Affiliate Marketing vs. Display Ads: Food Blogger's Guide

Disclosure: I may earn a small commission for purchases made through affiliate links in this post at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products I truly believe in. Thank you for supporting my site!

You’ve built a beautiful food blog. You share your best recipes, your family’s favorite meals, and those little kitchen secrets that make all the difference.

You’re building an audience, and now you’re thinking about the next step: turning that passion into a real, sustainable income from home.

But then you hit a crossroads. You keep hearing about two main ways to make money: affiliate marketing and display ads.

The big question swirling in your head is, which is better affiliate marketing or display ads for a blog like yours? Where should you invest your precious time and energy for the best return?

It’s a confusing choice, but it’s also a sign of your success. This isn't about a quick cash grab; it's about building a business that fits your life.

This guide is here to cut through the noise. We’ll break down both methods in simple terms, so you can understand the pros, cons, and real earning potential of each.

By the end, you’ll have a clear plan for which path—or blend of paths—is the right next step to monetize your food blog.

Let’s dive in.

What is Display Advertising?

Imagine you own a piece of land next to a popular highway. Instead of farming it yourself, you rent out space for billboards.

Cars (your traffic) drive by, see the ads, and you get paid for the exposure. That’s essentially how display advertising works for your blog.

In simple terms, you allow companies to place ad banners, videos, or other media on your website. You don’t have to sell anything directly. Your main job is to attract traffic; the ad network handles the rest.

Your earnings are typically measured by RPM (Revenue Per Mille), which is the money you earn for every 1,000 pageviews your site gets.

The more traffic you have, the more you earn. Networks like Mediavine, Raptive, and Google AdSense act as the middlemen, connecting you with advertisers and depositing earnings into your account.

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Now, imagine you’re a trusted friend recommending your absolute favorite chef’s knife to someone who’s just getting into cooking.

You tell them where you bought it, they use your link to purchase it, and the store gives you a small thank-you commission for the referral. That’s the heart of affiliate marketing.

It’s not about random ads; it’s about earning a commission for genuinely recommending products you already use and love.

For food bloggers, this is a natural fit. You’re already talking about the kitchen tools, ingredients, and gadgets behind your recipes.

Your revenue here isn’t based on pageviews alone. It’s based on actions: a reader clicks your special link and makes a purchase.

You might link to a baking sheet on Amazon, organic spices from Thrive Market, or a meal kit delivery service. Your income is directly tied to your influence and your audience’s trust.

Display Ads: Pros and Cons for Food Blogs

Like any strategy, display advertising has its upsides and downsides. Let’s weigh them.

The Pros:

• Passive & Scalable Income: This is the biggest draw. Once the ad code is on your site, it works while you sleep. Every old post has earning potential. Your income scales directly with your traffic—double your traffic, and you’ll likely double your ad revenue.

  
  

• Low Barrier to Entry (After Approval): Once you’re accepted by a premium network like Mediavine or Raptive, the setup is mostly hands-off. They optimize the ad placements for you. You can focus on creating content while the ads generate a baseline income.

  
  

• Complements Your Content: Ads run alongside your content without you having to write a sales pitch. A recipe for chocolate chip cookies can earn from ads without you needing to explicitly promote anything.

The Cons:

• User Experience Risk: Too many ads, or poorly placed ones, can slow your site down and frustrate readers. Finding the balance between revenue and a clean, fast user experience is constant.

  
  

• Traffic-Dependent: Low traffic equals low earnings. If you have a seasonal dip (common after the holidays) or a Google algorithm update affects your traffic, your ad income takes a direct hit.

  
  

• Less Control: You have limited say over which ads appear on your site. While you can block certain categories, you can’t hand-pick every advertiser, which might sometimes lead to brand mismatches.

Affiliate Marketing: Pros and Cons for Food Blogs

Affiliate marketing offers a different set of rewards and challenges.

The Pros:

• Higher Earning Potential: This is its superpower. While display ads pay per thousand visitors, a single affiliate sale can be worth $50, $100, or more. You can earn significantly more from a single engaged visitor than from a thousand passive ones.

  
  

• Builds Trust & Authority: When you consistently recommend products that improve your readers’ lives, you become a trusted expert. This strengthens your relationship with your audience and turns them into loyal followers.

  
  

• Full Control: You choose exactly which products to promote. You only align with brands you genuinely love and trust, which protects your authenticity and reinforces your brand values.

The Cons:

• Active Effort Required: This is not passive. It requires strategy: researching products, strategically placing links in old content, and creating new content like gift guides or "kitchen essentials" roundups specifically designed to drive sales.

  
  

• Delayed Gratification: Earnings are not instant. A reader might click your link today but not make a purchase for weeks. You only get paid when they finally complete the sale.

