If you have a blog that you update frequently then there’s a good chance that you want to make as much money from your blog as possible. Even though lots of people start blogs primarily for personal reasons (because they want to write about a certain subject or because they have a message they want to share, etc.) those personal bloggers usually dream about being able to make their living from their words someday.
Making money through your blog occurs through a process called monetization. If you’re not making much money, or any money at all, from your blog then chances are your monetization strategy is doing a few important things wrong.
You Aren’t Using Enough Monetization Sources
It’s fairly common to find blogs filled with quality content that aren’t making much or any money because they’re relying on a limited number of income streams. The most common form of blog monetization out there is Google Adsense. Bloggers love to use Google Adsense because it takes less than 10 minutes to set up and get running and they never need to fiddle with it again if they don’t want to.
Unfortunately unless you have a very large and dedicated readership you’re probably not going to make a full-time living from Google Adsense alone. Other bloggers respond to this reality and toss a few affiliate links into their text, a smart practice but one that isn’t going to bring in a full time income on its own either.
As a blogger you need to utilize as many different monetization sources as you can think of. Google Adsense, individually sold image-ads, affiliate links, review products and work out a deal with their producers, create and sell your own products, etc. You’re going to have a hard time making all the money you want from a single source, but attaching multiple streams of income to your blog will eventually add up to significant sums.
You’re Trying to Do it Alone
You are going to have a very hard time making a full time income from your blog unless you form lasting and mutually beneficial connections with other bloggers and internet marketers. Even the most valuable and original content will only be found and read by a handful of people unless you form partnerships with other bloggers who actively promote your content to their readership.
Forming these partnerships is a give & take process. Don’t expect another blogger to promote your work unless you have either already promoted their work or have a very clear timeline for when you’ll return the favor. With large and well-established bloggers expect to promote their work heavily and persistently before they decide to share your work with others. The larger the blogger the more you have to gain from a partnership with them, but the harder that partnership will take to form. The inverse is true as well and you’ll do best by forming partnerships with many small bloggers while you’re busy promoting larger bloggers.
You’re Still Thinking of Your Blog as a Hobby
If you’re going to monetize your blog fully then you need to start thinking of it as a business. Instead of updating it sporadically you need to start updating it consistently. Instead of throwing one or two monetization sources on there you need to use every stream & strategy you can think of.
It’s natural to worry that as soon as you start approaching your blog from a business-minded perspective that you’re going to somehow ruin it. You worry that you will turn off your readership or that it won’t be fun anymore or that you’ll simply fail at making any money and have wasted a lot of time and effort. You might turn off one or two readers when you decide to monetize your website more aggressively but chances are you’ll both improve your relationships with your existing readers and gain a whole lot more when you become consistent and predictable.
There will be times when you need to work on your blog when you don’t have to but overall if you love your niche then you’ll find more to like then to dislike. Finally as long as you commit to testing and experimenting with your blog’s monetization strategies you’re going to have a hard time failing to make more money with your new business-mindset then you’re making today.
Decide How Far You’re Willing to Go
Every blogger needs to decide how far they’re willing to go with their monetization strategies what the overall purpose of their blog is. They feel stressed when they’re not making any money and then they feel guilty when they throw up a new set of ads. Life is too short to remain in this kind of conflict for long.
Sit down for a half hour, take a good long look at your website and at your goals for it, and decide how far you’re willing to go to meet those goals. Once you’ve created your clear plan about what you are and aren’t willing to do to make money from your blog do not deviate from it! You’re not going to make any real money from your blog if you don’t ultimately enjoy working on it and you won’t enjoy working on it anymore if you’re more worried about optimizing your affiliate linking than you are about creating valuable content for your readers.
About John Mak
Twitter: Blogonza
says:
HI John,
Very worth reading post. I totally agree with you. Now i have to think about Adsense.
Ivan recently posted..How to Build Blog Readership in 2013
Twitter: AnhNo1
says:
You can make money with blogging either you have passion or not. The question is how much money do you want to make? How much do you love blogging? What is your highest goal?
You see most people think about blogging = money or blogging = business which = money… In my opinion think of what you are really love doing first and the money will come!
