eCommerce for Bloggers How to monetize Your Audience
After you've had your blog up and running for quite a time and gained some followers, you could be thinking, what's next? How can I monetize my blog?
The data shows that around three-quarters of bloggers employ monetization strategies. Marketing through affiliates and advertisements are popular approaches, but it is also possible to add an eCommerce feature to your blog. This can be even more exciting and lucrative -- especially for creative or entrepreneurially-minded people -- and can help grow your reach.
Do you have a blog on nutrition? Do you have a recipe? Why not create an eBook and offer online cooking courses, or sell memberships with exclusive benefits? You could even take this one step further, selling virtual consultations online or even physical items.
There's no "one-size-fits-all" approach this time, which is what is so fascinating about it.
How bloggers can utilize the power of eCommerce?
In many cases, businesses that sell online create blogs to attract readers who are their intended audience. They use it as a marketing technique to improve search rankings and gain trust with those who are likely to convert into customers.
If you're a blogger you've already mastered one of the biggest challenges in the field of eCommerce marketing. You're an experienced creator of content and are receiving a following that has grown to appreciate your efforts and your opinions. If you've been blogging for one year or ten, your audience already shows interest -- which is half the battle.
What are the products bloggers can sell?
Here are a few suggestions for monetizing your blog:
- Offer eBooks, guides, or books. This is an excellent opportunity to increase the value of your biggest resource -- your material! Which are your most popular posts? Do you know how to integrate them into one comprehensive tutorial? In the case of an experienced woodworker, you might take inspiration from your top ten articles and develop "The Beginners ' Guide to Woodworking" filled with fresh images, examples, FAQs as well as information. Create something of value to those who are already awed by your posts and will be supportive.
- Offer the ability to join online community and forums. It gives your customers the chance to communicate with one another, ask questions, and really build a community around your brand. Consider this as your own personal social media site, but with more control and flexibility. If you have a blog on the parenting of toddlers for instance, you could open up an online forum for parents that follow you. They could share their ideas for summer fun and school lunches, learn from the experiences of others, as well as have the opportunity to interact directly with the parents you have!
- Make sales of consultations or online training courses. After you've developed an engaged, loyal group of followers, many are willing to purchase a more thorough exploration of your area of knowledge. For instance, you could offer photography training courses such as, say, personalized workout consultations.
How to add an online store on your blog
Are you ready to begin? Let's explore how you can add an eCommerce store to your website. If you're using WordPress You're just one step ahead!
1. Decide what to sell (and how to sell it)
We've looked at a variety of ways to make money from your blog. Now it's time to decide which one is best for your needs! The choice you make will, naturally affect all choices you take from this point on out.
The first thing to do is be aware of your audience's needs. What would they find the most helpful and what will they be most willing to pay for? Consider the types of media they interact with as well as the tools they utilize currently. You may even want contact them on social media or send them an email with an inquiry to get their opinions directly.
If you decide to accept advice, establish an online group, develop online courses, or offer other digital products then you don't need to think about issues like inventory management or shipping. You will, however, need to think through any tools you'll need. For example, if you want to create online courses, you could use a program such as Sensei LMS with to build those classes and then offer them for your pupils.
However, if you're selling physical goods however, you will have to think about the method of getting them into the hands of customers. It's not always necessary to take care of inventory and shipping your own, however. Two great options for bloggers:
2. Install
Furthermore, you'll be able build and manage your store with the same process and dashboard you're already familiar with.
For installation :
- Click on the Plugins tab - Add Newin to WordPress dashboard
- Find for ""
- Select Install Now - Activate
3. Include items
The way you add your products is similar to how you create blog posts. The process varies a bit based on the type of product that you're selling. Here are some examples, along with specific guidelines to each:
4. Connect to a payment gateway
5. Set up shipping
If you're shipping physical products it is necessary to choose what you'll charge delivery and the processes that you'll employ to deliver items. Do you want to offer free shipping or charge a charge? Do you want to send parcels via USPS, FedEx, or another service? What will it be to send each item?
6. Include extensions
Here are a just a few great extensions to bloggers:
And those are just some of the possibilities available! The extensions marketplace has tons of powerful tools that help to manage everything from marketing design to merchandising and making payments.
7. Spread the word!
Once you set up your online shop, you'll need to get the word out to people around you. It's good to know that you don't need to become a salesperson to achieve this. Actually, you don't need to! Make a blog announcement of your new services and talking about how thrilled you are. Show behind-the-scenes pictures of the process. Include an announcement in your list of email addresses.
But, generally it's best to open your shop to your readers who are loyal and casually mention things that naturally make sense in the content. Add a link to your footer for donations or write a post about your forthcoming adventure and request for donations if people would wish to participate. Upload a photo of yourself wearing your T-shirts or share a story about someone exciting who just joined your group. It's not a good idea to promote sales at the cost of the thing that has brought you great the most success thus far Your great content!
Are you ready to take an exciting path and dive into all the possibilities with blogging and eCommerce? Get started now!