How I make money from my blog...and so can you!

I've been fortunate enough to be able to make some money off of my blog. It's not enough to solely support me and my husband, but to us it's still a blessing. It's because of all of you that we have been so blessed. So thank you for coming to my blog and clicking on the ads because it has helped me and Chase when we had nothing but your clicks for our income.

1. Sponsorships
        The biggest chunk of my blog income comes from my sponsors. However, it's also the most unpredictable. Some months I will have seven sponsors. Other months I'll only have one.
        The best part about being sponsored is you can set your own prices. Sometimes they'll say no because it's too expensive, sometimes they just won't answer back. If you're not sure how much to charge, start with your CPM (cost-per-mille - mille meaning 1,000 in Latin). You calculate your CPM by dividing the advertising cost by your monthly page views in the thousands. For example, if you have 100,000 page views and you are charging $100 for an ad, you would do this:  $100 / 100 views = $1 CPM. It's good to stay around the $1 CPM range.
   
   If you're a smaller blogger and your hits aren't in the thousands yet, don't bet on getting a lot of sponsors. Rely on these following programs instead:
   
2. Google Adsense
        This is the best way to make a little cash! They pay through pageviews and click-thrus so if you're not getting enough clicks, you know you're getting some from your pageviews. I suggest putting an ad up on your blog and your feeds because you also get paid through feed clicks! To start making money, you can go to your Blogger dashboard, and then go to the Monetize tab. That is where you can figure out where to place your ads on your blog and feed. If you're wondering where the best spots are to place ads on your blog, go here. You get paid once you reach $100.
   
   
3. Shopstyle
        You know the little widget at the end of all my outfit posts? They're all by Shopstyle. If you sign up with them at shopsense.shopstyle.com, you can set up all sorts of ads. You get paid through clicks. I'm not sure how much - they don't say which is kind of annoying. You get paid once you reach $100. This is best for when you want to show some of your favorite products.
   
   
4. Beso
        This is best for bloggers who are just starting out. Their minimum payment limit is $50 so you won't have to wait as long like for Shopstyle. You can sign up at publisher.shopzilla.com. Their website is kind of hard to figure out. If you need help, email me.
        They have banner ads and one-category widgets so you can't do favorites or anything, which is a bummer. You also get paid through clicks from Beso. Right now, Beso is offering a $10 credit towards your account when you add their Beso widget to your blog. If you're interested, sign up here and email them saying you put the widget up and that you want your money!
        You can also embed text links into your content. It's a lot easier to do for Beso than Shopstyle. This is perfect for outfit details. If you're wearing a black turtleneck, you can link that to Beso's black turtlenecks and get paid every time someone clicks on them! (Like I just did.)
   
   
5. What has worked for you so far?

Please keep in mind that although ads can be a good thing, it's also annoying to go to a blog when they are EVERYWHERE. Be mindful of how many and where you place them. The most optimal spot could also be the most annoying for your readers.

So yes, it is possible to make a little money from your blog but that's it. If you're blogging because you want to make money, you're going to be VERY disappointed. I made pennies for a LONG time until I actually started seeing dollar amounts.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me.