Blogging is not just a great hobby. It can also be a means to earn money. Today, more and more companies are recognizing the power of blogging.
This medium is highly effective in sending out messages to prospective customers as well as influencing them to make a purchase.
With this being said, you can make extra money from paid reviews on your blog. In essence, the more followers or subscribers you have, the greater your appeal to prospective customers.
Thus, companies will be more inclined to pay you higher for the reviews you make with regard to their products and/or services.
So, how much money can be earned by writing reviews?
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Freelance Bloggers versus Full Time Bloggers
First, you need to decide whether you want to blog full time or part time.
If you have other things going on in your life, such as studying, you may simply blog part time.
If you are thinking about shifting careers, blogging is pretty lucrative.
Then If you choose to blog full time, you should decide next if you prefer to work as a freelancer or as an exclusive blogger for a particular brand or business.
Freelance bloggers usually work for several companies at a time while exclusive bloggers have contracts with certain businesses.
If you choose to be a freelancer, you are in full control of your work schedule.
You can choose which companies you want to work with.
You can either accept or decline offers to make reviews, and you can work whenever you want as long as you meet the deadlines.
On the other hand, if you choose to be an exclusive blogger, you become legally obligated to work with that particular brand or business.
You also have to follow the rules and requirements stated in your contract. You are also highly likely to be prohibited from working with other businesses, especially if they are competitors, throughout the duration of your contract.
Freelance bloggers are usually paid per blog entry. So, if you are a freelancer, your earnings can depend on how many blog posts you make. This kind of setup has its own benefits and drawbacks. For example, you get the benefit of an unlimited earning potential. Then again, you may not earn anything if you cannot find a company or brand to work with.
Exclusive bloggers are paid a fixed amount. Depending on your skills and experience, you can earn $50,000 to $80,000 per year. The amount you earn may also depend on how much work you put in. Likewise, this kind of setup has its benefits and drawbacks. A huge benefit is that you will get paid well. Then again, you have to stick with that business for a certain period of time.
Flat Rate versus Pay per Post
As mentioned earlier, freelance bloggers typically get paid per blog entry.
A product or service review usually costs about $25 to $150, depending on the word count, difficulty of research, and other requirements.
If you have to do extensive research, tag content, and source images, you may earn at least $75.
If you have to take photos yourself, you may earn at least $125.
Nonetheless, freelance bloggers may also work out a deal with a certain company, advertiser, or business owner.
If the advertiser becomes impressed with your work, you may be asked to work for their brand semi-permanently. You may get a flat rate on a weekly or monthly basis.
This is a win-win for both parties. You get to have regular projects and the advertiser gets to have consistent content quality.
Things to Keep In Mind When Doing Paid Reviews
Now that you have an idea on how to make money as a blogger, you can get ready for work. However, before you dive in, see to it that you keep the following pointers in mind:
1. Know your worth as a blogger
Today, blogging is just as real as traditional jobs. So, if you want to establish yourself as a serious blogger, you should set some ground rules.
For instance, you may tell companies or advertisers upfront that you do not accept freebies as payment.
After all, you have put effort in building a reputation as an influencer.
You spent a considerable amount of time to grow your social media following, design your blog, and develop yourself as a brand.
You did your research about the company, tested their products and/or services, and did a professional review. Thus, you need to get paid with actual money.
However, if you have just started blogging, it is acceptable to do sponsored work.
You can consider this as a way to build your portfolio.
It can be difficult for companies and advertisers to get a grasp of your workmanship if you do not have samples on your blog. You can write reviews on two or three products that you really believe in.
2. Consider essential factors
You can negotiate your rate for your reviews. Just make sure that you consider factors such as lead time, production costs, social reach, exclusivities, and social sharing specifics.
Companies and advertisers are mostly in search for brand awareness and product marketing.
Be careful with conditions for anchor text backlinks, which are regarded by Google as paid links. It is not ideal for you to have them on your blog. Otherwise, you may get penalized.
3. Only review products and/or services that you truly believe in
Your followers will surely dislike you if you do biased and unreliable reviews.
You should never recommend anything that you would not use yourself, no matter how much money the company or brand offers for it.
In addition, you may want to stick to your niche.
It is not ideal to fill your blog with unrelated reviews. For example, if your blog is about beauty and makeup, your readers might get confused if you post reviews about camping gear and tents.
You may also charge higher for your reviews if they fall within your niche and drive a good amount of traffic to the company’s official website.
You may earn $300 to $500 per review, depending on the readership and popularity of your blog.
