Launching and running a news website is exciting, but the real challenge comes when you ask yourself—How do I actually make money from this? In India, more people are shifting to digital news than ever before. From politics and finance to entertainment and local updates, readers rely on online platforms for quick, reliable information.
The good news? If you’re consistent with your content and smart about your strategy, a news website can be more than just a passion project—it can also become a strong source of income. In 2025, there are several ways you can monetise a news website: ads, sponsored articles, affiliate marketing, paid subscriptions, and more. The key is to balance quality journalism with smart monetisation methods that don’t scare away readers.
In this blog, we will look into how to monetise a news website in India and why you should monetise, the best revenue models available, and the exact tools you can use to grow your site into a profitable business.
Note: If you are new in News Industry, our 7k Network can help you get trained in News Portal oeprations as well as earning. You can contact us if you want.
Why Monetise a News Website?
Management of a news site is time-consuming, energy-consuming and resource-consuming. You are doing research, writing, Why not make money from your news website while staying updated with what’s happening? Earning from your site not only brings income but also helps your platform survive and grow.
Here’s why monetization is important:
- Keep the site running: Money helps pay for hosting, writers, and marketing.
- Better content: Earnings let you hire skilled writers and editors, and get better tools.
- Financial independence: You won’t have to rely on donations or outside funding.
- Grow your platform: Consistent revenue allows you to cover more stories, try video reporting, or even make a mobile app.
In short, monetizing a news website means you’re not just reporting news—you’re also running a sustainable online business.
Monetisation Methods for News Portal Websites
Having an answer to this question is impossible because the best way to make money with a news site is actually to consider your niche, the size of your audience, and the kind of content you write about. A combination of various revenue sources is the most prudent most of the time because you are not depending on a single source.
We should deconstruct the top strategies of 2025:
1. Google AdSense & Display Ads
When most people think about making money from a website, Google AdSense is usually the first option. Here’s how it works: you sign up with Google to show ads on your site, and you earn money whenever a reader sees an ad (CPM) or clicks on it.
For news websites, especially those covering trending topics, AdSense can be very profitable because these sites naturally attract a lot of visitors. The more articles you publish, the more ads people see, and the more income you earn.
Why AdSense works well for news sites:
- Easy to set up, especially on WordPress using plugins.
- Ads are automatically targeted based on your content.
- Income grows with your traffic—more visitors mean more revenue.
Tips to earn more with AdSense:
- Place ads in visible spots like the top banner, sidebar, or within articles.
- Don’t overload your site with ads—too many can annoy readers.
- When your traffic grows, try alternatives like Media.net or AdThrive.
If your site gets 100,000+ visitors per month, AdSense alone can provide a steady income.
2. Sponsored Content & Native Ads
One of the most profitable strategies of an existed news site is sponsored content. Rather than placing arbitrary advertisements, you collaborate with a brand to post an article, video, or report to advertise their product or message, but it is posted in your typical style of content.
Example:
- A health news portal publishing a sponsored article by a wellness brand.
- A business news website featuring a thought leadership article by a fintech company.
Why brands love it:
- Native ads feel less intrusive.
- Sponsored articles allow them to connect with audiences in a trusted space.
How you earn:
- Depending on your traffic and authority, brands may pay anywhere from ₹5,000 to ₹50,000 (or even more) per sponsored post.
Golden rule: Always disclose sponsorships to maintain trust. Readers value honesty, and transparency protects your credibility.
3. Affiliate Marketing
Affiliate marketing lets you earn money by recommending products or services in your articles. When a reader buys something using your link, you earn a commission.
When it works best:
This works well if your news site covers topics where products matter, like technology, finance, or lifestyle.
Examples:
- A tech news site reviewing smartphones and linking to Amazon.
- A finance site recommending trading apps or credit cards.
- A lifestyle site linking to fashion or beauty products.
Why it’s powerful:
Unlike regular ads that pay per view, affiliate income can grow over time. One popular article with affiliate links can continue earning money for months or even years.
Tips for success:
- Promote only products your readers actually want.
- Use tools like ThirstyAffiliates to manage and track your links.
- Combine affiliate links with news reporting, e.g., “Top 5 phones launched this month.”
4. Paid Subscriptions / Membership
Although Indians are late adopting online news purchases as compared to the western countries, this is changing. The existence of such platforms as The Ken, InShorts Gold, and Times of India+ is an indication that consumers are ready to spend money on exclusive, ad-free, or high-quality journalism.
How you can implement it:
- Keep breaking news free, but lock in-depth analysis, reports, or investigative pieces behind a paywall.
- Offer multiple membership tiers (monthly, quarterly, yearly).
- Add perks like early access, exclusive Q&A sessions, or even offline events for members.
Why it works:
Not only does paid subscription earn you a consistent monthly income but also it allows you to create a loyal and engaged community of readers. 2-3 percent of your audience will be good income even when it is free.
5. Email Newsletter Monetisation
Among some of the least utilized and most effective monetization tools is email newsletters. This is compared to social media, where you are restricted by an algorithm on the number of people you can reach. With a list of subscribers, you have direct access to your audience through email.
Ways to monetize newsletters:
- Charge brands for sponsored placements inside your emails.
- Add affiliate links in your recommendations.
- Launch premium subscription-only newsletters for deep insights.
Why it’s worth it:
Readers who subscribe to your emails are your most loyal followers. They’re far more likely to engage with your content, click links, and even pay for premium features.
