How Easy Is It To Make Money Through Blogging?
(businessandblogging.com) The New York Times has it right this time.
In a recent article titled So You Want to Be A Blogging Star by columnist Paul Boutin, The New York Times examines some of the myths around blogging for money. The very first point that the article makes, “Don’t expect to get rich,” is exactly right.
Here at Business and Blogging we’ve always encouraged businesses to blog as part of a long-term strategy and I still stand behind that recommendation. There are many business benefits to blogging, but an instant income source is generally not one of them.
Still, I’m seeing blog after blog with some variation of the theme, “I started this blog just so that I could bring in an income and quit my job…”
Sorry folks! It usually doesn’t work that way.
Now, I don’t mean to imply that there aren’t any bloggers that earn a living solely from blogging. There are indeed a few.
However, those bloggers are the EXCEPTION, not the rule.
(For more specific information about how much money most bloggers earn, check out the results of this survey from Darren Rowse at ProBlogger.)
So, if you’re here because you’re trying to make your living solely from blogging - at least go into it with your eyes open. Hopefully this post helped you with that.
For the rest of us, we’ll use our blogs to promote (and otherwise benefit) our businesses. (If we actually do earn a little bit of income from our blogs, then so much the better.)
Oh, by the way, The New York Times article also has some great blogging tips for all bloggers.
Image Source: Laura Spencer of WritingThoughts
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POSTED IN: Blogging
4 opinions for How Easy Is It To Make Money Through Blogging?
Kelly
Mar 22, 2008 at 2:03 pm
Laura,
I totally agree with you.
I also think that folks have a misperception about the time that blogging takes - not only to write, but to publish and promote.
Additionally, I don’t think that many folks look beyond the income stream. It’s expensive to work for yourself. Even folks that are fortunate enough to make five figures in income from blogging (which is not common) are surprised to see that income whittled away in self-employment taxes and insurance premiums - and that’s before you pay cost of living expenses.
Most of the bloggers that I know, blog because they love it, not because they expect to get rich.
Laura Spencer
Mar 22, 2008 at 3:56 pm
Thanks Kelly! It’s good to hear another voice with some experience chip in on this topic.
Unfortunately, I think a lot of beginning bloggers are influenced by a few highly publicized “success” stories.
don boutin
May 30, 2008 at 5:41 am
[…] The New York Times examines some of the myths around blogging for money. The very first point thahttp://www.businessandblogging.com/how-easy-is-it-to-make-money-through-blogging/Winsted??s tax delinquents The Register Citizen WINSTED ?? The top 10 delinquent taxpayers owe the […]
Laura Spencer
May 30, 2008 at 6:51 am
Thanks Don. I’ll definitely take a look at the New York Times piece.
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