How to Make Money From Your Blog - With Advertising Revenue & Affiliate Links

We're currently trialing all the ways that you can make money passively from our blog. We plan to travel full time in 2024 and monetise the blog to see whether we can fully replace our salary through blogging alone. We have multiple streams of passive income and would love to increase earnings via the blog too.

This post is a working document, where we'll be adding our findings as we go over 2024/2025. On what works for us and what hasn't. To help you on your own blogging money making journey.

So far we added Google Ads to the site which shows up ads across the blog. It's straightforward to set up and implement. The ads are placed across your blog using snippet code - in suitable places - and show up related adverts for readers. You decide where to place the adverts. You'll want to find that happy medium, where you have enough ads displayed to increase the chance of click throughs, but not too many so as to spoil the aesthetics of the site. There's nothing more annoying to readers than ads popping up all over the place. It can make the blog look messy and spammy.

Google then pays you for click throughs of these ads. After 2 years of blogging, we now earn passively from our blog. We earn pennies per blog views that display ads on them. As we work on increasing our blog, with increased traffic, ads can be a real earner on your blog. We are starting to see great earnings from the blog. And the pennies per visitor really add up to the hundreds. Our blog earning are not enough to cover a full time salary yet. But it's growing all the time and we think anybody can start earning from their blog.

Maximizing Your Blog’s Revenue: Earning Through Advertising with Google AdWords and Mediavine

If you're a blogger looking to monetize your content, you've likely considered various methods to turn your passion into profit. Two popular and effective ways to earn through advertising are Google AdWords and Mediavine. Each has its own strengths, and understanding how to leverage both can significantly enhance your blog’s revenue potential. Here’s a comprehensive guide on how to earn through advertising with these platforms.

Understanding the Basics

Google AdWords (Now Google Ads)

Google Ads, formerly known as Google AdWords, is a pay-per-click (PPC) advertising platform where advertisers pay to display ads on Google’s search engine results pages and across its Display Network. For bloggers, Google Ads can be used in two main ways:

1. Search Ads: These appear on Google’s search results page when users search for specific keywords.

2. Display Ads: These are banner ads shown across various websites that are part of Google’s Display Network.

Mediavine

Mediavine is a full-service ad management network that specializes in monetizing content through display ads. Unlike Google Ads, which you manage directly, Mediavine handles ad placement and optimization for you. To join Mediavine, you need to meet certain traffic and content requirements, making it a more exclusive but highly rewarding option. Mediavine typically pays a lot more in ad revenue. We are not eligable to advertise on Mediavine just yet but we are motivated to grow the blog to 50k unique visitors per month because once we are able to join and get accepted. Our ad revenue will spike by up to a 50% increase in earnings which will take the blog earnings to be past an average salary for earnings, which is just crazy to think that you too cold be earning a full time salary for writing about your passions, hobbies and skills. We'll of course keep readers updated about our own journey of getting the blog up to Mediavine's standards.

How to Earn Through Google Ads

1. Set Up Google Ads

   • Create a Google Ads Account: Sign up for a Google Ads account at ads.google.com. If you already have a Google account, you can use it to sign in.

   • Define Your Goals: Decide what you want to achieve with your ads—whether it’s driving traffic to your blog, increasing conversions, or promoting specific content.

   • Keyword Research: Use Google’s Keyword Planner to find relevant keywords that potential readers might use to find your blog. This will help you create targeted search ads.

     
     

2. Create Compelling Ads

   • Ad Copy: Write clear, engaging ad copy that resonates with your target audience. Highlight what makes your blog unique and valuable.

   • Ad Design: For display ads, ensure your visuals are eye-catching and relevant to your blog’s content.

3. Monitor and Optimize

   • Track Performance: Use Google Ads’ analytics tools to monitor how your ads are performing. Look at metrics like click-through rate (CTR), cost-per-click (CPC), and conversion rates.

   • Adjust Strategies: Based on performance data, tweak your ad copy, design, and targeting to improve results.

     
     

How to Earn Through Mediavine

1. Meet the Requirements

   • Traffic Threshold: Mediavine requires a minimum of 50,000 sessions per month. Ensure your blog meets this traffic requirement before applying.

   • Content Quality: Your blog should have high-quality, original content that adheres to Mediavine’s guidelines.

     
     

2. Apply and Onboard

   • Submit an Application: Apply through Mediavine’s website. They’ll review your blog and content to ensure it aligns with their standards.

   • Integration: Once accepted, Mediavine will integrate their ad technology into your blog. This process is seamless and requires minimal effort on your part.

     
     

3. Let Mediavine Handle the Rest

   • Ad Management: Mediavine takes care of ad placement, optimization, and revenue maximization. They use advanced algorithms to ensure your blog displays high-paying ads.

   • Revenue Reports: Access detailed reports to see how much you’re earning. Mediavine provides regular payouts, usually on a monthly basis.

Combining Both Strategies

For many bloggers, using both Google Ads and Mediavine can be a winning combination:

• Google Ads for Immediate Traffic: Use Google Ads to drive immediate traffic to your blog, especially if you’re launching a new post or product. This can help increase your visibility and attract more visitors.

• Mediavine for Passive Income: Once your blog meets the traffic requirements, Mediavine can handle ad placements and optimization, providing a steady stream of passive income.

  
  

Tips for Maximising Revenue

1. Focus on Quality Content: Regardless of the ad platform, high-quality, engaging content is crucial. It attracts more readers and keeps them coming back.

2. Optimize for SEO: Ensure your blog is optimized for search engines to improve your organic traffic, which can enhance the effectiveness of both Google Ads and Mediavine.

3. Experiment and Analyze: Continuously experiment with different ad formats, placements, and strategies. Regularly review your analytics to understand what works best for your audience.

