How to make money blogging? This is a question we have all asked ourselves at some point of our blogging journey.
In the age of information, content is the new gold.
If you can get valuable information in front of the right audience you’ll hit the jackpot.
According to 2019 statistics, Google processes over 3.5 billion searches every day which is equivalent to about 40,000 searches every second.
And although blogging isn’t the easiest way to get a piece of the action it actually is one of the most accessible.
It doesn’t require any technical skills or knowledge that you can’t learn along the way.
Most successful bloggers today started a few years ago without any clue on how to succeed in blogging.
With all the information available online, anyone can get into blogging but not everyone knows how to make money blogging.
About 2 out of every 3 blogs fail to generate any revenue, but the ones that succeed are able to make 6 figures every month.
The web is full of all kinds of resources such as guides, books, and tutorials on how to start a blog, they all say you need to write about something you are passionate about and stay consistent.
However, that’s great advice when blogging is simply your hobby, if you intend to get into blogging as a lucrative business, then it’s a whole new ball game.
You’ll have to learn certain monetization secrets on how to make money blogging.
To begin you’ll need to find a lucrative niche that you’re interested in, find the right keywords for your niche, create content around your keywords, and drive traffic to your blog.
It sounds pretty easy and straightforward but every step is complex and requires patience and consistency to succeed in the end.
Here’s what you should know if you intend to get into blogging and to make an income from it.
How to Make Money Blogging in 2022
In as much as there are thousands if not millions of blogs on the web covering every subject in the universe, the good news is there’s enough traffic to go around.
This makes blogging in itself evergreen, so in a sense, it’s never too late to start your journey as a blogger.
Depending on your niche 2022 might just be the right time to become successful at blogging.
These are the many ways in which you can make money blogging in 2022.
1. Display Advertisements
Display Advertising is the traditional way to make money blogging.
Back in the day this used to be the only way to make money when running a blog and for it to work you needed a lot of traffic.
Display ads require placing a banner on your pages in the hopes that it will attract visitors.
Display ads are no different from magazine, newspaper, and billboard ads that were a big deal prior to the digital takeover.
They come in all shapes and sizes and are quite easy to place and make money from, especially if you use platforms that act as brokers linking your blog to advertisers.
These are the ones you should consider if you decide to take the display ad route.
When it comes to displaying advertisements, and how to make money blogging with them, Google AdSense is at the top of the food chain which is no surprise considering Google is the number one search engine in the world.
Millions of companies rely on Google to place their ads based on their analytics.
All you need is to insert a piece of code to your website and leave the rest to Google.
They will send ads that match your content based on keywords and tailor the ads to fit the aesthetics of your blog so you don’t have to do any work.
Google AdSense is as passive as it gets and it’s worth pointing out that Google works with some of the most respected brands in the world.
Ezoic is a Google Certified award-winning automated website optimization platform that enables digital publishers, bloggers and website owners to appraise and boost ad placements and layouts.
Ezoic helps publishers maximize revenue and improve user experience by utilizing AdSense and DoubleClick Ad Exchange on desktop, mobile, and tablet devices.
It is also an end-to-end platform that uses artificial intelligence tools and machine learning technology to optimize ad placement, networks, ad types, and ad sizes.
Consequently, an individual user can generate revenue and earn more from their website.
Media.net is a great way to make money blogging because it harnesses the power of Yahoo! Bing network to bring ads to your blog.
This platform has a huge chunk of the online advertising market giving them an edge over their competitors.
The Media.net algorithm uses relevant keywords to determine the user's intent when advertising which results in a highly targeted audience advertisers are ready to pay a premium for.
Media.net also promises a smooth user experience through native ads that are fully customized to flow with your content and increase engagement.
All you have to do is register to Media.net and let the bucks start rolling in depending on the traffic your blog pulls of course.
This platform is all about performance-driven advertising, the company boasts of having a database of 600 million active users.
They use AI to cut off the manual process in advertising replacing it with auto-optimized systems which according to them convert way better than regular ad campaigns.
