What is the best way to monetise a blog?

Blogging might be free, but if there's no plan in place to turn your hobby into a business, then it won't pay off and will only become more of a burden on your time. Even if you're just starting out as a blogger, you'll want to know what kind of income can realistically come from this medium.  This article takes a look at some of the most popular ways to earn money with your own blog.

If you've already started blogging or are planning to start one soon, keep reading! Here we discuss the different options available to bloggers who wish to create passive streams of income without having to spend hours every day working towards their end goal.

How do I monetize my personal blog?

Monetizing a blog means making money from your content so that you don’t have to rely solely on advertising to cover costs (or worse). One option is placing ads inside your posts which may appear alongside them on your website or through an ad network like Google Ads. This method requires visitors clicking on those links in order to access your site, effectively turning each click-through into a sale. You can also use Amazon Associates, Chikita affiliate networks, etc., but they tend not to work as well because people aren't used to seeing advertisements within articles that they read for pleasure — something readers expect when using social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, Tumblr, Reddit, Snapchat, etc., as opposed to blogs.

Another common form of monetising a blog is by displaying sponsored content on your website. For example, instead of writing about DIY projects yourself, why not display relevant products next to the post. Or maybe you could write reviews for certain items and include links to where customers can buy them. Sponsored content has its advantages since readers won't notice it and therefore won't feel cheated. However, it usually comes down to a matter of choice between monetisation methods rather than picking one over another.

The final type of monetisation involves selling premium memberships to your audience. If you run a blog focused around photography, perhaps you can offer exclusive photo shoots to subscribers, or give away subscriptions to your newsletter in return for higher engagement. It all depends on your niche market, but remember: your content must focus on providing value to your reader base before considering any other forms of monetisation.

So now let's talk numbers...

How long does it take to make $500 per month blogging?

It really varies depending on several factors including budget, traffic to your blog, average number of pageviews per visitor, conversion rate, etc. To help you get an idea of potential earnings, here are two examples based on data collected by Statista during January 2017 - April 2018:

$500/month = 1,000 Pageviews x 0.03 Conversion Rate

1,000 Pageviews x 365 Days Per Month / 12 Months = 45,600 Views Per Year

45,600 Views x Average Monthly Viewership per User = 24,900 Users Who Will See Your Content Each Day

24,900 Users X 30% Click Through Rates = 7,245 Visitors Who May Purchase Products From Affiliates Every Day

You should understand that conversions rates vary widely across industries. In general though, the lower the better. The reason being is that affiliates love low competition and high commissions. On top of that, users generally opt for easy solutions, i.e., buying directly from brands themselves rather than going through third parties. So even if you manage to convert 10 percent of viewers into buyers, that still leaves 90 percent of your audience indifferent.

But hey, that's not always true. According to Forbes magazine, 43 percent of consumers would shop online less if prices were too similar to offline stores. What this means is that for your product to sell itself, competitors shouldn't necessarily be brick-and-mortar businesses. They can simply be companies offering similar services or goods at lower prices. And with the prevalence of discount shopping apps, ecommerce sales continue to rise year after year despite economic downturns.

In fact, according to research by eBay Inc. and Deloitte LLP, 89 percent of American adults shopped online last holiday season compared to 65 percent back in 2011. That translates to nearly $120 billion spent last November and December 2015 alone. A lot of shoppers prefer to browse and purchase items via mobile devices, so if you haven't optimized your store yet, you're losing out on potentially huge profits.

Also, note that the amount of monthly active users needed to reach 500 dollars per month largely depend on the size of your target audience. If you're running a blog aimed towards women aged 18-34 years old, chances are you wouldn't require as large a userbase to achieve the same results. But if you're looking to drive traffic to a lifestyle blog catering to 25-50 year olds, then you'd definitely need a larger following.

With all this said, the easiest path to generating passive income with a blog is to ensure that your audience visits often enough.

How much money can I make from a blog?

That largely depends on three things: your current financial situation, popularity of your topic, and your marketing skills. There are plenty of successful bloggers earning six figures annually while others struggle to pull in $2,000 per year. While there's certainly nothing wrong with pursuing big dreams, it helps to break down exactly what "big" actually means before you begin setting goals.

Here's a breakdown of typical annual incomes earned by bloggers worldwide. These stats were pulled from Alexa's Global Site Traffic Ranking Data Report published earlier this year.

Average Annual Income Earned By US & Canadian Online Retailers During 2016 was $61,976.

Median Annual Salary Of Full Time Freelance Web Developers Worldwide Was $69,872 In 2014.

Average Annual Income From UK Internet Businesses During 2013 to 2015 was £28,664.00 ($40,095)

According to the latest report released by Nielsen Digital Consumer Survey, Americans made $11,200 worth of purchases on Amazon during October 2018.

