We are told money from blogging is supposed to go like this… start a blog, get an audience (traffic), build a list, and sell products to your list and your blog audience. Is it that simple? Of course not. It’s a bumpy road with switch backs, dead ends and potholes, and you never arrive at a destination because it’s always a journey.

Instead of stressing about the money, concentrate on making your blog a really good one. Make it a blog with very helpful, even valuable information, where people want to go again and again to see what you have to say. Make it an authority site and you’ll find the money comes in some surprising ways, not just from hard-selling products.

Partner with other marketers on product creation. Having a successful blog you’re passionate about makes you stand out in the crowded blogosphere and you’re going to get requests from others in your field to work together. Get to know them and pick and choose carefully. It could be that you both are experts, or that you have the expertise but they have a huge audience. Bottom line, make sure you can benefit from the partnering.

Selling ad space on your blog. There’s some prime real estate on your blog’s sidebar(s) and you might want to sell ad space there or at the end of a post. Again, pick and choose carefully who you want to represent. The more traffic your blog gets, the more you can charge per ad.

Incidental selling. These are sales you make from blogging about the tools, software, ebooks, etc. that you’re successfully using. Your own case studies are an excellent path for incidental selling. No hard-selling involved, just mention what you use and why you picked that particular thing over another.

Private coaching. “Show me how to do what you do!” will be the recurring theme in emails you receive and in comments on your blog. Consider turning those requests into one-on-one or group coaching. This can be very lucrative.

Speaking engagements. Successful bloggers are in demand as speakers and they get paid for their time at the podium. Not only that, they often get to pitch their own products during their speeches. That makes for two income streams from one event.

There is definitely money to be made from blogging, but it may not be in the way you’ve been told it will come. Relax, have patience, post amazing content again and again, grow your audience, and be open to other income-producing opportunities that come your way.