Do blogs get monetized?

"Blogger?" "Paid blogging service?" What do you think when you hear these words? Do they make any sense to you or are those just buzzword phrases that people use in their conversations? If so, then what would it be like if someone asked you how to monetize a website?

Well, let's start with the basics...  A website is simply HTML code (web page) on a server which displays information sent by a web browser via HTTP protocol. A blog is a type of website where content is usually posted regularly by one author who writes about his/her personal experiences, thoughts, opinions or other topics. Blogs have become very popular over recent years as more and more people turn towards online social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest and Snapchat. The reason why blogs are becoming increasingly popular among internet users today is because bloggers tend to express themselves freely through writing instead of posting boring status updates every now and again. And this is exactly why most established businesses hire professional writers for their company websites. In short, there are many reasons why hiring a writer is beneficial, but the main purpose here is to ensure quality content is delivered consistently to readers every time. Now, back to our original question - How To Monetize Website? Here are some simple steps on how to monetize your own website.

Create high-quality content

Write engaging articles

Engage targeted audience via newsletters & email marketing campaigns

Provide value to your target market

Offer eBooks

Get paid per click advertisements

Promote products on your site

1.) Create High Quality Content. When creating content for your website, remember not to spam! It will only annoy visitors and potential customers. Instead, focus on providing valuable insights and ideas to your target audience. Also, don't forget to keep things interesting and fun while still maintaining professionalism. Writing should always remain informative yet entertaining at all times. You want to create something unique, extraordinary and fresh that attracts new followers. As long as you provide relevant and helpful information to your audience, they'll come back for more. Write with passion and love and you're sure to see results.

2.) Write Engaging Articles. Your website needs to attract attention quickly, and compelling article headlines are the best way to achieve this goal. Think creatively about how to catch reader's interest right away. Try using keywords related to your niche but also avoid keyword stuffing. Make the title stand out but please try not to go overboard with too much hype. Keep paragraphs well organized, easy to read and no longer than 3 sentences each. Use subheadings and bullet points whenever possible. This helps break up large blocks of text into smaller chunks easier for readers to digest. Always proofread before publishing anything to ensure spelling errors and grammar mistakes aren't present.

3.) Engage Targeted Audience Via Newsletters & Email Marketing Campaigns. One thing that makes me cringe sometimes is seeing business owners offering freebies to promote their product or services via giveaway posts. While giveaways are great, they often end up being annoying to readers who already know everything about you and your brand anyway. Giveaway offers should be reserved for special occasions only such as holidays or events. Readers appreciate receiving useful info rather than useless junk. Once you've built trust with them, offer regular newsletter subscriptions via emails. Be honest and transparent with your subscribers, tell them what you plan to send next and give them enough notice to sign up beforehand. Most importantly, be consistent with sending newsletter reminders!

4.) Provide Value to Your Target Market. Offering value means giving your readers important information regarding current trends, local news, industry changes, seasonal specials, promotions and discounts. By doing this, you demonstrate your expertise and build credibility amongst your loyal fans. For example, you may write a post addressing common questions about your field of work such as 'What Is SEO?' or 'Why Are My Sales Slowing Down?' These types of posts help establish yourself as an expert within your chosen industry. Another way to add value is to share knowledge by answering commonly asked questions on forums or guest blogging for others' sites. Just remember to never plagiarise anyone else's work as copyright infringement could result in legal action against offenders.

5.) Offer eBooks. Donating digital copies of books to charity organizations or selling physical ones directly onto your website are both viable options. However, if you'd prefer to sell eBooks, consider partnering with eBook sellers such as Amazon. They have thousands upon thousands of titles available for purchase, thus allowing you to set your own prices. There is also plenty of competition between ebook stores nowadays so choose wisely before making your choice. Also, take note that once you publish your book(s), you won't receive royalties unless you put together a formal agreement with the publisher first. But, even so, you wouldn't need to worry since it takes less than 2 minutes to complete the process.

6.) Get Paid Per Click Ads. Paying for advertising space on search engines such as Bing and Yahoo is another method of generating income. However, you must stay careful when choosing advertisers since bad partners can damage your reputation for good. Ensure that your adverts appear natural whilst remaining relevant to your specific topic. Avoid going cheap on PPC campaigns or otherwise risk getting penalised by the search engine itself.

