How to Monetize Your Blog (and Why You Don’t Need Millions of Views to Start)

Hey HackerNoon Fellows, let’s talk about the big green elephant in the room: how to actually make money from your blog. 

Testimonial from our former VP of Editorial, Limarc

“I’ve worn two hats here—VP of Editorial at HackerNoon (where we’ve explored every possible way to monetize content) and a small-scale blogger myself. And trust me, you don’t need millions of views to start earning. My modest site pulls around 44K views a month and, back in 2021, brought in an average of $635 monthly. Not huge numbers compared to big media outlets, but still a clear sign that the “little guy” can absolutely win.”

The Many Paths to Monetization

When it comes to monetizing your blog, there isn’t just one route. Think of it as a toolkit—you’ve got multiple options, and you get to choose which ones fit your goals, your content, and your audience.

The most familiar path is through ads. They come in many shapes and sizes: banners on top or alongside your articles, videos that stay fixed to the screen, pop-ups that take over the page, and overlays that follow you as you scroll. Each has its pros and cons. Banner ads are straightforward, but they rarely pay much unless you’re running high traffic. Video ads tend to have the biggest payouts right now, thanks to the explosion of streaming platforms, but they can be distracting. Pop-ups and interstitials, meanwhile, are the mosquitoes of the internet—intrusive, irritating, and often driving users away.

Beyond ads, there’s the world of sponsored posts and endorsements, where brands pay you to feature them in your content. Backlink placements can also bring in money, essentially letting companies buy SEO value from your blog. Then there are affiliate commissions, where you recommend products or services and earn a cut of each sale. And finally, there’s direct sales—your own products, courses, or services—which can be incredibly rewarding once you’ve built trust with your readers.

Choosing the Right Model 

Different revenue models work better for different sites. If you’ve got a high-traffic blog, CPM (Cost Per Thousand Impressions) might make sense, since you’ll earn something for every thousand eyeballs on your ads. But if your traffic isn’t massive, this often results in pocket change—hardly worth clogging your site with intrusive ads.

For blogs with engaged readers, CPC (Cost Per Click) can be more effective. You get paid when people actually click on ads, so if your content naturally encourages exploration, this can add up. Finally, there’s CPA (Cost Per Acquisition), which rewards you when readers take a specific action—like signing up for a service, downloading software, or buying a product. For smaller sites, CPA can often be the most profitable because it values quality and persuasion over sheer traffic volume.

The main lesson here is: don’t just copy what the biggest sites are doing. Experiment, test different approaches, and figure out what works best for your style of writing and the audience you’ve built.

Bonus Round: Writing Contests

Now, let’s talk about something uniquely HackerNoon: writing contests. Contests aren’t just about making money—they’re about credibility, visibility, and growth.

Here’s how they work. Tech companies partner with HackerNoon to run contests on topics tied to their industries—whether that’s blockchain, AI, cybersecurity, or another area shaping the future of tech. Writers from our community (that means you) submit original stories based on those prompts. The strongest entries are published, promoted, and shared widely across our platform. And the cherry on top? The winners get paid.

Most contests have a prize pool of at least $3,000, and anyone can enter. You don’t need to be a professional writer, just someone with an idea, a story, and a willingness to share. For you, Fellows, this is a huge advantage. By the time you complete the fellowship, you’ll already know how to write with SEO in mind, how to craft a narrative, and how to think like a digital publisher. That means you’re already one step ahead.

Of course, writing contests aren’t a guaranteed stream of income, but they can be an exciting challenge. Some writers make it their personal mission to enter every single contest we host, and many of them win consistently. But even beyond the money, they sharpen their skills, try out new prompts, and grow their portfolios along the way. Every contest is a chance to push yourself, meet new readers, and build credibility in the HackerNoon community.

So the moral here is simple: when you see a writing contest, go for it. It’s a low-barrier way to test your skills, grow your network, and yes, boost your bank account.

Final Thoughts 

Blog monetization is not a one-size-fits-all game. Whether you’re experimenting with ads, affiliate programs, or direct sales—or jumping into writing contests for fun and prizes—the key is to start small, stay consistent, and adapt along the way.

So Fellows, take this as your nudge to experiment boldly. You don’t need millions of views to succeed. You just need creativity, persistence, and the courage to hit publish. And remember: every story you write is not just a piece of content—it’s an opportunity.