“Monetization” isn’t a dirty word … It’s how you stay in business.
👋 Welcome back to Content to Commas, your weekly playbook to monetize your content and build authority.
I speak to a lot of smart people who stall on charging.
They wait for 100K followers, a perfect media kit, the right business idea, or a brand to show up first … that’s not how this works.
Monetization is alignment (what you sell), visibility (where you show up), and consistency (how you sustain it all).
It starts at your current size with the offer you can deliver this week … not when you “feel ready.”
…(true story, I started monetizing my brand at 3K)
In this issue:
The Monetization Sauce: pick 2–3 streams
A 5-Day Monetization Challenge you can run without a big audience
OPA (Other People’s Audiences): turn visibility into revenue
Learn Kajabi’s $10B creator strategy (today’s sponsor)
Let’s get to work.
— Brandon Smithwrick
Most creatorpreneurs think you need 100K followers to make real money.
Kajabi says otherwise.
I like this because it backs what we talk about here every week. Kajabi’s new playbook breaks down how creators structure offers, bundle products, and build durable revenue without chasing algorithms.
What’s Inside:
Many six-figure creators have 1,000–10,000 followers.
You need roughly ~309 paying customers to hit six figures.
On average, six-figure creators earn $190K working ~4 days/week.
75% use multiple revenue streams vs. one product.
Bundling products can earn 4.5× more than single offers.
Nearly 1,800 creators have reached millionaire status; 70+ crossed $10M.
Get the strategies inside Kajabi’s $10B Creator Playbook 👉 Discover how creators built their businesses on Kajabi
💰 My Q3 2025 Monetization Playbook
I hate the “I need more followers mentality”…
Nah, you need an offer people want, places to be seen, and a weekly rhythm that moves strangers to “how am I just discovering you?”.
I believe small, focused audiences pay the bills. Your job is to choose a few lanes you can sustain and make saying “yes” easy.
Fill in: “When people think of _______, I want them to think of me.” (learn more)
Add or improve your CTA on your bio, posts, or site.
1) Choose Your Lanes (how to get paid)
Think of monetization as a menu.
Pick a couple of lanes that fit your voice and your capacity, then show up there every week. The goal is steady signals, not sporadic jumps.
Direct (money at checkout):
Brand deals (aligned sponsors), affiliates (tools/products you use), ad revenue (YouTube/blogs/podcast/newsletters), social commerce (TikTok Shop), digital products (templates, checklists, mini-guides), courses/coaching (package your process).
Authority-led (visibility that becomes revenue):
Speaking & workshops (panels/keynotes/lives/leads), memberships/communities (ongoing value, not just a chatroom), paid trainings (teach the playbook companies need).
Content → authority → leads → invoices. That’s the loop.
Pro tip: when you’re ready to package what you know, use a platform you own. Audience ownership beats chasing algorithms. (here’s one)
2) Monetize Without a Huge Audience
You don’t need to be big, you need to be useful. (no, I’m being 100% serious)
Borrow distribution, show receipts, and give people one clean next step.
UGC (User Generated Content) for brands — You make the ad; they post it.
Guest writing — Pitch your POV to a brand blog or newsletter your buyers already read. One link to your resource can outperform a month of random posts.
Guest podcasts — Borrow trust. Say who you serve, the outcome you deliver, then point to a single link.
Newsletters — Monetize your own (sponsors, affiliates, launches, premium tiers).
3) Visibility = Monetization (the OPA flywheel)
Other People’s Audiences (OPA) are warm rooms where trust already exists.
Show up — podcast, guest post, panel, referrals, newsletter feature.
Give value — one crisp framework + one story.
Bridge — send to one link (lead magnet, mini-product, consult).
Capture → Convert — email first, offer second.
4) Build Your Monetization Sauce
The goal isn’t to try everything or cling to one thing.
The antidote is a blend you can run for 90 days: one Discovery stream, one Nurture stream, one Cash stream.
Brand Deals/UGC (Discovery) + Affiliates (Cash) + Guest Podcasts (Nurture)
Newsletter (Nurture) + Templates (Cash) + YouTube Ads (Discovery)
Speaking (Discovery) + Consulting (Cash) + Guest Blogs (Nurture)
These are examples. Evaluate what makes the most sense for your business model.
Whether you’re an artist, founder, consultant, or entrepreneur, you can design a blend that fits your unique needs.
You’re not “selling out” by monetizing. You’re pricing your value.
👇 keep reading for more…
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🗓 The 5-Day Monetization Challenge
Let’s try something… making this real.
This 5-day monetization challenge is built for busy people.
Light lifts that stack into momentum.
No overbuilding; just clarity, simple offers, and one clean signal a day.
Day 1 — Clarity: One sentence on who you help + outcome. Pick one link where “yes” happens. Jot 3 offer ideas.
Day 2 — Lead Magnet Outline: Title, promise, 3–5 bullets, simple CTA. Sketch a 3-line delivery email.
Day 3 — Pitch Prep: Write 1 podcast pitch + 1 newsletter pitch (problem → promise → why you). Draft a 1-paragraph bio and 3-bullet talk track.
Day 4 — Send & Capture: Send both pitches. Spin up a basic waitlist form and a UTM’d link.
Day 5 — Publish a Signal: Post one authority piece with a soft CTA to the waitlist. DM 5 warm contacts and log interest.
Hit reply and email me your 90-day blend (Discovery/Nurture/Cash) and your 5-day plan … I’ll read every one.
If you post anything from the challenge, send the link or tag me, and I’ll amplify on my side and engage.
📚 Free Resources to Build Smarter
How to Land Your First Brand Deal: Whether you’re an aspiring influencer, UGC creator, or building a personal brand, this guide shows the exact steps to secure paid partnerships—even with zero experience.
2025 Goals & Habit Tracker (Notion): Plan your year on one page—set quarterly goals, track habits, and review progress so you stick to the plan.
250 Proven LinkedIn Hooks: Plug-and-play openers organized by content type to stop the scroll, earn replies, and turn views into leads.
Creatorpreneur Toolkit (60+ Tools): My vetted stack across creation, automation, analytics, and monetization—save time, skip the guesswork, build faster.
♻ The Catch Up…
Each week, I share strategies on brand building, monetization, growth, and cool events I’ll be at.
Here’s a curated list so you can catch up in minutes:
Heading to Atlanta in November for TEDNEXT 2025 Conference, here’s a discount if you’d like to join me — an exclusive invite ($750 off your ticket)
A LinkedIn tool that sends me emails each week analyzing my post — see more
What to know before you launch — the blueprint
Struggling between what you want to post vs what performs? Read this
Brandon Smithwrick
Thanks for reading!
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