Did you know that you can make money from documenting and sharing your weight loss/healthy lifestyle transformation? If you’re unfamiliar with online business you might be surprised that even a fitness amateur may be able to create a side income or fund their journey to better health by creating a web presence.
First off, before delving into how to make money, you will need to figure out what type of web presence you want. Maybe you want a blog or you want to work solely through a social media platform like Facebook or Tumblr. Sometimes a combination of these is the best way to go. The decision is yours but the methods you can use to share your story may differ. I always suggest a blog and a combination of social media channels like Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram. Here are 3 ways you can monetize a website using this combination while sharing your weight loss and fitness journey.
(Note: I’m not making any promises that these methods will work for you, but these are time tested methods used by thousands of bloggers and website owners for make money. All 3 of these methods take time to be built up because you do need a thriving, regular audience interested in your site’s content to make it work.)
| Don’t have a blog? Here is a great guide we put together about how to get started with creating your blog today. |
3 Ways to Monetize
There are many ways you can make money by blogging and sharing your story online but there are 3 main methods that can be most effective.
- Affiliate Programs
Affiliate programs are an easy but very effective ways of making money from your weight loss journey. As an affiliate you are granted a special link from the company’s website that you share with your audience. When someone in your audience clicks this link they are directed to the company where the can buy a products or products. Every sale made through your link grants you a certain % commission.
Affiliate links can show up as ads on your website/blog or be hyperlinked into a blog post when discussing a particular product, program or what have you. Affiliate commissions vary greatly based on the company but typically if you have a fairly large audience you can make it work. Even with a smaller audience the key is getting regular traffic and a loyal readership who will be interested in the product and services you share. This is especially true if you’re audience is apt to purchase an expensive piece of equipment like a treadmill or home gym.
More and more companies offer affiliate programs now. You can either do a Google search for fitness or weight loss-related programs or check the websites of companies you use and love (look for a site map or footer links) to find a page about affiliate programs. If you can’t find the info online, you can always contact the company and ask them about partnerships and affiliate opportunities. Also, popular websites like eBay and Amazon offer affiliate programs that are easy to sign up for. Commission Junction and ShareASale are great sites that list lots of affiliate programs from major brands.
- Google AdSense
The Google AdSense ad network is generally the very first and most basic way of monetizing a website or a blog. Don’t be fooled though. AdSense can be super powerful despite being commonly used. The key is learning the tips and tricks to harnessing its power properly.
Google AdSense works by using ads as the name suggests. When you activate AdSense for your website or blog you are allowing Google to share ads from other companies related to your niche (in this case, weight loss, fitness, health, etc) on your page. You may have noticed yourself that many websites and blogs have Google sponsored ads on them. This is AdSense.
You can make money from using AdSense when someone on your blog or website clicks the ad. These ads are also known as “PPC” or Pay Per Click ads. AdSense is best used with a combination of other monetization methods since commission from it can be fairly low to begin with for new bloggers who don’t have a loyal audience.
- YouTube Partner Network
With over 25,000 official YouTube partners, using this video hub to share your can give you a voice and a source of revenue. Any time you see an ad before a video on YouTube, there is a good chance that the person is part of the Google Adsense ad network via being a YouTube partner and monetizing their videos. You have to get views and post content regularly to be accepted into the program, so it takes time and work. Here is the official overview and breakdown of criteria.
In order to become a YouTube partner you will of course need a video camera/or phone that takes video, editing software/app and the time to film and edit videos. You also need to make some decisions about what you want to share and how often you want to share. There are some GREAT examples you can follow on Youtube from women who’ve created personal brands from their weight loss struggles. DivaSlimsDown is one of my favorite YouTubers. It is definitely a more intensive process than just blogging but worthwhile if you have a passion for video, want to make workout routines, film recipes, etc.
In all honesty, it isn’t easy to become a Successful YouTube Partner. There is a lot of competition and it will require a lot of time and hard work on your part. If you succeed however, it is an amazing route to go. You can find out the criteria for becoming a Partner by clicking here.
Even if you don’t want to go strictly with video, filming some videos and uploading them on YouTube is a great method of creating content for your website/blog. YouTube is now considered a search engine of sorts and it’s a great way tool for generating traffic if you put in the time and effort.
How to Get Started
| There is a lot of information about creating online presences available on the web. We’ve decided to create a site to help bloggers on a weight loss journey, fitness professionals, personal trainers, nutrition experts and others who want to know how to have a more effective web presence and how to make the most out of their efforts. Our new site will launch in March 2016. Click the button to sign up for our mailing list. |
If you think documenting your weight loss journey is something you’d like to tackle, your next step is to research. Don’t worry about the concept of competition in the health niche when it comes to fitness websites and blogs. You have to find your own unique audience and niche where people want to hear from you. That means that you can really be successful but in order to do so you need a plan and a unique approach. Check out these references to get started.
- How to Start a Weight Loss Blog
- How to Make Money Blogging – Great Overview
- Great book that I suggest all the time: The Laptop Millionaire
- Niche Site Duel – Breaks down how to start a unique site for a specific niche
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