Is Blogging Legit? In a word, Yes! But…you may want to ask a few more questions if you plan to make money with your blog. Don’t misunderstand me. I’ve been blogging since 2016, and I’m a huge advocate. But there are some rampant misconceptions out there that I’d like to help clarify.
Just a few short years ago, the concept of blogging was totally alien to me. I was the one asking tons of questions. For example: Can you really make money with a blog and how does that work? You may still feel a bit of confusion today. If so, it’s best to walk in with your eyes wide open.
Wouldn’t you agree?
For the record, you absolutely can make money with a blog. There are various approaches you can use with the most common way being affiliate marketing. Ultimately, affiliate marketing works well, and I highly recommend it.
And yet, there are bloggers out there that paint an overly rosy picture that creates unrealistic expectations. In my mind, we need to avoid that scenario at all costs because I think it sets people up for failure.
Instead, I want to encourage massive long-term success! For that, we may need to set the rose-colored glasses aside and roll up our sleeves.
So. let’s explore some truths, and dispel a blogging myth or two, shall we?
7 Blogging Truths You Need to Know
To further set the stage, I’m writing this post on New Year’s day. The year 2019 is still fresh and essentially a blank slate. Moreover, I’m envisioning lots of new year’s resolutions that involve making money online and starting a blog.
Is a blog on your list?
As a dedicated blogger myself, I definitely hope so and I applaud that goal. Furthermore, these truths that follow will ensure you approach this rewarding task with the right mindset. In fact, that’s my mission today.
Truth #1. Making Money With a Blog is HARD work!
My main affiliate niche market is comprised of folks seeking to make and/or save money online. Between my blog (which holds more than 950 comments), various forums like Quora, and the online platform where I host my sites, I interact with thousands of new and aspiring bloggers on a regular basis.
Maybe this sounds harsh, but I do believe it needs to be said. I’ve met way too many starry-eyed dreamers in search of a piece of the “on-line pie” and thinking it’s just a walk in the park.
In one sense, why wouldn’t they feel that way?
I was on Pinterest this morning, and I spotted dozens of pins proclaiming that blogging is easy. Many talked about making $1K or even more the first month. I’m sorry, but stuff like that just frosts me. We need a reality check!
True Story – I got an email from one of my followers last week. She has a new blog that’s less than a month old with all of 6 posts on it. She asked me to take a look at her site and tell her what she’s doing wrong because she hasn’t made any money yet.
Seriously?
Sadly, this individual is not alone. “Build it, and they will come” might work for baseball but it doesn’t cut it in blogging. In a nutshell, here’s why. To make money with a blog, you need relevant traffic. By that, I mean real people who actually care about what you have to say.
Launching a blog is the easy part. But you need energy, thought, and time to create content worth reading. And then you need to promote your content using search engine optimation techniques and social media platforms so that prospective readers can find you when they conduct Google searches.
Answers will vary widely to the question of how many blog posts you need to achieve success (but let me assure you it’s more than 6, lol!). It seems you need to hit a range of related posts such that Google begins to see you as a legitimate source of worthwhile content.
Here’s the good news. If you follow your passions, it makes it a whole lot easier to stay the course and accomplish the work. Being your own boss and making your own decisions is a great thing.
It can be a sobering thought, but the only thing preventing you from making money is the person staring back at you in the mirror 🙂
Truth #2. Most People Will Quit Too Soon
So, here are my words of wisdom for you to chew on. New Year’s day 2020 will get here soon enough. When it does, do you really want to be stuck in exactly the same rut you’re in today because you gave up? Alternatively, you can invest in yourself and your future in 2019 and create something of value.
With the evolution of your blog comes a sense of accomplishment and pride that no one can take away from you. Be patient with yourself and the process while you build something worth having one blog post at a time.
Bear in mind that blogging is not a job where you exchange hours for a contracted wage. Your blog is an online business venture. Any and all profit generated from the business is yours. But as any new business owner will tell you, there won’t be any profits for a while.
