(2023) 6 Surefire Ways to Make Money With WordPress: Full Guide

WordPress is one of the world’s most popular content management systems, powering almost half of all websites.

Unsurprisingly, many entrepreneurs want to take advantage of this powerful platform to launch their online businesses.

But while WordPress has made it easier than ever to turn your website into a money-making machine, it’s not always so clear on where – or how – to start.

So whether you’re completely new or have an existing WordPress site, we’ve put together this comprehensive list of six ways you can make money with the help of a handy payment plugin to manage and collect payments like a pro.

Ready? Let’s go.

Method #1: Sell digital products

When selling digital products, you’re creating and distributing something that’s delivered and consumed electronically rather than in physical form.

Usually, it’s in the form of selling your expertise and knowledge to other people.

So we’re talking about things like:

• Ebooks – a high-level overview of a specific topic that teaches readers something new. Pro tip: If you already have blog posts and content on a particular topic, you can easily repurpose that content into an ebook.
• Online courses – a popular way to teach people new skills or knowledge. They’re often delivered through video lessons, written materials, or a combination.
• Software applications – programs that can be downloaded to a computer or device, sold through app stores, or through a website. Just like we sell WordPress Themes and Plugins
• Printables – digital files that can be printed out and used for various purposes, like planners, artwork, or templates.
• Stock photos – professionally taken photographs that can be licensed and used by others for a fee.
• Music or audio files – Musicians and other audio creators can sell their music or audio files online through platforms like Bandcamp or their website.
• Design templates – Graphic designers and other creative professionals can sell design templates through their websites, such as logos, website templates, or social media graphics. For example, one entrepreneur got creative and sold his illustrations based on popular idioms.

How do I deliver and get paid for these digital products? With a plugin like GetPaid, you can attach any digital file to a product.

It will be automatically delivered to the buyer safely and securely after they purchase on your website.

They can download it after from the “my downloads” page:

Pros

• Low production and distribution costs: No need to worry about manufacturing, inventory, or shipping costs.
• Easy to scale: Since there’s no limit to the number of copies sold, you can reach a large audience without incurring additional costs.
• Can be sold 24/7: Make sales even while you’re sleeping or away from the computer since you’re not limited by physical store hours or location.

Cons

• Hard to prevent unauthorized distribution: The thing with digital products is that they can be easily copied or shared, which can lead to some losses in sales and revenue. But this isn’t a problem until you start to become popular.
• You’ve got some competition: You’re not the only one selling digital products, so you’ll need to find effective ways to stand out and attract customers. The good news is that digital products are very customizable, so you can make your stuff stand out with unique value propositions. You can start getting eyes on it with ads, social media, or even creating an affiliate program.

Method #2: Do affiliate marketing

Affiliate marketing is another way to monetize your WordPress site.

You act as a middleman between the customer and promoted product or service.

Every time a customer purchases through your affiliate link, you get a commission from the sale.

The key to successful affiliate marketing is promoting products or services that are relevant and helpful to your audience.

For example, if you have an e-commerce blog, promoting e-commerce-related products like shopping cart software or shipping services would make sense.

1. If you’re starting from scratch, consider what products or services you want to cover. If you already have a website, consider which products would suit your current visitors.
2. Research potential affiliates: A simple google search is an excellent start to finding reliable affiliates and comparing different programs. Here’s a list of HubSpot’s 50+ highest-paying affiliate programs to get you started. If you want to promote a specific product or company, visit their website to see if there’s an affiliate program (usually in the footer). You can also visit affiliate sites like ShareASale to find profitable partnerships.
3. Review the terms and conditions: Before joining an affiliate program, ensure you understand the program’s terms and the commission structure.
4. Apply to join the affiliate program: To join an affiliate program, you will typically need to apply by filling out an application form. Make sure to provide accurate and complete information in your application, as this can help increase your chances of being accepted into the program.
5. Promote the affiliate’s products or services: Whether it’s review or comparison articles, social media, guest posts, a video review, email marketing, or even a landing page, choose what you’re good at and create content that promotes the affiliate product or service.

Pros

• Passive income potential
• Flexibility in choosing products and promoting methods
• Low start-up costs (no need to invest in inventory or create your products)
• No customer service required

Cons

• Low commissions in some programs
• Dependence on advertisers for products and commissions
• Limited control over products and marketing efforts

Method #3: Place ads on your site

Ads are another popular way to make money with WordPress, as you can embed short snippets of code from ad platforms like Google AdSense into your website. When your site viewers click on the ad, you get a commission.

But of course, for people to click on your ads, you need to have traffic on your website. So, before you start placing ads, you must ensure an audience interested in what you offer and regularly visits your site. For example, many websites hosting ads operate a niche blog to ensure a steady flow of visitors.

The advertising options available to you are:

• Text ads – small snippets of text containing embedded links and placed within the content.
• Display ads – graphical images, such as banners or videos, embedded within your content.
• HTML ads – a combination of text and images that let you customize the look and feel of your ads.

Pros

• Passive income: You can continue collecting commissions from the ads even if you are not actively promoting your site.
• Low maintenance: Showing paid ads on your site requires minimal maintenance, as you do not need to promote the ads or generate sales actively.
• Opportunity to monetize traffic: If you have a website with a lot of traffic, showing paid ads can be a way to monetize that traffic and generate additional income.
• You have an array of ad networks and platforms that you can use to show paid ads on your site, giving you flexibility on the types of ads you offer and the commission you earn.

