9 Types of Blogs That Can Make You Money Today

If you have a lot of things to say, it’s easy to consider writing a blog. After all, blogs are the Internet’s way of letting ordinary people publish their thoughts. All you really need is Internet access and a few tools. But have you thought about the financial aspect of blogging? We bloggers spend a lot of time on our work, and not everything required is free. To that end, let’s look at the types of blogs that make money.

Ways Bloggers Make Money Blogging

First, it’s important to think about how bloggers can make money from their blogs. In some cases, the money is made by selling ad space or sponsoring content. However, other options are available, such as the promotion of a blogger’s own services. A mixture of these techniques are used here on NealSchaffer.com.

Google AdSense and Other Ad Platforms

For most bloggers, this is the first thing that they try when monetizing a blog. Here, you’re simply selling advertising space on your blog. Advertisers pay Google or an ad platform of your choice, and they place the ad. Then, you get paid according to the agreement you’ve reached with the platform.

There’s more than one way to do this. Depending on the platform you choose, there’s a varying amount of control in terms of what ads get placed. To that end, some blogs that center on family-friendly or religious topics will have a high level of control. No matter how much control you choose, however, the ads are supposed to match keywords. This helps ensure that ads presented to your readers are relevant.

Affiliate Marketing

Next up, there’s affiliate marketing. This is where a blogger places links on their blog, often with specific product promotions. When a customer purchases something, the blogger gets a commission. Affiliate programs are an important way for bloggers to make money, and they’re a real win-win for the websites as well. Most famous of these programs is the Amazon Associates platform, where you can make money off of Amazon purchases. In fact, blogs run by product experts are among the types of blogs that make money.

Sponsored Content and Advertising as an Influencer

This is two techniques rolled into one. As a blog gains popularity, many of its readers are inspired by the recommendations made by a blogger. In turn, the items involved often see increased sales. Sponsored content is one way to harness the power of blogging influence. Here, the brand pays a blogger to write about their product, or they pay for advertising space on a particular post. Typically, blogs are chosen for this when the topic and audience match the market which businesses are interested in reaching.

Want to take this even further? Consider having a social media account where you advertise your blog content. This increases your audience, but it also offers the opportunity to produce more than one content type. Then, from a profit perspective you can make even more money through influencer marketing. Marketers often pay more for this, especially when the social media audience is larger than your blog. You can check out a more detailed post on what is influencer marketing here.

Digital Services and Products

Finally, some bloggers make money by using the blog to sell products and services. When a blogger goes this route, they typically use the blog to share their professional expertise. Then, the idea is that people will hire them to perform services. Alternatively, they might be selling a digital product which teaches people how to do something.

One example of this is Gina Horkey. Horkey is a freelance writer and virtual assistant who sells her services using a blog. This is so successful for her that she doesn’t even need to sell advertising. Rather, the product and services sales make up 95% of her income.

9 Types of Blogs That Make Money

Of course, not every blog type is a gold mine. If you’re just going to write poetry, then your audience and revenues are likely to be limited. Rather, the types of blogs that make money tend to have a broader appeal. Keep in mind, the type of blog you write can be related to any of your personal interests.

Food Blogs

One of the best types of blogs that make money is the food blog. Food blogs talk about everything from recipes to the best restaurant in town. Some of them will even discuss a particular food ingredient that’s highly nutritious, or one that serves a special function. Let’s take a closer look at some top food blogs.

Deliciously Ella

If you’re a vegan who loves great food, then this is a great blog to visit. On Deliciously Ella, you can find a whole host of vegan dishes to try. Besides this, she sells an assortment of premade vegan foods, along with an app. It’s quite the destination.

Minimalist Baker

Originally a baking blog, this one has grown into something more. All of their recipes are easy to prepare, and many of them take only a few minutes. However, the biggest draw of Minimalist Baker is that they have special diet recipes. If you eat gluten free or vegan, there’s a special section. Finally, they sell kitchenware and cookbooks.

Sweet as Honey

Finally, let’s look at a keto diet blog. This one is special because it is focused on helping people keep up with the keto diet without compromising on taste. For that reason, you’ll find goodies like desert and pizza recipes. Meal plans and cookbooks are available for purchase.

Personal Finance Blogs

Among the types of blogs that make money, personal finance blogs are also very popular. Here, you’ll find several niches, including credit card blogs, financial planning tips, and retirement planning. All of them are intended to help readers navigate the world of financial services.

