For many people, making money from the comfort of their own home is the dream. Completing surveys, selling unwanted items, and pet sitting are all viable options. But these days, one of the most popular side hustles is blogging.
While starting a blog needs little to no financial outlay, you will need to invest a lot of time and effort into your blog if you want it to be successful. Which is why blogging should start as more of a passion project than a means to make money fast.
That said, the highest paid bloggers are earning more than most CEOs so there’s plenty of money to be made if you’re determined enough.
Are you in need of some inspiration for your blog? Keep reading to find out more about the success story behind some of the biggest bloggers around.
Timothy Sykes
While he may not be the most famous blogger, Sykes is one of the biggest earners of the blogging world.
His eponymous blog, which earns him around $15-20 million a year, focuses on how to make money through trading. Sykes also sells courses about selling and trading penny stocks which is where most of his blogging income comes from.
Sykes started off as a penny stock trader himself. But he soon saw the possibility of turning his knowledge into an even bigger money-spinner – by sharing it online. These days, he also uses his Instagram account to show off his luxurious lifestyle. This, in turn, helps sell his products by reinforcing his lifestyle and brand.
Chiara Ferragni
With almost 20 million Instagram followers, Ferragni is easily one of the most famous bloggers in the world. After all, how many bloggers can say that they’re the subject of a Harvard Business School study?
Hailing from a small town near Milan, ex-law student Ferragni started her personal style blog, The Blonde Salad, back in 2009. Since then, it has evolved into a massive fashion site, which also serves as a shop for Ferragni-designed clothes and accessories.
But what sets Ferragni apart from all the other fashion bloggers out there?
While it’s hard to pinpoint exactly, it seems to be a combination of keeping true to herself while working hard and always hustling. Many interviewers note how she’s the same on and offline. And her outlandish looks, style down to the sneakers and constant social media updates keep her fans interested and inspired.
Rand Fishkin
Rand Fishkin, a Seattle-based web designer, was one of the first to see the value in providing SEO insight and guidance.
Back in the early days of Google, there was little information or understanding about its mysterious algorithms and how to rank higher on a search. But Fishkin set about trying to change that with his Moz blog, transforming himself into an SEO authority in the process.
That’s not to say that Fishkin didn’t struggle at first. But as his blog began to take off, this brought in a steady stream of clients. This enabled Fishkin to refine his vision into what is now a hugely successful SEO empire.
Sarah Titus
Popular bloggers understand the value of selling their story in everything they do, but no one does it better than Sarah Titus.
Titus’ eponymous blog focuses on everything related to mom life and helping moms make money from home while raising a family. But Titus doesn’t just give out advice. Instead, she makes a point of talking about God and referring to her family struggles and the challenges she faces as a single mom in almost every post.
Sharing so much of her own story and beliefs with her readers builds trust and familiarity. This intimate connection then makes it easier for Titus to make money from affiliate marketing and her online shop as her readers feel like they know her and want to support her.
Melyssa Griffin
This former TEFL teacher is an inspirational figure for many bloggers thanks to her strong work ethic and undeniable success.
Griffin started her blog in 2013 as a creative outlet and means to connect with others while living in Japan. But she credits her passion and commitment to the unexpected success that followed. She also recognizes that her willingness to try anything and hustle to make it work helped her make six figures within two years.
Most of Griffin’s blogging income comes from selling her courses and advertising other people’s courses. But her bright and breezy blog and podcast episodes are so engaging and honest that it’s easy to mistake her hard-sell for enthusiasm.
Heather and Pete Reese
The Reese family blog, It’s a Lovely Life focuses on family, lifestyle, and travel. But as well as sharing stories and tips about their family life, they share a lot of advice-based posts about blogging.
It’s this combination of presenting a lifestyle blog alongside advice-based posts that seems to be the key to the Reeses’ success in a world full of similar blogs. While sharing your family life helps create a bond between you and your readers, offering them educational content also provides the value that readers appreciate.
The Reese family makes money through their blog by selling products and courses. Although, their main source of income is still sponsored content and affiliate marketing. This shows the value of creating engaging content and selling a lifestyle through your blog.
Get Inspired by the Highest Paid Bloggers
Whether these highest paid bloggers were on your radar before or not, they sure will be now.
Turning your blog into a success means focusing on your unique voice, knowledge, or experiences rather than copying anyone else. But there’s no harm in wanting to emulate the success of these famous bloggers.
For more inspiring articles like this, be sure to check out our other blog posts!