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| Blog earnings |
Making money blogging is still possible to date. This is most likely going to remain the same in the unknown future, of course.
I’ve personally made hundreds of bucks blogging. With this, I can keep advising people to start blogging as a side job or full-time, if possible.
The truth is that many aspiring bloggers quit writing for money when things failed to work as expected. For some, it’s because of impatience. For others, it’s mere greediness.
If you’ve read a few posts before this, you might have been told there’s no way you could make a living blogging. Some who had made a few dollars gave in later to say, it could only pay for hosting, website maintenance, and a few dollars for candies.
However, I had read others' experiences including mine, that blogging is still paying in any part of the world. And if well planned and done, it’s a reliable source of passive income. I won’t be shy to tell you that blogging pays better than salaries some workers are proud of.
Before I share my experiences, there are things you must know upfront about blogging - with money in mind.
4 Realistic Mediums to Make Money Blogging
I've read a dozen of ways people claimed they're making money through blogs. What do you think if you see a claim of 30 ways to make money through your posts?
The clue is that we don't need all those numbers. We only need what works fine around us. What works in the US may not be perfect for India. So, let's go for what works in any part of the world. You may find the list of 4 ways to make money blogging, as listed below, more practical and immediately available to you as a newbie.
1. Making Money Through Ad Networks
Ad networks are companies or service providers who place adverts on the websites/blogs of publishers (on behalf of their own advertisers) and pay a few bucks for that. An online advertising network or ad network connects advertisers to websites that want to host advertisements.
Bloggers are making money through ad networks such as AdSense, Bidvertiser, Propeller, Infolinks, etc. Publishers register with any of these networks. After being approved, they get codes to show ads within their posts. This pays them if readers or visitors click on those advertising blocks. Some pay with the number of people’s views, while others pay when visitors buy or take related actions.
This is usually the very reason most people go for blogging in the first place. This medium of making money can be moderately secure than others but they pay low.
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| The screenshot of Adsense earnings |
2. Making Money Through Affiliate Marketing
To make money with affiliate marketing, you register with an affiliate network. You’re given codes to place on your blog or links to share. But instead of clicks for payment, they pay strictly on sales made through you. See How To Start, Run, and Manage Affiliate Business.
If you call this commission marketing, you’re right.
If you call this commission marketing, you’re right.
I’ve made money through this as well. It pays higher, mostly than ad networks. But it may not be as recurring and sometimes slower. In other words, a few people buy through your recommendations, but if they do, you earn bigger.
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| Payment screenshot from Jumia affiliate |
Affiliate marketing may be perfect if you run a blog that reviews products you buy and use or that you have good knowledge of. Reviewing items like laptops, phones, and tech gadgets, you can sell higher within a few days.
Affiliate is wider, you can recommend and sell services too. Bloggers sell insurance plans, mortgages, and loans. The possibility is endless, of course. Some had found ways to blend affiliate marketing with the likes of Google Adsense too.
Affiliate is wider, you can recommend and sell services too. Bloggers sell insurance plans, mortgages, and loans. The possibility is endless, of course. Some had found ways to blend affiliate marketing with the likes of Google Adsense too.
3. Direct Adverts/Sponsored Content
You can contact (or wait for) companies to place adverts on your blog. These businesses will love to place their banners and links on a website that produces content around or related to their products. Of course, this gives you the flexibility to set your own terms and conditions - especially price.
This, though, may not be your immediate take when starting out as a blogger. Some bloggers earn seriously big from this.
Attaining this level will be after you’d got popular like the Nairaland of Nigeria or SEJ of the US.
You may also allow others to publish their content on your blog on terms. This is called a sponsored post. You'll earn big from this if your blog should attain the landmark.
It’s no joking traffic if any serious business will place their ads with you directly. You must have worked to get there.
This, though, may not be your immediate take when starting out as a blogger. Some bloggers earn seriously big from this.
Attaining this level will be after you’d got popular like the Nairaland of Nigeria or SEJ of the US.
You may also allow others to publish their content on your blog on terms. This is called a sponsored post. You'll earn big from this if your blog should attain the landmark.
It’s no joking traffic if any serious business will place their ads with you directly. You must have worked to get there.
4. Selling Your Own Products
This is similar to placing direct ads on your blog. It’s not going to work until your posts had long attracted heavy and quality traffic.
