7+ Ways to Monetize a Blog Without Ads

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Looking for ways to monetize a blog without ads? Bloggers who want to monetize their blogs usually have one goal:

Get into Mediavine.

While having ads on your site is close to the definition of passive income — you do have to work to keep increasing your traffic, so it’s not entirely passive — running ads on your site is an excellent way to make a good monthly income with little work.

But it can take a good year to get into Mediavine or one of the other ad networks. 

And that’s with consistent publishing, SEO strategies, and a lot of keyword research.

It was a great surprise for me when I managed to monetize my travel blog with affiliate links in just 6 months. The key was a lot of content, methodical interlinking, and zero-volume keywords. 

Blogging is a lot of work. You should be compensated for the helpful content you put into the world, and there are many ways to do this with consistent blogging.

Let’s get the 7+ ways to monetize a blog without ads!

1. Affilate Income

Making affiliate income from a blog is the easiest and fastest way to monetize a blog.

I monetized my travel blog in six months with only 10K pageviews, and I was genuinely shocked at how little time it took. 

So, it’s possible. 

In my sixth month of blogging, I earned over $100 from a post I wrote about which tours to take in a certain area of the country.

The key to making money from blogging is to get 5 to ten posts (with affiliates) to rank in the number one, two, or three spots on Google. 

In six months of blogging using SEO strategies, I had 20 posts (out of 100) ranked in the #1 spot. Thus, why I made money. 

Not all of those posts were affiliate posts. 

You have to write supporting content for your affiliate posts. Similar to that old adage about a prosperous economy: “A rising tide lifts all boats.”

Pillar content and niching down to one topic with strategic interlinking will lift a good percentage of your content to the top of search engine results.

Here is my strategy for successful affiliate marketing:

• While focusing on pillar content, find affiliate programs that relate to your niche. Apply to them. Most affiliate programs will accept you right away, but some affiliate programs have a waiting period and requirement before acceptance. But many do not. Most of my income came from only two programs.
• Be selective: Opt for programs with a good track record offering products you would endorse even without compensation. It’s easier to sell something when you believe in the product or service. Readers are savvy.
• Create dedicated posts reviewing these affiliates and services. 
• Link those posts within the pillar content you wrote at the beginning (at the start of this list).
• Interlinking. Robust interlinking is the key to good SEO. It tells Google how your site makes sense. Make it make sense by using contextual links when linking between posts.
• Incorporate explicit calls to action, like “buy now!” or “this tour gets a five-star rating from 143 reviews,” in both affiliate and non-affiliate blog posts.

Affiliate commissions vary greatly in price, from cents to thousands of dollars. The product or tour you are selling doesn’t need to have a high price tag for you to make a lot of money. 

They add up. A $30 tour you promote in one affiliate post can net you a lot of money if that post consistently ranks number one. 

Most of the tours I recommended on my travel blog were under $200; they just added up to make a lot of money. 

And you don’t need that many posts to rank. 

Remember, I made affiliate income from only five posts dedicated to taking tours. Tour sites were my most lucrative affiliate program. 

I used tour companies Viator and Get Your Guide, both very reputable, to make affiliate sales. 

Affiliate income is one of the easiest ways to monetize a blog quickly.

2. Digital Products

This is where bloggers earn a lot of income. Digital products include courses, workbooks, ebooks, printables, templates, and spreadsheets.

Your blog provides a foundation to launch online courses, enabling your readers to learn directly from you. 

Design your course with a structured curriculum, including multimedia elements like videos, PDFs, and interactive quizzes.

Digital products work in any niche. Really. 

A course about SEO that’s been done hundreds of times has yet to be made by you. 

You have your own personality, and your audience likes you, so don’t be afraid to put yourself out there. 

A great way to create a digital product is to ask your audience what problem they are having and then solve that problem for them with a course, workbook, ebook, video, spreadsheet, printable, or template.

You don’t have to charge a lot for something to make a six-figure income; you just need 1,000 true fans to buy what you’re selling. 

Anyone can get 1,000 true fans. 

I wrote an ebook about how to make money on Medium in one weekend, sold it to my 14k followers on that platform, and watched the money roll in. 

You just need fans.

To get fans, start writing a blog in your area of expertise. Niche down and get traffic. After consistent writing and publishing, start thinking about what you can put together to sell to your audience. Pick a launch date and complete it. 

If this is your first time doing this, start small with a spreadsheet, template, or short ebook. 

