Glam but first coffee
“The money you make is a symbol of the value you create.” When you have started your blog, you need to learn how to monetize a blog and turn it into a full-time job. If you do not know how to start your blog, read the blog post I wrote a time ago about being a blogger (here). However, if you already have your blog, continue reading on How to monetize a blog in 2021?
Just for letting you know, most of these monetizing ways are going to work for you if you are a Youtuber or influencer on social media as well! Therefore, keep on reading and learning new ways to receive money for your hard work. Remember that it is your business, and your salary only depends on yourself. Therefore, be sure to apply many income streams to secure yourself and your salary!
Disclaimer. The blog post includes affiliate marketing. Affiliate links give me a small commission that helps me create free content for you!
What is monetizing?
Monetizing means turning your blog from a hobby into a job and making a profit from it. Applying different strategies, one or more, to earn income and salary for work that you put into writing and blogging. Therefore, let’s learn different ways to monetize a blog in 2021 so you can find the best ones for you. I suggest starting with 2-3 income streams and then increase them when you begin to wrap your head around these strategies.
Display advertising (banner ads)
The most commun one for bloggers and Youtubers are placing banner ads in the blog post or video. For bloggers, the most popular is Adsense program that you can apply to.
However, you need to have a lot of audience and high engagement rate to actually receive money of Adsense. Therefore, many manually place their own banner ads from different affiliate programs that they are in. This is a great way to choose your ads and add banners related to the topic or your blog. I use both of them, just to see how much clicks Adsense generates and does it grow or decrease. Many people see it spammy but we need to test different strategies to see what works the best for you!
What is Adsense and how can you get money from it? Adsense is displaying ads around your blog and content, and getting money from clicks or impressions your ads get!
Sponsored posts
Sponsored posts are collaborations that you do with brands. For example, a brand contacts you that they want you to write about their new launch and offer you a collaboration. What is the next step you need to do? Firstly, make sure your audience could be interested in their products and that it is something you believe in yourself! Do not make your blog a billboard!
Secondly, ask them for their budget! If they are not very open about it or not sure, then offer your prices and offers! I like to offer many different variations for the brand to choose. Definitely always offering blog post or Youtube video for higher price because it is a much more work to put in than Instagram post. However, I also offer Instagram posts or stories for smaller price. If brand is on budget or not sure how good results you can bring, then may agree on Instagram post just because of the price. However, at the end you are still the winner.
Know your worth!
Always be sure to know your worth! In the beginning, it is normal to gain your experience and write content only for free products in return but do not sit on it for too long! Be professional, know your worth and ask more while you grow your value! Learn to say “no”. In the end, there will be fewer offers and collaborations but you will look more professional and expensive in eyes of followers and brands as well!
In the end, as a blogger or content creator, you need to make a Media kit with all your numbers and services you offer (without prices). A media kit is like your CV or portfolio that you send to brands. If you want me to make a blog post only related to the media kit, then comment down below!
Freelance blogger for others
If you love writing a lot, maybe you have a degree in writing or you are very well-spoken, then this is for you! You can offer to be a freelance blogger for other blogs or companies. Now as the Internet presence grows, there are more and more brands that search for someone who would manage their blog or webpage and create the content for them!
Where to find job offers for freelance writing? The most popular freelance job application pages are Fiverr and Upwork.
Sell real-life products
The next way on how to monetize a blog in 2021 is to sell a real-life touchable products. However, this is one of the most difficult one and need some investment to start building business like this. You would need to think about what products to sell, where to make or get them, and how to set up shop in your website and payment procedure etc. Serious strategy that is not easy to do. I thought the same thing when I started selling my products.
However, I found a solution for that- use merchandise companies. It is not the best solution as you cannot change the quality of products and you get a small percentage of all the products you sell. I still see it as a great way to start and learn marketing strategy and selling. Some pros are that you do not need to worry about shipping, customer service; they manage everything. At the same time, you need to control the marketing side of the business and the designs that you place on your products.
