How Bloggers Make Money in 2026

We’ve all seen ’em. Those blogs that make A TON of money. Sustainable and lucrative businesses created from blogging, that give their creators the freedom to determine their work location and hours. Sounds like a dream come true right? So, how do bloggers make money from their blog in 2026?

In this blog post, we take a deep dive into different methods of blog monetization so you can decide which method (or methods!) works best for you. I’ll explain what they are, why they work to earn money, and where to start in your own blogging journey to implement these monetization methods today.

Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on them, I may earn a commission, at no additional cost to you.  See my disclaimer page for more information.

How Bloggers Make Money in 2026

01. Affiliate Marketing

What it is: Affiliate marketing is when you, the blogger, promotes someone else’s product or service on your blog, in exchange for earning commission off the sales of that product or service. Essentially, affiliate marketing is where someone else makes the product/service, and you earn money off the sales when you promote the product/service.

Why it works: You don’t need to create your own product! You simply recommend products you’re already using, love, and trust. Affiliate marketing is beneficial for both parties because the blogger earns income and the reader learns about the blogger’s expert recommendations that have helped them achieve success (so that the reader can hopefully replicate that success).

Where to Start: Some common affiliate programs that you can join to begin promoting affiliate products include programs such as Amazon Associates and Awin. Here, you can search for individual products to promote to your audience.

You can also look to see if your favorite online courses or digital products have affiliate links that you can use to promote and earn money, like this one from Michelle Schroeder-Gardner, which goes into detail on how she makes over $50,000 a month from affiliate marketing! This course is a must-have if you are serious about monetizing your blog. Click the image below for a free copy of Michelle’s ebook on affiliate marketing.

How to implement: You can incorporate affiliate links in blog posts (like I have done in this post), social media, and email newsletters. You can also write in-depth product reviews, tutorials or create a “best of” list.

NOTE:  It is important that you include an affiliate disclosure in your blog posts that promote affiliate products, like the one that I included at the top of this post. By law, you have to notify your readers that you can make a small commission if they choose to purchase your recommended affiliate product. This is just good business practice, where you are being honest with your readers and don’t seem shady. I go ahead and just include this disclosure at the top of every post, so I’m covered, no matter what affiliate products I decide to add or not.

02. Sell Digital Products

What it is: You can create downloadable, digital products to sell on your website like digital planners, content calendars, social media templates, website templates, ebooks, and more.

Why it works: The great thing about digital products is, you only have to make it one time, but you can sell it again and again. This makes them a great source of passive income!

How to implement: I made a Content Strategy Workbook in Canva, for bloggers that need help coming up with a consistent content schedule, for their right target audience. I simply just sell copies of the template, so the original is not altered. You can also sell these digital products that you make on e-commerce websites that generate traffic for you, like Etsy (get 40 FREE Etsy listings here) and Creative Market. Take advantage of multiple income streams when you can!

Pro Tip: Create digital products that belong in your niche, so your audience will be interested in purchasing them.

➡️ ➡️ Another hack for selling digital products, is to buy PLR (Private Label Rights) products from others, and sell them as your own. PLR products are the ready-made digital creation of someone else, that is accompanied by an intellectual property license from the owner, that is granted to you when you purchase the product. 

The license allows you to claim authorship, fully modify the product as you wish, and the ability to sell it as your own product. Some people prefer this method, as it saves a lot of time with both the creative process and the development of digital products.

03. Ads

You can also monetize your blog by including display advertisements on your website.  It is my opinion though, that ads should not take away from the user experience. 

Have you ever visited someone’s blog before, or any website for that matter, and all of these pop-up ads come up?  Pop-up ads can really irritate your audience, and you don’t want to scare them away.  You wrote your blog post because you want people to read it, so let them read it! 

With that being said, ads are a type of “set it and forget it” type of passive income, so why not at least give it a try? Within moderation. When you have consistent page views, you can start applying to ad programs like:

• Google AdSense: The payout for Google AdSense depends on the amount of traffic you get, where ads are displayed on your website, etc.  There is a payment model based on per-click commissions at the cost-per-click rate, depending on how many people click on an ad on your site. There is also a payment model based on per-impression commissions for how many times users see an ad on your site. 
• Mediavine (50k sessions/month requirement): According to Mediavine’s website, revenue share begins at 75% to the publisher, and can be as high as 90%. 
• Raptive (Formerally AdThrive) (100k sessions/month requirement): See the creator levels here, to find your earning potential if you have enough traffic to your website.

