I started blogging with my first business back in 1997, and it has completely changed my life.
Back then, creating a website took so much more effort than it does now. When I started my business, I thought it would be a good idea to also have a web presence. I remember looking up a few keywords for my business and none of them had been taken at the time. Excited that they were still available, I bought them and started creating a website for my business. I never thought blogging would change my life so significantly. I’m so glad I stuck with it through the long nights of waiting for dial-up and really gave it a shot!
How much money can you make blogging?
Blogging allowed me step away from my day job, pay off all my debts, go on amazing vacations see family and friends, and more.
The first year I started my website and began blogging, I made around $11,000 from selling products and services related to my business. The next year, I doubled that amount. And by the time I was graduating college, I was making more than I could make with a full time job. I still remember friends and family asking me what I was going to do with my degree. For some reason, they didn’t recognize that the little business I had started just three years earlier was not so small anymore.
Because of the great experiences I’ve had with my business and blogging, I now love helping others make money as well.
I never thought it would be possible to retire and be financially independent at an early age, but here I am. Plus, I know many other bloggers in all sorts of niches, from fitness to baking who are making a great living online.
Persistence pays off with blogging
There are no guarantees that you will be able to make a full-time income by blogging. But just the fact that you are here learning and putting in an effort says that you will have a greater chance of succeeding. Honestly, I can say that I think the number one reason I was able to start making money online was because of my persistence and tenacity. I didn’t give up when something went wrong or if I didn’t understand something. I reached out and asked questions and found help when I needed it. This is why I say, please reach out to me by email if you have questions about getting started!
If you have been asking yourself, “How much money can you make blogging,” I can tell you it all depends on your desire. For the people making over $10,000 a month blogging, they consider it their day job. They spend many hours a day writing, editing, emailing, getting sponsorships and affiliates, podcasting, YouTubing and more.
Related articles on how to make money with a blog:
- Starting Your Blog Making Money Online – Tips for starting your own blog and how to make money online.
- My Monthly Online Income Reports – I show you how I earn money from my blogs each month along with valuable tips to help you along the way.
Below is my guide on how to make money blogging. If you have been wondering how much money can you make blogging, then this guide will help you figure out the possible ways to monetize your blog. Hopefully this will give you some ideas for your own blog and you can turn your online business into a success.
Here is how to make money with a blog:
Should my blog be self-hosted?
Yes!
The way to make more money with your blog is to make sure you have a self-hosted blog, such as through Bluehost.
I recommend you start with a self-hosted and then use WordPress as your platform (this tutorial will help you get your blog set up correctly). People always ask me if it’s okay to set up a free blog in the beginning through Blogger or WordPress.com and I tell them no. You want the self hosted versions of WordPress which is through WordPress.org (lots of people get confused by this). And if you buy a domain name, like through GoDaddy or Blogger, it doesn’t mean you own the site. The domain name or URL is one thing to own, the site is another.
Down the road, you will want to pair up with companies for sponsorships as well as advertisers and affiliates, and you will look very unprofessional with a free blog. Not to mention that your readers can tell. And the worst of it is your blog could disappear at anytime! That’s right, for no reason all your content could be deleted on these free platforms. If you are wanting to ensure that you continue making money online, you want a self-hosted site.
This is why I so strongly recommend getting a self-hosted WordPress site through a company like Bluehost.
To review the positives of being self-hosted on WordPress through Bluehost:
- With a self-hosted site, you get a professional website.
- You are able to secure affiliates, sponsorships and advertising to make more money with a self-hosted WordPress site.
- Self-hosting gives you complete control over your blog.
- You own your blog, meaning it can’t be deleted!
If you are interested in creating a blog of your own, check out this free tutorial that will help you start a blog of your own. It walks you through getting a self hosted site. I’m currently using Bluehost and they are offering self hosted sites for around 3.95 per month (this low price is only through my link). When you sign up through my Bluehost link you will also get a free domain name (you get to pick a name for your site!). Getting your own self hosted site means you own the site (no one can ever take it down or take it away from you). If you have been wanting to make money online with a blog or website, this is the first step. In a year from now, you will be so glad you started this for yourself! The sooner you get going the better!
How much money can you make blogging in the beginning?
You do not need tons of traffic to make money blogging. I have started a few blogs, and much of my success depended on how quickly I learned what my ideal customer needed. As soon as you figure out how to help them, you can center your blogs, podcasts, videos and courses around their needs. You will increase traffic with time, and I found that the happier my visitors are, the more they refer others to my site. They also keep coming back for more.
Of course every blog is different, but once you understand what your audience wants, then you will know which companies to reach out to for partnerships. Furthermore, you will also get a sense of how much to charge for certain products and services. Keep in mind that it’s more important to attract a client to your site and have them learn or enjoy the experience. It doesn’t matter how many page views you are receiving. Or course more page views translates to a higher blog income, but in the end, the customer experience is the most important thing you want to address.
There are many different ways to increase the number of page views and provide an amazing customer experience.
Here are my top tips to implement:
1. Post high-quality blog posts-
The more helpful your blog is to someone and the more it speaks directly to them, the better your chances that they will buy from you or come back for more. I recommend publishing blog posts that are 1,500 to 3,500 words. Plus, high quality content helps you rank higher on search engines like Google.
