I'm sure you've heard that “persistence pays”. It's often cited because it's true for most pursuits. But it's particularly relevant to blogging -- even more so if you want to make money from it.
Basically, the longer you keep blogging for the more content you have up there, and therefore the more searches you're going to be found for, apart from anything else.
(Image courtesy of Gualberto107 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Blogging skills improve over time
Then there's the fact that you keep getting better at blogging the longer you go. You improve your keyword selection and headline writing skills among others. So as a general rule, each new post you write becomes more findable and shareable.
You can also look back on old posts with the benefit of new insight. So you can rewrite them or write about what you've learned subsequently, quoting from -- and linking back to -- those old posts.
You'll have a book's worth of posts eventually
There's another bonus: By constantly adding posts you accumulate an enormous amount of interesting posts over the long term. If you look back on all that you've written on a specific subject over a year or two, say, you're sure to have the raw material for at least one solid book.
While affiliate marketing is a proven method of blog monetization, it's always best to have your own tangible product to sell -- off your blog, and elsewhere. A book definitely fits that bill.
So, you've got to keep going with it, in my opinion. There are just so many good things that result from doing so.
Monetization takes time
The reality is that these days, even if your content is brilliant, it's going to take months, if not years before you make even a small income from a blog. There's just so much competition nowadays, and so many niches are completely saturated.
So as well as adding good content and sharing your posts on social media, you've got to try different monetization tactics until you find the ones that work. This will be a slow, often frustrating process for sure.
So, there are many reasons that blogging is a long term process requiring a great deal of persistence. And this is where cost comes in.
A free blog allows you to keep going indefinitely
If the hosting is expensive -- even if it is very good -- and you're not making enough to cover the cost over a long time period -- which is the most likely situation, let's face it -- your enthusiasm is surely going to wane. You're likely to get to a point where finally sit down and look at the project in a dispassionate way. After "doing the math" you may well decide it's just not worth it anymore. So after many months, perhaps even a year or more, you decide to pull the plug.
It's a shame if you do this. Without a doubt, countless people do.
For these reasons it's important to start with a free or (very cheap blog) in my opinion. And you should stay with it until you start earning a consistent income.
Wordpress hosting can be costly
Now, I know this runs counter to what many blogging gurus say. They often advise that a custom designed Wordpress is the way to go from the very start. But you have to be sure that the hosting is rock solid for this platform. And you're probably going to have to fork out a fair amount over the long term for this.
Given the realities I've described above, there's a strong chance you'll come to the conclusion it's not worth it after a year or so.
Blogger, Weebly and similar hosts can be a good option
But if you just chip away with, say, a Blogger blog, or one with Weebly (where this site is hosted), you don't end up in that situation. Sure, they don't have that sleek Wordpress look -- along with all the plugins you can choose from. But you certainly don't have to worry about cost.
When your blog is making money for you in some way, you can always upgrade.
I accept that this approach to monetizing a blog isn't for everyone. But it's certainly something to consider. While you have to focus on something to succeed no matter what field you're in, you're sure to encounter obstacles you never expected. Achieving a goal almost always takes longer than you thought it would, which is why it's always a good idea to keep your costs down to an absolute minimum and your options open.
Basically, the longer you keep blogging for the more content you have up there, and therefore the more searches you're going to be found for, apart from anything else.
(Image courtesy of Gualberto107 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net)
Blogging skills improve over time
Then there's the fact that you keep getting better at blogging the longer you go. You improve your keyword selection and headline writing skills among others. So as a general rule, each new post you write becomes more findable and shareable.
You can also look back on old posts with the benefit of new insight. So you can rewrite them or write about what you've learned subsequently, quoting from -- and linking back to -- those old posts.
You'll have a book's worth of posts eventually
There's another bonus: By constantly adding posts you accumulate an enormous amount of interesting posts over the long term. If you look back on all that you've written on a specific subject over a year or two, say, you're sure to have the raw material for at least one solid book.
While affiliate marketing is a proven method of blog monetization, it's always best to have your own tangible product to sell -- off your blog, and elsewhere. A book definitely fits that bill.
So, you've got to keep going with it, in my opinion. There are just so many good things that result from doing so.
Monetization takes time
The reality is that these days, even if your content is brilliant, it's going to take months, if not years before you make even a small income from a blog. There's just so much competition nowadays, and so many niches are completely saturated.
So as well as adding good content and sharing your posts on social media, you've got to try different monetization tactics until you find the ones that work. This will be a slow, often frustrating process for sure.
So, there are many reasons that blogging is a long term process requiring a great deal of persistence. And this is where cost comes in.
A free blog allows you to keep going indefinitely
If the hosting is expensive -- even if it is very good -- and you're not making enough to cover the cost over a long time period -- which is the most likely situation, let's face it -- your enthusiasm is surely going to wane. You're likely to get to a point where finally sit down and look at the project in a dispassionate way. After "doing the math" you may well decide it's just not worth it anymore. So after many months, perhaps even a year or more, you decide to pull the plug.
It's a shame if you do this. Without a doubt, countless people do.
For these reasons it's important to start with a free or (very cheap blog) in my opinion. And you should stay with it until you start earning a consistent income.
Wordpress hosting can be costly
Now, I know this runs counter to what many blogging gurus say. They often advise that a custom designed Wordpress is the way to go from the very start. But you have to be sure that the hosting is rock solid for this platform. And you're probably going to have to fork out a fair amount over the long term for this.
Given the realities I've described above, there's a strong chance you'll come to the conclusion it's not worth it after a year or so.
Blogger, Weebly and similar hosts can be a good option
But if you just chip away with, say, a Blogger blog, or one with Weebly (where this site is hosted), you don't end up in that situation. Sure, they don't have that sleek Wordpress look -- along with all the plugins you can choose from. But you certainly don't have to worry about cost.
When your blog is making money for you in some way, you can always upgrade.
I accept that this approach to monetizing a blog isn't for everyone. But it's certainly something to consider. While you have to focus on something to succeed no matter what field you're in, you're sure to encounter obstacles you never expected. Achieving a goal almost always takes longer than you thought it would, which is why it's always a good idea to keep your costs down to an absolute minimum and your options open.