The hype with making tons of cash from blogging has considerably gone down for the past few years as probably a lot of people have realized that the hype surrounding blogging is all but hype. In fact I’ve seen a lot of people quit blogging to focus on doing more “secure” stuffs like a day job or a real offline business.
I remember when the make money blogging hype is on its peak, people have the mentality of like “I need to put this ad to make some serious cash”. Of course I was one of those people. I had my little basketball blog back then plastered with all sort kinds of banners, CPM, CPC, CPA, you name it. Of course it all backfired for me. The only positive thing then was that I am enjoying running a basketball site. It’s my passion, my hobby.
Eventually and fortunately I said to myself, “bug this! I’m not gonna do any money-related strategy, Im just gonna do what I enjoy, I’d write posts after posts and just do my thing. A kid like me should be enjoying life anyway!” And it was a crucial turning point for me.
After almost a year, the blog started gaining traffic and then money afterwards. The blog was doing good in page impressions that the CPM banners that I used to hate before started giving me respectable daily earnings. Then I started getting private ads from big sports-related companies and it really blew off for me. For some people the money I made back then may not probably be that big, but for an enthusiastic kid like me, it’s an unforgettable experience.
I always reflect back to it and I love telling this story to my friends over and over again. And I’m always amaze when my friends respond to me and say “wow that’s a ton of work. I can’t imagine myself putting that much hard work!”
Looking back, I didn’t really realize that what I did was “a ton” of hard work. All i knew was I was putting up some posts on how this New York Knicks suck, on how LeBron James is the best player ever and stuffs. Heck, I enjoy it so it must not be really hard work.
And oh, what you read above is the elongated version of my about page. 😉
Disparity between Hard and hard work
I used to do lots of programming back in college and so if you know everything about it, you’ll know it’s really hard to be one. As a programmer/coder you need to know a lot of things, you need to have a broad perspective, you need to have superb logic to make things work and you need an immense patience testing and trying different lines of codes. In short, its hard.
Blogging (or making money from blogging) isn’t. Hell, just as long as you know how to read, write, type, copy, paste, act as human, interact, you’re qualified. Everyone does qualify for it but why is it that very few succeed? Yes, lack of hard work. Blogging isn’t hard, its just a lot of hard work. It’s so true. It’s easy to write an article but you need to work hard to come up with 50 high quality ones. It’s nuts to interact but its a challenge to do it with over a hundred of people. It’s tough.
I don’t consider myself a guru and no one of my readers do but I can share here some insights that I feel can be helpful to you:
1. Just do it, stop strategizing!
I usually get a lot of flak when I tell people about this but just from experience (and from observing how big bloggers like Jeremy did), I can tell that this is one key aspect why I’m somehow more successful than some people.
I just do it, if it doesn’t work then I gotta move on! The problem with strategizing too much is that people keep on speculating, lurking, observing that nobody does anything! The biggest problem has and always been getting off your ass. I don’t know about you but I certainly wouldn’t refrain from doing things unless experience tells me that ‘hey this isn’t working’.
The statement “Experience is your best teacher” is corny but its still powerful and proven. You just don’t let people dictate you things, do it yourself. After all you really don’t have anything to lose. Every of our failure racks up to our own education and this is one good thing you will always have.
2. If you enjoy it, just go on! (Passion)
That’s why passion is a key element in blogging. I mean why write about something you don’t enjoy in the first place? That’s probably the biggest reason why most bloggers fail, its because they really don’t feel passionate about what they’re blogging. How can you enjoy talking about making money online if you don’t know it?
It’s always been the same parallels over and over again with all of these successful bloggers. They enjoy just blogging on something that they don’t really expect anything. Why don’t you go on Darren Rowse blog’s archive and look for some of his oldest posts. Its amazing how this guy churned out almost over a hundred of blog articles with over 1000+ words each that never even got any comment/traction? Of course these days Darren can write an article w/any length and still get a heap of comments but the lesson here is that you’re not going to get noticed overnight and if you don’t have passion, I doubt you can last too long in the blogosphere.
3. Stop chasing for shiny golden “secrets” because there’s none.
Ok again I used to be like this one when I was on my early stage of blogging. The scenario is usually like this: A blogger reads a post on some blog that making money is hard. You have to do this, do that, implement this, test, blah blah. So what happens is that this blogger says to himself “No, there must be something better than this, I need to keep looking for one”. And of course the cycle never ends. That blogger would never ever get to work because all he does is chase for secrets.
There’s a big misconception about “premium info stuffs” and secrets. Most people think that these are just the same. The truth is its not. Most info products whether its $9.95 or $999.5 is all about educating people. I’ve consumed a lot of them and I hate eBooks actually all I can say is that the main goal of most of them, if not all is just to organize infos around the web, compile them and present them well. You’re paying them not really because of the “premium stuffs” but only because they’re saving you from getting overloaded. In short, they are giving you blueprints so you never have to find them yourself.
