15 Ways bloggers can earn money
This is a collaborative post.
If you are considering blogging then here are some ways bloggers can earn money. People are often surprised that, as a blogger, I earn a good income equivalent to a decent full-time job. It is often seen as a hobby that might get you a little spending money or a few freebies from companies.
I suppose that because some bloggers do it as a hobby, it is an easy mistake, perhaps similar to the way many people who draw do it as a hobby, but there are still professional artists.
I consider myself a professional blogger in the same way. For those interested in how bloggers can earn money and bloggers who want to increase their income, this should be helpful.
One way of looking at blogs is that they are just another type of website; previously, they were similar to online diaries. Now, there are many sites that could be considered blogs or informational websites, such as HowToWhere.
Links and link selling
Online businesses need to rank well on Google to be seen, this means that when you search for things in their niche they want to be on the first page, ideally at the top, of the search results.
To achieve this, they need to demonstrate to Google that they are an authoritative online presence and a trusted business. Getting links to them will show this to Google, as it shows people are interested in their website.
For this reason, one way bloggers can earn money is by selling links to companies on their blog’s website. This method of earning money is only effective for established blogs that have established their own online authority and are already performing well.
Links such as this can be arranged either directly through the business or, in some cases, through an SEO agency that works on behalf of the business. Experience in this area can help you secure work in an agency like this in the future, if you choose to.
Guest posts
Publishing guest posts from other writers often works in a similar way to link selling above, but can also help a business establish its brand’s name among the blog’s niche audience. This is one of the most popular ways bloggers can earn money.
Sponsored posts
This is usually where you write about a product, service or business in general in order to either raise awareness of their brand or to include a link to their brand in an informative article. For example, a blogger may write about money-saving tips and link to a budgeting website.
Reviews
Writing reviews of products a brand sends you can be done in return for the product alone or in return for payment and the product. This is another way bloggers can earn money.
Affiliate links
If you’ve seen content that mentions “affiliate link” or “this is an affiliate link,” you might wonder what it’s all about. An affiliate link is essentially a referral link that tracks who directed the customer to a company. Bloggers and influencers often join affiliate programs to promote products or services. In return for sending customers to the company, they can earn a percentage of the sales or a set fee. These programs are a win-win, benefiting both businesses and affiliates.
Website advertising
Working with either Google or an ad management agency a blogger can have adverts throughout their site for a payment monthly linked to the number of visits to the website.
This again is a method of earning that only really works well for established bloggers.
So can bloggers earn money?
Bloggers can earn a lot of money but something many people don’t really recognise is that initially it is very hard to earn money, it usually only comes about the more you work on your site and build the visitors to your site as this is when you can earn the most.
Alternatively, you can easily use these skills to progress to a role in digital marketing!