Earning through advertising on your blog can be highly lucrative when you strategically utilize platforms like Google Ads and Mediavine. By understanding the basics, setting up and optimizing your ad campaigns, and combining both strategies effectively, you can maximize your blog’s revenue potential. Keep refining your approach, stay updated with industry trends, and watch your blog’s income grow.

Next up is earning money on your blog through affiliate links.

The first and most obvious affiliate program that we've joined is the Amazon Affiliate Programme. The biggest company in the world. Love them or hate them, whatever your politics are on them. Amazon are fast and convenient. You can pretty much get anything on there and a whole lot more what you wasn't looking for through their amazing shopper suggestions. Tons of product reviews so you are not buying blindly. There's no denying that Amazon are here to stay. And their affiliate program is open for all bloggers. Which is handy if you have a new blog that you are growing. The percentages that they pay in commission are quite small by comparison to separate companies, but their affiliate program allows you to start your journey into the affiliate space.

We buy from Amazon all the time and it seems a natural progression to recommend some of the amazing products we buy that help us with our travelling journey. Products we couldn't be without as a family of 4 on the road.

You'll come across links throughout the blog where you can click through to look at the product we're talking about and if you bought that product too after clicking through our affiliate link, we get a small commission.

All affiliate links have our unique code behind them so Amazon knows where the purchase came from and we get the commission in our account after a certain amount of time. We're still learning and plan to share more as we go.

Unlocking Profit: A Comprehensive Guide to Earning Money from Your Blog with Affiliate Marketing

If you’re a blogger looking to monetise your content, affiliate marketing is one of the most accessible and effective strategies. It’s a win-win situation: you get to earn money by promoting products or services you believe in, while your audience benefits from your recommendations. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to make money from your blog through affiliate marketing.

1. Understand Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing involves promoting other people’s products or services and earning a commission for every sale or lead generated through your referral link. This can be in the form of banners, text links, or product reviews. The key is to integrate these promotions naturally into your content.

2. Choose the Right Affiliate Programs

To maximize your earnings, you need to choose affiliate programs that align with your blog’s niche and audience interests. Here’s how to select the right ones:

• Relevance: Ensure the products or services are relevant to your blog’s content and your audience’s needs.

• Reputation: Promote products from reputable companies with good reviews and customer service.

• Commission Structure: Look for programs with competitive commission rates and favourable payment terms.

Some popular affiliate networks include Amazon Associates, ShareASale, CJ Affiliate, and Rakuten Marketing.

3. Create Quality Content

Your content is the foundation of your blog and the primary way you’ll engage your audience. Here’s how to create content that drives affiliate sales:

• Educational Content: Write informative posts that address your audience’s pain points or questions. Include affiliate links to relevant products or services as solutions.

• Product Reviews: Share honest reviews and personal experiences with products. Detailed reviews with pros and cons can build trust and drive conversions.

• Comparisons: Create comparison posts that evaluate different products or services in your niche. Highlighting the best options can encourage readers to make a purchase through your affiliate links.

  
  

4. Use Strategic Placement of Affiliate Links

The placement of your affiliate links can impact your conversion rates. Consider these strategies:

• Within Content: Integrate links naturally within your blog posts where they’re contextually relevant. Avoid overloading your content with links, as it can appear spammy.

• Call-to-Action (CTA): Use compelling CTAs to encourage readers to click on your affiliate links. Phrases like “Check out this product” or “Find out more” can be effective.

• Dedicated Pages: Create dedicated pages or posts for product recommendations or resources. These can serve as go-to guides for your audience.

  
  

5. Optimise for SEO

Search engine optimisation (SEO) helps your blog posts rank higher in search results, driving more organic traffic. To optimise for SEO:

• Keyword Research: Identify keywords related to your niche and incorporate them naturally into your content.

• Quality Content: Focus on creating high-quality, valuable content that addresses your audience’s needs.

• Internal Linking: Link to your own relevant posts and pages to keep readers engaged and guide them towards affiliate links.

  
  

6. Track and Analyse Performance

Monitoring your affiliate marketing performance is crucial to understanding what works and what doesn’t. Use analytics tools provided by affiliate programs or third-party platforms to track:

• Clicks: How many times your affiliate links are clicked.

• Conversions: How many sales or leads are generated from your links.

• Revenue: The amount of commission you’ve earned.

Analyse this data regularly to refine your strategy and optimise your content for better results.

7. Build Trust with Your Audience

Trust is essential for successful affiliate marketing. Build and maintain trust with your audience by:

• Being Transparent: Disclose your affiliate relationships. Let your readers know that you may earn a commission if they purchase through your links.

• Offering Genuine Recommendations: Only promote products or services you genuinely believe in and that you think will benefit your audience.

8. Diversify Your Income Streams

While affiliate marketing can be a significant revenue source, consider diversifying your income streams to reduce risk and increase earning potential. Other monetisation options include sponsored posts, selling digital products, or offering online courses.

Final thoughts....

Affiliate marketing can be a lucrative way to monetise your blog if done correctly. By selecting relevant affiliate programs, creating valuable content, and strategically placing your links, you can start earning money while providing valuable recommendations to your audience. Remember, success doesn’t happen overnight, so be patient, stay consistent, and continually refine your approach based on performance data.

Ready to turn your blog into a revenue-generating machine?

Start integrating affiliate marketing strategies today and watch your blog thrive!

In the meantime keep up with our daily updates on social media below.

And let me know if there is anything specific you would me to cover.

---

Follow us on Instagram:

On YouTube:

And always leave a comment below if this page has helped you. I only write and share stuff on the blog to help you. So let me know. Does it help? Did you get something from it? And what do you want to know going forward? I am at your service, Fletchy McFletchface xx

---