These comparisons show that regardless of location, the sky truly is the limit when it comes to creating wealth with a blog. Just think about it: if someone makes millions of dollars in profit by selling digital books, imagine what you can accomplish if you go after bigger fish such as movie rentals, music downloads, or video game console preorders. No wonder Jeff Bezos calls himself a billionaire four times over.

However, success in the world of entrepreneurship isn't achieved overnight. Many entrepreneurs fail because they underestimate the amount of hard work required in order to succeed. Make sure you set small milestones along the way (even if you miss them), track your progress daily, analyze everything you learn, and never stop learning new strategies.

On a side note, if you're interested in building a profitable career in tech, check out our guide on becoming a freelance developer.

How many views do you need for AdSense?

While the exact figure differs slightly from person to person, the general consensus among marketers is that anywhere between 2,000 to 5,000 web pages viewed qualifies as quality traffic. More importantly, however, your traffic needs to remain consistent throughout the course of the week. Once you hit the magic mark, consider upgrading to unlimited impressions.

One thing to bear in mind is that Adsense offers advertisers the ability to choose placement based on keywords related to their campaigns. Therefore, the fewer unique words in your content, the lesser chance you will receive clicks.

To avoid missing out on opportunities, try submitting your websites to search engines regularly. Search engine optimization experts recommend doing keyword research before publishing anything on your site, especially if you're aiming for a specific geographic region. With proper SEO, you can increase visibility in organic searches significantly.

For instance, if you live in New York City and intend to launch a fashion brand targeting teens ages 13-18, you should probably pick keywords relating to clothing, accessories, shoes, makeup, etc. Don't worry — there are lots of tools available to aid in finding suitable terms quickly.

Have additional questions regarding monetizing a blog? Feel free to ask us below. We hope you found this helpful. Happy blogging!

Originally written by Simon Slangen on March 29th, 2012.

Blogging can provide an avenue for expression, personal growth and income -- but there are many ways it's done. There are thousands of successful blogs on every subject under the sun, covering topics from travel destinations to home improvement projects. But what if your passion isn't one of those subjects? What if you want a voice in your field or just don't have enough time to build up a full-scale site? Or maybe you're starting out with little money and need help finding your niche market. Whatever the case may be, blogging offers opportunities to earn extra cash. It also helps people learn about their passions while providing them with something they love doing anyway.

If you've built yourself a blog, you might wonder where to start when trying to figure out how to monetize a blog. There are several options available, so let's look at some of the most popular methods. We'll talk about why each method has its pros and cons, as well as who typically uses it. By the end, we should have given you plenty of insight into which strategies work best for different types of content creators.

For this article, we focused on sites like Tumblr, WordPress (including self-hosted Wordpress), Medium and Blogger. Obviously, not all platforms offer the same tools, but these will give us a good idea of how to approach monetizing a blog using various techniques. Let's begin!

How do I monetize my online blog?

Monetizing a blog by selling advertising space is probably the easiest option. You simply go through an ad network such as Google AdSense or Media.net and insert ads wherever possible. When someone clicks on the ad, you make money. While easy, this option tends to bring in less than $100 per year. If you post regularly, however, you could potentially reach more readers who would then click on your ads. The downside here is that you won’t see any profit until months after posting, and even then only a small percentage of visitors clicking on ads actually become subscribers to your newsletter.

You can also use affiliate marketing instead of advertising. This involves promoting other products or services related to yours without making direct contact. For example, if you write health articles, you could recommend supplements that contain ingredients similar to vitamins found in your posts. As long as you keep your recommendations relevant to your audience, you shouldn’t run afoul of search engines. Many large companies employ affiliate marketers because it costs less to attract new customers via affiliates rather than directly contacting them. Affiliates can easily track sales and return visits, helping you measure success. In addition, you only pay once someone makes a purchase based on your recommendation.

Another common tactic used by bloggers is offering premium features to paying users. One way to do this is charging monthly subscription fees to access certain resources such as additional training videos or ebooks. Another popular choice is offering special coupons exclusively to memberships. Services like Patreon allow you to set your own pricing structure, giving you complete control over what you charge. With Patreon, you decide exactly what kind of reward you wish to receive from fans. Some rewards include early access to posts, exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and merch discounts.

Finally, you can create your own merchandise. Merchandise refers to anything physical that represents your brand, including T-shirts, mugs, stickers and posters. Once again, you choose what kinds of items you sell, as well as the price points. A great place to check out design ideas and tutorials is Etsy.com. Here, you can browse hundreds of unique designs created by independent artists and craftspeople. You can also follow sellers who share your interests, allowing you to stay updated on upcoming releases and promotions.

Overall, advertising is the most common form of monetizing a blog. However, it comes at a cost: low profits. That said, you can still achieve success with relatively few followers.