7.) Promote Products On Your Site. Many companies buy links from third party websites so they can direct traffic towards their store. Other methods include asking affiliates to refer interested buyers to your site. Some bloggers also earn extra revenue by promoting certain products on their blog pages. Consider purchasing banner ads from reputable websites and place them strategically throughout your posts. Banner ads generally function similarly to pay per clicks ads except that banners are larger in size and require additional clicks to trigger payout. Either way, make sure you stick to strict privacy policies regarding customer data. Never ever disclose sensitive details such as credit card numbers, bank account PIN codes and passwords anywhere on your website!

There you have it folks! Seven simple ways to monetize your website. Please feel free to leave comments below if you have further suggestions on how to generate passive incomes from your blog. Have a nice day!

I asked this question when I first started blogging in 2007 because I was so excited about what I had created. And after all these years, I still don't know how much revenue my blog generates.

The truth is that there are millions of websites out there offering great content and information but not one of them has been able to generate enough income through their own efforts or with any help they may have received. The reason why most people fail at making money online is simply because they do not understand the basics of marketing - SEO, PPC advertising, article writing, social media, video marketing, blogging, etc.

So here's some good news! You CAN create a profitable business without having to be a tech genius (or expert) like me, nor do you need to spend hundreds if not thousands of dollars on expensive programs such as Pay Per Click ads, buying traffic, outsourcing work to affiliates, using software tools, etc. In fact, there are only seven things you need to learn about starting a successful business online...

1- How to build a list

2- Why emailing subscribers works better than blasting your posts across cyberspace

3- What kind of relationship should you want with your customers/subscribers?

What's the difference between product selling and customer service?

5- How to choose the right domain name, hosting company, autoresponder provider and WordPress theme?

Which plugins will maximize your conversions?

How to write effective emails?

8- How to avoid getting distracted by distractions?

9- How to grow your mailing list quickly?

10- How to use articles to increase profits?

11- How to leverage YouTube videos into profit?

12- How to set up a squeeze page?

13- How to use Facebook pages effectively?

14- How to promote products via Twitter?

15- How to sell eBooks and other digital products?

16- Do blogs really get monetized?

17- Are there secrets to making more money with an existing blog?

Can you monetize a free website?

Does anyone ever buy anything from a review site?

Is affiliate marketing dead?

Should I start a new blog just for funsies?

Do high quality sites always earn higher commissions?

23- Will creating multiple streams of income solve problems related to working too much?

Where can I find reputable advertisers who pay well?

How can I monetize a website fast?

Well, let's answer each question separately below...

1- How long does it take to monetize a website?

Monetizing a site takes time. It doesn't happen overnight even if you're lucky enough to hit upon a hot niche topic or market where everyone else is already competing against each other. However, once you've established yourself online, you'll see consistent results over time. This is known as "building awareness" which means building trust and credibility before trying to capitalize on those relationships. Once you do this successfully, then you will begin seeing increased revenues every month.

2- How can I monetize my website fast?

There are lots of different methods you could try, depending on your budget, skills, interests and goals. But remember, no matter what method you decide on, it must fit within your overall strategy and vision. If you focus solely on earning money from one avenue, you risk losing sight of everything else that makes you unique. So choose wisely.

Here's a quick overview of some popular options available today:

Affiliate Marketing - Affiliates receive commission based on purchases made by visitors to your site. One way to easily start doing affiliate marketing is through Amazon Associates. Another common type of affiliate program is CPA offers, meaning companies paying per lead generated. There are plenty of others, including eBay Partner Network and Commission Junction. All of these offer excellent training materials plus support systems.

Ebook Sales - Selling ebooks requires very little investment aside from setting up an account with PayPal.com and choosing a catchy title. They cost anywhere from $0-$40 and usually range from 300 to 500 words. People love reading books on Kindle, iPad and Nook readers. Also, consider publishing your ebook on Smashwords.com, Barnes & Noble, iTunes and Kobo stores. Check out our guide on how to self publish your book online.

Google Adsense - With Google AdSense, you place relevant text ads around your webpages. Each ad contains hyperlinks back to your site. When clicked, the link directs traffic away from your site and towards another advertiser's site. For example, if someone clicks on a banner advertisement while visiting your blog, he or she would end up landing on a promotional webpage rather than yours. This technique is called contextual targeting and it allows you to target specific groups of users. To qualify for the program, however, your website must meet certain requirements.

Video Traffic - Video sharing website services, such as Vimeo, DailyMotion and Metacafe, allow viewers to watch short clips submitted by members. These sites attract a lot of attention from search engines thanks to HTML code embedded in each clip. Some experts also recommend adding keywords to the description fields of uploaded videos. Search engine spiders index these files and assign greater weight to them accordingly. Thus, uploading informative videos can boost your rankings dramatically.

