Blogging for money is a hot topic in the online writer community. There are definitely success stories out there, as well as throngs of disappointed writers. So, how do you match your expectations to the realities of blogging? Make sure to read up on what the skeptics have to say, and always consider the source. Don’t limit your reading to people who are trying to make money by blogging about how you can make money blogging!
That being said, some blogs of this kind are valuable if they show you how much money they are making and from what source, or if they have good discussions going on with other people engaged in the same endeavor.
The consensus seems to be that if you want to make a full time living at blogging, you have to work full time. At least for several years. The skeptics and the responsible salesmen alike, will agree that it takes years to build up the quantity of quality content that it takes to attract serious traffic. It’s best to make long term plans for ramping this side-business up until it eventually becomes your main gig.
Just as a full time blogging income requires full time work, blogging as a passive income strategy requires what most other passive income strategies do – hard work over a long period of time before you can rest on your laurels.
But before you get depressed and give up on blogging for money, here are some great things to consider.
You can maximize the positive outcomes from your effort by taking a look at all of your goals and hobbies and identifying some reasons for keeping up a blog that you feel good about, even if you aren’t getting paid right away.
Choosing a topic about which you have a lot of passion and knowledge is important. Successful bloggers report that they post several articles per day, and keep up on reading similar blogs, related news stories, and books.
Could blogging be a source of free advertising for your current business or hobby? If you’re a plummer, you could write about how to run your own plumming business, or a self-help how-to blog. (You know they’ll end up wanting to call the expert eventually!) Blogging is a great way to establish display your expertise.
If you hate the old 9-5 and prefer to surf the bohemian couches of Europe and Thailand, why not write a how-to for the like-minded, or post a travel-log and photos for friends and family. These kinds of blogs have been known to develop into success stories. It’s the old “do what you love and the money will follow” trick.
Let’s say you want to know how to get book published or get a recording contract. As any kind of artist, you can use your blog as your portfolio and press kit. You can use it to court writers agents and publishing companies, galleries, book stores, and fans. Establishing an on line fan base is always a great selling point when you are looking to publish or showcase your work.
Once you decide on a topic for your blog, your particular angle will depend on your book marketing goals. If you want to give out teasers in hopes of selling a product, then of course, you won’t give your best content away for free. But if you want your blog itself to make money, and even if you just want good traffic, then giving out the best possible content is important. Think about actually being helpful, entertaining, or uplifting to your readers, not just about advertising. As with any other money-making endeavor, you get rewarded when you offer something of value.
