Make Money by Blogging
By Mark Knowles
With the financial crisis in full swing (don't let the government Inc fool you), many people are turning to the internet as a way of making money. I have made my living online for three years now, and I can promise you - it is no easy feat.
A few lucky souls hit big time by chance, and I am always amazed at the occasional "rags to riches" stories. You know the ones - single Mum starts a blog about the trials and tribulations of raising three kids alone and gets picked up by a network with a big deal TV show and goes on to world wide acclaim and fortune. I will let you in on a secret - NOT GOING TO HAPPEN TO YOU. Sorry - reality bites. The chances of this being you are so slim - you would be better off buying a lottery ticket if this is any part of your plan to online success.
It is competitive out here; and I mean really, really competitive; the sort of competitive you can only dream about in the "real world," because you are not limited by geographic location and are competing with the entire world. I have had sites hacked and taken out of commission for successfully targeting the right keyword. I have people following me around and buying sites with similar names to the ones I own, and then emailing me trying to sell them to me. I have people here on hubpages copying what I write and writing an article about the same thing 3 days later. I spend more time protecting my personal sites from hackers and spammers, building links and doing background work than I do writing.
When I first started out to make money by blogging, I had this idyllic image in my head. I am well educated, can turn a mean phrase and like to think I can be witty when the moon is in the right ascension. Piece of piss - I will sit down at a computer, write about the world according to Mark and be rich and famous by next month. Ha!
Sadly - the qualities our society seem to value are not the ones I speak about. I am neither controversial enough or nasty enough to be a total success. I should be paying some Russian hacker to break into my competitors sites and destroy their databases. But - I am too much of a nice guy to do that.
Don't get me wrong - despite the fact that I live in Europe and get paid in dollars - I make a reasonable living, but it is at least 10000% harder than I anticipated, requires constant adaptation and is far less lucrative than a lot of people would have you believe. Most of the people making real money online are doing so in an underhanded - if not criminal - fashion. And that includes google.
Making money at hubpages. I would heartily recommend - if you are a beginner - starting out on hubpages and using them as a way of learning what will and will not work as far as making money goes. This site os not a blog - nor will it ever be, but there are distinct advantages to using their technical knowledge that is worth giving up 50% of the income. And yes - I know hubpages only takes 40% of the impressions - but the site is set up ion such a way as most people visiting will only visit one page of yours.
If you wish to make money by blogging, there are a number of skills you will need to learn that are completely unrelated to writing. You will need to learn how to do keyword research and create incoming links to your sites, you will need to suck it up, admit there are things you do not know and find some one you can trust to ask about where you are going wrong, but most importantly - you are going to have to learn that - even if you do everything right - it is still possible to fail. The best advice I can give is to diversify - whatever that means to you. Find as many different clients as possible if you are a freelance writer; find as many different affiliate programs as possible if you are an affiliate marketer; find as many different, unrelated niches as possible if you are making money with google adsense. Diversify, diversify, diversify.
Good luck.
- Making money blogging? not without some incoming links youre not
Making money blogging, or making money with any other type website for that matter, relies heavily on the amount of other sites linking to it to give that site authority with the search engines. - Hubpages sign up
Sign up here to make money on hubpages - Making Money on Hubpages : Deciding on a Subject
There are a few harsh truths to be learned in making money online, and many are not prepared for them. The single most important step in making money online is to decide on a topic to write on. This is...
Comments
great points.. good hub!
Another lots of advice. Thank you.
Thanks, Mark. You've certainly made a believer out of me since I've been here. I really like how you don't hide anything as there are no shortcuts to becoming a success at anything worth while.
Yes, I agree - it is a constant battle - but I always tell myself - I am not a quitter - I won't give up. It seems that those days that you hit the jackpot make up for the ones where you don't. I can't image ever going back to a real 9-5 job.
Thanks for the advice. I am new and haven't really figured out how to make any money. I write about a variety of topics but I guess I don't understand the incoming links very well or adsense. I appeciate your article.
So.... I read this and I couldn't find any real advice on how to make money by blogging. I found (your) links to making money by blogging and I noticed some mention of keywords and the necessity of learning to use them properly, but, but, but... how do you do that?
Well - my advice is to follow those links and read the step by step advice given in them. :)
Mark, you have been a great inspiration to me, aswell as many other top rated hubbers who have helped me settle in hubpages and i am hoping i can use your advice to become more involved and enjoy writing articles for my pleasure, and others'. Thank you!
