Should You Make Blogging Your Career?

Recently, someone asked me a question; How much do bloggers actually make? This is a question that generally gets asked around a lot. And no matter how successful a blogger is, he has wondered about the same thing at some point or another. The fact of the matter is, there's no simple answer to this question, as there is no generalization in this industry. Some bloggers earn more than a normal job would get them, while others just look on! So is blogging worth it? In this post, we will (hopefully) discuss whether it is or not. But to me, it depends. There are really so many factors that it is hard to anticipate anything. But here is a list of last year's Top 10 Earning Blogs which will hopefully give you a general idea of how much a pro blogger can earn.

Blogging for money?

For most blogs, especially the ones that have started up recently, money is the primary motive behind them. You will find numerous resources on the internet telling you how profitable blogging is. Indeed, blogging seems very promising.

First of all, blogging is self-employment. You don't need to apply anywhere, no need to appear for interviews, and you don't answer to anyone. You are your own boss. Those with a 9 to 5 will understand this better than anyone else.

Secondly, there's no 'eligibility criteria' for starting a blog. You don't need to have a degree, or a profession. Just an area of interest, and you're good to go.

Every business needs initial investment. Blogging is a business as well, but it seems that the investment part is minimal. So why not start a blog of your own? It seems great, right?

Some factors that determine earnings

Before you jump on to any decision though, there are some things you should consider though. These are the factors that will ultimately decide how much you will earn from your blog.

Your niche - Your niche will determine the future prospects of your blog. It will also decide how far out your blog can reach, hence effectively having a good say in how much you earn. The broader the niche, the farther you can grab. But too broad, and you're stranded at a vast sea, unable to go anywhere. Ad income is dependent upon the 'quality' of your niche. For example, if your website is about cars, then ads from large automobile manufacturers, such as Mercedes can be very profitable - $3 per click or similar. Something about pet animals, however, won't get you as much.

How good your content is - Yes, content is important. People think SEO is more important, but I beg to differ. SEO will only take you so far. If your content isn't capable enough, then what good can the SEO do? Remember, SEO is applied on content, and not the other way round! The better the content is, the more chances you have of getting approved by advertising companies.

How effectively do you socialize - This is an extremely important factor. For a lot of bloggers, their fortune changed for the better when they socialized and met with popular bloggers. If you are fortunate enough to be recognized and linked by them, then you're good to go!

How much effort do you need to put in - Blogging requires a lot of effort. For some people, it might just not be worth the effort. If you posses determination and will power, and the energy to invest a lot of effort daily, then you can seriously consider blogging as a career path.

How much time should invest? - Blogging takes up time, there's no denying that. Even if you are a pro, you will still need at least a couple of hours each day for blogging. As a general rule of thumb, the more time you put in, the higher your income will be. Blogging isn't just about writing stuff. It's about socializing, networking, SEO, and more. The more time you put in, the better your blog will be and the more you will earn.

So how long does it take to earn?

If you are looking to earn some money fast, then look somewhere else! Starting a blog does not pay instantly. There's a lot of time and work required, as mentioned earlier. And it'll be some time before you get a decent income, based on how much time and effort you put in daily. It can take months and years before you have in your hand a decent pay cheque. So wait at least a few months before thinking about monetizing your blog.

When MBT started, the main focus was not on earning money, but on educating people. Hence, it took two solid years of work and dedication for a decent first cheque. It also depends upon your know-how about blogging. That can only come with time. Compare the 2 years time for MBT with the three month time for our companion blog SEM. SEM has had the best possible start, with all the content and know-how at hand. But still, it took no less than three months before it started earning. Hence, blogging is a game of patience. Learn to play at it.

'Hidden' Costs of running a blog

At the beginning, I said that a blog is a business. Well, as a business, there's got to be some investments involved right? At first, it seems that there are minimal investment required. But as it turns out, there's a lot more to it than that. There are 'hidden' costs that appear while you are in the process of building your blog. Some of these include;

• Web hosting
• Web storage / access fees
• Advertising
• Themes and Templates
• Software (e.g. shopping carts etc)
• Email software (for newsletters)
• Salaries (for staff)
• Outsourcing
• Forums
• Hardware or equipment (if any)
• And more

Hence, the point is, you need to make a careful analysis of all the costs you are likely going to incur, and then deduct that amount from the total income you have, to get the projected profit. If there is a no profit, then it's really no use at all, and you are going at a loss. Even if you are getting a profit, but if it's too little considering all the time you put in, then it might not be worth it.

On a final note, blogging requires continuous effort. If you are planning on quitting your regular job for blogging, then be prepared to work on a regular basis. An ordinary business relies on the products you sell. So even if you stop working on it for sometime, it won't make much of a difference. A blog is different though. As soon as you stop working on it, it starts to fade away. Hence, it relies upon you, rather than the services you offer.

In the end, I would like you to share your experience with us by simply answering a few questions in the comments section, so that our readers might get a better idea of how much do bloggers actually make. Simply, copy and paste the following questions in the comment box, and type out your replies next to them!

• Blog Niche? : 
• Page-views per month? :
• How long it took to get a decent income? : 
• Monthly Income? :
• How much time do you spend per day on your blog? : 
• Main income streams? :

Remember, if you like, you can keep your confidentiality, and don't mention your name or website URL! Just an 'Anonymous' would do. All I ask is, please be honest about it. Thanks for your co-operation :)

Read also;

• Should You Drop Out Of School For Blogging?
• Top 9 Ways Of Earning Money Online In 2012
• Top 10 Earning Websites Of 2011
• Top 7 Recommended Ways To Make Money Online

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Unknown 4/29/2012