Even if you didn’t get into blogging with thoughts of earning money from it swirling around in your head, it doesn’t take long before you realize that many people are in fact doing just that. And then of course the next question you have is, “How can I earn money with my blog?”

I’ve been blogging for two years now and have discovered tons of ways to monetize my online property, and I’m really excited to share those with you. I sincerely hope this helps you whether you are a newbie or a seasoned blogging professional.

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Ad Networks

You might already know that you can earn money by placing advertisements from various ad networks on your site. For many bloggers, Google Adsense is one of the best earners followed closely by Media.net and Chitika. There are also several smaller, more independent ad networks like Izea Media through Social Spark and the BlogHer Publishing Network.

How can these ads earn you money? Usually either per click or per impression. If you have ads on your site that pay per click, you’ll get a little money every time someone clicks them. If you are displaying an ad that is pay per impression, you’ll earn a set dollar amount for every thousand or so views that ad gets.

In-Text Links

In-text links are another popular choice for monetizing. These are the little ads you see that pop up when your mouse hovers over certain words while you’re skimming content on a page. Admittedly many people find these ads annoying, but there is no denying that they can be good blog money-makers. Some popular networks to consider are Infolinks and Kontera.

Sponsored Posts

You probably already know a little about sponsored posts if you’ve ever done any review blogging. Basically this is when a company contacts you, either directly or through a network, and offers you compensation for writing about their product or service. Some companies that are known for connecting bloggers to various companies for sponsored post opportunities are Social Spark and Pay Per Post.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of my favorite ways to earn money with my blogs! It works like this — you sign up to be an affiliate (either through a network or directly for a company), and then you promote them on your blog. You can do this either with a post or just put their banner ad in your sidebar. If you can convince your readers to buy something from them (pay per sale) or sign up on their site (pay per lead), you’ll get paid. It goes without saying that you should always do this honestly and try to steer your readers toward things you feel good about recommending. Never mislead them just to make a quick buck. Two of my favorite affiliate networks are the Escalate Network and Logical Media.

Paid Advertisements

It’s not a bad idea to sell ad space on your blog. Make a page with all your traffic details and stats (PR, Alexa rank, etc.) and then set a price per month or per week. Make sure your prices are reasonable — if you get a lot of traffic, you can probably get away with charging more. Also make sure your “Advertise Here” banner or text is visible so that people stopping by will see it as an option.

I’ll close this by saying that every blog is different. What works for one may not work for another, so don’t be afraid to get out there and experiment with different methods for monetizing until you come up with the perfect money-making combination for your blog. Good luck!

Anna Thurman researches various online money-earning opportunities and work at home jobs. Her findings are published via her website, Real Ways to Earn Money Online.