Great job! It's nice to have a reality check. (Not that I thought I would get rich with this! LOL) I didn't even consider hackers and other such nuts out there! Crazy stuff. Thanks for sharing the knowledge!
one of the best free keyword research tools available can be found at http://freekeywords.wordtracker.com and google keyword tool.
Great insight. How are "sites hacked and taken out of commission"? This could be a new hub if you want. - Carol
niice hub, some good points
kev.
thanks for such nice tips
Hi
It doesn't really surprise me that you are not making much money.
Providing internet content has very low 'entry barriers', meaning that it doesn't cost much and it doesn't take much knowledge or skill to get into the industry.
That means that supply is almost as great as demand which pushes the price way down into the gutter.
Thanks guys.
@Liam - you need to re read what I wrote. I never said I was not making much money, what I said was "I make a reasonable living." ;)
I agree 100% Mark. Sites hacked, sites copied, niches stolen. I make great money working online, but I work very long hours and have to learn new things almost every day. It is not for the lazy, stupid, or dull person.
Great advice Mark. You really have to love what you are doing, have a lot of self-discipline, have eyes in the back of your head and have to spend so much time doing research to find niche markets that sometimes it seems to take the joy out of writing.
Writing is more of a science and less of an art if you are writing to make money online.
This is weird. I was just reading my resolutions on making a blog when my other tab (I'm using Firefox) showed this hub of yours as I went through the hot hubs. Is this law of attraction or what? Thanks for the hub Mark. I have a few days of holiday coming up and I promised myself I'll devote them to reading hubs or articles such as yours. Bookmarking this for future reference and so that I can easily follow the links. Thanks.
Mark you are spot on! This making money online stuff just isn't as easy as I would like :D. I have been to seminars run by internet marketing 'guru's' and I gotta say they are misleading indeed. My husband and family are hoping to make 'passive income' and to get rich. I really wish I could get them to read this. The day dream and the reality are two different things, there is no 'business in a box' or whatever that will magically get people buying from your affiliates and it really does take some work to build up success. I still day dream but I also try to write as much as I can as well as promoting my hub pages when inspiration for writing is not forthcoming. I have the idea that patience and continual hard work to create unique content and self promotion are the key to success in this highly competitive world of internet money making. Thanks for the hub! It is nice to hear someone speak the truth about making money online, its possible but wont happen over night and takes a lot of hard work.
Making money by blogging is really hard, especially if you want to start from scratch. Great Hub!
I've been blogging for the past few years, and just started thinking about trying to make money from this hobby.
Informative post, thanks for sharing!
Excellent post! I really enjoyed reading it. I will be back for more!
I like the post and I hate that fact is stranger than fiction when it come the length that some people will go through to steal what you work so hard to build.I'm not naive,what goes around comes around. The fact that you are making a living doesn't astound me,you know your way around a thought,you sound educated but not stuffy and pampas. I struggle to write and wonder what will be my fate. Good luck,continued success
Joeygee007 aka Joe Garcia
Hi Mark! I enjoy many of your hubs and I am new to hubbing, so, of course, probably making errors, but everyday, I am teaching myself as much as possible. I find your posts very informative and have become a fan. I think that I have successfully created a link to you. Perhaps, if you have the time you could give some advice. I definitely, will NOT be one of those that copy anyone's material. I love being original.
Hi Mark,
I agree with you. I am in real life business and making money online is not my goal. However, I learn here online tricks and I have got a lot of tips from you, Misa and many other hubbers that help me in my off-line business.
I agree with you that people are coming here with a hope to be a millionaire overnight and dismayed soon. One has to compete everywhere with many many people whether on line or off line and smarter are the winners every where.
Thanks and thumbs up for a nice, descriptive and informative
article. It will certainly benefit online writers especially new aspirants.
Jyoti Kothari
I have read Mark's advice & followed his links (Thanks Mark) and read them over and over. He gives sound and honest advice. While I will never pretend to write even close to Mark's caliber, I will say it is frustrating when you write an article and three days later one or more people have written exactly what I had written. You may think or you may even HAVE original content and an original idea, but once its written & posted, it will be copied.
