So, you’ve got your music blog up and running. Nice work! Now it’s time to start making some money from it.
Trust me, this part is going to be a blast.
Whether you’re just starting out or you’ve been at it for a while, I’ve got some killer methods for turning your blog into a money-making machine. Let’s dive in, shall we?
Why You Can Trust Our Music Blog Monetization Guide
Lasso is installed on over 8,000 websites, including many music blogs.
Our team has built multiple 7-figure blogs in a wide range of niches.
We have hands-on experience working with founders to grow and monetize their music blogs.
1. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing is the best monetization method for music 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.
TIP: With all monetization methods, the rule of thumb is the easier it is to accomplish, the less money you can make, and vice versa.
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 Music Bloggers
When it comes to recommending affiliate products in the music blogging niche, there are several options to consider:
- Instrument and equipment retailers: Recommend musical instruments, audio equipment, and accessories from retailers like Guitar Center, Sweetwater, and Musician's Friend.
- Online music lesson platforms: Promote online music lesson platforms like Fender Play, Yousician, and Guitar Tricks.
- Sheet music and tablature websites: Share affiliate links to websites that offer sheet music, guitar tabs, and chord charts for musicians to learn new songs.
- Music streaming services: Encourage readers to sign up for music streaming services such as Spotify, Apple Music, and Tidal.
- Concert and event ticket vendors: Partner with ticket vendors like Ticketmaster and StubHub to offer tickets to concerts, music festivals, and live 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 music 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 music bloggers:
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Commission Rate: 9% Per Sale
Cookie Duration: 30 Days
StubHub is a very well-known event ticket marketplace, and that leverage helps to encourage your audience to click on your affiliate links.
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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.
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Commission Rate: 6% Per Sale
Cookie Duration: 45 Days
With zZounds, you get More for your Music: the lowest prices AND the best service in the musical instrument and equipment business. Period.
TIP: We maintain a database of the best affiliate programs. Click here to see the best music affiliate programs.
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 Music 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 music blog. If you’re ready to start making a serious affiliate income from your music site, sign up for Lasso today.
A WordPress plugin that lets you add, manage, and display your affiliate links from any program, including Amazon. Increase conversions. Find new affiliate link opportunities. Earn more revenue! Less than 5 minutes to set up.
Affiliate Marketing Pros and Cons for Music Bloggers
Affiliate marketing can be a great way for music bloggers to monetize their content. By promoting products or services related to music, bloggers can earn a commission for each sale or referral they generate. This can provide a steady stream of passive income for bloggers.
However, affiliate marketing also has its drawbacks. It can be time-consuming to find and promote relevant products, and there's no guarantee of earning a consistent income. Additionally, bloggers need to be transparent about their affiliate relationships to maintain trust with their audience.
In conclusion, while affiliate marketing can be a lucrative opportunity for music bloggers, it's important to weigh the pros and cons before diving in. With careful planning and transparency, bloggers can effectively leverage affiliate marketing to enhance their revenue streams.
2. Display Ads
The second best way to monetize your music blog is with display ads. Ads are the internet's favorite monetization method, but they have severe drawbacks.
How to Monetize a Music Blog With Display Ads
Monetizing a music 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
NOTE: WordPress is an open-source software found on WordPress.org. WordPress.com is a premium blogging platform, but you never need to pay to install WordPress on your website, even if it’s self-hosted.
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.
TIP: Optimize your display ads for user experience by using your chosen network’s software settings or talking to your account manager. Keep the ads in the sidebar and footer whenever possible.
You’ll make a lot of money in the long run if you put your readers ahead of quick profit.
Display Ad Pros And Cons For Music Bloggers
Display ads can be a great way for music bloggers to monetize their content. They are easy to set up and can generate passive income as visitors click on them. However, they can also be visually distracting and take away from the overall user experience on your blog.
One of the main advantages of display ads is that they require minimal effort to set up and can generate income even when you're not actively working on your blog. On the other hand, they can also slow down your website's loading time and potentially annoy your readers.
Another benefit of display ads is that they can be targeted to your audience's interests, making them more likely to click on them. However, they can also clutter your blog's design and detract from the visual appeal of your content.
Ultimately, the decision to use display ads on your music blog will depend on your priorities and goals. It's important to weigh the pros and cons carefully and consider how they will impact your readers' experience.
3. Digital Products
Selling your own digital products is a great way to increase your earnings per visitor in the music niche.
A digital product is anything you can sell on your music blog that the customer will receive via download.
Here are some digital products to sell on a music blog:
- Online music lessons: Offer video tutorials or downloadable resources for learning to play instruments or improve musical skills.
- Digital music downloads: Sell MP3s or albums from independent artists or your own music creations.
- Exclusive access to live streams: Offer fans the chance to watch live concerts or behind-the-scenes content for a fee.
- Music production software: Partner with a software company to sell digital audio workstations or plugins for creating music.
