Anybody with a blog can make money writing. It’s so easy, you can do it in your sleep. Right?
Well, maybe. There’s just one thing you need to do. Make sure you write something that actually sells.
This might seem a little harsh because there are so many bloggers out there who want to make money writing. They publish lots of content, but don’t get a lot of traffic or generate sales.
Sound familiar?
Honestly, I hope the world never runs out of passionate writers. I absolutely love reading insights into specific topics.
But let’s face it-Can you make money writing with passionate, opinionated pieces on your personal blog? Unfortunately, the answer tends to be: “No.”
So, if you’re looking to make money writing with your blog, you need to wake up..change up your game just a bit. I’m not saying sell out and become a spammy marketer…Just look at things from a different angle.
Want to make money writing as a blogger? Here are 4 different types of articles you can (and should) write for your blog-no matter the niche.
Make money writing with affiliate marketing
If you want to make money writing about stuff on your blog, one of the easiest ways to do it is through affiliate marketing. Unless you’ve created your own products or services that you can charge for, you’ll have to rely on affiliate offers to get income.
Side note: That being said, you should choose wisely who you partner with. Staying with products within your niche that you actually use and love is typically a smart bet. And should be easy to write about.
Want to make money writing on your blog? Here are 4 types of articles that can earn you money while you sleep.
1. The list of resources article
When it comes to money-making articles, a list of resources is a great place to start. When readers are looking for a new product to help them in a certain area, they often turn to their favorite bloggers for recommendations. That’s why many pro bloggers have a resources page linked in their main navigation menu.
These articles don’t necessarily have to be strict lists. They can be formatted as authority articles. For instance, you can write an “Everything you need to know about (fill in the blank)” article. This not only establishes your authority on a subject, it also allows for a huge amount of clickable links.
And if those links are affiliate links… It’s a huge opportunity to start building blog income.
Here are a few great examples for how to design a resource page:
- Make a Living Writing: Products I Love
- Smart Passive Income Resources
- Goins Writer Resources
- Self Publishing Companies for Aspiring Authors
2. ‘Top 10’ or ‘Best of’ articles
Another strategy for drawing in potential readers and “customers” is writing “Best of” lists.
How many times have you been scrolling through Facebook and seen those “Top 10“ list posts? Plenty, I’m sure. And how many have you actually clicked on?
Be honest with yourself. We’ve all done it, (especially those click-baity Buzzfeed articles…).
All joking aside, these articles actually work because they’re so good at grabbing attention. Some websites have dedicated their entire premise to “Best of” articles.
Take Top SciFi Books for instance. If you’re in the market for science fiction books, all you have to do is check out their “Best Sci Fi Book Series“ or “Best Books Like Ready, Player One.“
These are well-written “Best of” articles that properly utilize their brand and affiliate marketing.
3. The ‘review of your favorite product or service’ article
A review is another great place to start making money on your blog.
Believe it or not… reviews are often some of the most searched terms on Google (like this: What’s It Like Writing for Contently? Writers Spill Their Secrets). People looking for reviews are normally interested in buying, and they’re just looking for someone to affirm their decision.
For example: Let’s say you’re looking to buy something that can help you gain an advantage in your Amazon book marketing skills, and you run across my software Publisher Rocket.
Now, you could take my word at face value. OR…You could find a third-party review. Something that really gets into the down and dirty. You need to know all about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the program. So, maybe you land on a review such as this Publisher Rocket Review by Sam Howard.
She really gets in-depth when it comes to talking about Publisher Rocket. Her likes and dislikes. And these can help you decide if it’s right for you.
And if Samantha is an affiliate for Publisher Rocket… She can get a cut of the sales made off of her site. As you can see, writing a killer review about a product is a big step toward raising your monthly profits.
Note: Did you know the Freelance Writers Den has it’s own affiliate marketing program? If you’re a member, why not write about the Den on your blog, use an affiliate link, and earn money to pay for your membership or make a little extra.
4. The ‘comparison of two products’ article
What’s better than one review? Two reviews.
That’s right. By taking the comparison angle, you’re able to squeeze two different reviews into a single article. Neat stuff, huh?
Often times, this is where most of your affiliate sales will come from. People searching between two very particular services are on the verge of purchasing. Writing a comparison can help to sway readers to your product or affiliate offer, which means more money made at the end of the day.
But is a comparison of two products really worth writing? Is it better than just a solo review?
In my opinion it is. Why? Because comparison keywords tend to be MUCH less competitive to rank for in Google.
Here’s an example looking at some email marketing services.
*All numbers on this table have been directly acquired through Ahrefs.com–a wonderful service for SEO’ers.
A brief lesson on SEO strategy
Notice that while the search volume is really high for the solo keywords, so is the competition. Most bloggers would have a very hard time ranking for those searches.
But look what happens when you compare Mailchimp and Constant Contact. The competition score drops down to an 8. That’s exponentially easier to rank for. And you still have a shot at 3,700 people (every month) potentially looking to buy.
As far as how to write a comparison post, here’s an example from my site comparing Thinkific vs Teachable.
But remember, this style of article works in any niche.
Here are two examples from popular food blogs: This first one compares the organic meal delivery services Green Chef and Sun Basket, and this second article compares the grocery delivery service Shipt vs Instacart.
Blog to make money writing
If you want to make money writing on your blog, it’s is entirely possible. And if you do it right, it can become a source of passive income. Thousands of people do it every single day. And it all starts with simply including a few blog posts that give you the best chance to get paid.
It’s important to realize that these money-making articles aren’t slimy sales pitches. Readers appreciate them. You’re helping readers save time, buy with confidence, and learn from your personal experience and research. That’s valuable.
And the cool thing, you can make money writing in any niche with these four types of blog posts. Do a little keyword research to find the best opportunities, and start writing.
How do you make money blogging? Leave a comment below.
Dave Chesson is the creator of the e-book keyword research tool KDP Rocket (yes, Carol uses, recommends, and proudly affiliate sells it). He also shares in-depth book marketing guides on Kindlepreneur.com
