5 popular ways to monetize a blog
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Most people go into blogging because they have a passion for their subject area and love the written word. Turning blogging into a full-time career can sometimes seem like a distant dream, but with the right strategy, it’s completely possible. Bloggers are spoiled for choice when it comes to monetization options.
#1 Affiliate advertising
Affiliate advertising remains the most popular (not to mention the easiest) way to monetize a blog. Affiliates choose a product, generate a unique link, and then whenever a customer purchases via that link, the blogger receives a portion of the profits. This type of marketing is uniquely suited to bloggers who often operate within a well-defined niche, have loyal followings, and are experts in their fields. It’s important only to advertise products within your niche (readers are less likely to follow through on your recommendations if you don’t seem like an expert) and to endorse products that you believe in.
#2 Guest posting
Another extremely popular method, guest posting simply means posting content on somebody else’s blog for a fee. In demand bloggers charge a great deal for their services. Some bloggers go one step further and use guest posting services like those offered by www.clickintelligence.co.uk. These services take all the stress out of guest posting by producing bulk sets of original articles. An additional benefit of working with an agency like this is SEO. Blogs come fully optimized for high search engine rankings with relevant keywords and excellent link profiles.
#3 PPC
PPC stands for Pay Per Click, and it’s one of the oldest forms of advertising in the book. Blogs earn revenue by displaying PPC ads on their site and individual blogs, generating a (sometimes slow) stream of passive income. PPC is the least time-intensive method on the list, and if your blog enjoys high traffic, then it can generate a lot of income. That said, it might not be the best method for new bloggers who don’t yet have a big following.
#4 Writing eBooks
Writing used to have a high entrylevel, but that’s no longer the case. Print on demand means that anybody can publish a book without having to pay an upfront fee. This is an excellent opportunity for bloggers either to collect their posts into an eBook edition or publish an original book based on the blog. Successful bloggers might go even further and write a book detailing the tips and tricks that they used to get to the top. Whatever you choose, eBooks generate easy, passive income once they’re on sale.
#5 Selling merchandise
Although it’s often the reserve of larger blogs with high follower counts, merchandise is a viable way for most bloggers to earn passive income. If you have a loyal following, the chances are that they’ll be willing to purchase your merchandise. Exactly what that merchandise is depends on the kind of blog that you run. If you’re a food blogger, you might sell branded cooking implements. Fashion bloggers might branch out into accessories while gardening bloggers might sell their own tools.
