Year after year, starting a blog continues to be one of the top ways for creators and writers to earn an online income. In this article, we are going to share different ways to make money blogging for beginners.
According to Converkit, almost a quarter of people start their blogs because they are looking to be self-employed. This means they want to earn a part time or full time income blogging.
If you are just getting started with your blog and are looking for some ideas on how to monetize, then you are in the right place! But if you are still wondering what to blog about, then check out our 125 profitable blog niche ideas.
Although blogging is a serious business, it’s not always easy to turn a profit when you first join the bloggiverse.
For some bloggers, it can take months or even years to see a return on their investment and start earning some decent money from their blogs.
Nothing can be more discouraging than a lack of results in terms of traffic and money, especially if you are putting in many hours into running your blog.
But even as a new blogger, there are many options to monetize your site without having to wait a ridiculously long time.
One way to ensure you can earn money from your blog is to choose a profitable niche. It is possible to make money from any niche, but some industries have higher demand than others and thus their niches are easier to monetize.
As a new blogger, you are also going to need to get into the mindset of treating your blog as an actual business.
And lastly, you need to be very patient, especially if you are looking to use monetization methods that are heavily reliant on traffic and volume.
Blogging success won’t happen overnight. Your readers need time to know you. Potential advertisers need time to know you. Google needs time to know you. The bloggiverse needs to make sure you are legit.
Can Beginners Really Make Money Blogging?
This is one of the first questions people ask before they start a blog.
The short answer is “Of course.”
You can definitely earn money blogging!
But let’s get real for a minute…
Creating a blog is one thing.
Making money from a blog is another.
Just like any other business, making money blogging as a beginner takes a plan and the drive and determination to carry it out.
The potential to earn money as a blogger is only restricted by your own self-limiting beliefs.
Read that again if you need to.
We are sharing some of the best ways to make money for beginner bloggers.
The good news? You can implement most of these ideas from Day 1!
How Can You Make Money Blogging as a Beginner?
Offer Digital Products
One of the best ways to make money blogging for beginners is by creating a digital product is one of the fastest ways to start earning money right away from your blog.
Digital products are extremely popular because of their price points and accessibility.
What’s better than purchasing a product you want or need online?
The ability to access that product immediately after purchase!
If product design and creation are not within your reach, you should consider outsourcing the process – if the potential profits are worth it to you.
You can offer your digital products directly on your website or through sites which accept payment like Razorpay or Stan.
Sell Digital Services
If you have expertise in your industry, you can package it into a service you can offer your audience.
Examples of digital services are coaching and consulting sessions or packages.
You can also sell services for people who don’t want to actually learn something, but would rather pay for someone to do it for them.
Social media marketing and management, content creation, SEO services and freelance writing are some examples of these types of services.
Whatever your niche, think about services you can offer for people who either want you to teach them what you know or would rather you do the job for them.
A common mistake beginner bloggers make is thinking that because something is easy for them, it’s easy for everyone else.
You can read about other beginner blogger mistakes to avoid here.
Remember, you possess knowledge, experience and expertise that others don’t (and are willing to pay for if it can save them time and money!)
Create Online Courses
Online courses are one of our favorite ways to make money blogging for beginners!
Just like creating your own products and services, online courses can be an extremely lucrative income source for bloggers.
By 2027, the online education space is predicted to reach $122 billion dollars in the United States alone.
Creating an online course can be time consuming, but once you launch, you can earn passive income from it for years to come.
The clout that comes from having your own course is an added bonus!
Online courses are a great monetization option for bloggers who enjoy teaching or are really good at explaining things in a way that’s easily understood.
And if you are camera-shy, you can limit the time you are on camera and simply record your screen while you teach.
Mini online courses can be a great place to start. They have a lower price point which means you will need a higher volume of students to earn decent money, but they don’t take long to create and are easier to market (and sell) than longer, more expensive courses.
If you are more adventurous, you can also try live online courses where you deliver your content directly to your students via platforms like Zoom, Teams or Facebook.
Write Sponsored Blog Posts
As a new blogger, you might be thinking that brands or companies won’t be interested in paying you for sponsored posts.
Guess what? You’re wrong!
Companies often seek smaller creators and bloggers to create content for them given that they have an engaged audience.
An ability to create content that converts is also a huge plus!
If sponsored posts are a monetization method you are interested in, start focusing on building a stronger relationship with your readers. You can do this through your content and of course, on your comment section and social media channels.
Join Affiliate Marketing Programs
If there are products or services you know and love that could also be useful to your audience, consider becoming an affiliate for them.
There are affiliate marketing programs for virtually every single niche under the sun so there is no shortage of products you can promote!
Although you can start working as an affiliate right away, some bloggers take a while to see decent returns.
Your earnings will highly depend on how well you can sell through your content as well as your marketing and social media strategies.
Sell Your Own Ad Space
This is another time consuming task but it can be well worth it! Also, it can be implemented from the start!
When you sell your own ad space, there are no intermediaries as you are dealing with potential advertisers directly.
Selling ad space on your own means you have to find the advertisers and negotiate contracts before you publish the ads on your site.
If you follow this advertising model, you should consider selling a package for several months instead of just offering a month-by-month deal. This can reduce the time you spend looking for new advertisers and setting up their ads on your site.
This way to profit also requires you to have some knowledge about website ad placement and optimization.
Banner ads, for example, can be highly profitable, but can interfere with user experience or even site speed if you place too many of them on your site.
Sell Ad Space Through Networks
This monetization method is perhaps the most popular one for bloggers!
There are several ad networks that are perfect for beginners because of their easy entry and low or no traffic requirements.
However, don’t expect to earn much in the beginning if you run a low traffic blog.
At first, ad networks will match your new blog to low-paying ads.
As your blog grows though, you will be able to scale and get higher-paying advertisers.
Flip Your Blog
Wait what? If you just started your blog, can you sell it? Absolutely!
Site flipping is a model that many bloggers use to make money. Flippa is one of the most popular places to buy and sell websites.
You can go about site flipping your blog in two ways:
1. Start From Scratch
Have a clear idea you will be flipping your blog.
This means you won’t choose a personal domain name or create content that is specifically tied to you. Focus on content creation and increasing traffic.
2. Start With An Existing Site
This approach is a bit riskier, but quicker.
You purchase a site, get it up to speed and sell it when ready.
Site flipping is a monetizing model with a steep learning curve. If you are a beginner blogger with little technical knowledge, it can take you some time to get your blog to the point where you can sell it for a profit.
But if you feel comfortable taking this on, this can be a great way to make money blogging for beginners.
Closing Points on How to Make Money Blogging for Beginners
Being a new blogger should not prevent you from earning money from your blog during your first months.
As you saw above, there are many options to monetize that don’t require high traffic or a great domain authority on search engines.
Since you call the shots on your blog, you can choose which options to use.
We advise you to start with ONE monetization idea (preferably the easiest one for you to execute), set it up correctly and move on to the next idea!
How long did it take you to start making money from your blog when you first started out?
Share in the comments below!