One factor that contributes to delays in earning income is that you will not earn Google’s trust overnight. If you publish regularly, your trust factor will start to improve markedly around the six-month mark, and you may start to see a little income. But I would plan on giving it at least a year of concerted effort.
Can you make that commitment?
Truth #3. Writing For Your Audience is Key
By identifying the “ideal” person who will read your blog, you can (and should) tailor each article to address the needs and painpoints of that target persona. Remember, the typical reader is looking for a useful answer to their query. It’s about your readers, not you.
In most cases, you will fare better if you narrow down the focus of your blog. Google wants to understand what exactly it is that you’re an authority on. You can bolster your authority level by compiling a body of related and complementary offerings. And, you’re more likely to get repeat visitors if readers know what to expect.
Write with purpose rather than rambling because you only have a few seconds to make your point. This isn’t Facebook, and no one gives a hoot about the mundane details of your daily life. They want to know how you can help them.
Are you publishing quality content that adds value and is worth reading?
Truth #4. You Need to Break a Sweat Before You Earn Passive Blogging Income
Bloggers love to go off about the joys of earning passive income in your sleep. There’s some truth to the hype in the sense that certain posts will be popular and continue to rank (and convert) well long after their publish date.
I’ll share an example with you from my blog that has served me well. I wrote the post in September 2017. It immediately climbed to position 1 in the search engines and remains there today.
But, what they don’t tell you is how much work it takes to get to the autopilot stage. Blogging itself is not a passive activity,
I’m honestly not sure what suddenly triggered this comparison and got me wondering about how the size of my blog content might compare with a novel. I’ve been an avid reader all of my life, but I never thought much about word count. Perhaps because I was enjoying rather than writing :).
But, naturally, Google came through for me and supplied the fun fact above. I think it makes my point pretty well about the active nature of blogging because based on this stat, I’m well into my second (long) novel.
Related Post: What is a Passive Income Stream?
Truth #5. Accept the Fact That Not All of Your Posts Will Rank
Of all the truths we’ll discuss today, this is the one that can be most disheartening. You do your research, select a low-competition keyword, and crank out an article that you really feel good about. You publish it and anxiously wait to see the results.
And then….days or weeks later you can’t find it in the SERPs.
Unfortunately, it happens to all bloggers at times. It’s a bummer, but as long as you haven’t neglected SEO, you just need to accept it and get over it, You may have a powerful urge to chuck your laptop across the room. But, you’ll want to resist that temptation 🙂
The reality is that Google’s algorithm uses over 200 different ranking factors. Add to that the fact that the algorithm changes periodically, and you know that every post is not going to be a winner.
The best approach is to observe and learn what you can from the posts that rank highly and carry on by trying to duplicate those results.
Related Post: How to Rank My Site With SEO Basic Principles
Truth #6. Blogging Can Sometimes Be a Lonely Task – Who Knew?
Working from home (PJs optional) is a dream for many folks in the nine-to-five workforce. Things like being your own boss, no commute, and a flexible work schedule all sound wonderful, right? And they are!
But on the flip side of that coin, blogging is also a solitary task. You probably won’t miss the daily commute to the office at all. But you might miss chatting in the break room over coffee with your co-workers.
Fortunately, I belong to an amazing online community with thousands of other affiliate marketers and a 24/7 live chat feature. So, it’s not quite the same, but it helps. On the rare occasion when I’ve tried to talk about what I do with friends or family, they tend to glaze over pretty quickly, That’s when I really appreciate my online colleagues.
Truth #7. Anticipate a Classic Love/Hate Relationship With Your Blog
I have an undeniable affinity for all things affiliate marketing that extends well beyond the financial rewards. It’s a challenging and energizing environment comprised of researching, writing, and interpersonal connections that suits me perfectly. That said, everyone loses their blogging mojo from time to time.
