Admit it, at some point in time, you have contemplated initiating your very own personal blog. What’s the reason behind it? Undoubtedly, you desire to write on the internet and interact with people. Nonetheless, you also aim to earn revenue through blogging. Hence, is commencing a personal blog worth your efforts?
What is the reason why blogging for monetary gain has such widespread appeal? Let’s face it, writing about one’s interests and receiving payment for it is a desirable prospect for anyone.
I am aware that I do.
To make money through blogging, several factors must come together. Though occasional earnings are possible, genuine profits require a committed effort. Therefore, one must ensure their dedication to achieving significant monetary rewards from their blog.
Creating a personal blog is merely the starting point; you must comprehend the art of generating compelling content that captivates audiences. Additionally, mastering the skill of monetizing your blog to earn revenue is crucial.
Creating Content
After successfully launching your personal blog, the next step is to determine the best approach to generating content. There are various methods for producing compelling content that can yield positive results if implemented appropriately.
It might be advantageous to contemplate generating dynamic content for your personal blog, which would be interactive and undergo changes as time passes. This approach ensures that the content is contemporary and pertinent as you progress.
Long-form content is also a valuable option to explore. While shorter pieces or articles spanning between 250-500 words are effective, longer and more comprehensive content that spans beyond 1,000 words can captivate your audience.
One potential strategy to increase traffic to your site is to incorporate user-generated content. This approach capitalizes on content that already exists, and can be optimized in a variety of ways.
Content created by website users such as comments, reviews, testimonials, and other related information is known as user-generated content. When an article has 20 comments, it becomes an opportunity for interaction and discussion among visitors, making it more than just a simple read.
The initial step to achieving success in earning money through a blog has been discussed. Moving forward, we shall discuss the appropriate methods of monetizing your blog.
1. The Use of Affiliate Links
As previously mentioned, using affiliate links is an effective method to generate revenue and earn income from your blog. It’s important to note that you don’t require a significant amount of website traffic to earn a reasonable sum of money through affiliate links.
There are in fact multiple factors causing this.
- It is easier to get approved for affiliate programs
- Affiliate marketing pays more than Adsense
- You can find affiliates for all niches
- Google controls Adsense alone, whereas companies big and small have affiliate products
- Affiliate products are more attractive and earn more per click than Adsense.
While Adsense can earn you some money with little effort, affiliate marketing presents a more lucrative option to generate higher revenue with fewer visitors.
2. Grow Your Email List
Making a considerable income is likely if your email list is large, so persistence in its growth is key. It’s important to note that traffic plays a key role in the performance of Adsense and other ad types.
If your post has a low ranking, it is likely that you are not earning any revenue from it.
If you are distributing the identical content to a large email list, it will undoubtedly be viewed. If you include eCommerce products or a few affiliate links in the content, your entire list will be exposed to them.
If you have 1,000 subscribers on your email list, you can earn a respectable sum because the most prosperous bloggers can generate between $0.50 and $2.00 per month from each email subscriber.
3. Find a Profitable Blogging Category
If your goal is to earn an income through blogging, it is essential to investigate the categories that yield the highest profits. It’s possible that some of the most widely sought-after categories might catch you off guard.
In this sequence, they are included:
- Finance / Wealth
- Product Reviews
- Travel and Lifestyle
- Fashion
- Health Products / Supplements
Although product reviews may seem dull at first, once you start earning money, your perspective will undoubtedly change.
The blogging categories that generate the least profit are:
- Music
- Politics
- Cooking and Gardening
- Toys/Games
- Religion
It is important to remember that categories can play a crucial role when creating a blog with the intention of earning money.
4. Have a Podcast on Your Blog
“Entrepreneurs On Fire” has consistently been among the high-earning blogs, having made $69,879 in revenue during its inaugural year, $26,143 of which was profit.
With each passing year, it gained momentum and went on to generate more than $500,000 in 2016, and has been moving ahead ever since.
What is the lesson to be learned? Incorporating a podcast into your blog is likely a lucrative strategy.
5. Content is Key
What do you estimate your annual blogging earnings could be? The amount will primarily depend on your effort input. However, if you extend it over a decade, your potential revenue will significantly increase.
There exists a strong inherent relationship between time, dedication, and finances. Many individuals who pursue blogging tend to abandon it during the first year. Nevertheless, if you persist and remain committed, monetary rewards will eventually follow.
If you are willing to post solid, strategic content 3 times a week without fail, then in year one you can make anywhere from $1,000 – $10,000. That number jumps to $500,000 – $1,000,000 in year ten if you continue on without fail.
By consistently producing high-quality content and exhibiting unwavering commitment, one can gradually accumulate a substantial income through blogging.
What To Look For When Choosing A Blogging Platform
Monetization
Keep in mind that we are specifically discussing the most effective blogging platforms for generating income.
The initial priority is inevitably making money, which is understandable.
A platform that is challenging to generate revenue from is not a suitable choice for commencing an online enterprise.
Numerous avenues exist for monetizing your blog which include:
- Offering a subscription to access your content
- Selling online courses
- Promoting products via affiliate marketing
- Selling ad space
Every blogging platform may not support all of those methods.
If you have a well-defined plan for monetization, it is crucial to select a platform that is in line with your strategy.
Customization
Are you interested in creating your own blogging website and starting from scratch?
Is access to the backend necessary for you?
Are you interested in implementing restrictions on who has the ability to access your content?
