My first experience with a blog was back in 2005. A friend of mine told me that I needed to check out this celebrity gossip blog called Pink is the New Blog. After reading a few posts, I was hooked. Not only did I enjoy the daily gossip, but I loved the casual and personal nature of his writing. Reading this blog became my morning ritual, and it soon got me thinking:
- Is this his full-time job?
- How is he making money from his blog?
- How did he land these big-time TV interviews?
Fast forward to 2007.
After the birth of my daughter, I quit my full-time job as an RN Clinical Research Coordinator and became a full-time stay-at-home mom. But after nine months of play dates, mommy and me classes, and a dwindling bank account, I felt the urge to make some money and exercise my brain. I looked online for different work-at-home jobs, but the majority of my time was spent weeding through scams and sifting through websites to find all of the information that I was looking for. It was at this time that I decided to create my own monetized blog.
Fast forward to 2009.
After 15 months of doing research, creating content, and having a designer create a custom theme for me, I was finally able to launch it in March 2009. It took me almost three months to get my first advertiser, and from there, it has continued to grow and is now my full-time career. While I’m not going to go into specifics on how much I earn, I can tell you that I’m making excellent money blogging and that, yes, indeed, you can make money blogging, too!
Here’s how I personally make money blogging, as well as some other bloggers’ stories, earnings, and tips.
1. Make Money with Direct Advertising
A lot of people will tell you that traditional advertising is dead, but I’m living proof that you can make good money from direct ad sales. In fact, this is one of my biggest sources of income. You can look at my advertising page for rates and offerings. I’ve also written extensively on the subject, so make sure to check out these posts.
2. Make Money with Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is another income stream that I used right from the start. In fact, when I didn’t have any direct advertisers in the first few months, I filled my ad slots with affiliate marketing ads. This way, I could potentially make money while looking like other companies were purchasing ad space on the site. Make sure to check out my favorite affiliate networks and read this article for information on making money with affiliate marketing.
3. Earn Money From Corporate Sponsorships
Over the past couple of years, I’ve worked with a few brands that I really love. For these companies, I do more intense sponsorship packages that can include anything from written reviews, live social media correspondence at events, Twitter parties, and social media campaigns. If this is something you’re interested in pursuing, check out these articles on working with brands.
- Tips For Becoming a PR Friendly Blogger
- How to Work with Brands: Learning the Ropes of Influencer Marketing
4. Work with an Ad Network
When I first started blogging, I worked with a couple of ad networks only to make pennies each month. Later, I signed up for Google Adsense, and I began to make a little more money, about $100 each month. But then, poof, Google decided I had invalid ad clicks and banned me from the program.
After that had happened, I decided to join Media.net (Yahoo and Bings ad network). I made decent money with them, but once I got accepted into Raptive’s program, I stopped using them. I’ve been with Raptive for a few years now, and I absolutely love working with them! I make excellent money using their ad optimization network, and their staff is incredible!
Just a side note about working with ad networks. It can be a great way to generate money, but you need to have a decent number of page views each month since these networks pay on a CPM basis. If you’re interested in this monetization method, check out the ad networks I mentioned above and those below.
- Adbuff
- BlogHer
- GumGum
- LiveBurst
- Mediavine
- Monumetric
- Revcontent
- SheKnows Media
- Sovrn
- Spoutable
- Taboola
- TerserTude
5. Sell Services on Your Blog
Besides the revenue sources mentioned above, I’ve also done some social media contract work, and occasionally, I’ll receive a paid request to write an article for another publication. Depending on the pay, brand, and my schedule, I’ll sprinkle these in from time to time. If you want to sell services on your blog, make sure you check out this post.
6. Other Blog Monetization Methods
Some other ways I’ve made money in the past are blog consulting, e-book sales, advertising sold through a holiday gift guide, and running a lead generation service for direct sales consultants. While these did bring in some cash flow, they didn’t work well with my overall goals or vision for the site, so I closed them down.
Want to Know How Much Other Bloggers Earn?
- Miranda Grimm – WAH Adventures – $2,000 per month
- Mandy Rose – House of Rose Blog – $3,200 per month
- Meagan Paullin – Sunshine and Sippy Cups – $8,000+ per month
- Miranda Marquit – Planting Money Seeds – $10,000 per month
- Lisa Weber – Celebrity Baby Scoop – $25,000 per month
- Lindsay – Pinch of Yum – $26,000+ per month
- Heather Armstrong – Dooce – $50,000 per month
- Kristin Larsen – Believe in a Budget – $68,000 per month
- Sarah Titus – SarahTitus.com – $75,000 per month
- Michelle Schroeder – Making Sense of Cents – $100,000+ per month
- Pat Flynn – Smart Passive Income – $213,000+ per month
- Arianna Huffington – The Huffington Post – $2,330,000 per month
It Takes Time.
Impressive numbers, right? But let me tell you, blogging is not for the faint of heart, it takes time, as well as patience, persistence, hard work, and perseverance. I tell you this not to discourage you from becoming a monetized blogger but to give you a realistic point of view on what you can expect. For myself, I fell into a career that I absolutely love, and because of my blog, it has laid the groundwork for other opportunities that I otherwise would not have been privileged to.
