How to Earn Passive Income with Your Blog

If you’ve ever dreamed about making money while you sleep, you’re not alone. One of the biggest draws to blogging is the idea of being able to earn passive income, aka earning money from content you’ve already created.

But here’s the catch: passive income from a blog isn’t automatic. It takes upfront strategy, consistent effort, and smart systems.

Once that foundation is in place, though, your blog can generate income over and over again (yes, even when you’re not actively working!).

Whether you’re just getting started or want to finally turn your traffic into cash, this guide will help you build long-term income the smart way.

Related:

• How to Monetize Your Blog in 2025
• Make Money with Sponsored Posts on Your Blog
• The Best Blogging Courses for Newbies
• How to Write a Blog Post That Earns Money

What is Passive Income?

Simply put, passive income is money that you’ve earned from work you’ve already done.

In the blogging world, this usually means publishing content that continues to generate traffic, and income, long after it’s been posted.

You might spend a few hours writing a blog post or creating a digital product today, and six months from now, it could still be earning you money with little to no extra effort.

But keep in mind, passive income still starts with active work. The key is building assets now that will continue working for you later.

1. Start With Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of the easiest ways to earn passive income through your blog. And it’s completely free for you to start!

Affiliate marketing involves promoting products or services you genuinely recommend and earning a commission every time someone makes a purchase through your unique link.

When done well, affiliate links can bring in income for years. The key is placing them inside your evergreen content posts (more on that later) that remain relevant over time.

Some popular affiliate programs to consider:

• Amazon Associates: Ideal for bloggers in nearly any niche
• PartnerStack: Great if you want to work with different brands
• Digital product affiliates: Promote courses, templates, or ebooks from creators you trust

Tip: Make sure you’re writing posts that match the intent behind a purchase. Tutorials, product reviews, and comparison posts are perfect places to add affiliate links.

2. Your Own Digital Products

Creating your own digital products is a powerful way to generate passive income. You build it once, then sell it repeatedly.

Popular digital products include:

• eBooks
• Printables (budget trackers, checklists, planners)
• Online courses or workshops
• Templates (like media kits or Canva graphics)

Start small. If you’ve already written blog posts that solve a specific problem, consider turning that content into a low-cost guide or resource. As your audience grows, so can your product library.

3. Ad Revenue

Another option for passive blog income is display advertising. Once you’re generating consistent traffic, you can apply to ad networks that place ads on your site in exchange for a cut of the revenue.

The most common beginner-friendly networks include:

• Google AdSense: Easy to get started but pays lower rates
• Ezoic or Raptive (formerly AdThrive): Higher payout options for bloggers with more traffic. I personally switched to Raptive in 2024 and have been very happy with them!

Ad income isn’t entirely “set it and forget it,” but once your blog has enough traffic and the ads are in place, you’ll earn money every time someone visits your site.

Tip: Make sure your site runs fast and stays user-friendly, even with ads. A bad ad experience can drive readers away before they even finish your content.

4. Evergreen Blog Content

If you want to earn passive income from your blog, you need content that keeps working long after it’s published.

This is where evergreen posts come in. These posts include timeless blog content that stays relevant month after month.

Think tutorials, how-to guides, beginner resources, and step-by-step breakdowns. A great example of evergreen content is this blog post!

The goal is to write helpful, keyword-optimized blog posts that rank well in Google and continue pulling in search traffic.

When those posts include affiliate links or promote your own products, you’ve got the foundation for passive income.

5. Email Automation

An email list is one of your most valuable blogging assets. With the right automation in place, it can also become a passive income machine.

Once someone signs up for your list, you can guide them through a welcome sequence that introduces your best content, promotes affiliate links, or even sells your digital products. All of this can be automated through a service like Flodesk (whom I personally love), so you’re making sales on autopilot.

The secret to a high-converting email sequence? Focus on solving your reader’s problems, just like you do in your blog posts. Build trust before you sell.

Final Thoughts: Passive Income is Possible—With a Plan

Passive income doesn’t mean zero work. But it does mean creating blog content and systems that continue to serve your readers and support your income, even after you’ve hit publish.

If you’re ready to start building real, sustainable income from your blog, now is the time to put these strategies in place.