Best Ways to Earn Passive Income From Your Blog
If you ever felt like making real money from blogging was out of reach.. you’re not alone.
The good news? Earning a good living online with your blog is absolutely doable. Thousands of bloggers are doing it.. and there is NO good reason you cannot do it as well.
It will definitely take some work! Blogging is NOT a get rich quick scheme by any means.. but with some determination and perseverence you can definitely build a blog that will provide you with an excellent income.
* This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info.
The Power of Google SEO:
If your content doesn’t show up in Google searches, you will miss out on some major traffic. Thankfully, keeping up with Google SEO isn’t as overwhelming as it sounds.
Today’s SEO tools use AI to offer real-time insights and suggestions. No need for guesswork.
Modern plugins handle much of the technical stuff.. from image compression to structured data markup. One of the best plugins for image compression is Short Pixel.
First of all.. you want to make sure to make your image dimensions the size you will be using on your site before uploading. Then further optimize the file size (in KB) with the use of an image compression plugin such as ShortPixel.
Getting found for long-tail keywords is a goldmine for bloggers.. and AI tools can now help you target and rank for these better than ever before. One of the best tools for beginning bloggers is RankIQ.
This tool allows you to find low competition keywords.. which is helpful in the beginning to make sure youir blog gets found.
Google rewards well-structured, useful content. Always write for people first.. then let the technology work behind the scenes to boost your reach.
Passive Income from Digital Products That Sell Themselves:
If you are extremely knowledgeable about your niche.. you may want to consider writing an eBook teaching others how they can learn to do what you do.
- You can publish an eBook, a mini-course or a guide one time and these products keep selling with zero ongoing work.. other than occasional updates.
- Templates and Printables such as planners, meal prep guides, fitness programs etc. can all be sold on autopilot through sites like Etsy.. or your own Shopify store or on your blog by setting up automated delivery.
- Tools like Canva, PicMonkey, etc. help you make high-quality products quickly with little overhead. This allows you to test new ideas fast and scale what works.
Instead of hustling to create something new every month.. you build a library of assets that generates profits month after month.
You don’t have to be a tech wizard to make all of this work. You just need to be willing to get your feet wet and do a little experimenting.
Blogging for passive income is wide open. For those who are willing to lean into the new tools and trends.. the sky is the limit.
Affiliate Marketing – Earn Commissions with Recommendations:
Affiliate Marketing turns honest recommendations into real, steady income for bloggers. It’s all about sharing products and tools you trust with a simple link.
You are paid a commission whenever your readers make a purchase When you pick affiliate programs that target your audience.. and work to keep things genuine.. you’ll find long-term success .. and plenty of repeat earnings!
This isn’t about selling your soul. It’s about sharing honest recommendations and real advice that allows your audience to discover things they never realized they needed.
Selecting Profitable Affiliate Programs:
Choosing the right affiliate programs separates hobby bloggers from those pulling in real passive income. You don’t need a huge audience.. just the right links and the right affiliate offers. There are proven affiliate networks that make it easy for anyone to get started:
Trusted Affiliate Networks Every Blogger Should Know About:
- Awin: US and EU-friendly with lots of travel and retail partners.
- Impact: Advanced tracking, big-name partners, everything from SaaS to pet brands.
- Rakuten Marketing: Big name retail partners as well as service-based offers.
- Commission Junction: Wide range of retailers and service-based offers.
- Amazon Associates: Massive product variety, worldwide shipping, easy approval for new bloggers.
Affiliate Disclosure – You Must be Honest with Your Readers:
Never try to hide the fact that you earn commissions. Not only are honesty and authenticity your #1 asset.. but revealing your status as an affiliate is required by law!
The FTC requires that you clearly state that you are using affiliate links. You can see my disclosure above. . as well as the full Disclosure Statement that it links to.
However, you cannot legally copy legal pages from someone else’s site. In most cases these pages have been written by an attorney.. in which case the legal Copyright holders are the attorneys who have written them. You do NOT want to be guilty of Copyright Infringement!
Your disclosure statement must appear on each page where you have listed anything for which you may receive compensation of any kind.
The disclosure must appear BEFORE the first affiliate link and must include a link to your Disclosure Statement page where the full Disclosure Statement is available for anyone to read in its entirety.
For full information on which legal pages are required and which pages are optional.. you can read the post on my other blog: Legal Pages Required on Your Website
SEO Strategies to Drive Passive Affiliate Earnings:
Affiliate links aren’t of much use if no one sees them. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) helps your evergreen content show up in searches.. bringing in clicks and sales on autopilot. Think of it like planting seeds.. they grow while you sleep.
Consider proven moves for bloggers who want to bring in affiliate commissions year-round:
Write Evergreen Content:
Topics with staying power means more visitors.. today, next month, next year. Think: “Best Email Marketing Tools for Small Businesses,” “How to Start a Keto Diet,” or “Top Home Office Gadgets That Actually Work.”
