Blogging has been a popular way of communicating ever since the first blog post hit the internet. With over 600 million blogs in the world as of 2022, you can bet that the selection of topics to blog about is enormous.
Yet, some are more popular than others simply because they have more mass appeal. Beauty blogs, for instance, see a fair share of traffic. While it’s not an easy task to blog about beauty practices and products, it’s a highly profitable job. But how much do beauty bloggers make exactly and how do they get paid? Let’s find out.
How Do Beauty Bloggers Make Money?
Before we get into the bottom line of beauty bloggers, let’s cover our basics. If you’ve been wondering how much money bloggers make and how they do it, you’re not the only one. Blogging can be a misunderstood profession to outsiders, but it’s nonetheless a very profitable one.
If you’re persistent enough, you can generate a very good annual income while doing something you like. The most important thing is to blog about something you know you like and that you’re good at and, of course, to have a superior blog.
With that being said, beauty bloggers have some of the highest incomes because the beauty industry has always been popular. There are several ways beauty bloggers earn money, so let’s check them out.
Advertising Revenue
One of the most common ways all bloggers earn money is through placing ads on their blog. And it's only logical – wherever you go, you’re surrounded by ads, and beauty blogs are no exception.
There are two different types of ads you’ll see on blogs: non-targeted or targeted ads, though the latter are far more common. Targeted ads mean that each visitor will see a different ad based on their interests.
There are two ways bloggers earn money through ads:
By directly negotiating with companies in their niche to get them to buy advertising space on their blog.
By signing up to an ad network (Google AdSense, Mediavine, Adthrive) and letting it claim space on the blog for ads.
Bloggers may earn commissions in two cases:
Whenever someone clicks on the ad where the blogger gets paid for each click.
Whenever someone visits the blog and sees the ad, also called impressions.
This means that they don’t have to click the ad; viewing it alone is enough for the blogger to earn a small income.
This is an effective way to earn money, but it works best if there is enough traffic on the blog, as there won’t be enough ad views or clicks to generate noticeable income otherwise.
Affiliate Commissions
Another common way beauty bloggers earn money is through affiliate commissions, which just means recommending and promoting certain products. Bloggers usually choose certain products or services they already like and use (such as skin care or hair care products) and sign up for an affiliate program with those companies.
Bloggers are then provided with affiliate links to these products that they include in their posts so that every time a visitor clicks on the links and makes a purchase, the blogger receives a commission. This is usually a certain percentage of the purchase price that can vary from 5% to 20% or even 50%.
Sponsorships
Earning through sponsorships may be the most lucrative way beauty bloggers earn money. It involves signing a contract with a company to promote their product or service for a certain amount of time while disclosing that it is sponsored content.
The sponsorship package may entail posting different types of content, depending on where the blogger is most active, but it almost always involves social media, like posting photos, stories, and reels of the beauty blogger talking about the product and using it.
Digital and Physical Product Sales
Many beauty bloggers end up creating and producing their own original products that they later sell on their blogs or a dedicated online store if they decide to branch out. This is mostly true for blogs that have been around for a while (at least two or three years) and that have already created their own community of readers.
The products can be physical goods or digital products, like printables, e-books, and even online courses and the like.
Services
Lastly, beauty bloggers can make money by selling services in their respective niches. Some bloggers are true experts in their fields and may offer coaching or consulting. For example, a certified esthetician may offer a custom skin care regimen for acne-prone individuals, a stylist may offer styling consultations, and a make-up artist may offer their services.
Whatever it is, some bloggers use their platform to convert visitors into clients and customers and increase their sources of income.
How Much Do Beauty Bloggers Make on Average?
In general, blogging income varies depending on many different factors and circumstances, one of them being the niche itself. There are countless blogs by beauty influencers, but some niches within the beauty segment, such as skincare and makeup, are appealing to a wider audience, so that’s why some blogs seem to be more accessible and “commercial.”
(Image credit: Element5 Digital on Unsplash)
On average, first-time bloggers can earn anywhere from $200 to $2,500 per month in the first year. Over time, once you establish your blog, you can start earning more money – $3,500 to $15,000 per month.
However, according to ZipRecruiter, the average yearly income of beauty blogs is around $43,700 as of June 2022. This sum amounts to roughly $21 an hour, which is approximately $840 a week or $3,641 a month. There are beauty bloggers who have managed to climb higher and make six figures annually, but the majority of beauty bloggers fall in the aforementioned category.
Beauty blogging may be one of the higher-paid blogging niches, but you shouldn’t expect it to take off and thrive in the first year because the first year is always the hardest. There are going to be inconsistencies where some months you’ll earn more and some months less. But once you get through the bumpy road and learn how to play, it gets a lot easier, and you get to see why beauty blogging is profitable.
What Are the Most Profitable Blog Niches in 2022?
Now that you understand all the ins and outs of beauty blogging as well as how much beauty bloggers make, you might be interested in other niches that might suit you better. Here are the most profitable ones.
Finance and Investing
Finance and investing are evergreen topics which is why blogs in this niche are always profitable. People are always looking for smart advice on how to manage and save money, pay off debt, invest, and earn money, and there are many successful blogs that provide invaluable tips and information.
Travel
Travel blogs are still popular, and they will probably always be, not only because readers like looking at beautiful photos but also because they want to learn about a certain culture and maybe even get tips on which places to visit when they travel to different destinations. Travel bloggers may choose to write about specific elements of the trip, like historically important and/or local places to visit, restaurants to eat, hotels to stay in, etc.
Fashion and Beauty
Fashion and beauty blogs will never lose their big readership because they’ve always been popular. With the abundance of fashion and beauty brands nowadays, there is also an abundance of blogs in this niche. Blogging about fashion and/or beauty is one of the most lucrative blog niches because working with big brands can generate a large income.
Food
Food blogs have always been popular, and even though this niche is saturated, it’s by no means limited, as delicious recipes are always welcome everywhere. Popular food bloggers have branched out to making videos and publishing their own cookbooks. Food blogs normally focus on one specific sub-niche, like quick and easy recipes or meals for specific diets.
Lifestyle
Lifestyle blogs are truly diverse because they can cover so many different categories, like food, travel, personal development, fashion, wellness, fitness, work-life, etc. Having said that, it’s all in how you combine those categories and make interesting and engaging content. Whatever the content is, it has to be very specific, which helps to build a recognizable brand behind the blog.
Health and Fitness
Health and fitness blogs will always be lucrative because they offer a way to get a good workout at home without having to go to the gym. But it’s not just that. Health and fitness bloggers often blog about a specific target audience and tailor their content to meet their needs, from blogs with exercise and nutrition tips for stay-at-home moms to tips for bodybuilders who want to improve their gains.
Business and Digital Marketing
Business and digital marketing is currently one of the most popular niches to blog about simply because many people are starting their own businesses (especially small businesses), and digital marketing is the wind that fills their sails. These types of blogs cover a very wide range of topics, so bloggers choose one or two sub-niches to focus on and go into greater detail.
Over and Out
To the outsider, blogging may seem easy – after all, you just write an article and upload some images, right? Well, yes, but it’s not nearly as simple as it sounds, especially for beauty bloggers.
It takes planning and trying out different products so you can offer your readers valuable content, and of course, you have to enjoy what you do. Beauty blogs have many different ways they can make money, as beauty is a lucrative niche. Even if they don’t make six or seven figures a year, the average earnings are enough to become your main source of income.
And if you don't find a kindred community within the beauty blogging world, there are other lucrative niches you can try your hand at.