Get ready to spend some money. Yep, its hard to part with especially if you don't have a job, but investing in what Mark suggests does make a difference, you not only have YOUR OWN web site, you also have your own freedom.
Mark, again, great hub.
Hi!
Yes, its right its hard to make money by blogging. Got to learn much in order to get it. Even me did not get yet what I wanted in blogging.
Diversify,
ok
cool story bro
Thanks, I am new to this, and trying to figure out how and where to start. You've certainly given me a "Heads Up" approach to this, and I love how candid you are.
I know some people that blog a lot about their passion.
well, I was enlighten, and I basically got your drift. But I feel I got more out of this Hub than how to make Money, you seemly have that secret message in yiour nature of writing, and that was what I enjoyed the most, yes, deversity and intrigue, using subject of interest, and making sure you really have done your home work, people truly search for the hidden secerts of success. Thank for the Hub.
Hi all,i am new comer.Pleased to know you here.And i share the same view with you.I am trying to make money through the internet now,but it seems not easy.
Mark
Still doesn't seem like a great deal.
Sorry.
Thanks Mark. As always you are right on target.
As always you give sound advice Mark. I just keep on writing on the basis that the more I write (of good quality content), the more I will eventally earn. Certainly the payouts are getting far closer together in recent months.
I am book marking this hub in my inspirational tab. Making money independently is a ruthless game that I have no interest in taking part in and this article satisfied me thank you.
This information was perfect for me. Thanks for writing it, we all benefit from it. My best.
Great hub Mark,..Your absolutely right,..this on-line money making thing is hard. Infact the hours I put into my online sites double the adverge 40 hour work week !!! I am just hoping I will find the success I am looking for, slowly making it there with the advice from you and others who knows what their talking about,..So Thanks !!!!
It has to be hard to be worth it. The trick is great content. Keyword research and all the rest is pointless if you have nothing really to sell.
The more you write, the more money you will make!
Thanks Mark, some useful tips. If you put the time and effort in, you should be able to supplement your income even if you cannot substitute it.
You got it right, I couldn't agree more. If it's done for leisure, the earnings rolling in can be extra pocket money for sure.. but to make a living out of it, that is an entirely different thing altogether. Good hub! :)
I couldn't have said it better "no easy feat". I've been making a (small) living online for about 3 years and it really is tough. Be prepared for a lot of work, patience, and turbulence.
Well said. Making money online is no different than anywhere else. Hard work and time is necessary to succeed.
Thanks a bunch for the great money making advice! This comes at such a good time for all of us!
Lots of great advice.
Very helpful to me.
Thanks
Bubba finished looking at the last part of his Hub and made sure he had it just so. Now it was time to post it and start receiving the hits that would earn him his Overdue respect and earnings just like this Knowles jerk.
What made this Uppity Brit think that just because he was maybe a little smarter in this Damn Cyberspace Crap, that he wasn't just as easy to copy from as any Redneck here in little ole Texas.
Bubba had no sooner pressed the enter key sending his felonious and slackjawed posting, than his monitor began to start a strange and mystifying color and line dance. At the same time, a sound similar to that of a jet engine starting too fast and with not enough fuel, eminated from somewhere deep inside the case of his computer.
The Fire Department issued a statement today that the fire that destroyed Bubba Bradford's home last night was apparently caused by a mysterious spontaneous explosion in his computer????????
This Just in...Bubba Bradford was interviewed today from his bed at the New Look Hospital. Mr. Bradford's home was totally destroyed last night from a fire that apparently was started in his computer.
Bubba was admitted to the hospital with burns over 80% of his body. Fire Chief Ed Wildfire, stated that upon arrival the firemen found Bubba withering in pain on the front yard and muttering over and over what seemed to be the nonsensical " I saw it, I saw it..Knowles did it"
Poor Bubba....
Serves the bwa right.
Great Article! Should help a lot of people who are just starting up! Im a beginner myself, and i found some good info here, THanks!
Consider writing free lance for others that want to blog to build traffic to their web sites. Realtors, lenders, etc. fit this business model. You can charge by the blog or by the hour. Most small businesses and independent contractors don't feel they write well so avoid blogging.
Great information for the newcomer (me). Thank you.
But if you are not a celebrity,it is very difficult to get the traffic to a blog other than optimizing with the help of a SEO..
nice hub, nice trafic and then nice dollar...thanks for your tips.
