There are many different ways to monetize your blog, but we wanted to hear how the pros did it. That’s why we reached out to 15 top bloggers to find out the number 1 way that they monetize their blogs.
Different methods work for different bloggers, but each one is constantly growing their blog to generate more and more income each month. Check out the 15 Best Ways to Monetize Your Blog to see what’s working for the pros.
Here's What Our Experts Have to Say…
“The number one success I've had in monetizing my blog has been through affiliate links in very long, detailed posts. My highest converting affiliate comes from my one blog post, How to Start a Profitable Blog the Right Way, for my affiliate links to Bluehost. Bluehost has been incredibly good to me and my contact with them has even increased my commission. The really long posts do well for me since I get a chance to really prove that this is something that would benefit the reader and it also gives me a chance to build their trust.”
Caroline via Cow Country Housewife
“I think selling your own products and services is a great way to monetize. Not only can it be a natural extension of your talents, but with products like books and courses for example, once the initial work is done, it becomes a more passive income stream allowing you to focus on other parts of your business. Don't be afraid to really zero in on a specific audience with your offering. You may be narrowing your market, but if you can find the right audience they will be excited to find something that is very specific to their needs and may be more likely purchasers than something that is trying to appeal to everyone.”
Susan via Beyond Your Blog
“I've tried almost every avenue to monetize my blog over the years — affiliate marketing, graphic design services, ads, sponsored posts, and digital products. But my absolute favorite is creating and selling online courses. I think online courses are a great monetization method because you're already teaching valuable tips and information on your blog…courses just allow you to profit from some of that info!
They're also low-cost to create and will allow you to help hundreds or thousands of people with one single course. They've been the most profitable thing I've done for my blog, by far (my blog earned over $1mil last year from course sales)…as well as the most fun! If you're interested in learning how to find your course topic, and then create and launch it like a pro, I have a free challenge called From Purpose to Product that will help. You can register right here. 🙂 “
Melyssa Griffin via Melyssa Griffin
“My #1 method that I used to monetize my blog is by selling my online courses. With today's technology, it is so easy to create a professional course online and help others find a solution to a problem. My course sales bring in over half of my income for the month. Last month my sales were over $7,000. I also make money online through affiliate marketing and services, but my most rewarding and most profitable avenue are definitely my courses. I have the ability to run specials, change pricing or offer incentives if I own the product. For anyone who is building a blog and brand online, I highly suggest creating a course that can help your audience. You can start with a quick free course, and if it does well, then convert it into a paid program. The possibilities are endless!”
Suzi via Start A Mom Blog
“My favorite way to monetize my blog is affiliate marketing. It's truly a method that allows you to do the work once and reap the rewards for years to come. Don't put the cart before the horse, however. Poor content won't convert. Share a story. Share the importance of what you're promoting. Be authentic. And, maybe, limit the number of products you're promoting. If you are jumping from thing to thing to thing, visitors may begin doubting your opinion if everything is a “must buy.” Always put your reader first and you'll come out ahead.”
Angie via The Work at Home Wife
“The #1 way I monetize by blog is by creating and selling ecourses. I love this method because it means I can create the material once, but run the course indefinitely (passive income, baby!) I've also had great success by incorporating affiliate marketing within my ecourses. Because my students are those who trust me and look up to me the most, they're incredibly likely to take me up on any product recommendations – which is where affiliate marketing comes in. I encourage every blogger looking to monetize their blog to get creative with their methods, and to combine as many as possible into every venture!”
Krista via Blog Beautifully
“The best way I've monetized my blog is to offer products to my readers to expand on what I post on my site. As an attorney, it's impossible to give away all the important legal info that people need to know, so it's been great to be able to offer further info through my ebook, ecourse, templates and info guides.”
Jackie via Jade & Oak
“As a full-time blogger and business owner, I have diversified my revenue streams to such a big extent that it is actually difficult to say which stream is the most lucrative. In the months leading up to the Christmas holidays, my etsy shop where I sell physical products (like mugs, pillows, art prints) does very well. I have one online course – with more to come in 2017 – and it is my biggest income generator on the months where I am actively launching it. Further, if I have an amazing month of blog traffic to The Sweetest Digs, my home and DIY blog, I end up doing really well with display ads and affiliate marketing (particularly on Amazon). For my particular business model, successful monetization has been all about having a lot of different eggs in my basket. When things are slow in one area, the others make up for it.
