One of my audience members wrote in the other day and was saying how she was frustrated at so many of the blogs teaching blogging for beginners out there today. “If you look at their income reports,” she said, “they just all make money online from products. They are making $30,000/month or more, but it’s all because of a product. What if you don’t HAVE a product?”
What if you don’t want to make a product or it’s just not time for you to create one?
What do you do?
Are you sunk?
Is there a way to make money without a product?
I love this question for so many reasons, but mostly, because this reader is really looking around, digesting, and digging into things. She’s not just blindly following what someone has to say. She’s digging much deeper to HOW someone is actually making money blogging on their platform. Kudos to her!
How to Make Money Blogging Without a Product
There are a lot of ways to make good money blogging.
Most bloggers start with ads and work up to working with sponsors. But, for the most part, that isn’t going to pay your rent unless you have a gazillion in traffics each month.
For me, personally, my main income source is affiliate marketing at the time I wrote this post. This entire year, I’ve taken a lot of time to study just how it works and I’ve found there are different stages (or levels, if you will) of affiliate marketing.
In the beginning, you put on any and all affiliate marketing companies that line up with your brand, your good name and character, and your audience needs. If you build a recipe blog, you can be an affiliate for cookbooks you love and use. If you’re a mom blog, you can be an affiliate for baby products, kids crafts, and so on.
You go through all your posts and enter in your affiliate links (using the Pretty Link plug in of course, to save you time when/if links change) and you’re good to go. Every time you post on something relevant, you remember to put your affiliate links in there.
But there comes a time in your blogging career, at your more advanced stage of affiliate marketing, when you will stop putting so many affiliate links in your posts. In fact, you stop linking within your own posts so much too.
Because EVERY LINK has the “squirrel effect” (named so because of the Disney UP movie). Your most concentrated reader just left down a rabbit hole of information, never to return. Instead, you should keep them on track with 100% relevant information (the post they clicked on).
Now, I’m NOT saying you shouldn’t interlink within your own blog, but really, in your advanced stage of affiliate marketing, you should only do so if it’s SUPER relevant and a high performing post. Keep them on the good stuff! The “jewels” of your blog, if you will.
Same with affiliate links, only use the “jewels” of your affiliates. Those top 5 affiliates that perform the best for you.
Because here’s the thing. If you have one post and your audience is seeing it and it’s completely relevant to them, then you send them to an affiliate link for a $2.99 book and later on in the post, you’re trying to help them find a better affiliate for their needs, you’re doing yourself a disservice by sending them over to the less-than performing product.
They may like the $2.99 ebook or they may not, but either way, you’ve just overwhelmed them with a book that makes you 17¢ if they buy and it’s not as valuable to them (to get them where they want to go super fast), but rather, it’s taking their eyes off the real jewel within that article.
Here’s the thing, with your top 5 selling affiliates, they convert better because more people like them.
In my opinion, it’s better in the advanced stages of blogging to not have a link at all to ANY sell, than to send them to a product or something that is not worth their time or yours.
Every single thing their eyes are on is 5,000% valuable and you have to look at your blog that way.
What do you do with your kids eyes? You guard them, right?! If there’s a girl on TV scantily dressed, I can tell you exactly how fast you’re going to stop your son from seeing that…a mili-second, am I right?! So, why would you NOT use that same fervor to guard your audience’s eyes? It is YOUR responsibility.
Many bloggers don’t make AS MUCH as they could with affiliate marketing BECAUSE they are having the “squirrel effect” on every post.
Side note: This is one of the main reasons I hate ads. Aren’t readers consumed ENOUGH with the “squirrel effect” all day long. Shouldn’t they have a place SOMEwhere in the world they can go where they are not inundated with stuff all the time?
Once you get to that stage in affiliate marketing, and yes, it is working up to that stage, you will start to earn big bucks. In fact, last year (my second year blogging), I made nearly $90,000 in affiliate income alone. You can check out my full income report here. But it didn’t come without hard work. I spent a lot of time honing my affiliate marketing skills and testing absolutely everything I was doing. If it didn’t convert, I went back and deleted it!
This is how to make a lot of money without a product!
Lindsey Mozgai says
I’ve been putting links within my site for almost a year now, most of the ones that do well are the ones where the blog post as a whole talks about whatever link I’m advertising. I’ve found that just telling my readers what I’m using isn’t enough.