It's rare to see anyone making enough money from blogging, that's why they are in the news. If everyone can make money from blogging, it will be so common that nobody bothers to report it anymore
It was suggested to me by another hubber (after I had recommended it on one of my own hubs on increasing revenues using the Internet) that getting inbound links from Social Bookmarking sites is the equivalent of using link farms. I wouldn't have thought it was the same thing -- I mean, delicious, Stumbleupon, Digg etc, are heavy hitters, right? What is your opinion?
Best wishes
As with everything - it depends.
I have accounts with digg and stumbleupon that have occasionally sent huge amounts of traffic. There are more social networking sites out there than enough and I am sure most of them are worthless.
Thank you for this hub. It was informative.
Great information. I started a few weeks ago. There are numerous Web marketing tools available. I guess start using one or two and get good at it? Thanks for your post.
making money online needs patient,perseverance and the passion too.
I'm still battling away, it can be done but it takes time if you are not willing to spend any dosh ! So for the newbies thinking about blogging for money I would say it is possible but not easy and takes time and perseverance !
What you just divulged are so so true Mark. Thank you for sharing those and inspiring new hubbers like me.
What you say is so true, the quickest way to make money is to either scam people or make outlandish boasts to their products, "It made me $139,0139 within a month" type of testimonials which sucks in unknown amount of victims. If not it is all about hardwork and determination.
I am new at this and continue to be amazed at how much there is to learn and how much work is involved. It takes a lot more time than I ever realized but I am enjoying the journey although it can sometimes be overwhelming. Your insights are helpful.
Mark
No disrespect intended, but why does this hub rate a 97?
Its real short, and half of it is your story.
There is no real information on making money, at least no secret and it didn't get an exceptional amount of comments. Maybe the page views were in the big numbers? It amounts to a pep talk.
Just doing research...Thanks
Why are you asking me how hubpages rate hubs? You should ask them how they rate it, but I suspect it is due to the amount of traffic it gets. As far as the length and content - I am always experimenting with what works and does not work. Arent you? How did you manage to get that personal score? No offense. ;)
Plus - if you follow the links I have given - you will find step by step instructions as to how to make money blogging. It is quite a big subject, but I guess you could not be bothered to look at the references I have given you to use?
You have given great tips for beginners how to get succeed in blogging. We certainly need to learn many more things to earn some money by blogging. Thanks a lot!
great hub, I followed the link, hard work -- is all and learning the keywords and linking too,
Thanks Mr. Knowles, Maita
I bookmark articles like yours and tell myself that "when I have time" I will do the hard work of putting everything together. It would be great to make money at writing; especially when you know that you have the tools to write with. But...you know, other full time job, school, single motherhood,..so I've contented myself with writing for the pleasure of writing. But...I file away articles like yours, that are well written and full of great information and hope that I make the time to pursue the money aspect as well. Thanks for your great hub.
Great hub I hope I make some good money blogging I admit I do not put enough time in it.
Great hub and you are so right...it isn't easy to make money online. I'm working at it steadily and methodically and hopefully some day it will start to pay off.
Mark looks like you have this hub pages down pretty good. I am learning and am having a lot of fun writing and reading others material. So far no cigar for me but someday maybe...
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Got some of the Awesome points on this hub...thx!
I always learn a lot from these kind of hubs and I think you are right on the money on this one.
Hi Mark, Love the honesty. When I go to my husband and say "honey how do they do it" He tells my " remember behind every fortune there's a crime" When it comes down to it I'm also happy with a reasonable living. Honesty is key in my eyes.
I really enjoyed reading your hub, thanks!!
I have to agree with BrianS that in any income making idea, no matter what it is—be it investing, writing, blogging, selling something door to door—is to generate a consistent amount. Extra effort then is worth gravy.
Great Hub! This article is really excellent info. I am a member at TKA and have been following Mark and Courtney for a couple of months. For the first time, I am actually making money online. You have been a BIG help! Thanks Bunches!
Great hub and well written...i.e. it made me book-mark it and save it for later so I can check out the rest of your links...well played sir...you hooked me.