However, you can win from the very start if you blog about your products. You will build the readership around your courses, services, or training packages. Then, you win a funnel of prospects that are ready to become your clients when they want such products or services.
In brief, these are the main mediums through which many authority blogs had made their money. While some rely on two or three, some are still struggling with one. In all, they’re making money and more and more people are shifting to relying on these sources of passive income.
However, you can win from the very start if you blog about your products. You will build the readership around your courses, services, or training packages. Then, you win a funnel of prospects that are ready to become your clients when they want such products or services.
In brief, these are the main mediums through which many authority blogs had made their money. While some rely on two or three, some are still struggling with one. In all, they’re making money and more and more people are shifting to relying on these sources of passive income.
Are Bloggers Making Enough Money For Living?
The answer to this question is YES and NO.
Of course, you deserve an explanation.
I’ve met a few bloggers who are nagging about their failure to make up to $100 within a year. In fact, some bluntly condemned earning through Adsense because of their failures to make a deal from the network.
However, I’ve seen people who are proud of making thousands of dollars from only ad networks such as Adsense.
Some had accumulated more than $10,000 in affiliate or direct adverts and sponsored posts. People who sell their own products – courses, services, training, etc are proud owners of multimillion dollars businesses across the world.
So, why is the difference?
The answer is so simple. Just as we all perform in classes and lives, people achieve differently in blogging. While some fail in mortal and brick businesses, people also do fail in online ventures.
Since this is nothing new, I’ve also observed why those that made it were able to achieve the landmark while some still wonder how they are making things happen.
Let’s see what you need to know upfront if you must rely on Adsense or an affiliate to make a living.
Of course, you deserve an explanation.
I’ve met a few bloggers who are nagging about their failure to make up to $100 within a year. In fact, some bluntly condemned earning through Adsense because of their failures to make a deal from the network.
However, I’ve seen people who are proud of making thousands of dollars from only ad networks such as Adsense.
Some had accumulated more than $10,000 in affiliate or direct adverts and sponsored posts. People who sell their own products – courses, services, training, etc are proud owners of multimillion dollars businesses across the world.
So, why is the difference?
The answer is so simple. Just as we all perform in classes and lives, people achieve differently in blogging. While some fail in mortal and brick businesses, people also do fail in online ventures.
Since this is nothing new, I’ve also observed why those that made it were able to achieve the landmark while some still wonder how they are making things happen.
Let’s see what you need to know upfront if you must rely on Adsense or an affiliate to make a living.
Ready to Make Money Blogging? Take Note of These!
Embarking on the trip blindly can end up in frustration. There are things you should know before you decide to be like the top bloggers in your country.
1. Google Adsense May Not Be Entirely Reliable
It took me one year before I made the first serious $100 in Adsense. The story is not different across the board. Everyone experienced the same. And if you’re just joining Adsense or similar ad networks, be ready to suffer the same fate. Read: Want to Make Money Blogging? #1 Mistake to Avoid
The first mistake a few aspiring bloggers will make is believing they will be raking in thousands of dollars in a few months of dropping thirty posts.
No. It doesn’t work like that!
It takes Google, other search engines, and people time to know you and your content. Without traffic, no clicks. It’s the clicks that pay here.
But note that the first $100 is the problem. After this, you start experiencing jumps in your earnings and you can make your way to $500 dollars or more per month within the next few years.
Is that enough for you?
The first mistake a few aspiring bloggers will make is believing they will be raking in thousands of dollars in a few months of dropping thirty posts.
No. It doesn’t work like that!
It takes Google, other search engines, and people time to know you and your content. Without traffic, no clicks. It’s the clicks that pay here.
But note that the first $100 is the problem. After this, you start experiencing jumps in your earnings and you can make your way to $500 dollars or more per month within the next few years.
Is that enough for you?
2. Combine To Earn More
The question above takes me to another point. If you think you can’t handle your needs with anything less than $1000, you may need to combine it with other mediums.
In fact, ad networks are not reliable income sources for bloggers, especially our dear Google Adsense.
I’d read reports of people banned from the network after several years of working with big G. People complained they were banned unjustly. They claimed Google was cruel to ban them – even the most reputable bloggers. See The Real But Unusual Reasons Google Bans/Disables Adsense Accounts
This is an established fact and everyone should take it. Google reserves the right to disable your account and that will be the end of your earnings.