04. Sponsored Posts & Brand Partnerships

What it is: Brands pay you to feature their product or service in your blog post, social media post, or other type of brand collaboration.

I don’t have any sponsored posts on this blog as of December 2025, but I do have an example of a brand collaboration I did with EVOLVh on my Tik Tok account (follow me @curlygirlcontour).

Why it works: you get free products to try in exchange for promoting the brand’s product. Think almost like you’re acting as an influencer.

Where to start: some brands may reach out to you to partner with them, but if you aren’t getting any brand collaboration offers and you want to get the ball rolling, create a media kit to send brands you want to partner with. Make sure your media kit highlights your analytics, audience demographics and niche.

05. Offer Services

What it is: Use the expertise you have showcased on your blog, to offer 1:1, done-with-you, or done-for-you services.

Why it works: You’ve already built credibility with your audience on your blog. Offering more direct services is a quick way to earn money.

Where to start: Monetize your expertise by offering services such as coaching (1:1 or group), consulting, social media management, virtual assistant work, or freelance writing/design, etc.

How to implement: Showcase your knowledge and skills on your blog. Create a webpage that details the services you offer, and promote these services to your email list and social media followers.

06. Membership Sites and Paid Exclusive Content

What it is: Offer exclusive content, subscriptions, or community access for a monthly fee.

Why it works: People love to feel like they are “in the know”, and are willing to pay to get on the inside. Plus, with recurring monthly payments, you have a more steady form of income.

07. Online Courses & Workshops

What it is: Package your expertise into a structured course or workshop on platforms like Thinkific or Thrivecart.

Where to start: break down a skill or process that you’ve mastered into steps that are easy for anyone to follow. You can even offer a limited number of courses initially at a discounted price in exchange for testimonials.

How to implement: you can also promote your course/workshop to your email list and social media followers. You can offer bonuses like checklists, Q&A sessions, or other digital products to encourage your audience to enroll.

I created a course, How to Start a Blog, that details the step-by-step process for beginners to create a money-making blog from scratch. This course is designed for those who have no previous technical computer experience or training.

08. Build an Email List

“THE MONEY IS IN THE LIST!”

This is a popular saying amongst bloggers and content marketers because they know that an email list allows you to develop a deeper connection with your audience. This foundation of trust that is established by regularly emailing your most loyal followers, sets the ideal stage for those on your list to buy your services and products.

Why it works: Unlike your social media following, you own your email list. If your social media accounts closed tomorrow, you would still have your email list. No one can take your email list away from you.

How to implement: Start building your email list TODAY, using a reliable email platform. I used to use the platform Kit (formerly Convertkit) and recommend this platform for starting your own list. I have tried other email platforms before, and I have found that Kit is the most user-friendly and gives me the most options for automation. Automation is key, because it does the leg work for you, instantly, at any time of day. Offer a free digital product, or a lead magnet, where you give your audience value in exchange for their email address. I currently use Flodesk, and decided to switch to Flodesk, because I love how beautiful their emails are.

An example of a lead magnet to get email subscribers is this Pre-Launch Blog Checklist that I created. It is a 49-point checklist for beginner bloggers to start their blog off the RIGHT way. Enter your email address below to have this checklist sent directly to your inbox.

Pro tip: Don’t just get people on your email list and then ignore them! Regularly send newsletters to your subscribers that are jam-packed with value. Incorporate your paid offers into your newsletters, but always OVERDELIVER on value.

09. Host Webinars and Live Trainings

If you are more of an introvert, this option may not be the best for you, because webinars are live trainings. It gives me hives just typing about it in this blog post-ha!

Why it works: the live interaction fosters deeper connection and trust. You can teach something valuable live and then pitch a product or service at the end.

How to implement: Stream your live training on a platform like Zoom. You can offer limited-time bonuses (like digital products) to encourage live attendance. Promote the webinar to your email list and social media followers multiple times beforehand, to give people the chance to attend.

Pro tip: Don’t unload everything you’ve ever learned in your niche. Keep your webinar short (30-60 minutes) and give attendees a clear, actionable takeaway.

Howdy, ya’ll. Thanks for hanging out with me and reading this blog post. Tell me what you think of these money-making ideas in the comments. And if you found this post helpful, be sure to pin it to Pinterest to save it for later. And don’t forget to sign up for your pre-launch blog checklist below.

Love, Sarah Grace