9 Ways to Earn Money with Your Blog

For most people starting out, blogging is a hobby--a way to reach out to the world, share your knowledge, and sometimes, just pass the time. As your blog begins to grow, you look into opportunities to earn a little cash for your efforts. Fortunately for you, there are dozens of ways to make money with your blog.

Below, you'll find 9 different methods to generate revenue from your blog.

1. Advertisements

Third-party advertisements are perhaps the most popular way to earn money with your blog. It's as simple as signing up with a third-party advertising agency, such as Google Adsense or Chitika, and then placing relevant ads on your blog. Most of these companies pay on a CPC basis, meaning "cost per click." Each time someone clicks on an ad, it generates income.

2. Direct Ad Sales

If your blog has a decent following, you can also sell ad space directly on your blog. This allows others to contact you if they're looking for ad space. You then run their ad in exchange for a fee.

3. Affiliate Programs

Affiliate programs, such as Amazon Associates and ShareASale allow you to promote products that are relevant to your readers, and receive a commission each time your readers buy said item (from your unique link).

4. Apply for Sponsorships

Websites including Moms Affiliate and Sverve provide "sponsorships" with brands that you can apply for. These sponsorships include affiliate ads, sponsored posts, and other campaigns that allow you to earn money. For example, a campaign may require you to place a unique affiliate link on your blog, and for every click, you receive $0.10. Sometimes, these websites also over campaigns where you can receive free products in exchange for reviews.

5. Private Sponsorships

If your blog has a high following, you can even pitch companies directly for sponsorships. Come up with a blog pitch for sponsorships, and start sending it out to relevant companies. List your rates for sponsored posts as well as your rates for reviews/giveaways, and wait for a response.

6. Sell Products/Services

Creating a shop such as on Etsy or Ebay is a great way to earn extra money on the side. Even something as simple as creating "printables" (calendars, planners, media kits, business card templates, etc.) can earn you some cash.

7. Social Media Shares

Sites such as Advowire and Sponsored Tweets will pay you for sharing on social media. Advowire uses Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, whereas Sponsored Tweets is limited to Twitter alone.

8. E-Book Sales

Think about your blog's niche and use it to your advantage. Perhaps you blog about recipes. If that's the case, think about writing up an ebook on your favorite recipes, or different ways to use coconut oil when cooking. Ebooks can be a great way to earn income, and Kindle Direct Publishing allows you to publish ebooks for free, and still keep 70% of your earnings.

9. Webinars

If you're a well-versed expert on a specific subject, you can start getting paid to attend and host webinars. AnyMeeting allows you to host webinars and charge others to attend. Of course, you're going to need to present something that people would actually pay for in order to earn money.