Published February 27, 2026 · 16 min read
Blogging is not dead. In 2026, blogs generate over $500 billion in global commerce through affiliate links, ads, and direct product sales. The bloggers who fail to monetize are not failing because the model is broken — they are failing because they are using the wrong monetization method for their traffic level and audience type.
This guide covers the 7 proven monetization methods that work in 2026, with honest income benchmarks at different traffic levels, step-by-step implementation, and a roadmap for combining methods to maximize revenue.
Not every monetization method works at every stage. The right approach depends on your traffic, audience relationship, and niche. Here is an honest comparison.
| Method | Min Traffic Needed | Income at 10K/mo | Income at 100K/mo | Effort Level |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Display Ads | 10K sessions/mo | $150-$400 | $2,000-$8,000 | Low (passive) |
| Affiliate Marketing | 1K sessions/mo | $200-$2,000 | $5,000-$50,000 | Medium |
| Digital Products | 500 sessions/mo | $500-$5,000 | $5,000-$30,000 | High upfront, low ongoing |
| Online Courses | 1K sessions/mo | $1,000-$10,000 | $10,000-$100,000 | High upfront, low ongoing |
| Consulting | 100 sessions/mo | $2,000-$10,000 | $10,000-$30,000 | High (trades time) |
| Sponsorships | 5K sessions/mo | $500-$2,000 | $5,000-$25,000 | Medium |
| Memberships | 1K sessions/mo | $500-$3,000 | $5,000-$50,000 | High ongoing |
The income ranges are wide because they depend heavily on niche, audience quality, and execution. A finance blog at 10K monthly visitors earns significantly more than a general lifestyle blog at 100K because financial products pay 10-50x higher affiliate commissions and ad rates.
Display ads are the simplest monetization method: place ads on your blog, earn money when visitors see or click them. The RPM (revenue per 1,000 pageviews) varies dramatically by ad network and niche.
| Network | Min Requirement | Typical RPM | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google AdSense | No minimum | $3-$12 | New blogs, any niche |
| Ezoic | 10K visits/mo | $8-$20 | Growing blogs |
| Mediavine | 50K sessions/mo | $15-$40 | Established lifestyle/food blogs |
| Raptive (AdThrive) | 100K pageviews/mo | $20-$50+ | Premium content sites |
Affiliate marketing pays you a commission when someone buys a product through your referral link. It is the highest-ROI monetization method for most blogs because it pays per conversion rather than per impression, and commissions can be substantial — especially for software and financial products.
Selling your own digital products is the fastest path to high margins. Unlike ads (low RPM) or affiliates (capped commissions), you keep 90-100% of revenue. The upfront effort is significant, but once created, digital products sell passively with near-zero marginal cost.
Start with one product that solves a specific problem your audience frequently asks about. Your blog content serves as the marketing funnel — readers who trust your free content are the most likely buyers of your paid products.
Online courses are the highest-income monetization method per unit sold. A single course priced at $97-$497 generates more revenue than thousands of ad impressions or dozens of affiliate clicks. The key is that your blog has already built the audience and trust needed to sell a course.
If you have expertise in your blog's niche, consulting is the fastest way to monetize — even with minimal traffic. A single consulting client can generate $2,000-$10,000 per month. Your blog serves as the credibility engine and lead generator.
The trade-off with consulting is that it trades time for money. It does not scale like courses or digital products. Use consulting revenue to fund the creation of scalable products, then transition as your passive income grows.
Sponsorships pay a flat fee for a brand to be featured in your blog content, newsletter, or social media. Unlike ads that pay pennies per impression, sponsorships pay based on your influence and audience quality.
| Type | Pricing Range | Typical Deal |
|---|---|---|
| Blog post sponsorship | $200-$5,000 | Dedicated or integrated mention in a post |
| Newsletter sponsorship | $50-$2,000 | Banner or dedicated section in email |
| Social media mention | $100-$1,000 | Post or story featuring the brand |
| Product review | $500-$10,000 | In-depth review with affiliate link |
| Ongoing partnership | $1,000-$10,000/mo | Monthly content + social mentions |
Memberships create recurring revenue — the most valuable type of income because it compounds monthly. A membership site charges readers a monthly or annual fee for exclusive content, community access, or premium resources.
The math on memberships is compelling: 200 members at $19/month = $3,800/month recurring. 500 members at $29/month = $14,500/month recurring. The challenge is retention — you must continuously deliver value to prevent churn.
Our free Revenue Calculator estimates income across all 7 monetization methods based on your traffic, niche, and audience. See exactly how much your blog could earn.
Open Free Revenue CalculatorIt depends entirely on the monetization method. For consulting, you can earn $2,000+ per month with just 100 monthly visitors if those visitors are the right audience. For affiliate marketing, 1,000 monthly visitors can generate $200-$2,000 if you are in a high-commission niche. For display ads, you realistically need 10,000+ monthly sessions to earn meaningful income. The most common mistake is waiting for "enough" traffic before monetizing. Start with consulting and affiliates from day one, add products and ads as you grow.
Finance, technology/SaaS, health, and B2B niches consistently generate the highest revenue per visitor. Finance blogs earn high ad RPMs ($20-50+) and affiliate commissions ($50-500 per lead). Technology blogs monetize well through SaaS affiliates with 20-40% recurring commissions. However, profitability also depends on competition and your expertise. A blog in a "lower value" niche where you have deep expertise will outperform a blog in a "high value" niche where you are a generalist. Choose a niche where you can create genuinely better content than what currently exists.
Start with affiliates. Affiliate marketing works at any traffic level, pays per conversion (not per impression), and teaches you what your audience actually wants to buy. Display ads require high traffic to generate meaningful income — 10K sessions/month on AdSense might earn $30-120, which is not worth the UX trade-off of cluttering your site with ads. Once you hit 50K sessions/month and qualify for premium networks like Mediavine, add display ads alongside your existing affiliate strategy. The combination of affiliates + premium ads is the highest-yielding passive setup for most blogs.