Why not take time to look Technorati’s top 100 blogs? Do you think these guys have secrets? All you can notice is that these bloggers provide massive value to their readers and that alone sums up why they’re popular.
Wrapping it up
As I end this I’ll repeat. Blogging and making money isn’t hard, it’s just a lot of hard work. “Hardwork” is an overly used term but surprisingly not a lot of people value it. From my experience, and from other people’s experience, there’s really no need to reinvent the wheel and chase for something more. Besides if you’re exerting hard work on your passion, then it’s really not hard after all.
I haven’t written a long post like this for a while and I got carried a bit while writing this, lols. But as always, I’d like to hear back from you.
Really Great Post Melvin. I’m totally agree with you Blogging is just lot of work.
You’ve made amazing points.
Thanks for sharing this great Post Melvin.
OMG! everything you said is true. Great post melvin! btw, Let me be the first guy to consider you as a – “guru” starting today, I will now call you “guru melvin” lol
Great points in there Melvin, you struck gold in two points: for success, it’s a whole lot of hard work (believe me, that’s what that will separate you from the so-called elites and talented) as well as keep getting back to basics, which is to work from passion.
You mentioned that experience is most important, but also consider that it is part of the success continuum: educate, evaluate, estimate, (re)evaluate, and escalate. Expeience is one f the aspects, but crucial nonetheless. 🙂
Great post. Wrote more of such Melvin, enjoyed it thoroughly. 🙂
i completed reading this post in my 3rd attempt..sure enough its a long post but the best part is that it is content packed….
Making money is sure not hard, so many bloggers are making money out there but nobody realizes how much pain and sacrifice they have taken to reach here!!
lols. would be a pleasure to me elie. 🙂 just joking
Thanks Nigel. I’d also keep note of the other “e” you mentioned here. Surprisingly I didn’t know those until I read your comment. 🙂
True. I believe what Chris Brogan is talking about is what it’s all about, the more quality posts you write, the more traffic you’ll get. Write at least one post a day, but if you write two posts a day you’ll get a lot more traffic. And of course, writing two posts a day takes time.
I’m writing one post a day, and after I started I have noticed that I’m receiving more traffic and more subscribers. I never focus on earning money, I try to focus on content.
Great post.
Oh sorry it’s incomplete. The success continuum in my mind is
Educate->Evaluate->Estimate->Experience->(re)Evaluate->Escalate =)
Well written and nailed it. they are not only well written but also it gives me kind of inspirational words and encouraging.. thanks for pushing off this great post and am loving all the blog posts.
Great post! I write a career advice post because I love doing it. Mentoring is a lost art, so I have decided to do that on line. Without marketing or trying, I have developed a steady stream of readers.
I know that if I worked a little harder at it, I would be even that much more successful.
Well done!!
Mike
Good points melvin ,
You can not make money without a positive attitude.Attitude matters a lot !
Regards |Madav
Well thats a huge takeaway there Mike “Mentoring is a lost art”. Thats exactly it.
Well I’m sure you’re going to get more readers just because you have that passion and dedication. Best of luck
Exact truth…
You shared the truth of blogging. Your blog layout is excellent – rate – Highly recommended.
This post has interesting points that can serve as a one-two punch for those who think that blogging is just random incoherent writings of the blogger. If blogging is really that easy, then almost everyone will have one, just like a facebook or twitter account.
Blogging need a lot of hardwork..ya tell me about it. I used to write often back then in year 2008 and i stopped. I suppose it just came a time I can’t bring myself to write anymore 🙂
I was/am writing about finance/money making related matter for this matter has always been my passion. Like you have well said, a good blog is all about the content..
Hi Melvin,
You are young and wise for your online experience. In sticking out, you inspire but also are a case study to those who wish to walk forth in the make money blogging niche. These personal posts are really where the value is found and furthermore, where your readership is build. Thanks for sharing your awesomeness! I too wish to accomplish half of what you’ve been to. However, I’m going to put in the hard work first. I’ve got the passion already, it’s sticking to it.
Talk soon!
Thu
To me… if I was younger may be I will think is kind the easy blogging, but as I had married it seem like everyday, there so much to do, and so less to think… although, I still do blogging stuff before I go to sleep everyday… sometime I really really feel tired of blogging not because I had lost passion to it… but the mind doesn’t seem to open it’s eye.
It’s telling me… you have got to sleep… and as always my concentration system seems to be down and I was unable to finish my writing of content and the next day… it’s the same old story again.
Each blogger has his own secrets that he will never share. There are a lot of ebooks out there but most of them are the same and telling you something theoretical…Yeah, it requires a lot of hard work but it is not something impossible 🙂
Great advice! Just do it. Procrastination is the be killer of blogs.
