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We've all heard those stories of someone that started a little blog one day and ten years later they've given up their day job because their blog is drawing in so much money for them they don't even need to get out of bed in the morning. The funny thing is, with a lot of hard work and time spent on getting your blog up and running, you can actually make a pretty penny out it. So, if you're interested in learning how to make money blogging then read on, I'll warn you now though, you're going to have to be seriously dedicated to get this running!

Sell digital products

A really simple way to make money online is to sell things online. Whether you're looking at selling digital goods or physical ones, you need to think closely about where your skills and strengths lie. Setting up a blog that is geared towards selling your goods might seem like a great idea but it's better to set up a blog and add the odd link to other work that you're doing. People read blogs for the stories and information, not to be sold goods left, right and centre, so keep this in mind when you're starting out on the blogging journey.

Some commonly sold digital goods include: 

• eBooks 
• Audiobooks
• Pictures & Videos
• Digital music
• Software programs
• Website themes

Sell physical products

The other great thing to remember is that knowing your audience will make all the difference when you're selling goods online. Running a blog about cars and motorsport and trying to sell homemade paper flowers just won't mix. If paper bouquets are your passion and you know they're good enough to sell, then the best thing for it is to set up a secondary blog that focuses on something more in keeping with what you're selling. Remember though, don't push the sales from the get go. If people feel like they're being sold to, they won't be interested. If your goods are just supporting what you're saying in your blog then you'll find a lot more enquiries fly your way!

Some of the physical goods that you can sell:

• Clothing
• Jewelry
• Handmade goods
• Household Items
• Electronics

Sell Advertising space

A really common way to make money from a blog is to sell advertising. The more traffic you have flowing through your page, the more likely you are to draw advertising agencies in and this can be a really quick way to make a little bit of extra money. If you're finding other ways of making money through your blog then you might want to think about using advertising space to your own benefit by advertising your own products! Taking people from your blog to your selling page will only generate a little bit of extra business for your sales. Sure, advertising someone else's websites might bring in the cash at the point of sale but would you make extra money from sales of your own goods? Just something to consider!

Sell online courses and eBooks

If you're really feeling confident in the topic of your blog then you might want to consider doing some form of educational documentation. Whether you do a few online courses or write an ebook, if your followers really respect your expertise in the field you're talking about then they will flock to what you have to offer. Obviously, the best products to sell will vary massively depending on the type of blog you run. Factual blogs will work well with eBooks, lifestyle blogs might offer some one to one coaching sessions and online courses might be best for those that are thinking about a change of scenery in the workplace. If in doubt, ask your readers what they'd like and whether they'd be interested! There's no better feedback than the people you're already writing for.

Freelancing

If you're reading all of these tips and thinking 'that doesn't apply to me' then worry not, you're not alone! We've all got our own areas of expertise and very often, the job you do for your career can make you some extra money at home. Whether you're coming from a financial background, web design or bookkeeping, they're all skills that are highly sought after for a lot of people. The great thing about advertising these skills on your blog is you're more likely to pick up a job that directly corresponds with your interests. Sick of making up advertisements for big businesses and fancy helping out a local dealer? Well your blog could be the perfect place to get business like that running. Before you know it, you could be a freelancer running your own business!

Here are some ideas:

• Freelance writing
• Data Entry
• Virtual assistant work
• Web Development
• Marketing

Affiliate marketing

If all else fails then there's always the opportunity to sell other people's good through your blog. This doesn't necessarily include actively selling their goods in that you don't have to deal with the postage and packaging though! Affiliate marketing is an amazing way to make money from blogging if you're smart about how you go about it. Picking your affiliates sensibly and going for products that will actually hold the interest of your readers, a simple plug about the product at the end of the post might be all it takes. You might choose to go a little more in depth and focus an entire post on one product although this does depend on the sort of blog you run! Make-up and fashion blogs do exceedingly well at this sort of sales (and they often get free gifts out of it as an added bonus!)

Membership sites

Finally, offering a membership to your blog will allow people to check out extra content on your blog. This is a great way of making money when you're a well established blog as you're basically offering a bonus to people that pay for it while still keeping up with the basic info for people that have followed you from the start.

If you're thinking about starting a membership site but don't know what to do, here are some ideas:

• Offer exclusive downloads each month via email (i.e. apps, graphics, recipes etc.)
• Exclusive educational videos, blog posts, webinars, or courses
• Downloadable guides or books 
• Offer Expert advice

Making money through your blog is a great little bonus at the end of the month, however if you're really serious about it then you need to work hard and be dedicated to the cause. A sporadic blog that has no focus is much less likely to bring you any extra pennies in compared to someone who does weekly blogs and has specific themes on different nights. If you intend to make money out of your blog then your best bet is to sit down, give a good hard think as to the type of blog you're running and what goods you can offer in tandem with this. After you settle in, keep in mind that making seriously big bucks out of your blog means you have to be in it for the long run.