How to Monetize a Book Blog and Turn a Page into Profit

So, you've mastered the basics of blogging, now it's time to make some money from your book blog.

Trust me, monetizing your blog is going to be a blast!

Whether you're a newbie or a seasoned book influencer, these methods will help turn your hobby into a full-time business.

Let's dive into each method and see how you can start making some serious cash from your book blog.

1. Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is the best monetization method for book bloggers because it hits the sweet spot between time investment and earning potential.

Affiliate marketing is a form of advertising where a publisher (the site owner) links to a product in their content and earns a commission from the advertiser (the affiliate program) if readers click on that link and make a purchase.

Also, since you can add links to your existing content, it’s the perfect method for beginners. You’ve already written content, so you’ve already done the hard part.

How to Start Affiliate Marketing for Book Bloggers

Here are some different kinds of affiliate products to recommend in the book blogging niche:

• Books: Recommend popular or niche books related to your blog's topic.
• Book-related merchandise: Suggest bookish items such as bookmarks, book lights, or book-themed clothing.
• Book subscription boxes: Promote subscription services that deliver curated book selections to readers' doorsteps.
• Book-related courses or workshops: Partner with platforms offering writing, publishing, or book marketing courses.
• Bookstore or publishing company partnerships: Collaborate with bookstores or publishers to promote specific titles or events.

Once you’ve identified which products will solve problems for your readers, you need to sign up for their affiliate programs.

You should start by joining the Amazon Associates affiliate program.

Most physical products in the book niche will be available on Amazon, and the conversion rate on Amazon is insane.

Yes, Amazon’s commission rates are rough, and they only offer a 24-hour cookie duration, but the conversion rate makes up for it. Plus, you’re nearly guaranteed to get accepted into their program.

For products that aren’t available on Amazon, just Google “[Product] affiliate program,” and you’ll find their program’s signup page.

To save you some time, here are a few of the best affiliate networks for book bloggers:

1. ThriftBooks

   

   Commission Rate: 4% - 6.5% Per Sale

   Cookie Duration: 7 Days

   ThriftBooks sells millions of used books at low prices. They personally assess every book's quality and offer rare, out-of-print treasures.

2. Apple

   

   Commission Rate: 7% - 400% Per Sale

   Cookie Duration: 1 - 30 Days

   Earn commissions on qualifying Apple Music memberships as well as sales of movies, tv shows, books, audiobooks, and more.

3. Audible Affiliates

   

   Commission Rate: $5 Per Trial

   Cookie Duration: 24 Hours

   Audible is Amazon’s audiobook platform and is currently the biggest player in that market. How much you get paid as an affiliate varies.

Once you’ve been approved for the product’s affiliate program, the program will give you your affiliate link, and you can start inserting it into your content.

How To Monetize A Book Blog With Affiliate Marketing

To add your link to your content, go to your post editor, highlight the relevant text, and insert the link.

Here are a few best practices for adding affiliate links to your WordPress blog:

• Add links where it’s helpful. Adding too many links to your blog posts is just like adding too many ads; it’s annoying. Add links to product titles, images, CTA buttons, and the first time you mention a product. That’s plenty.
• Disclose your links. Every blog post with affiliate links should have a disclaimer at the beginning, and every CTA or product image should also.
• Use direct sales language. When you are writing your call to action, be direct. It’s not rude to say, “Check the price” or “Buy this product today.” Being too passive makes you look unconfident.

Or, take it a step further by creating product displays.

You Can Double Your Affiliate Sales With Lasso Displays

You can create displays manually using the post editor to add links to images and buttons.

However, it can be time-consuming to create these displays and keep them updated if you’re doing it all by hand.

Luckily, monetizing your blog with affiliate links is simplified when you’re using a tool like Lasso.

Lasso makes it super easy to add links and product displays to your posts. You can add product displays to posts right from the post editor; no coding is required. It’s as simple as clicking your mouse three times.

You can also automatically import product info from retailers like Amazon. Just paste the link into the Lasso dashboard, and Lasso will populate the display with the product title, image, and price.

With all of this, remember to follow the guidelines in the affiliate program’s terms and conditions. Amazon, in particular, is pretty stringent.

But everything Lasso does is compliant with Amazon Associates’ TOS, so you never have to worry about being booted from the program.

That’s just scratching the surface of what Lasso can do to help you monetize your book blog. If you’re ready to start making a serious affiliate income from your book site, sign up for Lasso today.

Affiliate Marketing Pros and Cons for Book Bloggers

As a blogger, affiliate marketing can be a great way to monetize your content and earn passive income. One of the biggest pros is the potential to earn a commission for promoting products or services that align with your audience and niche. This can be a lucrative opportunity for bloggers with a loyal following.

However, it's important to be mindful of the potential cons of affiliate marketing. One downside is the risk of damaging your credibility if you promote low-quality or irrelevant products. Additionally, some affiliate programs have strict terms and conditions that can be difficult to comply with, leading to potential penalties or account suspension.

