How To Monetize Your Blog To Earn Online

• 14 January 2010
• in: Blog,WordPress Resources

The use of blogs nowadays seem to eradicate each one’s mind that it is in blog that you can earn a lot of dollars. Yet, this notion about blog seems to be incorrect. Without thorough understanding of how monetizing a blog goes in the cycle, a blogger will remain to be unlucky in this battlefield of earning online. But, a lot of bloggers still strive to be one of those lucky survivors who withstand this conquest.

So, in this tutorial, we will be dealing on the basics of how to earn online. This tutorial is based on my experience, plus my understanding on the tips of the successful ones.

BLOG MONETIZATION

Monetizing your blog is not as easy as ABC, neither will come in a snap. A lot of effort, patience and perseverance should be exerted in order for you to be able to earn money online. Some do have misconceptions about blog monetization, that if you already have your blog, you’ll earn. No, it requires you to be active, keep your blog updated, and yourself to be updated with the rest of the blogs in blogosphere, as this will drive you traffic.

OUR GOAL

We only have one very ultimate goal, and that is to earn online using your blog as a source of income.

REQUIREMENTS FOR BLOG MONETIZATION

Although, there are a lot of free blog hosting including wordpress.com, having your self-hosted blog is better, for this will generate you more, stable, and better income. There are really no requirements for you to earn online, but if you really want to be one of those who can live independently because of their earnings, then these few things are mandatory for you:

1. Your Domain Name, and your Blog
   Of course, without these, you will never reach your goal. For you to be able to earn through your blog, then you must have your blog, which will be your new home to earn online. Having your own domain name is not that much obliged, but, if you want to create your own brand, then it is your choice to buy one.
2. Site Layout/template, Posts and content
   Now that you have your blog, and domain name, you need to have your site content, and template. Preferably, your very first post should describe what your blog will be all about. Note that for you to succeed, you should have a “niche” for your blog. A niche that you are inclined to, wherein you have a wide knowledge about it. This will give you the benefit of frequent updates. Why? Because you have a lot of ideas in stored in mind. For your site template, it is better for you to use SEO-friendly theme. There are a lot of free SEO-friendly themes around the web.
3. Drive Traffic!
   Now that you have done establishing your blog, you may now start to do some actions that will drive you traffic. Tell your friends about your website, and let them spread the news. Here are some techniques on how to drive traffic:
   • Keep your blog updated. Try to post at least thrice a week, and let your frequent visitors know about your latest update.
   • Do not change your manner of posting. Even though it’s an advertisement, just go with the flow, and follow what you have started.
   • Use images in your post. This will let your readers feel comfortable reading your posts.
   • Insert links and tags in your post. This will let your blog be known and optimized in search engines.
   • Comment on the posts of the other bloggers, especially those of with the same niche. Honestly, you can get ideas from them as well.
   • Reply to the comments of your commentators. Do not just be contented of receiving comments. Respond to their thoughts, or add. This will let your grow as blogger as well.
   • Submit your site and posts to social bookmarking sites (e.g. Digg, Stumbleupon).
   • Submit your site to search engines for better traffic.

 

LET’S PROCEED TO OUR MAIN POINT

Now that you know the prerequisites in earning from your blog, let’s now proceed on the ways on how we are going to earn from it. The following are some of the ways on how you’ll be able to earn from your blog:

Paid or Sponsored Posts

If you have been blogging or posting content for months already, then you may try to do some paid posts. Paid posts are those that allow you to advertise or review products, and will pay you in return. In this, you should always keep in mind that the sites offering this kind of service require your HONEST opinion. Thus, you are not required to always give positive opinions, especially if you have not experienced it really. This may cause damage to your name and your site’s reputation. Some popolar sites that offer these services include PayPerPost,SponsoredReviews, Blogsvertise, Reviewme, Smorty, PayU2Blog.

Image from SponsoredReviews, one of the best paid posting site where your task is to bid for an opportunity, and once you got the bid, you’ll be able to do the task and get paid.

• ADVANTAGE
  – Doing paid or sponsored posts is one of the highly-recommended things to do for you to be able to earn online in a quicker way. All you need to do is just to give your opinion regarding the website or product they want you to review, and you’ll have your money with you.
  – No large traffic required.
• DISADVANTAGE
  – Most of the advertisers require backlinks to their site or product that they are asking you to review, and so, Google is very much strict with it. Your Google Page Rank might decrease in a snap.
  – The income is not stable. If you exert less effort means less income, and greater effort means greater income.