Warren Buffet at the age of 81, he still loves what he’s doing! He knew it since 7 years old and he became a legendary investor not because he was thinking about how many billions he can make, but how much he liked what he was doing! Thanks for stopping by!
Twitter: epicmagazinet
says:
Hey John,
Change the title of the post … I think it is improper … Anyways, the content was great .. Shared with a friend of mine who needed this ;)
Thank you :)
Harikrishna recently posted..Custom Short URL with Bitly for your WordPress Site
Glad I stopped b in your blog, your post is an educating one. Teaches me about Google Adsense and how to utilize it….. Your tips will surely help me in monetizing my site, hope it will make more money to me. Thanks!
Michelle recently posted..how to become a security guard
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Great Michelle, glad these tips helped you for your business. Nice to see you around.
John
There are many ways to monetized that we couldn’t found it yet.. By the way this article gives me learn about specific marketing strategy and how to monetized..
Rudz recently posted..weight loss plans
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Glad it was a helpful post Rudz. Nice to see you around!
Most of the Blog Owners usually follow every method to monetize there blog. In this way they are not able to make more money, I think they should use only few methods to monetize there blog by this they will earn more money.
Mahendra Yadav recently posted..Top 10 Corruption Scams in India
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
You are right Mahendra.. There are many ways to monetize your site but if you focus in just one or two you will make more money than focusing on more. Thanks for your insight!
John
Yah!!! This is business man, and how can you operate your business if you don’t have manpower??? Business does need manpower, it’s just like blogging……. blogs will succeed with the help of the other bloggers.
Jer Marie recently posted..security guard resume
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Hello there, I believe sharing is caring so what someone needs to do is to establish in a quality community and share personal experiences with other people or bloggers. This can be an advantage of building a great online business but it needs time, persistence and clarity of purpose. Thanks for sharing with us and glad you stopped by to contribute.
John Mak
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Nice post.Trere is an other article in this blog, which says that blogging is not only passion.Right?I mean, as you say, that if someone wants to make money from a blog he has to think it as a real business.Making realistic monetization strategies and not only include Adds will give a perspective to the blog.Of course this must be followed by new content for the audience.
Sara recently posted..How to Choose the Right Garden Fountain
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Hello Sara,
You can make money with blogging either you have passion or not. The question is how much money do you want to make? How much do you love blogging? What is your highest goal?
You see most people think about blogging = money or blogging = business which = money… In my opinion think of what you are really love doing first and the money will come!
Warren Buffet at the age of 81, he still loves what he’s doing! He knew it since 7 years old and he became a legendary investor not because he was thinking about how many billions he can make, but how much he liked what he was doing! Thanks for stopping by!
John
Well i liked your example and I agree with you.If you don’t love your work-blog you better give up asap.Keep up the good work!
Sara recently posted..Wood Arbors
Try different ways to monetize and then wait and see which ones are actually giving you earnings. Work more on the profitable ones and take out the not productive ones.
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Great tip Shine! Thanks for your insight!
John
Twitter: cursor4life
says:
David, online business is just like offline business. if you are selling one product in your shop with different means of advertisement backup. I am assuring you that that product will go fare and win lot of customers. I am saying this as a business man. I do ONLY training on website design, php,asp.net,java and accounting packages in one small not decorated shop. But i always have AGGRESSIVE MARKETING every Sunday. With this, i make up to $800.00 per month. This is the same as online with just one website and different means of generating traffic, the website will generate large income with a year.
‘Tijani just posted Best Ways To Cure Brain Injuries
Twitter: TechTricksWorld
says:
yes Still there are so many bloggers who sthink that blog is their hobby only. With this mindset you are losing a greater part of monetization techniques. You should have to think like a pro. Nice post.
Atish recently posted..What To Do When You Are Out of Ideas For New Blog Post
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Thank you Atish! Always thinking big is what will deliver! I believe though that sometimes we focus on what others do instead of what we should do! So if others can think like a pro, we are ahead of them! Thanks for sharing!
John
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Sorry, I meant “can’t think like a pro”… All day today I’m misspelling!
