My son once asked me, “How do bloggers make money and get paid, dad?“

That question surprised me because he was only nine at the time. He also had that serious look on his face as he wanted to know how bloggers make money.

But it is a common question that his grandma, my wife, and many people have asked, and the answer can vary depending on what type of blog you have.

In this post, I will discuss 15 proven ways pro bloggers make money blogging. Later, I’ll also reveal to you my answer to my son. 

Whether you’re a beginner blogger or a blogger that has been at it for a while, and you want to know how to monetize a blog, I’m sure you’ll find one, two, or even three that will suit your needs.

How Do Bloggers Make Money?

First, every successful blogger I know has done this over time. That’s by leading with something of value in exchange for money.

The way it works is simple. Before you can start making money from your blog, it needs to be a place of value for your readers. 

It has to be a place where they can find answers that will benefit them.

And the kind of value your blog provides will depend on how you want to make money off your blog.

On that note, let’s dig into how to monetize a blog.

1. Affiliate Marketing.

I like affiliate marketing. Why?

I don’t have to worry about the hassles of product creation, sales page copy, sales funnel, and so on. Most of the hard work is done for you.

Well. Part of the hard work.

As an affiliate marketer, I have to be laser targeted.

I have to scour for a product so I can match the right product to my ideal customer.

And when I do find one, I start blogging and promoting it to my audience.

And when someone buys it through a customized tracking link on my blog, I get a cut.

Just want to say again. For every purchase that someone makes after clicking on one of your affiliate links, you will receive a referral commission.

This is how bloggers earn money and get paid.

This form of marketing can be a great way to make extra income, particularly if you already have an established blog or social media following.

However, it is important to be selective about the products or services that you promote.

Because at the end of the day, you want to add value to your readers’ lives.

To begin your life as an affiliate marketer, you need to find affiliate programs that are relevant to your niche or industry.

You can do this by researching online and thinking of the types of products or services your readers may be interested in.

Here are a couple of sites you can geek out to find products to promote:

• Amazon
• Clickbank
• Commission Junction
• ShareASale

What’s more. There’s an affiliate program for every major retailer, including Walmart, BestBuy, and others.

Once you’ve signed up for affiliate programs, create targeted marketing campaigns using unique affiliate links for each product or service you recommend.

To streamline your affiliate marketing, use a WordPress plugin like PrettyLinks to manage your links. I’m assuming here you’re using a WordPress blog, which I recommend.

This plugin allows you to insert trackable links into a blog post, create branded links, and automatically replace keywords with links and it even gives you stats on how each link in the blog post is performing.

Sweet.

Marketing products as an affiliate is one of the simplest ways to generate income since you can promote products of your own choice.

Again, the advantage is that you don’t have to create a product or sales funnel. You don’t even have to keep an inventory of stocks.

Instead, you can review the products and then promote them on your blog.

However, there are multiple factors involved with successful affiliate marketing. 

With planning and strategy, affiliate marketing can be a highly effective way to help grow your online business and reach more people!

Before you read on, there’s one more thing.

Bloggers must disclose that the link in the post is an affiliate link. 

It’s just part of the regulations.

By the way. Some of the links in this post you’re reading here may contain affiliate links, which may result in a tiny commission from relevant purchases. It helps to keep the blog going.

2. Network Marketing.

Network marketing is a great way to promote products and earn money. Through your blog, you can passively attract the best prospects online, get them into a sales funnel, and build a network of customers.

There’s no chasing and dealing with rejections.

And since you are connecting with people who have already expressed an interest in your product or service, you can then recruit new team members to grow your business online.

The key here is to focus on a target audience and be a place of value for your readers. 

3. Ad Revenue.

Generating ad revenue on a blog is another option to make money blogging and increase profits.

The two main methods for generating ad revenue are through:

• CPC (cost-per-click) ads, where advertisers pay whenever someone clicks on one of their ads,
• CPM (cost-per-thousand) ads, where advertisers pay every time their ad is viewed a certain number of times.

Some popular ad networks you might consider working with include AdSense, Media.net, Mediavine, and Adthrive.

