I still remember the day. I was sitting on my couch, eating a sandwich, when my phone buzzed.
It was an email notification. Subject: “You have earned a commission!”
I froze. I opened it. Amount: $10.00.
Now, I know what you are thinking. “Ten dollars? That won’t even buy a pizza!” And you are right. It wasn’t life-changing money. It wasn’t enough to quit my job or buy a private island.
But it changed everything.
Why? Because for the first time, the internet wasn’t just a place where I spent money. It was a place where I made money. Real money. From something I wrote.
Someone I had never met read my words, trusted my advice and bought something. That $10 felt heavier and more important than any paycheck I had ever earned. It proved that this “blogging thing” was actually real.
If you are just starting and your traffic is low, I have good news: You don’t need a million visitors to make your first $10.
There is a big lie in the blogging world. Experts say, “Get 100,000 visitors and then put ads on your site!”
This is bad advice for beginners.
If you put ads (like Google AdSense) on a small blog, you will earn pennies. Maybe $0.05 a day. Plus, your beautiful blog will look like a messy billboard and your readers will run away.
The Truth: You don’t need a huge crowd. You just need a specific crowd.
- 100,000 strangers who don’t care = $0.
- 50 loyal readers who trust you = $500.
It is better to have a small room full of friends than a stadium full of people who are ignoring you.
3 Fun Ways to Earn
So, how do you make money with a small audience? You don’t “sell” to them. You help them.
1. Affiliate Marketing
This is how I made my first $10.
- What it is: You recommend a product you already use and love.
- How to do it: If you write a blog about baking, write a post about your favourite mixer. Use a tracking link. If someone buys it, the company gives you a small “thank you” fee.
- The Rule: Only recommend things you actually like. If you recommend junk just to make money, you will lose your readers’ trust forever.
2. Sell a “Mini” Solution
You know something that your readers don’t.
- Idea: If you write a blog about organizing, create a simple PDF checklist called “The Weekend Closet Cleanout Guide.”
- Price: Sell it for $5 or $7.
- Why it works: People love shortcuts. They are happy to pay the price of a coffee to save time. And since it is a digital file, you make it once and sell it forever.
3. Offer a Service
This is the fastest way to make money.
- Idea: If you write about gardening, offer a service: “I will look at photos of your garden and tell you what to plant for $25.”
- Why it works: You don’t need traffic. You just need ONE person who needs help.
When money gets involved, people sometimes get weird. They start sounding like a TV commercial.
- “BUY THIS NOW! LIMITED TIME OFFER! CLICK HERE!”
Don’t do that.
Just talk like a human.
- Instead of: “Purchase this amazing blender today!”
- Say: “I’ve used this blender for three years to make my smoothies and it hasn’t broken yet. If you’re looking for one, this is the one I have.”
Honesty sells better than hype.
It Starts with One Thing
Don’t worry about making a million dollars. Worry about making your first one dollar.
That first dollar is the hardest. But once you see it, a switch flips in your brain. You realize that your words have value.
So, write that helpful post. Share that favourite tool. Create that simple checklist.
Somewhere out there, someone is looking for exactly what you have to offer. And when that first notification buzzes in your pocket? Go buy yourself a pizza. You earned it.
