MelvinBlog

A blog that chronicles my journey on online marketing, blogging, social media, technology and life.

Why Most Blogs Couldn’t Just Get It Going..

by ·

One reason why the ‘blogging tips’ niche is growing larger and larger and becoming more and more profitable is that because there’s still a huge number of persons/market that consume/need it. It’s no secret that a lot of people who have a blog or who is just trying to have their own blog is seeking to become a problogger, and make tons of money from their blog just like famous guys do. While there is an overflowing of good stuffs and content about blogging, a lot of people still couldn’t have it going.

While the rule of ‘reading too much, implementing less’ still follows, I think still almost 90% of the bloggers are not satisfied with the way their blog is performing. Either they feel they aren’t making that much money, or not a lot of people reads their blog or for whatever reasons. The truth about blogging for fame and for money these days is that providing good stuffs alone is not enough. I have read some blogs with really superb content yet they’re not getting the traffic (I think) they should deserve. They say content is the king but experience and observation tells otherwise. Here are some of the things that I realized why most blogs don’t just fly:

  • Bloggers are just idiots – No offense to the statement (I was thinking of a better way to express it). What I mean is that everyone starts out from scratch and is an idiot himself. Two to three months later, it’s either that a blogger has learned a lot (hopefully implemented what he learned) or is still an idiot just like when he started. The basic explanation in this is that blogging is like schooling. Some people never get to pass on some levels primarily because of their lack of knowledge (and drive maybe).
  • Lack of drive and determination – Please do take note that bloggers like Darren Rowse, Shoemoney and Chow had blogged for over a year without being recognized and now look where they are now! I could even testify that making a blog popular and profitable is easier these days rather than before. If you’re entering the blogging business, then make sure you have the necessary juice of determination and patience to keep it going for a long time. Do you really think you can handle blogging for a long time?
  • Not enough Marketing – Blogging is internet marketing, remember that! Carving out a successful blog includes giving out good content first, then finding a way to reach the most number of audience as possible. Sure it’s not hard to create good content but marketing and promoting what you got is something to really focus on. Content is the king no more! 30% content. 70% marketing.
  • No clear goal – This one should’ve been written first I guess. Anyway, everytime a person starts a blog and has no goal, it’s like driving without a map or like shooting the basketball with a blind fold. Make sure to set your objectives and goals on blogging. Are you going to just create a personal blog? Are you going to create a flagship blog that would boost your online brand? Or you’re just creating a blog to be flipped soon? Either way, a blogger really has to be clear on this one. Saying ‘I just want to start a blog period” is a retarded statement. Believe me.
  • Proper funding – Starting a blog is a low-risk investment I must say. But when one does start a blog that he intends to monetize later on, he must understand that a blog may not get its initial income return on it’s 6th month or even a year. I do really feel bad for a lot of my friends who do start it out alright, provides good content and then flop afterwards because of lack of budget. It’s either the site got suspended by its host or the domain just not renewed. $100 for a year is the safe number of budget needed. You’re gonna be needing more of course when you want to fast track your progress.
  • Afraid of trying Out New Things – Assuming you are NOT one of those things listed above, then you must not be afraid to try out new things. If you have a blog and its consistently getting 50-100 pageviews a day and is doing good interactions, are you just gonna stop there? Why not take your efforts a couple notch higher? Or try to experiment new stuffs? It’s a common misconception that when an experiment fails, expect tons of drawbacks. Don’t be afraid to try untested things, or to do something different. If you fail miserably, then chances are you’d benefit more in the long run, unless you’re an idiot. 😉
  • Not Building Relationships – In my guest post on ThouShallBlog about using  blog as a reputation tool, I stressed how a blog can make you reputable and do a lot of good things more than just making money from it. Blogging is a very large, yet tight and accomodation community. I have met a lot of bloggers, talked with them and shared insights with them. Like any other business, building relationship with other bloggers within your community is a key. If you’re not then you’re missing a  lot.

Building a ‘good blog’ takes more work than what you think, yet it’s not as rocket-science as building your own company or making a male baby. Remember the 7 things I listed above and make sure you enjoy what you are doing. If not, then maybe you should re-assessed whether blogging is for you. Feel free to share your own piece please.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. 30% content. 70% marketing. It looks like this statement sound true, but nothing gets done unless the words are being written CORRECTLY.

    You see, too many content are rank very highly in Google search but when you read it, it’s all keywords and more keywords, there is NO unique in them.

    The best marketing is to get relationship. Relationship as to build network in social media and spread your content, which is to mean using word of mouth.

    Word of mouth marketing is very powerful but in order to made it work you have to focus first on your content and then focus on marketing.

