Top 10 Ways to Monetize Your Blog for 2009

December 11, 2008 By BJ Cook,

Whether you’re blogging for fun or to survive; there are some creative ways to monetize your blog content that you are slaving over day-to-day. Erin and I looked behind blogs, under buttons and around the web to share some of the more unique methods people are using to increase revenues through their blogs.

Become an affiliate – Be a marketing partner for the companies and brands you love. Promote their products and services and earn a percentage of the sales that come from your blog. Check out Amazon, Commission Junction, Text Link Ads, AdBrite and Adgitize.
Get revenue from your content sharing tool - Why just allow readers to share your content when you can help them Share+ … Install this new blog plugin and increase your advertising exposure within the social sharing process. You can see our little blue button in each of our posts. Get the blog plugin here.
Expose your hidden talents -Expand your readers’ minds and understanding of what you do by exposing them to ideas and information they would otherwise not know. Maybe that hidden carpentry, painting or animation hobby is worth something.
Monetize your video content -The Amazon Associate program allows you to choose products to show as people watch your home grown videos. Choose from their assortment of products and when they follow those links and purchase those products you earn money.
Implement widgetized advertising - Programs like WidgetBucks let you choose from their network of advertisers and create interactive widgets that your readers can scan while reading your content.
Donations - Show how you’re giving back by adding a donations button on your blog. Setting up Paypal can help supplement your hard earned time in providing readers with valuable content.
Productize your blog - Using services like Lulu, Blurb and WPtex; you can now turn that beautiful blog of yours into a book. Look at your archives. Aren’t there some gold nuggets in there?
Join a PayPerPost Marketplace - Earn money from reviewing websites, products and services. Blog your opinions and advertisers pay you for it. Get paid for each post.
Direct Advertising Sales - If you’ve got the loyal base of readers, then this is for you. Integrate ad space into your blog design and announce your new advertising program. This can be a regular income earning source for those celebrity bloggers.
Take your blog into retail - Do you have a blog with a solid image? Sell merchandise through Cafepress.com. Increase your exposure through selling your merchandise with your logo on it.

So I'm sure there are 100 other ways to monetize your blog for 2009, so if we missed any leave us a comment and help others out. Thanks to all who submitted their ideas via Twitter - @tomob, @webconnoisseur, @MorganWitt, @Skitzzo and of course @GroovyBrent