Propeller ads fine-tune every single ad that is sent your way so as to make the entire process seamless.
They will automatically display ads on your website from clients in your niche who are willing to pay top dollar without you having to do any of the work usually involved in running ads online.
A company that connects advertisers to publishers using the latest technology, Bidvertiser focuses on native ads, slider ads, push notifications, and pop ads for desktop and mobile devices.
The company offers a variety of ad formats and allows you to choose the type of ads that run on your blog.
Bidvertiser allows you the freedom to optimize and update ad layout at your convenience though under their supervision.
Bidvertiser also works hand in hand with AdSense and has a low payment threshold of about $10 through PayPal which is very convenient when you’re just starting your blog.
How can you make money from a blog with PopAds?
PopAds is one of the most popular pop-up advertising agencies, it has a very extensive network which comes highly recommended by both publishers and advertisers.
Though still in beta mode, the PopAds network has a plugin that can be added to any web page.
The registration process is quite user-friendly with a typical confirmation taking as little as 24hours.
PopAds is an alternative to the popular advertising company Yeesshh.
Its specialties are responsive Pop-Up and Pop-Under ads and you have the freedom to choose the category of ads you want on your blog.
The network uses a CPM metric to measure performance and payout rates range from $3 – $14 per 1,000 views depending on the country.
2. Native Ads
Native advertising is the use of ads that match the look and the design of the media in which they are hosted.
In simpler terms, it refers to ads that tie in with your web page, unlike pop-up ads they are not disruptive, the go with the flow of your page and can easily be seen as part of your content rather than an intrusive ad.
Native ads are very common on social media feeds, most of the time you can’t distinguish a native ad from the regular content on your feed on platforms like Facebook.
Research shows that consumers trust native ads 53% more than display ads and are prompted to buy 18% more than with other ad formats.
Outbrain is an advertising company that is designed to navigate the hurdles of modern-day advertising.
According to the company’s website, they provide solutions for advertising in a world full of ad blockers and disruptive advertising.
Outbrain ensures that ads are shown to the right audience on the one hand and builds ads that stand out on the other hand.
So in a sense, it offers a win-win for both advertisers and publishers.
Outbrain uses advanced tools to create highly targeted ads that are bound to convert and they pay media outlets either by CPM or CPA depending on the niche.
With outbrain, there’s no doubt that you’ll make money blogging.
Taboola is a private advertising company known for its chum box ads, these are display ads that appear at the bottom of online articles.
The platform focuses on providing discovery and tailored native ads based on a person’s interest.
Taboola has about 13% of the market share with over 1.4 billion monthly users.
It works with simply a widget you place on your website and get paid for ads that are run through your content or at the bottom of your page.
Taboola is an excellent way to make money blogging without any extra work on your part.
As earlier mentioned native ads are advertisements that tie down with the content they are hosted on.
Typically, a native ad will fit with your content in form and in context.
For example if you have a blog about health and fitness you’ll get ads that are related to that niche and the display will match your article in color and design.
Let say the theme you are using is green, native ads that are displayed on your website will most likely be the same green with the same font to provide visitors with a seamless user experience.
Native ads have the highest clickthrough and conversion rates because they are non-disruptive and go with the flow.
Revcontent is a native advertising company that makes it easier for advertisers to drive traffic to their products and publishers to monetize their content all in one place.
Revcontent powers over 250 billion ad recommendations every month, if you succeed in getting a spot with them you’ll advertise for big brands like Microsoft and Nexstar media with the possibility of making 6 figures in ad revenue every single month.
Great for making a steady income out of your blogging adventure.
Revcontent makes monetizing your audience very easy and you can make anywhere from $0.001 per click.
MGID is a native advertising solution for content creators and advertisers alike.
This platform offers an average CPM rate of $1 – $3 and has very high ad quality assurance.
In as long as your blog brings in consistent traffic you’ll definitely make money blogging.