    Gary Halbert took 18 months to write his first sales letter, and make a breakthrough in direct mail marketing, all I had to say is “focus” 100% on both content first and then marketing.
    .-= The Bad Blogger´s last blog ..The Bad Blogger Sunday Sexy Surprises # 1 =-.

  3. Great post Melvin. You definitely know some of the reasons why blogs aren’t successful. It’s amazing how many people write content and expect to make money and get traffic. Blogging is so much more than content.
    .-= Jake | Web Journey´s last blog ..Keeping a Blog Alive =-.

  4. i am actually poor in marketing but at least my blog is still gaining traffic. your article reminds me not to take for granted the marketing side of it. thanks

  6. I think that content is still king, because if your content is crap all your marketing may get you noticed but unless your content is adequate they’re not going to stick around.

    As for Darren Rowse, yes he has worked extremely hard, and yes he has great content, but he also had a great advantage over the rest of us. Very little competition.
    .-= Sire´s last blog ..WassupBlog’s Ultimate Blogging Contest =-.

  10. I went to a conclusion that without adword campain or any other PPC campain, we cannot succeed. I mean, we could have the best content in the world.. if we don’t have traffic our site is dead… even if you comment on other related niche, it won’t get you much traffic, we can use social network to gather traffic, but it doesn’t work everytime…

    And one more thing, I agree with Sarah, “Content is Not King”, it’s your charisma which is the most important!
    .-= Benjamin Cip´s last blog ..Ninja Affiliate Plugin Review =-.

  11. Well, when Darren was one of the first bloggers around at the time and therefore he had a lot less competition than a blogger who was to start today.

    If you look at his archives and read his first ever posts you will see how far he has come, he has learned a lot, but he has had the time to do it.
    .-= Sire´s last blog ..WassupBlog’s Ultimate Blogging Contest =-.

  12. I have to agree with Sire on this one. If Darren was to start blogging in today’s blogging environment who knows if he would be as big as he is today.

    But on the other hand if someone has determination and the ill to succeed perhaps they can do it in any environment thy are put in.

    I’m pretty happy with the way my blog is performing. I mean I didn’t start it with high expectations so I’m happy with the growth to date.

    Regarding Content and marketing. I think both are equally important. You can get far in the blogging world without taking advantage of both content and marketing.

    Great read Melvin!
    .-= bbrian017´s last blog ..Vacation Update – Casa Loma =-.

  13. Looks to me, I agree, sometime I just wonder if we give each top blogger like John Chow, Shoemoney, Darren and many others to start all over again without people first knowing them do you think they can do it again… the answer is a big “NO”.

    Reason: they never start from scratch again showing people within 6 months they can bring an unknown blog become famous without using their famous name… I dare not say this but is true fact we had to face !
    .-= The Bad Blogger´s last blog ..The Bad Blogger Swears Under Oath That Alex Of Blogussion’s “Secrets To More Effective Blogging” Can Only Be Done If You Know Your Subject Cold ! =-.

  15. Well, funding & lack of determination are biggest road blockers. True enough! No two minds about it. However expecting newbies to know how tos or tricks of the trade is not necessary. If they just keep mind open & go on “trying Out New Things ” just like you said…… …
    Then with people like you around, its not that difficult to get around.

  16. I disagree. I think that IF you know how to master social networking, and IF you know how to build relationships, and IF you know how to generate word-of-mouth referrals and especially, IF you become known as the subject matte expert in your niche….you can build your blog/business bigtime without PPC or whatever that is.

    But indeed, it takes bleeploads of time.
    .-= Barbara Ling, Virtual Coach´s last blog ..BY Invitation ONLY – Income Fitness Launch =-.

  20. these are all great tips, especially the one about keep blogging. Even if your site isnt famous you should keep on blogging because it can take a while for a site to get known but if you keep at it and have the patience, eventually one day it will pay off

  21. These are great tips! I think the most important point is that, as a blogger, you must enjoy it. You must have some passion about the things that you write and not just write for the sole sake of making money online. Articles should be helpful to readers and should be informative.

    I myself got contacted by a President & CEO of a major insurance firm because of my blog offering me possible career opportunities in his company.
    .-= Tyrone | Millionaire Acts´s last blog ..Why do you need to borrow money? =-.

  23. Wow, seems this post is all for me, though I am not really on the making money online niche. Got overcrowded with so much work bro lately…hay…

    Love each and every point you have. Hopefully I will reach the goals that you and other probloggers have achieved.

    I think, what is most important in blogging is the attitude you have towards your work: and that is perseverance. 😀
    .-= elmot´s last blog ..P1 Pork Barrel for Congressmen, Should I Sing Hallelujah? =-.

  25. I prefer to disagree. Although I have used PPC in the early stages of the blog, I think one can still succeed by just utilizing free and natural traffic. Social media and word of mouth would probably do it..