With the rapid advancement of the digital age, blogs and internet tools have become integrals parts of any organisation’s structure. Regardless of industry or location, there is likely to be a blog written on a any topic. The number of bloggers in the United States is set to reach 31.7 million by the year 2020. Even more recently, the explosion of the social media scene in the world of business has seen the linking of bloggers and these social platforms to promote and critique products and services. Many blogs begin as hobby or a creative outlet for people but with the progressive changes seen in the past decade, more bloggers are turning to this as a way to gaining an income as people seek ways to make additional money. While many use their blogs as additional income or side hustles, there are a lucky few who have been able to successfully master the art of monetizing their bogs and convert it into full time jobs.
The decision to monetize your blog can be a daunting one, with its pros and cons weighing heavily. Among the main concerns would be the potential loss of readership/viewership by adding paid content. Therefore it is critical that you not only choose strategies that align with your blog’s initial purpose but also your readers’ wants. It is also worthwhile to consider your hosting choice. The ideal host will allow your blog adequate space to expand and ensure speed and security of your blog space. A popular choice among bloggers is WordPress, which offers a few different options of WordPress hosting dependent on your needs. If you are one of the many bloggers looking at how to get started, take a look at these great options and how they can be better for your bottom line.
Consider the Value of Digital Products To Your Readers
If you have garnered a large amount of traffic on your site and positive feedback, one of the ways you can expand your blog and make money at the same time is by offering your readers digital products such as short online courses or e books related to your blog niche. If you are wondering what would qualify as a suitable digital product, it would be some skill or intangible product/service that you can offer readers which gives them a benefit. For those blogs in the home sewing niche, offering a short online course on home sewing for starters would be suitable.
Teaching an online course means others will benefit from your knowledge and experience in the chosen topic. Another option is offering your services for a fee. For those with home designing blogs, offering home design consultations are a great idea. This option is great because it targets readers who are already visiting your blog because of their interest in your posts. Offering products or services related to your content translates to a higher chance of purchases and hence, more revenue for you. To be successful using this option, it is important to be active and utilize your platforms including social media.This can be time consuming but it increases your visibility drastically and in turn promotes traffic. In addition, be proactive with your customers and any readers that make comment. Keeping an ongoing relationship with readers is important in building credibility.
Consider Incorporating an Advertising Element
This option is often one of the first ones to be considered when thinking of ways to make money from your blog.With a rising number of readers choosing to blocks ads altogether, it is becoming increasingly challenging. One of the go to tools for bloggers looking to set up ads on their sites is Google AdSense. This tool can help you place CPC (cost per click) banner ads on your blogs; where you are paid a set fee for each time your reader views the ad. Other alternatives of advertising available include selling ad space to businesses in your blog niche or pop up ads. For these options, consider using an ad marketplace such as BlogsAds or inserting an Advertise With Us option on your page. Marketplaces work on the premise of keeping a percentage of your fee as commission for you using their platform to find interested advertisers. Another alternative would be approaching clients directly and doing an ad pitch for their inclusion on your blog. This removes the intermediary which means no commission fees and your have freedom over the ad rate charged.
Blogs that choose this route should be aware that traffic is an important factor in making this option a success. To make a sizeable amount, you should have a good amount of traffic on your site to ensure visuality. Advertisers will be drawn to blog spaces that ensure their brands are likely to be seen.
Consider Doing Monthly Sponsored Posts
Another way to earn money from your blog is by including a sponsored post each month. This can extend to sponsored airtime and even incorporate your other social media accounts to reach maximum audience possible. Again, it is vital that you strike a suitable balance between maintaining your blog identity and becoming an advertising tool.
By doing periodic reviews on services or tools, you can negotiate the price per post and have an additional income coming in each month. For this option to be particularly effective, visibility is key. A large incoming traffic will present a strong case to companies to advertise with you and raise their profile. In 2017, 6 out of 10 online American consumers have purchased a product based on recommendations. To get started, first check out the various networks available and complete the various application steps.
Armed with the right strategies, you can begin making money from your blog immediately. Whether it is directly or indirectly, there are many ways to get started and these three are just a few ways to get you and your blog on the path to income generation.