Make Affiliate Links Visible but Not Overwhelming:
Place links naturally where they help.. in a product mention, or a “Recommended Resource” box. Overstuffing links feels spammy.
Build Internal Links to Affiliate Posts:
Link from your other blog posts to your top affiliate content. This spreads SEO value.. and guides readers to what will be most helpful for them.
Automate Where You Can and Save Hours of Precious Time:
Modern tools keep links fresh and track clicks for you.. saving time in the long run.
Be sure to try:
- Affiliate link management plugins like ThirstyAffiliates to fix broken links site-wide, cloak ugly affiliate URLs, and swap out offers instantly.
- Email automation providers like MailerLite or Kit to recommend products in a welcome series or nurture sequences.
- AI-powered content tools like RightBlogger for getting new blog post ideas.
- Trust grows commissions. Consistently help readers solve real problems.. and don’t get greedy with your links. Over time your best affiliate posts will keep delivering.. day after day.. month after month.
Creating and Selling Digital Products for Passive Income:
Selling digital products is one of the most “set it and forget it” income streams a blogger can build. You create products once.. like an eBook, a set of templates and/or other Printables and your blog can sell them over and over.. 24/7/365.
No shipping involved! No inventory headaches! And if you set things up right.. the sales keep rolling in.. even as you are out grabbing a coffee at Starbuck’s with your BFF.. or kicking back at the beach for the day or getting away for a weekend of skiing.
Brainstorming and Validating Digital Product Ideas:
Not every idea will hit the mark. Before you sink time into creating your digital products.. check to be sure that it is something your audience actually wants. Here’s a simple path to go from “random idea” to “ready to sell”:
Listen first. Pay attention to your readers’ most common questions and pain points. Browse your comments, emails, and social media messages. Notice what keeps popping up.
Ask directly. A quick survey can reveal what would truly help your readers. Use tools like Google Forms or Typeform to ask:
- What are you struggling with right now?
- If I could make one resource for you, what would it be?
- Would you rather have a step-by-step guide, an interactive course, or templates?
Check your analytics. Look for your most popular blog posts in Google Analytics. That’s where your audience is already looking for help.. often times this can be a gold mine for product inspiration.
Test before you build. Float your idea in your next newsletter.. or start a waitlist. See how many sign-ups or replies you get.
Top Digital Products for Bloggers:
- eBooks Great for step-by-step guides, tips, or collections of your best work.
- Printables & Planners Checklists, trackers, budgeting sheets, or daily planners.. instant downloads for quick wins.
- Templates Email sequences, media kits, social media graphics.. ready to plug and play.
- Toolkits Bundles of resources, checklists, or swipe files.
Every profitable product starts with meeting a real need. Make sure you’re solving a problem your readers care about.. not just picking whatever sounds trendy.
Automating the Sales Funnel for Ongoing Revenue:
Passive income only stays passive if your systems do the heavy lifting. You don’t want to wake up every morning to emails about downloads or lost files. Here’s how smart bloggers set up an automated sales machine:
Pick the right platform. Different products need different setups. Here are some proven options:
- Shopify: Perfect if you want a full-featured storefront. Great for Print-on-Demand products as well as digital downloads and bundles.
- ThriveCart / Sendowl / Podia: Excellent for checkout pages, automated delivery, one-click upsells, and delivering almost any kind of digital file.
- Etsy: Plug-and-play marketplaces for templates, art, or printables if you want instant audience reach.
Automate delivery. After someone buys your product.. the platform should email them a secure link right away.. no manual sending required. Many platforms let you set download limits or expire links for your protection.
Integrate email marketing. Use tools like Kit, or MailerLite to automate:
- Welcome emails when someone buys.
- Follow-up sequences to encourage reviews or upsells.
- Re-engagement emails for cart abandoners or new launches.
Use sales funnels to guide the journey. A typical funnel could look like this:
- Reader lands on a blog post.
- Sees a call-to-action for a freebie or low-cost product.
- Opts in.. receives emails with helpful tips and CTA to buy your full product.
- Purchases are delivered instantly; upsell offers kick in automatically at checkout.
Keep track of your data. Platforms like Shopify and ThriveCart give detailed analytics. Watch what’s selling.. see where people drop off.. and tweak your offers with real numbers.. not just gut feelings.
Set things up once.. then let your sales system do the work. If you create the right product and get your funnel humming.. your blog becomes a digital shop. A shop that is open 24/7/365 earning income while you focus on growing your blog.
About the Author: Sherry Bennett
Ms. Bennett is a professional six-figure blogger, who has been earning a living online with niche websites for 25+ years.
Through hard work and dedication, she has turned her passion for blogging into a million-dollar business.. and you can do the same.
Read More
