Monetizing Your Blog in 2017
We’ve gotten through the first week of the new year, everyone! I’m seeing a lot of bloggers and influencers setting goals to finally monetize or up their income this year. I’m also seeing something that’s fairly common – once they’ve signed up for networks, where do they go from there? I’ve written a couple of posts on actual networks and resources for where to go to get started, but I think bloggers are wanting to know more. Once they have these resources, what’s next? Let’s chat about monetizing your blog in 2017.
How much can you make?
Now, lest you all think I make a ton of money from the blog if you take a look at my past income reports, I’m in the $2500-$3500 a month range which I realize isn’t too significant of a figure. There are others who make a whole lot more and their blog is a full-time gig. I’m talking $100k a month. That’s not the case for me and it’s not the case for most bloggers. It’s not really my goal, but maybe it’s yours and you CAN get there! I blog mostly on the weekends and sometimes in the evenings. I cut back a lot in the last five months to get some work-life balance. And to keep my husband sane 😉 .
Monetization Methods
Another factor is that there are a lot of different methods you can use to monetize. My blog income comes from sponsored posts, social media shares and an affiliate. Yep. Just one. I took on another, but it’s very new and I’m figuring out how and if we fit. Some bloggers use ads, others have an actual product they sell and there are those who are paid ambassadors. How you choose to monetize is based on your preferences and sometimes your niche.
Niche
It should be pretty straightforward, but if you’re a food blogger you most likely won’t work on fashion and cosmetics campaigns. If you’re a single fashion blogger with no kids, reviewing diapers and formula probably wouldn’t make sense. If you’re a religious blogger, you probably won’t review sex toys (and yes that’s a real thing with a lot of money to be made). Take on business that works for you and your audience. The word authentic comes up a lot. If you take jobs just for the money, your audience will know and it will deter them. Keep it real. Your readers and your brands will appreciate it.
I’m signed up. Now What?
So you’ve signed up for some programs and found opportunities. What next? Pitch what feels right, bid on opportunities and don’t put all your eggs in one basket. You can sign up for multiple programs – just don’t get in over your head. You can even reach out to brands directly, though it’s sometimes harder to connect that way. I cannot stress this enough: DO NOT GET DISCOURAGED. You may be one of the lucky ones who gets selected for campaigns right away. You may apply ten times before you get a campaign. Just keep trying. Remember that while the influencer network has a say in selections, the brands may get final say. There is a reason they chose who they chose. It doesn’t mean you’re not great. It just means they felt someone else was a better fit. You’ll find your fit and they’ll find you.
Monetizing Your Blog in 2017
Take a look at the resource lists I’ve shared (they’re in the Related Posts below and linked above). For those of you in Canada and UK there are some in there for you, too. You can also check out Bloggers Required.
- A tip for getting started: Remember that affiliate of mine? Write content that is evergreen. I STILL make passive income from a post I wrote over 2 years ago!
Questions
What are the challenges you are facing? How about your frustrations? What is the one area you’d like to improve upon most? What is your top goal for monetizing your blog in 2017? Feel free to drop your questions in the comments and I’ll be happy to answer. If I don’t have an answer, I’ll see if I can find it for you.
Happy monetizing your blog in 2017, everyone! 🙂
