Category Archives: Quick Notes

Profitable Blogging is Blogging for the Long Haul

Over on Performancing, there is a great post up that talks about the growth of your blog. I have been bringing up being able make your blog profitable a few times lately, and that is because I know that it is possible.

The post on Performancing, talks about a recent video post that Darren did on Problogger.net about focusing on the growth, rather than the income, and if you are patient, the income will eventually come.

Here is a snippet from the post:

Let’s say after the first 30 days of blogging you make $1.00 a day. Then, the next month you make $2.00 a day. When you compare both months, you actually gained 100%. While $2.00 a day is not something to brag about, you’re doing well because your trending up.

Let’s look at a long term example. If you make $1.00 day in one month and you have 30% growth every month, in just two years, you’ll make over $400 a day. Not bad for two years work, right? $400 daily is $12,000 a month.

Some of you might be wondering even how to get to that one dollar a day mark, and believe it or not, for many bloggers, that early advertising revenue mark is the hardest, but persistence, patience, and consistency with your blogging will eventually pay off. Maybe not in two years as their example says, but given enough time, nearly any blogger can make full time income from their work.

Stay positive, and you will be amazed at what you can accomplish. I like to think of myself as living proof having worked for two years, full time in the industry.

Originally posted on October 19, 2007 @ 8:47 pm

Top Five Online Business Killers

Over on Can I Make Big Money Online there is a post about the Top Five Online Business Killers. They are fear, procrastination, politics, lack of planning and excuses.

In my work I have had to deal with all of these issues, and while they can be business killers, if you can combat these issues, you will come out of it stronger and better than before.

Here is a sample from the article:

Procrastination: Businesses don’t start or grow if everything can wait until tomorrow. When tomorrow comes, a procrastinator will still wait until tomorrow. This causes a vicious Catch 22: tomorrow is never tomorrow when it arrives and you can wait another day. So if you want to get anything done, get rid of your procrastination.

Each of these points almost deserve their own article, as the post doesn’t talk about combatting any of these issues, but it is still a good guide of what you want to avoid.

Originally posted on October 4, 2007 @ 10:02 pm

Six Ways Blogging Differs From Other Types of Writing

Sara, over on Blogging Tips, has put up a great post on how blogging is different than other types of writing.

Here is a sample from the post:

2. Personality = Popularity

If you want to succeed as a blogger, you have to be likable. Or hate-able. Or both. Just try your very best not to get caught somewhere in between. Be memorable. Find your voice. I will be discussing methods by which you can find your voice in one of my upcoming guest posts.

The thing to remember is, popular blogs become popular because of the blogger. A good blogger shows personality even when he/she is writing about an impersonal topic. Regular readers start to feel like they know the blogger personally. Once this happens, readers form attachments and loyalties that are achievable only in a venue like blogging that highlights a writer’s personality.

Check out the other five reasons over on Blogging Tips. A great first post by Sara.

Originally posted on October 6, 2007 @ 12:09 am

7 Tips for the Traveling Blogger

I haven’t got to do much traveling this year, having instead spent my money on getting married, and buying a house, but over on Daily Blog Tips, there is a great post about being a traveling blogger and I couldn’t agree more with the article.

Here is a snippet from the post:

Don’t be afraid to use pen and paper. You may or may not have access to a computer on your trip. As it turns out, though, it’s possible to manually etch your writing onto paper with a stylus. I know it sounds crazy, but it actually works. Sure, you can’t actually post to your blog, and there’s no automatic spell check, but you can always take care of those details later. The important thing is to write, so don’t be afraid to break out a pen and paper when the need arises.

Before I bought my laptop, I did this all the time. I would write out a list of points I wanted to cover, some sentences or paragraphs I wanted to include and some other miscellaneous notes to make sure that my post would come together nicely when I sat back at my computer.

You don’t need to write out every word you will use in your post, but if you don’t record your thoughts at the time, and you are anything like me, the detail, and the emotion will be lost from the post when you later try to recollect what you wanted to say.

A great post for the traveling blogger.

Originally posted on October 5, 2007 @ 9:56 pm

How Long Before Your Blog Will Start Making Money?

JohnCow has a post up with information on how long it can take to make money from your blog.

Here is a snippet from his post:

A lot of new bloggers seem to think that once you’ve setup your blogspot.com account and you’ve written your first article, you’re set. Slap a couple of ads on and you can start planning your early retirement. If only..

The only thing that will make your blog money is you. Setting up the blog and providing it with (good or interesting) content is only half the the work. You’re going to have to sell yourself the best way you can –with your words.

I think the whole thing is interesting to read, but a little light on the key information that the post sets out to answer. He sums it up saying that it depends on the blog, and honestly, that is very true. It depends on the blogger, the blog, the subject, and how well linked and like the site is, but when it comes down to it, I would say that for the best bloggers, you are looking at around six months or more. Some bloggers won’t see a dime until their blog reaches the one year mark or more. It really depends on how aggressively you market your site.

If you are not bringing in some revenue by the six month mark and making money from your blog was your goal, then it is time to reassess what is going on with your site.

If you need help figuring out why your site isn’t monetizing well, feel free to purchase some time from me with my consulting service, and I will help turn your site around.

Originally posted on October 17, 2007 @ 8:49 pm