Make Money With Your Blog

How to Add a Paypal "Buy Now" Button to Your Blog

What You Will Need:

- Goodies to see (for this tutorial, I am going to show you how to sell digital items, not physical items you need to ship)

- A Paypal Account

- A blog

- Mediafire or Rapidshare, etc (you will need to ensure you have account with a program that allows you to upload and share files with others)

Ever wonder how bloggers make money? Here's a step by step guide to help you set up a "Buy Now" Paypal button on your own blog

I have self-taught myself along the way and honestly, I have yet to learn how to offer the option to purchase more than one item at a time.  I spent hours trying to figure out how to integrate a user-friendly shopping care platform to my blog, without success.  So, if anyone has any helpful tips, hints, or tutorials they can pass along, please do! 

For now, I am excited to offer the option to purchase (one at a time, for now) items available from Changing Vases.  I also wanted to pass this information along to those looking for help with setting this up on their own blogs.

Let's Get Started

First, you will need the item you wish to sell.  I am going to use my "At the Circus" digital scrapbooking kit.

All of the elements in this kit are contained in a zip folder.  I have my own personal ways of organizing my files, but you will just want to be sure you can easily locate the file/s you wish to use.

Next, you will need to access Mediafire.  It is free and simple to use.  Once logged in, the next step is to upload the file/s you wish to offer as downloads.  

I have a specific folder I keep the majority of my scrapbook kit uploads.  Once again, how you organize your folders here is up to you.  

To create a new folder (for ex. "Scrapbook Kits"), click the "blue and white folder with a plus" button at the top of the page and name your folder; press create.  To create a sub-folder (for ex. "At the Circus"), you will first make sure you are in the folder you just created and you will follow the same steps above. 

Mediafire Create Folder 

You're Getting Excited, Aren't You

Next, you will need to log into your Paypal account. Once logged in, click the "Products and Services" tab at the top.  Then, hover over "Get Paid" and select "Sell On Your Website."

You will then see a blue "Get Started" button, click that and then select "On Your Website;" Click "Add a Payment Button." Then, select "Create a Button."

Trust me, it is much more difficult on paper, plus bookmarking the desired page always saves time :) 

We're Almost There, I Promise

Step 1

- When choosing a button type, for this tutorial, you will select "Buy Now"

- Give your item a name - (For ex. "At the Circus")

Item Id - Provide your item with a unique numerical id

I recommend starting with 01, 001, etc and going up, so it's easier to organize

- Enter price and currency type

For this tutorial, I am not using any options in the "Customize Button" section.

You can customize the appearance if you wish under "Customize text or Appearance."  I choose to show the credit card logos.

I don't need to enter a shipping amount because nothing is going through the mail.  You can decide if you need to enter a tax rate. 

- Under "Merchant Account Ids," I use the email connected to my Paypal account, or "my primary email address."

Step 2 (optional)

Select

- "Save Button at Paypal"

- "Track Inventory"

- Track Profit and Losses"

Fill in the spaces with the info needed.  I set my quantity in stock at 100 and the alert qty at 5.  

I also select, "No, don't let customers buy the item..." and I refer them to my Etsy shop homepage if they click the "Continue Shopping" button when an item is sold out.  

Step 3

This is where you will need the url of your files on Mediafire. 

Locate your uploaded files on Mediafire and select "Share" 

(If you have more than one file per item being sold, you will need to select "Share this Folder")

Paypal Share Button

- Copy the link and return to Paypal. 

- Select the box next to "Take customers to this url when they finish checkout."

- Paste the copied url into the space provided

Paypal Url Direct

- Select "Create Button"

Under the "Website" tab, select and copy the generated code provided.  

Go to your blog and create a new blog post.  Add your text.  It helps to include a photo of the item you are selling as well as a description of what the buyer will receive.  

You can choose to place the button anywhere within your post, but it is helpful to have it under or close to the photo of the item. 

Paste the copied code into your blog.  Within the code, find 

<input type="image" name="submit"

To center the buttons, in between input and type, add 

style="display: block; margin: 0 auto;"

How to Center Paypal Buttons

Preview your blog post and when you are satisfied, publish it! 

You are now capable of selling directly from your blog! 

Have questions, comments..... Share them below!