So you’re trying to figure out how to make money online, and you keep hearing about affiliate marketing and blogging. Maybe you’re wondering which one pays better, or if you should even choose between them at all.
I’ve been doing both for a few years now, and I wish someone had given me the straight facts when I was starting out. There’s so much hype and BS out there – people either promising you’ll get rich quick with affiliate marketing, or saying blogging is dead and won’t make you any money.
The truth? It’s way more nuanced than that. Let me break down the real deal about both, including actual numbers and what you can realistically expect.
Wait, Aren’t They Kind of the Same Thing?
This is where a lot of people get confused, and honestly, I was confused about this for the longest time too.
Here’s the thing: blogging and affiliate marketing aren’t really opposite choices. They often work together. Let me explain.
Blogging is the act of creating content on a website – usually articles, guides, reviews, or personal stories. You can monetize a blog in several ways: ads, sponsored posts, selling your own products, or yes, affiliate marketing.
Affiliate marketing is a specific monetization strategy where you promote other people’s products and earn a commission when someone buys through your link. You can do affiliate marketing through a blog, YouTube channel, social media, email marketing, or even paid ads.
So really, the question isn’t “affiliate marketing OR blogging” – it’s more like “should I start a blog and use affiliate marketing as the monetization method, or should I do affiliate marketing through other channels?”
But for this article, I’ll compare starting a traditional content blog (monetized through ads and other methods) versus focusing primarily on affiliate marketing (through a blog or other means).
How Much Can You Actually Make With Blogging?
Let’s talk real numbers, because those “I made $10,000 in my first month” posts are mostly garbage.
When I started my first blog, I made exactly $0 for the first four months. Then I made $12.50 in month five. Not exactly life-changing money, right?
But here’s what happened over time:
- Months 1-6: $0-$50/month (mostly from Google AdSense)
- Months 6-12: $100-$500/month (added some affiliate links, got more traffic)
- Year 2: $800-$2,000/month (consistent traffic growth, better monetization)
- Year 3: $3,000-$5,000/month (multiple income streams, established authority)
These numbers are pretty typical for someone consistently putting in effort. Some people make way more, some make less. It really depends on your niche, traffic levels, and how well you monetize.
Different Ways Blogs Make Money
Here’s how blogs typically generate income:
Display Ads – This is usually the first way new bloggers make money. You put ads on your site through networks like Google AdSense or Mediavine. You get paid based on impressions or clicks.
The catch? You need a LOT of traffic. AdSense might pay you $5-$10 per 1,000 visitors. Higher-tier networks like Mediavine (which requires 50,000 monthly sessions) pay better – maybe $20-$30 per 1,000 visitors.
Affiliate Marketing – Promoting products and earning commissions. We’ll dig deeper into this in the next section.
Sponsored Posts – Companies pay you to write articles featuring their products. I’ve been paid anywhere from $200 to $2,000 for a single sponsored post, depending on my traffic and niche.
Selling Digital Products – Ebooks, courses, templates, printables. This is where the real money is, honestly. The profit margins are insane (like 90%+).
Consulting or Services – Using your blog to attract clients for freelancing, coaching, or consulting work.
The bloggers making serious money (like $10k+ per month) usually have multiple income streams, not just one.
How Much Can You Make With Affiliate Marketing?
Affiliate marketing can be incredibly lucrative, but it’s also super variable. I’ve had months where I made $50 from affiliate sales and months where I made $4,000.
Here’s a realistic progression:
- First 3-6 months: $0-$100/month (learning phase, building audience)
- Months 6-12: $200-$1,000/month (starting to figure out what works)
- Year 2: $1,000-$5,000/month (consistent strategy, growing traffic)
- Year 3+: $5,000-$20,000+/month (if you’re doing it well)
Some affiliate marketers make six figures monthly, but that’s not typical. Those are usually people who’ve been doing it for years, have huge audiences, or are spending money on paid traffic.
How Affiliate Marketing Actually Works
The basic process is:
- You join an affiliate program (Amazon Associates, ShareASale, individual company programs, etc.)
