The Complete Guide to: making money blogging when you have a small following (2024)

Talking about subjects I’m very passionate about, making money blogging (with a small following) is probably part of my top 3. Today I want to share a new guide that I’ll be adding articles and resources to the next few weeks to help you make money with your blog if you have a small following.

Many of the strategies you find online, focus on building a following first and then making money. Or focus on making money from blog sponsors and ads, but that’s almost impossible when you have a small following. I know because I’ve been blogging fulltime the past 8 years, and I have been blogging for more than 15 years!

Many of my blog coaching clients have asked me questions about making money blogging, growing your blog, following and traffic. Well, it DOES matter of course, but it shouldn’t be your focus point.

Your focus TODAY should be making money with a small following.

So, therefore, I’ll share my best resources, and I’ll update this post as often as possible. Make sure you also head over to my Ultimate Guide To Blogging for all blog tips & resources you need.

My blog post strategies of making money blogging with a small following series:

• #1: Mailchimp vs Convertkit: growing your list to 5000+ and which is best if you want to make money blogging with a small following?
• #2: How to use Tailwind Tribes to grow your blog traffic and make more sales on autopilot with automatic Pinterest scheduling
• #3: Blog networks you should sign up to when you’re a blogger with a small following
• #4: You should try to grow your traffic and followers organically for free with these automations
• #5: 16 ways to drive traffic to old blog posts to double your blog income (+ free pdf checklist)
• #6: The 25 tools I use to run my 5-figure automated business and blog – networks, plugins, software, tools and hosting
• #7: 7 Smart strategies you don’t know yet that will prepare you for bad financial times as a blogger
• #8: The fail-proof way to quit your 9 – 5 job to become a full-time blogger
• #9. Recurring income affiliate programs and the highest paying affiliate programs
• #10.6 Blog mistakes that are keeping you from making money
• #11. 5 Reasons why you should build a profitable blog to make passive income online now, before even thinking about building an online business or going freelance (including free ‘passive income 101’ ebook)
• #12. 3 Surprising business tasks for bloggers including free checklist + video training

Download my free checklist making money blogging with a small following:

Free courses that will help you make money blogging:

I’ve created a couple of free email courses that you can follow if you have a small following because they both help you reach more people. From your network or by pitching. You can enroll here for free:

• Your Network Is Your Network. YNIYNW is not a course about networking, it’s about unlocking the hidden power of reaching out to people. Sign-up to receive this three-day course for FREE. Stop the hustle, stop the overactivity and stop cold pitching. It’s finally time to do less and actually leveraging your relationships.
• A Media Kit That Sells. Hey you, blogger or creative entrepreneur, is your business ready for the next level? Sign up for the free e-mail course A Media Kit That Sells.Want to turn your blog, website, shop or company into a successful press attention machine and a profitable biz? Sign up forA media kit that sells.Learn how to successfully pitch to the right person and how to totally rock every e-mail! The e-mail course shows you a step-by-step process to create not only an awesome product to pitch yourownproduct, but also how to convert the first e-mails intosales and press mentions!

Courses:

I have a couple of resources for you that helped me grow massively. Money wise, by understanding my money blocks and by working with a money coach. Social media courses that helped me understand Facebook Ads and affiliate income. Here they are, I can recommend these courses:

• This ebook isa great resource to help you get started with an affiliate marketing strategy to make money blogging. Created by Michelle, who earns $50,000 per month (and often more!) from her blog with affiliate marketing, this course makes a great investment for small bloggers.
• I’m a big fan of Yoast SEO and their SEO Academy is a good point to start and dip your toes in the more advanced/technical blog stuff while having no experience or knowledge. It’s easier to set up your SEO-strategy from the beginning, so you don’t have to update 1000+ blog posts later.

Top resources that helped me make money blogging with just a small following:

And then there are my favorite resources that I depend on every day I run my business AND when I’m away, maybe even especially when I’m away.

• Tailwind. Tailwinds helps me grow my Pinterest traffic and following. Join different Tailwind Tribes and grow your traffic!
• Planoly. Auto post of schedule your Instagram posts and helps me plan out a beautiful Instagram grid, which helps to attract followers. Oh, and how great, you can also plan your Instagram Stories, and publish photos/videos taken over 24 hours before 😉
• Convertkit. Email marketing is important, but Convertkit is so much more. They deliver my free content upgrades, free courses and help me with my free publicity strategy. Best monthly investment thus far! They also have a FREE plan, so you can get started today!
• Teachable is after the previous tools the tool I use the most. With Teachable you can create your own online course (for free).
• Themeforest helps you find the perfect blog theme that’s easy to install with just one click. It’s a marketplace with blog designs and super easy to use.
• Podia combines all the features Teachable, Convertkit and Patreon offer – run your membership site, your online courses and email marketing all from just one subscription (for just $29 via this link!)

You might also like to read:

• The Complete Guide to: making money blogging when you have a small following
• Ultimate resource list: must have apps and tools for digital nomads
• 7 Ways to boost your blog
• 6 Content creation mistakes that are keeping you from making money
• Blogging Wave Training video #1