 

Direct Site Advertisement (Banner)

Simple advertisement may also generate you income. You may include banner advertisement on your site, which will be paid by advertisers monthly. Any other form of advertisement may do, as long as it will not look so crowded that advertisements are more visible than your blog content. For better knowledge, here are some sites that succeed to produce huge traffic that offer this service. You may see how they worked hard at it: JohnChow, MyBlog2day, Problogger, Daily Blog Tips, Doshdosh. Meanwhile, there are some marketplaces that allow bloggers and advertisers to buy and sell ads. Here are some great sites where you can buy/sell ads: BuySellAds, Performancing Ads, Technorati Engage, OIO Publisher, CMF Ads, Project Wonderful, BlogAds.

Image from JohnChow, one of the blog with large traffic that accepts direct advertisement.

Image from BuySellAds, one of the marketplaces that offer buy/sell ads.

• ADVANTAGE
  – You do not need to work hard for this one. All you need to do is to wait for the application of advertisers who wish to advertise on your site, and place their link button on their preferred spot.
• DISADVANTAGE
  – The income still depends on your traffic. You cannot sell your ad space in huge amount if you have not gotten a large traffic, or better yet, no advertisers will buy your ad space.

 

Affiliate Programs

Affiliate programs are easy-to-do tasks. This is the process in which a merchant will ask you to post links of their website, and in return, will give you some commission after sending them traffic or referring sales. The payment depends on your agreement, and on how many visitors or sales have you directed on the merchant’s website.

Image from WPWebHost Affiliate Programme, one of the web hosting services affiliate programmes.

• ADVANTAGE
  – You only need to provide a link of their site, because you’re an affiliate of them. You do not need to focus on it minute-by-minute, and no hard tasks are given.
• DISADVANTAGE
  – Your income will depend on how many visitors have you directed on them, so if you have low traffic, then there’s a possibility of having a low income as well.

 

Text-Link Selling

A lot of bloggers are using this, because it does not require you much effort unlike the other ways of generating income. Two of the famous sites that offer this kind of service is Text Link Ads and Linkworth, they are sister sites, which sells text ads directly to the company. This is just simple to integrate in your website, since you will just be placing text links on your page. Other sites include LinkAdage and Text Link Brokers

Image from LinkWorth, one of the sites that allows the blogger to publish a text-link to be sold for link buyers.

• ADVANTAGE
  – Earning in this field does not require a lot of effort since you will only be placing the code that the site requires you to place. You do not need to look at frequently as it works like “automatic”
• DISADVANTAGE
  – High Google Page Rank is a necessity. If you have high page rank, then there will be a possibility of selling your links to link buyers. That’s why, your income will depend on your Google Page Rank.

 

Google Adsense

Since then, Google Adsense has been one of the topnotch monetization strategy for most of the bloggers. Although, you need to exert more effort because not all sites whose traffic are really big-time earn a lot as well. You need to have enough focus, and some mind-strategies so your visitors will be able to click the ads without violating any of the TOS of Adsense.

Image from Google Adsense.

• ADVANTAGE
  – It’s easy-to-use interface will make your burdens a little bit lighter. All you need to do is to place their adsense code in the parts which are clearly visible, and it is really customizable. You can change the color of the text and its background so it can match up with the content of your blog.
• DISADVANTAGE
  – Tough competition arises in this field. Although it is easy to set-up the codes on your site, the income is not stable if your site does not have that huge traffic, and the spot where you placed your adsense code is not clearly visible.

 

E-books, and other materials dealing about your expertise

If you have a lot of ideas in mind, you can sell them as well. You can create your own e-book about something that everyone is inclined too, and let it be sold to them. Taking some sites for example whose forte is to make money online, they sell e-books that contain tips, tricks, and ways on how you would be able to earn online.

Image from John Chow, one of the bloggers who reached success, and wants to share his knowledge through e-books.

• ADVANTAGE
  – You can sell it in your own price, because it is yours, and you’re the one who made it. It can easily be bought by your visitors as long as you made it really informative and factual.
• DISADVANTAGE
  – A lot of e-books are being sold already, and if your e-book competes with other e-book of those “really” experts, then you should make your e-book stand out from the rest of the e-books.

 

Sell your products

You may even start building your online shop. If you have some cash to start your business, why not try to establish your own shop? Try to sell the best-sellers of the marketplace, and you will find yourself growing. I swear.

• ADVANTAGE
  – You can set your own price, as long as it is acceptable in the marketplace. All are your customer prospects, and so, you have higher possibility of earning.
• DISADVANTAGE
  – Since there are a lot of shops popping out in the world wide web, you should be able to know how to battle with them. You should have some strategies on how your products will be sold, and how will you get your clients.

Image from Claylettes, one of the multiply shops selling their own-made product.

 

 

NOW THAT YOU KNOW THE WAYS ON EARNING ONLINE

I’m very sure you have already the knowledge of how to earn money online. Now, all you need to do is to exert efforts in doing these tips, and I’m sure you’ll be able to earn gradually. Earning through your WordPress blog is not easy and is not quick, but, if you’ll be patient, and keeps in mind the qualities of a good blogger, then, you’ll be able to succeed in this field.