Overall, affiliate marketing can be a valuable revenue stream for bloggers, but it's essential to approach it with transparency, authenticity, and a genuine interest in the products or services you're promoting.

2. Display Ads

The second best way to monetize your book blog is with display ads. Ads are the internet's favorite monetization method, but they have severe drawbacks.

How to Monetize a Book Blog With Display Ads

Monetizing a book blog with display ads couldn’t be easier.

First, choose an ad network to join. Networks have traffic requirements, so here are the best ad networks to join based on your site’s page views:

• 100,000+ Visitors per month - Raptive
• 50,000+ Sessions per month - Mediavine
• < 50,000+ Visitors per month - Ezoic

Once you’re accepted to an ad network, follow their instructions to integrate their ads into your site. They will have documentation for every type of content management service (WordPress, Joomla, Ghost, etc.).

If your chosen ad network has a dedicated accounts manager, they will guide you through getting their ads on your site.

And… that’s it. Let the ads run and wait for your deposits to hit your account.

Display Ad Pros And Cons For Book Bloggers

Display ads can be a great way for book bloggers to monetize their websites. They are easy to set up and can generate passive income as readers interact with the ads. However, they can also be intrusive and disrupt the user experience, potentially turning readers away.

On the pro side, display ads can provide a steady stream of income for book bloggers, especially if they have a large and engaged audience. They require minimal maintenance once set up and can be a reliable source of passive income.

On the con side, display ads can be annoying to readers and may slow down the loading speed of the website. They can also detract from the overall aesthetic and user experience of the blog, potentially affecting reader engagement and retention.

3. Digital Products

Selling your own digital products is a great way to increase your earnings per visitor in the book niche.

A digital product is anything you can sell on your book blog that the customer will receive via download.

Here are some digital products to sell on a book blog:

• E-books: Offer a selection of e-books for purchase, including popular titles and niche genres.
• Book-related merchandise: Sell items such as bookmarks, mugs, and tote bags featuring book-related quotes or artwork.
• Author interviews: Offer exclusive access to interviews with bestselling authors for a fee.
• Online book club membership: Create a paid membership for access to a private online book club with discussion forums and live author chats.

A lot of people search for simple checklists and guides related to different topics. They’d happily pay you for them.

Pros and Cons of Selling Digital Products for Book Bloggers

One of the main pros of selling digital products as a book blogger is the potential for passive income. Once the product is created and set up for sale, you can continue to earn money from it without much ongoing effort. This can be a great way to supplement your blogging income.

Another advantage is the ability to reach a wider audience. Digital products can be sold and delivered globally, allowing you to connect with readers and customers from all over the world. This can help expand your reach and grow your brand as a book blogger.

On the downside, creating and selling digital products can be time-consuming and require a significant upfront investment. It may also require learning new skills, such as design or marketing, in order to effectively promote and sell your products. Additionally, there is the risk of piracy and unauthorized distribution of your digital products, which can impact your potential earnings.

How To Monetize a Book Blog By Selling Digital Products

The first thing to do is create your digital product.

Look at which content your audience interacts with the most, and brainstorm digital products to help serve their search intent.

That’s what I did when I created our Ultimate Blogging Guide:

Then, create the product using whatever tools are at your disposal. For example, use Microsoft Word to create an ebook PDF, or Google Sheets to create interactive spreadsheets and checklists.

Next, you have to figure out how to distribute your product. The easiest way to distribute PDFs is by uploading them to your WordPress media library. Then you can give customers the link, and they can download the PDF from there.

Lastly, you’ll have to set up payment processing and order fulfillment. A plugin like Woocommerce can automate most of this, but you’ll have to tie it to a processor like Stripe or PayPal.

Woocommerce can even connect to an email tool like ConvertKit, so as soon as your customer finishes their checkout, they’ll get an email with a link to their download.

Barring any issues, you won’t have to do anything but watch your bank account grow.

4. Email Newsletter

One effective way to monetize a book blog is by creating an email newsletter. This method allows you to build a loyal audience and engage with your readers on a more personal level. Let's explore how to monetize a book blog with an email newsletter and the pros and cons of email marketing for book bloggers.

How to Monetize a Book Blog with an Email Newsletter

If you have a book blog, one great way to monetize it is by creating an email newsletter. This allows you to build a direct connection with your audience and promote relevant products or services to them.

To get started, you can offer a freebie such as a book recommendation list or a printable reading log in exchange for email sign-ups. Once you have a list of subscribers, you can send out regular newsletters with book reviews, author interviews, and affiliate links to bookstores or subscription services.

By providing valuable content and recommendations, you can earn a commission for any sales generated through your newsletter links, making it a great way for book bloggers to earn passive income.