Sarah Titus says
Yes, exactly. I think the new trend now is that our audience wants to see the “why” behind what we are promoting.
Jacqueline says
Very interesting! I have seen that no – 2 bloggers make money the same way. Every blogger makes money a little bit differently. Definitely loved the Ads advice. I do feel “bombarded” with ads on some sites…especially with the pop ups. I think it was really cool that you took the time to create an entire post out of a question from a reader. Just another reason of why I have been reading your blog for years! 🙂
Sarah Titus says
Glad you like it. You’ll love tomorrow’s newsletter then Jacqueline. 🙂
Kealoha Harmon says
I’ve been completely non-productive on my blog recently…but your blog title got my attention! It motivated me to get to work again!!
Sarah Titus says
That’s great Kealoha. We ALL need motivation…daily! 🙂
Charity Bvuma says
This is very informative, and the way you turn a question or query into a priceless lesson for everyone is inspiring. I thought blogging couldn’t possibly be for me but here I am gobbling every morsel of info. I can and the more I get to know the different facets, the ins and outs of it, the more confident I get! I look forward to to your every post. Hope to start blogging away soon….
Sarah Titus says
I’m so glad it is inspiring you Charity.
Susan Velez says
Hi Sarah,
I just ran upon your blog and I love it. You share so much great information that I know it will help anyone improve their own blog.
I do believe that it’s possible to make money from a blog without having a product. Many bloggers have done it and there’s no reason why it can’t be done. It’s just going to take time and patience to get the results we wish to see.
The problem is that most people who start out blogging are looking for those quick overnight results. Unfortunately, blogging doesn’t happen that way.
Thanks for sharing and congrats on your success, I know that it took a lot of hard work to get where you are today.
Have a great day 🙂
Susan
Sarah Titus says
Thanks Susan. It is very true; blogging is not an overnight success thing. It takes hard work and perseverance, but it so worth the efforts, especially if you’re doing what you love REGARDLESS of the outcome. 🙂
Joanne |No Plate Like Home says
Hi Sarah. This is now the second time I’m reading this post. I’m getting set up to focus on Affiliate income as I approach my one year anniversary blogging in mid Sept.
My blog is a food blog and I feel I need to take a different approach than I would if I could use stock photos so, I’m focusing on learning photography skills now.
Can you tell me other than photography, what are the other things that make blogging different for food bloggers? I feel as though my writing should be different or my approach entirely.
I really appreciate your knowledge and advice! Btw, my first few $$ came from selling one of your products!
Sarah Titus says
Honestly, I wouldn’t recommend having just a food blog to anyone starting. Unless you’re already established, that is the ONE niche where it’s completely saturated and hard to make a name for yourself. I don’t really ever recommend niching down. I would redo your site, get the URL as your name, and make it a lifestyle blog. Since you do from scratch cooking, you must know how to save money, which is huge, and I’d add that. Your nav bar could be, recipes, faith, saving money, blogging, etc. so it’s well-rounded. I think you’d see a lot more success that way.
Stephanie says
Hi Sarah, I’m new to your blog (2-3 days) and am already learning A LOT! You are honestly the first one I have heard/read encouraging to NOT niche down. I have been told over and over that my main blog, twitter, and pinterest are too broad by friends and fellow bloggers. (Although, my followings on Twitter and Pinterest are rather nice for my efforts, so something must be right.) I did start a second blog just on genealogy and family history, but everything else is on my main blog (homeschooling, gluten free recipes, special needs, chronic illnesses… you know….LIFE! I just very recently added essential oils). I am looking forward to learning how to make some money on these blogs (or at least the main one) and being inspired to get back into blogging regularly. I lost my spark for awhile. Thanks for everything!
Sarah Titus says
Welcome Stephanie. 🙂 Well, I would simply say I don’t believe in niching down and don’t care what ANYONE else says. 🙂 If you niche down, what about seasons? For example, you start an organizing blog, well, that’s popular the first of the year for a few months. What about the rest of the year??? Your blog tanks. Let’s say you teach saving money. That’s popular the end of the month, each month, what about the traffic during the first half??? Let’s say you do printables, what happens when it’s just a fad and no one cares about them anymore? I’m not a one-dimensional person, why would my blog be? I’m good at many things. Why shouldn’t I teach them?! Whatever you do, go with your GUT. B/c no matter what anyone else says, your gut knows best. <3
Stephanie says
Thank you so much Sarah! It’s truly refreshing that someone who is so successful sees it the same way I do. My gut is definitely telling me to be myself and remain 3 dimensional. Thank you for the encouragement and all that you do!