Twitter: socmedsean
says:
Sometimes “monetization” comes in forms that are different from the traditional affiliate or ad check. I maintain my blog as part of my career portfolio and my blogging and tweeting activities played a huge part in landing me a job as Director of Social Media for a digital agency. So, for those that are treating their blog as a hobby, keep in mind that it can have a positive impact on your career path, as well.
Just my $.02…
–Sean
Sean R. Nicholson recently posted..Tech Tip: Defraggle (Or Defragment) That Hard Drive For Better Computer Performance
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Thanks for your insight Sean! Blogging definitely has a positive impact! If you’re really focus on something will always bring you results! Thanks for sharing,
John
Twitter: ForteProperties
says:
I’ve never really looked at using blogging to make money until recently. These are some great tips that will help avoid some what seem to be common pitfalls.
Chris recently posted..Learn the Basics of Buying Owner Financed Homes & Real Estate
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Chris, there are so many great things when blogging! Remember, “You can attract far more buyers by offering to teach something of value to them, than you will ever attract by trying to sell them something”. Professional bloggers share their personal experience to their audience by offering great and valuable information through their blogs and guest posts. We-blog-better is one of these places! Thanks for sharing with us!
John
Bloggers that already establish their names and business in which you will not have a hard time promoting your business. Whatever other way you try to monetize your site, if it’s not trusted in the eyes of Google, it might not be trusted in anyone’s eyes
i feel that being persistent is key, theres no room for quting when things aren’t working out how you would want it, like they say hard work pays off.
Next Horizon
Orlando Web Design
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Definitely! Hard work and persistence always pays off! It’s about how much you want it… Thanks for sharing with us.
John
Twitter: abhibalani
says:
The best point was 3rd one. We need to make up our mind if we want to work as a professional business blog or not. Blogger’s thinking about their blogs matter.
Very well written, informative article
Abhi Balani recently posted..Good Blogger And A Good Blog: What Are The Signs?
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Thanks for your insight Abhi!
I also think that collaboration with other bloggers can be quite useful and fruitful for everyone, because you can help each other
BuySellWordpress recently posted..Fashion WordPress Themes
I’ve read about this in the last couple of months so much. But I think, if the company wants to collect my data, I don’t give a … . My life isn’t interesting at all, so could collect my data if they want to:)
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Twitter: davesnape
says:
This is a great article. I have a blog that does rely on adsense for income right now – however, I have been criticized for having so many ads. I understand the criticism but I don’t really want to give up the income either. So what do you do in a situation like that?
I was told that no one would comment on my blog because it is so ugly / commercial. But I have found that people do comment on it. So the end question is, should I change to appease the complainers or leave things alone?
david recently posted..Credit Card Company Complaint Options
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
David, by improving a little bit the structure of your website will always be good. Adjust the font size, the blog’s width, etc. You can try and see for a week if that will increase or decrease your income. No one else will guarantee good or bad results. You are the one who have to judge, you have the experience on your website and you know the numbers as well! I hope you’ll find a way!
To your success,
John
I like the point you stressed here about how far are you willing to go. I think this is essential because
you only waste your own time if you suddenly give up.
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Exactly Becca! You got the point! Thanks for coming by,
John
Twitter: davesnape
says:
Thanks for the reply Jon. I might try installing thesis and see what I can do with that. I do fear a decrease in revenue, but it is worth a shot to see if I can make it better. If the revenue drops I can always go back to the old theme. good idea. thanks again.
David recently posted..Taxes: Do It Yourself Or Get An Accountant?
There are a lot of ways on how to give your blog a chance to make money and I do agree that you will need help from the other bloggers. Bloggers that already establish their names and business in which you will not have a hard time promoting your business.
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Mhelgie, you are your own brand! There are too many marketing strategies, too many people around, bloggers, articles, ideas, etc. From my own experience I think that engaging with other quality bloggers and their websites, having discussions about problems and difficulties, sharing your experience with quality articles and insights, I guarantee success! What you need is credibility, acceptance and creativity so you can provide quality information to your visitors and co-bloggers.
Best,
John
Great post. Totally agree with you about knowing how far will you want to up to in monetizing strategies so that everything runs in the right way.
