The most common question I’ve been getting lately from so many friends is how do bloggers make money? But before answering that and scaring you away, there is another fundamental question that should be addressed firstly:
How much money do bloggers make?
Let’s start with the question everyone wants to know: is it really possible to get rich by blogging?
Yes!
Does everyone get rich blogging?
Not really.
How much money bloggers make varies widely. A few bloggers make millions of dollars a year. Others make a healthy full-time income (many times more than their actual job, allowing them to quit and dedicate themselves full time to creating content online).
Some make a few extra hundreds every other month and use the money to build up their corporate income and, unfortunately, some bloggers make no money at all.
While it’s interesting to know how much a blogger makes, what’s most exciting to me is how much a blogger CAN make (my ultimate FAVORITE part of the online universe).
No amount is guaranteed, and it’s definitely not an easy ride, but there is virtually no limit to making money online. It’s amazing how many creative ways bloggers generate income, and depending on how motivated and strategic you are, chances are you will be making a good amount of money from it eventually.
So now that we are at par with the possibilities, here are the most popular means in which bloggers are making money from all their effort and dedication:
Table of Contents
HOW DO BLOGGERS MAKE MONEY?
The question everyone wants to know: How exactly do bloggers make money?
When people see how much time and effort I put into my blog (and its respective social media), they can’t help but wonder if I do this for pure passion, or if I am actually being paid for what I do.
Truth be told, it is a bit of both.
I’ve been officially blogging for 6 months now and have only recently started making some money from it from an affiliate sale (of a mere 13 euros). And if you care to know the behind the scenes of these precious 13 euros, I just want to tell you four words: it was not easy.
In fact, truth be told, it is actually a lot of hard work, motivation, passion (and a bit of skill which you learn as you go, so don’t worry about the ‘’skills’’ part just yet).
I would like to start with two very important blogging points that people overlook when they start out:
1) IT COSTS YOU MONEY
I guess it was a wise idea to start my blog as soon as summer was ending. This meant I had extra money to reinvest in my blogging needs (because yes, blogging does cost some money – so be prepared to add some monthly and annual fixed costs to your budget – and keep in mind that paying 3 euros for a hosting provider is not much, but these things add up FAST.
2) IT TAKES TIME
I cannot tell you how many were the times that I had to say no to my friends in regards to going out with them, simply because I needed to work in my blog. Countless as well were the times in which I chose voluntarily to wake up on both Saturdays AND Sundays at 8h to work during the morning times (sometimes as long as all day – usually when Cris is away on his trips). Whenever he is in Barcelona, I try to set a rule to be free during my weekend afternoons to give my boyfriend some attention.
In addition to all that, I started getting the habit to wake up one hour earlier during the week so that I could work on my stuff for 1 hour before having to go to the office. Still not satisfied, and seeing that this was still not enough to help me reach my goals in the time that I hoped for, I also started staying an extra 2 hours (sometimes more) after my normal work shift, to write posts, edit pictures, network, send email pitches, etc.
(this came at the personal cost of sacrificing my beloved post-work gym workout sessions for the time being. At one point, I realized that because of my long working hours, I was not attending the gym as often as I should have, and the money was just being thrown down the toilet. So I took a tough decision to put the gym on hold for a few months, just so that I can push my blog further).
BUT WHY AM I TELLING YOU ALL THIS?
If you are reading this post, chances are that you want to start a blog of your own (and that is a FANTASTIC IDEA).
It may sound crazy for me to be saying that I encourage others to do what I am doing because only by reading these first paragraphs that I just wrote I wonder if I am crazy, or just really (really) passionate and committed to this. That is why before I tell you all the incredible ways there are to make money online by blogging, I think it is important to paint a picture just how hard it is to get started.
Blogging is by no means a get rich quick deal, but by persisting and pushing it through, the rewards can be significant.
So before going further, think about your WHY.
Why do you want to blog? Do you have valuable information to share? Are you passionate about writing (relevant) content (not a story about your parrot when you were 5)? Do you have the patience to work your way up?
