Lately, I have read many posters on forums talk about blogging. The questions aren’t about the best approach, best sites, or best topics. The posts always start like this: “I heard blogging was a great way to make money. So what do I do?”
Well, the first thing you need to do is realize that blogging will not make you rich, at least not without hard work, dedication, and knowledge. I have “met” some amazing bloggers that do make a living through blogging. However, they are the not lazy, get rich quick people, they are hard workers. To make serious money on a blog, you need to work.
Building up a readership is not as easy as starting a blog. Actually, setting up a blog is as easy as filling out a simple online form and choose a template. Well, at least a simple blog is, I’m sure many profitable blogs required more work than that. My point is, setting up a blog and adding content is the easy part. Gaining the attention of the millions of internet users takes work. You have to dedicate yourself to advertising your blog in a way that makes people want to visit. Then once you do get them there, your content better be excellent if you want to keep them.
I hate seeing someone talk about a great article they just posted on their blog only to go visit the site and realize it is all about ads. I don’t mind a few ads, I understand and respect that advertisements help increase pay. However, when I spend time out of my day to visit a blog, I want something for it. Whether that something is a great and interesting article or a link to a great resource, I want a reason not only for taking the minute or two to visit, but a reason to link to it and share it. When that is met, I will return to the blog, even if there are ads plastered everywhere.
Blogging takes a lot of hardwork. If you want a get rich quick job, you should reconsider your career choices. However, if you are passionate about a topic (or more, as having more than one blog may increase your revenue) then by all means, set a blog up. Then nurture that blog as if it is your life. Beacause if you want to make money with it, it is.
6 thoughts on “Why Do You Blog?”
I agree also. If it’s just money you want, go be a lawyer or something. It’s just as hard.
I tend to think we bloggers who stick around without financial benefit for the time being view blogging as if it were as hard as any other job or being a small business owner.
It’s ridiculously hard to grow a blog. That’s why something like 99% of blogs crumble after the first month.
Good. Less competition for me.
I agree. I have been trying to make money blogging and writing for awhile. First you have to offer your services free to get a reputation. Only now am I starting to money gigs, and I wish I could do it full-time. Slowly but surely.
As soon as I tell someone how much money I make doing freelance blogging work, they want to know how they can get in on it too. Then I tell the person how much work it takes, and 9 times out of 10 they suddenly lose interest.
I’m all about the content – too bad the internet doesn’t just pay us for the traffic we manage to get 😉
Excellent advice, Amy. I’m glad to see you have the gist of blogging. More “new” bloggers should be like you.
Think of blogging as one extension of your online business – a means to an end.
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