Estimated reading time: 21 minutes
Learn how bloggers make money and turn your blog into a lucrative business with Canadian Budget Binder’s tips and tricks.
Disclosure: If you purchase through our links we are compensated at no cost to you.
Learn From My Blogging Mistakes
It took me years to figure out how bloggers make money, and now I’m earning a 5 figure annual income with Canadian Budget Binder.
How many of you have contemplated starting a blog but struggling with getting it off the ground?
That was me ten years ago, and I’m still here working hard for my readers and connecting with them.
When I started Canadian Budget Binder on WordPress.com, I had no idea bloggers make money.
Can you believe it?
Here’s a guy who loves earning and saving money, and I missed opportunities.
Some bloggers from all niches are raking in millions of dollars yearly with their blogs.
It’s true, and as soon as I found out, I had to make money blogging to pay for the high blog bills.
Blogging to make money is not accessible because as you grow, your blog grows with it.
If you’re unfamiliar with coding or fixing your blog, you must hire people to buy themes and plugins.
For years, I mainly blogged about frugal Living and debt reduction on the free WordPress platform.
In 2014, we finally paid off our $265,000 mortgage minus a downpayment of $85,000, equalling $180,000.
Our blog had nothing to do with paying our mortgage off in 5 years.
Follow me, and let me share a little about how bloggers make money by monetizing a blog.
Side Hustles We Used To Make Money Before Blogging
- Frugal Living (coupons, rewards points, deals, discount codes etc)
- Earning Cash through focus groups and food and drink testing.
- Offering a room for homestay students in Canada
- Buying products from second-hand shops and garage sales to flip.
- Nielsen Home Scan Canada earns points for grocery shopping, redeemable as rewards from their catalogue.
The exciting part was that we weren’t debt-free when this blog began, as we still had our mortgage.
The above suggestions are how we made money to become debt-free.
Canadian Budget Binder was an accountability blog that kept us focused and motivated.
At the same time, we were hoping to inspire others who wanted to reduce debt.
However, when you think you are doing everything to make money, BOOM, you realize you missed the boat.
The great thing about making money blogging is you can jump in at any time to implement the ways I will discuss below.
I missed out on blogging to make money to fuel debt reduction, but that has changed.
Do Bloggers Make Money?
First, making money blogging takes time to build up your audience, email list, and networking circuits.
Some experienced bloggers know how to earn fast money because they’ve blogged for years.
For new bloggers looking to monetize a blog, this post is to help bring awareness to you.
It wasn’t until around 2014 that WordPress.com contacted me to let me know I could monetize my blog.
Related: How I earned my first $1000 blogging on Canadian Budget Binder.
They had metrics that bloggers had to meet before registering for advertising.
Monetizing a blog means finding ways to earn money from a blog to earn an income.
It took me FOREVER to earn $90 because you don’t get paid much.
For some, blogging is just extra income; for others, it’s a full-time job that can get competitive.
I found out that I was not up to speed on a blogger’s income, which was lucrative.
So, how are these bloggers earning all of this money with a blog?
- Advertising Marketing
- Selling Their Services
- Sponsored Posts
- Affiliate Marketing
- Digital Marketing
- Selling Products They’ve Created Example: Budget Printables (Shhh…we give them away for free here.
- Social Media
Let’s explore each of these ways bloggers make money, but this is just scratching the surface.
Creating A Blog That People Will Read
Making Money On Canadian Budget Binder
When I started Canadian Budget Binder, I never considered blogging to make money,
All I wanted to do was share our financial journey to debt freedom and offer free financial tools.
Please don’t pay for printables when you can get them free at Canadian Budget Binder.
Sometimes, I would tell my wife I didn’t think anyone would read my blog.
Who wants to know how a couple became debt-free so young?
Well, I was wrong, and ten years later, we have thousands of readers every day from around the world.
It’s not just Canadians who stop in to read and subscribe, which is fascinating.
Having a diverse audience is essential to me because you get financial views worldwide.
Bloggers Make Money In Surprising Ways
I hired a blog designer in 2013 and paid him $800 to move Canadian Budget Binder to self-hosted.
He moved my blog to WordPress.org and set me up with Blue Host as my hosting company.
I soon realized I needed to move from Blue Host to a company that could handle CBB.
That’s when I found Big Scoots, and have been with them ever since.
If you’re a new blog, I 120% suggest BigScoots Hosting.
You’ll also need an email company that allows you to send posts to your subscribers.
You can also do several other cool things with Mailerlite, which I use, such as creating a newsletter.
I couldn’t be happier with Mailerlite as I’ve moved from Feedburner, but that didn’t allow me the amount of control over my subscriptions as Mailerlite does.
Related: Blogging Tools For Beginners
Blog Control Helps Bloggers Make Money
I wanted control over Canadian Budget Binder rather than the free WordPress.com I used.
The first designer I had started pretty well but quickly changed as he took on too much work.
I grew up with a deadbeat blog designer who didn’t care about my needs and eventually stopped responding to my emails.
Luckily, I found Sara from Moonsteam Design years ago and paid her to update Canadian Budget BInder.
Having control over your blog means learning more about how bloggers make money.
It took lots of time because I also work full-time in a busy career, which I love, and I have a family.
My first blog posts were atrocious, and I fixed them up by adding more content as they were short.
Whatever you do, try not to make the same blogging mistakes I did.
There are many things to consider if you want to join millions of bloggers who make money online.
Never let money go to your head, and never compare your blog to another.
Also, not all bloggers are successful because it’s an investment of time and expertise that comes with experience.
Typically, I would see new bloggers drop out of blogging within the first five months to one year.
Let’s explore how bloggers make money, meaning there are loads more.
It’s a case of starting the process and educating yourself.
1. Bloggers Make Money Selling Digital Media
Digital media can include a variety of sources from which bloggers make money to build wealth.
- Digital Media, Writing and Selling E-books online about a topic they are passionate about
- They are selling an online blogging course where the blogger is successful and shares how they did it.
- Creating blog Plugins and Themes for blogging platforms such as WordPress.
- Video Education, selling blogging music and professional photographs for online or print media.
- Interviews for blogs, guest appearances via Skype or Zoom, news media, radio, blogging events, or other events about how to make money blogging
Be Careful With Earn Money Fast Courses
Digital marketing is one way bloggers make money by sharing how they became successful.
At the time, I was looking for a legitimate course about how bloggers make money blogging.
Although many are fake, asked, or paid for, I often read reviews encouraging others to buy a product.
Just take them with a grain of salt and Google it instead of reading at the source.
To learn more, I bought a blogging course by a multi-millionaire blogger I’ve known since we both started our blogs.
She invested more of her time into her blog than I ever could at the time with a new baby and career.
I asked if there was any information I might find helpful, as I had been blogging just as long as she had.
She assured me there was, and I was a fool to believe her because money was her objective.
Nobody is your online friend when money is involved.
Research To Avoid Money-Hungry Bloggers
Everything in the course was essential for beginner bloggers, and after ten years, I was no beginner.
The course was introductory and filled with other bloggers who shared their experiences.
I emailed her asking if I could get my money back and explained the situation, and she declined.
There was a cut-off date for the money-back guarantee by days, so I was out of luck.
We had a death in the family, and the blog was the last thing on my mind, which I explained.
There are many fantastic blogs where the blogger makes money and shares their success.
Do more research than I did, and don’t trust someone just because you know them.
I love a great tutorial or e-course, provided it is engaging and I’m learning something new.
2. Bloggers Make Money With Advertising
Although Google Adsense is one of the most popular ways bloggers make money, it wasn’t for Canadian Budget Binder.
These days, bloggers have turned to the Full-Service Ad Management company Mediavine, which is a company that makes dreams come true.
