How to earn money from blogging (website) – Passive Income Ideas

Did you know that blogging can be a good source to earn money? Blogging is a lucrative passive income strategy for many which you can also explore if you have the passion to write. In this article, we will explore the various ways you can monetize your blog and start earning a steady income. We will discuss the importance of selecting the right niche, different types of websites you can create, and detailed strategies to monetize your blog effectively.

People start Blogging to express their thoughts, share their knowledge, and connect with like-minded people online. Earning money from blogging is not the first intention for many. But eventually if the blog becomes popular and starts to get more and more traffic, we start to explore ways and means to monetize the blog. There is nothing wrong with it. After all, you are spending your time and efforts to put out content for free. So, whatever you can earn from your blogging pursuit is a good thing. Besides the time you invest, you will also spend money for maintaining the website and other services. Whatever your objectives are, in this post we are going to learn how to earn money from blogging.

1) Selecting the right niche for your blog

If you want to start your journey into blogging, this is an important first step – as it is the foundation based on which you will progress with your blogging. You don’t want your blog to be like a mix bag of everything without clarity. It is better to stick to a niche or subject, that way your readers can be clear what your website is all about and keep coming for more.

What is a niche in blogging terms?
A niche in blogging refers to a specific topic or area of interest that you will focus your blog on. Such as food, travel, self development, personal finance, computer tips and tutorials etc.

It is essential to choose a niche that you are passionate about and have expertise in. Re-read the line if you must – it is important. This will not only make the process of creating content more enjoyable for you but will also motivate you to carry on even if your website does not do well at times. In such times, passion – will also drive you! Otherwise, if there is no passion, the enthusiasm will fade away.

2) Type of blogging style and website to choose for blogging

Once you have identified your niche, you can start thinking about the type of blogging style you want to stick with. There are various options available, depending on your goals and preferences.

For example, you can create a personal blog where you share your thoughts, experiences, and expertise on the niche you have chosen. This type of blog is great for building a personal brand and establishing yourself as an authority in your niche. People who start a personal blog usually have their own name as the website name or brand name.

Alternatively, you can create a niche-specific blog that focuses on providing valuable information, tips, and resources to your target audience on the particular niche. If you have diverse interests, you can start multiple such niche blogs. This type of blog can attract a larger audience and offer opportunities for collaborations and sponsorships with relevant brands in your niche.

The next question is – what platform should you use for blogging – to write and manage the blog website with?

There are basically two options:

(1) Use free blogging platforms, or

(2) Create your own website.

Many bloggers start with free blogging platforms such as Blogger, which is a Google Product now. While free blogging platforms are free and easy to begin with, there are some limitations. Whereas, if you create a website, you have full control of the aesthetics, functionality etc.

If you want to use free blogging platforms, there are options such as Google Blogger, WordPress.com, medium etc. Blogger is relatively easy one to use, and since it is Google Product, you can leverage various Google Services easily such as Google Photos, Google Drive etc. You can also use custom domain with Blogger for professional website address. There are many bloggers who are using Blogger platform and are earning money by monetizing the blog.

However, there are certain limitations with free blogging platforms. And changing platforms will be a headache later on. So, do some research and try the platforms before you start blogging. If you came across a blog that you like and you want to know what platform they are using, go to https://whatcms.org/ and type the address of the website and click ‘detect CMS’. It will show you what website CMS or platform they are using.

If you mean serious business, I would suggest you to build a website using content management systems such as WordPress, Drupal, Joomla etc. You need to buy a domain name and a web hosting to host your website.

You can create website yourself also using CMS like WordPress with a little bit of help from YouTube videos also. However if you are not comfortable, you may invest a little by getting it developed from professionals or with a little bit of help from techie friends.

If you are done with that and you are looking for a web host, you can try HOSTINGER! Click here for great deals on web hosting.

3) Now, how to make money from blogging?

If you are new to blogging and websites, you might be wondering how people make money from blogging or from websites. They make money from blogging or from websites by monetizing their website. You can monetize through various means, such as display advertising, sponsored content, affiliate marketing, and selling your own products or services on your blog.

If you have chosen your niche and decided on the type of website you want to create, it’s time to dive into the strategies for making money from your blog.

3.1) Earn money from Advertising

Advertising is one of the most popular ways to earn money from blogging. If you have a blog website, you display ads and start earning – as simple as that, though earnings will depend on a lot of factors – website visits, engagements, demographics, what type of ads etc.

Most bloggers start off with Google Adsense for advertising on blog websites and then explore others as well. Adsense is the most popular ways to display ads on website. Once your blog start to get traffic, you can apply for Google Adsense account. If approved, you can start displaying Ads on your website for which Google Adsense will pay you once you reach the payment threshold. You can explore more about Google Adsense here. Read some of the success stories to understand how others are earning from Google Adsense by monetizing their blogs.

Beside, Google Adsense, there are many advertising networks you can explore such as media.net, PropellerAds, Ezoic etc. Each ad network have their own terms and conditions. Some require you to have some minimum traffic volume per day or month to be eligible. Whereas, some don’t have such conditions. So visit their website and learn more.