Cons

• Limited control over the ads and products being advertised can lead to a poor user experience if the ads are not relevant or appropriate for your audience.
• Potentially low revenue: Depending on your ad network and traffic, you may not be able to generate a significant amount of income from ads. Paid ads should be seen as a supplement to your other income streams, not a primary source of income.

If you don’t want to rely only on Ad Networks, with GetPaid’s advertising add-on, you can sell self-hosted ads by the number of impressions, clicks, or by time on your website.

You can even customize your WordPress website with automatic rules, code snippets, or shortcodes/blocks to select which areas of the site contain ads.

Additionally, managing your existing ads or creating new ones is easy with an informative dashboard showing statistics and ad performance reports.

With GetPaid, you can increase your income with ads without compromising user experience or worrying about maintenance and customization.

Method #4: Offer up your services as a freelancer

Do you have a specific skill set to offer visitors to your website?

Whether it’s consultant services, web design, content creation, and even virtual assistant services – these are all high-in-demand services that you can offer as an industry expert. And your website is your storefront.

When pricing your services, think about what rate is fair and competitive in the current market while also considering the value of your time.

Here are some tips for being a freelancer:

• Make sure you have a robust and diverse portfolio – you gotta show people you can walk the walk, and you do that by having examples of your work. The great thing about having a website is that you can showcase all your work in one place.
• Create a list of your services and make them easy to find on your website. With GetPaid, you can sell multiple items through Buy Now buttons or embed checkout forms on your landing pages to make it even easier for customers to purchase your services.
• Make sure you have a central location to store any contracts, invoices, and project agreements. If you use GetPaid to handle your freelance services, you can easily keep track of all your projects and payments through the admin dashboard.
• Use an online meeting tool like Calendly to schedule calls and meetings with your clients easily. If you’re discussing a custom project, you can send free quotes to your client that automatically turn into an invoice if users accept it using GetPaid. Alternatively, you can send a PDF invoice to their email when everyone’s ready.
• Make sure you set boundaries and expectations with clients from the get-go – this will prevent any misunderstandings down the line (e.g., being overworked).

Pros

• Flexibility in terms of schedule and location
• Independence in choosing projects and approaches to work
• Potential for higher earnings and diverse experience

Cons

• Lack of job security and access to company resources
• Responsibility for managing own benefits and insurance
• Potential for unstable income and difficulty finding new clients

It would be wise to start freelancing as a side gig and slowly transition to a full-time freelancer if that’s what you want.

If done correctly, it can be a great source of income for WordPress developers, DIYers, and anyone wishing to start an online business.

The great thing about using the GetPaid plugin as a freelancer is that it gives you an edge in the professional market.

You can create automatic reminders for more on-time payments, offer over 20 payment gateways, and know when customers have viewed an invoice with an eye icon to check the status.

Method #5: Publish sponsored content and reviews

Like paid ads, this one also requires your site to have a sizable audience before you can get any traction with it.

But when you do have the numbers, sponsored content and reviews are a great way to make money from your WordPress site.

This method of monetization works by having companies pay you for advertising their products or services on your website as content.

This is usually done by writing a blog post or video review about them and giving a link back to their website.

The key to sponsored content and reviews is ensuring you only work with reputable companies whose products or services are related to your niche.

You don’t want people to think you’re just selling out for a quick buck – that definitely won’t help your reputation in the long run.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Research and identify potential sponsors that align with your values and audience. You can search on LinkedIn, Google, or Twitter, attend industry events, network and partner with influencers, or even ask around.
2. Create a media kit to showcase your audience demographics, content offerings, and media partnerships, so sponsors understand the value of working with you.
3. Reach out to potential sponsors and tailor your pitch to their brand. You can send a message on LinkedIn, email them directly, or even give them a call.
4. Negotiate the terms of the agreement, including payment, deadlines, and content. With GetPaid, you can send sponsors a quote with all the details so they can accept and make the payment directly from the quote – which turns into an invoice.
5. Follow up and follow through on your commitments to deliver high-quality sponsored content.

Pros

• It can be a good source of income.
• It helps you build relationships with companies and brands for long-term partnerships.
• You can expose your content to a broader audience.
• It can be an excellent way to try out new products or services.
• It allows you to try out new formats, styles, and content ideas and explore new creative possibilities when reviewing products.

Cons

• You risk compromising the integrity and credibility of your content if not disclosed correctly or if it’s a wrong quality product.
• It can be challenging to find sponsors at first.
• Requires a sizeable audience base and engagement rate.
• It can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.

Method #6: WordPress Design Services

As a WordPress developer, DIYer, or someone looking to start an online business, one of the best ways to make money with WordPress is by offering design services on the platform itself.

It’s no secret that WordPress has a bit of a learning curve, and users often need help understanding how the platform works.

This is where you come in!

You can offer services like WordPress theme installation, customizing existing themes for clients, creating custom plugins or widgets, setting up eCommerce stores, optimizing websites for SEO and speed, and much more.

You can create different packages tailored to their specific needs and ensure you include a service guarantee in your contracts. Hence, customers know they’re getting quality work at an affordable price.

Pros

• You can work from anywhere and manage multiple clients at once
• You’re in control of how much you charge

Cons

• Requires a good understanding of WordPress coding and design
• It can be challenging to find clients at first

Start making some serious WordPress dough with GetPaid 😎

Making money with WordPress can be a great way to start an online business or generate extra income.

Whether you offer design services, sponsored content, reviews, or display ads on your website, there are plenty of ways to monetize your WordPress site.

To make the process easier for yourself and customers alike, consider using GetPaid – its secure payment processing plugin that makes accepting payments quick and painless.

So get creative with how you use WordPress and start cashing in.

Check it out today.