How do Bloggers Actually Make Money
How do Bloggers Actually Make Money
How do bloggers actually make money. Have you ever wondered how bloggers actually make money blogging? Is it possible to actually make money using your wits and your computer? The answer is yes. Will it happen overnight like some bloggers suggest? No but you too can make money blogging with these tips and tricks.
Starting and maintaining a blog takes time and dedication. You have to learn the ins and outs of starting a blog, maintaining it, promoting it and monetizing it. But, I am here to tell you that it can be done.
There are a number of income streams that bloggers rely on to make money. No one stream is the do all, end all of monetization but taken together they can make for a great side hustle or even a full time income. The one thing that all of these income streams have in common is that they involve selling and advertising but come in different forms. This post contains affiliate links that if you click on them and make a purchase I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Affiliate Marketing
The first type of blog monetization that bloggers get into when they are first starting out is affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing is simply recommending a product to your audience through an affiliate link. If someone purchases that product or service the blogger receives a commission based on a commission schedule set up by the company.
There are affiliate networks or individual company affiliate programs. There are a variety of affiliate networks that represent numerous companies. These affiliate networks include Shareasale, CJ, Awin and others. When bloggers sign up for an affiliate network they can choose companies within the network to promote that are consistent with their niche.
For example I am a member of Shareasale but within that affiliate network I promote companies like Studio Press themes that my readers are interested in purchasing. Each of these is an affiliate link.
I am also a member of Amazon affiliates and Target affiliates which have their own affiliate programs. A blogger can simply go to a company’s website and check to see if a company they wish to represent has an affiliate program.
The blogger who chooses affiliate marketing as a stream of income has complete control over the companies he or she represents. So the blogger should only represent companies and products that they use themselves or risk their reputation.
Ad Networks
With Ad networks, the blogger has virtually no control over the ads that are run on his or her website. The blogger can eliminate large areas of ads like adult content and tobacco but otherwise the ads are run to appeal to the user of the site based on the searches that they themselves have conducted.
Among these ad networks are Google Adsense, Mediavine and Adthrive. Bloggers pay nothing to partner with an ad network and the network does all the work. The network finds advertisers, sets up campaigns, and handles the money. Ad networks are often the main source of income for bloggers because they are targeted to the reader. In addition, they are the easiest to maintain because once the code is on your site the ad network maintains it.
Ad Networks generally pay bloggers a certain amount per thousand impressions or a certain amount per click depending on the network.
Direct Advertising
Some Bloggers sell advertising directly. In other words, they are in direct contact with the company that they are advertising. They either advertise the company or a specific product. With this type of relationship the blogger can negotiate the rate that he or she will charge for the ad and has complete control over the company and product they are advertising.
Sponsored Posts
Many bloggers earn money by writing posts paid for by advertisers to promote products or services. Sponsored posts can be a win/win for the blogger and the advertiser because the blogger can set the rate while the sponsor gets permanent advertising for a fixed fee. There are firms like Linquia that can be used to find sponsorship opportunities.
Selling Your Own Products & Services
Many bloggers sell their own products on their blogs. For example, I sell my eBook on blogging as well as my handbags through my Etsy shop that is also advertised on my blog. My friend Megan Johnson sells her Pinterest course, Pinterest Ninja and her personal services through her website.
This is a a brief run through of the different ways that bloggers make money from blogging. Anyone can take the leap to earning money by starting and monetizing their own blog. Have you thought about starting your own? If so I recommend my eBook Passion for Blogging 101. It is an inexpensive 85 page guide to starting, maintaining and monetizing a blog.
If you already have a blog I also recommend that you invest in two courses that will help you to take your blog to the next level. The first is Billionaire Blog Club a blogging course that will definitely teach you all the ways to propel your blog into a money making venture. The founder, Paul Scrivens, is an expert in making money blogging in all different niches. He is constantly present throughout the course and I highly recommend Billionaire Blog Club as the way to move your blog to the next level.
The next is Pinterest Ninja which will teach you the value of Pinterest in gaining and maintaining blog traffic. Pinterest Ninja has increased my blog traffic by 1000% and I am confident it will make the difference for you. In fact if you got to this post through Pinterest it is because of Megan Johnson and her book.
If you would like to get more blogging tips and tricks sign up for my newsletter and receive your free blogging planner.
Finally, Sign up for my Free Facebook Group Passion for Blogging 101 if you would like to exchange tips and tricks or just need help blogging.