2. Pin helpful tips to Pinterest-
Pinterest provides me with an amazing amount of traffic. One of my top tips for having success with Pinterest it to create catchy, helpful pins. Use free images through a site like Dreamstime.com or use the free designs on Canva.com. Make sure the description and title of your pin are catchy. Pin regularly with a scheduler like Tailwind.
3. Utilize social media to post more helpful tips-
There are many social media platforms to consider, such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, and Youtube. All of these platforms make it easy for you to connect with people who may be looking for your products or services. Think about how you can offer a quick piece of advice. Sharing tips and guidance will help people connect with what you do. The key here is to be yourself, as this will attract clients you love!
4. Post consistently-
Publish new content or repurpose old content at least once a week if you are hoping to make money blogging. You risk your audience forgetting about you if you wait too long between posts.
5. Share Buttons-
Make it easy to share your content by providing share buttons at the top or bottom of your post. I love the plugin “AddThis” for adding share buttons which float on the side of the webpage while someone is reading. If they only read halfway through, they can still easily share my post without getting all the way through the article.
6. Understand SEO-
SEO or Search Engine Optimization is critical if you want your blog posts to be found organically. Use a plugin like Yoast to help you optimize your article. Here is an article which details how to use Yoast and help you rank high with search engines.
7. Make Your Headlines Stand Out-
Create titles that make your readers want to click to your site. Headlines need to be catchy and interesting. Again, think about what your visitors need help with and write a title that addresses their needs.
8. Network and Guest Post-
Go to seminars and conferences related to your blog topics or business and find other bloggers to trade interviews. Interact with them on social media and discover how you can help each other. This opens the door to a potentially new audience and new subscribers!
9. Make Site Navigation Easy-
Help your readers find your homepage, categories, products page, and blog posts easily. You may also want to include a search bar near the top of your website. I also recommend placing links to related articles throughout your posts so readers can get more information about the topic. This keeps them engaged and wanting more.
Related Article: Starting your blog how to make money online
How much money can you make blogging as a beginner?
Of course new bloggers can make money blogging! I used to teach classes and give away my skills from my old business, and every time I taught the class, someone asked me why I was giving away my secrets. They wondered if I was worried about competition. And my answer was always the same. The world is a huge place and there are millions of people. There is plenty of room for new businesses! You will be unique and bring your own style to your business or blog. You will attract different customers and clients than me because of that. Be you and take what I show you and make it your own! If you are asking how much money can you make blogging, I would say the sky is the limit!
Where does blog income come from? How much money can you make blogging online?
Blog income can come from many places. The most common are places are ads through companies like Adsense and affiliate marketing through companies like Amazon.
Basically you sign up with these companies and link up a Paypal account or bank account with them. When you reach certain thresh holds, usually at least $100, the companies will cut you a check by direct deposit to your account.
There are many companies out there that will be excited to work with you.
Do you make more money from courses or affiliate links?
Of course you can also create your own courses or coach from online as well. I count this as blog income because clients would not be able to find you without your blog!
Generally you will make more from creating your own courses or working with people in groups. But this is not the case for all bloggers. There are bloggers making thousands of dollars a month off of Amazon links to products! It really depends on your type of blog and how you want to interact with clients. How much money can you make blogging with affiliate links? Some bloggers are making upwards of $10,000 to $50,000 a month from affiliate links.
How long does it take to start making money from blogging?
The answer is… this totally depends on you! Everyone will have a different outcome with making money from blogging.
When I first started blogging, I was selling a product, so this allowed me to generate revenue within a few months. After years of building that business, I sold it for a profit to transition into a new business. I started a new blog and began taking clients for one-on-one coaching so this was allowing me to generate revenue within a few months of blogging as well. Now I am making a few thousand dollars a month from coaching. I didn’t start making revenue from my ads on my website until about a year after blogging.
What about other bloggers? What are they making?
There are bloggers out there who began their business and within 2 years they made hundreds of thousands of dollars a month. Then there are bloggers out there who aren’t making any money.
Blogging is definitely NOT a get rich quick scheme. I would encourage you to take it seriously for at least a year and think about the many ways that you can generate revenue from your new blogging business. Finally, take time to learn different ways to monetize your blog and give it a good effort and you should see income.
What ways can a person make money blogging?
Here is a short list of the ways a person can make money blogging:
- Teaching Courses- pick a topic you know well, put together a course and sell it online
- Ebooks- if you have gone through something that others may need help with or your story could help them, consider writing an Ebook
- Display ads- apply for an account with Adsense in the beginning. Adsense is an advertising company through Google that allows you to place ads on your website. Every time someone clicks on the ad or the ad is shown, you are paid a percentage.
- Sponsored posts- there are many ways to be sponsored for your post. A company might want to have you write a review, they may want to advertise on your site or have you do a guest post. You can either reach out to companies or sign up for advertising networks like Find Your Influence.
- Affiliate Marketing- Affiliate income is when you place a link on your site or in a post and you earn money from someone clicking on the link and buying the product. One of the easiest ways to get started with affiliate marketing is to sign up with Amazon or Share-a-sale.
- Products- if you have your own product already, then you can simply feature it on your site and write blog posts about your product. Otherwise you may want to discover with time what your clients need and then create products.
- Freelance Writing- writers generally start out at around $15 to $25 per article. As you gain more experience, you can charge higher rates.
How much money can you make blogging? As you can see, the answer depends on many variables. What ideas stand out or what ideas do you have now to get started making money from your blog?
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