Another way to earn from advertising on your blog website is by selling ad spaces on your website so that businesses can directly buy ad spaces on your website. You can decide on the terms and conditions for displaying such ads, and offer the ads space for sale. Note that, people will be willing to spend money to display ads on your website only if your website is getting traffic, popular and of repute.

3.2) Earn money from Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is another popular way to earn money from blogging. Affiliate marketing can be highly profitable, especially if you have a loyal and engaged audience who trusts your recommendations. Affiliate marketing involves signing up with some Affiliate Programs and promoting products or services on your blog. Through Affiliate Marketing you can earn commission for every sale or lead generated through your referral.

For example: Amazon Affiliate Program is a popular Affiliate Marketing program. You can sign up and start displaying products from Amazon in your blog.

Once you have signed up for an Affiliate Marketing program, you can access the tools and get product links, images, or layouts to display the products.

You can display Affiliate links in any type of website as long as it is relevant to your content. You don’t want to display gardening tools on a computer related website.

Some types of websites tend to perform well for affiliate marketing, they are: niche blogs, Product Review Sites, Coupon and Deal Sites, Comparison and Shopping Guides, How-To and Tutorial Sites, Community Forums, Email Newsletters and Lists etc,

3.3. Earn money by selling Products on your blog

Another way to earn money from blogging is by selling products from your website. This could be anything from e-books, online courses, consulting services, or physical merchandise related to your niche.

For example: A person who blogs on food recipes can also write a book on it and sell it. The same thing he can sell on his website. Likewise, someone who blogs on self development can also write a book, develop some courses etc. and sell those as well.

To sell products from your website, you can do it in different ways. By implementing a complete online shopping experience including checkout solution or you can simply put links to other platforms from where you are actually selling the products. For Example: Link to the product on Amazon or Shopify.

3.4) Earn money from Sponsored posts on your blog

You can also earn money from your blog from Sponsored Posts. When your website gets popular and start getting more traffic, it will start attracting sponsored posts from brands. Sponsored posts are posts where brands pay content creators, bloggers, influencers, or publishers to create and publish content that promotes their products, services, or brand. These posts may either be drafted already or you will need to write for the brand.

Sponsored posts are typically integrated seamlessly into the content of the website, making them appear as organic content rather than typical advertisements.

Research on the normal charges for sponsored posts depending on various factors. The potential earnings from sponsored posts on a blog can vary depending on several factors such as popularity of the blog, traffic size, audience, niche or industry, quality of content, and your negotiation skills.

3.5) Earn money from Brand collaborations

If your website becomes popular, you might also get offers from brands to promote their products and services on your website. And you might get attractive offers. These can be in the form of displaying ads for their products and services on your website, or in the form of referring their products and services on your website.

Brands are always looking for influencers and content creators to promote their products or services. By partnering with relevant brands, you can not only earn money but also gain exposure and credibility in your niche.

As usual, it depends on several factors such as popularity of the blog, traffic size, audience, niche or industry, quality of content, and your negotiation skills.

3.6) Earn money from Paid Services or membership site

If your niche is around a specialized field, and you see the potential of earning money from paid membership site, that you can also go for this stream for earning passive income. There are various websites where basic content are available for free, and more advances content or features are behind a pay wall. The content or services you offer in the paid services should be unique experience.

For membership sites to be successful, the website / brand need to have many loyal followers who are willing to pay extra to access advanced content. Initially, you may need to give out various offers such as free trials, samples, or limited-time promotions to give people a taste of what they can expect from your paid services or membership site. This can help overcome initial barriers to entry and encourage conversions.

There are various membership site models you can think of: one-time paid services, periodic renewal (subscription based) or a combination of both. Each model have their advantages and disadvantages. You can research on this and decide on a model depending on the services you offer,

So, these are some of the ideas you can explore to earn passive income from blogging website. As we have seen above, it all depends on the popularity of the website, traffic size, type of niche and audience. An overnight success is not expected, so therefore, be consistent, and continue to produce high quality contents. Then all the side income avenues will keep coming.

Earn money from YouTube Channel

YouTube channel has nothing to do with blogging per se. But running a YouTube Channel is also a popular income stream to earn extra money. And if you have a blog website, it is also advisable to create a YouTube Channel to share content related to your niche. You can create videos out of your existing blog content also and include your videos in your blog posts also.

In conclusion, blogging has evolved from a simple hobby to a profitable venture. There are many successful bloggers who have even quit their day jobs to do full time blogging. You can Google such stories for inspiration if you are planning to start blogging. The success will not be instant, but like we discussed, if you have the passion, the money will follow. But first, lots of smart work and hard work too.

By selecting the right niche, creating a website that resonates with your target audience, and implementing effective monetization strategies, you can turn your blog into a sustainable source of passive income.

So, if you have a passion for writing and a desire to share your knowledge with the world, why not start a blog and explore the endless possibilities?