Money Under 30

Most people these days realize that the money mistakes we make while young can put us behind for decades. To help young people do better with money, this blog provides a lot of personal finance tips for early adulthood. Topics include everything from budgeting and saving to getting the right mortgage. Product recommendations are made, and there are affiliate links.

Dave Ramsey

Dave Ramsey is a financial education guru who focuses on paying off debt and avoiding new debt. To that end, his blog talks a lot about personal finance basics which help people achieve their goals. Ramsey uses his blog to market financial education services and other products.

Entrepreneur / Make Money Online Blogs

With so many people looking to make extra money these days, it isn’t surprising that entrepreneur blogs are among the types of blogs that make money. Niches include tips on landing gig work, starting an online business, or how to market your business.

Wise Bread

Wise Bread mainly occupies the entrepreneurship space and caters to small businesses. There’s a wide variety of topics, including the latest software to try out and business funding challenges.

AVC

AVC is a plain blog written by a venture capitalist. The author, Kevin, calls it his public diary. As you page through the blog, you’ll see a lot of reflections on the current state of business. In addition, it’s a great place to pick up insights on current events.

Copyblogger

If you already are running a small business, Copyblogger is a great way to learn about marketing. In particular, they encourage business owners to engage in content marketing. This is done by providing writing tips and other goodies for the DIY marketing campaign. Finally, they have a team of certified content writers who can help.

Beauty & Fashion Blogs

Since many of us spend a lot of time and money on how we look, it isn’t surprising that beauty and fashion blogs are very popular. Similarly to finance, this niche offers a wide range of opportunities. For instance, there are a lot of blogs which focus on high-quality men’s fashion. You’ll also see makeup and skincare-focused blogs that focus on men, women, or both. Finally, there are highly specific niches such as natural African hairstyles.

Katie Jane Hughes

If you love makeup, this blog by makeup artist Katie Hughes is a great one to check out. As a makeup artist, she works with clients of all ages and ethnicities, so she has a wide knowledge base. Katie offers some awesome makeup tutorials. And yes, she’s selling her services.

Hello Hannah

The author, Hannah, is a California girl who loves to live well on a budget. Her blog is a mixture of fashion and beauty tips. Lately, much of her posting has been about staying sane during the COVID-19 pandemic. Dressing comfortably is part of that. Finally, she has a section on engagements and weddings.

Trend Styled

This blog is a mixture of men’s fashion and grooming, with a bit of lifestyle mixed in. The author also covers travel on a different blog, and on Instagram. Overall, a nice place for diverse fashion tips from a younger man.

Travel Blogs

Although they’re less relevant during COVID, travel is high on the topic list for blogs that make money. And for most of us, travel is something we’d like to resume eventually, whether that’s for business or pleasure. To that end, niches include luxury travel, business travel, and family vacations.

Nomadic Matt

If you like to travel more for less money, check this guy out. His blog is full of budget-friendly activities like a road trip in Canada, backpacking in mountainous areas, and more. In addition to the pictures, Matt loves to tell people about the latest travel gear and how to get discounts.

View From the Wing

This blog talks about travel hacks and other insider tips. For instance, the author has some inside knowledge of American Airlines and how it works behind the scenes. In addition, he discusses the latest travel deals and pitfalls.

Luxury Travel Expert

Love to roam the Maldives? Think flying economy class is for the birds? On this blog, you’ll find out about the best luxury resorts the world has to offer. And you’ll find out how to get there in style.

Lifestyle Blogs

One of the things about lifestyle blogs is that there is a wide range of lifestyles represented. For instance, “mommy blogs” are hugely popular with the younger set. In addition, you’ll see blogs written by the LGBT community and options for different socioeconomic levels.

Goop.com

This blog was developed by Gwyneth Paltrow, and it’s geared towards busy women with kids. Topics include self-care, travel, homemaking tips, and much more. You might think that something developed by a major celebrity would be full of luxury stuff, but this blog is very practical.

Bright Bazaar

Written by Will Taylor, Bright Bazaar talks a lot about fashion, travel, and home design. It’s so famous that the blog has even been featured on Martha Stewart. A refreshing offering from a male perspective.

Barefoot Blonde

This one’s the quintessential “mommy blog.” Author Amber loves to show off her kids and their adventures. At the same time, she covers home decorating, haircare, fashion, and beauty. It’s quite the assortment.

Health & Fitness Blogs

Other popular types of blogs that make money are the health and fitness ones. Health and fitness is a wide topic that includes specific sports, nutrition, and medical conditions.

