One question I often get asked by friends and acquaintances is, “Can you blog for free and make money?” Of course, I dabbled in free blogging once before I got real with this. But it got me thinking: are there sites still letting you blog for free, and can you monetize them using Google Adsense or the company’s ad program? This leads me down a rabbit hole, and I found three free blog sites that allow monetization.
The three free sites that allow monetization are Blogger, HubPages, and Medium.
Free Is Not Always Better
Of course, the age-old saying, you get what you pay for, will be used here often. Just because you can start blogging for free here, there will be many limitations.
You may not think it is terrible now, but let’s review them to be aware of this decision if you want to continue doing this long-term.
Blogging with the below sites will not get you a professional domain name like my blog. Typically, you will get a domain like yoursitename.whatplatformyouareusing.com. It doesn’t look professional; it’s not yours, so to speak, which we will talk more about at a later date.
Another thing you should keep in mind is that their monetization program is one size fits all. You do not get to do affiliate marketing; you do not get to have a higher rate per viewer. This will seem small and trivial now, but if you plan on doing this long-term, this will hurt you a lot.
Blogger
Blogger gets mentioned often when people talk about “free” blogging, but it doesn’t get the genuine appreciation it deserves.
If you are genuinely ready to start a blog and do not have the funds to create one from scratch, I always recommend Blogger.
Why do I recommend Blogger so much? Because it’s the platform, I started on. Not with this blog but with other niche sites I dabbled in while learning about this blogosphere. It’s a great blogging platform that makes blogging super simple and easy.
It’s not as customizable as the other sites, which is excellent if you are more interested in the business’s writing, publishing, and marketing aspect. A great place to find Blogger templates is BTemplates.
How can you make money off of Blogger? Since Google owns Blogger, you can make money by using Google Adsense. Google AdSense is their ad program in which you will earn money from visitors viewing the ads on your site while reading your content or by clicking on one of them.
Another avenue you can make money on Blogger is through affiliate marketing. If done correctly, this can be very lucrative, but you shouldn’t worry about that if you are just starting.
HubPages
HubPages is not a blog, but if you are trying to build an audience somewhere while saving money for your professional stand-alone blog, HubPages will do the trick.
I know I spoke about there being more than sitting down and writing a post the other day, but the most significant part of why people tend to fail is they need to be more consistent.
Use HubPages as a starting platform while you flesh out your site. You can habitually post consistently, gain an audience, use their ad monetization program, and start affiliate marketing.
Unlike Blogger, there is no customization at all. You get a profile where you can put up your profile photo, write an about me, link to your social media accounts, and feature some articles. It’s nothing fancy, but a good starting point.
Medium
Medium is similar to HubPages. It’s not technically a blog but a place to start. It’s a stepping stone if you will.
Because I cannot harp enough about being consistent in posting, you should see if this is for you before you put money down on a site. Suppose creating content is something that brings you joy or brings you anxiety.
Just like HubPages, Medium also offers an ad program. that allows you to do affiliate marketing, but you need to disclose, as you should.
Before You Start Your Blog, Here’s What You Should Know
You cannot go wrong with these free blog sites that allow monetization. If you want to get into a whole blogger experience, I would go for Blogger, but the other two are equally as excellent.
However, before setting up your free site, you should check out 8 things you should know before starting a blog. This post is informational and will give you an insight into what being a blogger entails. It’s more than you could ever imagine.
Leave a Reply