Just curious, is anyone here trying to turn their blog into a money-making venture? Or is it just a hobby for you?
I’m still pretty early in my blogging journey, and while it’s been fun so far, I definitely want to monetize down the line. How’s everyone else approaching this?
Honestly, I just try to make enough to cover the costs of keeping my site up. I don’t want to go heavy on ads, so I use a little bit of Adsense and throw in affiliate links when it makes sense. It’s enough to keep my hobby going without me having to dip into my own pocket.
@esleystanley
That’s the goal for me too, just enough to keep the blog running without it costing me.
I’m new to monetizing as well. I’ve been trying out affiliate marketing and some sponsored posts to support my digital marketing business. It’s definitely a learning process, but it’s covering some of my expenses as I grow.
@Johnstone
I was in a similar spot with my blog. Starting small with affiliate marketing helped me a lot. I focused on products I actually used to keep it genuine. After a bit of success, I started working directly with brands for sponsored posts. Finding the right balance is key. BuzzSumo helped with content ideas and Reddit trends to stay relevant.
Why blog if you’re not making money? Might as well go outside and enjoy the sun.
I blog just for fun. It’s a creative outlet for me. I enjoy when people read it, but I don’t do it for money.
At this point, I just want my blog to cover its own costs. I’ve been running it for 5 years, and it’s only just started to pay for itself with some affiliate links and ads.
CharlotteAmelia said:
At this point, I just want my blog to cover its own costs. I’ve been running it for 5 years, and it’s only just started to pay for itself with some affiliate links and ads.
Have you been actively trying to monetize, or did it just happen over time? Also, what’s bringing in the money for you?
CharlotteAmelia said:
At this point, I just want my blog to cover its own costs. I’ve been running it for 5 years, and it’s only just started to pay for itself with some affiliate links and ads.
How much does it cost to run your blog?
I used to get a lot of attention on my blog to the point where brands were reaching out for collaborations, but I ended up feeling like I was just giving them free advertising. I stepped away from all that. Now, I blog for fun. I’ve got an art and lifestyle blog, and though it’s monetized, I’ve only made about 30 cents!
At this stage in my life, I’m not interested in chasing money unless there’s a solid reason for it. If you’re blogging for fun, just stick with it. It could grow organically over time, and then you can decide if you want to monetize.
I plan to monetize eventually, but I don’t expect it to bring in much. A few pennies a day at most, and that’s if I get lucky. For me, it’ll be more about tracking engagement. I’ll start thinking about monetization once I have more content up and the blog has some time to get noticed.
TerryPeters said:
@Callen
Agreed. My blog’s not getting enough traffic yet to make monetization worth the effort.
Exactly. Plus, most monetization platforms require a certain number of visitors and time spent on your site before they’ll even consider you. And you have to sort out all the legal stuff like privacy policies. It’s a lot of work for very little return unless you already have a solid base.
I started my blog as a hobby, but now it makes enough to cover hosting costs and the occasional vet bill for my cats. I’m really thankful for that!
Calvine said:
I started my blog as a hobby, but now it makes enough to cover hosting costs and the occasional vet bill for my cats. I’m really thankful for that!
That’s awesome! Keep up the great work!