Selling Products Directly From Your Blog - A growing trend among bloggers, this option involves incorporating shopping carts directly onto your blog itself. Visitors can browse items featured on your blog until they find something that appeals to them, then click the Add to Cart button located near the price tag. Afterward, they will be redirected to the payment gateway process. Many merchants provide integration with major credit card processors and payment gateways, allowing shoppers to complete transactions securely without leaving the shop.

Writing Articles -- Writing articles and submitting them to article directories helps drive targeted traffic toward your blog. By providing valuable information to potential clients, you establish yourself as an authority figure in your field. Article submission services include EzineArticles.com, Goarticles.com and Articlebase.com.

Blogging Software Tools -- There are several useful software applications designed specifically for bloggers wanting to manage their businesses. Popular examples include Xanga and MovableType. Most blogging platforms require registration prior to use.

Social Media Networks -- Social networking sites like MySpace, Squidoo, Digg and StumbleUpon bring huge amounts of traffic to your blog. Simply sign up for accounts and upload interesting topics. Make sure to add links to your blog whenever possible.

List Building Services-- ListBuildIt.com provides affordable opt-in forms required to collect names and email addresses. Subsequently, interested parties will receive periodic updates via email regarding products and services offered by your selected vendor.

Other Sources Of Income -- Don't forget to look beyond traditional methods to generating extra cash. Consider developing mobile apps or consulting services. Or maybe you'd prefer to join forces with entrepreneurs who share similar goals.

Crowdfunding Platforms -- Crowdfunding sites like Kickstarter.com and IndieGoGo.org enable individuals to raise funds for various ventures. Typically, contributors pledge donations based on specified rewards. Depending on the platform, investors gain access to exclusive perks.

YouTube Videos -- Upload original instructional tutorials designed to teach consumers how to perform tasks efficiently. Post them on your blog and submit the resulting URL(s). Then ask followers to forward the message to friends and family.

Squeeze Pages -- Squeeze pages are basically mini-sites built exclusively for collecting contact details and personal opinions. Users voluntarily give permission to store their data on third party servers. Consequently, they can re-use these contacts later on to send messages, newsletters and advertisements.

Facebook Fan Pages -- Create a fanpage associated with your main blog and invite visitors to become fans using Facebook widgets. Fans can interact with your profile by liking or commenting on your status updates.

Twitter Followers -- Establishing a large following on Twitter is essential to increasing visibility. Use hashtags (#) to draw additional traffic to your blog. Hashtags designate particular themes related to your chosen topics. Therefore, searching #coding becomes synonymous with coding tutorials. Likewise, users can apply the same logic when searching #blogging, #marketing, #moneymaking techniques, #internetbusinesses, etc.

LinkedIn Profiles -- LinkedIn profiles serve as virtual resumes for professional acquaintances looking to expand their networks. Build connections with colleagues and peers using the site's discussion forums and job boards.

In Conclusion...

While many people believe that running a blog costs nothing unless you hire outsourced employees, writers, editors, programmers, designers, marketers, etc., most bloggers underestimate the importance of proper planning, strategic thinking and execution. Otherwise, you might as well throw your hands in the air and go play checkers with your cat. That said, it IS possible to run a thriving business without breaking the bank. Just follow the steps outlined above carefully and never lose track of your ultimate goal. Remember, it's less about what you think and more about what the world thinks.

Wouldn't it be nice if we could write articles like this one without having to worry about ads popping up in between paragraphs or how much money our writing will make us later on down the road? If only! But don't fret - there are plenty of ways to generate revenue using content that's already been written. Here are seven different methods for making money with your blog posts.

1) Sell eBooks

If you're passionate enough about a topic, chances are good that other people share your enthusiasm as well. You may have even created some really great information products before -- such as reports, guides, books, DVDs -- but perhaps you haven't sold very many at all. In any case, selling digital products is a fantastic way to turn your blogging into a business (or simply supplement your income). There are several online retailers where you can sell your various ebook creations, including SmashWords, Barnes & Noble Press, Amazon Digital Services, Apple iBookstore, Kobo Writing Life, and others. Don't forget sites like Etsy.com, which allows artists and crafters alike to set up shop and sell their wares. The idea here isn't so much to become wildly successful overnight, but rather to create something valuable and useful that gives you ample opportunity to grow over time. And when you start seeing success stories coming out of your efforts, that'll help keep you motivated and moving forward!

