3 awesome ways to monetize your blog (even if you're just starting off!) as an influencer

I truly believe that you can monetize your online presence at any stage. No matter if you have an audience of 500 or an audience of 500,000. Today, I’m sharing why you should have a blog and ways to monetize your blog regardless of the stage you’re in

When you buy through links on my website, I may earn a commission.

Why should I even have a blog?

Why? Search power!

If someone searches “How to start a beauty business” most likely your Instagram post or podcast episode will not rank in search engines. HOWEVER, your blog can! Your blog post can rank and it can rank for years which means you’ll continue to get traffic to your website (do you hear that *ching ching* sound?)

YouTube is a great way to make money. However, if you’re relying on sponsorships and YouTube Ad Revenue it does take time and a few requirements to even be approved as a YouTube partner. On your personal blog, you don’t need any of that.

Should I have a blog if I’m a YouTuber, Podcaster or Instagram Influencer?

You CAN make money as an influencer and if you’re a blogger, you can set yourself up to create income on day one.

If you’re starting off on YouTube, Podcast or Instagram, I say combine that with a blog!

You can have your podcast or YouTube video transcribed for as low as $1.50 a minute which means your audio is put it into written word for you! You can take that transcription and create a blog post with it!

If you’re an Instagram influencer, take your content and elaborate with a blog post. This helps to build your audience on your OWN platform and when you are negotiating sponsorships, you can bundle a blog post + social media post together! Brands tend to love blogs because of the long life span and search engine power!

3 awesome ways to monetize your blog at any stage:

1. Affiliate Income

It doesn’t matter if your blog is about fashion, natural hair or keto meals, you can include affiliate links such as Amazon Associates in your posts.

If you’re a fashion blogger, you can buy clothes on Amazon and then link those clothes on your IG stories.
If you’re a tech blogger, you can share reviews with the product links to your post. Affiliate income, in my opinion, is one of the easiest ways to monetize your blog.

Amazon associates are one of the biggest affiliate programs but you can also use sites like , Magiclinks, Reward Style, and Shareasale.

A lot of websites and apps even offer affiliate programs these days! I’ve made hundreds of dollars referring people to eBates, Siteground, honey, and Dosh. I use these apps often so why not earn a little money when you’re recommending a product you already love?

When someone buys the product or service you recommended on your blog, you earn a percentage. The great thing about Amazon Associates is that you earn on the total purchase, not just what someone clicks on from your link. So if someone buys a lipstick you recommended on your blog, but also has mascara, a pair of shoes, and a phone charger in their cart, you’ll earn a percentage on all those items!

The great thing about affiliate links is you don’t need thousands of people coming to your blog in order to earn money nor do you have to spend any money to do it! You really only need one person to click your affiliate link and purchase something to make income with affiliate programs!

2. Ad Revenue

Yes, you can install ads on your site via Google Adsense at any time. However, if you don’t have substantial web traffic then you won’t make much from ad revenue (literally pennies).

However, I think once you’ve got a good rhythm of blogging and have established a readership, you can add-in ads to your blogs. As you’ve noticed, I have a few ads on my blog and earn income each month with AdSense on my blog.

Just be careful not to overdo it. If your blog is full of ads, it takes away from the design of the blog and may deter readers away.

3. Sponsorships

You can secure collaborations with brands for paid and gifted campaigns.

Gifted campaigns mean you receive the product with no additional compensation and if you have a small audience, don’t be afraid to participate in gifted sponsorships.

If you had bought something anyway, and you are able to get it for free, I personally think you are monetizing by saving money!

Additionally, you CAN sell the items from your sponsorship! As a beauty influencer, I would receive so many cosmetics since I was on a lot of beauty brand’s PR List. Often times I would receive shades that I would never wear (such as a pastel pink or a super-light color foundation). I would either donate items or sell them. Think outside the box when it comes to ways to monetize your blog.

If you’re gifted shoes and clothing, sell on sites like Poshmark, Facebook and eBay. If you receive a ton of products from a gifted sponsorship that you won’t use or need, sell them and make a little money from it.

So here are 3 awesome ways to monetize your blog (even if you’re just starting off!). When it comes to blogging, are you a newbie or have you been in the blogging game awhile? Let me know below!