Once you get a taste of the potential income, you’ll be hooked and thinking about creating something bigger, like a course. 

3. Developing a Subscription Model

This is perhaps the most lucrative way to make money from a blog. The subscription model is big right now because it works. 

As an economics major, I remember when we learned about “sunk cost.”

In economics and business decision-making, a sunk cost (also known as retrospective cost) is a cost that has already been incurred and cannot be recovered.

People get lazy, so they don’t cancel. Or they sign up for a membership with access to a 200-video course library and have yet to watch the 200 videos. They have a sunk cost but have yet to benefit, so they keep the membership another month and vow to watch those 200 videos, if not this month, then next. 

You see where I’m going with this. 

It’s very lucrative, even if the monthly price is a mere $10. You can make a lot of money because of sunk costs.

When you create a membership site, you’re establishing a community around your content.

Members pay a recurring fee for regular access to exclusive materials.

For example:

• Monthly Webinars: Host webinars covering niche topics, accessible only to members.
• Resource Library: Compile high-quality resources like videos, templates, spreadsheets, and ebooks.

4. Paid Newsletter

Like Substack, you can develop a weekly, monthly, or whenever-you-want-to-send-it-out newsletter for your dedicated fans who pay for your content monthly. 

This is the paid newsletter model. It’s also lucrative but very difficult and time-consuming to establish. 

Even with my 14k followers on Medium, it was nearly impossible when I tried to convert them to my Substack. 

You have to have a big following or a famous name in your niche to get this to work. 

The problem is when you don’t have email subscribers.

If you use your blog to build an email list organically from zero subscribers with freebies and opt-ins, those people are going to balk when you ask them to pay for your newsletter, which they’ve been getting for free. 

However, once you have dedicated fans and their email addresses, you can charge for unlocking more of your content with a monthly or yearly paid newsletter subscription.

It’s a good way to earn extra income as a blogger, especially once you establish yourself as an authority in your niche.

Some bloggers do really well with a paid newsletter; we are talking in the six figures per month.

Casey Newton from Platformer has a successful paid newsletter with Substack on all things tech-related.

When Elon Musk was forced to buy Twitter in 2022 and continued to make bad business decision after bad business decision, and everyone (including me) wanted to read about Musk’s fall from genius status, Newton put his content about Musk behind a paywall. 

5. Services

Consulting and coaching services can provide a substantial income through personalized guidance or training.

Everyone learns differently. 

People love one-on-one help from “gurus” or people who have the success that other people desire. 

With one-on-one help, you can charge whatever that demand demands. 

I play Pickleball. I want to get better because it’s so much fun.

I’ve taken group Pickleball lessons and, recently, private ones.

The private lessons are much better because the instructor can tailor the lesson to work on my weaknesses.

I know bloggers and entrepreneurs who charge in the thousands for one-on-one coaching. 

I’m not saying I would pay for this, but so many people out there would and do! It’s best to show a bit of initiative before paying for a private coach.

If you’re an authority in your niche with tremendous success, you can teach what you know when customers are clamoring to pick your brain. Know the value of your time and charge accordingly for one-on-one services.

Coaching is an intimate venue where you provide dedicated support and expertise to help your clients achieve their personal or professional goals.

Your role is to analyze their challenges, offer actionable solutions, and empower them to create tangible results.

6. Sponsored Content

Leveraging sponsored content is a key strategy when exploring options for monetizing your blog without resorting to ads. 

This involves creating content that is paid for by a sponsor to promote their brand, product, or service.

These posts aim to get the company traffic, so they should be well-written and SEO-optimized.

Sponsored posts can be part of a paid campaign, like a press trip, or they can be a singular deal with a brand/company.

Sponsored Posts

Sponsored posts are articles or blog posts that you write on behalf of a company or brand. They typically start at $300 and increase based on traffic, deliverables, and site notoriety.

In these posts, the goal is to craft engaging content that aligns with your content style while incorporating the sponsor’s messaging.

• How to Get Started:
  • Identify brands that align with your blog’s niche.
  • Reach out with a proposal detailing your blog’s reach and demographics.

• Key Considerations:
  • Ensure transparency with your readers by disclosing sponsorship.
  • Maintain your authentic voice to preserve reader trust.

7. Brand Collaborations

Brand collaborations involve working directly with companies to create content for your blog.

This partnership is about product mentions and developing a deeper relationship to boost brand awareness.