2) Offer Affiliate Programs

This option works best if you've got a site that covers a specific niche market. For example, let's say you own a health-related blog called "The Best Diet Ever." One day, while reading another blog post related to dieting, you notice that they use images from certain weight loss supplements. This leads you to wonder whether you might consider adding similar links on your own site. After doing more research, you find out that these particular companies offer affiliateships through ClickBank.com. Essentially, you would sign up for free by visiting the Clickbank partner page and clicking on the appropriate link. Once you receive approval, you'd then add those links onto your sidebar menu under the "Affiliates" tab. Every visitor who clicks on them gets redirected straight back to the company's web page. When they buy whatever product or service you recommend, you get paid based on a percentage commission structure. Depending upon what kind of traffic you drive, commissions can range anywhere from $10-$50 per sale. Again, not huge amounts right away, but certainly worth considering once you begin generating significant traffic. Of course, you should also choose carefully because bad partners can quickly tarnish your reputation among readers.

3) Drive Traffic To Your Site With Search Engine Optimization Techniques

SEO techniques involve optimizing your content so that search engines know exactly where to index your pages. For instance, imagine you wrote a 500 word article called "My Favorite Salad Recipe," but no one happens to see it unless they specifically type "salad recipe" into the search engine bar. Now think about how frustrated you'd feel if someone found your article via Google News, read it, liked it, and left a comment saying they had just made your salad last night...only to discover that you didn't actually publish anything about salads! That wouldn't happen if you used SEO techniques to optimize your blog. By creating unique titles, descriptions, tags, keywords, and alt text fields, you ensure that potential customers searching for relevant topics will stumble across your blog instead of somebody else's. It takes work though, especially since most bloggers aren't experts in technical matters like keyword density. Fortunately, there are lots of services available that specialize in helping new bloggers improve rankings. Just search around until you come across one that suits your needs and budget.

4) Use Pay Per View Advertising Model

Pay per view advertising models allow advertisers to pay you directly whenever they send you ad requests. These types of offers usually come along with a clickthrough fee, meaning that each request must result in a viewer being directed to the advertiser's landing page. As long as your visitors remain interested in the advertisement, however, you stand to gain a lot of extra cash from PPC campaigns. While Google AdSense remains the gold standard in terms of earning residual income, Yahoo Display Network provides users with a wider selection of advertisements than Google AdSense. Not surprisingly, both options typically charge lower rates for placement. Keep in mind that you won't need to hire anyone to manage your accounts for you - after registering, you can easily log into your account and tweak settings to suit your preferences.

5) Create A Content Syndication Service

Syndicated content refers to original material that has been republished elsewhere. Basically, syndication involves taking your blog content and publishing it somewhere else on the Internet. Some notable places include Technorati, Squidoo, HubPages, EzineArticles, Digg, Deliciojus de Amore, and Propeller. Many popular websites today were originally built on the concept of syndicating content, including YouTube, Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn, Tumblr, Pinterest, Instagram, Flickr, WordPress, Blogger, etc. Why wait years to build your list when you can harness social media power to build relationships within hours? Think of all the additional opportunities that arise from connecting with hundreds or thousands of people at a single moment in time.

6) Build An Email List

Email marketing allows you to promote yourself or your brand through email messages. Sending emails to prospective clients or subscribers is highly effective method of promoting your products or services. However, before sending out promotional emails, make sure that you follow all guidelines regarding spam prevention policies. Otherwise, you risk getting blacklisted by ISPs, resulting in blocked access to inboxes everywhere. Also, remember that every message sent out represents you personally. Make sure that your language and tone reflect professionalism. Be careful not to offend anyone accidentally either, otherwise your subscriber base might dwindle dramatically.

7) Develop Online Courses

Courses refer to any downloadable item consisting of multiple chapters that can be accessed individually or collectively. They cover everything from simple PDFs to interactive CD ROMs. Unlike traditional textbooks, courses often feature multimedia elements such as videos, audio files, animations, games, graphics, quizzes, and other interactive features. Since learning requires retention, retrieval, and application, online courses provide flexibility and convenience that simply cannot compare to textbooks. Additionally, students learn better when they participate actively, which makes learning fun and engaging. Even better, unlike physical goods, online courses never wear out or break, allowing you to rewind and replay lessons whenever necessary. Finally, online courses tend to attract higher quality instructors compared to self-taught learners, increasing the likelihood that students retain the knowledge learned.

To recap, here are the 7 ways to monetize your blog from an entrepreneur and blog owner.

Sell eBooks

Offer Affiliate Programs

Drive Traffic To Your Site Using Search Engine Optimization Techniques

Use Pay per View Advertising Models

Create A Content Syndication Service

Build An Email List

Develop Online Courses

As you can see, there are plenty of ways to earn money off your existing blog content. Take action now and put your plans into motion! Good luck building your future earnings potential!