People use both websites and blogs to make money, but which one is a better option for making money? Is there a better option, or does it all come down to personal preferences and interests?
Before you start a blog or a website, it’s good to know how much you can earn with these options.
Regarding blogs versus websites for making money, blogs are a better option if you like to invest less initially while having a more indirect approach to sales. Websites require higher investments, but they also have a higher earning potential. It’s all about the risk you’re willing to take and how you plan on making money.
Blog vs website for making money: Quick comparison
| Blog | Website | |
| Monetization options | Affiliate marketing, ads, product sales, services, online courses, webinars, podcasting, dropshipping… | Subscription content, affiliate marketing, influencer marketing, online courses, ads, sponsored posts, ebooks, email marketing, sponsorships… |
| Potential income | $48,000 average annual income | $1,000 per month (average) |
| Starting investments | $300 initially, $1,000 – $15,000 a year for further growth | $2,000 up to $75,000 |
| Growth opportunities | Blogging is more limited and requires expanding to other industries or activities. | Endless scaling and more flexibility |
However, blogs and websites can be used together to build a recognizable brand and sell products or services.
Here’s what you need to know about blogs vs websites for making money.
Monetization options
Blogs can make money in many different ways. They can offer subscription-based content, meaning people can access exclusive content if they subscribe. Many blogs use affiliate marketing to promote services or products related to their topics and relevant to their target audiences.
Well-established blogs can also sell online courses, sell space for ads, or sell space for contributors. You can also make ebooks or write sponsored posts. Blogs include many options like affiliate marketing, sponsored posts, Google Adsense, selling services and products, ad space, online courses, and more.
Websites offer more flexibility regarding monetization, and you can do anything you want with a site.
How much money do they make?
Around 30% of blogs make money. Not all blogs are successful, but at the same time, many bloggers do this as a hobby. Bloggers earn an average of $48,000 annually, with a minimum income of $38,000 and a maximum income of over $52,000.
Still, some of the most successful blogs haven’t disclosed their profits.
Websites need around 10,000 unique visitors per month to start earning around $500 to $1,000 per month. It takes websites 1 to 3 years to achieve this number of unique visitors.
Websites can generally make a lot more money, but also many websites can’t grow and don’t generate sustainable revenue.
Initial investments
One of the significant differences between a blog and a website is the money necessary to set one up.
Building a website can cost you from $2,000 up to $75,000 and requires a lot of work. If you do it on your own using a website builder, you can cut down on costs.
However, most successful websites are built on an independent CMS like WordPress, giving you more opportunities to make money online.
Websites require development, design, hosting, management, and other work, while blogs can work independently on blogging platforms where everything is handled for you. The average cost of setting up a blog is somewhere around $300.
Scaling your income
Scaling a blog is pretty linear, so you don’t have to do anything differently or get outside your comfort zone.
- Blogging is about writing great posts, connecting with other influencers, and marketing your content. One or two people can usually run a blog, so there’s no need to find others to help.
- On the other hand, website income usually relies on other services like inventory management, production, storage, shipping, etc. To successfully scale a website and maximize its potential, you must work with others and invest in different processes.
Conclusion
We hope this post has helped you determine the main financial differences between blogs and websites and helped you decide which one is better for you.
Remember, if you have a passion for a specific topic you want to expand on and update regularly, it’s better to go for a blog. On the other hand, if you want to offer products or services and sell them, you should create a website.
Good luck!
