If you’ve got a quality/valuable product to sell (whether or not it’s manufactured by you and/or your organization) — and time, then yes. If not (meaning, if you aren’t directly selling any products), but, once again, can dedicate some time to this endeavor, then it still can be. Regardless, the latter is typically less profitable, and, in some ways, more difficult to turn a profit… given that you’re handing over well-deserved visitor trust to companies you’re affiliated with (and some you aren’t, depending on the type of ads you’re running alongside your content).

Of course, not all content on your site (and, yes, you should be posting the majority of your original content to your website) needs to be free & publically available. That being said, it’s difficult to sell memberships to premium content (or simply digital goods) if you’re not already publishing articles, videos, and/or audio files (i.e., podcasts) that could be digested by anyone, at any time (as opposed to a paywall). So, if you envision launching a course (or courses), tutorials, and/or entertainment on a specific niche topic, be prepared to buy ink by the barrel.

As far as affiliate marketing is concerned, you can most definitely promote the offerings of relevant merchants… but you might not make much. Commissions on physical goods tend to be quite low (often as low as 1%), and software & other digital goods generally see very low conversion rates (plus, they’re usually priced considerably less than physical products). In the end, it’s best to form personalized collaborations & join ventures with merchants & other (premium) content creators. This way, the terms will be in line with your objectives. As a side note, you’ll have more influence over the conversation if your site is already receiving a significant amount of targeted traffic.

Above all, though, as a content creator, you need to grasp the concept that everything about your site should be theme-related. In other words, there needs to be a parallel between your brand, your content, your audience, and, in some cases, the platforms utilized to drive new & repeat visitors to your site.

So, how much can you make?

While your income will depend greatly on the industry you’re in, you can expect to make four to five USD figures within your first year, if you post regularly/consistently (i.e., 1-3 new pieces of content per week). Six-figure yearly earnings may take a decade or longer. But the sad reality is that most people (meaning, most independent publishers) won’t experience a fraction of those earnings, likely because they’re not able to withstand the initial months of lackluster profits.

When you’ve got bills to pay (and especially when they’re backed up), motivation, knowledge, or even patience isn’t what’s missing. Priorities need to be set straight, which makes it completely logical to avoid actions that, in all honesty, can potentially lead to nowhere. Still, with the resources at your disposal, and a business model consisting of one of the lowest costs of entry, you can surely build something worth sharing — albeit gradually.