Blogging for fun and profit
Even if you are blogging for fun rather than profit, you can get paid for the time and effort you invest in your blog. It’s not a get-rich-quick scheme by any stretch of the imagination, but with a bit of strategy, a dash of luck and some hard work you can turn your blog into a revenue stream.
Learn how to monetise your razor-sharp writing skills, dedicated audience and strong social media following.
- Write sponsored posts.
- Try affiliate marketing.
- Become a virtual assistant blogger.
- Join networks that do ad sharing.
- Join Google AdSense.
From sponsored posts to affiliate marketing, here’s how to make money blogging. Let’s dive in!
1. Write sponsored posts
Writing sponsored posts is one of the more obvious ways to make money from blogging. Sponsored posts are articles you write, either for your own blog or someone else’s site, about a product, service or company. There are a few ways to get into sponsored posts.
- Potential sponsors contact you.
Sponsors might contact you to request posts for specific audiences. They’ll contact you and work out a rate, but keep in mind that some sponsors offer free items in exchange for work.
- You create a page for sponsors to request a media kit containing your rates, your traffic stats and what you can offer.
Media kits let interested parties know that you mean business. You look polished and professional, and you don’t have to worry about the headache of negotiating a price with sponsors.
2. Try affiliate marketing
With affiliate marketing, you sell other people’s products and services while enjoying a percentage of the sales. The key here is not to force it, if you have a blog that talks about items, say tech gadgets, you can make suggestions to your readers without coming across as overbearing.
There are many local and international affiliate marketing programmes for a wide variety of niches. If you do some research into how to make money blogging, you might be able to find affiliate programmes that fit your blog. The commissions tend to be small, so you will need a reasonable amount of traffic to make decent cash from this.
Here are just a few examples of the networks out there:
- eBay Partner Network
- iTunes Affiliate Program
- Amazon Associates
- Trip Advisor
- AdMarula
- Loot
- Bidorbuy
- Mantality
- JustGo
Note that you will require a PayPal account to receive payment on some of the international affiliate networks.
3. Become a virtual assistant blogger
Being a virtual assistant blogger gives you the freedom to work for one or several blogs on either a per-article price or per-hour rate. Brands and some bloggers need content in order to make sure their site looks active. A virtual blogging assistant is perfect for these scenarios.
Often, it’s referred to as “ghost blogging” and you don’t receive author credit. Visit job boards, LinkedIn, and career websites to look for people or organisations seeking ghost writers. You’ll likely have to submit work so the blog owner can determine if your voice is congruent with the blog’s style.
4. Join networks that do ad sharing
HubPages is a well-known platform where bloggers come together to get creative. Ad sharing allows networks to host platforms for bloggers to publish their content while making money. When an ad that’s tied to your article within their network is clicked on or viewed, you get a small percentage.
Payout times vary, so keep your budget in mind. Again, bear in mind that you might need a Paypal account to be paid.
Here are a few ad sharing networks for bloggers:
5. Join Google AdSense or other ad networks
If you want to do more than subbing work to other ad sharing platforms, consider hosting ad networks on your site. Ads can be links, banners or even video, and the potential for passive income from clicks is viable. Just remember: it can take time to earn a payout, especially if your blog doesn’t receive a lot of traffic.
Ad networks are picky. They like sites with a good amount of content and usually steer clear of brand-new websites. Google Adsense is perhaps the most popular one in the world, but it can be tough to crack the nod, especially if your blog is new or small. The alternatives include PropellerAds and Media.Net.
One word of warning: Avoid making your blog too spammy. No one wants to read a blog that’s filled with ads that are unrelated to the content they’re interested in.
Hopefully this list of resources will help you learn how to make money blogging. Just keep in mind that making money from blogging takes time and commitment. All options listed above involve regular blogging and putting in the work to grow your traffic. Good luck and happy blogging.
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