How much do bloggers get paid?

One of the biggest misconceptions surrounding blogger incomes is that they tend to sit around $1 per month. Nothing could be further from the truth. Most bloggers earn anywhere between $5-$20 per hour. So, if you assume an average of five hours spent writing, editing, uploading and responding to comments per week, that means you'd likely be earning somewhere between $25/week and $50/day.

The number of hours varies depending on the amount of traffic your blog receives. More often than not, though, the higher your hourly rate, the better off you are financially. Of course, not everyone earns high wages right away. Even if you're just getting started, don't expect big things overnight. Just take comfort in knowing that no matter what happens, consistent effort pays off.

A recent study by ProBlogger showed that nearly half of professional bloggers earned annual salaries above $75k. Furthermore, 60 percent made six figures annually. Still, only 20 percent were able to support themselves solely off of their earnings. Regardless of whether you fall into either category, remember that whatever salary you earn goes towards expenses like food, rent and utilities. Don't put too much pressure onto yourself to earn massive amounts of money quickly. Keep a realistic outlook, and always consider taking smaller steps toward achieving greater goals.

Lastly, don't forget to factor in taxes. Depending on where you live, freelance writers face added tax burdens due to fluctuating rates. To avoid becoming overwhelmed with complicated paperwork, try setting up an LLC to handle your business finances. An accountant specializing in freelancing can advise you on how to properly incorporate and report income.

Do bloggers get paid well?

It depends. Again, not everyone gets rich quick. And in fact, it takes years before anyone really starts seeing results from blogging. After all, you can't compare yourself to established celebrities. However, the vast majority of bloggers experience steady improvements over time thanks to hard work and persistence.

Many major brands rely heavily on influencers to promote their wares. These individuals usually command top dollar per endorsement. Unfortunately, since influencer profiles aren't searchable, it's difficult to know which ones are being offered lucrative deals compared to others. Fortunately, you don't have to worry about this problem. All you need to do is sign up for Influencive's Creator Marketplace, which lists influencers across categories. Once signed up, head over to the marketplace page to view active campaigns posted by influencers looking to collaborate with brands. Simply submit a proposal detailing your expertise, product knowledge and promotional skills. Brands interested in working with you select your profile and send payment accordingly.

As far as overall compensation goes, you'll have to wait and see. Since most bloggers haven't achieved celebrity status yet, there isn't a definitive answer. On the bright side, social media has helped increase exposure among regular people. As such, many companies now recognize bloggers' value by reaching out personally. Before long, you can rest assured that your contributions will continue to garner positive attention from sponsors seeking expert advice.

In short, yes, bloggers do sometimes get paid well. Whether you pursue traditional avenues or creative alternatives, remember to remain patient. Be prepared to invest countless hours creating valuable content. Then, watch closely as your efforts eventually translate into increased income.

Can a free website be monetised?

This question assumes you already possess a domain name and hosting plan. Otherwise, it wouldn't make sense to think about building a separate website. Luckily, many hosts come equipped with simple management panels that feature customizable themes. Such programs allow you to customize a basic layout and add functionality later on. Although it requires slightly more technical skill, you can technically host multiple websites using a single account. HostGator provides users with unlimited domains along with cPanel software.

Furthermore, you can install plugins to enhance your website's usability. Examples include sharing buttons, comment boxes, email subscriptions and RSS feeds. Plugins also enable you to integrate third party apps such as PayPal, Facebook and Twitter accounts. Finally, if you ever feel uncomfortable managing everything yourself, there are tons of web development applications designed specifically for nontechnical users.

Of course, none of these tactics guarantee riches beyond dreams. Nevertheless, they represent solid first steps toward ensuring a future career path centered on your hobbies.

Blogging has become an essential part of many people's lives, with more and more people turning their love of writing into income via blogging. But what if you're thinking about starting your own blog but aren't sure where to begin? Or perhaps you've been running one for some time now and are looking at different ways to earn extra cash.

In this article we'll discuss how you can use your blog as a source of income and whether it will work for you. You might also learn how other people have started making money through blogging without any financial backing whatsoever (although this method isn't recommended). Finally, we'll look at common mistakes made by newbie bloggers when they try to monetize a blog.

So let's get started!

Can you make money on a free WordPress blog?

It depends on which type of blog platform you choose to run your site on. If you go down the self-hosted route, then yes -- there is every chance you could make money using just your existing domain name, even if it's not very well known. However, be warned -- it's not easy or quick.

If you don't want to pay anything for hosting or design, then you need to consider Tumblr. The company offers several plans including free, premium, and business accounts. In addition to being able to host unlimited content per user, all paid plans offer access to themes, custom domains, adverts, analytics tools, etc., while the free version allows users to create multiple blogs.

