Did you know that mom’s are making money online blogging about their hobbies? Seems crazy huh?! Many of my friends are even making a full time+ income. I get so many e-mails asking me how to monetize your blog, I thought I would write an entire post about it to hopefully answer some of your questions. If you aren’t interested in this post, skip it and come back tomorrow for some Valentines goodness. :)
When I first started blogging I had no idea you could even make money writing a blog. It never even occurred to me. It was a hobby and a way to share what I love doing {{creating}}. Then after about 6 months of blogging someone contacted me and asked how much I charged for advertising. Then all the sudden I thought “WOAH.. some one wants to pay me to blog?” The idea seemed kind of nice for all the hours I was putting into the blog. I also thought it would be nice to pay for all the projects I was making. LOL! SO for those next couple months I took on a few other private sponsors. Then someone mentioned I should put up google ads. And for the first few months I think I made pennies… if that. Finally a year later they’re definitely a lot nicer to me. :) It really is all about patience. As your blog numbers continue to grow you will make more money off your ads. It’s simple as that. Don’t get discouraged!
I have to laugh because I get asked all the time “how much money do you make blogging?” For me that’s kind of a personal question. But I think a lot of people are intrigued that you can actually make money from writing a dinky old blog. ;)
The truth is … the sky is the limit. Brands are realizing that mom bloggers have a huger impact, so they have been investing more money into blogging campaigns.
The first thing I want to say before going into how I make money blogging is, making money blogging is HARD work. Do not start a blog to make money… you’ll find yourself disappointed. Start a blog based on your hobbies and passion to share with others. If you work hard and consistently post great content you will find great opportunities come your way…in time. I do have to say it has taken me two years to replace my income I made doing hair (which I no longer work in a salon). The best thing you can do for your site the first year is focus on publishing great content and networking with other bloggers. In time, opportunities will come. It’s also important to always remember your readers first.
One of the main ways I make money blogging is from Ad Networks. There are hundreds of different ad networks out there Blog Her, Food Buzz, Rivet, Federated Media, Glam Network, Izea media to name a few. You can make anywhere from .50 to $10+ per 1,000 page views. So say your blog generates 50,000 page views a month and you were getting paid $2 CPM, you would get $100 for that one ad. However some ad networks are based on CTR (Click through rate), which is calculated on how many clicks the ads gets. It’s important to know which method your ad networks uses. I like CPM rates better because you know you’re guaranteed an x amount of dollars per 1,000 page views. Make sense? I personally use a few different ad networks such as Google, Rivet and Izea.
Another one of the main ways I make money is from sponsored posts. I work with Social Spark, Collective Bias and Blog Frog. You can make anywhere from $20 – $250+ for writing sponsored posts. I also write posts for other sites and charge for giveaway posts. I feel that my time away from my family or while the little ones are sleeping is very precious. Writing a post spotlighting a company usually takes around 2 hours, so I need to be making it worth it… ya know? Most of the offers (75% of them) that come through I deny simply because I do not feel they would be a good fit for my blog. I try to stay to true to my values and promote products/companies I would personally endorse.
Another way to make money is through affiliate advertising. The main affiliates I work with is Silhouette and Parent Media but I know many bloggers have had great success with Amazon
Here are a few other ideas on how to monetize your blog:
- Start an etsy shop
- Write an e-book
- Magazine features
- Ad networks
- Sidebar advertising
- Sponsored and giveaway posts
- Consulting
- Affiliate networks
- Public speaking
For more great articles on how to monetize your blog read here:
- http://moneysavingmom.com/2011/09/free-ebook-how-to-make-money-blogging.html
- http://www.problogger.net/make-money-blogging/
- http://crafterminds.com/2011/10/how-to-get-paid-to-be-a-blogger/
- http://thriftydecorchick.blogspot.com/2012/01/making-money-blogging.html
- http://www.allthingsthrifty.com/2011/10/blogging-101-how-to-make-money-blogging.html
Jamielyn Nye is the founder and managing editor of iheartnaptime.net. She is married to her best friend and together they have two beautiful children just under two years apart. Her days are filled with lots of snuggles, crafts, e-mails, avoiding the ever-growing pile of laundry, play dough, sneaking bites of chocolate and wondering, “Is it nap time yet?!” I Heart Nap Time is a creative site sharing DIY home projects on a budget, crafts, sewing tutorials, easy recipes, tips and techniques.
Heather @ newhouse, new home, new life
Thanks so much for the tips. My blog is really small (about 3000 hits per month), I’ve Adsensed without much success. But that is not why I started this blog – like you I wanted to share things mostly with friends and family. NEVER thought I would get over 100 hits per day!