The occasional blog-hating day (or week) is a natural outgrowth of some of the other factors already discussed. It is work and we do need to push forward and keep the faith even during times when progress seems slow or non-existent.
I encourage you to develop some coping strategies before this phenomenon affects your productivity or the quality of your content. Why? Because there’s a strong correlation between this and truth #2 above and what we don’t want is for your blog to join the abandoned blog landscape, right?
Try some of these approaches to re-charge on the days your inspiration starts to dry up:
- If your calendar says you’re supposed to write today but the words aren’t flowing (yeah, writer’s block is a real thing), don’t fight it and waste time staring at a blank screen. Switch gears and focus on something else. Do some keyword research, read some of your favorite blogs, or head over to Canva and create some graphic images.
- Blogging isn’t location dependent so take advantage of that and change up the environment by heading off to your favorite cafe. You can also pack your laptop and take a trip. Sometimes a change of scenery can help enormously.
A flexible schedule is a huge advantage, so don’t forget to get out and enjoy the day by indulging in some of your favorite activities, It’s a great stress reliever, and your computer will be there waiting for you when you get home.- One more thought is to try a new tactic for adding content. Sometimes, we can find renewed inspiration and motivation by stepping outside our comfort zone. For example, one of my goals for 2019 is to create some videos. Or, maybe this is the year to work on the ebook you’ve been talking about finally.
A flexible schedule is a huge advantage, so don’t forget to get out and enjoy the day by indulging in some of your favorite activities, It’s a great stress reliever, and your computer will be there waiting for you when you get home.What do you do on those inevitable days when you can’t face your blog? Jump into the comments and let us know!
Closing Thoughts
Blogging is one of the most engaging and enjoyable activities I’ve ever participated in and one I never expect to regret. As a senior, I love the fact that there are no barriers and I can do this indefinitely. Making money by following my passions and working from home is priceless!
For my readers who aren’t seniors yet, I see blogging as an even better opportunity. I wish I’d started years earlier because it does take time for your site to mature. Hence, there’s no time like the present to get started!
Check out this free training opportunity where the magic has begun for me and thousands of others.
For my friends and readers who often look at me askance and inevitably ask, is blogging really legit, I want to assure you that it is. As these truths suggest, it’s rarely all sunshine and roses. What is? But if you launch your blog with your eyes wide open and persist, blogging is rewarding on many levels.
May 2019 be your year to achieve success!
Over to You
If you have any questions or a blogging truth you’d like to share, please jump into the comments below.
Like it? Please Share It!
Oh my god I love everything about this! I am the girl that blogs on and off and after x amount of work asks “why am I not getting paid?!” After some time and examination I believe it is absolutely because of my lack of consistency. That being said, I am working to blog regularly and embracing the love/hate relationship with my blog. Thanks so much for sharing!
Hi Courtney,
I applaud your honesty 🙂 But what I’m really excited about is your renewed commitment to blogging regularly. You are absolutely correct that consistency is key. Thanks for jumping in and sharing your insights!
I like how you painted a very real picture of what being a blogger is all about. I myself have heard people say how they have a friend making thousands by just blogging making it seem easy. I like how you mentioned the individual asking you why she hasn’t made any money after 6 post XD! I find it funny because when I started affiliate marketing although I didn’t think that way I thought it was going to be a little bit easier than what it is. Its kicking my butt. The only plus side is that I am having fun and learning a lot knowing it will take months to see the fruits of my labor.
One part I enjoyed reading most is the reality of the loneliness of the trade. I am a social individual and I’ve started hating my 9-5 job because of the job itself, not the people I work with. I know that once I succeed with my site I will quit my job because I only earn 450$ a month and I know I can start making that just with one website alone eventually. It’s going to suck having to be my own coworker because my cat isn’t much of a chatterbox. Regardless your article did motivate me to keep on going because it outright showed me the dark side of what its like and I know I can handle it.
Thank you for your article. Loved it.