Sounds great, right?

The thing is. Bloggers just starting often attempt to make money from ads, but usually become disappointed when they only earn a few pennies each month.

That’s because there’s not enough traffic. You need lots of traffic to see any notable money.

Which leads to this question, “When can you start monetizing with ads?”

You should hold off including any display ads until you hit the 25,000 pageview mark

Sidenote: Mediavine and Adthrive have a certain performance threshold for bloggers. I suggest applying for their ad network when your blog is generating consistent traffic, like 25,000 pageviews. This is how to monetize a blog.

Another quick mention too. Adsense can be a pain in the butt. Make sure you have epic content (at least ten blog posts and a home page) on your blog before you apply.

Moving on.

Advertisers typically choose which networks to work with based on the type of content that they want to promote.

So it’s important to continually optimize your content to attract more readers and generate the best possible ad revenue.

With practice and patience, you can effectively bring in more income by using effective strategies for generating ad revenue on your blog.

The key here with blogging is to write more quality content so you can attract more readers, get ranked, and increase your page views for more ad revenue.

4. Sponsored Blog Posts.

Not keen on displaying ads?

Because one, you don’t have control over the content it will show on your blog. And two, it may make your brand look unprofessional.

And three, while some readers don’t mind ads, others can be easily offended by them or find them intrusive.

Additionally, more and more people are using ad blockers which affect your earning potential as a blogger.

Then here’s how to monetize a blog without ads.

Displaying sponsored blog posts.

A sponsored post is a blog post written by you but paid for by a sponsor.

In other words, the sponsor, typically a company or brand, pays you to represent them by writing a post, talking about it, and promoting it to your audience.

The benefit of sponsored posts is that they can be a great source of income, especially if you’ve built up a good-sized audience and have a popular blog.

To find sponsors you’ll need to put together a media kit which is a document that outlines your blog’s traffic, stats, and information about your audience.

Once you have a media kit, you can start approaching brands and companies to see if they’re interested in sponsoring one of your blog posts.

But before you start pitching brands and companies, it’s crucial to understand the laws around sponsored posts.

In short, the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) requires that bloggers disclose any material connection they have with sponsors.

A material connection is any relationship that might affect the endorsement, including financial relationships, family relationships, employment relationships, and so on.

If you’re unsure, err on the side of disclosure.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry. Ok?

And before I go on. I must stress that you must do your due diligence about sponsorship posts because I’m no lawyer.

Having said that.

There are a few different ways you can disclose your relationship with the sponsor.

The most common way is to add a disclosure statement at the beginning of the post, like this:

• This post is sponsored by XYZ Company.
• I received compensation in exchange for writing this post.

However, you can also add a disclosure statement in the footer of your blog or the sidebar.

The important thing is that the disclosure is clear, conspicuous, and easy for readers to find.

5. Review Products.

Writing reviews on products is a great way to make money online. Similar to sponsored posts, review sites allow you to review different products and get paid for your opinions.

There is also the added benefit of letting you try out new products in your niche, which can help you stay up-to-date with the latest trends. Additionally, review sites can be an excellent way to generate additional income for your blog or website.

To review products on your site, you typically need to approach companies relevant to your niche and explain what you can offer them.

Websites like PayPerPost or others can connect you with businesses willing to pay for reviews by influencers like yourself.

6.Publish an eBook.

Writing an ebook is a great way to share your knowledge and expertise with readers. It is relatively simple to create and produce, especially if you’ve been blogging for a while.

By gathering some of your old blog posts into chapters or sections, you can easily turn them into the basis of an ebook.

Once your book is written, you can design a cover using a tool like Canva. You will also need to convert your document into a PDF format so readers can view it easily on all devices.

There are many ways to sell your ebook once it’s finished. You might choose to have readers purchase it directly from your blog, or you could sell it on platforms like Amazon, Gumroad, and other online platforms.

Either way, you will receive payment for each sale you make.

You can even monetize your ebook by displaying your other products or services and affiliate products throughout its pages or at the end of it.

So whether you’re new to the world of ebooks or just looking for new ways to reach your audience and build your business, creating an ebook is a great option!

