My blog Mum on a Budget is almost 2 years old now, and I am pleased to say I am now earning a small amount of money from it. This is wonderful as I have invested a lot of time in my blog so I am so happy that I am able to make a small return from it, especially as there are fees that I need to pay to keep the blog up and running, such as hosting fees.
I really recommend blogging as a fun hobby that can also earn you some money. It is particularly good for parents because it is so flexible – I can write posts at night when the kids are in bed or sometimes I am able to grab 10 minutes here and there to work on my blog when they are busy with an activity. There aren’t too many roles out there that fit so well around childcare commitments so I consider myself extremely lucky.
How do I make money from blogging?
When it comes to making money from blogging, I currently have a few different revenue streams:
Writing sponsored posts
One of my favourite networks to find find work as a blogger is Get Blogged. I have been working with them for over a year now. Get Blogged is so simple to use – there are lots of different jobs listed by DA (Domain Authority). You can read each brief, and if you think it’s a good fit for your blog you can write a pitch for it. I like to write about my ideas for the theme of the post. Once you have submitted your pitch, you simply wait to hear back. If you are successful, you write and publish your post to match the brief. You then submit it and as long as everything is OK I have found that payment comes through pretty quickly.
One of the new features on Get Blogged is the marketplace where you can find paid blogging jobs directly from clients. The marketplace has just been launched so I am excited to look for my first assignment on it.
Hosting sponsored posts
There are numerous agencies who will pay you to host pre-written sponsored content, such as FatJoe. I have found that the amount – and quality – of work you get this way can be variable.
Affiliate income
I often write about products or services that I feel that my audience would like. Often, there are schemes in place to make small amounts of affiliate income whenever a reader clicks on a particular link and goes on to buy the product. The money is paid by the retailer rather than the purchaser so it’s at no additional cost to the reader. Some places have their own affiliate scheme – notably Amazon – but most retailers are part of an affiliate network. As a blogger, you can sign up with these affiliate networks and then start generating your own affiliate links for your site. One of the biggest affiliate networks is Awin.