3 Types Of Paid Blog Posts Your Site Can Use To Make Money

Paid blog posts represent a core way for bloggers and website owners to make money. The premise is easy to understand; you’re getting paid for posts to appear on your website.

The amount you’re paid depends on different factors, such as:

• Your blog’s success and metrics.
• Your blogging niche.
• The company you’re dealing with.
• The type of blog post you’re adding to your site.

That last factor is one I would like to highlight in today’s blog post. Paid posts can be split into three general categories and I’ll explain what they are, how they help you make money, and what else to consider before choosing to get started with this method of blog monetization.

Sponsored Posts

A sponsored post is a blog article that a brand has financially supported. It’s not a straight-up advert; the blogger tends to get some creative freedom in choosing what to write.

The normal sponsored posts process looks a little like this:

• You join a platform like Blogger Tuesday and get sent sponsored opportunities to your inbox.
• You contact brands with proposals and ask about the sponsorship opportunity.
• The brand comes back with details of what they want from you – type of post, number of posts, etc.
• You create blog posts and send them to the brand.
• The brand okays the posts and you publish them.

You’re paid a set fee for sponsored posts that are decided partially by the brand and partially by you. As a freelancer, you get to set your rates – but businesses don’t have to agree with them. It’s important to stand your ground and avoid being underpaid, particularly if you’re experienced.

Sponsored articles usually mention the brand in some way and might include links to their products/services. They’ll always be noted as “sponsored posts” by the blogger, mentioning the sponsor in the introduction or header.

Paid Adverts

Next, paid adverts are slightly different versions of sponsored posts. You’ll remember I said that bloggers have more creative freedom when writing a sponsored article. There’s more back and forth between the creator and brand; it’s a collaboration to make a post that fits the blog and paints the sponsor in a positive light. Paid adverts are purely promotional.

Rather than buying ad space, businesses buy blog posts. It gives the brand a direct connection to its target market, shining a light on certain products or services. The entire post is usually focused on promoting a specific thing, so that’s what it will be about.

An example of a paid advert blog post is a product review. A brand pays you to write about and review its product, giving it a good rating. You’re basically showcasing the product’s features to your readers and trying to sell it to them.

Posts like these are tricky as readers won’t always like them. They don’t like the idea of having adverts shoved down their throats. Clever bloggers will find ways to make these adverts feel natural while pocketing the money from the brand. As there’s a direct promotional element to a post like this, it usually gets better pay rates than sponsored ones.

It’s also worth noting that sponsored posts and paid adverts can implement affiliate marketing too. Brands may give you a special link to use in your content if you wish. Readers who click on the link and purchase a product will net you a lovely sales fee for extra income.

Guest Posts

The third type of paid blog post is a guest post. New bloggers are encouraged to use guest posting as a way to expand their reach. You contact other bloggers or media outlets and ask them to write a post for their platform. They agree, giving you free coverage and access to an established audience. Readers from the sites may like your content and visit your blog for more.

So how is this a paid blog post method? Well, you can set up a system where you accept guest posts on your blog for a fee. Loads of brands are eager to pay for this as it helps them with link building. This is the act of generating backlinks to their website, which helps with SEO.

From your point of view, your blog gets lots of content without you needing to write it. You also pocket some money at the same time. Just make sure the guest posts fit your niche and can be placed in a category on your website. If they’re completely random it might upset regular readers.

Next Steps

Explore the three different types of paid blog posts to help your site make more money. The great thing about these ideas is that they can exist together – your blog can have sponsored posts, paid adverts, and guest posts living in harmony. It’s all up to you how you choose to monetize your website! Next up, you may want to explore a guide on creating share-worthy content.