad network. You can use Google Adsense right away, but I recommend waiting until you can get into a higher quality ad network such as SheMedia, Monumentric, or Mediavine.
I currently have SheMedia ads on my Travel Blog and they did not slow down my site and I have been pleased with the ads shown and the customer service given!
Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is a process where you promote someone else’s product or service and receive a commission for every sale you make.
All you have to do is recommend products you use and love to your readers, and if a purchase is made via your affiliate link, you get paid a commission on that sale.
There are several affiliate networks and programs that you can join and start promoting products.
Here are a few of my favorites
- Share-a-sale
- Awin
- Ultimate bundles
- Flex offers
- Skim Links
- Private Affiliate Programs
Sponsored Posts
Sponsored posts are blog posts that you write for someone else in exchange for money.
A company may approach you to write a post about them or their product and, in return, receive compensation for your work. This is a great way to make extra income from your blog, as you can charge anywhere from $50-$200 per post.
Some companies looking for sponsored content will also provide you with free products to review.
Selling digital products
Another way to blogging is by selling digital products such as ebooks, courses, or templates.
This can be a great way to monetize your blog as you create the product once and then receive income from it for years to come.
You can set up a sales page on your blog site and sell your products directly to your readers. Or, you can use an online platform like Thrivecart or SendOwl, which allows you to sell digital products with just a few clicks.
For my digital products, I like to post them directly on Etsy as Etsy brings in some of its own traffic as well!
Services
Another way to make money blogging is by providing consulting, design work, or freelance writing services.
This can be a great option if you are skilled in certain areas and want to offer your services to others. You can create a page on your blog site that outlines the services you offer and how people can contact you to hire you.
Some examples of services include coaching, blog post writing, and travel planning (just to name a few…the options are really endless!)
Physical Goods
Last but not least, you can also make money from your blog by selling physical goods.
This could be anything from t-shirts, mugs, jewelry to crafts, and more. You can set up a store on a platform like WooCommerce and sell your products directly to your readers.
Or, you could use a service like Printful, which will print and ship your products for you.
Similar to my digital products, I also have a physical product business where my blog links directly to Etsy. Right now it is the easiest and most cost-efficient platform.
How Much Money Can You Make?
The amount of money you can make from blogging depends on several factors, such as
- the type of blog you have,
- how engaged your audience is, and
- how much effort you put into marketing your blog.
However, most bloggers who successfully make money from their blogs earn anywhere from $500 to $10,000 per month. It truly depends on SO many factors. Here is a fun article that breaks down the money that different travel bloggers make!
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many different ways to make money blogging, and the options listed above are just some of the most profitable ways to monetize your blog.
Choose the method that best suits you and start monetizing your blog today!
Remember that it takes hard work and dedication to make a full-time income from your blog. But with patience and perseverance, it is possible!
If you’re looking for a way to earn some extra cash on the side or even a full-time income source, then starting a blog might be right for you!
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