Danyelle Franciosa recently posted..Bifold Doors
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
It’s a personal way Danyelle! Whatever works for you, whatever your goals are.. just keep moving forward!
To your success,
John
Twitter: aridseas
says:
The thing that makes me click out of blogs the most is people begging for donations; that’s not where to go with monetization.. I know several competitors who rely on them and have to go through these donation-begging sprees like Wikipedia. Come on, just add some affiliate links and a few ads!
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
It’s either way or the other. I understand your point here. For some people works to just add a donate button and they’re done. I believe we are a step ahead from them :-)
Thanks for your insight!
John
Really inspiring post, thanks for sharing it! Your points are really the most common mistakes, and I totally agree, Google Adsense isn’t the best and most effective tool for affiliate marketing, although it seems to quickest and easiest way for that. But if somebody doesn’t do the blogging for a hobby, he/she needs something more professional.
Julie recently posted..wisdom teeth
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Whatever works for everyone Julie! Thanks for sharing with us.
John
Twitter: faithfamilyrevw
says:
While all good thoughts, these ideas are not new to me. I am incredibly grateful for the blogging community that I am a part of, as they are where I have made most of my connections to monetize my blog. Making those connections are very important once a new blogger has his or her blog established.
Theresa recently posted..Weight Loss Goals with Slique™ Tea – Part 2 of the Slique™ Series
Twitter: theapptimes
says:
I’ve tried several monetization sources but find that it just clogs up my blog. So staying put with just a few for now and focusing on building it well. Thanks for the valuable points John.
Adeline recently posted..PhotoArtist is a Theme for Photography Enthusiasts
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Thank you Adeline. Like I said to Edward before, focus in one good solid marketing strategy. If you try your best, I bet you’ll find the results you are looking for. Every strategy needs patience and clarity. Don’t get caught by people who promise quick money, free money, etc.. There is not such thing as something for nothing! Success needs time, progress, persistence, and know exactly what you have to give to get something in return. Wishing you success!
John
Twitter: technicallyeasy
says:
The one monetization issue I have at the moment is that my income isn’t diversified, which we all know isn’t good. Right now I am like a lot of others in that most of my income comes from Google’s AdSense. Last year I have started my diversification of income, and while it is slowly starting to spread across multiple avenues, AdSense is still my largest earner.
Paul Salmon recently posted..How to Make More Money From Your Blog
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
I believe that’s great opportunity Paul that you have right here! Now you’re earning from AdSense you could focus on another way to make more money while AdSense is stable and you don’t have to work that hard for it. Thanks for sharing!
John
Twitter: davelucas
says:
@EdwardYoung
indeed… I was shocked to see that – back in November – a SINGLE click on an adsense ad that appeared on my humble weblog netted $5.06! My guess is that the clicker followed through on whatever the offer was.
Dave Lucas recently posted..Off-World Life Colony on Planet Earth via The Murchison Meteorite
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Dave, isn’t it amazing when you see a result like this? Isn’t that makes you wanna work harder and achieve more? That’s how I see things! Thanks for sharing.
John
Hey, John! Great article. I have a question though: Some websites are banned in Google Adsense. What do you recommend their owners?
Tony recently posted..What To Look For When Buying A Washer and Dryer Combo
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Hello Tony! If Google ban your website that means something’s wrong with it. Whatever other way you try to monetize your site, if it’s not trusted in the eyes of Google, it might not be trusted in anyone’s eyes…
True John, makes a lot of sense but I know cases where Google acted weird and closed well built websites…but as many know, there is life after Adsense!
Tony recently posted..Tips to Removing House Mold
Actually your post gave me several ideas about the Google Adsense particularly image-ads, affiliate links, review products etc. Your post make me to clear to utilize as many different monetization source.
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Glad I could help Tessa. Thanks for stopping by.
John
Twitter: strategi_web
says:
I love the idea of having connections in monetization strategy. But for small blogs, trying to earn from Google Adsense, is it really a must? When it comes to traffic, I think it is.
Twitter: writetojohnmak
says:
Hello Edward, If your first goal is to monetize your site with Google Adsense, then yes it’s a “must”. My opinion? Follow one specific marketing strategy, give your full potentials and I believe you will have the results you’re looking for!
John