- Merchandise design templates: Create and sell digital designs for t-shirts, posters, or other merchandise featuring music-related artwork or quotes.
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 Music Bloggers
One of the main pros of selling digital products for music bloggers is the potential for passive income. Once the product is created and available for purchase, bloggers can continue to earn money from it without much ongoing effort. This can be a great way to supplement income from other sources.
On the other hand, a potential con of selling digital products is the initial time and effort required to create and market the product. This can be a significant investment, especially for bloggers who are already juggling other responsibilities. Additionally, there is no guarantee of success, so there is a risk involved in creating and selling digital products.
Another pro is the ability to reach a wider audience. Digital products can be sold to people all over the world, allowing music bloggers to expand their reach beyond their local or regional audience. This can lead to increased exposure and opportunities for growth.
However, a potential con is the need to stay updated on technology and digital marketing trends. As the digital landscape continues to evolve, bloggers must stay current with the latest tools and strategies to effectively sell their digital products.
How To Monetize a Music 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:
Get Your FREE 20-Page Guide To Making $1000/Day From Your Niche Blog
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.
TIP: You can still use Lasso to get more clicks to your digital products. Just create a Lasso display with the link pointing to your product’s sales page.
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 music 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 music blog with an email newsletter and the pros and cons of email marketing for music bloggers.
How to Monetize a Music Blog with an Email Newsletter
One great way to monetize a music blog is by creating an email newsletter for your readers. This allows you to connect directly with your audience and provide them with exclusive content, updates, and promotions.
To get started, you can use email marketing platforms like Mailchimp or Constant Contact to build and manage your email list. Then, you can offer premium content such as behind-the-scenes access, early releases, or exclusive interviews to subscribers who sign up for your newsletter.
By offering valuable content to your subscribers, you can also incorporate affiliate marketing or sponsored content into your newsletters to generate additional revenue for your music blog.
Pros and Cons of Email Marketing for Music Bloggers
- Pros: Direct connection with audience, opportunity for exclusive content, potential for affiliate marketing and sponsored content.
- Cons: Requires consistent effort to maintain, potential for high unsubscribe rates if not providing valuable content.
Email newsletters are a great way for music bloggers to provide exclusive content and updates directly to their audience's inbox. This allows you to build a loyal fanbase and generate revenue through affiliate marketing and sponsored content. Additionally, email newsletters provide a direct line of communication with your readers, allowing you to promote upcoming events, releases, or merchandise in a more personalized way.
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 music 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 Music Blog With Consulting Services
Monetizing a music 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.
TIP: Again, you can use Lasso to drive more clicks to your coaching pages. Just create a Display with a link to your sales page, and insert it into blog posts.
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 Music Bloggers
One of the main pros of selling consulting services to music bloggers is the potential to establish yourself as an expert in the industry. By offering valuable advice and insights, you can position yourself as a go-to resource for music bloggers looking to grow their audience and improve their content.
Another benefit is the opportunity to build strong relationships with music bloggers. Providing consulting services allows you to work closely with bloggers, understand their needs, and tailor your services to help them achieve their goals. This can lead to long-term partnerships and a steady stream of clients.
On the downside, selling consulting services to music bloggers can be time-consuming and require a significant investment of your own time and resources. Additionally, the music blogging industry can be competitive, making it challenging to stand out and attract clients. It's important to carefully consider these factors before diving into offering consulting services to music bloggers.
Supercharge your earnings with Lasso. Create no-code product Displays and Tables that convert, find and fix broken links, and gain valuable business insights with revenue analytics.
Learn MoreMusic Blog Monetization FAQs
What Is The Best Way To Make Money From Music Blogging?
If you want to build a successful music 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 Music Blogging?
Absolutely! Some music blogs, like Rolling Stone and Consequence 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 Music Blog?
Learning how to start a music 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 Music Bloggers Get Paid?
Most music 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 music bloggers also sell sponsored posts, consulting services, or their own products. In these cases, a payment processor like PayPal or Stripe is necessary.
Is Music Blogging Easy?
Nothing worth doing is truly easy, but that doesn’t mean music blogging isn’t fun.
As a music 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 Music Blog?
It’s absolutely worth it to start a music 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 music-related industries will take you seriously.
Final Thoughts on Monetizing a Music Blog
So now you know all the different ways to make money from your music blog, but here's a bonus tip: use multiple methods!
Diversifying your income streams is the best way to protect your blog's future.
By promoting affiliate offers, using display ads, and selling your own products, you won't be too affected if one method takes a hit.
With hard work and careful planning, you'll be on the fast track to earning what your music blog deserves.
Why You Should Trust Our Music Blogging Content
You may be thinking, "that's all great, but what does Lasso know about music blogging?"
Quite a lot, actually.
Here's why you can trust our process for building a successful music 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 Music Bloggers Every Day
Lasso's WordPress plugin is installed on over 8,000 websites, including a lot of music 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 music 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.