My blog income has grown exponentially with Mediavine, and I’ll be sticking around to work with them.
Everything from banners, ads, videos, and recipe cards has advertising from Mediavine.
A company might approach you and offer a percentage or straight sale commission for running an ad.
Remember that first $100 I earned blogging? Now, I earn thousands, and I never look back.
They are an excellent team of people who want you to be a successful blogger and are always there to answer questions.
Types of Ads Bloggers Make Money From
There are four types of ads on blogs: CPC, CPM, PPL, and PPS.
What are CPC Ads?
CPC ads are called Click Per Click, meaning that the blogger gets paid when a reader clicks on the ad. CPC is also known as PPC or Pay Per Click.
What are CPM Ads?
CPM ads are a fixed amount of money the blogger gets based on impressions or how many people see the ads. For example, the blogger could make $100 for every 1000 impressions.
What are PPS Ads?
Pay-per-sale ads are ads from which the blogger gets commission when a link is clicked, and there is a purchase or a sale.
What are PPL Ads?
Pay per Lead is when the blogger gets a commission when someone clicks on a link and signs up for an email list.
3. Include Sponsored Posts
Sponsored posts are not guest posts only because one is free, and the other comes with a price tag.
Can you guess which is which?
You’re smart enough to determine that companies who want to share their products pay for sponsored posts.
I do my best to test products first or look at the links they want me to share.
From there, I decide whether it will offer advice to my readers or ways to save money.
Not all my readers cut out parts of their budget because they can afford it, so they’ve set money aside for specific hobbies or entertainment.
Readers may want to learn tricks for saving money by going out for the night, playing the lottery, or online shopping.
I know what you’re thinking: don’t go and save yourself money.
Perhaps that’s right for your budget, but not everyone’s budget is the same.
What’s great about having a free budget download for readers is that they can customize it.
Other sponsored posts are about saving money on;
- Groceries
- Canadian life insurance
- Banking and loans
- New phone apps
- Landscaping
- Writing a Legal Will
- Best Credit Cards In Canada
Sample Sponsored Post Idea For Credit Card Comparison
For example, the Tangerine World MasterCard is popular because of its rewards program.
Earn 2% Money-Back Rewards on purchases in two 2% Money-Back Categories of your choice and 0.50% Money-Back Rewards on all other purchases.
There’s also a sign-up bonus, which most credit cards will offer, along with a low introductory interest rate to market their product.
Earn an extra 10% back* for a limited time with a Tangerine World Mastercard.
Advertising credit cards can be lucrative if you have readers in the market who are interested.
Comparing the best credit cards in Canada in a blog post yields an excellent return for the blogger if a reader signs up.
Be Picky About What You Post As “Sponsored”
As a blogger, you must be picky about what you allow as sponsored content and ensure it follows your blog guidelines.
I send a media kit to anyone interested in sponsoring a post with my prices and guidelines for moving forward.
Trust me, and I turn down many sponsored posts because I don’t like them or can’t afford my rates.
Invest In Professional Guest Posts
When you start blogging, you will get emails from people wanting to “Guest Post.”
I never allow a random guest post, as I made that mistake at the beginning of this blog.
Do-Follow vs. No-Rel Follow Link
You think people are interested in your blog, but all they are after is a do-follow link, so they get paid.
A do-follow link is a blog giving a good reference for a link they’ve shared, whereas a no-rel-follow reference tells search engines to pass over the link.
You’d be surprised at how astronomical a crappy 500-word guest post can be lucrative.
I ignore those emails as you’ll get to learn what is legit and who’s trying to scam you.
Added Value For Your Readers
Another form of a guest post I allow is from my readers who genuinely want help or share their successes or failures on the blog.
Adding personal experience to your blog is a great way to connect with your audience.
Below is an example of a guest post from an expert Canadian Accountant.
I’m not an investing expert, so my friend Neal Winoko wrote a book titled The Grumpy Accountant.
