One of the most popular methods for monetizing any blog is through the use of affiliate marketing. However, things have changed quite a bit since I started playing with this format more than 10 years ago. So, I suppose I have to relearn how to maximize the effort.

I was debating on setting up a whole new domain for keeping track of my experiences. After all, that’s the original purpose of a blog…a web-based log of experiment, documentation, and information.

But that would mean yet another website I would have to manage. And as it stands, I barely have time to keep the ones I have active.

So, what I’ll do instead is stick all of my affiliate information in its own category on this blog. Besides, the information I am collecting goes to benefit all of my sites in general.

I guess that can go under the umbrella of “things I do online,” which is what this blog is all about.

Then, when I have solid evidence or have a strong working strategy, I can write a full-length post for WriterSanctuary.com. Because it’s blogging information, which falls under the site’s niche.

Why Explore Affiliate Marketing…Again?

Like I said, I am a bit out of the loop. I’ve spent the majority of the past 10 years making sure clients were all taken care of. I spent little time actually working for myself. And since most of these clients had their own affiliate teams, I only had to work on content and site maintenance.

And although some of the things I did in the past are still valid, there is a lot I am missing out on.

In other words, I need to stop “playing around” and get serious about what I’m doing with the websites.

At least three of my sites should be generating $5k per month. Well, according to statistics and blogging “experts.” And if I could capitalize on that much revenue, I could do anything I wanted.

I’m a simple man…$1,000 per month would make me ecstatic.

Going Beyond AdSense

Last month, I made a little over $30 in AdSense. And this month looks to be even better. But like I’ve demonstrated time and time again, AdSense is not the end-all-be-all of monetizing a blog.

It’s more of a cushion that generates a bit of a residual income.

Part of going beyond the income of AdSense includes affiliate marketing. And statistically, this should bring in far more than what Google pays me.

It’s Easier than Alternatives

Some of the other ways to monetize the blog require a bit more time than I currently have on hand. For example, some people will sell courses and digital goods. Although I’m writing an eBook at the moment, affiliate marketing requires a bit less time.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m still exploring all options for monetizing the blog. I’m fairly sure I’ll dive into all of them this year. But, affiliate marketing takes less time overall.

Well, I guess that depends on just how far I want to take it, really.

I could go so far as to create landing pages and jump back into Google Ads. And I’m seriously considering that as a possibility. If anything, it’ll bring more traffic to the website.

I just need to make sure I’m bringing in enough money to justify setting those ads up in the first place.

I Want to Hire Bloggers!

If I could afford to hire a blogger or two, that would be awesome. Granted, I still want to meet my 1 million word goal for the year. But if I could get a few writers on a payroll, that would alleviate so much stress in the day.

What I make from Google AdSense is not going to cut it. Well, aside from maybe hiring a writer from Textbroker once per month for a 1000-word article.

Bringing in more money would help me get to where I want to be in terms of operation, though.

In reality, I miss having an actual business and an office away from home. If I could bring in enough to justify the expense, I would move into an office in downtown Denver tomorrow.

What Are the Affiliate Experiments Going to Entail?

Well, first of all, I need to brush up on the basics. I already have a bit of a handle on what needs to be done. But, it never hurts to go over past lessons and strengthen knowledge.

Besides, as I said earlier, a lot has changed over the last 10 years. In essence, I’m going back to school.

In fact, I’m debating on taking a few online courses for affiliate marketing…depending on how much they are.

Logging My Findings and Thoughts on This Blog

The best way to learn is to write things down. The more you go over the information in your head as you write, the more likely it sticks.

This is why teachers insist on students actually writing things down in the first place.

So, what I’ll do is create a new category for affiliate marketing and store everything I learn and try. This way, I can go back and look at what works and what doesn’t so it stays fresh in my mind.

I doubt I’ll share these posts on social media, though. It’s not like the information is riveting or highly interesting. It’s more of me trying to discover the best paths for what I’m trying to do.

Lots of Research Ahead

The fun part is trying to find the time to do the research. Take yesterday, for example. I spent several hours writing blog posts for WriterSanctuary.com, one of which was a detailed “how-to” that was over 2,000 words with a ton of screenshots.

In fact, I wasn’t done working until about 5:30 pm, which barely gave me time to cook dinner before the live stream.

I need to stop doing tutorials on Mondays.

Perhaps I can come up with a strategy to handle certain aspects of affiliate marketing each day. Or, maybe I can dedicate certain days to research.

Detailed Breakdowns of Everything

I am going to breakdown every single bit of effort into affiliate marketing. Whether it succeeds or fails, it’ll be put into this blog. That way, I can go back and see what I can revamp for future attempts.

Plus, it might help someone else along the way to see what worked for me and what didn’t.

And if I can create a strong strategy, perhaps I could put it into an eBook to sell from one of my websites. It’s all about finding ways to get that snowball rolling down the hill.

Let’s See What 2021 Brings for Affiliate Sales

So, that’s the plan, man. This is the year I get serious about my websites and make them work for me for a change. With any luck, it won’t take me 10 years to get to where I want to be.

But that will depend on the amount of effort I actually put into the process.