Honestly, did you start blogging for the love of it or for the promised $$

Martin • 9th Feb 2012 • Musings

So tell me did you really start blogging for the love of blogging itself or for the promised $$ all the bloggers flaunted unto you when you had enough time to read their blogs?

Im sure many people will find it hard to admit it but the latter seems to be the main reason why they started blogging!

I am not in no way saying that blogging is not the way forward, but what I am saying is that blogging is not the ONLY way forward!

Another reality check! How MUCH have you earned via your blog or as a result of you blogging?

Again not much either, when compared to the time and effort put into each post, networking, commenting on related blogs etc etc

Again not that blogging is bad, but jumping unto the blogging band wagon isnt the way to go!

If I were to start again, I will do things differently like not start a blog but do something else, but again, how would I have known this had I not started with a blog!?

On the flip side of things what I love about blogging is that you’ve got this platform to express yourself , write anything you wish to etc etc

But how do you make money out of this?

You need to drive traffic, which again is a whole topic on its own.

Then you’ve got to make sure you either have a product of your own to sell [not aggressively, just passively] or test out a product you think your users will love or could do with and write a post about it, put in an affiliate link and hope they purchase it through you.

x number of links clicked and orders made and congrats youve made your first buck!

But is that how you really want to make money online?

Is that what you had in mind?

Sounds easy isnt? What about trying it yourself?

Dont fool yourself, its damn hard! but on the surface of things it seems pretty easy right!?

Ive seen my fair share of bloggers quit blogging all together, after failing through one the modules involved in blogging

buidling traffic

converting this traffic

offering a product

maintaining this traffic

etc etc

There is so much involved in the back end of things which is not seen in the front end!

Thats the reason why many people start blogging, and lots of those “beginners blogging guides sell” not that they arent great, I cant testify for that as I havent purchased any.

Bottom line, blogging is NOT the way to make money! Only FEW people actually make enough money DIRECTLY from blogging to make it worth the while.

What I see blogging as is a platform, a learning curve, an eye opener to what you need to make money online–> patience, integrity, networking, smart brains, and a little bit of luck cornered by A LOT OF HARD WORK

But I am thankful I started blogging, as I decided to take a different road and not the conventional blogging journey and because of this, I am gradually fine tuning MY OWN formula to success online.

And I hope that on your own terms you get to develop your own unique formula!