My monthly online income reports—which show how I make over $30,000 a month blogging—are consistently among my most popular posts. I enjoy reading income reports to learn different ways to earn from blogging, and it seems many of you do too.
Side note: If you’re thinking of starting a blog, check out my tutorial How To Start Your Own WordPress Blog. Keep in mind that it’s typically harder to make money on free Blogger or free WordPress blogs than on a paid WordPress site, so I highly recommend you switch to WordPress if you want to monetize your blog.
Nearly all of my monthly income comes from blogging and services tied to blogging. That’s why so many reader questions focus on how I make money blogging.
When I first learned that blogging could be profitable, I reached out to bloggers who published income reports. I already loved blogging, so the idea of earning money while enjoying the process appealed to me.
Blogging remains something I love, and thankfully it now covers my bills. I started this blog to track my finances and improve my life—everything else followed.
Like I always say…
Blogging is not an easy path to quick money. Many bloggers quit within six months because they underestimate the work involved. Most people never earn a cent from their blog, and those who do often invest a huge amount of time and effort.
The title of this article, Ways To Make Pennies, Hundreds or Thousands A Month By Blogging, is deliberate: some people will only ever earn pennies. That’s the truth—I’m not sugarcoating it. I earned very little at first, but I kept going and my income grew.
If you’re undecided about blogging, you won’t know whether you love or dislike it until you start. To earn money from blogging, the first step is to start a blog.
Additional posts on blogging from Making Sense of Cents
- How To Start a WordPress Blog on Bluehost – A technical guide covering hosting, choosing a domain, and launching a blog. If you want to start a blog, read this first.
- Blogger or WordPress – Tips on How to Move – I began on Blogger and switched to WordPress after a year. I recommend WordPress for anyone serious about earning from blogging.
- Tips for Beginner Bloggers Part 1 – The Basics – Learn from common mistakes and improve your blogging skills quickly.
- My Monthly Online Income Reports – Detailed breakdowns of how I earn a living each month, with tips you can use.
Below are several ways to earn pennies, hundreds, or thousands per month through blogging:
Affiliate income: a practical way to monetize your blog
Affiliate income is a frequent item in my income reports. It’s an area I wish I had grown faster, because it can be highly lucrative when done right.
How affiliate marketing works: You include affiliate links in posts and earn a commission when readers buy a product through your link. If you genuinely like a product, a thoughtful review can encourage readers to purchase. Affiliate posts can feel passive because a well-written review may keep generating clicks and sales over time.
There are many affiliate networks, such as FlexOffers, Commission Junction, eJunkie, and Amazon. If you enjoy a product, there’s likely an affiliate program for it.
I use OfferJuice for several survey companies I promote, and I also recommend AvantLink for its variety of merchants.
EDIT: I also offer an online course, Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing, where I outline the exact strategies I used to earn substantial affiliate income. If you don’t yet have a blog, consider starting with my free blogging course first.
Paid posts, advertisements, and sponsorships
Paid posts and advertisements involve placements on your blog—sponsored reviews, guest posts, sidebar links, newsletter ads, and more. Different advertisers seek different outcomes: some want traffic and conversions, while others want backlinks.
If you accept paid posts, be mindful of the types of links advertisers request and follow best practices for disclosure and quality.
IZEA: an option for sponsored campaigns
IZEA is a platform I frequently used when starting out. If you already have a blog or an active social media presence, signing up for IZEA can lead to sponsored opportunities. Companies use the platform to advertise via blogs and social accounts, and IZEA works with recognizable brands. It’s a straightforward way to earn extra income from sponsored posts and social campaigns.
To get started with IZEA, sign up, connect at least one social account, and validate your email. The platform is free to join and can open doors to paid campaigns.
Google AdSense for display advertising
AdSense is a Google ad network that many bloggers use. For a long time I earned only small amounts, but once traffic grew, AdSense revenue increased and reached regular payouts. AdSense serves ads that match your content and pays per click and per impression.
Ad placement can greatly affect earnings, and what works for one site may not work for another. Test different ad sizes and positions to find the best-performing layout for your audience.
Write an ebook
Although I haven’t released an ebook yet, it’s a viable option if you have expertise or a unique story to share. Creating an ebook requires significant time and effort, and not everyone earns large profits from them. Still, ebooks can help build an email list, expand your reach, and offer value to readers. Some bloggers earn substantial monthly income from ebooks, but results vary widely.