Free blogging platforms may not be the optimum choice if you require absolute authority over your site and its content.
Cost
There are blogging platforms that don’t cost anything at all.
All you have to do is sign up and commence blogging.
You may encounter a variety of expenses when dealing with other individuals, such as:
- Platform fees
- Web hosting
- Blog theme
- Plug-ins
- Email marketing software
- Security
It’s possible that your selected blogging platform will include all of those services and features in one price, or alternatively, they may be available as add-ons.
Regardless, it’s important to select a platform that is inexpensive at the outset, yet has the flexibility to grow as needed in the future.
Ease Of Use
The answer to this question is quite open to interpretation and relies on the specific situation in which you intend to utilize the information.
Numerous uncomplicated and free blogging platforms are available that do not necessitate technical expertise, for individuals seeking a fundamental content management system for creating, formatting, and publishing a blog post.
Although those platforms may be advertised as user-friendly, they may not be practical for your needs if you require tinkering with code and utilizing specific functions to generate income.
Best Blogging Platforms To Make Money
We have identified certain factors that are important in selecting the ideal blogging platform to meet your needs.
It’s time to explore our top selection of 13 blogging platforms that are ideal for earning income.
1. WordPress.Org
Ideal For: A versatile blogging platform that can adjust to the requirements of your enterprise.
You can use WordPress.org without paying any fees as it is a free and open-source platform. However, you will be required to select a domain name and a hosting service, which could potentially involve some expenses.
WordPress.org should not be mistaken for WordPress.com (which is separately listed), as it is a blogging platform that can be hosted independently and provides extensive customization options.
There are thousands of themes that you can access for free.
To enhance your WordPress website, you have the option of purchasing top-tier or tailor-made themes.
You have the option of incorporating numerous plugins, programs, and features to aid in generating income through blogging.
Using tools and platforms for search engine optimization such as Google Analytics, Rank Math, and Yoast would certainly be advantageous if you intend to generate revenue from your blog.
Starting off with WordPress.org is relatively easy as well.
All that is required is for you to purchase your own domain name (or obtain a complimentary domain name) and select a hosting package.
Even though free blog hosting options exist, a paid hosting platform may offer better performance and features, with prices ranging from $3 to $10 monthly.
Once you have accomplished that, it is easy to select a theme and release material.
One major advantage of having a WordPress blog is that you are the owner of all the content you post, providing you with complete authority over your publications.
This is not true for every blogging platform.
2. Medium
Ideal for: Easy entry into the world of blogging, but with limited opportunities for generating income through the internet.
Medium is a blogging platform that is completely free of charge.
It can be argued that Medium is the most expedient, effortless, and economical way to commence blogging.
Joining the platform is completely free of charge.
To start blogging, simply register for a free account, select a subject, write on it, and publish your post.
You have the freedom to write about anything as long as you adhere to Medium’s guidelines.
Being easy to use is what makes it one of the most commonly used platforms for blogging worldwide.
Is it the most optimal blogging platform for generating income?
It is unlikely.
When people invest time reading your content, The Medium Partner Program compensates you for it (with a modest sum).
Regrettably, since all blog posts are situated within Medium’s domain and not on a self-managed blogging platform, your dependence on the site’s algorithm for attracting audience is high.
Although approximately 60% of writers generate revenue on the platform, an overwhelming majority of approximately 94% make less than $100 per month.
Is Medium only beneficial for a select few and a waste of time for others?
That’s not always true.
Earning some money on the side while testing your content and determining the most effective approach is possible through this platform.
As a lasting solution, we do not advise it.
Another important factor to keep in consideration:
You may not qualify to participate in Medium’s Partner Program depending on your location as not every country has access to it.
3. WordPress.Com
Ideal for those who are new to blogging and prefer not to invest in a blog that is self-hosted.
The pricing for this service is structured such that a free version is offered, however, to access essential features, you will have to upgrade to a paid subscription that can cost between $4 to $45 per month.
WordPress.com offers a completely free way to begin using their platform, which is not the case with their more advanced version, WordPress.org.
It is not necessary to purchase a domain or set up WordPress.
Simply register an account and you’ll be assigned a WordPress domain name (yourusername.wordpress.com).
After you have decided on a name for your blog, you can purchase a domain name at a later time.
The free WordPress plan offers multiple templates and themes for users to choose from.
However, it is important to keep in mind that your free WordPress site will display WordPress’s own advertisements, which you will not be compensated for.
If you desire additional or “advanced” features such as quick customer support, Google Analytics, and monetization, then it is highly recommended that you opt for a paid subscription.
Even if you subscribe to WordPress.com, you won’t have access to the entire collection of plugins available at WordPress.org.
4. SquareSpace
Ideal for: Obtaining templates of exceptional quality for professional use.
When paid annually, the pricing ranges from $12 to $40 per month.
Among the widely recognized and highly favored platforms for constructing blogging websites is SquareSpace.
The editor employs a user-friendly drag-and-drop system that can be easily learned and experimented with.
There are numerous templates available that can be utilized to design a site with a polished appearance swiftly.
In theory, SquareSpace has the ability to handle websites containing up to 1,000 pages, which exceeds the needs of the majority of bloggers who publish at a high volume.
The sole disadvantage of SquareSpace is that it requires payment for usage.
For personal blogs, the standard $12 monthly plan is sufficient, however, additional features such as a professional email address, advanced analytics, and full customization through CSS and JavaScript necessitate upgrading to a higher-priced tier.