There are many merchandise pages and companies. However, I trust in Redbubble. I was simply purchasing from them a long time before I started selling my designs on their page. Redbubble has excellent quality products; you can choose which ones you want to sell, what colors, and the margin you will place on your products.
E-book
Have you wanted to write a book? Now it is easier than ever because an e-book is a thing! That means you do not think about where to print it out, how much to print and where to sell. However, do not think it is easy task to do, you are still writing a book!
A good book must have good story, be very well written, good looking and again- includes good marketing. Firstly and in my opinion the hardest task is to find a good interesting topic to write about that you are passionate of, smart in and can inspire or motivate people with!
Where to sell your ebook? There are plenty of places where you can sell it on! The most famous ones are Amazon, Shopify, Payhip, Google play, Fiverr. To write an ebook, you are going to do a lot of research before you do! Research on a niche and what people are searching for but cannot find, research on prices, on the best selling platforms, and so much more! I have not written any Ebook yet. However, if you want to know more, then I can suggest you watch this Youtube video (here).
Online course
How to monetize a blog in 2021? Create your online course! Are you smart in photography, digital marketing, languages? Make your online course; it can be a video course or written. You will need again research how to make the best online course and where to sell it. Some tremendous online course platforms that I have used myself are Skillshare and SkillSuccess. However, I used them to learn from courses myself rather than selling my course on these platforms (I do not have an online course yet). However, if you like my business and blogging tips, I may create one in the future!
Consulting business
Are you good at coaching and inspire people? You can offer consulting services over your blog or social media. I know many women who provide digital nomads, SEO, or any other consultations related to social media. Not only, but I also know some that offer relationship advice and consultation. Why not set up your phone and e-mail ready to help people and coach them through life.
Memberships for online business
How many memberships do you pay for in your life? Be honest! Youtube originals, HBO, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and others? People love memberships, and that can attract them to stay for a longer time. A good tip is to give a better price when people purchase a membership for a year, then purchasing every single month. Membership of your services is a great way to keep your customers sticking around for longer.
Selling digital products
How to monetize a blog in 2021? A trendy way amongst bloggers is selling a digital product. The digital product takes less time and effort. Usually, it can be something small, like templates, themes, presets. A small digital product is a fantastic way to test out if your readers are interested in buying from you, what they like, and whatnot. You can even do a poll on your social media and ask them.
Accept donation
I have always felt weird and ashamed to ask for donations. However, I have become more confident in what I do, and I work hard every day, basically for free. Therefore, why not give options for people to donate?! The donation is optional, but if someone feels like I helped a lot or they love my articles, then why not give them the option to thank you?! However, how to receive it and where to ask it? Many famous bloggers use Patreon. However, as I already have a Paypal account, I give out my Paypal email.
Start a podcast
Be one of those famous Youtubers and start your podcast! If you need a companion, contact me, I am here! I am incredibly jealous listening to Alisha and Remi having their best friend podcast or other best friends having fun podcasts. My weakness is- I talk a lot, give an opinion, and love to discuss different topics. I am searching for the best friend to do a podcast because that would be a dream!
Affiliate marketing
What is affiliate marketing? Affiliate marketing is when you promote or mention some product or service, post special affiliate links for people to shop and you get commission for every product sold. My favorite income stream is definitely affiliate marketing because I mention products and links anyways. Why not get paid for it?
I made a video on Youtube about TOP5 affiliate marketing programs and talking more about them. Rewardstyle is one of my favorite and the most difficult to get on. You can get an invitation, but you need to message me to send them your information. Another good affiliate program is Awin, Share a Sale, and Brandbassador!
Read on my story how I started blogging here.
Hopefully, now you know How to monetize a blog in 2021. Let me know your blogging story and what more questions you have. Do not forget to follow my blog and social media to not miss out on more blogging and business tips
Donations are accepted via Paypal on kristellabeauty@gmail.com
