10 Ways to Make Money Blogging
Easy Money Makers for Bloggers
If you want to make money blogging, then you’ll be happy to hear that it is not that hard to do. Of course, the amount of money you make depends entirely on your ongoing efforts to publish a great blog, grow your audience, and continually test new money making opportunities in order to find the best ways to match your audience’s expectations for your blog and your own goals for your blog. With that in mind, check out the 10 fairly easy ways to starting making money from your blogging efforts.
1. Join an Advertising Program
There are many advertising programs available for bloggers to join. One of the most popular online advertising programs and possibly the easiest to set up on your blog is Google AdSense, which offers a variety of pay-per-click text, display, and video advertising opportunities for bloggers. With a bit of effort, experimenting, and tweaking you can definitely make some money with Google AdSense.
2. Join an Affiliate Advertising Program
There are many companies that offer programs that enable you to sign up as an affiliate of that company and earn money. Amazon Associates is one of the most popular and easiest affiliate advertising programs for bloggers to use.
3. Join an Affiliate Advertising Network
There are a number of affiliate advertising networks that link online advertisers with publishers (such as bloggers). Commission Junction is one of the most popular affiliate advertising networks.
4. Sell Your Own Ad Space Directly to Advertisers
You can attempt to sell your own ad space directly to advertisers, but unless your blog is established with a sizable audience, it can be difficult to manage and make money selling ad space directly. Fortunately, there are sites like BuySellAds.com that link online publishers (like bloggers) up with online advertisers to make selling your ad space easier.
5. Publish Posts and Reviews for Pay
You can write blog posts on your own blog in exchange for pay, and there are several Web sites that link online publishers (such as bloggers) up with companies and individuals who want their products and services reviewed or discussed online. Just be sure to understand how to safely publish a paid post or sponsored review on your blog, so you don’t negatively affect your blog’s traffic.
6. Sell Merchandise
There are a number of Web sites that make it extremely easy for bloggers to create their own online stores where you can sell custom or stock merchandise and make money doing it! CafePress, Zazzle and Printfection are three of the most popular sites for creating your own online store.
7. Become a Professional Blogger
If you write well and can work autonomously, then you could work from home as a professional blogger! Fortunately, there are many sites where you can search for paid blogging jobs. Keep in mind, blogger pay rates can vary drastically, so make sure any opportunity you take matches your long term blogging goals.
8. Join a Blogging Network
There are a number of blog networks that include a number of blogs and bloggers all publishing under a larger brand or company. Many of these blog networks pay bloggers a flat fee per post or word that the blogger writes or the blogger receives a percentage of advertising earnings tied to the number of page views his or her posts generate (some networks even pay both a flat fee and a percentage of advertising revenues). As always, make sure the opportunities you pursue match your long term blogging goals.
9. Ask for Donations
While you’re unlikely to make much money from donors, it certainly can’t hurt to ask for donations on your blog. It’s easy to add a PayPal donate button, and you never know who might be feeling generous!
10. Make Money without Ads
There are a variety of ways that you can make money from your blog without publishing any ads on your blog at all. Don’t be afraid to get creative!
By Susan Gunelius
http://weblogs.about.com