Heather @ newhouse, new home, new life recently posted..Just a Touch of Valentine Decor
Kristi @ Addicted 2 Decorating
These are some really great tips. I definitely agree that it’s all a matter of finding out what works for you. Another blogger might have great success with one thing, and then I try it and get absolutely nothing from it. Amazon is an example of that. I’ve tried Amazon, and it just didn’t work for my site. On the other hand, I know lots of bloggers who don’t really like Google Adsense and don’t get much from it, but that’s consistently my main source of blog income. But you definitely have to have a good amount of traffic for Adsense to be worth it. I remember in the beginning, I was making just pennies a day. It took several months before I had even made enough to get that first check. So definitely, the best advice, don’t be afraid to try different things. If it doesn’t work, move on to something else! I also try to avoid anything that requires a contract for a specific amount of time so that if I try something for six months and it doesn’t work, I’m not contractually obligated to have it taking up space on my site for another six months.
Kristi @ Addicted 2 Decorating recently posted..My Utility Closet Finally Has A Countertop!
karen Weight
I really appreciate you sharing this Jamielyn! I am still learning so much about blogging. I have signed up for some of those companies you mentioned, but I haven’t wanted to take the time to do much with them yet. I need to organize my time better and decide if it’s something I really want to do. I just love posting and crafting so much I don’t want to spend a lot of my time writing sponsored posts. It would be nice to get compensated a little for all this time I spend:) Take care-
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Rasha @ mychampagnetaste
Oh Thx alot for sharing these tips…Im with google ads now and like you said it is just pennies ( im very new with blogging I started last Sep, so it is way too soon to talk about money) Im not gonna lie I started this blog to share my DIYs and to make some extra money but I know that it will take long time to start making money so as long as im enjoying all those lovely comments and features I think I will not give up :)
xoxo
Rasha
Rasha @ mychampagnetaste recently posted..- If Gold Is Expensize then My Silver Leaf Is Priceless ;)
Kelsey Bang
Jamie thanks so much for sharing your awesome knowledge these great links. I had fun reading alot of them. Thanks :)
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Jessica @ Stay at Home-ista
Thanks for sharing! I certainly didn’t start this to make money, I started because I designed our dream house, we moved in, had our third baby, and THEN I realized that I wanted to document all the work that I did! So now I’m going back, documenting all of my decisions, and getting to add in all the continuing projects as well. I love having a place to showcase all of my efforts in the home.
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Stephany
I started my blog because of our son and my wanting to brag about him all the time and also about my photography and I must say…finding your blog has been nothing but an inspiration day in and day out. I talk about you everyday in my family and it’s like we are personal friends or something. I just think it is great. You are simply the best. :D
Thank you for sharing this wonderful info with us all. <3
Amy W.
Thank you for being honest and extremely helpful! I’ve been trying for a while to get something going with my blog and sometimes it get’s frustrating. You have inspired me to suck it up and try harder!
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Allyson
Thank you so much for this post! These are all such great tips, and as I continue to blog, I am always looking for good advice like this!
Allyson
http://cupcakescandycanes.blogspot.com
Allyson recently posted..I Know and I Don’t
Becky@OrganizingMadeFun
I think you are absolutely right about going in it for money. I blogged for 18 months without trying to make any money. The good thing was, my blog grew and grew and then BAM! One month I suddenly went crazy and now I average 10 times more pagviews on a daily basis then I did for all those months I blogged for free. The good thing is that because of Pinterest, I wasn’t just “a one trick pony” and only had one good post. I have tons of content when people come from Pinterest and they STAY and read through stuff – and NOW all those months of blogging for free have paid off :) Great post – I’ll be pinning this one, too!
Becky B
http://www.organizingmadefun.com
Organizing Made Fun
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Ashley
GREAT post! I am so intrigued by this…but am SO far away!!
Ashley recently posted..Extended Family Pictures
Kristy @ Sweet Treats and More
Loved this! Totally agree that it’s hard work and requires patience, and you have to love what you’re doing and blogging about. I’d blog about food even if I weren’t getting paid, I just love it that much:)
Kristy @ Sweet Treats and More recently posted..Red Velvet Cookie Sundaes
amanda@mommyiscoocoo
Awesome! Thank you. To the point and easy to understand. Again, thanks.
amanda@mommyiscoocoo recently posted..Valentine Heart Ornament Wreath give-a-way
Jamielyn
So glad it was easy to understand! Have a great weekend!
Jenny
Thank you so much for sharing this with us all! I really appreciate it as a newer blogger!
Jenny recently posted..Latest & Greatest Friday 16 Features!
kara
This was very informative, thanks Jamielyn.
Samantha @ Lillian McKay
Thanks Jamie for sharing all this information! I just started my 2nd blog so right now I’m still sorta in the making great content & growing my readers but this will be great for down the road or to use with my 1st blog.
Samantha @ Lillian McKay recently posted..Super Bowl Food Fun
Jamielyn
Definitely book mark it! You’re doing great! Xo
Brian
Thanks for the encouragement and your information about monetizing blos is spot on!
