How to Make Money With Your New Blog

Do you want to make money with your new blog? Who doesn’t, right? The problem is that you don’t have enough traffic to qualify for most affiliate programs. So, exactly how does a blogger make money with a new blog?

In this blog post, I am going to reveal how you can make money with a new blog from day one. If you are ready to start making money from your new blog, read on.

*This post contains affiliate links. That means that if you make a purchase after clicking on a link I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. For more information, click here.

For me, learning how to make money blogging gave me freedom and flexibility. I suffered from some health problems and had difficulty working my traditional 9-to-5 job from you-know-where. Being a freelance writer and blogger has allowed me to have the freedom to earn a living on my terms. That’s what it means for me to make money from my blog.

I know that there are others out there who are struggling with different things in their lives. That’s why I feel driven to teach others how they can make money with a new blog and escape the 9-to-5 madness.

Working for yourself is rewarding and flexible. However, if you are unable to make money from your new blog, you may give up on blogging. That’s why it’s important for new bloggers to monetize their blogs early. It’s also why I have created this post to help you make money with your new blog from day one.

The following monetization methods are great ways to start, but they are just a sampling of the many ways you can make money with a new blog. Use them as a springboard to your blog’s success.

Affiliate Marketing

The first method of monetization most bloggers should use is affiliate marketing. Affiliate marketing gets a bad rap, but when used correctly, it can increase your income and contribute to your content.

I’m not talking about using pop-ups or banners that won’t go away. Those are annoying and your readers won’t stick around if you use them. I’m talking about using links and tasteful banners in your blog posts.

That being said, not all affiliate programs and networks will accept new blogs and may expect you to have an established following. In the majority of cases, that will take months. The good news is that there are some great affiliate programs out there that new bloggers can use from day one without a hitch.

(Note: Before posting affiliate ads or links, you will need to state that you are using affiliate links. Also, be sure to create a legal disclaimer to protect you and your blog from liabilities.

If you have more questions about how to legally protect your blog, check out this post.)

Here are some of the affiliate programs that you should consider to make money with your new blog.

Amazon Affiliates

Amazon offers the widest range of products of any online retailer and you can cash in on that. If you recommend a product that can be purchased on Amazon, all you have to do is include your affiliate link to that product in the text of your blog post. This places a cookie in your reader’s web browser.

Once your reader makes a purchase after using that link, the cookie will ensure that you receive a small commission. This is true even if they purchase something else or come back the next day to make the purchase.

These commissions can add up, especially if you’re writing DIY posts and link to the items you used for the project within your blog post. You can also link to popular Amazon products like Kindle Unlimited, Prime memberships, and Audible, if they are applicable to your blog.

The downside of the Amazon affiliate program is that you need to have steady traffic in order to earn income and stay in the program. If you join too early and don’t make two sales in six months, you will be dropped from the program and will have to reapply.

My first time using it, I did have to reapply. However, the second time I was able to make those two sales and stay in the program. Don’t be discouraged if this happens. It’s normal.

Share-A-Sale

I joined Share-A-Sale a while back and now it’s my favorite and most profitable affiliate program. Share-A-Sale offers a wide array of merchants who offer their affiliate programs through the platform. You must apply to join each merchant, but your merchants, links, and promotions are neatly organized.

My favorite affiliate is Tailwind. With this affiliate, you earn a small commision for the referral (50 cents) and a percentage of the sale when the customer upgrades to Pro.

If your niche isn’t blogging, you are sure to find other merchants that will work well for your brand. There are hundreds of merchants including products and services, so explore your options.

Skimlinks

To be honest, I have never used Skimlinks, but many new bloggers do. Skimlinks makes the process of monetizing your blog easy by replacing product links within your blog posts with affiliate links.

For example, if you find a product on Amazon and find another one on Wayfair, all you have to do is link to the product on the website from which it was found. Skimlinks does the rest.

It also allows you to use affiliate links for brands which may have denied your application. This can help you make more money with your new blog. I have never used Skimlinks, but it is a reputable company. I can see how a new blogger would benefit from using the program to make monetization fast and easy.

There are a couple of negatives to this program though. The first is that Skimlinks takes 25 percent of your commissions. So, in exchange for finding affiliate programs for you, they keep a piece of your commission as a finders fee. That means less money for you from the affiliate. On the flip-side, you may earn money from products that you never realized had an affiliate program.