MGID is a well established company with a reputation of being a pioneer in native advertising.
You can’t go wrong with networks such as MGID.
3. Sponsored Content
Sponsored content is worth considering when thinking of how to make money blogging.
Here, brands pay you to write about their products/services in your blog.
This type of content is always a win-win for all parties involved, you get paid and the company in question gets exposure.
It has always been one of the easiest ways to make money when you have a blog.
Sponsored content can be a gold mine especially if you have taken the time to build an audience that trusts you or have provided enough value to be considered an authority in your niche.
Advertisers understand the value of a well-presented article featuring their product/service as the go-to resource and they are willing to pay top dollar for it.
A well-delivered sponsored content converts better than any display ad because it provides more value and allows potential consumers to see the pros and cons of the product as well as rationalize their decision to purchase.
Sponsored content is also an evergreen source of revenue, given that any time someone reads your article and gets information they are prompted to make a purchase.
So how do you get your content to be sponsored?
When your blog starts driving considerable traffic you’ll get offers from brands in your niche.
However, if you’re not getting any offers yet and decide to find sponsorship opportunities yourself, here’s how to go about it.
The first step is to find products and brands that fit your niche, make a list of at least 10 such companies, go to their websites, get their email address, and reach out to them.
Introduce yourself to them, say what your blog is all about and how a partnership can be beneficial to both of you.
Throw in a little analytics to demonstrate your blog's reach, you’ll be surprised how many companies are open to such partnerships.
On average you can charge anywhere from $100 – $1000 for a sponsored article depending on the size of your readership and the niche you are in.
Still wondering how to make money blogging in 2022? There’s more.
4. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is the number one source of revenue for most blogs, there’s no limit to what you can make when you combine blogging and affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is when you recommend a product or service to your audience in exchange for a commission on every purchase.
We discuss this is full details in our article, Affiliate Marketing for Beginners.
Bloggers who make six figures mostly do so through affiliate marketing.
For example blogs like SmartBlogger, generates more than $100,000 per year only by promoting affiliate products.
However, you won’t start making money with affiliate marketing off the bat, you need an audience first and a dedicated one at that.
How to make money blogging with affiliate marketing.
There are tons of affiliate programs available today, from direct affiliate programs with big brands like Target, Amazon, eBay, Udemy, Bluehost, etc to platforms like Clickbank, ShareAsale, JVZoo and Digistore24 to name a few.
Let's take a closer look at some of the best affiliate marketing options you can make money from as a blogger.
Known as the Amazon Associates Program, this affiliate program helps content creators monetize their traffic by referring millions of products found on the Amazon marketplace.
Whenever you refer a product and someone buys through your referral link, you get a commission on the sale.
To qualify as an Amazon Associate you need to have a website, blog, or YouTube channel that drives traffic.
You can make anywhere from $100 to $25000 a month through the Amazon affiliate program.
ClickBank is an affiliate network popular for its digital products, ranging from software to e-books, and videos.
They serve as the middleman between vendors and affiliates and have done a great job at it in recent years.
ClickBank ranks as one of the top global internet retailers and affiliate marketplace. It is free to start with ClickBank all you need is to register, pick a product that ties down with your blog, get your unique affiliate link, and start selling.
Depending on the product you can get between a 10% to 90% commission on every sale you make.
There’s also the possibility to make money from upsells and re-current income.
Another lucrative affiliate marketing network that bridges the gap between merchants and affiliates, and guides you on how to make money blogging is ShareASale.
The platform features thousands of physical products across several niches.
They have been in the game for over 20 years and have carved a sweet spot for themselves.
With ShareAsale there are two ways to make money, first, you get paid a percentage when a customer makes a purchase through your referral link and secondly, every time you bring a lead into the merchants sales funnel.
JVZoo is another great tool on how to make money blogging and recommending digital products through your blog.
JVZoo has some of the latest digital products and a release calendar that shows you soon to be released products.
