As more companies recognize the influence of bloggers, more opportunities appear to make money blogging. Here’s a rundown of the more well-known opportunities for bloggers to profit:

1.  Google AdSense lets you place relevant ads on your blog, then pays you money for every click or impression. While many bloggers swear by it, others criticize Google AdSense for cluttering their blog design and occasionally showing irrelevant ads.

2.  Amazon Associates is an affiliate program that lets bloggers recommend Amazon products, then earn commission when a purchase is made through via their link. (Ed Dale has a great step-by-step tutorial on creating Amazon affiliate links for your blog.) The program offers a diverse selection of products and ads, but most commissions are only four percent of all purchases.

3.  ClickBank allows bloggers to search through thousands of products in a variety of niches, then earn up to 75 percent commission for each product sold. Many internet marketers swear by it. The drawback: this method of affiliate marketing requires considerably more time than just placing a few ads on your blog.

4.  Social Spark connects bloggers with advertisers by paying bloggers for placing ads or writing sponsored posts. While the company has become well-known for offering Chris Brogan a $500 shopping spree, most opportunities pay only $1 to $20.

5.  Blogads lets bloggers choose their own ads, set prices, and even customize copy and design. The downside: it’s invitation-only. If you don’t know a sponsor, you can e-mail Blogads to be notified when sponsors become available in your niche.

6. Chitika was recently named the best blog ad company by Inc. Magazine. It looks and works a lot like Google AdSense but has a few more reader-friendly tools. Like Google AdSense, you can customize the layout and color scheme to fit your blog.

7. In-text advertising companies place links to advertisers into the body of your blog posts or web site copy, then pay you for each click. Some, like Kontera,  include a little pop-up that appears and exposes the ad when you hover over the link. Some bloggers argue that in-text advertising can increase your SEO, while others believe it can improve your rankings.

8.  ScratchBack and other online tip jar services let blog readers show their appreciation by giving a sum of their choice. The program then charges you a fee and/or takes a small percentage of the money. While having a tip jar won’t make you rich, it is an ad-free way to earn a few extra bucks. You can see an example of one in the right-hand sidebar of this page.

Have other resources to suggest? What are your own experiences with blogging for profit? Leave a comment below.