Why Blogs are a Money-Making Powerhouse

4 minute read time

Before Instagram, before TikTok, before even Facebook – there were blogs, the OG destination for all things Creator content. And guess what? The blog, as a platform, is still an incredibly powerful tool for growing a business as a Creator.

To talk about the almighty blog and its potential to become an affiliate marketing powerhouse, we sat down with experts from our team, as well as experienced Collective Voice Creators. Read on, and you’ll be generating sales on your own blog platform in no time.

The Benefits of Having a Blog

Along with its ability to host long-form content, allowing you to get creative with your photos and writing, there are plenty of reasons why blogs are still beneficial platforms for Creators.

They’re Ownable

If you’re creating content for social media, then chances are you’ve battled with an algorithm or two in your life. As we all know, algorithms are tricky because they’re third-party-owned, they’re always changing, and they’re not easy to decipher. If your content falls in favor of an algorithm, things couldn’t be better. But, for the most part, algorithms can make it tough for Creators to totally control the potential reach and virality of their content.

The biggest benefit of a blog is that it’s a channel that you, as a Creator, can own. It can be a steady, central source for your affiliate links, giving you much more control over how you make money. “Having a blog helps control the unknown that comes with being a social media Creator,” explains Barbara Dahl, Head of Creator Innovation Strategy at Collective Voice. “Yes, you can post affiliate links on stories and storefronts on social media. But a blog is something your audience knows will always be there. They’ll know where to find it, and checking it can easily become part of their routine.”

They’re Evergreen

Also, blogs tend to be more evergreen, hosting content that continues to be relevant and visible year after year. Think of it as an archive; people can revisit your tips for past sales and events, or your timeless product guides. As lifestyle Creator Shelby of Pretty in the Pines puts it, “Having the blog serve as that shopping ‘hub’ is huge. All my links are there; they don’t expire, and people don’t have to scroll or go to multiple pages in order to find one thing.”

With everything in one algorithm-free spot, regular viewers and new visitors alike can easily find what they need and shop accordingly.

They’re Primed For SEO

Blogs are a perfect platform for leveraging SEO. With long-form articles, you have the opportunity to go after those search-friendly keywords. “We see Creators leverage SEO around really specific, high-volume events to make sure their content is showing up for those events,” says Barbara.

Say that high-volume event is the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale. By creating and hosting sale-themed content on your blog, you’re a) in control of exactly where your affiliate links are appearing and b) in the position to optimize it by adding specific SEO keywords, giving your content an advantage over content on non-SEO-friendly platforms like Instagram and TikTok.

And with a totally evergreen platform, you can count on that content to continue appearing in searches – and driving more traffic – even after the event is over.

Collective Voice Creator Jessica Camerata says, “When it comes to SEO, I try to research keywords and trending questions. That way, I’m always writing for a primed shopper.”

How To Make Your Blog Work Harder for Your Affiliate Links

Social media is a great source for driving affiliate sales. Yet blogs have unique features that make them true affiliate marketing powerhouses. Among Collective Voice Creators, we’ve seen a few especially strong strategies in play for driving affiliate sales from blogs.

Make Your Site Compelling And Readable

Ensuring a seamless journey for your audience when they land on your blog inspires and engages your audience, and encourages them to take action. “The best Creators are really considering the user journey and how to pull their audience into that next step,” says Tara Liggins, Senior Director of Creator Partnerships at Collective Voice.

Driving affiliate sales through your blog means getting smart about the user experience. Can your audience find what they want quickly? What parts of the shopping process can be streamlined so they don’t lose interest? Jessica says, “If I know time is of the essence, or my shoppers are really primed to buy, I may choose to use a direct product link to drive sales and remove any potential hurdles that shoppers could encounter. Fewer clicks usually result in more sales.”

Try to maintain a clutter-free environment and carefully curate the overall experience. While you’ll want to post frequently, it’s important to prioritize quality over quantity. Over-saturating your blog content with too much information makes it that much less engaging for users, and therefore, that much less effective as a money-making tool.

Give Your Audience What They Want

Make your audience’s lives easier by solving their problems and giving them exactly what they’re looking for. Survey your audience once a quarter to stay in tune with what they’re looking for. Or if a survey isn’t your style, tap into your affiliate data to see what types of items your audience is buying, and then create more content based on that.

Affiliate Links, Affiliate Links, Affiliate Links

It may sound obvious, but don’t skimp on how many affiliate links you use in your content. With a blog, you’ve got the real estate for them – so use them, and often! The Creators that are driving the most revenue through their blogs are the ones that are updating their blogs frequently. It sounds simple, but the only way to get a lot out of the platform is by putting a lot into it.