If its your passion then maybe you can share to me why you have stopped writing?
To be honest, the idea of just stopping always crosses my mind but it never really had serious implication on my decisions.
Heheh. Your welcome Thu. And thanks for thinking that I’m awesome, even though I’m never. 😉
Family commitment. Having a young boy and a new born baby gal have taken too much of my time and energy. However, in my mind, it has always a story to share/tell, just that I lost my energy of having them pen down, 🙂 Anyway, I am trying to write again.
Hardwork, experiments and taking risks!
Now I understand it better Jean. As I’ve said there are inevitable things that can make us stop from doing our passion.
Whats important though is you did the right thing. I mean who would prioritize blogging than taking care of his/her own daughter right?
Nice to hear, you’re back writing. 🙂
The question that we need to ask ourselves is that do you think that with all the effort put in, is it really worth doing it? I mean you are putting some much time and the returns do not justify the hours of work. It’s what we call opportunity cost here.
Willy,
Yes, I agreed with you. If we blog for money sake, often we, or perhaps just me :), feel that the return of time investment simple do not justify the time and hours of works we put in.
So, I often write my post middle of the night when I have nothing to do and not feeling sleepy as yet. In this sense, I don’t feel like I am giving up doing something else that is more fruitful (for eg, playing with my kids)
I agree with you there, Melvin.
Hard work coupled with patience makes money online.
Nice posting….I m agree with u that marking Money blogging isn’t Really hard.though hard work we should mark every thing easy in our life so working hard always…kept it up…….keep sharing
Buddy, tell me one thing. How did u add this Tweet and Digg bookmarking in left. Whats the plugin r u using.
i agree, if you really want to earn some money online you must work hard for it. we can’t just get anything in instant. we must give some effort. 🙂
Melvin –
Great post. I couldn’t agree with you more. I have to admit that I am a newer blogger but I have completely fallen in love with the notion of inspiring and adding value to people and enhancing their lives through my written word.
There’s a lot of psychology behind the way someone would feel about blogging (or doing anything in general).
Personally, I think that if someone feels what they’re doing as “too much work” then chances are they are either not enjoying what they are doing or they are doing it with an end results or expectation in mind, in this case, to “make money”.
From some of my research on Internet Entrepreneurship and failure rates (which are about 90%) I have come to believe that the #1 reason why people fail as Internet Entrepreneurs is because they know WHAT they are doing and they know HOW they are doing it but they don’t know WHY they are doing it. And by WHY I don’t mean “to make money”. Your WHY has to be beyond monetary compensation. Monetary Compensation can only be a by-product of your overall contribution to society (in the case of blogging, your readers).
As you pointed out, when you were concerned with only making money with your first blog you failed but when you completely detached yourself from just blogging to “make money” and get in sync with your WHY; blogging about something you loved which was basketball and adding value to your readers that way, you started earning income “effortlessly”.
It’s not that you were able to make money “effortlessly”, it’s just that you knew WHY you were blogging, WHAT you were blogging about and HOW you were going to announce your message. You were completely detached from monetary compensation and were more concerned with adding value. That is why you were able to succeed and it didn’t seem like hard work because you enjoyed what you were doing.
Most people cannot do that and that is why most people fail…
Great post! Thanks for sharing!
Hi Melvin,
This is one of the most simple, candid yet inspiring blog post I have read. I am also from the Philippines like you and have started my own blog about MS Access. I have started some blogs before but it was not successful because I am not passionate about the topic and have thought only about making money.
Now I have decided to blog about the software that I really like and just do it for fun and when I have a free time. Its kind of challenging though mixing family responsibilities with blogging, but this post of yours gave me inspiration. Thanks a lot!
Rolan
Well said Melvin, There are also many mistakes that we are bound to make on the way, one who passes through lows and highs ( and also learn from mistakes ) .. with patience, persistence and passion is bound to succeed in blogging.
Melvin!
Great post indeed, keep it up pal.
Keep posting a lot of great content..
Regards,
Norhafidz
You have made great points melvin.
I had earlier thought making money online is difficult but that’s not true.
When you work at it, it comes a time when you relax and it works for you.
But the beginning is always very tedious.
Keep the light burning and don’t give up. Make money online is real
This content is great.
Melvin, as usual, you have blown me up and I’m going to put some of your tips to
use on my online business.
Keep them coming and stay cool.
Awesome blog post.
Blogging is actually a unique business model. Once scaled up,
it will make you money. Perfect post for perfect time like this.
thanks.
Thanks for the tips, Melvin. I would also like to eventually earn from my blogs, but for now, I don’t obsess over it, as it tends to make blogging a chore when I do. I just focus on the fact that I enjoy doing it, and if I hear back from readers once in a while, then I’m good.
I love you blog, yes it take a lot of work to make money these days.