Brian recently posted..Comment on Silver Bars by Silver Bars Buying Guide | Dot-E Article Directory
jessica@fourgenerationsoneroof
Great post! Thank you so much for the info. I’m book marking this for future reference :)
Jamielyn
Thanks so much Jessica! Hope you have a great weekend! Xo
Jamie
Great post. Thanks! I don’t make anything off my blog yet since it’s still pretty new, but I think it’s not too far off. I hope, at least. :)
Jamie recently posted..This Was Not Stuffed With the Heart of an Orphan
Jamielyn
Thanks Jamie! Great name! ;) xo
Amanda / Bulldrogs and Bulldogs
Great post! Very informative and motivating :) Thanks for writing about this!
Amanda / Bulldrogs and Bulldogs recently posted..random acts of kindness + lil’ blue boo
Jamielyn
Oh yay! Love to hear your motivated. Keep up the great work! Xo
nicole
Thank you so much for this helpful post!
Jamielyn
So glad you found it helpful. Thanks for commenting! Xo
Jamielyn
Glad it helped! :) have a great weekend!
Amber Mae
Nice information – who knows maybe down the road I could use it! Either way, blogging is such a nice release during nap time, isn’t it?
Amber Mae recently posted..Valentine’s Craft Anyone?
Lace@sugarspiceandlace
Thank you so much for your post and sharing such great information. Sometimes I feel that all this information is secret and you have to prove worthy to know the secrets haha. I am a new blogger and I love it! I look forward to connecting more with other bloggers and finding ways to get my blog reached out to others to enjoy. That is really why I started just to share what I love to do and what inspires and makes me happy with those who stop by my blog so they can be inspired and feel the way I do when I make something wonderful. You are a wonderful example of the blogger I hope to become. (sounds silly but true) thank you for all your time and hard work you put into this, and I know it takes a lot and I am just a beginner at this. Love <3 Lace
Shauna
Great post! This is very helpful. Thank you. I love your blog by the way!!!
kim
Thanks for being honest and straight forward, and very informative, from the girls at shabbygals
Papgena
Great post! Very simple written and yet very informative!
I agree with you when you say that blogging is hard work but, if you like what you do it can be very fun!! :D
I saw you on C.R.A.F.T:
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Marilyn
This is great info! I put a link to this post on my most recent blog post
http://4you-withlove.blogspot.com/2012/02/blogging-tips-4.html
Marilyn
Denise Burton
I am starting out with a blog and hopefully can turn it in to something alot of people will enjoy. Taking baby steps right now!
Andi S
These tips are so helpful. I’m new to blogging and have often wondered about this sort of stuff. Having all this info in one place and having all the breakdowns of it is so wonderful! Thank you so much!
Andi S recently posted..Personalized Subway Art Frame
Monica
Thanks for the tips. The past few weeks I have gotten a huge surge of viewers, hope it stays this way and maybe I’ll continue monetizing. Would be nice to eventually replace my income or at least help fund preschool for twins.
xo…
mONICa
Vicky
Thanks for these great tips! I can’t wait to implement some of them. Sometimes it seems as a blogger that if I focus too much on one area that I totally neglect another. This is an area that has been on the back burner for me. Visiting from House of Hepworths. Vicky from Mess For Less
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BethM@Under A Pile of Scrap!
This has been one of the most informative posts on this topic I’ve seen yet. Thank you! I’ve had a blog for over 3 years and ONLY since THIS year have I decided to try to earn something from it. I never tried to draw readers, it was only to show off my scrapbooking work for the design team I was on at the time. I’ve only signed on with AdSense for now, but have been wanting to branch out a little more, yet know very little beyond them and BlogHer,, which haven’t accepted me. Thank you again!
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Michell @ Girl In Air
Can I ask which ad networks are based on CTR (Click through rate)?? I sometimes have 10,000 daily page views and THAT would be awesome….I use google adsense and believe I only get paid per click…
Thank you so much!
Trish@MomOnTimeout
Hi Michell! I think that you are looking for CPM not CTR. CTR is Click Through Rate meaning that someone has to click on the ad for you to get paid. I signed up with Rivit Media last month and they pay CPM which is based on views. I believe that IZEA is also CPM. Hope that helps and good luck!
Trish@MomOnTimeout recently posted.."Lucky" St. Patrick’s Day Printables
Jen Lossing, The Consigner Designer
Thank you so much for the advice. I have always been nervous to venture into this side of blogging, but your tips give me more inspiration. Thank you for sharing!
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Kaitlin
Thanks for the tips! Your site is so cute, I appreciate each post :)
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Inspirational Quotes
How to monetize your blog – I Heart Nap Time I was suggested this website by my cousin. I am not sure whether this post is written by him as no one else know such detailed about my difficulty. You’re incredible! Thanks! your article about How to monetize your blog – I Heart Nap Time Best Regards Justin Rolf
Rosemarie Reath
I’ve read a few good stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you put to create such a great informative website.
ritajoy@harbour breeze home
A friend of mine just sent me the link to this article in response to a question I had regarding monetizing my blog. I found it to be so helpful! Do you have any advice as to when is a good time to start monetizing ~ ie how many views per month should a person have before they try to do advertising? Thanks again for sharing this with us. I stop by to visit you often…Thanks for all the inspiration.:)
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