You’ve been blogging for quite a few years now I would imagine. I also would bet money that you didn’t start blogging to make a living at it, but rather for the love of writing. Over the last few years, making an income from blogging might have seemed a far off possibility and quickly developed into a reality. This post is for all my fellow bloggers out there on easy ways to monetize blog posts.
Start With Your Best Posts
Pull your Google Analytics report on your top 10 posts. You can do this for all time, per year, and even per month. Start with the ones that receive the most traffic to go back to and monetize. Install Broken Link Detector plugin so it can notify you if your affiliate links expire. Hit your top 10 posts every quarter by linking them to current posts and adding content updates or adding new links. Don’t let those top ten posts go stale!
Amazon Time!
For every new post that you write, it is safe to say you insert at least two Amazon affiliate links organically into the copy, right? You are doing that aren’t you? When reading through your most popular posts, check to see if you are mentioning any products, books, or services. The products and books are easy enough to find on Amazon. For services, search for product ideas that are similar. For instance, if your post is about AAA and their road service plan, link to a battery charger or first aid kit for the car.
Think Outside the Link Box
Sometimes we overthink how to effectively monetize blogs. Just remember this – no one likes to be sold to. They do, however, appreciate it if you are trying to help them. For instance, if you wrote a post about your awesome trip to Hawaii, include a TripAdvisor link or widget to where you stayed. Also, travel sites like Expedia or Travelocity have affiliate widgets that allow you to specify your destination (even down to the hotel). This helps your readers plan the same trip you did. Don’t forget to add any discount codes that you have been sent from your affiliate manager to the post.
For those fellow bloggers in Nexus states, I’m so sorry that you cannot promote Amazon and other specific affiliate links. Check out both Skimlinks and Viglinks to be able to add affiliate links instead.