We now turn our attention to ways of making money from blogging that are more more ‘indirect’ in nature – or how to earn money because of your blog rather than from it (How to Make Money From Your Blog – Direct Methods).
Many of the following methods are the result of the profile and perceived expertise of the blogger themselves (whereas many of the direct methods mentioned previously are less reliant upon this).
Building a profile as a blogger doesn’t happen quickly and starting a blog with some of these hopes should be seen as a long term thing. My own experience in this area when starting ProBlogger is that it took about 12 months for opportunities to open in most of these areas. However, with the accelerated pace with which you’re now able to build a personal brand online, these opportunities are probably all available sooner.
Consulting
When you are perceived as an expert on a topic you will find that people naturally come to you for advice – some of them willing to pay for it. Some niches are probably better positioned than others for their bloggers to get into paid consultancy work of course. I spoke with one blogger recently (blogging in a business/technology field) who was able to charge himself out at $600 per hour to give advice to a large company. Many bloggers sell appointments in their calendar, using a cart linked to a booking app or an all-in-one solution like Book Like a Boss. Most of these 1:1 consults are at the top of a pyramid of consulting-type services or digital services that bloggers offer.
- Neil Patel has built a successful consulting business by leveraging his expertise in SEO, content marketing, and online advertising. He offers consulting services to companies and individuals seeking to improve their digital marketing strategies and increase their online visibility.
- Amy Porterfield is a blogger, online marketing expert, and host of the podcast “Online Marketing Made Easy.” Through her blog and online courses, she provides valuable insights and resources on topics such as social media marketing and list building. Amy has expanded her business by offering consulting services, where she works closely with clients to develop and implement effective marketing strategies.
- Joanna Wiebe is the founder of Copyhackers, a blog and training platform dedicated to teaching persuasive writing and conversion copywriting. Joanna has utilized her expertise to offer consulting services to businesses aiming to improve their copywriting and conversion optimization.
These examples demonstrate how successful bloggers can leverage their expertise and credibility to offer consulting services in their respective niches. By sharing their knowledge and providing personalized guidance, these bloggers have built thriving consulting businesses, helping clients achieve their marketing and business goals.
Employment Opportunities
There’s many examples of companies not just hiring bloggers as consultants, but actually employing them full-time for their demonstrated expertise. Here’s just a couple to give you an idea of how your blog can act like your online CV.
- Lindsay Ostrom started the food blog Pinch of Yum in 2010, where she shared recipes and food photography. Her blog gained a dedicated following and her photography skills attracted the attention of the kitchenware company, Williams-Sonoma who eventually hired her as a full-time photographer and recipe developer.
- Gina Luker ran the DIY and home decor blog The Shabby Creek Cottage. Her blog’s success and expertise in home decor and crafting led to her being hired by a home improvement retail company to create content and lead DIY workshops for their customers.
Successful blogs can lead to career opportunities and partnerships with companies seeking to tap into the blogger’s expertise, industry knowledge, and audience reach
Business Blogging
Similarly there are some businesses who employ people to blog for them either as their main role or part of their role. These companies recognize the value of bloggers in creating engaging and authentic content that resonates with their target audience. Hiring bloggers to focus solely on creating content for the company’s blog allows them to tap into the blogger’s expertise and established audience, enhancing their brand’s online presence
- Kate Arends, the founder of the lifestyle blog Wit & Delight – which covers topics such as fashion, home decor, and personal development – was hired by Target, where she worked as a full-time blogger and content creator for the company’s website and social media platforms.
- The Toren brothers, Adam and Matthew Toren, started the blog YoungEntrepreneur.com, which provided resources, tips, and inspiration for aspiring entrepreneurs. Their blog’s success led to them being hired by Dell as full-time bloggers and content creators, where they contributed to the company’s entrepreneur-focused initiatives.
ProBlogger Jobs is worth following if you’re looking for these types of jobs. There are hundreds of jobs listed each month across a variety of niches. You can set up job alerts based on keywords associated with your niche interests.
Book Deals
Some days as I read through the RSS feeds that I follow it seems that every blogger I read has a book either in progress or coming out. Once again it’s about being seen as an expert in your field – if you can achieve this you will find publishers are more receptive to having an idea pitched to them and at times will even seek you out. This is becoming more and more common with publishers as they are seeing not only some great writers but that many of them already have large amounts of content on their blogs ready to be pulled together into a book! Self-publication is also a viable option if you’ve built up an audience via blogging.
- Ree Drummond, also known as The Pioneer Woman, started her blog sharing stories about life on a ranch and her love for cooking. Her blog’s success led to her securing a book deal. She has since written several cookbooks, including “The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl,” which became a New York Times bestseller.
- Jenny Lawson, known as The Bloggess, gained popularity through her blog where she shares personal stories with humor and candor. She received a book deal and published her memoir “Let’s Pretend This Never Happened: A Mostly True Memoir,” which became a bestseller and launched her career as an author.
- Brandon Stanton is the photographer and writer behind the blog Humans of New York (HONY). He started the blog as a way to capture the stories of people he encountered on the streets of New York City. His blog gained widespread recognition, leading to a book deal. He has published several books featuring photographs and stories of the individuals he has encountered, including “Humans of New York” and “Humans of New York: Stories.”
These examples showcase how bloggers who have established a strong online presence and gained a loyal following through their blogs have been able to secure book deals and transition into successful authors. Their unique voices and storytelling abilities captured the attention of publishers and allowed them to share their experiences and perspectives through printed works.
There’s probably endless indirect methods to leverage your blog to make money. What are some other ways you’ve used or seen?