Pro tip: Keep your emails short, valuable, and consistent—so people look forward to opening them.
6. Google News & Other Traffic Platforms
The basis of any monetization strategy is traffic and one of the most effective ways to increase your following is by becoming listed on Google News. Your articles get published in Google News feeds once they are given the go-ahead and this can attract thousands of new readers each day.
In addition to Google, such platforms as Flipboard, DailyHunt, and Inshorts are also good to be distributed. Most of the Indian news outlets are currently feeding their content to such sites in order to access the broader population.
Why it’s a game changer:
- More visibility = higher ad revenue.
- Stronger brand presence.
- Opportunity to attract advertisers looking for high-traffic sites.
Tips to get approved by Google News:
- Publish original, timely, and well-structured content.
- Maintain a clear “About Us” and editorial team page for credibility.
- Update consistently Google rewards active publishers.
Content Strategy to Maximise Earnings
- Pay attention to SEO: Trending keywords, concise headlines, and evergreen materials and daily news. This will aid in high ranking of your articles in Google and will maintain the flow of traffic.
- Quick Breaking News: Release stories immediately when they occur in order to achieve immediate surges of traffic. Earlyness creates power and causes the reader to come back to your site to get updated.
- Balance Content Types: Combine trending updates, explainers (both short-term and long-term) of both content types. By doing so, your site would not depend on the short-lived stories.
- Engage Readers: Use polls, comments, and other incentive features to make visitors stay longer on your site. The longer they spend the greater your ad revenue and subscriptions.
- Mobile-First: Make sure that your site is fast and clean on smartphones because the majority of people in India read news through mobile. The mobile experience will be smooth, which will decrease the bouncing rates and increase the ranking in search engines.
Tools & Plugins for Monetisation
WordPress Plugins
The right Durations make Monetization easier. Ad Inserter allows you to insert the ads in the areas that will be most effective, MemberPress or Paid Memberships Pro allow you to work with paid subscriptions, and ThirstyAffiliates allows keeping the affiliate links organized and tracked. These tools do not make life more complicated on the technical part hence you are able to concentrate doing quality news content.
- AdRotate
- AdSanity
- Restrict Content Pro
- Easy Affiliate Links
- WPForms
Analytics & SEO
Analytics and SEO You need to make money first, which means you have to know who is listening to you. Google Analytics and GA4 provide you with the understanding of the articles that drive the most traffic, and SEO tools such as Yoast or RankMath helps you to write about something that will be ranked on Google. Using facts in place of guesses, you can optimize your strategy and concentrate on things that will bring maximum income.
- Google Analytics 4 (GA4)
- Ahrefs
- Moz
- RankMath
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider
Email Marketing
Newsletters are effective in gaining loyal readers. The creators of Mailchimp, ConvertKit, or Sendinblue allow you to create and send professional emails, automate campaigns, and even sort your audience. Then you can apply the same as by selling ad space in newsletters or placing affiliate links or by offering paid premium editions. Email list makes sure that you do not rely on the social media entirely to drive the traffic.
- ActiveCampaign
- MailerLite
- Klaviyo
- Sendinblue (Brevo)
- GetResponse
Affiliate Networks
You must have affiliate alliances in order to receive income by product recommendations. Such networks as Amazon associates, Cuelinks, CJ affiliate, or Impact unite publishers with thousands of brands. After joining, you are able to add the affiliate links onto your articles and receive commissions when the readers make purchases. By selecting networks that match your niche, it will be guaranteed that you have more conversions and a consistent income.
- Amazon Associates
- Flipkart Affiliate
- Awin
- Pepperjam
- Rakuten Advertising
Conclusion
The idea of making a news site in India profitable in 2025 is all about a mix of the right strategies. If you are wondering how to monetise a news website in India, ads like Google AdSense may provide you with a constant income, though one should not depend on them exclusively. There are sponsored content, affiliate marketing, email newsletters, and even paid subscriptions, which are several sources of revenue that can make your site sustainable.
The true trick is in maintaining a balance between good journalism and intelligent monetization, when your readers trust what you write, they will read more, will click more and paying must become part of their subscriptions. Through hard work, proper tools and good content strategy, your news site can become not only a source of reliable information but also a business making good profits.
At 7k Network, News Portal Development Company in India, we believe that the success of a news website goes beyond just design—it’s about building a powerful, revenue-driven digital brand. Our expertise lies in creating robust, scalable, and monetization-ready news portals that allow publishers to focus on quality journalism while we take care of the technology and growth framework. Whether it’s integrating ad networks, enabling paid subscriptions, or optimizing for SEO and user experience, our solutions are tailored to help you turn your news portal into a trusted and profitable media brand.
FAQs
What traffic size do I require to make through AdSense on a news site?
As a rule, it is better to target at least 50,000-100,000 monthly visits to realize any significant income on advertisements.
Do small news websites have the potential to be profitable?
Yes, even in small niche news websites, sponsorships, affiliate marketing and email newsletters can be used to earn money. It is not about size but about quality.
Will Indian people subscribe to news?
It’s growing steadily. Numerous readers are increasingly subscribing to premium analysis, ad free services or exclusive reporting particularly in the area of finance, business and politics.
How do I get my site accepted into Google News?
Post original, timely, and structured content, have a page about/editorial team, and submit an application using Google Publisher Center.
What is the easiest way to monetize?
The simplest place to start would be Google AdSense and affiliate marketing and then you can continue with sponsorships or subscription when your site grows.
