Content is still king, and it remains relevant for decades to come. Starting a new blog is an attractive model because it’s so low-cost, but when you’re new, trying to make money from it should be the least of your problems.
Your primary focus is on publishing quality content, optimizing the website for speed, and worrying about your SEO strategy.
More importantly, keep writing until your fingers start to feel numb.
Once you’re seeing some traffic, then it’s time to consider monetization, and I listed below 9 methods you could potentially implement:
- Affiliate links & Affiliate programs
- Sponsored posts
- Sponsored newsletter
- Paywalls & premium content
- Display advertising
- Selling courses
- Other digital products
- Consulting or coaching services
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links might be affiliate links. I might earn a small commission when you buy through my links. If you do, please know I only support brands or companies that I either use myself or fully believe are beneficial for my readers. Thank you!
Affiliate Marketing
The most common and accessible way is through affiliate links. When signing up for any affiliate program, you’re getting a unique URL assigned by the merchant (platform).
If a visitor clicks on the link and decides to take action (sign up, purchase, or download), you’re awarded a commission.
Some of the most well-known platforms are:
Those platforms are like a catalog/marketplace with thousands of merchants available.
Some, if not most, require a manual application process where you need to provide your URL, social media handles, and additional information about your plan to promote their brand.
But a lot of great affiliate programs are offered without a third party, so always check if they offer it. (It’s usually hidden in the footer)
The incentives can vary:
- Fixed payout
- Recurring commission on subscriptions
- Cost per lead or signup
Always pick brands or companies that resonate with the niche you’re in. It wouldn’t make sense to have display banners of cat food when you’re a tech blogger.
You’re more likely to convert better with relatable or exact matches in your industry.
Affiliate marketing works when you’re building a loyal audience. And conversion can take time. Returning readers trust the recommendations of their favorite bloggers/influencers.
Sponsored Posts
Brands that seek bloggers to promote their business or a new product launch are common.
Sponsored posts work differently from affiliate marketing. They pay the blogger to publish a review, introduction, or any form of content in exchange for payment.
Most popular are:
- Product reviews
- How to use their product
- Brand updates, or a new public roadmap
Companies tap into bloggers to reach a new or existing audience for brand awareness and marketing.
Those sponsored posts can:
- Increase sales
- Drive quality traffic & conversion
- Serve as a reminder that they’re actively working on something new
The earnings per post can vary, depending on the niche, traffic, and readers your blog has.
As a beginner, don’t get your hopes up here. Just keep writing and build that quality traffic.
Make sure your blog has a contact page, and express that you’re open for collaborations, sponsorships, or partnerships.
If you’re not getting any leads, you could maybe write a free review about a product that you love, reach out to them, and let them know you exist.
It’s a long shot, but they know you exist.
Sponsored Newsletter
Newsletters are challenging to grow. It requires time and an audience willing to provide their email addresses.
But it’s worth the effort long-term. Acquiring a big list of subscribers with a great open rate and click-through rate is your best friend when reaching out to brands.
What I love about sponsored newsletters is that the paid ad is more focused, centered, and aimed at conversion.
Don’t panic if you’re not seeing a single subscriber for months. It’s just that difficult.
Paywalls & Premium Content
It’s not my preferred method (yet?) unless the content provided is expert guides, deep secrets in certain industries, or content you don’t want to be copied so easily by other bloggers.
This model gained popularity with mainstream media outlets such as the New York Times and Bloomberg.
Display Advertising
Alongside affiliate marketing, the most common revenue model. Some of the most popular advertising networks are:
Ad networks collaborate with publishers (you) and advertisers (merchants) to mediate, facilitate, and deliver ads between the two parties.
Not every ad network is equal, though.
Google AdSense is known for paying less, but it isn’t as strict as Mediavine, where minimum requirements need to be met, such as 50K monthly views.
The RPM (Revenue Per Thousand Impressions) can vary.
Mediavine offers an average payment of $10 to $65 per thousand views, while Google AdSense pays an average of $1 to $2.5 per thousand views.
What also matters is where the traffic is located.
Tier 1 countries like the USA will receive a higher payout than traffic flowing in from Tier 2 and Tier 3 countries.
I would recommend checking Ezoic, since they have lowered their requirements (or none at all) to join and have decided to no longer impose page view limits upon new signups.
Selling Courses
I might consider selling a course, but it’s not in my scope yet.
Selling courses as a content creator can be a lucrative method if your audience trusts you and supports your hard work.
Courses go with the “create once, and update once or twice a year”, which allows you to sell that course forever.
If your blog is navigating a high-demand niche or a broader industry, creating a course could be ideal to offer:
- Blueprints in e-commerce
- SEO courses
- Mind maps
- Focused advice for people
- Structured playbooks in your niche
- ….
It’s not uncommon for bloggers to sell courses after a year or two of hard work and prove they’re an authority in their industry or niche.
A lot of them wrote 100s of blog posts, puzzle them together, and turn them into a course.
People like to read blog posts, but those who want to learn prefer structured education with a curriculum even more.
Other Digital Products
I went the same route (slowly), I went from entrepreneur to part-time content creator, and I observed some of the successful ones selling:
- Notion templates
- eBooks (not always the same as courses)
- Printables, like planners, coloring pages for kids
- Design templates
- Wallpapers
- Apps
Some are offered free, which serve as a lead magnet, to warm up their audience and possibly upsell other, more valuable products.
Consulting & Coaching Services
Not uncommon when the niche blog is business or startup related.
They often get a better conversion than traditional consultants who aren’t blogging.
Returning readers who resonate and align with your content are more likely to trust you and may even pay or hire you for a service.
Final Word
Blogging can be rewarding if you do it right. Most blogs are abandoned within the year because they haven’t figured out yet how to make money from them in ways other than advertising.
Even when you’re a freelancer or a small business, you can add a company blog to your portfolio and grow an organic audience.
Read also: How To Increase Traffic To Your Blog?
Zoom out, set clear goals, and consider the best options for you to monetize your content.
