Building a blog is extremely easy, and cheap too. All you need is a domain name, a basic hosting account with WordPress installed, and a few pieces of content. Making money from a blog, however, is a whole other story. Not only do you have to build an audience but you also need them to perform actions that will turn into profits for you.
You also can’t expect all your money to come from one monetization method. Successful blogs use a combination of methods, and you’ll have no choice but to do the same if you’re trying to run an actual business. Let’s take a look at how you can squeeze the most money possible out of a blog.
Email Marketing
We put email marketing at the top of the list as it could be the single most powerful monetization method that you can use. A big email list is an extremely valuable asset to have and could make you tons of money if you use it correctly.
You could send messages promoting certain products that you know your audience would like. You could also send messages when posting reviews of products. Of course, these reviews would have an affiliate link in them, allowing you to make a commission every time someone buys through them.
You have to be very careful not to only send marketing-oriented messages, however. The overwhelming majority of your posts should be about helping your list and being a valuable resource. This will allow you to build trust with your subscribers and they’ll be more likely to opt-in if you ever decide to sell something.
Use Plugins
One of the reasons we advise people to use WordPress to build their blogs is because of how easy they are to monetize. There are plenty of plugins that will allow you to add everything from lead forms, affiliate ads, and different widgets that you could make money from.
If you run a blog on budgeting, for instance, you could try a coupon plugin that would display all sorts of deals and receive a commission every time someone uses a coupon code. The blog doesn’t have to be about budgeting either. These plugins allow you to display only a certain type of deal and pick a category that would be appealing to your core audience. This is one of the most efficient ways to make money through a blog as it won’t be seen as selling and most people love a deal that’s relevant to them.
Make Money Through Ads
Ads are the most classic way to earn revenue through a blog and are still very effective. The easiest way to make money through ads would be to open a Google AdSense account and add AdSense ads to your blog. You will get paid every time someone clicks on an ad, and you could end up getting multiple dollars per click depending on your niche, though most will pay a few cents per click. You can also sign up with ad networks like Outbrain or RevContent or sell advertising independently.
These are all simple ways that you can successfully monetize a blog. The trick is to try as many methods as possible and stick to those that work with your audience the best.