Are you ready to start a blog? Here’s a step-by-step tutorial that’s easy and affordable (just $3.95 a month). And if you’re interested in how I took my blog to the next level — be sure to read this post!
How do you make money blogging? Leave us your monetization methods in the comment section below!
Originally published September 10, 2014. Content updated December 12, 2017.
Thanks for the ideas Holly.
I haven’t tried ad networks yet. I’ve heard of others having success with them, but I’m so scared to put in money and waste it. I’d like to see examples of this and how to do it properly hint hint nudge nudge :)
Really enjoyed reading this one, was straight to the points.
I have to say the earnings you showed above is pretty insane for a blogger.
It’s really inspiring to know others are having that kind of success with blogging.
Mozie
You don’t have to spend any money to join an ad network.
If you’re just starting off, try applying for Google AdSense or Media.net (Yahoo and Bings ad network). If you have at least 50K page views a month, try MediaVine, and if you have 100K page views a month, try AdThrive.
Good luck!
Hi,
My wife thinking of starting a blog but do not know which niche really works. Which niche works best for a long time. Any idea, really appreciated!
Hi James,
Choosing a niche will depend on my factors such as an individual’s passions, skills, and expertise. This article goes into more detail about how to choose a writing niche: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/writing-niche/
Good luck!
WOW! I can’t believe how much money people are making on blogs… that is crazy money! I’ve been trying to start a blog myself but I am struggling with the patience part… a lot. hehe. Thank for the awesome article. Xx
Hi Zoe,
Glad you enjoyed the article! Yes, you can make really good money blogging!
Good luck ?
Outstanding post, couldn’t agree more. Blogging is an excellent way to generate a passive income online especially when leveraged with Affiliate Marketing. I find SEO to be quite the Journey, but most definitely the best results once you get the hang of it.
Glad you enjoyed the tips, Deon.
Thanks for this post. I have been looking for a long time for a Taboola style CPM service alternatives, that’s a great list right there
Glad you enjoyed the list, Anna.
Thank you for sharing. I think the blog has to have a self – positioning first. But it is still not easy for novice to make money with blogs.
I have a knitting blog http://www.hellodollyknitting.com that I’ve had for about a year. I originally started my website as a knitting help resource for people who purchase my knitting patterns from my Etsy shop. I’ve only recently discovered that I can monetise my blog, and I’ve just started putting more effort into blogging. I started out with WIX… Should I change over to something else now, or is there nothing wrong with Wix? It’s just seems like everyone thinks you should be on Wordpress if you’re going to taking blogging seriously
Hi Emily,
The reason people say to use WordPress is because it’s inexpensive, it’s easy to use, and it has a ton of functionality. I’ve never used Wix, but if it’s working for you, I don’t see any reason to switch. If you’re having second thoughts about Wix, talking to a web programmer who’s worked with both platforms may be helpful for you. Let me know if you need a recommendation for one.
Thank you for including Mediavine in your list.
Our requirement is 25k sessions a month and we love working with publishers, because we are publishers ourselves!
Reach out to us with any questions at [email protected].
Happy holidays!
You’re welcome, Jenny! Thanks for the additional info regarding your requirements!
Holly,
This post comes handy as I am in the process to make money from home. I am glad to see that one of my podcast guest is listed. Have you listened to my conversation with Miranda Marquit?
Glad you enjoyed the article, Martin. I haven’t listened to the podcast — I’ll have to check it out.
I’ve had a food blog for over a year, however I find it hard to be consistent because I work full-time. I would love make even a little money from my blog but Google adsence keeps declining my application. Any advice? Can you direct me to any other ad networks to check out? I’m learning as I go so any advice would be great!
Apply to other ad networks. Try Media.net — they are they Yahoo/Bing Ad network.
There are lots of RN’s on here ! I am going to school for RN after 9 years of EMS but I’d MUCH rather stay at home with my 1 year old. I wrote my first blog ever just a few days ago and in those few days I’ve learned so much. I keep coming back to this site as a reference. I am focused on really building my content right now and then I hope to start earning something . Anything would be a step up ! The information here is great and is helping me in my journey . Thank you for providing it :)
So glad you’re enjoying the content, Shauna!
There are lots of telecommuting jobs for nurses, in fact I have that on my agenda for next month. Stay tuned =)
Thanks for all of this terrific information! I too am an RN turned stay at home mom who desperately needs to find a way to make some money. Can you give us wannabes an idea of what kind of start up costs are involved?
You’ll need to purchase your domain (~ $12 a year), website hosting (~$120 a year for a small plan), and a custom theme (~ $100). So you can start for relatively cheap.
Hi Holly,
This past February I started my blog, Gluten Free Mom To Be (www.glutenfreemomtobe.com). I love everything about my blog, I post about 4-5 times a week and have gotten some great feedback. I’m hoping to increase my followers and hopefully make a little money in the near future too. Any tips?
Thank you,
Lindsay
@Gfreemomtobe
Hi Lindsay, Congrats on your blog! Have you downloaded my free e-book? It has tons of tips for getting traffic and monetizing. https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/newsletter-signup/
Good luck and keep me posted!