  
  

• Can Feel "Salesy": There’s a delicate balance. If every paragraph has a link, it can erode trust. The key is to recommend products authentically and only when they provide real value to the reader.

Head-to-Head Comparison: Key Factors to Consider

So, do affiliate links or ads make more money? The answer is: it depends. Here’s how to think about it.

• Earnings Potential: There’s no clear winner. Display ads provide a predictable, stable baseline. Affiliate marketing offers explosive, high-reward potential but with less predictability. A well-placed affiliate link in a popular recipe can outsell a week’s worth of ad revenue.

  
  

• Traffic Requirements: Display ads demand broad traffic. Affiliate marketing needs targeted, trusting traffic. You can have a smaller audience but earn more through affiliates if they are highly engaged and trust your recommendations.

  
  

• Implementation & Maintenance: Display ads are hands-off after setup. Affiliate marketing is hands-on, requiring continuous effort in building relationships, creating content, and optimizing links.

  
  

• Impact on Audience Trust: Poorly implemented ads can hurt trust. Authentic affiliate recommendations can build it. The choice isn't just about money; it's about how each method affects the relationship you have with your readers.

The Verdict: Which One Should You Focus On?

Your choice isn’t about which is universally better, but which is better for YOU right now.

Focus on Display Ads If...

• Your primary goal is passive income.

• You have high, broad traffic (50k+ monthly sessions).

• You don’t enjoy writing product-focused content and prefer to just create recipes.

Focus on Affiliate Marketing If...

• You have a smaller but highly engaged and trusting audience.

• You enjoy creating curated content like “My Top 5 Kitchen Tools” or “Best Healthy Baking Ingredients.”

• You want to maximize your earnings per visitor and have more control over your revenue.

The Winning Combination (The "AND" Strategy)

The most successful food bloggers don’t choose. They use both. They let display ads provide a reliable, passive baseline income from their entire library of content.

Then, they layer affiliate marketing on top for high-value, intentional earnings on key posts. This diversified approach creates a resilient business that isn’t reliant on a single income stream.

How to Get Started with Each Method

Ready to dive in? Here’s your quick-start guide.

Launching Display Ads:

1. Reach Traffic Thresholds: Focus on growing your traffic to at least 50,000 monthly sessions to qualify for premium networks like Mediavine.

   
   

2. Apply to Networks: Once you hit the threshold, apply! Our guide on display ads breaks down the best networks and how to get accepted.

   
   

3. Install & Optimize: Once approved, install their code. Then, focus on site speed and user experience to keep your RPM high.

Launching Affiliate Marketing:

1. Join Networks: Start with Amazon Associates and then expand to networks like Awin and CJ Affiliate for bigger brands.

2. Add Links to Old Posts: Audit your existing content. Add relevant affiliate links to your recipe ingredients and equipment.

3. Create New Content: Develop content specifically for affiliates, like gift guides or product reviews. For advanced affiliate strategies, we have a full post to help you.

Pro Tips for Maximizing Both Streams

• For Display Ads: Your RPM is king. Prioritize site speed above all else. A fast site keeps readers happy and commands higher ad rates.

• For Affiliate Marketing: Authenticity is everything. Only promote products you have personally used and loved. Your trust is your most valuable asset.

• For Both: Never forget: incredible, SEO-optimized content is the engine that drives everything. Without readers, neither method works.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I do both affiliate marketing and display ads on the same page?

A: Absolutely! In fact, you should. They complement each other well. Just be mindful not to overcrowd the page with too many monetization elements.

Q: Which one makes money faster?

A: Display ads can start generating income immediately after approval from a network like Google AdSense. Affiliate marketing often takes longer to see significant income, as it requires building trust and making sales.

Q: Do I need a lot of traffic to start affiliate marketing?

A: No! That’s the beauty of it. You can start with a small, loyal audience. Even a few sales from a dedicated following can be valuable.

Q: Are there any costs to get started?

A: Generally, no. Joining affiliate programs and ad networks is free. Your investment is your time and effort.

Conclusion: Build a Balanced Income Portfolio

So, which is better affiliate marketing or display ads? The truth is, it’s the wrong question. The right question is, “How can I use both to build a resilient, diversified income for my food blog?”

Think of your blog like a financial portfolio. You wouldn’t put all your money in one stock. Similarly, you shouldn’t rely on one income stream. Display ads are your steady, reliable bonds.

Affiliate marketing is your growth stock with higher potential.

Together, they protect you from algorithm changes and market shifts.

Your journey is unique. Start where you are. Audit your top 10 posts this week. How could you add valuable affiliate links to them? And what’s your current traffic level? Let those answers guide your first step.

The goal isn’t to choose one path, but to build a thriving business that allows you to do what you love: sharing your culinary passion with the world, all while generating passive income that supports your dreams.