Google AdSense is the most well-known way to monetise a blog, and for good reason — it is passive, easy to implement, and works on almost any niche. But it is also the lowest-paying form of blog monetisation relative to your audience size. A blog with 10,000 monthly visitors might earn $50-100 per month from AdSense. The same blog, using the strategies below, could earn ten times that.
Before exploring these strategies, make sure you have already read our complete AdSense approval guide — AdSense remains a solid foundation to build other income streams on top of.
1. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing means earning a commission whenever someone purchases a product you recommend through your unique link. Start with Amazon Associates for physical products, or look for affiliate programs directly from software and services you use. SaaS products often pay recurring commissions of 20-40%.
2. Digital Products
Digital products are the holy grail of blog monetisation: you create them once and sell them an unlimited number of times. Common successful digital products include ebooks, templates, online courses, and preset packs. Gumroad makes it trivially easy to start selling without building a complex e-commerce site.
3. Sponsored Content
Once your blog reaches a few thousand monthly readers, brands in your niche may pay you to create content featuring their products. Sponsored posts typically earn $200-2,000+ each, depending on your audience size and niche.
4. Consulting and Freelance Services
Your blog demonstrates your expertise publicly, positioning you perfectly to offer consulting or freelance services. A web development blog that ranks well for WordPress tips is a powerful portfolio piece. See our complete freelancing guide to get started.
5. Online Courses and Memberships
Platforms like Teachable or Kajabi handle the technical side of course delivery. If you have deep expertise and an engaged audience, packaging your knowledge into a course can be transformative.
6. Email Newsletter Sponsorships
As your email list grows, companies will pay to be featured in your newsletter. This is often more valuable than website ad space because your newsletter audience is your most engaged readers. Read our guide on email marketing to build that list first.
7. YouTube and Video Content
A blog and a YouTube channel are powerful together. YouTube AdSense revenue is typically 5-10x higher per view than website AdSense. The same topics you write about can become videos.
8. Printables and Physical Products
For bloggers in education, organisation, or health niches, printable products — worksheets, planners, calendars — sell exceptionally well on Etsy and can earn hundreds of dollars per month passively.
9. Podcast Sponsorships
Podcast sponsors typically pay $25-50 per thousand listeners per episode. Combined with your existing blog audience, a podcast can add a significant revenue stream relatively quickly.
10. Donations and Tip Jars
Platforms like Buy Me a Coffee and Ko-fi allow readers who love your content to support you directly. This works especially well for niche, community-focused blogs.
The Diversification Strategy
The smartest approach is diversification. Relying on a single income stream creates fragility. Start with AdSense to cover hosting costs, add affiliate marketing as your traffic grows, and introduce a digital product once you have an engaged audience. Explore our full Blogging & Monetisation category for more strategies.