Reebok Blog

As a company blog, this one is admittedly trying to sell fitness gear. But that isn’t to say that the blog isn’t useful. In fact, a lot of consumers need help with product selection and use. This blog also has a lot of inspirational material from athletes and entrepreneurs. If you’re looking to up your blogger game, it’s always best to understand your competition, right?

Nerd Fitness

This is an off-beat name for a fitness blog, but the name fits its mission very well. Founded by Steve Kamb, the idea behind Nerd Fitness is to help people with desk jobs, and a bit of nerdiness, get physically healthy. Besides blog posts, they have a coaching service and subscription-based workout routines.

Home Decor Blogs

Among the types of blogs that make money, home décor blogs can be quite a bit of fun. After all, decorating your house or apartment is part of what makes it more homelike. There’s a lot of money in related products and services, making it quite a lucrative niche. Niches include budget and luxury decorating, or sprucing up a small apartment.

Maison de Pax

Rachel Paxton is a homeschool mom who does interior design as a business. To that end, her designs are both practical and budget friendly. For instance, she’ll tell you how to make a cheap, worn out piece of furniture into something special, or how to maximize small spaces. Also included are entertaining tips and recipes.

Coco Cozy

This blog is written by Southern California native Colette “Coco” Shelton, who is an interior designer. Many of her posts are about everyday topics like decorating for the holidays, or about latest trends. In addition, Coco has her own line of home decorations, which she sells through the website.

Apartment Therapy

Apartment Therapy is about interior decorating in small spaces: both apartments/condos and smaller houses. Besides the typical “how to paint for more space,” there are tips on related items like houseplants. The nice thing about this one is that, since apartments are rentals, many of the tips involve organizing existing space rather than changing it completely.

Homeschool Blogs

Finally, homeschool parents also write the types of blogs that make money. We saw this above with Maison de Pax, where the author runs a home business. But there are also a lot of blogs dedicated to homeschooling itself which make money too. Niches can include different age groups, regulatory issues, and extracurricular activities.

Hip Homeschool Moms

This blog is more of a community of homeschoolers than one person doling out tips. In fact, it has many authors. Articles include everything from subject teaching tips, curriculum items, and field trip ideas all the way to homemaking hints. In other words, it has a little bit of everything except regulatory issues.

Homeschooling Now

This is a legal and how-to blog written by the Homeschool Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). Here, you can find a treatment of regulations in your state and get resources for compliance. They’ll also tell you about the different commercial curriculum options, testing opportunities, and more. Readers are invited to join HSLDA.

How to Become a Successful Blogger

Now that we’ve talked about the types of blogs that make money, I’d like to give you some of my tips on blogging. Although we’d love to just put the words out there and hope for the best, this isn’t a successful strategy. Not only is there a lot of competition for readership, but many monetization strategies require demonstrating that you have significant influence on your readers.

Use the right blogging platform and tools

First, having the right tools for blogging will make your job much easier overall. The most important tool, of course, is a blogging platform. I use WordPress.com because it is very flexible and can handle a lot of traffic. In addition, I have more say in terms of advertising and features than I would on a free platform. Other tools can be chosen based on your needs, though everyone needs some basic editing and content control.

Consider your target audience and what products and services might appeal to them

When monetizing your blog, it’s easy to lose track of your core mission and accept every opportunity. Unfortunately, this is a bad idea. If you want your blog to remain profitable over time, it’s important to ensure that you only endorse products and services that appeal to your audience. Generally, this applies to affiliate links and some other advertising options, as well.

Make your content valuable

Among the types of blogs that make money, most of them appeal to people who are busy. For that reason, their time is valuable and they’re unlikely to waste time consuming content that doesn’t provide valuable. My recommendation is that you create evergreen content and educational tutorials in your niche. If this is based on your experiences and what you’re interested in, then this is ideal. Remember, if you aren’t creating value for the community, you’re not going to get far in the long run.

Learn search engine optimization and dominate your niche

Remember, the goal is to have people find your content so that they can read it. The best way to do this, by far, is with search engine optimization (SEO). These techniques help your content rank higher in search engine results, leading to more views. Do this right, and you’ll dominate your niche. Best of all, domination means more readership and better monetization options.

These days, most bloggers want to make money from their efforts. Although it’s easy to get a little bit of money, getting higher returns requires a lot of work. Fortunately, by following these tips, you can turn the types of blogs that make money into goldmines.

Hero photo by Katie Harp on Unsplash

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