- You get a unique tracking link for products
- You promote those products through content, reviews, tutorials, etc.
- When someone clicks your link and buys, you earn a commission
Commission rates vary wildly:
- Amazon Associates: 1-10% depending on category (usually 3-4%)
- Digital products: 20-50% (sometimes even 75%)
- High-ticket items: Could be hundreds or thousands per sale
- Recurring commissions: Monthly payments for subscriptions
I’ve found that promoting higher-ticket items or digital products pays way better than Amazon’s low commissions, even though Amazon converts really well because people trust it.
The Real Pros and Cons of Each Approach
Let me break down the actual advantages and disadvantages I’ve experienced with both.
Blogging Pros:
You build an asset – Your blog is something you own. It has value beyond just immediate income. People actually sell blogs for 30-40x their monthly revenue.
Multiple income streams – You’re not dependent on one monetization method. If one dries up, you have others.
Authority and credibility – A well-established blog makes you an authority in your niche. This opens doors for speaking gigs, partnerships, book deals, whatever.
Long-term traffic – Once you rank in Google, you can get consistent traffic without constantly creating new content. Some of my posts from 2 years ago still bring in traffic daily.
Creative freedom – You can write about whatever you want within your niche. It’s your platform.
Blogging Cons:
Takes forever to see results – Seriously, building a blog is slow. If you need money quickly, this isn’t it.
You need consistent traffic – Most monetization methods require decent traffic volumes. Getting to 50,000 monthly visitors takes time.
Algorithm dependent – If Google changes its algorithm and your traffic tanks (it happens), your income can disappear overnight.
Lots of work upfront – Creating quality content consistently is exhausting. I’ve definitely had weeks where I wanted to quit.
Competitive – Pretty much every niche has established blogs already. Breaking through is tough.
Affiliate Marketing Pros:
Higher earning potential per visitor – You can make more money from less traffic if you’re promoting the right products.
No need to create products – You’re selling other people’s stuff, so you skip the product creation phase entirely.
Can work faster – If you already have an audience or use paid traffic, you can start earning quicker than building a blog from scratch.
Flexible – You can do affiliate marketing through blogs, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, email lists, wherever your audience is.
Scalable – Once you figure out what works, you can scale up your efforts and income.
Affiliate Marketing Cons:
You don’t own the relationship – If an affiliate program shuts down or changes terms, you’re screwed. I’ve had programs end with no warning, and that income just vanished.
Commission changes – Companies can reduce commission rates anytime. Amazon famously slashed rates during COVID and many affiliates lost significant income.
Requires trust – People need to trust you before they’ll buy through your links. Building that trust takes time.
Can feel salesy – If you’re not careful, everything you create feels like a sales pitch. That can turn people off.
Link tracking issues – Cookie durations are getting shorter. If someone doesn’t buy immediately, you might not get credit for the sale.
Which One Actually Pays MORE?
Okay, so here’s the answer you actually came for: which pays more?
Honestly? It depends.
I know, I know, that’s a frustrating answer. But here’s why:
Affiliate marketing typically has higher earning potential per visitor. If you’re promoting a $2,000 course with a 30% commission, you make $600 per sale. You don’t need huge traffic numbers to make decent money.
But blogging has more stability and diversification. You’re not reliant on one income source, so there’s less risk. Plus, you’re building an asset that has value.
In my experience, the best approach is combining both. Start a blog, focus on building organic traffic, and monetize it primarily through affiliate marketing. This gives you the stability of owning your platform plus the high earning potential of affiliate commissions.
Some actual examples from people I know:
- Friend A: Makes $8k/month from a blog monetized through display ads, sponsored posts, and some affiliate links. Traffic: about 200k monthly visitors.
- Friend B: Makes $12k/month doing pure affiliate marketing through a niche review site. Traffic: only 30k monthly visitors, but super targeted.
- Friend C: Makes $15k/month from a blog with courses, affiliate marketing, and ads. Traffic: 80k monthly visitors.
The affiliate-focused approach made more money with less traffic, but it’s also more vulnerable to changes in affiliate programs.