• Strategies for Success:
  • Choose brands that share your values and appeal to your audience.
  • Work on mutually beneficial projects, such as giveaways or exclusive content.
• Best Practices:
  • Set clear expectations and terms in a contract.
  • Measure the success of collaborations through engagement metrics or sales data.

By carefully selecting sponsors and collaborating on meaningful content, you can add value for your readers while monetizing your blog through sponsored content.

8. Group Webinars

You can charge per person for group webinars.

Nomadic Matt, who started one of the most lucrative travel blogs in the industry, does this for travel, travel-related topics, blogging, and other topics.

He also hires other entrepreneurs to lead group webinars and doesn’t charge much, sometimes as little as $5 per webinar. 

Group Webinars are a dynamic way to extend your reach to a larger audience while maintaining an interactive learning environment.

These webinars can be structured as live, scheduled events that provide valuable content, from step-by-step tutorials to Q&A sessions, fostering a community feel among participants.

When you host group webinars, you leverage your time effectively by teaching multiple clients simultaneously.

9. Sponsored Events

Hosting or promoting sponsored events can significantly boost your revenue. 

Sponsored events allow you to collaborate with brands that resonate with your audience and provide value through unique experiences.

• Workshops and Seminars: Partner with companies to offer educational workshops or seminars. This can be particularly effective if you blog about business, technology, or any field where ongoing education is valued and needed.
• Product Launches: Join forces with brands to help launch new products. These partnerships can be lucrative, often including compensation for your promotional efforts.

By exploiting these opportunities, you can capitalize on your existing audience and establish new income streams.

Always ensure the services and events you promote align with your brand and your audience’s interests — this authenticity is crucial to your success.

Know your audience and serve their needs and you’ll find success blogging.

FAQs: Ways to Monetize a Blog Without Ads

In this section, you’ll find targeted answers to common questions about monetizing your blog without relying on ads.

Each answer is designed to give you actionable insights to help you generate income from your blogging efforts.

What are effective affiliate marketing strategies for blog monetization?

Effective affiliate marketing strategies include selecting products that align with your niche and creating valuable content around those products.

It’s crucial to build trust with your audience and provide insightful reviews or tutorials.

The goal is to encourage your readers to make purchases through your affiliate links.

How do bloggers leverage digital products for income?

Bloggers can leverage digital products such as eBooks, templates, or tools relevant to their niche.

By creating resources that solve specific problems for your audience, you can offer them as premium content for purchase directly from your blog.

Which methods do successful bloggers use to offer services and earn money?

Successful bloggers often offer services like consulting, coaching, or freelance writing.

By showcasing your expertise and providing a clear description of your services, you can attract clients who are willing to pay for your specialized knowledge and skills.

What steps should I take to create and sell online courses on my blog?

To create and sell online courses, start by identifying a need within your niche.

Then, develop a comprehensive curriculum that provides value.

Make sure to craft quality content and use a reliable platform to host your course. You can market your course directly on your blog and through your email list to your established readership.

In what ways can I utilize sponsored content to generate revenue from my blog?

Utilize sponsored content by partnering with brands that resonate with your audience.

Sponsored posts should align with your blog’s theme and provide useful information.

Always disclose partnerships transparently, and maintain your editorial integrity to keep the trust of your readers.

How can I implement membership or subscription models to establish a steady income stream?

Implement membership or subscription models by offering exclusive content, community access, or continuous learning opportunities.

This model depends on the value you provide, and it’s essential to maintain consistent, high-quality offerings that justify the ongoing investment from your subscribers.

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In Summary: Ways to Monetize a Blog Without Ads

Consider harnessing different passive income streams to effectively monetize your blog without relying on ads. 

Once set up, these methods can provide a sustainable flow of revenue that requires minimal ongoing effort.

While ads are one of my favorite ways to earn money, they are much more passive than most other methods, these strategies yield quicker results and can still generate some passive income over time.

Once you achieve 1,000 page views on your blog organically (I prefer SEO, but any source, like Pinterest or Flipboard, will do), choose one of these options to monetize your blog.

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Read More of My SEO Tips:

• Lyrical Host Review & Coupon Code
• Blogging Essentials to Streamline the Process
• 31 Exciting Reasons to Start a Blog
• What Is a Travel Blog and How to Start One
• Advantages and Disadvantages of Blogging
• The Ideal Blog Post Title Length for SEO

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