Yes, that is an affiliate link if you click on the book title and decide to purchase it. (it’s worth the money, trust me).
It’s an excellent book about what he’s learned as an accountant and what changes are needed.
Recently, he wrote a guest post titled, DeathTax Windfall For The Government of Canada.
As you can see, there are benefits to having guest posts on a blog, provided it adds value.
4. Include Affiliate Links In Your Content
Disclosure: If you purchase through our links we are compensated at no cost to yo
Affiliate income is super cool because you can link to your favorite products and share them with your readers.
For example, Mrs. CBB has fallen in love with a vegan protein super shake made in Canada called “Good Protein.”
They have many delicious flavours; I think we have them all now.
Her favourite is creamy vanilla, but she enjoys them for free shipping, great deals, variety of flavours, ease of mixing, and no gas pain like you’d get using whey protein.
Using Good Protein to make ice cream and other sweet, sugar-free recipes is right up her alley.
Affiliate income can also become a nice chunk of money if you promote and insert them on your blog. See the Good Protein affiliate link below. (It’s a great deal, by the way.)
Save 30% on Good Protein’s All-in-One Protein Shakes using the coupon code SAVE30!
Affiliate links and advertising are two of the most significant ways bloggers make money.
You start monetizing your blog by signing up with companies that offer affiliate links.
Below are a few affiliate companies I use on the Canadian Budget Binder to give you an idea.
There are so many affiliate companies in Canada, and typically, I find them by scrolling to the bottom of a website and looking for “Affiliate Program” information.
You’ll also learn about affiliate companies by networking with other bloggers or asking the company directly.
Before you can use any affiliate program, you must first be approved.
Once you set up your blog, you can apply for affiliate programs.
After your profile is approved, you can start applying to affiliate programs.
All you have to do is wait until you are approved, and you can insert your affiliate links where they fit on your blog.
- Cj Junction
- Rakuten Advertising Technology Used by Successful Businesses
- Share-A-Sale
- Fintel Connect
- Well.ca
- Amazon Canada Associates Program
- Flashfood app Canada – Save 50% off food products close to expiry from participating Loblaws Stores such as RCSS, Zehrs, Dominion, and Loblaws.
- I use Keeper Security to protect my passwords and stay safe online.
- Join Pinecone Research Canada if you love completing short surveys to earn money.
- Canva Pro series is the best for making cover photos, magazine covers, cards, infographics, etc.
- Get a beautiful customized logo today with Fiverr.com! Guess where I got my logo?
- As an Affiliate of the Adbloom network, you can amp up your passive blog earnings by working with other Canadian businesses.
Amazon Affiliate Income
You will find affiliate links on some posts on CBB apart from those in the earlier years, which I have noted in my disclaimer.
When I post a recipe, I now know to add Amazon affiliate links so readers can see the products I use.
This is fantastic, especially if your readers want to make a recipe using the same products.
I’ve also opened an Amazon storefront, where I link every product I recommend and have used for my readers.
For example, when I first wanted to learn about blogging, I bought the book “Blogging For Dummies.” (Affiliate Link)
Learn The Basics Of Blogging First
I highly recommend for anyone who plans on starting a blog to learn the basics of blogging.
- How To Start A Blog To Make Money Part One
- How To Start A Blog To Make Money Part Two
- How To Start A Blog To Make Money Part Three
Then, follow bloggers in the niche (mine is personal finance/frugal living) and network with them.
Plus, they can order the product from Amazon Canada if they don’t know where to find it.
Another way to earn affiliate income is by adding links to products, affiliate links, and advertising banners.
An advertising banner may resemble the TD Canada Trust banner at the bottom of this mobile phone screenshot.
Another example is KOHO Financial, a company we use. I’ve reviewed it and felt it would be an excellent fit for Canadian Budget Binder.
KOHO is Canada’s leading digital challenger bank determined to make the financial system transparent and intuitive.