If you answered yes to all of these, then you probably have what it takes to succeed. If your reason to start this is to make money, I am sorry to say but your blog will most probably fail after a few months.
[mailerlite_form form_id=4]WAYS TO MAKE MONEY AS A BLOGGER
Ok, so after this harsh (yet honest) intro, I am ready to spill the beans in all the ways bloggers can make money (tip: there are maaaaaany ways, and smart bloggers use a bit of each as means to diversify their income stream)
ADVERTISMENT
Ads – Ads are usually banners that you place in your content or sidebar. There are two types of ways to make money through Ads: CPC and CPM
CPC/PPC – (cost per click/ pay per click). Each time a reader clicks on the ad, you are paid for that click
CPM – (also called “cost per 1,000 impressions,”) are ads that pay you a fixed amount of money based on how many people view your ad.
The most popular network for placing these types of ads is Google AdSense. With Google’s program, you simply place the banner on your site, Google chooses ads relevant to your content, and your viewers click on the ads (meaning you do not need to be in direct contact with advertisers)
AFFILIATE LINKS
The online way of making commissions by promoting 3rd party products.
Remember when I said that my first buck by blogging was earned through affiliates? Someone purchased something through my website and because of that, Amazon gave me a small commission for referring that person to their website.
Amazon is by far a very popular affiliate program to join, but honestly, there are thousands and thousands of choices out there. Most affiliates are free to join and all it takes is someone clicking your link and purchasing something within the next 24-48h, depending on the program).
So yes, next time you see a blogger/Instagrammer refer something and share a link to purchase it, most probably that is an affiliate link (please note that it is a global legal requirement to disclaim that you are promoting an affiliate link, or you can get in serious problem with the law wherever you are).
DIGITAL PRODUCTS
Ebooks, ecourses, templates, webinars, photos, videos….
Anything that takes you time to create can be eventually transformed into a valuable source of passive income.
How well you make money from it depends basically on two things:
1. How valuable it is to the buyer (don’t create something that has no real value to others – again, people don’t want to read about your childhood pet parrot, rather on your tips to create a successful mailing list)
2. How good are you at promoting them (a skill you master on the way)
Takeaway: So many bloggers make the mistake of assuming they are developing a product their readers need; listen to your readers first, and only then create a digital product that will meet their needs. Don’t waste precious time trying to figure it out.
SPONSORED POSTS
You can actually get paid by writing reviews of a product you were given, or a service you’ve experienced.
Depending on your niche, the type of content will vary. A 3rd party will pay you to give your feedback on something and the terms vary and are agreed between the two parties.
However, keep in mind that sponsored posts must always be disclosed as sponsored so the reader understands when they see the post that it was paid for by the company (just as with affiliates. Don’t try and be sneaky as this will come back to bite you in the A$$).
Most bloggers are extremely selective because it would reflect badly on them to help promote a company that isn’t that great. Be careful not to ruin your brand’s reputation. To me, there is nothing worse than when I notice a blogger raving about something that we clearly know they are not passionate about.
SERVICES
If you are not making the desired money from your own blog yet, there are ways to get around until the moment it kicks off.
There are a variety of services that you can offer to others, from becoming a VA (virtual assistant) to freelancing services (such as social media managing or writing guest posts for others). This might take a bit of your focus from your actual blog, but it will be sure to pay the bills until you become the next super blogger of the world!!!
So yes, guys, these are the different ways in which a blogger can make money with their blogs. However, keep in mind that the possibility of making money online are endless. Some influencers only focus on making money on their Instagram or YouTube (thought I wouldn’t advise putting al your eggs in one basket, RIP Facebook).
RELATED POSTS
- First 3 months blogging (brutally honest thoughts)
- Mistakes you make that are stopping your instagram from growing
Do you want to start a blog of your own? What are your biggest struggles? Comment below!
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- Superstar Blogging – Nomadic Matt’s infamous travel blogging course
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