by Rachel Smith
25 February 2015
I’m a journalist and I have a hobby blog with a small following. I’m keen to make money from it but I’m not sure where to start. Can you help? J
Lots of journos/bloggers have turned hobby blogs into their day job – such as Jen from Interiors Addict (who mentioned in a Women’s Agenda piece this week how she’s making more than she ever did in her former job as editor of a business magazine). Then there’s former senior journo Nikki Parkinson, who started her blog Styling You as an add-on to her styling business, but made so much money from blogging she eventually made it her main gig.
There are more, of course – which proves that yes, blogging can be a money-spinner. How? That’s the million dollar question. At a very basic level, your niche needs to have a wide existing audience (eg, cooking, fashion, beauty or interior design). You need to deliver fresh, useful content regularly and work hard to build your audience and monetise it in the right ways – ie, thinking beyond your actual blog and using it as a platform for other things. This of course can take years, but if you’re going to make money, here’s how you’ll probably do it:
Sponsored posts. Essentially advertorials, so, if you blog about home cooking, a baking brand might want to sponsor one of your posts (which typically includes a link back to them). In print, advertorials are usually directly about the product or service, but on a blog the ‘sponsored’ post might be a first-person anecdote, a ‘listicle’ or a feature that only vaguely references the sponsor. Sponsored post fees could be as low as $20 or as high or higher than $5000, depending on your audience (fees are usually calculated/negotiated taking into account your blog’s monthly page views, unique visitors and often your social media numbers as well).
A book deal. If you have a successful blog and a strong online presence, publishers may well come knocking, as they did with food bloggers Not Quite Nigella, Sneh Roy’s Cook Republic and Clint Greagen’s Reservoir Dad.
Display advertising. Unlike print which relies on advertising to survive, it’s hard to make money from blog banner ads. Some very successful bloggers link up with ad agencies who sell ad space on commission. Or, there are ad platforms like Nuffnang, which works with bloggers of all levels teeing up advertisers and connecting the more successful blogs with brands on a sponsored post basis (but they’ll take a cut of whatever you make). There are also affiliate ad programs, where readers may click to buy a product you’ve reviewed, and you get a cut. You might not make a lot from a Amazon book affiliate program, for example, but if you sign on to be an affiliate to a high-end tech or fashion retailer it can add up.
Something you sell. This could be an e-course (successful US/NZ blogger Gala Darling offers a range of empowerment courses to her audience) or an e-book you sell via your blog (UK journalist Kerry Wilkinson became the UK’s best-selling ebook author, and of course there’s the infamous Fifty Shades story). Or, you might create apps or offer mentoring (journalist Sue White mentors emerging writers and has released two apps via her website, while self-published author Ben Galley offers ‘shelf help’ for aspiring authors via Skype, email or face-to-face).
Speaking engagements. Being hired to present at conferences or talk on panels at universities or expos can also be an often lucrative income stream for well-known bloggers. There are also several elite blogging agencies which market successful bloggers and work with them to build their brands, but usually they approach you because you’ve already created a large, loyal following.
What’s your blog – or the favourite blogs you read regularly? Leave a link in the comments.
Ah, every journo’s dream these days! Turn your passion into a blog and just stay home and write (ok and market, social media network, photograph, tag etc). This is really great, interesting info Rach and good food for thought. Thanks!
I’m with Deb – great post Rach.
Especially as 60 per cent of our Show Us The Money survey respondents blog and revealed that they do it for ‘exposure’.
Love to hear if any more list members have an A game when it comes to monetising their blog or even if they’ve tried different avenues….
Thanks Deb and Leo, glad you enjoyed!