This is a guest post by Alan Johnson, be sure to check out his contest (with prizes worth over $1000) over at TheRatingBlog.com

Most online entrepreneurs out there make the mistake of launching a blog just because they see it as a potential moneymaking machine. Is that your case, do you only blog in order to make money or are you actually passionate about what you’re doing?

Can you make a lot of money as a blogger? Most definitely, and not just from monetizing the blog in itself. You have to understand that, as a blogger, you are also building a brand around yourself and, as a result, every new project you’ll be launching will automatically receive an impressive jumpstart. Being a blogger opens a lot of doors, you will be able to take advantage of a lot of opportunities you didn’t originally have access to. And just think about the possibilities as far as networking is concerned. The fact that you’ve build solid relationships with other bloggers, many of which you will consider close friends, is an important advantage and, just like you will always be glad to help one of your friends out by mentioning a new product he or she has launched, they will be more than willing to return the favor at any point.

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