Starting with website creation or blogging can make you wonder a few things. The most probable is how to make money running a website or blog. So, this is a quite logical question.
Most websites or blogs start as hobbies for some people. But, after some time people expect to gain some income from their work. And there is nothing wrong with that.
So, today’s topic will give you more information about website/blog monetization.
Is it really possible to make money running a website?
The short answer is yes. You can make money running a website or blog. But, it will need some dedication and time. So, with the right plan and consistency, these can become sources of recurring income too.
But, at first, you need to be ready to earn little to no money. However, for many people, their websites and blogs became their full-time jobs.
There are many strategies regarding website/blog monetization. Some of them are passive and easy, but the others might require more effort. But, before jumping to some useful tips, we need to clarify one more thing. What is the difference between a website and a blog?
Well, let’s put it like this:
- A blog is a type of website.
- Blogs consist of individual blog articles.
- A blog is dynamic.
- A website is defined by a web address and domain name.
- Many websites have blogs within them.
- A website can be static (no fresh content often).
So, what does this mean? Should you get a website or a blog? The answer depends on your needs. But, if you have a website, try to incorporate a blog in it too. Blogs might be the best way to generate traffic to your website.
And we all know, the more traffic your site gets, the better chances to gain money.
So, take a look at the following tips and start monetizing your website/blog in the nearest future.
9 Ways to make money running a website or blog
#1 PPC (Pay Per Click) advertising
AdWords are Google ads that you often see on the top of Google search results. There is also AdSense, which allows publishers to enter large Google ads networks. So, this way advertisers can decide to run ads on certain sites.
This is a very simple system. Even though it might sound complicated at first. You’ll just need to sign up, and Google will put a code into your website. This will identify your content and start giving people relevant ads.
Whenever a visitor clicks on the ad on your site, you earn money. Simple as that. The prices go from $0.50 to $5 per click. But, to gain some serious income, you’ll need to have enough traffic on your website/blog.
That’s where the blog posts come in handy. Remember the story of how blogs bring traffic to the site? Pretty useful, right?
#2 Affiliate marketing
You’ve probably heard of affiliate marketing by now. This is the most popular way to make money running a website or blog. Not to mention it is also the quickest.
Here’s how affiliate marketing works:
- Find the product you like and would recommend.
- Endorse the product on your website or blog.
- Wait for your subscribers to buy a product through your affiliate link.
- Earn commission.
Commissions can go anywhere between 30% of the product to 70%. Also, have in mind that commission rates may vary depending on the category.
#3 Selling an ad space
Did you know you could sell your own ad space? That’s right. Many companies are looking to sponsor various blogs. You’ll just need to set the price for the space you’re offering.
The payment will depend on how many visitors your site gets. Here we come to the traffic again. It’s necessary for the desired amount of income.
So, you need to work on your website traffic regularly. Only then you’ll be able to make money running a website or blog.
#4 Sell your digital product
If you have an idea about creating your own product, that’s great. Things like courses or eBooks can be nice ways to earn money through a website or blog. You’ll be able to send your goods through your website/blog.
So, that’s quite straightforward. But, creating a high-quality product is not that easy. You should also have in mind things like shipping and taxes.
Another super-important thing is a well-designed landing page. It will ensure your product can have a strong conversion rate. Plus, by selling some of your products you may be able to gain recurring revenue.
#5 Accept donations
Do you have an engaged community? That’s amazing. If your website/blog has strong followers you might be able to get donations. You can ask your subscribers to donate money so you could create even better content.
Have in mind, you won’t get rich with this. But, it surely can help you cover some expenses along the way. You can place a PayPal donation button on your website/blog.
If people love your content, some of them will be willing to donate. There are many successful sites out there that earn revenue through donations.
Besides donations, there is also one easy way to earn side money. Do you like playing mini-games? Well, this is very similar. Except you get paid to do it. You can earn money by answering legit surveys.
Online surveys are a great way to gain money with no effort.
All you need to do is to:
- Sign up for surveys.
- Answer surveys.
- Get paid.
This way you could earn some easy money and spend it on website/blog maintenance. Not bad, right?
#6 Have a strong Email list
If you want to have a strong blog, you need to have a strong email list. To do this you need to gain loyal readers. Gaining regular followers is not easy, but is very rewarding. The goal is to convert strangers who visit your site into followers.
This only can be done with quality content and an honest offer to help. You should have a strong relationship with your audience. So, offer information and free help.
Don’t ever spam people with free offers. That may sabotage your potentially fruitful connection.
#7 Make an eCommerce site
This is a hard one. Here’s why. There are thousands of eCommerce sites and online stores. So, if you want to focus more on a certain product rather than content, be prepared.
You will need to specify your niche and have a detailed strategy. Also, gear up with the latest marketing techniques. This might help you to grab people’s attention.
#8 Send “leads” to other companies
If you could send some new leads to other businesses, that can be great. Many companies want new customers for their products and services. So if you have a website about a certain topic, you could also have information about your readers. Such as email addresses or phone numbers.
Of course, you can only have these if your followers gave them to you.
Therefore, you basically connect these two parties. So they can both have benefits. This may sound very similar to affiliate marketing.
But, it’s even easier. In this situation, it doesn’t matter if your readers buy anything. These companies often just look for an introduction.
#9 Flip websites/blogs
If you find this interesting, you can try flipping websites. That means, build a website and sell it to someone else. It can be very profitable.
So, if you are not interested in having your own website/blog, you can make it for other people.
There are also some ready-made site versions out there. But these are much cheaper options. So, you won’t be able to earn as much money as with the site you made.
Bonus ways to make money running a website or blog
Offer premium content for a higher price
You can do this only if you really have high-quality content. Also, you can’t ask people to pay right away. Take your time to build your audience before offering premium content.
People don’t like being overwhelmed with content.
Create a job board
Having a job board on your website can be a nice way to gain revenue. So, that’s a great option to give people a place to search for employment and earn money along the way.
Add “Hire me” button
For example, if you have a skill that allows freelancing, use it. You can note to your website/blog visitors that you are open to collaboration. Many companies are in search of high-quality freelancers to help them with their work.
So, this could be a nice chance for you to gain income with your website/blog.
The bottom line
Having a website or blog can be a great thing. It’s really a chance to make money. But, you need to be consistent and patient. Invest your time into planning, implementing, and maintaining. You can always use some top online money-making tips to help you out.
So, be persistent, maintain your website/blog, and enjoy the journey. It can be very rewarding.