7.Selling Online Courses.

Selling online courses is another great way bloggers make money online. Compared to ebooks, which are typically priced much lower, online courses tend to be more expensive and command a premium for your expertise.

If you have knowledge or experience in a particular topic and are looking for alternative ways to monetize that skill, sell it.

To start selling, you will need to create the lessons for your course and include any supporting materials such as PDFs, slides, checklists, templates, etc.

You will also need to decide whether you want to offer personalized support for your course. Some sites offer two tiers of each course: a basic version without support, and a premium version with email support.

So before getting started, I suggest you think about the type of online course that would suit your needs and goals.

Before I continue, I want to mention that many bloggers prefer to sell courses on their blogs rather than using online platforms like Udemy or Teachable.

However, listing your course on these websites comes with a few advantages, including getting expert advice from the site to improve your material and tapping into a new audience.

8.Hosting A Paid Webinar.

Hosting paid webinars is a great way to build your audience, share your expertise, and grow your business.

Whether you are a blogger or an online entrepreneur, giving people access to your knowledge and experience through webinars is a smart and profitable way to engage and connect with attendees on a more personal level.

Think about it. By sharing your knowledge in real-time, you can connect with potential customers in an authentic and meaningful way that builds trust and loyalty.

To start hosting paid webinars, you will need some basic technical skills as well as a solid marketing plan. 

Here’s a tip.

Before hosting your first paid webinar, I suggest you offer a free lead magnet so you can grow and nurture your email subscriber base to a point where they are hungry for more from the webinar.

As your audience grows and your reputation continues to grow, the opportunities for income generation will become abundantly clear: whether you are promoting affiliate products on your webinar or pitching your own offerings directly to attendees, there are plenty of ways to monetize the content you create.

It’s a smart way to expand your blogging business online.

9.Become a Part-Time VA.

Blogging requires multi-tasking and planning.

If you’re a blogger, then you know first-hand how much work goes into managing a blog, like research, writing and editing posts, designing graphics, adding links, using keywords effectively, and staying on top of social media.

It’s freaking time-consuming!

I know because it’s tiresome and boring. But managing all these small (yet essential) details matters in the grand scheme of blogging.

So. Why not use your blog management skills and make some money as a virtual assistant?

Many bloggers can earn an income by providing virtual assistance services to help other busy bloggers and online marketers.

Because they don’t have the time or they can’t be bothered.

You can then come in and help them out by managing their blog.

It has to be the easiest way to make money blogging on the side. As a blogging VA.

10.Offer Freelance Services.

As a blogger, you’re already an expert in your niche, so it makes sense that you could start earning an income by offering your skills and expertise as a freelancer.

Freelancing is a popular way to make money online because it doesn’t require any upfront investment.

You can start by offering your services like graphic design, writing, and editing to your existing audience or via platforms like Fiverr, iWriter, Upwork, and Freelancer.

Once you start freelancing, you’ll need a way to invoice and collect payments from your clients.

There are many different WordPress plugins that can help with this, such as WP Simple Pay or FreshBooks.

Whatever option you choose, find one that works well for your specific needs.

With the right invoicing platform in place, you’ll be paid for the freelance work from your blog.

11.Be a Trusty Consultant.

Becoming a consultant is a great way to make money online from your blog by helping people.

Unlike freelancing, you are offering your services to clients directly. And as a consultant, you can also offer advice and strategy to help clients with their needs.

When I started a blog, I provided services in setting up and designing a mobile-ready WordPress blog. Not only was it a great experience to work with the clients, but I also had the opportunity to upsell my services to help them with their online marketing.

It included SEO, social marketing, and so on.

If you need help with your WordPress Blog, you’re welcome to reach out here.

To promote yourself as a business consultant, start your own blog.

Then create a page that has a form for users to request more information about becoming one of your consulting clients.

A page marketing your services will allow you to engage and share your expertise with them and build trust.

Now that’s how to make money with a blog.

12.Be a Blogging Coach.

As a blogger, you can combine your passion for blogging with your desire to help people achieve their goals and build a successful online career.