My recommendation to other bloggers would be to do the same – diversify your income sources with ads, affiliate marketing, sponsored work, and selling your own products and services!”
Gemma via The Sweetest Digs
“The #1 method I've used to monetize my blog is create valuable content. With this content, I've been able to grow my audience on my blog and social media. With an engaged audience who loves your content, brands and advertisers will want to work with you. They want to reach your audience and use the marketing strategy that you've built to advertise their brand. I've been able to monetize my blog by consistently creating great content and providing value to my audience.”
Gwen via The LA Girl
Also check out more of her life in LA via her Instagram.
“Currently my number one source of blog income by far is advertisements, which are handled for me by AdThrive. A blogger does need have a minimum of 100,000 pageviews a month and an audience that is largely based in the U.S. to apply. I love working with them because they are quick to answer any questions and concerns I have.”
Victoria via Snail Pace Transformations
“As someone who has been blogging for the past 6 years I thought the best way to monetize was sponsored posts. While they did bring in great income, I wasn't able to quit my job and become a full time blogger until I started selling online courses. I have a passion for teaching and working directly with bloggers and this seemed to just make sense. Now, my husband and I moved from Texas to Germany to travel Europe and I am able to still make a full time income, mostly from selling my online courses. It does take a lot of effort but it is so worth it!”
Helene via Helene In Between
“The #1 method I use to monetize my blog is incorporating affiliate marketing into all of my posts. I recently took a course called Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing and it drastically changed my affiliate income. I've been consistently earning $50 a day since starting the course about 2 months ago. I think a lot of bloggers avoid affiliate marketing in fear of coming off as annoying or money-hungry. My readers have been loving my resources and recommendations, and most bloggers are already talking about the products they love, so it makes sense to be an affiliate for that product.”
Alexis via FITnancials
“My number one method has been automation. I've been able to replace myself having to fish for every single sale with a system that runs on autopilot. The fancy term for this system is called a sales funnel. It's where you take a brand new audience member from being a new subscriber to an adoring customer. It takes a little work on the back end to set it up, but once it's done, get used to sale notifications popping up on your phone at all hours of the day! This is why I'm so grateful to be in business in this era where we this is possible for us! Because I honestly doubt I would have been able to get to where I am today without implementing a sales funnel very early on in my business.”
Elise via House of Brazen
“While there are a variety of ways to monetize, my most lucrative method is by far brand collaborations, specifically sponsored content. Working with brands that align with your message, your style, and your audience is a great way to bring in revenue. The key is to do it in the most authentic way possible, without sacrificing the quality of your content. Most of my sponsored opportunities come through working with influencer networks who already have connections to hundreds of top brands. You can also reach out to brands directly and build that personal relationship yourself.” For more tips, check out her post Brand Collaborations 101!
Amanda via Advice From a Twenty Something
“The #1 method I use to monetize my blog is through affiliate links. For example, when I started TheCollectiveMill.com, I signed up for Bluehost (as my hosting service), MailChimp (to manage my email list), and Hootsuite (to schedule my social media posts). I still use and love all three. Now I recommend these products to my audience in relevant blog posts, and earn a commission when someone purchases through my link. For other bloggers looking into affiliate partnerships, I recommend only promoting products you truly use and love. That way you and your audience both win.”
Marianna via The Collective Mill
So, now you know what 15 pro bloggers do to earn money doing something that they love! There are so many different ways to make money blogging. What works for one blogger might not work for you, but now there is undeniable proof that these strategies work.
Sometimes it’s just nice to know what steps someone else took to reach a goal you aim to accomplish.
After reading, how do you plan on monetizing your blog?
If you want to know more about how you can create a profitable blog, check out our Launch Your Six Figure Blog This Weekend training.
Find out the formula to building a profitable blog from the ground up so you can finally run the lifestyle business you want.