Hi Holly,
You are a great mentor!! I hope one day to be a “Blogging” mentor to other women/men who are starting out as “Bloggers” or thinking of becoming a one.
I have always wanted to start-up a blog, I’ve been afraid of it failing. I have my passion which is cooking and I already have a web name to go along with it. There is so much good information that you provided, need to soak it all up, do my studying and get started. lol
Guess, I should take some time, think/sort out how I want to start up and let the rest flow.
Thanks so much Holly!!
Dawn
Awww, thanks Dawn!
I was really scared to do it too — I wanted someone to hold my hand. But, I pushed past the fear and I did it. One of the best decisions I’ve ever made!
Keep me posted on your journey!
Great post Holly. Love the examples at the bottom of the post with how much other blogs make. That is always interesting to learn.
Same here. I love seeing how people are making blogging work for them.
Thanks for mentioning me! :)
You’re welcome, Meagan!
I love your article thanks for bring light to small things that are essential to get the blog going. I’ve started my seamstress blog about my alteration projects and sewing stuff. Mainly as a portfolio to showcase my work, but I have been wanting to monetize on it as well. I Still don’t know where I’m headed with this and who my target market will be but I hope I can figure it out. It does seem so overwhelming at times because there’s so many blogs out there already. And on social media, I can get many likes but not sure how to lure them to view my page. I’d appreciate any advice on that, thanks!
The first thing you need to do is figure out who your target audience is.
Here are some good articles on doing so:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/reach-your-target-audience/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/bloggin-ideal-clients/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/the-1-action-step-you-must-do-now-to-make-your-business-soar/
Don’t worry about there being too many blogs, there is enough room for all of us. You have unique talents, perspective, and experiences that will set you apart from your competition. So focus on being yourself, providing the best content, and figure out what makes you special and capitalize on that. Good luck and keep us posted!
I just started receiving your emails and am trying to incorporate some of your ideas. I have recently moved from wordpress.com to self hosted Wordpress with Bluehost. I would like to start making some money from my blog to justify the time I spend doing it. After reading many of your articles I’m not sure I still understand how this will happen. When I moved my site I took my 266 Wordpress subscribers with me but my traffic has pretty much been lost in the shuffle. My hope is that if i can make even a hundred dollars per month I can keep doing what I’m greatly enjoying!
How are you currently monetizing your site? How are you marketing your site?
Here are some good articles on getting traffic:
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/blogs-earning-pinterest/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/attract-more-traffic/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/seo-traffic-blog/
https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/20-ways-to-drive-traffic-to-your-blog/
Also check out this article for when you make the switch from Blogger to WP: http://www.wpbeginner.com/wp-tutorials/how-to-switch-from-blogger-to-wordpress-without-losing-google-rankings/
How do you get started and how do you make money blogging? I really need something like this to do and I REALLY need money. Please someone, Help Me !!
Hi Linda,
You’ll want to purchase a domain name, get a WordPress account, and hosting.
Here’s a good post on getting started: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/blogging/
Also, if you sign up for my newsletter, you’ll get a free copy of my e-book blogging success. It gives tips on writing, getting traffic and monetizing: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/newsletter-signup/
And here’s how to set up a blog: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/setup-blog/
Holly Mandy Rose has a great little tutorial on her site here: http://houseofroseblog.com/how-do-i-start-a-blog/
Jeff Goins also has a good one: http://goinswriter.com/launch-blog/
And another good one here: http://leavingworkbehind.com/blog-getting-started/
Hope this helps! :)
Thanks Kimi for sharing those resources!
We also have one here: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/setup-blog/
Thanks for the article Holly. I’ve tried to start a blog a few times, but they fizzle out. I think it’s because I have such a wide variety of interests that my blogs seem to lose focus and then get lost. After reading this, I think I’ll give it another shot. I’d love to be able to stay home with my son.
If you need help choosing a niche we have some great articles here on the site.
Check out this page: https://www.theworkathomewoman.com/finding-your-niche/
Good luck and keep me posted on your blogging journey!
A blog is a great source and proof of one location having multiple ways to make money. I think it is one of the best ways to start as an internet marketer because of this.
Yes, it’s a great way to showcase your expertise and it’s great because it cost very little to start.
yes i think traditional advertising is dead, a lot of things that worked a few years ago dont work now
Thanks for sharing this Holly. It’s very motivating for me. I am nowhere near making this kind of money – I make about $200-$400 a month working on it part-time and my blog will be a year in October.
I know I have a long way to go but the good news is I’m in it for the long haul and I’m still passionate about it. And hopefully one day I will be making an income like you shared here.
I’m going to take a look at the other bloggers you shared and see how they do it too. Thanks again!
Happy Wednesday!
Glad you enjoyed the article, Corina!
I started out part-time too. For me, the biggest perk about blogging is that I got to stay at home with my daughter — while bringing in some cash flow. It took 5 years for my blog to evolve into what it is today. So keep the momentum going!
Can you give me some helpful hints? I haven’t even been able to make $20 :,(