The downside here is that you're limited in terms of customization options so getting something unique designed may prove difficult. On top of that, you won't see much traffic until your following starts growing...

But wait, there's more good news than bad. A lot of successful Tumblr posts contain affiliate links meaning you can start earning commissions straight away. This means you only need to drive up your followership before anyone else does, rather than trying to compete against established brands.

For those who prefer a simple platform like Wordpress, however, things aren't quite so straightforward. Unless you plan on investing heavily in SEO strategies and backlinks to rank higher in search engines, you probably won't enjoy success anytime soon.

A better option would be to turn your blog into a membership website instead. For example, if you know a particular niche inside out, why not set up a page offering exclusive videos, articles, interviews, podcasts, etc.? Then charge readers for entry after giving them fresh material to read each week.

This approach gives your visitors exactly what they came for, plus gets your content onto as many platforms as possible (including social media). It's ideal if you already have a loyal audience interested in your area of expertise. Plus, unlike tumblr, wordpress makes building websites easier, quicker, and cheaper too.

To take advantage of this technique, you should register a.com domain ($9) and purchase web hosting space ($8/mo) from BlueHost, among others. Alternatively, check our list of the cheapest hosting providers online.

How do free blogs make money for beginners?

With a little planning and promotion, you can easily build a sustainable passive income stream using a free service such as Google AdSense. Simply sign up as an advertiser, link your account to your blog, and paste relevant ads wherever appropriate.

There are two main downsides to doing this though: Firstly, most advertisers have strict guidelines regarding acceptable content, so you'd either have to cut corners somewhere or risk having your entire account suspended. Secondly, even if everything goes smoothly, you still wouldn't make enough for it to cover costs.

Instead, you should focus your efforts on creating high quality original content aimed at generating leads for other services. For instance, if you sell freelance writing skills, write informative guides explaining how to improve various aspects of productivity for your target market. Or if you're passionate about photography, post pictures of cool events happening around town.

When done right, this kind of content attracts both regular viewers and potential clients. Once again, it takes patience, but over time your efforts will eventually yield results.

How do free bloggers make money?

Many popular bloggers today rely mainly on sponsored partnerships to bring in additional funds. By signing up as an affiliate partner, you agree to promote certain products and services within your blog posts and newsletters.

As long as you stick to promoting legitimate products, you shouldn't encounter problems. After all, sites like Amazon and ClickBank ensure that buyers always receive genuine items at reasonable prices.

However, you must remember that these agreements often require bloggers to include specific promotional messages alongside product reviews and recommendations. While it's nice to earn extra income, you should never sacrifice your integrity and ethics as a writer.

Another option available to bloggers is selling advertising space directly to businesses. These companies typically hire individuals to produce bespoke pieces of marketing collateral to help increase visibility. As such, they usually place larger orders requiring more copywriters than usual.

You can apply for jobs like these by sending pitches detailing your experience and qualifications along with samples of past projects. Don't forget to keep copies of your portfolio handy for reference, as well as follow instructions closely during interview rounds. Remember, you should aim to impress prospective employers with your professionalism and dedication to detail.

Can you make money from a small blog?

While it's true that bigger blogs tend to attract more attention, it's certainly not impossible to reach levels of success on smaller ones too. To achieve this, it helps to think outside the box and experiment with unconventional ideas.

One great tactic I used was to create a "best of" roundup featuring my favorite posts from the year. At first I wasn't expecting much to come of it, but it ended up drawing plenty of interest. And once I saw how effective it had been, I decided to repeat the process annually.

Don't feel pressured to fill your pages with endless amounts of text. Instead, concentrate on keeping your content engaging and interesting to read. Readers will appreciate learning more about topics they care about, especially if your tone comes across as authentic and friendly.

Also, whenever you share photos and images, ask yourself whether you really need to add commentary underneath. Many times I've seen bloggers talk themselves into adding captions simply because they thought it looked neat. But sometimes leaving them blank actually looks nicer.

Finally, don't underestimate the power of giveaways. Giving stuff away for free seems counterintuitive, especially considering most people nowadays expect instant gratification. Yet it can serve as a powerful tool for increasing brand awareness and driving targeted traffic towards your blog. One giveaway idea worth experimenting with is holding competitions related to your niche.

After all, everyone loves winning stuff!

Of course, you shouldn't neglect traditional methods such as PPC campaigns and email promotions entirely. They can certainly boost your budget and lead to greater returns, but they take longer to show results.

On average, it can cost anywhere between $5-$100+ per month depending on your campaign objectives. Even worse, you might end up spending more than you earned due to ineffective tactics and poor conversion rates.

That said, you should avoid joining programs that promise overnight riches. There's no guarantee that they'll ever pay off, and in fact, they're likely to cause unnecessary stress and anxiety. Focus instead on finding viable solutions that fit your needs and ambitions.