How to Monetize a Blog in 2023 & Beyond!
By Kyla Clarke • 5 min read, Jan 14, 2022
Every business needs a blog. But figuring out how to monetize a blog isn’t easy!
A blog can help your business in developing a clear brand voice, increase traffic to your website, and build a strong email list. Ultimately, your blog helps you attract new clients.
But a great blog helps you make more money.
Whether you’re an established business or still figuring out how to launch your website, we’ve outlined how you can earn extra money, all thanks to a handy little blog. Some bloggers earn thousands in passive income from their blogs, and the good news is: your business can do it too.
So, when can you monetize your blog?
You can only monetize a blog by having consistent and growing levels of traffic. The more people that visit your blog, the more money you can make.
Increase your organic traffic through SEO and content marketing, and you’ll start earning money once you’ve put in consistent time and effort. How long this takes is entirely in your hands, go at your own pace!
Read on for seven different ways to earn money from a blog.
1. Running ads
Running advertisements on your website is an easy way to monetize your blog and earn passive income. The more traffic you have, the more likely that advertisers will want to work with you. But, if you are just getting started, you still have some options!
- Start by signing up for Google’s AdSense program, which will place Google Ads on the side or bottom of your website. It is free to join and Google does all the work — you just collect the payment.
- You can also sign up for Amazon’s Associate’s program and run ads that way. These ads feature products you use or endorse.
- Other companies like Mediavine or AdThrive work specifically with bloggers to help them run ads on their websites. Choose one that’s best for you!
Blogs like Pinch of Yum earn tens of thousands a month from running ads alone!
2. Affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is the most popular way to monetize a blog. When you’re an affiliate of a brand, you post and share about that brand’s products on your blog. When someone buys a product thanks to your blog, you’ll get a commission.
You could make between 10 and 50 percent commission based on the affiliate program, however, it all depends on the programs you’ve signed up for and the traffic coming into your blog.
According to blogger and coach Melyssa Griffin,
There are thousands upon thousands of brands that run affiliate programs, so it’s up to you to find the ones you love and sign up. (Psst: Amazon has an affiliate program too!)
3. Brand partnerships and sponsored posts
Many bloggers start making money when they partner up with established brands. Once your blog has a following, reach out to related brands to do sponsored posts or giveaways and get paid to host them on your website or social media.
Danielle Finestone, who runs the popular Toronto-based food blog ToFoodies, says, “I work with different brands. Sometimes they want really specific things, like campaigns or contests. Sometimes we do “advertorials” and giveaways, which are great for the following and something they want to know anyways. That’s when a partnership is at its best.”
In order to secure a sponsorship, you’ll have to put together a business proposal and pitch it out to brands you want to work with.
Tips for pitching to sponsors
- Start with your mission statement and why the sponsor would benefit from working with you.
- Describe your audience demographics (average age, geographies, gender identities, etc) and the type of traffic and viewership you can guarantee for the sponsor.
- Menton the cost of each post and if you’re flexible. Don’t sell yourself short!
Some influencers start out earning around $100-250 for a sponsored blog post and can eventually earn up to $1000 for an Instagram post!
4. Sell online courses
Once you have a lot of traffic coming to your blog, think of an expertise you can teach to your audience as another way to monetize your blog. What’s something you’re knowledgeable and passionate about? Many bloggers create and sell online courses to make money and build credibility while they’re at it.
According to entrepreneurship blogger Neil Patel, you can create and sell an online course even if your blog has under 50 visitors per day. Find out what your audience is looking for and create a course for them!
Patel attests that you can make over $100,000 per year selling online courses. We recommend getting started on course-creation websites like:
- Udemy
- Teachable
- Course Merchant
- Thinkific
- WordPress, using a plugin such as MemberPress or LearnDash
Bloggers like A Girl and Her Blog earn $10,000 a month from selling their online course! Check out these video recording tips to get you started.
5. Run events
Source:https://eggwhitescatering.com/galleries/create-cultivate-vision-summit/
A great way to monetize a blog is to host parties and networking events for your community (right now, they’ll have to be online!). Depending on your blog’s niche, you could put together a fun online event, charge a participation fee, and hopefully turn a profit.
Most importantly, events are a great way to grow your audience and earn more money in the long run. Sami Huda, a writer for a music blog, says,
Another example is Create and Cultivate. What started as a blog is now a community of women empowering women with high-profile events and workshops.
6. Teach workshops
In-person workshops allow you to connect with your audience and grow your blog following. By identifying your audience’s needs and hosting a workshop, you can charge a fee per person to teach them what you know.
Artist and YouTube sensation Makoccino hosts workshops and retreats to help people learn how to draw and paint. It’s so successful you have to get on a waitlist!
Secure a perfectly Instagrammable location (or host in the online space with Zoom), use Eventbrite and Meetup to sell tickets and promote the event. Post and advertise on Facebook and Instagram to get the word out, and draft up a slideshow and workbook to go along with your unique content!
7. Create a digital business
Whether you already have a digital business, or you’re looking to sell a product online, you can use your blog to promote and sell digital services. This is a great way to make upwards of $1000 a month blogging!
Levenna Meyers uses her online content to market her branding and coaching business. She says,
Levenna uses Pinterest to drive traffic to her blog. The search engine sends over 147K monthly visitors to her blog, who in turn follow her on social media and subscribe to her email list. From there, she can convert those followers into clients.
Time to monetize your blog!
The success of your blog and your business go hand-in-hand. By increasing your website traffic and blog readership, you can earn more money through service offerings. By building on your digital product offerings, you can send more traffic to your website and email list.
Earn money through your blog by running ads or teaming up with brands, teaching workshops, and online courses, hosting fun events, and promoting digital products and services.
Save and share our infographic below for quick tips on how to monetize a blog and create lasting income!