With the expectation in terms of earning together with the possibility of untimely banning, bloggers will do well if they can combine ad networks with affiliate networks, direct adverts, or selling of their own products or services.
Having said that, it’s possible to combine two or three ad networks on the same blog to make provision for possible kick-out by any network in the future.
However, Google is not totally friendly with combining other ad networks with its. Hence, you should find out, upfront, which ads network is compatible and combinable with Adsense.
In fact, ad networks are not reliable income sources for bloggers, especially our dear Google Adsense.
I’d read reports of people banned from the network after several years of working with big G. People complained they were banned unjustly. They claimed Google was cruel to ban them – even the most reputable bloggers. See The Real But Unusual Reasons Google Bans/Disables Adsense Accounts
This is an established fact and everyone should take it. Google reserves the right to disable your account and that will be the end of your earnings.
With the expectation in terms of earning together with the possibility of untimely banning, bloggers will do well if they can combine ad networks with affiliate networks, direct adverts, or selling of their own products or services.
Having said that, it’s possible to combine two or three ad networks on the same blog to make provision for possible kick-out by any network in the future.
However, Google is not totally friendly with combining other ad networks with its. Hence, you should find out, upfront, which ads network is compatible and combinable with Adsense.
Blogging Part-Time or Full-Time With Profit in Mind
I’ve once shared a view that if you’re just starting out, it can be ideal to blog part-time. Very many bloggers had advised the same. Do you know why?
We’ve got the experience of what it is like to blog without any means of financial backup in the first few months.
Trust me, you have to wait a few months, if not years before you can see the light of day. You need time to get better at your writing. You need time to prove to your readers they need you. You need to bring your work to search engines' attention.
So, if you want to know my stand on this, start part-time unless you've just been laid off or unemployed.
We all know when things are good or better. We know if our earnings can pay for our bills at present and presently. This can be the right time to move fully online.
I’m an education consultant (offline) in my local town. I consult with a few parents and students that pay enough to sustain me without touching my online income. What I do offline is enough to take on my journey in life especially if I can still get better at it.
However, a reasonable man will not want to work all his life. I need time to enjoy my life and my money. I don’t want to sacrifice my family and relationship for 35 years. I need something else, something better. That’s the genesis of my move into online money-making.
Worst still, the government here is changing policies every year. This keeps my consulting business struggling. Before you know it, these leaders can send you out of business in a few years.
Passive income from side hustles can be the last resort in this case.
My Adsense and affiliate empire are paying and gradually growing. I’m still working on creating my own product in a few years. If I can sustain the continuous and heavy traffic to my blogs, businesses are likely going to accept my proposals for adverts placement and sponsored posts.
We’ve got the experience of what it is like to blog without any means of financial backup in the first few months.
Trust me, you have to wait a few months, if not years before you can see the light of day. You need time to get better at your writing. You need time to prove to your readers they need you. You need to bring your work to search engines' attention.
So, if you want to know my stand on this, start part-time unless you've just been laid off or unemployed.
We all know when things are good or better. We know if our earnings can pay for our bills at present and presently. This can be the right time to move fully online.
I’m an education consultant (offline) in my local town. I consult with a few parents and students that pay enough to sustain me without touching my online income. What I do offline is enough to take on my journey in life especially if I can still get better at it.
However, a reasonable man will not want to work all his life. I need time to enjoy my life and my money. I don’t want to sacrifice my family and relationship for 35 years. I need something else, something better. That’s the genesis of my move into online money-making.
Worst still, the government here is changing policies every year. This keeps my consulting business struggling. Before you know it, these leaders can send you out of business in a few years.
Passive income from side hustles can be the last resort in this case.
My Adsense and affiliate empire are paying and gradually growing. I’m still working on creating my own product in a few years. If I can sustain the continuous and heavy traffic to my blogs, businesses are likely going to accept my proposals for adverts placement and sponsored posts.
Conclusion
Let’s be frank, you can make good money blogging. You have to plan things and work smart right from the start. Your dedication and being realistic with online income are the key. It doesn’t pay back like magic but it pays in the long run if you do your work well.
Start as a side hustler to avoid frustration. Go in fully when the going gets easy. Find ways to combine things – don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Best of luck!
Start as a side hustler to avoid frustration. Go in fully when the going gets easy. Find ways to combine things – don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
Best of luck!
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