Blogging has always remained a profitable venture for Kenyan content creators. Even as many youths would like to join the venture, their main interest is to know whether it’s still profitable in 2024. My answer is yes. However, it’s not as profitable as it used to be 5-10 years ago.
My blogging journey started in 2011 and I was monetizing with AdSense by then. I used to get 500,000 to 3 million views monthly. That time, if your blog got 1 million views, AdSense paid more than Ksh 200,000. In 2024 if your blog gets 1 million views, you’ll make less than Ksh 150,000.
During Kibaki era, the economy was growing and companies were spending on advertisements. Google was their main advertising platform. But in 2024 the dollar is performing extremely well against the shilling, companies are struggling—they are not advertising on Google. AdSense revenue for all bloggers is low. Bloggers depending on AdSense are suffering. I know of a couple of them who used to make more than Ksh 300,000 months, right now their monthly income is below Ksh 70,000 yet traffic has not changed.
Due to the low income from AdSense, bloggers have found a way to increase their revenues. If you visit sites like Kahawa Tungu and Cyprian Nyakundi, you’ll notice that they have started posting contents from USA, they are targeting USA traffic. This is the only way they can earn decent income from AdSense.
Though AdSense is not doing so well in Kenya, there are other ways bloggers are making money. One AdSense alternative is affiliate marketing. Bloggers have created niche sites which market products for companies like Jumia, betting sites and web hosting services. Affiliate marketing is more profitable than AdSense.
With the era of TikTok and YouTube, nowadays people prefer watching videos to reading text. Unless your content is excellent, unless your content contains keywords that people search for, you won’t be making money to sustain you as a blogger.
Bloggers earning reasonable income through their blogs are few. Most of them don’t depend on AdSense, they have other sources of income. Here are ways experienced Kenyan bloggers make money:
- Through AdSense
- Through AdSense alternative like MGID
- Through selling of their own items
- Through TikTok
- Through affiliate marketing
- Sponsored content
- Direct Banner ads
- Providing web hosting services
Amount of money Kenyan bloggers make
In Kenya, the average income of bloggers is Ksh 30,000. Two years ago, average income was Ksh 50,000. There are a couple of bloggers making over Ksh 1 million per month, one of them is Kenyans.co.ke .
A new blog won’t generate more than Ksh 50,000 for the first one year.You have to post thousands of blog posts and give your blog time to grow. After 3 years is when you start earning above Ksh 50,000.
In case you’ll be monetizing with AdSense, ensure your content targets USA traffic.The CPC for USA traffic is above $0.10.With 1 million views,you are sure of making over Ksh 200,000 monthly.