Pros and Cons of Email Marketing for Book Bloggers

• Pros: Direct connection with audience: Email newsletters allow you to communicate directly with your readers, building a loyal fan base.
• Cons: Time-consuming: Creating and maintaining an email newsletter can be time-consuming, especially if you have a large subscriber list.

Before diving into email marketing, it's important to weigh the pros and cons to see if it's the right monetization method for your book blog.

5. Consulting and Coaching Services

Consulting or coaching is exchanging your expertise and time for a fee. Your customers need an expert, and you’ve proven yourself to be that expert.

As you become an authority in the industry, people will reach out to you with questions about topics they consider you an expert in.

Now, you don’t have to charge for being helpful, but you should place a dollar value on your time.

As a book blogger, you extensive knowledge of the industry. If a reader reaches out to you asking for help, you should get paid for that effort.

How To Monetize A Book Blog With Consulting Services

Monetizing a book blog with consulting services is similar to selling sponsored posts.

Put a “Coaching” option in your nav bar that goes to a landing page outlining your consulting services and your hourly rate. This will help head off some of the people looking for free advice.

Then, wait for requests to come in, evaluate them, and propose your offer. If the customer accepts, send them an invoice using PayPal or another payment processor, and schedule the call.

Pros and Cons of Selling Consulting Services for Book Bloggers

One of the main pros of selling consulting services to book bloggers is the potential for a steady stream of income. Bloggers are often in need of guidance and expertise in areas such as content creation, marketing, and audience engagement, making consulting services a valuable asset for them.

Additionally, offering consulting services allows you to establish yourself as an authority in the book blogging community. This can lead to opportunities for speaking engagements, collaborations, and partnerships with other bloggers and industry professionals.

On the downside, selling consulting services can be time-consuming and require a significant investment of your own time and resources. It's important to carefully consider whether the potential benefits outweigh the effort required to effectively sell and deliver your services to book bloggers.

Furthermore, competition in the consulting space for book bloggers can be fierce, so it's crucial to find a unique angle or niche to differentiate yourself and stand out in a crowded market.

Book Blog Monetization FAQs

What Is The Best Way To Make Money From Book Blogging?

If you want to build a successful book blog, then affiliate marketing is the best way to monetize it. It’s the least intrusive way to make a lot of money from your site without much extra effort.

Can I Make A Full-Time Income From Book Blogging?

Absolutely! Some book blogs, like A Life In Books and Book Riot get hundreds of thousands of monthly visitors. That’s enough for a full-time income for a small team of people.

How Do I Start a Book Blog?

Learning how to start a book blog is the first best way to use your expertise to start an online business.

You need to register a domain, install WordPress, and publish great content. It's a lot of work, but totally worth it!

How Do Book Bloggers Get Paid?

Most book bloggers make money through affiliate commissions and advertising fees. Both of these monetization methods pay out one or two months after the fees have been generated.

Some book bloggers also sell sponsored posts, consulting services, or their own products. In these cases, a payment processor like PayPal or Stripe is necessary.

Is Book Blogging Easy?

Nothing worth doing is truly easy, but that doesn’t mean book blogging isn’t fun.

As a book blogger, you’ll get to go places, try new things, and meet new people. And it will be part of your business! What could be cooler than that?

Is It Worth Starting A Book Blog?

It’s absolutely worth it to start a book blog. Not only can you make a living from it, but you can also build a community and control the conversation.

Once you’re an established authority, people in book-related industries will take you seriously.

Final Thoughts on Monetizing a Book Blog

So now you know all the different ways to make money from your book blog, step-by-step. But here's a bonus tip for you:

Use multiple ways to make money!

Diversifying your income streams is the best way to protect your blog's future. If you promote affiliate offers, use display ads, and sell your own products, it won’t hurt your blog if Amazon cuts its commission rates again. With this multi-tiered approach, hard work, and careful planning, you’ll be on the fast track to earning what your online business deserves.

Why You Should Trust Our Book Blogging Content

You may be thinking, "that's all great, but what does Lasso know about book blogging?"

Quite a lot, actually.

Here's why you can trust our process for building a successful book blog:

We've Built Wildly Successful Blogs

Lasso is built for affiliate marketers, by affiliate marketers. We're not gurus; we've walked the walk.

Our team members have built multiple blogs from the ground up, some of them earning over seven figures in revenue.

We put that experience into every guide we write, so you can trust we're giving you a process that works.

We Talk To Book Bloggers Every Day

Lasso's WordPress plugin is installed on over 8,000 websites, including a lot of book blogs.

Our team supports those bloggers every day as they create awesome content and earn lots of money.

These communications give us a bird's-eye view of what's new in the book industry. We take that information and use it to keep these guides as up-to-date and accurate as possible.

We're Super Nerds

We've put a lot of company focus into learning everything we can about blogging, affiliate marketing, SEO, and anything to do with online entrepreneurship.

We attend conferences, collect high-level contacts, read tons of books, and distill all of that information into our content. We pass information onto you that was previously only available to industry insiders.