Mark, useful information as always; and I agree about "diversifying". Sometimes I wonder if the best approach is along the lines of 30-sites-earning-$10-a-month, rather than a few sites earning a few hundred. Why? Because as someone's work begins to get noticed by search engines or in other ways, it makes him/her a target for those out to steal that work. I almost wonder if people are better off staying (at least sort of, up to a point) under the radar and letting their "zillions" of peanuts trickle in each month. I'm by no means earning a full-time income online; but I think what I've learned is that the inclination to believe it's always important (in life) to devote one's energies and efforts to "perfecting" one thing may have to be abandoned and replaced, instead, with the shallow, principle-less, climate of the Internet with the reality that something like 100 sites that bring in $10 or more in peanuts a month (or some version of "diversification") (with mediocre material) wouldn't (theoretically) be a bad way to earn pretty well. I know such an approach is easier to say than do, but it eliminates the target on your back, a lot of the "guarding-your-stuff" work, and (when all is said and done) if your work does get stolen you don't care much about it anyway.
This isn't intended to sound the least bit cynical, because I find my own realization somewhat liberating; but I think people need to realize that the Internet is not a place to bring particularly high quality writing, heart, soul, or even character. Those are for other places in life. Instead, the Internet is a place to learn how to care less and separate oneself from values that have a place in offline work/life; and instead, just find a way to get numbers up in one way or another. I'm not saying people need to abandon their integrity - only stop worrying about anything other than the math. It's liberating, less tiring, and safer (theft-wise) - and when all is said done there are lots of other ways to find fulfillment in writing elsewhere. (I'm convinced that people often make earning harder than it needs to be because the "serious-minded"/"professional-minded" can become bogged down with offline principles that actually hinder success on the Internet.
I like this article you have written. Its hard truth in a good way.
Dear Mr Mark, I really like your worldly comments, but why is everyone so concerned about money out there? I am not trying to make money, just find my Moms. I joined hub pages to try and find her and am writing the 'Secret Diary of a Really Bad Egg' to try and make contact with her. I will keep publishing my diary every week until I find her. I am just an unfertilized egg down here in Moms Ovaries. Do you know my Moms? Could you possibly be my Dads? Yours Eggy.
LOL - Who knows. Ask her when you find her.
Well, quite frankly, what you say, in short, is that there is no such thing as free money. There never has been and there never will be - whether it is to do with the net or conventional business. It is all about right time, right place and an ability to spot an opportunity when, and if, it arises. Unfortunately, the net gives the impression that it is a 'gravy train' ripe for anyone with a computer. Unless I am mistaken, this is far from the case?
Mark,
Thank you for your hub. I am new to all of this. I am looking forward to reading your other hubs.
Good info, but I agree you need to put work in to get results.
What you say is true. It is not a quick, overnight thing. The quickest way to make money, is to lie your ass off. I couldn't do that. I blog, write hubs and I'm assigned to many Affiliate Programs. Nothing substantial. You have to love what you are doing and have patience. It will start coming in.
Basically, just keep advertising and adding new content and eventually, you'll get enough visits.
Most importantly, be honest.
Trust is one good way to have reccurring sales.
Just starting out 'blogging' and free lance writing for income and just joined hubpages. Good article and some good and useful comments afterwards.
Lots of good advice Thanks Mark. I will bookmark this hub and read all the links you give.
Nice hub and good info. My first earning on the net is $15 by an online survey, and I am very excited about it. I am searching for ways to make a good earning through the internet. Thanks for sharing this info.about earning online through blogging.
Blogging definitely isn't an overnight income source. It's possible, but I'd honestly say it's MORE work than hard manual labor ... however, more rewarding. My best piece of advice is to plan to be doing this for years, not months or weeks. It takes a long time to develop a following, learn what topics make money, and to learn how to write for the web. Great hub.
Great Blog, I will be sure to read all your articles(blogs)
I'm trying to make a full time income on the internet and I believe you will be a big help!! Thank You
Pretty recently I've heard a lot of buzz about "micro niche blogging". I think that's the best way to earn at the moment.
It's true that Hubpages is easier than having a personal blog. At least there is a large readerbase.
Hang in there, Mark, and keep it up.
Mark, thanks for the advise. Hubpages is a great place to start and learn how to use the system to your advantage. I've learned so much from people like you, I want to try the whole blog experience.
BrianS 2 years ago
You got it right there, no easy feat. But very rewarding when you do start to earn a few dollars here and there. The trick is in consistently earning a few dollars here and there rather than the 1 off payments that come your way once in a while.