It is quite similar to ClickBank there only difference is that you have to get approval before promoting a JVZoo product and for that to happen you need to have an active website with a JVZoo pixel installed.
The amazing thing about affiliate marketing is that you do not need to pitch your worth to any company or convince them to let you sell their products.
They are already willing to pay you for your traffic no questions asked.
All that matters is the sale.
This is why bloggers swear by affiliate marketing as the number one resource for monetizing your blog.
5. Membership Subscriptions
One easy way to make money blogging is with membership subscriptions, there’s a lot of money to be made if you can get your audience to subscribe to events, webinars, workshops, etc.
It’s easy to achieve when you already have a decent size mailing list of loyal subscribers.
The best part about membership subscriptions is that they must not be one-time payments, you can turn them into monthly subscriptions creating room for recurring income.
With membership subscriptions, you can make your newsletter and mailing list work for you in the backend generating passive income.
Subscriptions are the surest way to reach the 6 figure mark when making money from your blog.
6. Selling Digital Products
Selling your own digital products through your blog is yet another great way to make money from blogging.
You can make an eBook on anything you know your audience is interested in, from Recipes to Cookbooks, self-help, how-to guides, weight-loss, etc.
It’s self publishing, without all the usual hassle of editors, book launches and book signing that comes with traditional publishing.
A number of bloggers have succeeded in making millions from books that started off as blog posts.
A good example is Mark Manson whose post The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck became so successful he was offered a book deal by a major publishing company to develop it into a book.
And the book ended up selling over 3,000,000 copies in the US not mentioning the rest of the world.
If you have value to offer that can be put into an eBook, you should give it a shot, you can get someone on Fiverr to turn a simple blog post into an eBook.
Having your own digital product means all the profit generated comes straight into your pocket with no publishers, distributors, book stores or middlemen plus you can easily scale without doing much.
Online courses are an additional source of income with many bloggers, you either build your own online course or sell someone else’s.
You can decide to teach your readers a skill you have mastered through an online course or guide them step-by-step through a process that is of value to them and charge a fee for it.
Selling your own digital products can be one of the most gratifying ways to make money blogging.
Nevertheless, how much money you make will depend on the value you provide as well as your blog readership.
7. Selling Freelance Services
Wondering how to make money blogging fast?
Freelancing is the most immediate way to start generating an income from your blog, this is because you do not need an audience or a huge following to get started with freelancing.
You can start getting freelancing gigs from the day your blog goes live.
The secret here is to use your blog posts as a portfolio, your content has to be good enough to position you on potential clients' radar.
This means you have to meticulously write all the important pages of your blog such as the About Page, Contact Page, etc.
You have to see your blog as a sales pitch and a means to showcase your talent.
Freelancing does not only generate income it also helps you build lasting partnerships, relationships, and a network of clients in your niche that can be very useful down the road.
There’s readily available money to be made online as a skilled writer and as you gain experience your pricing grows as well.
You can begin by checking out gigs on platforms like Freelancer.com, Fiverr, Upwork, and many others.
How To Make Money Blogging – Final Takeaway
If you had been wondering how to make money blogging, now you know there are multiple ways.
However, as tempting as it may be to try every single one of these monetizing strategies, it would be counterproductive to do so.
To succeed you have to start small, pick just a few of them, the ones with the business model that best suits your brand and skills.
That said you should bear in mind that to make consistent income with blogging you have to first of all, grow your audience and that takes time and hard work.
You have to pick a profitable niche, write good content that provides value to your readers, use SEO, backlinks, and keyword research to rank your blog.
Then and only then can you start making enough to live your dream of becoming a successful blogger.
But at the end of the day, you shouldn’t get into blogging only for the money, if you do you’ll be experiencing burnout long before you make a single dollar.
As you must have heard, you have to be passionate about writing or at the very least about your niche to stand a chance to make money blogging.
The fulfillment you get from building a successful blog from scratch, sharing what you know and connecting with thousands of people around the world is the best feeling ever, and the money you make is the icing on the cake.
