Ways to Make Money Blogging

I’ve been blogging for a long time, but not making money on my blog until a few years ago. In fact, when I first started blogging, making money off this site had not crossed my mind. Thankfully, blogging is quite an inexpensive hobby, so it was never as if I was working at a complete loss. The only real expenses when setting up a blog are the purchasing of your domain and hosting provider.

I don’t make enough to quit my day job. I do make enough that I was able to save for the unpaid portion of my maternity leave. And I enjoy blogging. It’s nice to earn money doing something you enjoy.

There are so many companies out there for ads and affiliates that offer opportunities to work with larger brands. I think the key to being successful is finding the groups that work well for you. The following is a sampling of sites that are helpful when you’re looking to make money on your blog (or on your social media platforms!) 

1. Google AdSense – This is an easy one. While it can be slow-going if you don’t have a ton of traffic, it does earn money running their ads in your sidebar. I’ve since switched to a different ads company and use SheKnows for my ads. I earn more in a month than I did in a year with AdSense.)

2. Affiliates. If someone makes a purchase after clicking on one of your links, you can earn a small commission. I link to companies I really like and the following affiliate programs have been amazing. (I find brands and companies through these affiliate companies:

• Shareasale
• Cactus Media is another favorite company I work with.
• CJ Affiliate (formerly Commission Junction)
• Impact Radius

3. Sponsored posts through Social Fabric, Clever Girls or SITS Girls! More recently, I’ve worked with Acorn and even BlogHer for social shares. I also get an occasional post through TapInfluence. (Think tweets, Facebook posts.) I’ve had the most success with Social Fabric – and that was after being turned down initially when I applied. They offer various campaigns, and you can apply for the campaign. The more creative your pitch is, the likelihood you’ll be selected.

4. Izea. This is a combination of sponsored posts and social posts. I earn most money from Izea through Instagram or Twitter posts and you bid on how much you want to be paid. (Spring for their $1/month subscription so you have more opportunities to bid on potential projects. It’s worth it.) I have friends who do paid blog posts through Izea on a fairly regular basis.

5. Look at the stores you shop online or write about most frequently. Do they have an affiliate program? I shop a lot on Amazon and only in the past year have I been an affiliate for them.

There are more ways to make money, but the most important thing is to stay true to yourself and what your audience wants. And have fun!