Beyond the Coupon

11 Ways to Monetize Your Blog

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If you want to earn a little money on the side or turn your blog into a full time business, here are some tips from Blog Marketing Academy  on the best ways to monetize your blog.

1. Membership Programs

The “freemium” model is a huge and growing trend in online income right now. You provide a lot of quality content for free to your audience, and you provide a premium-level program to those willing to pay for it. You charge a monthly membership and that provides continuity and a steady income stream.

Learn how to set up a market a membership site using this free guide I set up.

2. Information Products (Of Your Own)

The selling of knowledge is HUGE. If you build up your position in your market, you can then sell quality information to that market. This can take the form of e-books, audio, videos, or all of the above. You can package them up or just sell them digitally. If you author the product yourself (recommended), then you keep 100% of the profit.

3. Services/Consulting/Coaching

Another great way to make money with a blog is an indirect one. Use the blog to build reputation. Build a brand and build an audience. Then, you make your money by directing that attention into offline services, consulting and/or coaching. This can be quite lucrative. The drawback is that you are, again, trading time for money. So, it is only scalable up to a point.

As an example, you can hire me for a website review.

4. Speaking Gigs

If you become well known as an expert in your niche, you can turn that into speaking gigs which you get paid for. Chris Brogan does this with his blog. Whether he makes money directly with his blog or not (I honestly don’t know), I know he gets paid to speak at various events.

5. Product Sales

If you have a physical product line to offer, you can use the blog as a face for your online store. Sell whatever you want. For example, if you are an artist, you can use an online store to sell art pieces and a blog to build up audience and a following.

6. Affiliate Programs

Affiliate marketing is a great way to build up your income. You offer the products of others to your audience and get paid when they buy it. In fact, any time you recommend a relevant product or service to your audience, check to see if they have an affiliate program. If so, sign up and use your affiliate link. After all, if you’d recommend it to your readers anyway, you might as well make a little cut if they happen to buy.

GiftCardRescue.com’s affiliate program pays you $5 for every card that that is bought though your referred readers and 2% of all cards that are sold by your readers.

7. Direct Ad Sales

Banner ads and in-text ads are another popular way to make money. In fact, it is usually the first method you think of. However, if you’re going to go this route, selling the ads directly will result in more cash in your pocket. As I mentioned in my video evaluation of Jim On Light, make a media kit for your blog. As for pricing, I would recommend you shoot for twice your eCPM from Google Adsense. Why twice? Because that’s what Google is charging (they take half).

8. Banner Advertising

OK, if you don’t want to sell your own ads, you can obviously still run network advertising from a variety of different sources. Personally, I am using Adsense, Kontera, IDG and a little bit of Tribal Fusion.

You can also direct sell ads and use network ads as filler for unused inventory. It is done all the time.

9. Paid Posts

Yes, you can get paid to review products and sites on your blog. Sites like PayPerPost andReviewMe are popular options. I’ve seen some blogs sell this option directly. When doing this, it is important to disclose the fact that it is a paid review. It is also important that you maintain your integrity and never give a positive review unless you’re really feeling it.

10. Job Boards

Some sites (like ProBlogger) have job boards. It does work for some sites, however it probably won’t work for a majority of blogs out there.

11. Build It & Sell It

OK, I’ve thrown in an eleventh one as a bonus. :)

You can build up a blog, build an audience, then turn around and sell the thing. In fact, some people actually buy blogs which are dead or are vastly underutliized by their owners. They’ll then put their marketing skills to work, build the SEO backlinks, build the readership. Then, they turn around and sell it at a profit. It can work. I’ve never done it myself personally, but I’ve read of others who have.

10 Caribbean Destinations You Can Afford

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Whether you are looking for a cultural enriching get away or a relaxing beach retreat, the Caribbean is never disappointing.  Your next Caribbean vacation is more affordable then you think. Get the sunscreen and flip flops ready. Here is a list of 10 perfect Caribbean destinations for those looking for fun in the sun, on a budget.

Virgin Gorda

Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands

 Leave it to a Rockefeller to turn an unassuming patch of land into the Caribbean’s priciest island. When the financier Laurance Rockefeller opened the Little Dix resort on Virgin Gorda in the 1960s, he set a tone of luxurious seclusion that’s still prized on the island. With an average nightly rate of $321 per night for a double room, Virgin Gorda is no one’s idea of a bargain getaway. But you can still find a great place to stay for much less.

The key to keeping costs down on Virgin Gorda is to think beyond the resort walls. The hundreds of vacation-rental options listed on sites like VRBO and TripAdvisoroffer excellent value. For instance, the Coffee & Tea Absolute Beachfront Cottages has a five-out-of-five rating on TripAdvisor and rates from $171 per night. There’s also the popular and affordable Guavaberry Spring Bay Vacation Homes, a cluster of ocean-view one-, two-, and three-bedroom units with rates starting at $160 per night in spring and summer and $250 during the winter high season.

Anguilla

From the caress of the powdery white sand underfoot to the sea’s constantly shifting kaleidoscope of azures, there’s a delight for every sense on Anguilla. It’s a place that shrugs off the high-rise beach-vacation vibe in favor of simple relaxed elegance. But that unpretentious polish can come with a high price tag. And while the average nightly rate of $315 delivers some pretty special experiences—think watching the sun set over the ocean from your balcony’s private plunge pool at the Viceroy Anguilla or savoring a towel-side delivery of sorbet on the beach at Cap Juluca—the rarefied pleasures of the island don’t have to be expensive.

Dotting the island are smaller and locally owned properties, many of them on some of the island’s best beaches—where you can expect to pay significantly less than you would at Anguilla’s famed upscale resorts. Rooms are sometimes modest and amenities simple, but you’ll still have perfect proximity to the real reason for being there: gorgeous stretches of beach; warm, clear water; and plenty of island charm. At the intimate Anacaona Boutique Hotel, April rates start at $160 per night. And a recent Expedia search uncovered April rates of around $202 per night at the Anguilla Great House, which offers rooms just steps from the beach on magnificent Rendezvous Bay. Browse the Anguilla Tourist Board’s list of small hotels for more affordable inspiration.

Additional Savings Tip: Even if you don’t stay at a fancy resort, you can still sample the high life. Book a spa treatment or go to dinner at a resort, and then make extra time to enjoy the vibe, the views, and the grounds.

Additional Savings Tip: Famous for its natural beauty, many of the best things to do on Virgin Gorda are either free or dazzlingly inexpensive. For instance, entry into The Baths National Park, a collection of sea pools created by massive granite boulders, is just $3 per person.

For more ways to save money on vacations, consider purchasing discounted gift cards available at GiftCardRescue.com and make that dream vacation a reality.

Read the full list at HuffingtonPost

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