With over 15 years of covering entertainment in Ghana and beyond under my belt, I still cannot get over comments on social media that suggest that many Ghanaians don’t understand the concept of blogging.
Often people assume that anything I post on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter is automatically a blog post just because they know me as a blogger.
Although the blogosphere keeps changing in terms of formats, platforms etc., I am still very traditional when it comes to blogging. My blog posts often appear on Facebook and Twitter as headlines with photos and links to www.ameyawdebrah.com, while my regular social media posts are not linked to my blog or website. For instance, I can share my opinion about best performance bonds on Facebook, but does that necessarily make it a blog?
I post a lot of engagement posts like funny videos and photos particularly on Twitter and Facebook, which are often misconstrued as blog posts. And for Instagram, I share mostly personal experiences (some of which can be considered as blogs or vlogs), content from Ameyaw TV and promotional materials.
So, what is a blog or who is a blogger? A blogger is someone who runs and controls a blog. He or she often shares his or her opinion on different topics, experiences etc. for a target audience. With that cleared now let’s get to the main question of interest to many, how can you make money online as a blogger or content creator?
Bloggers do earn money, but this is not a get-rich-quick kind of profession. Before you can start monetizing your blog, you need to build both your Google SERPs ranking and your niche influence. Search Engine Results Pages (also known as “SERPs” or “SERP”) are Google’s response to a user’s search query. SERPs tend to include organic search results, paid Google Ads results, Featured Snippets, Knowledge Graphs and video results. For instance, a feature about Bekins Moving Solutions on a number of different websites can boost their presence on the internet generally.
To have a good SERP ranking takes plenty of time and quality content. Ideally, money-making opportunities won’t present themselves until you’ve gained some credibility in the field.
Monetisation of blog
Monetizing your blog is a great way to make money, but how is it done? It is important to keep your readers engaged with a consistent offering of awesome content. But that, by itself, doesn’t bring in any money.
Banner ads are very common on the internet, and although they’re sometimes annoying, they can help your blog bring in more revenue. Additional advertising can be in the form of product and service endorsements, especially from providers that share your niche. This could be sponsored content or just the occasional mention in your blog posts. If your readers have a problem that an advertiser’s product can solve, you can reference the product in a relevant post and collect a fee from the advertiser for doing so.
If you have advice that people will pay for, consider creating a members-only section on your blog. Charging a small fee, you can give your fans exclusive access to valuable insights and information. But you shouldn’t put all your content behind a paywall. There needs to be some high-quality free content to draw people in.
If you’re willing to endorse products that are related to your blog topic, you should consider linking to them and using an affiliate code. If a reader clicks the link on your blog and then makes a purchase, you will get a small percentage of the sale.
Sometimes a company will approach you to see if you consider plugging their product on your blog. If you approve of the product and it’s relevant to your readers, go for it. Currently 80% of the revenue i generate from my website is through sponsored posts.
Social Media Influencer
Currently, more than 50% of my monthly income comes through my social media influencer engagements. And the good thing is that I get these from local and international businesses and organizations who are looking to reach Ghanaian and African audiences. I have also built my Instragram in a manner that attracts the diaspora audience as well. I can talk about different products from Kente to jura espresso machines, and create an appeal for it amongst my audience. In fact, even when I travel to New York, I am invited by brands and influencer marking agencies to try new experiences, products and services.
In Ghana the pandemic also has seen a lot of businesses like Guinness, HD+, Glovo and others exploring new ways to reach their target market using influencers such as myself. My revenues from influencer marketing have increased by some 40% from June 2020 to September 2021.
Monetization of YouTube Video
YouTube has become a major earner for many creators around the world, including Ghana. We have seen success stories such as that of ZionFelix, Wode Maya, Kofi TV among others. Currently Ameyaw TV’s YouTube channel accounts for less than 10% of my total monthly revenues but we have not deterred as we keep growing on that platform also.
I recently put together a vlog to highlight how you can make money as a blogger or a Youtuber in Ghana. I used myself as an example and shared personal insights into my analytics and the money I make via channels such as Adsense, SEO Marketing and YouTube. Watch video below:
