Comments on: Is Snake-oil Damaging Blogging?

By: mweiersmuller

mweiersmuller — Sat, 09 Sep 2006 02:52:05 +0000

Well, that is a harsh wake up call!

I am hoping to make eventually a few quids on the side from some of the blogs I started but I am realistic it is more for fun than for money.

Cheers for the reality check!

By: malexan

malexan — Mon, 04 Sep 2006 11:13:58 +0000

One other thing to consider is where you live. If I was living in India, for example, my blog earnings would put be above what many people earn there. Despite recent declines, the US dollar can still go a long way in some places. You can make your blog earnings do more if you don’t live in expensive places like New York or California.

Second, even if you achieve blogging success, you should have a backup plan (related to item 6). As with other gold rushes, this one will end some day. Will you be able to make the move to whatever comes next?

By: tampapirate

tampapirate — Sun, 03 Sep 2006 13:01:28 +0000

Thanks for the great post. There is too much of the get rick quick nonsense out there.

Thanks again.

By: kalbzayn

kalbzayn — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 11:12:43 +0000

What we should do is point out that it is difficult to make a lot of money but it can be fun to do as a relatively cheap hobby.

I’m tickled to have my adsense click of the day. It’s a good day when I get one click and a great one when I get more.

But, the same problem comes up with novelists. Everybody wants to write the best seller so badly they forget to have fun writing their little book that only their friends and family will ever end up reading.

Blogging is a little more frustrating because everybody has a chance to be published, but it is still only the good people that make any money.

By: mikro2nd

mikro2nd — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 08:16:48 +0000

I wish I knew who first came up with that quote. Its all too true.

Fact is, people have been looking for Get Rich Quick schemes since the Dawn of Time; You and I aren’t going to stop them.

I guess that it takes between 12 and 24 months to develop a solid blog readership. Then, too, it depends what your goals are for your blog. Not all bloggers are looking to replicate Guy Kawasaki’s “success”. In fact, success can only be measured in terms of your own goals for your own blog.

So relax! Let the SEO manipulators and Super Affiliate bozos go to it; the rest of us can focus on building real value – for whatever our purpose is: making money, finding fame, venting into the void, expressing our own uniqueness, showing-off our skills and knowledge, whatever.

By: Chris Garrett

Chris Garrett — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 01:48:48 +0000

Thanks guys. It’s hard because I want to be positive but it seems that it just fuels peoples OVER enthusiasm! What we need is balance but it is hard to balance those “make a fortune with no effort” sales spiels.

By: Hendry Lee

Hendry Lee — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 19:35:26 +0000

I frequently stumble into “mass blog generator” and “automatic content to blog” type of software. People are so excited to read these sales letters. Some of them take the time to research and ask in the forum for second opinion but still we could sense excitement in their forum posts.

Unfortunately, this is a situation none of us could eliminiate. People learn their lessons the hard way everyday. They jump from one opportunity to another in the hope that one day they will find the pot of gold.

What you have done is more than just a rant — like what I have done on my blogs so many times . You show them the right way.

Thanks for the tips.

By: georgemanty

georgemanty — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 14:29:31 +0000

I agree with you so much Chris. I had a friend who recently asked me about one of these get rich blogging video/ecourses (it wasn’t Darren’s). In the copy it even admitted to using black hat SEO tactics. I told the friend about splogs and about blog and ping.

Even after explaining why it was so bad, it seemed like my friend was going to buy the product anyway. The sales letter sure made it sound like instant riches with blogging, but really even with black hat tactics how many people are going to instantly be making enough to live off?

Anyway, great post. I wish that every new blogger trying to make money would read it.

By: Matt Ambrose

Matt Ambrose — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 09:12:44 +0000

I have noticed quite a few posts recently (eg Copyblogger and Pro-blogger) on the topic of applying copywriting techniques to blog posts. I think this is recognition of the direction blogging is now taking with more and more businesses tentatively adapting it into their marketing mix.

There will be a lot of small/medium businesses who do not have the time or ability to research and write engaging posts every week. This is the slowly opening door of opportunity that bloggers should be looking for rather than hoping to live off Adsense.

By: shotoshi

shotoshi — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 05:42:24 +0000

… Google and Adsense is ruining the internet. I can prove it on an etch-a-sketch!

By: Chris Garrett

Chris Garrett — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 03:42:32 +0000

Yeah I guess there will be a 80/20 rule going on but I have seen in my own sites a star player will suddenly drop low and what used to be a ho-hum performer will have 15 mins of fame. Best to diversify I think!

By: Michael Moncur

Michael Moncur — Thu, 31 Aug 2006 03:31:42 +0000

I suspect most of those who make a living out of blogging actually DO make most of their money from a single site.

The trick is, you don’t know which site that is yet, so diversify until you figure it out.