Opinions expressed by Digital Journal contributors are their own.
In theory, it isn’t too challenging to make money on the web. However, it takes a lot of time, effort and discipline. You may not see results straight away, but enhanced methods, such as branding, are required to ensure you grow in a healthy way. Self-discipline also plays a key role, and working on a consistent level keeps the content coming and pleases the audience. You can also monetize a blog or video channel in various ways as you develop influence within a niche.
Teach what you know
One of the most overlooked ways to generate income from the internet is with courses. Now, anyone can write a course, and it all depends on the quality. A hastily written, AI-generated product will be quickly spotted, and you will waste your time and damage your reputation. Stick with what you know, and it will be easier. For example, develop a nutrition course if you are passionate about the wellness benefits of high-quality and healthy food and exercise.
Branded products make money on the web
It’s hard to find an influencer these days who isn’t pushing products with their personal branding. This is fine as they need to make money, and make money it does! Branded merchandise is a top-selling product for 61% of influencers, according to eMarketer. Common branded products you can consider as your popularity grows include hats, t-shirts, and cups.Niche-related products, such as USB sticks, will have a higher chance of being sold if you are in tech.
Work to a consistent schedule
Running a blog, video channel, and social media page isn’t a fly-by-night venture. For all intents and purposes, it is a business, and you are the product. You can hire people to help you generate money from your brand, but you are responsible for everything when starting out. The most popular influencers commit to a schedule, and you can guarantee fresh and relevant content based on that schedule. Some prefer daily content, and others create it once a week.
Come up with a unique look
You are the face of the brand, and everyone is looking at you. Whether it’s a photo on a blog or video recordings for YouTube, how you look is how you are perceived. Anyone can sit in front of a camera and talk. However, influencers with unique styles and looks tend to be more successful because they stand out. Think about people like Dr. Disrespect, Pokimane, and even Ninja with his colored hair. An instantly recognizable look is worth a lot more than you think.
Make money on the web with blog monetization
Running a blog can cost as little as $16 per month, all the way up to $10,000. So you need to make money to keep it going. Whether as a main source of income or as a supplement to a video channel, blogging can make a good bit of cash. Here are some ideas to get started:
- Place affiliate marketing links strategically within your blog post content.
- Sell digital products such as courses and guides and offer exclusive member access.
- Offer physical products based on your niche, branding, and sponsorship deals.
- Publish niche-relevant sponsored content from other sources that fit with the blog.
- Offer ad space to external companies relevant to the niche you are influencing.
- Offer to write sponsored product reviews for items related to your chosen niche.
- Ask for donations. Many people will pay for the privilege of accessing great content.
You shouldn’t expect immediate and large amounts of cash with a new blog. Blogs rely on SEO to become noticed and placed on results pages, and this takes some time. But that doesn’t mean you should neglect it. Keep working on it, and the traffic and money will eventually flow.
Practice and hone your craft
Getting good at something takes a while. In fact, it is believed you need to do something for 4,000 hours to master it. As an influencer, you have two things to worry about. Production and content creation are part of the job. But there’s also the subject matter. For example, you will need to be good at video games so that people can take advice and listen to what you have to say within that niche. It helps to narrow down the niche, such as focusing on a specific genre.
Offer a unique perspective
Everyone has opinions, and people will listen if you can offer something different. This is one of the more challenging parts of generating income with a blog or channel. But it can be lucrative when you master it. Take social commentator, Sydney Watson, for example. Her content is often controversial, but it always takes a pragmatic approach. Further, Sydney’s videos are always excellently researched, and her intelligence allows her to provide unique insights into a subject.
Make money on the web via sponsors
Sponsorships are replacing platform ads as the primary income source for online personalities. There are a few reasons for this. Sponsors offer higher rates than content creators and pay upfront. A survey by Marketing Dive found that around 71% of an influencer’s income is almost wholly through sponsors. However, platforms like YouTube and Twitch are becoming more and more unreliable as sources of income with aggressive enforcement of unclear policy violations.
Work at building your authority
You can use some or all of the above methods to generate income from the web via a blog or channel. But the real secret is working at it. It takes time to get noticed as a content creator. Joe Rogan had been at it for 15 years before becoming the massively famous personality he is today. Authority is everything in the content world. People must trust you, and authenticity, reliability, and honesty are critical. Stay true and transparent, and you’ll have no issues.
Summary
Teaching what you know means you can relay quality information, and make money on the web through courses. You can also build and monetize a blog that people trust. This helps establish you as an authority, further expanding audience loyalty and helping your influence grow.