What Should You Choose? (My Honest Recommendation)
If I was starting over today, here’s exactly what I’d do:
Start a niche blog focused on affiliate marketing as the primary monetization method.
This gives you the best of both worlds. You’re building an asset (the blog) while maximizing earning potential (affiliate commissions). Here’s the strategy:
- Pick a niche with good affiliate programs – Look for niches with products people actually buy online and decent commission rates. Think tech, software, online business tools, health/fitness products, hobbies with equipment needs.
- Create content that attracts buyers – Focus on buyer-intent keywords like “best X for Y,” “X vs Y comparison,” “X review,” “how to choose X.” These people are closer to making a purchase.
- Build email list from day one – This is huge. Your email list is an asset you control. I promote affiliate products to my list and it’s one of my biggest income sources.
- Diversify your affiliate programs – Don’t just rely on Amazon. Join multiple programs so you’re not vulnerable if one changes.
- Add other income streams once you have traffic – After you’re getting consistent traffic, add display ads, create your own products, take on sponsored posts, whatever makes sense.
- Focus on SEO – Most of my traffic still comes from Google. Learn the basics of SEO so your content actually gets found.
How Long Until You Actually Make Money?
Let me be real with you: this isn’t a get-rich-quick thing.
With consistent effort (posting 2-3 quality articles per week), here’s a realistic timeline:
Months 1-3: Probably making $0-$50. You’re building foundation, learning what works, and waiting for Google to start ranking your content.
Months 4-6: Maybe $100-$300. Some of your content starts ranking, you’re getting a bit of traffic, and occasional affiliate sales trickle in.
Months 6-12: Could be $500-$2,000. Traffic is growing, you understand your audience better, and you’re converting more visitors to buyers.
Year 2+: This is where it gets interesting. You could be making anywhere from $2,000-$10,000+ per month if you’ve been consistent and strategic.
These numbers assume you’re putting in real work – not just phoning it in with low-effort content.
Common Mistakes People Make
I’ve made pretty much every mistake possible, so learn from my stupidity:
Promoting products you haven’t used – People can tell when you’re just regurgitating marketing copy. Only promote stuff you actually believe in.
Choosing niches based on money alone – If you hate the topic, you’ll burn out. Pick something you’re at least somewhat interested in.
Not disclosing affiliate relationships – This is legally required and builds trust. Always disclose when you’re using affiliate links.
Focusing only on product reviews – Diversify your content. Educational content builds authority and attracts traffic that you can then convert.
Giving up too soon – Most people quit right before things start working. The 6-month mark is where many people give up, but that’s often right when things start taking off.
Not tracking what works – Use analytics to see which content drives affiliate sales, then create more of that content.
My Personal Take After Doing Both
After several years of doing both blogging and affiliate marketing, here’s what I’ve learned:
The most sustainable and profitable approach is building a content platform (blog) focused on affiliate marketing as the main income source, with other income streams added over time.
Pure blogging (monetized mainly through ads) requires massive traffic to make good money. Pure affiliate marketing (without owning a platform) leaves you vulnerable to program changes and algorithm updates.
Combining them gives you stability plus high earning potential.
Start your blog today, focus on creating genuinely helpful content, promote products you believe in, and be patient. It takes time, but it’s absolutely worth it.
And honestly? The skills you learn building an online income – SEO, writing, marketing, analytics – are valuable regardless of which path you take.
Final Thoughts: Just Start
Look, I’ve spent way too many words here explaining both approaches. But the real secret is just getting started.
You can spend months researching and planning, or you can launch a blog this week and start learning by doing. I wasted like six months “preparing” before I finally published my first post. Don’t be like me.
Pick a niche, set up a blog (it’s like $100/year for hosting and domain), and start creating content. Promote products that make sense. Track what works. Adjust as you go.
You’ll make mistakes. I certainly did. But that’s how you learn.
The people making serious money with blogs and affiliate marketing aren’t smarter than you – they just started earlier and stayed consistent. So stop overthinking it and start creating.
Your future self will thank you. Trust me on this one.
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