KOHO offers a free pre-paid, reloadable card + integrated app that gives you real-time insights into your spending and savings
KOHO Financial
By clicking on the KOHO affiliate link and signing up, I get a small percentage of money from the company.
5. Selling Exclusive Memberships
Bloggers make money selling memberships to their blog or a particular blog area where the blogger is active.
Memberships of this type might include a private Facebook group or exclusive forum only for members.
These methods are not wrong, especially if you want to work with the blogger exclusively.
Many bloggers don’t always have the time to answer every comment or question, so this is fruitful for learning and earning.
By this, you’ll have more access to the blogger for questions and privileges of a private social media group page.
If this is a passionate topic, support the blogger’s efforts and see what you gain from it.
As mentioned above, research what you will spend your money on before buying.
Ensure the membership has a money-back guarantee, and you don’t miss the cut-off date.
Bloggers Make Money With Social Media Traffic
I don’t specifically have goals for using social media to make money for the blog, but many bloggers do.
Anything from sponsored posts to shoutouts on social media can yield money for a blogger.
For example, If a business notices you have a vast audience, they may negotiate with you to share their business name or do a product review.
I have social media shoutouts as part of my media kit, but I have yet to do any as I don’t push it.
Facebook is probably my most significant social media traffic boost, followed by Twitter, Reddit, Tumblr, LinkedIn, and Instagram.
I don’t use LinkedIn for my blog, but this is also a social media traffic booster.
Once in a while, I will pay Facebook to put out an ad for Canadian Budget Binder to drive traffic to the blog.
So far, I haven’t found it as successful as I thought, but others have great fortune.
Search Engine Traffic
Lastly, I want to talk about Pinterest since most people believe it is considered social media.
News flash, it’s not; it’s a search engine, and my second most considerable traffic flow comes from Pinterest, followed by organic traffic and direct traffic from Google.
Search engines such as Google, Pinterest, Bing, and Yahoo are some of the best traffic sources.
I also have many of my blog posts on the first page of Google search, which is every blogger’s dream.
When someone searches for Google, having your blog post on the first page is a win.
Most people don’t go to search engines’ second or third page of results.
Search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for all bloggers, as it drives organic traffic.
What is Organic Traffic?
Organic traffic means that someone searches for a topic on a search engine such as Google.
Your efforts in search engine optimization will drive organic visitor traffic from a search engine.
For example, if you type in the Scanning Code Of Practice in Canada, you should see my post on the first page.
When someone clicks on a link that is not an ad or sponsored, it becomes organic traffic based on SEO.
What is Direct Traffic?
Direct traffic comes directly to a blog or website where people type in the URL or bookmark it.
If you don’t have the time to take care of social media, you could hire someone to do it for you.
That is if your blog is earning enough money to hire help for your blog so you can focus on other things.
Email Traffic
What is email traffic?
Email traffic comes from subscribers who want your blog posts sent to their email.
Building an email list for your blog is vital to driving traffic and securing a new reader for life.
Your email traffic may also read more blog posts you’ve written and click on affiliate links that will earn you a commission.
You can send mass emails to subscribers with your email list, such as my bi-weekly newsletter.
Don’t Quit Blogging Before You Start
My final advice to anyone considering starting a blog to make money is never to give up.
Earning money online with a blog takes time and patience, but it will pay off if you do it correctly.
It can be challenging, but people will come for you once you’re out there and people recognize your blog.
Being shared on The Globe and Mail, Yahoo, Toronto Star, and numerous other well-known media is a pat on the back.
Related: CBB Media Mentions
There were times I questioned continuing Canadian Budget Binder, but then I found my groove again.
As you can read from my blogging experience, money is on the table.
When a fan emails me about learning to blog and if bloggers make money, I always say it depends.
It depends on your motivation and what you will teach your readers.
If you’re lucky, you might even have blog readers who offer donations to help pay for blogging expenses.
Good Luck, and if you have any questions, shoot me or fill out my contact form.
Mr.CBB