This post is created with the sole purpose of educating new bloggers.
I wish I had known some of these blogging income lessons before I started my blogging journey.
I don’t regret anything, I only wish I had a rough idea of when to expect certain things.
How long will it take for you to earn money with your blog depends on a lot of factors such as your niche, knowledge, blogging time, budget available for marketing, experience and so on.
So if someone tells you – it will take ‘x’ amount of time to make money – it will most likely be an inaccurate answer. Having said that here are some rough guidelines as to how the general population of bloggers are doing. You may not fit into the general population and that is a good thing.
The ideas for this post were gathered from expert bloggers like Darren Rowse, Amy Lynn Andrews and John Paul Aguiar. We have merely presented it visually and the credit goes to the real heroes.
Download a printable PDF of this Tipographic here. You can use any of our Infographics in your site with a link-back to us.
1,500 ProBlogger Readers Surveyed
- 10% percentage of bloggers don’t make any money (Not all survey participants wanted to make money)
- 63% make less than $ 100 a Month – That’s Less than $ 3.50 per day
- 13% make over $ 1,000 a month
- Only 4% percent of bloggers make over $ 10,000 a month
1 – Blogging Income does not Happen Overnight
Not just blogging income but blogging itself has several components and lessons you need to learn: SEO, social media marketing, WordPress (or other content management platform), content creation and promotion and so on. There are many lessons to learn in blogging and this takes time.
2 – It does not Cost a lot to Start Blogging
You can start a blog at zero cost – these blogs will most likely be hosted by someone else like wordpress.com. Free blogs come with limitations such as themes, customizations and monetization options.
You can start a blog with less than $ 100 or even $ 50 depending on what trade-offs you are willing to make.
3 – On average, most Bloggers Start making Coffee Money after about 6 Months
There are some big names making a killer earning with their blogs but the truth is unless you are an expert blogger or have some kind of exceptional talent then don’t expect the unexpected! I am not saying you can’t make money by blogging but merely saying understand the average so you can try to beat the average. Obviously, you have to find ways to stand out in the noisy world.
4 – A Part-Time Income can take 1 Year
The lessons in the blogging world are so many that it takes time to learn and implement them.
5 – A Full-Time Income can take 2 Years+
Stay for the long haul. There are fruits to be had if you are passionate and patient.
6 – Google is not the Only Traffic or Income Source
Most new bloggers think and depend on Google. While Google is big, there are other traffic sources like Yahoo and Bing. Social Media can also bring in traffic to your site.
7 – Self-Hosted Blogs have a Better Chance of Success
We talked about the restrictions on a free blog and you can host your blog with a hosting provider to overcome these restrictions. If you want to make money with your blog it is better to have the freedom to monetize the blog anyway you deem fit.
8 – You don’t have to be an Expert in your Field
Most people who like the idea of an online income through blogging shy away thinking they are not an expert. Well, you don’t have to be an expert; you just need to be a quick learner who is not shy of sharing your learnings. Find ways to present your learnings in a different way so you can stand out in the ever so crowded blogosphere.
9 – Advertising is only one way to make Money Online
Advertising is not the only income source. In fact, there are quite a few income sources like – offering products, services, affiliate marketing, sponsorship and subscription services. These could include eBooks, consulting, online courses, physical products and speaking. The bottom-line, the possibilities are huge.
10 – Traffic to your Blog does not Flow Automatically – you need to Build it and then Promote it
Search traffic or any traffic generation to a new blog is tough – period! You have to learn how to promote your content and market it. You have to build a content marketing checklist and keep learning so you can add to the checklist. The objective is NOT just to build a blog and produce quality content. You have to constantly learn and find ways to get more attention and engagement. You have to build your mailing list so you can expand your “on demand following”.
11 – Diversify your Blogging Income – “Don’t Put All Your Eggs in One Basket”
Depending on one source of income is like burying all your eggs in one spot. If a predator finds the hiding spot all the eggs and the young ling’s lives are in danger. Similarly, if you only have one income source like your wage then it is time to look at an online business or real estate to diversify your income. In the blogging world you should not depend only on one income source either. If advertisements are your bread and butter then may be it is time to start thinking about a service or a product.
Conclusion
If you are starting a blog to earn money then prepare for the long haul. You can certainly make money with your blog but it may take some time. Don’t start a blog if you need immediate cash. The majority of blogs took time to mould. There is always a learning curve so keep an open mind and let’s monetize your blog.
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