Nikki says
Hi I’m new to blogging and love your stuff. Unfortunately how does someone start without any money at all. I am a divorced single mom who was downsized 3 times from corporate America and facing homelessness. I don’t know where to start at all because the finances just are not there. I have ideas but how do I go about blogging without the capital? I appreciate any advice as I am in dyer straights here and fear is getting the best of me. Thank you in advance.
Sarah Titus says
Nikki, it doesn’t sound like right now is the best time to start blogging. Blogging isn’t something you see money from instantly, or even in the first few months. It takes time to build it up. A lot of effort is required upfront and as you build up your blog, THEN the money starts coming in. So many people are errantly taught that blogging is quick and easy money and it’s not. It takes time to build. Because you’re facing homelessness (I’ve been homeless so I feel for you), I would start reselling. Get things free on Craigslist and resell on eBay and Craigslist. This is what I did to make it through after I got out of the shelter. I turned it into a business. Stayed home with my kids and just resold for many, many years…until I got into blogging. I would start there. That’s the fastest cash you can make legitimately and you can do it from home. I wrote an entire guide for just your situation. You can check it out here. I hope it helps and I’m praying for you! <3
Cathy says
Hi there,
I am thinking of starting a technical blog on physiology and biology of intermittent fasting as it appeals to me and I enjoy writing articles based on scientific research about it. But how do I make money from this when the whole idea is to remain impartial and not biased to any particular method, product or program? Is it even possible for these types of blogs? I feel ads would take away from this impartiality.
Thank you!
Danielle says
Hi Sarah,
I have been dreaming of starting a blog but so much of the advice I receive make it seem out of reach. I do not have a product to sell (yet) but I want to start a motivational blog for women, especially those that struggle with insecurity, that covers everything from being a mom, wife, fitness, goal setting, house cleaning, money, organization, etc… my two questions are: 1-Do I have too many topics for one blog? 2- should I just focus on cleaning and organizing since I am planning to write an ebook on this topic?
Sarah Titus says
This is something that I’d need to personally talk to you about (in some form of coaching) because I’d have a lot of questions I’d need to ask before really helping you get on the right path.
Emily says
Hi Sarah! This is my first time ever running across your blog, but it was one of the top Google searches for “How to make money blogging w/o a product”. I run a lifestyle/mom blog, and I think this is really sound solid advice! My question for you now is, how did you get your blog SEO so high? I would love to pop up on someone’s Google search, and I’m just starting out, so I was hoping you could help send me on the right path?
Sarah Titus says
Welcome. I’m so glad you’re here. <3
I think the absolute, best, TIMELESS way to get your DA score up is by posting a lot of posts and earning it over the years (blogging isn't a get rich quick thing, not that that's what you're saying at all). 🙂 I know someone who's never paid a dime attention to SEO and she's at a 49 DA (Domain Authority) score. I haven't done much on my blog either, but I've been blogging for 6 years now. Others have gotten better SEO/DA scores by tricking the system and spending a lot of time SEO'ing one article perfectly. While it does help, it's short-lived. You can't trick Google. I've seen their traffic drop tens of thousands from Google overnight b/c they try to do all this stuff that people or courses tell them to do.
Again, while having great SEO is fantastic, we cannot trick Google. They own the whole internet. They will change their rules and everything comes crashing down.
What I'm saying is...don't worry about SEO. Yes, do your best (install the Yoast SEO plug in, that's super helpful), but if you have a blog that is genuinely helping people, there's no NUMBER (score/stat/etc.) that you should gauge things by.
Remember, that SEO is hot right now, but it won't be in a couple years. It's the way it goes. So focus, rather, on things that are timeless and not changing. #1, your email list. Use tools like Pinterest, social media, SEO to gain people to your list, but focus on your list, rather than a number, score, etc.
Kellie says
I was also curious if a set product was necessary. This opened up a new pathway.