Hi Rick,
As you so nicely summarized, even the dark side of blogging has its stellar moments. If you can enjoy the journey and revel in the learning experience, that’s more than half the battle. I’m pleased the post was motivational. I’ve been through that “butt kicking” phase myself and survived. So, I have complete faith that you will too. As with most things in life, it’s at least 50% mindset.
Good luck and please keep in touch!
Hi Linda;
Oh yes. I’m still far from retirement, but I can say that blogging can be an awesome alternative for retirees, In fact, one of many things that drive me to create a blog is to prepare for the post-retirement years 🙂
I’ve found out you’re right that creating a blog is pretty simple, but publishing regularly is the hardest part. I can confirm that creating a blog with wealthy affiliate makes the challenge easier.
Hi Karim,
I feel like Wealthy Affiliate has made it much easier for me.also. There’s so much less trial and error when you have detailed instructions to follow. I’m amazed at how easy the tools are to use. But what I really like is being able to touch base with folks in the community. Many have been there 5 – 10 years or even longer. They have so much knowledge to share. And, they do share it every day.
Stick with this and your post-retirement years are bound to be better. Good luck and may 2019 be an excellent year for your business!
Hi Linda,
Great article, you’ve painted a real picture of the day to day life of a blogger. Yes a lot of money can be made blogging but it isn’t easy and it isn’t the quick rich scheme that some will lead you to believe it is. I personally do affiliate marketing and can testify that I both enjoy it and find it to be fairly lucrative. I’m glad you brought up that not every article/ post will be ranked by google as that stumped me for ages lol
Hi Nate,
Learning that all of your posts are not going to rank is initially a tough pill to swallow. But, when I heard Neil Patel say the same thing, I realized it’s a universal truth and you just have to suck it up 🙂
I’m glad to hear you’re doing well and enjoying the blogging lifestyle. I hope 2019 brings even more success and satisfaction!
Hi,
A few years ago, I heard about blogging and making money with it, but I have never understood how can you make money with blogging. At the time I started to read about it but still did not understand it. So I quit…This time I do not want to quit so your article has some valuable information for me. The only thing that sometimes makes me take a break is the time of which I do not have much.
Thank you for the info,
Hi Oana,
Carving time out of our busy lives to learn something new is challenging, isn’t it? But, I really do believe that almost all of us can find at least a few hours a week to devote to something that can be life-changing down the road. If you have less time to spend writing content, it will take longer but to me that’s OK. Every article is progress and you can look back in a year or even two and feel good about what you’ve accomplished. So. I hope you don’t quit this time around. Take baby steps and do what you can. It all adds up over time.
Good luck and thank for commenting!
Couldn’t agree more with these truths, good thing you discovered such useful training. You’re right about just getting started asap, it’s the age of online entrepreneurialism. The best time to plant a tree is 20 years ago, the second best time is today! But blogs don’t just grow, one must water them with their own passion/expertise, patience, and perseverance. Blogging to make money is legit and there are only two things required to succeed but most people never do them. First sow a clear picture of what problems said blog would solve for people. What will it do? What will it have? What will it be? Second, determine what it is going to take to develop a successful blog and then commit. You reap exactly what you sow but you must sow first.
Hi Steven,
I love your analogies and I couldn’t agree more. I also appreciate your focus on solving problems for people. Helping people is very much at the heart of blogging and where we need to start. I was reminded of that while in the live chat area on Wealthy Affiliate today. A new member of the community was asking about video games as a niche and if that was a good direction.
Video games is an interesting topic and there are many directions in which you could take that. But when you’re defining your niche. you have to think in terms of the people that play video games and the kinds of questions and issues those folks are likely to have. Then you can provide answers and review products with members of your target market in mind.
To make money a blog needs traffic. And, we generate traffic by writing stuff that real people actually care about. I like your perspectives because they’re geared toward success.
Thanks for stopping by and adding your valuable comments!
