There was a time when blog monetization relied heavily on ad revenue, especially from platforms like Google AdSense. However, with the rise of AI, the traditional pageview-driven advertising model is reaching its limits. Here’s why:
The Decline of Traditional Blog Advertising
Content Commoditization
AI tools now generate vast amounts of automated content, making it increasingly difficult for human-written articles to stand out. SEO-focused posts, even when optimized for large language models (LLMs), are easily buried under a flood of similar AI-generated articles.
Falling Ad Rates
Advertisers have become more rigorous about measuring ROI, causing cost-per-click (CPC) rates to decline year after year. To earn significant revenue, bloggers now need massive pageviews—something out of reach for most small-scale creators.
Ad Fatigue and User Resistance
Widespread use of ad blockers and growing user frustration with excessive ads have dulled the effectiveness of online advertising. As a result, monetization efficiency continues to drop.
The Limits of LLM-Optimized Content
Lack of Originality
While AI-generated content can be produced at scale, it often lacks originality. Google’s guidelines now emphasize E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness), making it harder for generic AI content to rank highly.
Quality Control Costs
AI-generated drafts still require human editing and fact-checking. The time spent reviewing and revising often outweighs the convenience, leading some to conclude it’s faster to write original content from scratch.
Poor Differentiation
With so many people mass-producing similar AI-generated posts, it’s difficult to stand out. This lack of differentiation leads to fierce competition and declining traffic for individual blogs.
The Power of Unique Personal Experience
To monetize a blog in the AI era, the best strategy is to focus on content only you can create—your unique experiences and expertise. Here’s why:
Irreplaceable Value
Deep-dives into your own experiences and know-how can’t be replicated by AI or other writers. Readers seek out information they can’t find anywhere else.
Building Trust with Readers
Sharing real stories, including failures and lessons learned, fosters empathy and trust. This relationship lowers the barrier for readers to pay for premium content.
Branding Effects
A blog with a clear theme and personal story attracts attention on social media and in the media, increasing organic traffic and outperforming ads in terms of audience growth.
How to Build Paid and Subscription-Based Blogs
Choose Your Niche and Define Your Audience
Select a field where your experience and knowledge are strongest. List your audience’s needs and pain points, and design both free and paid content to address them.
Offer Value for Free
Provide high-quality free content on your blog or social media. Use a “teaser” approach—give away part of the value for free, and reserve the rest for paid subscribers. If your free content isn’t valuable, it will be hard to convert readers to paying customers.
Set Prices for Paid Content
Combine one-off paid articles (hundreds to thousands of yen/dollars) with monthly subscriptions. Offering a free trial or first month free can lower the barrier to entry.
Choose Your Platform
Consider using platforms like note, Substack, Patreon, or Zenn, or build your own site with WordPress and MemberPress. Compare fees, customization options, and payment methods.
Content Production and Update Frequency
Offer exclusive perks for paid members, such as live streams, Q&A sessions, or private communities. Aim for a regular update schedule (weekly to twice a month) and plan your editorial calendar in advance.
Promotion and Feedback
Create effective landing pages and newsletters to convert free readers into paid subscribers. Actively solicit feedback from members to continually improve your content.
Examples and Mindset for Future Blogging
- Expertise × Experience Blogs: Share detailed accounts of studying abroad, dieting, entrepreneurship, etc., and offer concrete know-how as paid content.
- Community Building for Recurring Revenue: Run exclusive social groups or Slack communities for paid members. Peer interaction adds value and reduces churn.
Essential Mindset for Blogging in the AI Era
- Prioritize long-term trust over short-term pageviews.
- Move away from ad-dependence and focus on building lasting relationships with readers.
- Regularly document and reflect on your own experiences to create a growing library of unique content.
- Diversify your revenue streams with paid articles, subscriptions, online events, and consulting.
Conclusion
In the AI era, relying solely on ad revenue and AI-optimized content is no longer sustainable for bloggers. The winning strategy is to leverage your unique experiences and expertise to build paid and subscription-based models. By focusing on trust and authentic value, you can create a stable, long-term income from your blog—even as the digital landscape continues to evolve.
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