Whether you consider yourself a blogging consultant or prefer the term “blogging coach”, you have the chance to share your knowledge and help others grow their blogs.

To get started, you need to build an audience for your blog.

The next step is to set up an online booking system where your readers can conveniently schedule coaching sessions with you. 

As you guide them through their blogging journey with helpful feedback and advice, it won’t be long before you become known as one of the top blogging coaches in your niche.

Furthermore, once you become known as someone who can help others develop their blogs into profitable businesses, you will be able to create products related to that.

That means you make more money online.

Sidenote: Bloggers should have a long-term plan that includes creating products people are willing to pay for. This is how pro-bloggers make money.

13.Flipping Websites.

I’ve seen plenty of TV shows about people flipping houses. It’s hard work, but it looks exciting.

In a nutshell, you buy the ugly ducklings in a neighborhood, fancy them up in a short time frame, and then sell them for a profit.

At this point, you might be asking.

“How do bloggers make money from flipping websites?“

Just like flipping houses, you can flip websites to make money.

The great news is. If you know how to start a blog and start driving traffic, you can flip it to entrepreneurs looking to buy one.

From my research, established websites are often attractive to entrepreneurs because they provide a ready-made business they can tap into and grow the business.

To flip a website, you need to understand what types of websites are in trend and how to price and sell them.

There are online platforms such as Flippa that act as auction sites and brokers for flipping websites, making the process easier and more streamlined.

14.Launch a Membership Site.

Creating a membership site for your loyal readers is a great way to engage with and provide exclusive content to your most dedicated fans.

These members are typically very engaged and may be more willing to pay for access to more in-depth blog posts, downloads, videos, or other content from you.

Although membership sites can be a significant investment, both in time and resources, they are also very lucrative due to their recurring revenue model.

Through membership subscriptions, your readers will continue to support your work over time, allowing you to build an online community you created.

Beyond generating revenue, membership sites offer other key benefits as well. By building a community of loyal subscribers, you can grow your email list and direct this audience toward other areas of your business.

Also, membership sites can help establish your authority in your field and elevate you as an expert in your area of expertise.

However, it is crucial to take things slowly and focus on building up a free site first.

It will help you establish yourself as an authoritative and reliable source of information. And it will make it easier to convince readers that they should pay for access to your premium content.

15.Paid Business Directory.

Creating paid directories can be one great way to make money from your blog. Some famous website directories, include Yellow Pages, Yelp, and Angie’s List.

For paid directories, you typically need to sort and categorize businesses or products in some way. Which involves a lot of research and careful curation to ensure your listings are accurate and up-to-date.

However, the process is often worth it, as paid directories have become a valuable source of information for consumers. 

One popular type of paid directory is a local or niche directory.

These paid directories tend to be specific to a local geographical area or interest group. They might focus on real estate in your town or publish reviews of the best hiking trails in your region. 

Whatever you create, paid web directories can be an incredibly effective way of growing your audience and making money from your blog.

“How Do Bloggers Make Make Money And Get Paid, Dad?”

Back to the question my nine-year-old son once asked me, “How do people make money from blogs?“

Firstly, I didn’t give him an answer like this long post here. Nope.

Instead, I told him. “I help folks online and when they buy from my blog, I get paid.“

That’s the simple way I could tell him.

And he got it. Thankfully.

Final Takeaway on How Bloggers Make Money

Making money online may sound easy. But the truth is. 

You cannot expect to monetize your blog today and then see $1000 in your bank account tomorrow. 

Here’s why.

Building an audience for your blog takes time and effort. You must create content consistently and promote it to attract a steady stream of prospects.

And when you do have an audience that finds value in your content, you will build trust and then make more sales later from affiliate marketing, online courses, and so on.

Once you achieve these blogging goals, you can earn over $1000 a month from the comfort of your home.

So start now, set some goals, focus on posting the best content, and choose how you want to monetize a blog. Then blog towards those goals! 

You got this.

By the way, if you still have friends, relatives, and kids asking, “How do bloggers make money?” why not share this post?

Thank you.

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