Monetizing your Website

So, you have a successful and popular website or blog, with hundreds or even thousands of unique visitors every week. How do you go about turning those visitors into income?

There are a variety of different methods that you can use. Let’s say you run a website and blog about the Ocoee river, focusing on tips and advice for Ocoee rafting enthusiasts.

Selling Advertising

Perhaps the most common way of monetizing a website like this is the placement of ads on your website that you get paid for views or clicks.

Google Ads are a popular method of making an income from advertising, and the Google team has made it easy to incorporate their ads onto your site.

However, you could also take control of your own advertising and contact rafting companies or outdoor supply companies, offering to place their ads on your website for a fee. You need to be careful that you do not overload your page with ads, as this can turn off visitors and end up losing you traffic.

Selling Products

The Amazon affiliates program allows you to gain a commission every time someone purchases a product from Amazon after clicking a link on your website. Placing links to rafting and river supplies on your Ocoee rafting website could net you a significant income, especially if you point your visitors towards them.

Make sure not to irritate your visitors by recommending products that they do not want, as this can adversely affect your reputation. Alternatively, you could set up an online store where you sell products that you have sourced yourself. You could also develop your own products, such as eBooks with tips and advice on getting the most out of the area.

Offering Reviews

While taking payment from companies to review their products on your website can net a significant level of income, you need to be very careful not to damage your reputation. If you decide to go this route, you should be up-front with your readers, letting them know that you have been paid for your review.

You should always give your honest opinion on each product or service that you are reviewing. After all, while a company might not give you more business due to an honest but negative review, if your readers no longer return due to feeling that you are a corporate shill, you will lose out on much more.

The particular method of monetization that you choose is entirely dependent on your website and your individual circumstances. The number one lesson you should always bear in mind when monetizing your website is that you need to strike a balance between gaining an income and keeping the elements that made your website popular to begin with.

Post by guest blogger Shane, a writer who enjoys blogging about online business, from Ocoee river websites to blogging.

Image by mohamed Hassan from Pixabay