I love how realistic you are about blogging. Some people just want you to think that it is all so easy, just write a couple of blogs and watch the cash roll in. It is a lot harder than that. I do not mind the solitude of blogging as I myself am not such a social person. It is pretty much the same thing as staying home and writing a book. There is no commute to work or social interaction or money to be made while writing, that part always comes later and some people do not want to spend the time that it takes to do all of that writing without a guarantee of it making a lot of money when it is all said and done.
Thanks, Andy!
It sounds like you’re all over this. I am a realist and it seems you are too. Best wishes for your success!
Hi Linda – thanks for sharing this useful article. I was nodding my head and agreeing with you and I had only read point #1! Blogging requires continuous hard work and dedication and is not a get rich quick scheme. The rest of your points are completely valid and should resonate with all seasoned bloggers who know the reality of this strange little world that we inhabit! All the best, Diane
Hi Diane.
Thanks for your great comments. It sounds like you’ve accepted the realities of the blogging environment. I wish you well and appreciate that you took the time to share your thoughts. I’m wishing you the best as well!
Hi Linda, I must say that I like your article primarily because everything that you said is true. 2 years ago I was thinking that blogging is easy and that it can be used to earn fast money but I was wrong. Here I am now, full-time blogger but I learned the lesson, hard work and consistency are the keys.
Hi Daniel,
Very true! Hard work and consistency are the keys. Many of us start this journey thinking (or maybe just hoping) that it will be an easy one. I’m glad to hear you made the transition and stuck with this.
Here’s to your continued success and thanks for stopping by!
How I wish your article never ends. You’ve nailed it right on the head. Some folks do present blogging as a done deal venture but never reveal the hardships and efforts one has to put in before things start to soar. I admire your sincerity and good picture you’ve created through your article. It indeed shows that you love what you’re doing and know how to achieve success.
Blogging is certainly legit and I got convinced when I decided to make money online. Upon signing up, I’ve realized that it’s not an easy journey but it’s worth it for the long-term reward. I’m having challenges myself in terms of consistency and implementation of ideas but I have got to balance it with my lab work. I know with time, I will master it although is not easy. Thanks for this great article.
Hi DerrAd,
Yes, I do indeed love what I’m doing! And, you’re absolutely correct that it is worth the effort in the long-term. I know it can be challenging to achieve the right balance when you’re still working elsewhere. But it sounds like you have the determination to make this work.
Best wishes and thanks for chiming in!
Hello Linda,
Let me start by saying that you have really captured my attention with your article, which was your main goal I’m sure🙂. You write with such a pearl of wisdom that it’s easy to see that you have been doing this for years and that although it may have been tough in the beginning, I am certain that you are reaping the fruits of your labor now.
That’s what blogging is all about, creating quality content, being patient and not quitting!!! Just to confirm what you have said here, I started a new blog in January 2018 and it took until late November until I ranked on page one of Google with some articles. I have to say though that I still work my 9-5 job, so this is a “sideline” and I only works some 3-4 hours a day (before and after “work”) on this online venture, so that when I retire in a few years, I will have something to fall back on.
If I take your comparison of a novel vs a blog, I can totally agree there too. I had to write 54 posts and over 90000 words before I actually started to rank on Google. And when I say “rank” and this does not mean making tons of money, it means I am finally getting recognized by Google and Bing. I am still waiting for these article’s position to get me sales! So yeah, 6 posts will never cut it for sure!🙂
I also have a love/hate relationship with my blog, but the days I hate it, I just reach out to the same community you and I are in (Wealthy Affiliate) and ask for help or comfort and I am always overwhelmed with their responses! So there, I think I have confirmed pretty much everything you said in your article from my point of view.
I wish you more success in 2019!
Denis
Hi Denis,
Congratulations on achieving Google Page 1 rankings for your blog! You are building trust and credibility and are well on your way to free organic traffic. Many people start their online business part-time while continuing their employment. If you can continue to slowly but consistently add quality content, I have little doubt you’ll be in an excellent position by the time you retire.
Thanks for your insightful comment and best wishes for your success!