Making A Living With A Weblog: What Are The Possibilities?

Writter: Jarrett Shaver

The earnings gap between the highest income bloggers on the web and the average is remarkably wide. While some bloggers are capable of earning thousands of dollars as income from their blogs, most find the process of making a reasonable income through the monetization of their blog to be very difficult. The difference between the parties lies in the effort and approach that each commits to the administration and handling of their respective blogs. Bloggers have to understand the best strategies for marketing their blogs if they want to earn a significant amount of money.

Bloggers have numerous options when it comes to selecting a strategy that will help them make money from their blogs. For instance, advertising proves a good source of revenue to bloggers. Owners of blogs can choose to sell the space on their sites to individuals or businesses that are looking to advertise. In such arrangements, the blogger receives a direct fee for their hosting services. Instead of directly contacting companies, bloggers can also get Google AdSense or other such ad hosting services to place different ads related to the niche on the blog sites. If a reader clicks on the advertisement, the blogger gets a fee. The resultant revenue is then split between both the blogger and Google.

Another way that bloggers can go about earning an income is through the use of affiliate marketing programs. As a registered affiliate, bloggers are charged with advertising the products or services of the parent company. They can go about this through direct marketing on their blog or through the use of strategically placed ads. If a visitor clicks on the link and buys the product, the blogger gets a commission.

A large number of affiliate opportunities are currently available on the Internet. There are affiliate opportunities for nearly any product one can imagine. Sites such as ClickBank provide a rich source of affiliate programs that people can consider. Another option is Amazon. Any Amazon sale that was initiated through a blogger's affiliate link earns the blogger a percentage of the total sale amount, even if the item purchased was not the one advertised by the blog.

Direct sales of an original product can achieve good earnings for the blogger. One such example is an ebook, which is the most prevalent kind of direct product available. Ebooks, of course, must be high quality to sell well. Things sold through the blog or made by the blogger, such as homemade products, wall art, T-shirts, and clothing, also work to bring in an income.

To ensure that the blogs are a success, the content has to have a strong mass appeal. If the blogger is able to maintain high standards in content that can continue to attract many visitors, there is the potential of also earning revenue through subscription offers. As more people sign up for the premium version, significant revenue can be made from the site in the long term. Top blog sites open up many additional prospects for financial growth. Individuals who are considered experts in their fields within the blogging community will find that they are often being requested to perform various services outside the online world. Book deals may just be the beginning of such additional services.

Through a careful study of what is successful and what is losing money, a blogger can maximize the potential of the blog. What separates the successful blogger from the one who makes nickels and dimes is knowing which methods are going to work for each blog, pruning out those which fail, and being willing to begin again when necessary.