Creating a blog can be more than a hobby or therapy to many people. It can be the way to pay the bills, or at least, the second source of income. You probably have heard of many people saying that they have become rich with their blogs, for instance.
But, you aren’t very sure how it can be possible. You have your own blog, you are working hard on it, but you can’t imagine how it could bring some extra money to you.
If you can relate to it, worry no more. Here is how you can turn your blog into a successful business from now on.
Understand first that you will have to work hard for your business
The first thing that you will have to do is to understand that turning your blog into a business starts with dealing with it in a professional manner. It means that you won’t be able to create content only when you feel like doing it, or without a goal in your mind, among other things.
You will have to make sure that you have the time to spare to keep your content shining and updated, to promote it and to analyze metrics in general. You will have to follow the rules and do several things that might not be so easy-going as just writing down whatever comes to your mind.
Having it clear, and ensuring that you are ready for the challenge, let’s go through your options here.
# 1 – Sell advertising
The most obvious way to make money with your blog is by selling ads. They can be in the form of banners that you will display on your side or top menus. Companies and professionals interested in reaching your audience will pay for a piece of your real estate, and you will be responsible only for displaying their ad as agreed – you can also charge to create the ad itself if you know how to do it.
# 2 – Sell sponsored posts
Another way to monetize your blog is by selling sponsored posts. In this case, the company or professional will send to you a post ready to be published, or you will write it for them. In both instances, you are supposed to published leaving it clear to your audience that what they are reading is a sponsored post. This way, they won’t be upset by a biased content such as the one that the post probably has.
# 3 – Use affiliate marketing
Affiliate marketing is one of the most lucrative ways to make money with a blog. You can sign for the affiliate program of a particular company or a network that put together several products and services.
In all the cases, you will have to create content that allows you to mention those services or products without damaging your credibility – and this is the tricky part. You will get paid for how many people click on your links and buy what you are offering. Or just per view, depending on the program.
# 4 – Offer gated content
If you already have a good number of visitors and subscribers, one alternative is to offer gated content to them. It means that you will charge them to read some of your articles, or to have access to another type of premium content. The important thing in this scenario is not to be greed. You can’t just start charging for everything overnight. Start small with something cheap but compelling, and then build from there.
# 5 – Promote courses or workshops
Do you have any skill that you think people could be interested in learning from you? Obviously, something related to your blog content? If so, you should try to make some money by selling courses or workshops through your blog.
You can start with a free webinar. To check if there is any real interest in the type of classes you will be promoting. It will be time to let your visitors know that they can get more from through a small fee.
# 6 – Coach other bloggers
If you have managed to become a bit successful with your blog, even if you aren’t making any money from it, you can try monetizing your blog by coaching other bloggers. You will be paid as a consultant – which can be per hour or job.
Probably, you can tell them how to start their own blog. You can tell them how to design it, how to promote their posts on social media, and how to write great content. All these is valuable information that you can put a price tag on if you like.
# 7 – Become a pen for hire
One skill that you probably have as a blogger is writing. But not everyone does. So if you want you can become a freelance writer and sell posts to other websites or blogs. The idea is that you use your blog as a portfolio. And start contacting online writing agencies, such as get academic help, or freelance platforms so to check if there are jobs that you could apply to them.
Usually, you will get paid per word or hour. But, with time, you will be able to increase your rate and charge per article. It is also advisable that you try to look for jobs whose topic is related to your area of expertise. So that you can sell yourself as an expert in the area.
The bottom line
There are many ways that you can make money from your blog. You can see your blog as an advertising space and sell posts and banners. You can sell your expertise in the form of posts, courses, or coaching. Or you can join an affiliate program and make some passive income – but you will have to work hard to get it started.
So good news is that, yes, you can make a decent living out of your blog. Just bear in mind that you will have to choose one or a few of the options above and take it seriously. And that is crucial that you let your visitors know what is paid content and what is not. The least thing that you want is to lose all your traffic due to being greedy.