The other problem is that they scan your post for links and actually change the links in your blog post. I’m not sure how this works, but from a cyber security standpoint, this makes me uncomfortable. Depending on how this task is performed, it may open you up to security breaches.

Other Affiliate Programs

Many products and services that you use every day have affiliate programs. As a bonus, these affiliate programs also tend to have much higher commissions, so you stand to make more money with each sale.

An example of one affiliate program I have joined is HostGator, my web hosting service. Not only is the product relevant to my audience, but it is also a product I use and trust. Ultimate Bundles is another great example. I love The Genius Blogger’s Toolkit, so why not earn a commission since I will recommend it to my audience anyway?

Other great affiliate programs may include eCourses and eBooks you may have purchased. Many bloggers offer their own affiliate programs with high-paying commissions. If you are going to recommend it, look for an affiliate program.

Ads

You can exchange advertising space on your blog for a fee. As a beginner, this may be a bit difficult to make a significant income. However, it is real money you can earn from your blog. As long as the ad is classy, the company and its products are reputable, and it is applicable to your niche, this may be something you wish to consider.

You can join ad networks like Google Adsense to get started once you have a little content on your blog. I was surprised that I was accepted early, but I ended up not installing Adsense and am still on the fence about it. At this time, I have not monetized using this method. It’s just not for me right now.

Digital Products

If you have already established your career or expertise in an area, digital products can be a lucrative part of your monetization strategy as a new blogger. Creating and selling eBooks, eCourses, printables, worksheets, and training materials is a great way to make money as a new blogger.

You can design and sell your products through your blog via a number of companies like Shopify, Teachable, Podia, and Etsy. How it works is that you create your product either using your own tools and resources or using the resources of the website hosting your virtual store.

Each platform varies by pricing and some offer a free option for beginners. Typically, these companies earn a percentage or your sales or require a flat monthly fee. In exchange, they will handle the payments, security, and delivery of your digital products.

Digital products are a great form of residual income and since you are the creator, you earn more money. No commissions, only sales. You may have to pay a small portion of your earnings to the company hosting your shop, but it is usually well worth the investment.

Services

The top way for a new blogger to make money from their blog is by offering services. For example, I offer freelance content writing services. Currently, I am moving away from active income sources like services and working on establishing passive income instead. This gives me more freedom and flexibility.

If time isn’t an issue for you, you can make a substantial income from services. Common services offered by bloggers are coaching, one-on-one training, and freelance work. If you are a skilled graphic designer, you can sell those services. Or, if you have worked as a financial advisor, you could offer one-on-one consultations and advising services.

Just remember to keep your services relevant to your niche and your audience. This is important for branding and earning consumer confidence. You will not earn money through an unrelated service and will only hurt your brand’s reputation.

Sponsored Posts

If you want to work with brands and review their products, sponsored posts may be a good fit for you. This is especially true in certain niches such as fitness, beauty, crafting, and other niches where you use a lot of products in your work.

How it works is that a company will sponsor you to write an honest review about their products in exchange for a fee. Typically, they send you samples, so there’s no upfront cost to you. When you receive your product, you use the product and write a blog post about it.

An example of a sponsored post would be a fitness blogger reviewing a pre-workout drink or snack. This is a product that you would be able to offer your opinion on and companies are willing to pay you for creating a blog post around this product.

Honesty and integrity are the most important part of writing successful sponsored posts. It’s important to make this clear with the brands that you are working with.

Providing an honest review of a product means that you have to mention the negatives as well as the positives. Make this clear in any contracts and stand by your opinions. Your integrity is not worth a few bucks, so pass on an opportunity if it isn’t right for you.

Make Money With Your New Blog Today

There are many ways that newbies and beginners can monetize their blogs from day one. Explore your niche, look at how other bloggers are earning their incomes and learn about your options.

You never know when an amazing opportunity will present itself. Be open, but still skeptical. If you don’t understand what a client or brand is asking for, ask them specific questions to clarify. Iron out the details and carefully read over contracts before you sign.

It is also perfectly okay to turn down opportunities that don’t work for you or your brand. In fact, you will have to pass on certain opportunities to protect your brand, so don’t feel bad about it. You will have other offers and your integrity will stay intact.

Do you make money with your new blog? Let others know how you did it in the comments below!

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