Create your merch and start a subscription: 7 tips to make a blog a source of income

1. Find your niche

If you are just going to start a blog, it is important to choose the right topic for it. The desire to earn should not be the only reason for creating content. Look for what you are interested in and what you understand. If you like to make and repair something - publish instructions for home craftsmen. You are fond of fashion and style - share tips on how to choose things and create unusual looks. You need to strike a balance here: a niche that is too narrow will attract few subscribers, and with a blog that is too broad, it will be difficult to create content that will please everyone. For example, if you want to start a food blog, you can dedicate it to vegetarian recipes or pastries and desserts.

2. Consider a promotion strategy

To achieve popularity, it is not enough just to write interesting posts. Even at the start, it is worth deciding how you will promote your project. If the budget is limited, you can negotiate with other bloggers about mutual PR. Choose pages with a similar number of followers and related audiences. Let's say if you're writing about motherhood, consider partnering with writers who talk about housekeeping. Most likely, their readers will also be interested in your content.

If you are ready to invest in promotion, try buying advertising from bloggers or setting up targeted promotion - this way posts will be shown to a specific audience, for example, only to women from 18 to 35 years old. When active subscribers appear on the blog, you can think about monetization.

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3. Try affiliate marketing

This format of monetization assumes that the blogger tells readers about a product and receives a reward when they follow the referral link and buy this product. For example, you can do unpacking or thematic reviews and provide them with affiliate links. If you write about cars, talk about useful accessories for motorists. On a sports blog, links to workout clothes and gadgets would be appropriate.

4. Suggest additional content

You can create content that is only available to users who are willing to financially support your blog. For example, extended versions of videos or exclusive posts. Such materials may be available on a monthly subscription basis. For example, artists who blog often share short videos or posts about the process of creating their work. And they post detailed master classes on drawing only for readers who have signed up for a paid subscription.

5. Create your merch

If the blog already has a loyal audience, try launching your own line of products - these can be postcards, stickers, t-shirts, mugs. Merch can be a good advertisement that will attract new subscribers. Perhaps a friend of the reader will see his interesting T-shirt, ask what is shown on it, find out about your blog and subscribe to it. Choose simple and recognizable ideas for merchandise - for example, a blog logo or your bright quote.

6. Accept donations

This option works especially well if you represent a charitable organization. But it is also suitable for other bloggers - subscribers can donate small amounts to develop the channel. Donations come on a voluntary basis: unlike subscribing to exclusive content, readers and viewers do not expect to receive anything in return, but simply express support for the blog creator. For example, you can reach out to the audience to help you raise money for a new video camera or to support the purchase of new review items.

7. Post sponsored content

You can get paid for publishing ready-made promotional materials for the company, or you can write texts yourself that mention the product and link to it. It is important that such content is relevant to the topic of the blog and the interests of the audience. For example, on a travel page, an ad for cookware might look odd, but a recommendation for a new smartphone with a good camera would come in very handy. So that subscribers do not lose interest in the blog, make a content plan with a schedule for entertaining, advertising or interactive posts. If possible, try not to put sponsored materials in the plan one by one and dilute them with author's publications.