Blogging is a fantastic thing to get into. Connecting with the amazing people out there in the blogosphere and making new friends around the world can make it worthwhile in and of itself. But most people who start a blog are also hoping to earn some extra income from it.

The good news is that you don’t have to be an “A-list” blogger with a million readers to do this; all you need is a dedicated group of readers who believe in what you’re selling (whether it’s a product or a message). Be genuine, be unique, deliver content that will have them coming back for more…then consider adding on the following “monetization” techniques to cash in on your relationship with your readers:

        Create an ebook. If you blog about frugality, healthy living, or any other topic people are searching for guidance on, you can write a book and get it in front of your potential readers in a way that was never before possible. All you need to create an ebook is word processing software, the ability to turn your document into a PDF, and a way to collect money (such as a PayPal account). This kind of monetization is great because it’s “passive income”—once you’ve written the book and set up your payment arrangements, you just sit back and collect the profit as people buy your ebook and it’s delivered straight to their inboxes.

Tried and true ways of turning a blog into a book include compiling and revising your most popular posts, writing a how-to guide for issues faced by your readers, or creating a workbook people can work through.

        Offer a service. If you blog because you love writing, you could offer freelance writing and editing services. If you blog about finding your motivation in life, you could offer coaching services. Whatever your passion is, if people are already coming to your blog to read about it, chances are that some of them will be willing to pay you for extra help and guidance. So as long as people are visiting your blog anyway, why not put up a “hire me” page?

        Use your blog to promote your business. Whether you’re a small business owner, a freelancer, or an Etsy artist, a blog can be a great way to introduce people to your business. Customers these days are inundated with so many options when it comes to purchasing anything—but if you’ve already become a trusted friend and resource for them through your blog, you’re going to be on the top of their list when they’re in need of whatever services you offer.

Just make sure that your blog doesn’t turn into one big sales page—you want to write on topics that your potential customers will find interesting and entertaining, not use every blog post to write about how great your products and services are. That will just turn them off.

        Affiliate sales. Lots of bloggers jump to load their sites up with things like Google AdSense, but unless you get a lot of traffic, you won’t be getting rich with these kinds of ads—and they have to potential to turn off your readers if you clutter up your site too much. You’re better off participating in affiliate programs, where you recommend a product (like your favorite blogger’s ebook), and if someone buys it through your link, you get a percentage. Many bloggers have affiliate programs for their products, or you can sign up for Amazon Associates and get a percentage of any product purchased on Amazon through your link.

Kelly Gurnett writes for payday loan lender, QuickQuid, and runs the blog Cordelia Calls It Quits, where she documents her attempts to rid her life of the things that don’t matter and focus more on the things that do.